264. Desiring a Closer Union with Christ. S.M.
That CHRIST may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of CHRIST, which passeth knowledge.-EPH. iii. 17
MY SAVIOUR, thou didst shed
Thy precious blood for me;
Oh dwell within my worthless heart,
And let me live to thee!
Thou callest me, though vile,
To come to thee and live;
I therefore come, with all my sins,
I know thou canst forgive.
JESU, my gracious Lord,
I long to see thy face;
To know thee more and more by faith,
And daily grow in grace.
And when this life is o'er,
Oh may I dwell with thee,
Still worshipping the blessed Lamb,
Who liv'd and died for me.
265 Desiring a Closer Walk with God. C.M.
Where is then the blessedness ye spake of?-GAL. iv. 15.
O FOR a closer walk with GOD,
A calm and heav'nly frame;
A light to shine upon the road
That leads me to the Lamb!
2 Where is the blessedness I knew,
When first I saw the Lord?
Where is the soul-refreshing view
Of JESUS, and his word?
3 What peaceful hours I then enjoy'd!
How sweet their mem'ry still!
But they have left an aching void,
The world can never fill.
4 Return, O holy Dove, return,
Sweet messenger of rest!
I hate the sins that made thee mourn,
And drove thee from my breast.
5 The dearest idol I have known,
Whate'er that idol be,
Help me to tear it from thy throne,
And worship only thee.
6 So shall my walk be close with GOD, Calm and serene my frame;
So purer light shall mark the road
That leads me to the Lamb.
266. Dreading Love to the Creature. C.M.
Surely every man walketh in a vain show: surely they are disquieted in vain he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. And now, LORD, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.-PSALM XXXIX. 6, 7.
HOW vain are all things here below!
How false, and yet how fair!
Each pleasure hath its poison too ;
And every sweet a snare.
2 The brightest things below the sky
Give but a flatt'ring light;
We should suspect some danger nigh,
Where we possess delight.
3 Our dearest joys, and nearest friends,
The partners of our blood,
How they divide our wav'ring minds,
And leave but half for GOD!
4 The fondness of a creature's love,
How strong it strikes the sense,
Thither the warm affections move,
Nor can we call them thence.
5 O LORD, command my heart away
From all created good;
And thou thyself my portion be,
My soul's eternal food.
267. Drawn by Love. 8-8-6.
Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ?-ACTS ix. 6.
LORD, thou hast won, at length I yield;
My heart, by mighty grace compell'd,
Surrenders all to thee;
Against thy terrors long I strove,
But who can stand against thy love?
Love conquers even me.
2 All that a wretch could do I tried,
Thy patience scorn'd, thy pow'r defied,
And trampled on thy laws:
But mercy has my heart subdued,
A bleeding SAVIOUR I have view'd,
And seen my sins the cause.
3 [Now, since thou hast thy love reveal'd,
And shown my soul a pardon seal'd,
I can resist no more:
Could'st thou for such a sinner bleed?
Can'st thou for such a rebel plead ?
I wonder and adore.]
4 Now, Lord, I would be thine alone,
Come, take possession of thine own,
For thou hast set me free;
Releas'd from Satan's hard command,
See all my powers waiting stand,
To be employ'd by thee.
5 My will conform'd to thine would move; On thee my hope, desire, and love,
My hands, my eyes, my ears, my tongue,
Have Satan's servants been too long,
But now they shall be thine!
6 [And can I be the very same,
Who lately durst blaspheme thy name,
And on thy Gospel tread?
Surely each one who hears my case,
Will praise thee, and confess thy grace
Invincible indeed!]
268. Exhorted to Watch. 8-7-7.
But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should
overtake you as a thief.-1 THESS. v. 4.
NOTHING know we of the season
When the world shall pass away;
But we know the saints have reason
To expect a glorious day:
When the SAVIOUR Will return,
And his people cease to mourn.
2 0 what sacred joys await them!
They shall see the SAVIOUR then:
Those who now oppose and hate them,
Never can oppose again :
Brethren, let us think of this:
All is ours, if we are his.
3 Waiting for our Lord's returning,
Be it ours his word to keep;
Let our lamps be always burning:
Let us watch while others sleep:
We're no longer of the night:
We are children of the light.
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