4 Wherever in the world I am,
In whatsoe'er estate,
I have a fellowship with hearts
To keep and cultivate;
And a work of lowly love to do
For the Lord on whom I wait.
5 So I ask thee for the daily strength,
To none that ask denied,
And a mind to blend with outward life
While keeping at thy side;
Content to fill a little space,
If thou be glorified.
6 And if some things I do not ask
In my cup of blessing be;
I would have my spirit fill'd the more
With grateful love to thee;
More careful,-not to serve thee much,-
But to please thee perfectly.
7 There are briars besetting every path That call for patient care,
There is a cross in every lot,
And an earnest need for prayer;
But a lowly heart that leans on thee
Is happy anywhere.
8 In a service which thy love appoints
There are no bonds for me,
For my inmost heart is taught the truth
That makes thy children free;
And a life of self-renouncing love
Is a life of liberty.
"Make thy way straight before my face."
1 THY way, not mine, O Lord,
However dark it be:
Lead me by thine own hand,
Choose out the path for me.
Smooth let it be or rough,
It will be still the best;
Winding or straight, it leads
Right onward to thy rest.
2 I dare not choose my lot;
I would not, if I might;
Choose thou for me, my God;
So shall I walk aright.
Take thou my cup, and it
With joy or sorrow fill,
As best to thee may seem;
Choose thou my good and ill.
3 Choose thou for me my friends,
My sickness or my health;
Choose thou my cares for me,
My poverty or wealth.
Not mine, not mine the choice,
In things or great or small;
Be thou my guide, my strength,
My wisdom, and my all'.
"Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid."
MATT. xiv. 27.
1 Toss'd with rough winds, and faint with fear,
Above the tempest, soft and clear,
What still small accents greet mine ear ?—
'Tis I; be not afraid.
2 'Tis I, who wash'd thy spirit white
"Tis I, who gave thy blind eyes sight;
"Tis I, thy Lord, thy life, thy light:
'Tis I; be not afraid.
3 These raging winds, this surging sea,
Have spent their deadly force on me :
They bear no breath of wrath to thee:
'Tis I; be not afraid.
4 This bitter cup, I drank it first;
To thee it is no draught accurst;
The hand that gives it thee is pierced :
'Tis I; be not afraid.
5 Mine eyes are watching by thy bed,
Mine arms are underneath thy head,
My blessing is around thee shed:
'Tis I; be not afraid.
6 When on the other side thy feet
Shall rest, mid thousand welcomes sweet, One well-known voice thy heart shall greet, 'Tis I; be not afraid.
342. "Casting all your care upon Him, for he careth [8.8.6. for you."-1 PET. v. 7.
1 O LORD, how happy should we be
If we could cast our care on thee,
If we from self could rest;
And feel at heart that One above
In perfect wisdom, perfect love,
Is working for the best.
2 How far from this our daily life,
How oft disturb'd by anxious strife,
By sudden wild alarms;
O could we but relinquish all
Our earthly props, and simply fall
On thine almighty arms!
3 Could we but kneel and cast our load,
Even while we pray, upon our God,
Then rise with lighten'd cheer;
Sure that the Father, who is nigh
To still the famish'd raven's cry,
Will hear in that we fear.
4 We cannot trust him as we should;
So chafe's weak nature's restless mood
To cast its peace away;
But birds and flowerets round us preach,
All, all the present evil teach
Sufficient for the day.
5 Lord, make these faithless hearts of ours
Such lessons learn from birds and flowers;
Make them from self to cease,
Leave all things to a Father's will,
And taste, before him lying still,
Even in affliction, peace.
"The Lord is my portion, saith my soul."
LAM. iii. 24.
1 LONG did I toil, and knew no earthly rest,
Far did I rove, and found no certain home,
At last I sought them in his sheltering breast,
Who opes his arms, and bids the weary come:
With him I found a home, a rest divine,
And I since then am his, and he is mine.
2 The good I have is from his stores supplied;
The ill is only what he deems the best;
He for my Friend, I'm rich with nought beside;
And poor without him, though of all possess'd:
Changes may come; I take, or I resign;
Content, while I am his, while he is mine.
3 Whate'er may change, in him no change is seen; A glorious sun that wanes not nor declines; Above the clouds and storms he walks serene,
And sweetly on his people's darkness shines :
All may depart, I fret not, nor repine,
While I my Saviour's am, while he is mine.
4 While here, alas, I know but half his love,
But half discern him, and but half adore;
But when I meet him in the realms above
I hope to love him better, praise him more,
And feel, and tell, amid the choir divine,
How fully I am his, and he is mine.
344. "Having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, [P.M. which is far better."-PHIL. i. 23.
1 O PARADISE, O Paradise,
Who doth not crave for rest?
Who would not seek the happy land,
Where they that loved are blest;
Where loyal hearts, and true,
Stand ever in the light,
All rapture, through and through,
In God's most holy sight?
2 O Paradise, O Paradise,
The world is growing old;
Who would not be at rest and free
Where love is never cold?
Where loyal hearts, &c.
3 O Paradise, O Paradise,
'Tis weary waiting here;
I long to be where Jesus is,
To feel, to see him near;
Where loyal hearts, &c.
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