Oh, cling not, Trembler, to Life's fragile Bark.
OH, cling not, Trembler, to life's fragile bark:
It fills-it soon must sink:
Look not below, where all is chill and dark; 'Tis agony to think
Of that wild waste; but look, oh! look above,
And see the outstretched arm of Love.
Cling not to this poor life: unlock thy clasp
Of fleeting, vapoury air.
The world receding soon will mock thy grasp;
But let the wings of prayer
Take the blest breeze of Heaven, and upward flee, And life from God shall enter thee.
Oh, fear not Him who walks the stormy wave: 'Tis not a spectre, but the Lord.
Trust thou in Him who overcame the Grave,
Who holds in captive ward
The powers of Hell. Heed not the monster grim;
Nor fear to go through death to Him.
Look not so fondly back on this false Earth:
Let hope not linger here.
Say, would the worm forego its second birth,
Or the transition fear,
That gives it wings to try a world unknown,
Although it wakes and mounts alone?
But thou art not alone: on either side
The portal, friends stand guard:
And the kind spirits wait thy course to guide. Why, why should it be hard,
To trust our Maker with the soul He gave, Or Him who died that soul to save?
Into His hands commit thy trembling spirit,
Who gave His life for thine.
Guilty, fix all thy trust upon His merit:
To Him thy heart resign.
Oh, give Him love for love, and sweetly fall
Into His hands who is thy All.
O Thou, whom still X Hold, but cannot See.
COME, O Thou traveller unknown,
Whom still I hold, but cannot see!
My company before is gone,
And I am left alone with Thee;
With Thee all night I mean to stay,
And wrestle till the break of day.
I need not tell Thee who I am;
My misery or sin declare;
Thyself hast called me by my name;
Look on Thy hands and read it there :
But who, I ask Thee, who art Thou?
Tell me Thy name, and tell me now.
In vain Thou strugglest to get free,
I never will unloose my hold:
Art Thou the Man that died for me?
The secret of thy love unfold:
Wrestling, I will not let Thee go,
Till I Thy name, Thy nature know.
Wilt Thou not yet to me reveal
Thy new, unutterable name?
Tell me, I still beseech Thee, tell;
To know it now, resolved I am :
Wrestling, I will not let Thee go,
Till I Thy name, Thy nature know.
What though my sinking flesh complain,
And murmur to contend so long,
I rise superior to my pain;
When I am weak, then am I strong:
And when my all of strength shall fail,
I shall with the God-man prevail.
My strength is gone, my nature dies,
I sink beneath Thy mighty hand;
Faint, to revive, and fall, to rise;
I fall, and yet by faith I stand,—
I stand, and will not let Thee go,
Till I Thy name, Thy nature know.
Yield to me now,-for I am weak,
But confident in self-despair ;
Speak to my heart, in blessings speak;
Be conquered by my instant prayer:
Speak, or Thou never hence shalt move,
And tell me, if Thy name be Love.
'Tis Love! 'tis Love! Thou diedst for me;
I hear Thy whisper in my heart:
The morning breaks, the shadows flee;
Pure, Universal Love, Thou art :
To me, to all, Thy bowels move :
Thy nature and Thy name is Love.
My prayer hath power with God; the grace
Unspeakable I now receive;
Through faith I see Thee face to face;
I see Thee face to face, and live :
In vain I have not wept and strove ;
Thy nature and Thy name is Love.
I know Thee, Saviour, who Thou art,
Jesus, the feeble sinner's friend;
Nor wilt Thou with the night depart,
But stay, and love me to the end :
Thy mercies never shall remove;
Thy nature and Thy name is Love.
The Sun of Righteousness on me
Hath rose, with healing in His wings;
Wither'd my nature's strength, from Thee
My soul its life and succour brings;
My help is all laid up above;
Thy nature and Thy name is Love.
Contented now, upon my thigh
I halt, till life's short journey end;
All helplessness, all weakness, I
On Thee alone for strength depend; Nor have I power from Thee to move; Thy nature and Thy name is Love.
Lame as I am, I take the prey;
Hell, earth, and sin, with ease o’ercome;
I leap for joy, pursue my way,
And, as a bounding hart, fly home;
Through all eternity to prove,
Thy nature and Thy name is Love.
O God, Thou Great Intelligence
Supreme.
LORD, Thou great intelligence supreme,
Sov'reign director of this mighty frame;
Whose watchful hand, and all-observing ken,
Fashions the heart, and views the ways of men;
Whether thy hand the plenteous table spread,
Or measure sparingly the daily bread;
Whether or wealth or honours gild the scene,
Or wants deform, and wasting anguish stain;
On Thee let truth and virtue firm rely,
Bless'd in the care of thy approving eye!
Know that thy providence, their constant friend,
Thro' life shall guard them, and in death attend;
With everlasting arms their cause embrace,
And crown the paths of piety with
On Him I Lean. WHEN gathering clouds around I view,
And days are dark, and friends are few;
On Him I lean, who, not in vain,
Experienced every human pain:
He sees my griefs, allays my fears,
And counts and treasures up my tears.
If aught should tempt my soul to stray
From heavenly wisdom's narrow way,
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