FOR EASTER-DAY 'Christ the Lord is risen to-day,' Love's redeeming work is done, Vain the stone, the watch, the seal; Christ hath burst the gates of hell! Death in vain forbids His rise; Christ hath opened Paradise! Lives again our glorious King: Where, O Death, is now thy sting? Dying once, He all doth save: Where thy victory, O Grave? Soar we now where Christ has led, Risen with Him, we upward move; Scarce on earth a thought bestow, Hid, till Christ our Life appear Glorious in His members here; Joined to Him, we then shall shine, All immortal, all divine. Hail the Lord of Earth and Heaven! King of glory, Soul of bliss ! IN TEMPTATION Jesu, lover of my soul, Let me to Thy bosom fly, While the nearer waters roll, While the tempest still is high! Hide me, O my Saviour, hide, Till the storm of life is past, Safe into the haven guide; O receive my soul at last! Other refuge have I none; Hangs my helpless soul on Thee; Leave, ah! leave me not alone, Still support and comfort me! All my trust on Thee is stayed, All my help from Thee I bring: Cover my defenceless head With the shadow of Thy wing! Wilt Thou not regard my call ? Wilt Thou not accept my prayer? Lo! I sink, I faint, I fall! Lo! on Thee I cast my care! Reach me out Thy gracious hand! While I of Thy strength receive, Hoping against hope I stand, Dying, and behold I live! Thou, O Christ, art all I want; More than all in Thee I find : Raise the fallen, cheer the faint, Heal the sick, and lead the blind! Just and holy is Thy Name; I am all unrighteousness; False and full of sin I am, Thou art full of truth and grace. Grace to cover all my sin; Make and keep me pure within! Rise to all eternity! WRESTLING JACOB Come, Q thou Traveller unknown, Whom still I hold, but cannot see; And I am left alone with Thee; My misery or sin declare; Look on Thy hands, and read it there! I never will unloose my hold; The secret of Thy love unfold. Wrestling, I will not-let Thee go, Wilt Thou not yet to me reveal Thy new, unutterable name? To know it now, resolved I am: 'Tis all in vain to hold Thy tongue, Or touch the hollow of my thigh; Out of my arms Thou shalt not fly; What though my shrinking flesh complain, And murmur to contend so long ? I rise superior to my pain; When I am weak, then I am 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 weighty hand, I fall, and yet by faith I stand: Yield to me now, for I am weak, But confident in self-despair; Be conquered by my instant prayer! Speak, or Thou never hence shalt move, And tell me, if Thy name is Love? 'Tis Love! 'tis Love! Thou diedst for me! I hear Thy Whisper in my heart! The morning the shadows flee; Pure universal Love Thou art! To me, to all, Thy bowels move; 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! But stay, and love me to the end! The Sun of Righteousness on me Hath rose, with healing in His wings; Withered my nature's strength, from Thee My soul its life and succour brings; 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! |