4 Fly, ye seasons, fly still faster;
Swiftly bring the glorious day:
JESUS, come, our Lord, our master!
Come from heav'n without delay:
Take thy people,
Take, O take them hence away.

262. Desiring to Live unto Christ. S. M.

For the love of CHRIST constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them and rose again.-2 COR. v. 14, 15.

2

3

WHEN shall thy love constrain
This heart thine own to be?
When shall the wounded spirit gain
A healing rest in thee?

Ah! what avails my strife,
My wand'ring to and fro?
Thou hast the words of endless life:
LORD, whither shall I go !

Thy condescending grace
To me did freely move:
It calls me still to seek thy face,
And stoops to ask my love!

4 My worthless heart to gain,

The God who gave me breath,
Was found in fashion as a mau,

And died a cursed death!

5 Then may I sin forsake,
The world for thee resign;
Gracious REDEEMER, take, O take,
And seal me ever thine!

263. Desiring Tenderness of Conscience. C. M.

And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward GOD, and toward men. -ACTS xxiv. 16.

ALMIGHTY GOD of truth and love,
In me thy power exert ;
The mountain from my soul remove,
The hardness of my heart.

2 I want a principle within
Of jealous godly fear;
A tender sense of rising sin,
A pain to feel it near.

3 I want the first approach to feel
Of pride or vain desire;
To catch the wand'rings of my will,
And quench the kindling fire.

4 From thee that I no more may part, No more thy goodness grieve, The filial awe, the holy heart,

The tender conscience give.

5 O may the least omission pain
My well-instructed soul,
And drive me to thy blood again,
Which makes the wounded whole.

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 to 19.

2

3

4.

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.