Lord, should my path through suffering lie Forbid it I should e'er repine; Still let me turn tỏ Calvary,
Nor heed my griefs, remembering thine.
O let me think how thou didst leave Untasted every pure delight,
To fast, to faint, to watch, to grieve, The toilsome day, the homeless night:—
To faint, to grieve, to die for me; Thou camest not thyself to please: And, dear as earthly comforts be, Shall I not love thee more than these?
Yes! I would count them all but loss, To gain the notice of thine eye: Flesh shrinks and trembles at the cross, But thou canst give the victory.
JAKE up thy cross, the Saviour said, If thou wouldst my disciple be; Deny thyself, the world forsake, And humbly follow after me.
Take up thy cross; let not its weight Fill thy weak spirit with alarm: His strength shall bear thy spirit up,
And brace thy heart, and nerve thine arm.
Take up thy cross, nor heed the shame; Nor let thy foolish pride rebel : Thy Lord for thee the Cross endured, To save thy soul from death and hell.
Take up thy cross then in his strength, And calmly every danger brave; 'Twill guide thee to a better home, And lead to victory o'er the
Not to live without the cross, But the Saviour's power to know, Sanctifying every loss.
Trials must and will befal; But with humble faith to see Love inscribed upon them all, This is happiness to me.
God, in Israel, sows the seeds Of affliction, pain, and toil;
These spring up and choke the weeds Which would else o'erspread the soil.
Trials make the promise sweet; Trials give new life to prayer; Trials bring me to his feet, Lay me low, and keep me there.
Did I meet no trials here, No correction by the way, Might I not with reason fear I should prove a cast-away? Worldlings may escape the rod, Sunk in earthly, vain delight; But the true-born child of God Must not, would not, if he might.
ND is there, Lord, a cross for me, As through this wilderness I stray, Which, if I would, I must not flee, But thy divine command obey?
I would not, Lord, pass by that cross, For thou hast placed it in my way; To turn aside would be my loss, I therefore lift my heart and pray :-
Shew me the cross that I must bear; Bend my proud heart, that I may take In holy faith and humble prayer, The cross of shame, for thy dear sake: For thou didst take a cross for me, And on it all my sins didst bear; Its agony thou didst not flee, That in thy glory I might share.
Then I will take my cross with joy, And bear it onward to the end; My shame and pride, O Lord, destroy, My faith and hope on thee depend.
Thou soon wilt take the cross away, And place the crown upon my brow, In that bright world of endless day, Where I no more a cross shall know.
ESUS, I my cross have taken, All to leave and follow thee. Destitute, despised, forsaken, Thou, from hence, my all shalt be.
Perish every fond ambition,
All I've sought, and hoped, and known : Yet how rich is my condition!
God and heaven are still mine own. Let the world despise and leave me : They have left my Saviour too. Human hearts and looks deceive me: Thou art not, like them, untrue. And whilst thou shalt smile upon me, God of wisdom, love, and might, Foes may hate, and friends disown me; Shew thy face, and all is bright. Man may trouble and distress me, "Twill but drive me to thy breast; Life with trials hard may press me, Heaven will bring me sweeter rest; O'tis not in grief to harm me, While thy love is left to me; O 'twere not in joy to charm me, Were that joy unmix'd with thee.
Soul! then, know thy full salvation; Rise o'er sin and fear and care; Joy to find, in every station, Something still to do or bear. Think what Spirit dwells within thee: What a Father's smiles are thine : What a Saviour died to win thee: Child of heaven, canst thou repine? Haste thee on from grace to glory, Arm'd by faith and wing'd by prayer: Heaven's eternal days before thee:
God's own hand shall guide thee there.
Soon shall close thine earthly mission: Soon shall pass thy pilgrim days: Hope shall change to full fruition, Faith to sight, and prayer to praise.
TEARER, my God, to thee, Nearer to thee;
E’en though it be a cross That raiseth me;
Still all my song shall be, Nearer, my God, to thee, Nearer to thee!
Though like a wanderer,
The sun gone down,
Darkness comes over me, My rest a stone,
Yet in my dreams I'd be Nearer, my God, to thee, Nearer to thee!
There let my way appear Steps unto heaven,
All that thou sendest me In mercy given ;
Angels to beckon me
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!
Then with my waking thoughts Bright with thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs
Bethel I'll raise;
So by my woes to be
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!
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