Celestial Sweetness unalloy'd,
Who eat Thee hunger still;
Who drink of Thee still feel a void
Which only Thou canst fill.
O most sweet JESU, hear the sighs
Which unto Thee we send ;
To Thee our inmost spirit cries,
To Thee our prayers ascend.
Abide with us, and let Thy light
Shine, LORD, on every heart;
Dispel the darkness of our night,
And joy to all impart.
JESU, our Love and Joy, to Thee,
The Virgin's Holy Son,
All might, and praise, and glory be,
While endless ages run.
494 Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty.
GOD, of good th' unfathom'd sea,
Who would not give his heart to Thee? Who would not love Thee with his might? O JESU, Lover of mankind,
Who would not his whole soul and mind,
With all his strength, to Thee unite?
High throned on heav'n's eternal hill,
In number, weight, and measure still
Thou sweetly ord'rest all that is:
And yet Thou deign'st to come to me,
And guide my steps, that I with Thee
Enthroned may reign in endless bliss.
Primeval Beauty, in Thy sight
The first-born fairest sons of light
See all their brightest glories fade.
What then to me Thine eyes could turn,
In sin conceived, of woman born,
A worm, a leaf, a blast, a shade?
Fountain of good! all blessing flows
From Thee; no want Thy fulness knows :
What but Thyself canst Thou desire?
Yet, self-sufficient as Thou art,
Thou dost desire my worthless heart;
This, only this dost Thou require.
O GOD, of good th' unfathom'd sea,
Who would not give his heart to Thee?
Who would not love Thee with his might?
O JESU, Lover of mankind,
Who would not his whole soul and mind,
With all his strength, to Thee unite?
Liebe, die Du mich zum Bilde.
LOVE, Who formedst me to wear
The image of Thy GODHEAD here;
Who soughtest me with tender care
Through all my wanderings wild and drear;
O LOVE, I give myself to Thee,
Thine ever, only Thine to be.
O LOVE, Who ere life's earliest morn
On me Thy choice hast gently laid ;
O LOVE, Who here as Man wast born,
And wholly like to us wast made;
O LOVE, I give myself to Thee,
Thine ever, only Thine to be.
O LOVE, Who once in time wast slain,
Pierced through and through with bitter woe;
O LOVE, Who wrestling thus didst gain
That we eternal joy might know;
O LOVE, I give myself to Thee,
Thine ever, only Thine to be.
O LOVE, Who lovedst me for aye,
Who for my soul dost ever plead;
O LOVE, Who didst that ransom pay
Whose power sufficeth in my stead;
O LOVE, I give myself to Thee,
Thine ever, only Thine to be.
O LOVE, Who once shalt bid me rise
From out this dying life of ours;
O LOVE, Who once o'er yonder skies
Shalt set me in the fadeless bowers;
O LOVE, I give myself to Thee,
Thine ever, only Thine to be. Amen.
ARK, my soul! it is the LORD;
'Tis thy Saviour, hear His word;
JESUS Speaks, and speaks to thee,
'Say, poor sinner, lov'st thou Me?
"I deliver'd thee when bound,
And, when bleeding, heal'd thy wound;
Sought thee wandering, set thee right,
Turn'd thy darkness into light.
"Can a woman's tender care
Cease towards the child she bare
Yes, she may forgetful be,
Yet will I remember thee.
"Mine is an unchanging love,
Higher than the heights above
Deeper than the depths beneath,
Free and faithful, strong as death.
"Thou shalt see My glory soon,
When the work of grace is done;
Partner of My throne shalt be;
Say, poor sinner, lov'st thou Me?"
LORD, it is my chief complaint
That my love is weak and faint;
Yet I love Thee, and adore;
O for grace to love Thee more. Amen.
497 Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
LOVE Divine, how sweet Thou art!
When shall I find my willing heart
All taken up by Thee?
I thirst, I faint, I die to
The greatness of redeeming love,
The love of CHRIST to me.
Stronger His love than death or hell;
Its riches are unsearchable;
The first-born sons of light
Desire in vain its depths to see;
They cannot reach the mystery,
The length, and breadth, and height.
God only knows the love of God;
O that it now were shed abroad
In this poor stony heart!
For love I sigh, for love I pine;
This only portion, LORD, be mine,
Be mine this better part.
For ever would I take my seat
With Mary at the Master's feet;
Be this my happy choice;
My only care, delight, and bliss,
My joy, my heav'n on earth, be this,
To hear the Bridegroom's voice. Amen.
Visit me with thy salvation.
LOVE Divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heav'n, to earth come down,
Fix in us Thy humble dwelling,
All Thy faithful mercies crown.
JESU, Thou art all compassion,
Pure unbounded love Thou art;
Visit us with Thy salvation,
Enter every trembling heart.
Come, Almighty to deliver,
Let us all Thy grace receive;
Suddenly return, and never,
Never more Thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
Serve Thee as Thy hosts above,
Pray, and praise Thee, without ceasing,
Glory in Thy perfect love.
Finish then Thy new creation,
Pure and spotless let us be;
Let us see Thy great salvation,
Perfectly restored in Thee,
Changed from glory into glory,
Till in heav'n we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before Thee,
Lost in wonder, love, and praise.
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