Ah me! my penitence a fresh offence, Yet art Thou with us, Thou to Whom we run, Too tardy and too tepid and too We hand in hand with Thee and Say 'Come,' say not 'Depart,' O LORD God, hear the silence of tho' Thou art just: Yea, Lord, be mindful how out each soul, Its cry unutterable of ruth and shame, Its voicelessness of self-contempt and blame : Nor suffer harp and palm and aureole Of multitudes who praise Thee at the goal To set aside Thy poor and blind and lame; Nor blazing Seraphs utterly to outflame The spark that flies up from each earthly coal. My price Thy priceless Blood; and therefore I Price of Thy priceless Blood am precious so That good things love me in their love of Thee: I comprehend not why Thou lovedst me With Thy so mighty Love; but this I know, No man hath greater love than thus to die. Before 1893. АH Lord, Lord, if my heart were right with Thine As Thine with mine, then should that day For Thee, beyond refreshment of that rest To which tired saints press on for its delight : Or if not thus for Thee, yet Thee I pray To make me long so till Thou make me blest. Before 1893. WEIGH all my faults and follies righteously, Omissions and commissions, sin on sin; Make deep the scale, O Lord, to weigh them in ; Yea, set the Accuser vulture-eyed to see All loads ingathered which belong to me: That so in life the judgement may begin, And Angels learn how hard it is One solitary sinful soul to Thee. What can I answer to the accusing voice? Lord, drop Thou in the counter scale alone One Drop from Thine own Heart, and overweigh My guilt, my folly, even my heart of stone. Before 1886. For Thee, beyond the splendour of LORD, grant me grace to love Thee Where all is day and is not any in my pain, Thro' all my disappointment love GIFTS AND GRACES (From before 1886 to before 1893.) LOVE loveth Thee, and wisdom loveth Thee; My feet to plod, some day my wings to soar: Some day; but, Lord, not any day before Thou call me perfect, having made me such. The love that loveth Thee sits This is a day of love, a day of sorrow, LORD, give me love that I may love By Love? Do, Lord, as Thou art Thee much, Yea, give me love that I may love Thee more, And all for love may worship and adore And touch Thee with love's conse crated touch. used To do, and make me love Thee more. Before 1886. O YE who love to-day, I halt to-day; be love my cheerful Turn away crutch, From Patience with her silver ray: For Patience shows a twilight face, But ye who love to-morrow, To-day some bitterness of sorrow : LIFE that was born to-day But tend to end To live and give Life that was born to die And counts and mounts Love's name, and flame Life that was born to love Both cloud and shroud, Eyesight and light Perfect Love casteth out Fear. LORD, give me blessed fear, And much more blessed love, That fearing I may love Thee here And be Thy harmless dove : Until Thou cast out fear, Until Thou perfect love, Until Thou end mine exile here And fetch Thee home Thy dove. Before 1893. HOPE is the counterpoise of fear While night enthralls us here. Fear hath a startled eye that holds a tear: Hope hath an upward glance, for dawn draws near With sunshine and with cheer. A lamentable tomb where leaves drop sere, Bleaching to congruous skeletons austere : Hope chants a funeral hymn most sweet and clear, And seems true chanticleer Of resurrection and of all things dear In the oncoming endless year. Fear ballasts hope, hope buoys up fear, And both befit us here. Before 1893. Subject to like Passions as we are. WHOSO hath anguish is not dead in sin, Whoso hath pangs of utterless desire. Like as in smouldering flax which harbours fire, |