Hymn

Thou hidden love of God, whose height,

Whose depth, unfathomed, no man knows,

I see from far thy beauteous light;

Inly I sigh for thy repose.

My heart is pained, nor can it be

At rest till it find rest in Thee.

Thy secret voice invites me still

The sweetness of thy yoke to prove;

And fain I would; but though my will

Seems fixed, yet wide my passions rove;

Yet hindrances strew all the way;

I aim at Thee, yet from Thee stray.

'Tis mercy all that Thou has brought

My mind to seek its peace in Thee;

Yet while I seek, but find Thee not,

No peace my wandering soul shall see.

O when shall all my wanderings end,

And all my steps to theeward tend?

Is there a thing beneath the sun

That strives with Thee my heart to share?

Ah, tear it hence and reign alone,

The Lord of every motion there;

Then shall my heart from earth be free,

When it hath found repose in Thee.

O hide this self from me, that I

No more, but Christ in me, may live!

My vile affections crucify,

Nor let one darling lust survive

In all things nothing may I see,

Nothing desire or seek, but Thee!

O Love, thy sovereign aid impart

To save me from low thought care;

Chase this self will from all my heart,

From all its hidden mazes there;

Make me Thy duteous child that I

Ceaseless may "Abba, Father" cry.

Ah no! ne'er will I backward turn:

Thine wholly, Thine alone I am!

Thrice happy he who views with scorn

Earth's toys, for Thee his constant Flame;

O help that I may never move

From the blest footsteps of Thy love!

Each moment draw from earth away

My heart that lowly waits Thy call;

Speak to my inmost soul and say,

"I am thy love, thy God, thy all!"

To feel Thy power, to hear Thy voice,

To taste Thy love, be all my choice.