Miscellaneous Pieces in Verse and Prose, By Theodosia [i.e. Anne Steele] |
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Desiring to love Christ and obey him. |
 | Miscellaneous Pieces |  |
Desiring to love Christ and obey him.
If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Jesus my Lord, in thy dear name unite,
All that my heart calls great, or good, or sweet;
Whate'er inspires with wonder or delight,
In thee, thou fairest of ten thousand, meet.
All that my heart calls great, or good, or sweet;
Whate'er inspires with wonder or delight,
In thee, thou fairest of ten thousand, meet.
Do I not love thee? ah my conscious heart
Nor boldly dares affirm, nor can deny;
O bid these clouds of gloomy fear depart,
With one bright ray from thy propitious eye!
Nor boldly dares affirm, nor can deny;
O bid these clouds of gloomy fear depart,
With one bright ray from thy propitious eye!
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Do I not love thee? can I then allow,
Within my breast pretenders to thy throne?
O take my homage, at thy feet I bow!
No other Lord my heart desires to own.
Within my breast pretenders to thy throne?
O take my homage, at thy feet I bow!
No other Lord my heart desires to own.
Take, take my passions in thy sovereign hand,
Refine and mould them with almighty skill;
Then shall I love the voice of thy command,
And all my powers rejoice to do thy will.
Refine and mould them with almighty skill;
Then shall I love the voice of thy command,
And all my powers rejoice to do thy will.
Thy love inspires the active sons of light,
With swift-wing'd zeal, they wait upon thy word;
O let that love, in these abodes of night,
Bid my heart glow to serve my dearest Lord!
With swift-wing'd zeal, they wait upon thy word;
O let that love, in these abodes of night,
Bid my heart glow to serve my dearest Lord!
Come love divine, my languid wishes raise!
With heavenly zeal this faint cold heart inflame,
To join with angels in my Saviour's praise,
Like them, obey his will, adore his name!
With heavenly zeal this faint cold heart inflame,
To join with angels in my Saviour's praise,
Like them, obey his will, adore his name!
But can the mind, with heavy clay opprest,
To emulate seraphic ardour rise?
While sin pollutes her joys, forbids her rest,
How can she join the worship of the skies?
To emulate seraphic ardour rise?
While sin pollutes her joys, forbids her rest,
How can she join the worship of the skies?
Yet he commands to love and to obey,
Whose hand sustains those happy spirits there;
In him, my soul, who is thy guide, thy stay,
In him confide, to him commit thy care.
Whose hand sustains those happy spirits there;
In him, my soul, who is thy guide, thy stay,
In him confide, to him commit thy care.
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Jesus my Lord, O give me strength divine!
Then shall my powers in glad obedience move;
Receive the heart that wishes to be thine,
And teach, O teach me to obey and love!
Then shall my powers in glad obedience move;
Receive the heart that wishes to be thine,
And teach, O teach me to obey and love!
| Miscellaneous Pieces | |