Verse 1
God of all power, and truth, and love,
Whose faithful mercies never end,
Thy longing Servant to remove
Who dost the flaming Convoy send,
Help us thine attributes to praise
Help us thy follower to pursue,
Till all obtain the crowning grace
Till all, with her, thy glory—view.
Verse 2
E’er yet she into being came,
Thou didst thy fav’rite handmaid chuse,
Thy love inscribed her with thy Name,
And mark’d the vessel for thy use:
With tender, gracious awe inspir’d
With innocence and purity;
God above all the Child desir’d,
And gave her simple heart to Thee.
Verse 3
Her pious course with life began,
Call’d by the Consecrating Rite,
In wisdom’s pleasant paths she ran,
And serv’d her Maker day and night:
Watchful to keep her garments clean,
Glad to frequent the hallow’d place,
She never left her God for sin
Or wholly lost that earliest grace.
Verse 4
While zealous for thy righteous law
She her integrity maintain’d,
Thou didst her trembling spirit awe,
And bless with lowliness unfeign’d:
No Pharisaic pride, or scorn
Coud harbour in her bosom find,
Her virtue into poison turn,
Or taint so pure and good a mind.
Verse 5
Touching the legal righteousness
While blameless in thy sight she liv’d,
Thee she confess’d in all her ways,
And all her good from Thee receiv’d;
Faithful ev’n then, she flew to tend,
Where’er distrest, the sick and poor,
Rejoic’d for them her life to spend,
And all thy gifts thro’ them restore.
Verse 6
Did not her alms and prayers arise,
Memorial sweet before the throne?
Grateful, accepted sacrifice
They brought the gospel-blessing down:
To One who Thee sincerely fear’d,
Thou didst the Comforter impart:
The herald spake: the Grace appear’d,
And stampt salvation on her heart.
Verse 7
Her unopposing heart receiv’d
With meekness the ingrafted word,
With reverential joy believ’d,
And sunk before her smiling Lord;
Reciprocal affection mov’d,
And wonder ask’d How can it be?
Hath God so poor a creature lov’d,
Or bought so mean a worm as me!