Verse 1
Great searcher of hearts,
In our innermost parts
Declare the whole counsel divine,
Our evils remove,
Our graces improve,
And secure us eternally thine.
Verse 2
On me and my friend
The Comforter send,
The fountain of blessings unknown,
On both let him flow,
For we neither can know,
Or inherit a blessing alone.
Verse 3
Yet, Lord, if it be
Unpleasing to thee
Our oneness of mind and of heart,
We call for the sword,
We acknowledge our Lord,
And agree at thy bidding to part.
Verse 4
Thy favour to know,
We each other forego,
If our love be an hindrance to thine;
Thy counsel we take,
And each other forsake,
To recover the friendship divine.
Verse 5
At Jesus’s call
We freely sell all
The delights of reciprocal love;
For that better hope
We calmly give up,
And reposit our treasure above.
Verse 6
Made perfect thro’ woe,
From our parting below
To our last happy meeting we rise,
Our friendship renew,
(For who promis’d is true)
And embrace evermore in the skies.