CCXCI.

Shepherd of Israel, from above
Thy feeble flock behold;
And let us never lose Thy love,
Nor wander from Thy fold.

Thou wilt not cast Thy lambs away;
Thy hand is ever near,

To guide them lest they go astray,
And keep them safe from fear.

Thy tender care supports the weak,
And will not let them fall;

Then teach us, Lord, Thy praise to speak,
And on Thy Name to call!

We want Thy help, for we are frail;
Thy light, for we are blind;
Let grace o'er all our doubts prevail,
To prove that Thou art kind.

Teach us the things we ought to know ;

And may we find them true ; And still, in stature as we grow, Increase in wisdom too.

Guide us through life; and when at last

We enter into rest,

Thy tender arms around us cast,

And fold us to Thy breast!

William Hiley Bathurst. 1831.

V.

HOLY COMMUNION.

CCXCII.

With all the powers my poor soul hath
Of humble love, and loyal faith,

I come, dear Lord, to worship Thee,
Whom too much love bowed low for me.

Down, busy sense; discourses die ;
And all adore faith's mystery!
Faith is my skill, faith can believe
As fast as love new laws shall give.

Faith is my eye, faith strength affords
To keep pace with those gracious words;
And words more sure, more sweet than they,
Love could not think, Truth could not say.

O dear memorial of that Death

Which still survives, and gives us breath!
Live ever, Bread of Life, and be
My food, my joy, my all to me!

Come, glorious Lord! my hopes increase
And mix my portion with Thy peace!
Come, and for ever dwell in me
That I may only live to Thee !

Come, hidden life, and that long day
For which I languish, come away!
When this dry soul those eyes shall see,
And drink the unseal'd Source of Thee;

When Glory's Sun faith's shade shall chase,
And, for Thy vail, give me Thy face;
Then shall my praise eternal be
To the Eternal Trinity!

Variation from Richard Crashaw. 1646.
By John Austin, 1668,

and Theophilus Derrington. 1686.

CCXCIII.

In memory of the Saviour's love,
We keep the sacred feast,
Where every humble contrite heart
Is made a welcome guest.

By faith we take the Bread of Life,
With which our souls are fed;
And Cup, in token of His Blood
That was for sinners shed.

Under His banner thus we sing
The wonders of His love,

And thus anticipate by faith

The heavenly feast above.

Thomas Cotterill. 1810.

Altered by Richard Whittingham. 1835.

CCXCIV.

O God, unseen, yet ever near,

Thy presence may we feel;
And thus, inspired with holy fear,

Before Thine altar kneel.

Here may Thy faithful people know

The blessings of Thy love;

The streams that through the desert flow;
The manna from above.

We come, obedient to Thy word,
To feast on heavenly food;
Our meat, the Body of the Lord;
Our drink, His precious Blood.

Thus would we all Thy words obey;
For we, O God, are Thine;

And go rejoicing on our way,
Renewed with strength Divine!

Edward Osler. [1836.]

CCXCV.

Lord, when before Thy throne we meet,
Thy goodness to adore,

From Heaven, th' eternal mercy-seat,

On us Thy blessing pour,

And make our inmost souls to be

An habitation meet for Thee!

The Body for our ransom given ;
The Blood in mercy shed;

With this immortal food from Heaven,
Lord! let our souls be fed !
And, as we round Thy table kneel,
Help us Thy quickening grace to feel!

Be Thou, O Holy Spirit, nigh!
Accept the humble prayer,
The contrite soul's repentant sigh,
The sinner's heartfelt tear!
And let our adoration rise,

As fragrant incense, to the skies!

Tressilian George Nicholas. (1838.)

CCXCVI.

Jesu, dulcedo cordium.

Jesus, thou Joy of loving hearts!

Thou Fount of Life! Thou Light of men! From the best bliss that earth imparts,

We turn unfill'd to Thee again.

;

Thy truth unchanged hath ever stood;
Thou savest those that on Thee call
To them that seek Thee, Thou art good,
To them that find Thee, All in All!
We taste Thee, O Thou Living Bread,
And long to feast upon Thee still!
We drink of Thee, the Fountain Head,
And thirst our souls from Thee to fill!

Our restless spirits yearn for Thee,
Where'er our changeful lot is cast;
Glad, when Thy gracious smile we see,
Blest, when our faith can hold Thee fast.

O Jesus, ever with us stay!

Make all our moments calm and bright! Chase the dark night of sin away,

Shed o'er the world Thy holy light !

Ray Palmer. [1834.]

From St. Bernard.

CCXCVII.

They talk'd of Jesus, as they went;
And Jesus, all unknown,

Did at their side Himself present
With sweetness all His own.
Swift, as He op'd the sacred word,
His glory they discern'd;

And swift, as His dear voice they heard,
Their hearts within them burn'd.