On the Loss of His Emends, Hymn 5

Or if Thy great will ordain
In the vale my longer stay,
Let me cease from wretched man,
Cast the broken reed away,
Give my vainest labour o'er,
Look for faith in man no more.

Pass away the empty shade,
Idle dream of friendship here,
Let the fond idea fade,
Let the vapour disappear:
Human friends, I give you up,
Thou, O Christ, art all my hope.

Only Thou canst never be
Wearied out with my complaint:
Crush'd by my own misery,
Oft as at Thy feet I faint,
Thou my grief dost more than share,
Thou dost all my burden bear.

Never will Thy patience fail,
Never leave me in distress,
Though my enemies prevail,
Though my miseries increase,
Though Thou dost my follies see,
Though my faults are known to Thee.

Weak, and wayward as I am,
Naked, indigent, and blind,
Thou dost hide my guilty shame,
Kindly cast my sins behind,
Freely my backslidings heal,
Love the faithless sinner still.

Sinning on so oft, so long,
Though I did Thy Spirit grieve,
Patient Love endured the wrong,
Love refused His spoils to leave
Though I would from Thee depart,
Love pursued, and broke my heart.

Let me then on Thee rely,
All Thy faithful mercies prove,
Till I meet Thee in the sky,
Till I join the church above,
Love me, love me to the end,
Be my everlasting Friend.