o Almighty to rescue thou art;
Thy grace is my shield and my tower:
o Come, succour and gladden my heart,
Let this be the day of thy power.

1

RIPPON'S COL.

HYMN 54. 7s. Fairfax. [b]
Self-Examination.

IS a point I long to know,

"TIS

Oft it causes anxious thought:

Do I love the Lord, or no?
Am I his, or am I not?

2 If I love, why am I thus?
Why this dull, this lifeless frame?
Hardly, sure, can they be worse,
Who have never heard his name.
3 Could my heart so hard remain,
Prayer a task and burden prove-
Every trifle give me pain-
If I knew a Saviour's love?

e 4 When I turn my eyes within,
All is dark, and vain, and wild;
Filled with unbelief and sin-
Can I deem myself a child?
5 If I pray, or hear, or read,
Sin is mixed with all I do;
d You who love the Lord indeed,
Tell me is it so with you?

o 6 Yet I mourn my stubborn will,
Find my sin a grief and thrall;
Should I grieve for what I feel,
If I did not love at all?

7 Could I joy his saints to meet,
Choose the ways I once abhorred-
Find, at times, the promise sweet,
If I did not love the Lord?

-8 Lord, decide the doubtful case!
Thou, who art thy people's sun,
Shine upon thy work of grace,
If it be indeed begun.

9 Let me love thee more and more,
If I love at all, I pray;

If I have not loved before,
Help me to begin to-day.

NEWTON.

HYMN 55. 8s.

1

Consolation. [*]

The Holy Spirit addressed under Darkness.

Dand visit a sorrowful breast,
ESCEND, Holy Spirit, the Dove,

e My burden of guilt to remove,
And bring me assurance and rest;
Thou only hast power to relieve
A sinner o'erwhelmed with his load;
The sense of redemption to give,
And sprinkle his heart with the blood.
2 With me, if of old thou hast strove,
And kindly withheld me from sin;
Resolved, by the strength of thy love,
My worthless affections to win;
The work of thy mercy revive,
Invincible mercy exert,

And keep my weak graces alive,
And set up thy rest in my heart.
3 If, when I have put thee to grief,
And madly to folly returned,
Thy goodness has been my relief,
And lifted me up as I mourned;
O Spirit of pity and grace,
Relieve me again and restore;
My spirit in holiness raise,

To fall, and to grieve thee, no more. e 4 If now I lament after God,

And pant for a taste of his lovee It Jesus, who poured out his blood, Obtained me a mansion above ;— o Come, heavenly Comforter, come, Sweet witness of mercy divine!

• And make me thy permanent home, And seal me eternally thine.

RIPPON

HYMN 56. L. M. Sicilian. [* b]

זי

Prayer answered by Crosses.

ASKED the Lord that I might grow
In faith, and love, and every grace;
Might more of his salvation know,
And seek more earnestly his face.

2 'Twas he who taught me thus to pray,
And he, I trust, has answered prayer;

But it has been in such a way,
As almost drove me to despair.

3 I hoped that in some favoured hour,
At once he'd answer my request;
And by his love's constraining power,
Subdue my sins, and give me rest.
e 4 Instead of this, he made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart;
And let the angry powers of hell
Assault my soul in every part.

a 5 Yea, more—with his own hand he seemed
Intent to aggravate my woe;

d

Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
Blasted my gourds, and laid me low.

e 6 Lord, why is this? I trembling cried;
Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death?
"Tis in this way (the Lord replied,)
"I answer prayer for grace and faith.
7 "These inward trials I employ,
"From self and pride to set thee free,
"And break thy schemes of earthly joy,
"That thou mayst seek thy all in ine.'

NEWTON.

HYMN 57. L. M. Pleyel's. [*]
Inconstancy lamented.

1DE

EAR Jesus, when, when shall it be,
That I no more shall break with thee?

When will this war of passion cease,
And I enjoy a lasting peace?

2 Here I repent, and sin again, Sometimes revive, sometimes am slain; Slain with the same malignant dart, Which, oh! too often wounds my heart. -3 When, gracious Lord, when shall it be, That I shall find my all in thee

• The fulness of thy promise prove, And feast on thine eternal love?

1

DORRINGTON.

HYMN 58. L. M. Bath. [b *]

Conflict between Sin and Holiness. Gal. v. 17

WHA

WHAT jarring natures dwell within-
Imperfect grace, remaining sin!

Not this can reign, nor that prevail, Though each by turns my heart assail. e 2 Now I complain, and groan, and dieo Now raise my songs of triumph high ; o Sing a rebellious passion slain,

e Or mourn to feel it live again.

o 3 One happy hour beholds me rise,
Borne upwards to my native skies;
When faith assists my soaring flight,
To realms of joy, and worlds of light.
e 4 Scarce a few hours or minutes roll,
Ere earth reclaims my captive soul;
-I feel its sympathetic force,

And headlong urge my downward course.
e 5 How short the joys thy visits give!
How long thine absence, Lord, I grieve!
What clouds obscure my rising sun,
Or interrupt its rays at noon!

-6 Great God, assist me through the fight,
Make me to triumph in thy might:
Thou the desponding heart canst raise,
The victory mine, and thine the praise.

CRUTTENDON.

HYMN 59. C. M. Tunbridge. [*]
Watchfulness and Prayer.

• 1 ALAS, what hourly dangers rise!

What snares beset my way!

-To heaven then let me lift my eyes,
And hourly watch and pray.

p 2 How oft my mournful thoughts complain,
And melt in flowing tears!

e My weak resistance, ah, how vain! How strong my foes and fears!

e

-3 O gracious God, in whom I live, My feeble efforts aid;

e

Help me to watch, and pray, and strive,
Though trembling and afraid.

-4 Increase my faith, increase my hope,
When foes and fears prevail;

e

And bear my fainting spirit up,
Or soon my strength will fail.

-5 When strong temptations fright my heart,

Or lure my feet aside;

o My God, thy powerful aid impartMy guardian and my guide.

-6 Still keep me in thy heavenly way,

0

And bid the tempter flee;

-And never let me go astray

From happiness and thee.

STEELE.

HYMN 60. 8, 7 & 4.

Helmsley. [*]

e 1

Hope encouraged. Ps. xlii. 5.

what means this

Wherefore art thou thus cast down?

o Let thy griefs be turned to gladness; Bid thy restless fears be gone: Look to Jesus,

And rejoice in his dear name.

-2 What though Satan's strong temptations Vex and grieve thee day by day;

And thy sinful inclinations

Often fill thee with dismay;

Thou shalt conquer

Through the Lamb's redeeming blood.

-3 Though ten thousand ills beset thee, From without and from within;

o Jesus saith he'll ne'er forget thee, But will save from hell and sin:

He is faithful

To perform his gracious word.

4 Though distresses now attend thee, And thou tread'st the thorny road; • Ilis right hand shall still defend thee Soon he'll bring thee home to God! Therefore praise him

Praise the great Redeemer's name. -50 that I could now adore him, Like the heavenly host above,

o Who forever bow before him, And unceasing sing his love! Happy songsters!

When shall I your chorus join?

FAWCETT.