4 Perhaps he will admit my plea, Perhaps will hear my prayer; But, if I perish, I will pray,

And perish only there.

5 I can but perish if I go-
I am resolved to try;
For if I stay away, I know
I must forever die.

PENITENTIAL.

360

A

To whom should we go?
H! whither should I go,
Burden'd, and sick, and faint?
To whom should I my trouble show,
And pour out my complaint?
My Saviour bids me come;
Ah! why do I delay?

He calls the weary sinner home,
And yet from him I stay.

S. M.

2 What is it keeps me back,
From which I cannot part,-
Which will not let the Saviour take
Possession of my heart?
Searcher of hearts, in mine

Thy trying power display;
Into its darkest corners shine,
And take the veil away.
3 I now believe, in thee,

Compassion reigns alone;
According to my faith, to me
O let it, Lord, be done!
In me is all the bar,

Which thou wouldst fain remove:
Remove it, and I shall declare
That God is only love.

361

L. M.

The sinner's only hope.
HEREWITH, O Lord, shall I draw near,

How in thy purer eyes appear?
What shall I bring to gain thy grace' ?
2 Will gifts delight the Lord Most High?
Will multiplied oblations please?
Thousands of rams his favour buy,

Or slaughter'd hecatombs appease? 3 Can these avert the wrath of God?

Can these wash out my guilty stain? Rivers of oil, and seas of blood,

Alas! they all must flow in vain. 4 Who would himself to thee approve, Must take the path thyself hast show'd; Justice pursue, and mercy love,

And humbly walk by faith with God. 5 But though my life henceforth be thine, Present for past can ne'er atone: Though I to thee the whole resign,

I only give thee back thine own. 6 Guilty I stand before thy face; On me I feel thy wrath abide; 'Tis just the sentence should take place; 'Tis just, but O, thy Son hath died?'

362

10th P. M. 4 lines 88.

ENCO

The Rock that is higher than I.
INCOMPASS'D with clouds of distress,
And ready all hope to resign,
I long for thy light and thy grace;
O God, will they never be mine?
2 If sometimes I strive, as I mourn,
My hold of thy promise to keep,
The billows more fiercely return,

And plunge me again in the deep.

3 Appear, and my sorrow'shall cease;
The blood of atonement apply;
And lead me to Jesus for peace,-
The Rock that is higher than I.

4 0 enter this desolate heart,—
Then rule o'er the heart thou hast won;
Nor again in thine anger depart,
But make it forever thy throne.

363

C. M.

Timely penitence.

WHEN rising from the bed of death,

O'erwhelm'd with guilt and fear,
I view my Maker face to face,-
O how shall I appear?

2 If yet, while pardon may be found,
And mercy may be sought,

My soul with inward horror shrinks,
And trembles at the thought:-

3 When thou, O Lord, shalt stand disclosed In majesty severe,

And sit in judgment on my soul,-
O how shall I appear?

4 0 may my broken, contrite heart,
Timely my sins lament;
And early, with repentant tears,
Eternal wo prevent.

5 Behold the sorrows of my heart,
Ere yet it be too late;

And hear my Saviour's dying groan,
To give those sorrows weight.

6 For never shall my soul despair
Her pardon to secure,

Who knows thine only Son hath died
To make that pardon sure.

364

Only by faith.

LORD, I despair myself to heal;

I see my

I cannot, till thy Spirit blow,
And bid the' obedient waters flow.
2 'Tis thine a heart of flesh to give;
Thy gifts I only can receive;
Here, then, to thee I all resign;
To draw, redeem, and seal,-are thine.
3 With simple faith, on thee I call,-
My light, my life, my Lord, my all:
I wait the moving of the pool;
I wait the word that speaks me whole.

L. M.

4 Speak, gracious Lord,-my sickness cure,
Make my infected nature pure:
Peace, righteousness, and joy impart,
And pour thyself into my heart!

365

W

Though all my simpleness I own,
And all my faults to thee are known.
2 Ah! wherefore did I ever doubt?
Thou wilt in nowise cast me out,-
A helpless soul, that comes to thee
With only sin and misery.

L. M.

Helpless, in sin and misery.

HOM man forsakes thou wilt not leave,

receive:

3 Lord, I am sick,-my sickness cure:
I want, do thou enrich the poor:
Under thy mighty hand I stoop,
O lift the abject sinner up.

4 Lord, I am blind,-be thou my sight:
Lord, I am weak,-be thou my might:
A helper of the helpless be,
And let me find my all in thee.

366

Importunate supplication. YOD of my life, what just return

give?

L. M.

I only live my sin to mourn: To love my God I only live. 2 To thee, benign and saving Power, I consecrate my lengthen'd days; While, mark'd with blessings, every hour Shall speak thy co-extended praise. 3 Be all my added life employ'd

Thine image in my soul to see: Fill with thyself the mighty void;

Enlarge my heart to compass thee. 4 The blessing of thy love bestow;

For this my cries shall never fail ;
Wrestling, I will not let thee go,-
I will not, till my suit prevail.

5 Come, then, my Hope, my Life, my Lord,
And fix in me thy lasting home;
Be mindful of thy gracious word-
Thou, with thy promised Father, come.
6 Prepare, and then possess my heart:
O take me, seize me from above;
Thee may I love, for God thou art;
Thee may I feel; for God is love!

367

9th P. M. 87, 87.

The true Light.

IGHT of those whose dreary dwelling
Borders on the shades of death,

Come, and, by thyself revealing,
Dissipate the clouds beneath.

2 Thou, new heaven and earth's Creator,
In our deepest darkness rise;
Scatt'ring all the night of nature,—
Pouring day upon our eyes.