877

10th P. M. 8 lines 8s.

Forgiveness implored.

H Recover his forfeited peace?

OW shall a lost sinner in pain,

When brought into bondage again,
What hope of a second release?
Will mercy itself be so kind

To spare a backslider like me?
And O, can I possibly find

Such plenteous redemption in thee? 2 O Jesus, of thee I inquire,

If still thou art able to save,—
The brand to pluck out of the fire,
And ransom my soul from the grave?
The help of thy Spirit restore;
O, show me the life-giving blood;
And pardon a sinner once more,
And bring me again unto God.

878

TIMES

Vain repentances.

C. M.

without number have I pray'd,This only once forgive;

Relapsing when thy hand was stay'd,
And suffer'd me to live:

2 Yet now the kingdom of thy peace,
Lord, to my heart restore;

Forgive my vain repentances,
And bid me sin no more.

879

1st P. M. 6 lines 8s.

Resolution to return.

YES, from this instant, now, I will
To my offended Father cry;
My base ingratitude I feel;

Vilest of all thy children, I;
Not worthy to be call'd thy son;
Yet will I thee my Father own.

2 Guide of my life hast thou not been,
And rescued me from passion's power?
Ten thousand times preserved from sin,
Nor let the greedy grave devour?
And wilt thou now thy wrath retain,
Nor ever love thy child again?
3 If thou hast call'd me to return,-
If weeping at thy feet I fall,-
The prodigal thou wilt not spurn,
But pity and forgive me all,
In answer to my Friend above,-
In honour of his bleeding love.

880

The wanderer returning.

S. M.

OW oft this wretched heart

How oft my roving thoughts depart,
Forgetful of his word.

2 Yet mercy calls,-Return;
Saviour, to thee I come:
My vile ingratitude I mourn;
O take the wanderer home!
3 Thy love, so free, so sweet,
Blest Saviour, I adore;

O, keep me at thy sacred feet,
And let me rove no more.

881

Restored by grace.

JESUS, if thy free grace

Again hath raised me up,

And call'd me still to seek thy face,
And given me back my hope,-

Thy timely help afford,

Thy loving-kindness show;

O keep me, keep me, gracious Lord,
And never let me go.

S. M.

2 By me, my Saviour, stand,

In sore temptation's hour;

O save me with thine out-stretch'd hand,
And show forth all thy power.
Be mindful of thy word;

Sufficient grace bestow;

O keep me, keep me, gracious Lord,
And never let me go.

3 Give me a holy fear,

And fix it in my heart;
That thus I may from evil near
With timely care depart;

Be every sin abhorr'd,

Till thou destroy the foe;

O keep me, keep me, gracious Lord,
And never let me go.

882

0

Rejoicing in Christ's restoring love.

SPEAK that word again;

It cheers my drooping heart:

S. M.

How sweetly doth it soothe my pain,
And bid my fears depart.

2 And dost thou deign to own
A worm so vile as I?

And may I still approach thy throne,
And Abba, Father, cry?

3 My Saviour, by his word,

Hath turn'd my night to day;
And all those heavenly joys restored,
Which I had sinn'd away.

4 I wonder and adore:

The grace is all divine:

Lord, keep me, that I sin no more
Against such love as thine.

883

12th P. M. 76, 76, 78, 76.

Tears of joy.

LORD, and is thine anger gone,

And art thou pacified?

After all that I have done,
Dost thou no longer chide?
Let thy love my heart constrain,
And all my restless passions sway:
Keep me, lest I turn again

Out of the narrow way.

2 To the cross, thine altar, bind Me with the cords of love; Freedom never let me find

From thee, my Lord, to move : That I never, never more

May with my much-loved Master part, To the posts of mercy's door, O nail my willing heart!

3 See my utter helplessness,
And leave me not alone;
O preserve in perfect peace,
And seal me for thine own:
More and more thyself reveal,
Thy presence let me always find;
Comfort, and confirm, and heal
My feeble, sin-sick mind.

4 As the apple of thine eye,
Thy weakest servant keep;
Help me at thy feet to lie,

And there forever weep:
Tears of joy mine eyes o'erflow,
That I have any hope of heaven;
Much of love I ought to know,
For I have much forgiven.

IN

DELIVERANCE FROM TROUBLE.

884

The loving-kindness of the Lord.
BLESS the Lord, my soul;
His grace to thee proclaim;
And all that is within me, join
To bless his holy Name.
2 The Lord forgives thy sins,-
Prolongs thy feeble breath;
He healeth thine infirmities,
And ransoms thee from death.
3 He clothes thee with his love,-
Upholds thee with his truth;
And like the eagle he renews
The vigour of thy youth.

4 Then bless his holy Name

S&M.

Whose grace hath made thee whole; Whose loving-kindness crowns thy days: O bless the Lord, my soul.

885

Grateful acknowledgment.

C. M.

LOVE the Lord: he heard my cries,
And pitied every groan:

Long as I live, when troubles rise,

I'll hasten to his throne.

2 I love the Lord: he bow'd his ear,
And chased my grief away:
O let my heart no more despair,
While I have breath to pray.

3 The Lord beheld me sore distress'd;
He bade my pains remove:
Return, my soul, to God thy rest,

For thou hast known his love.