2 Hast thou not said, 'seek ye my face?' The invitation I embrace;

I'll seek thy face, thy Spirit give,
O let me see thy face and live.

3 I'll wait, perhaps my Lord may come ;
If back I turn, hell is my doom;
Here begging in his way I'll lie,
Till christ, the Saviour, passeth by.

4 I'll seek his face, with cries and tears,
With secret sighs and fervent prayers;
And if not heard, I'll waiting sit,
And perish at his sacred feet.

5 But canst thou, Lord, see all my pain, And bid me seek thy face in vain? Thy word has said-it can't deceive'Seek thou my face, and thou shalt live.'

PRAYER.

323. C. M. Montgomery.
The nature of Prayer.

RAYER is the soul's sincere desire

Putter'd or unexprest;

The strugglings that to God aspire
Within the human breast.

2 Prayer is the simplest form of speech, That infant lips can try;

Prayer, the sublimest strains that reach The Majesty on high.

3 Prayer is the contrite sinner's voice
Returning from his ways;
While angels in their songs rejoice,
And cry, behold, he prays!'

4 Prayer is the Christian's vital breath, The Christian's native air;

His watch-word at the gate of deathHe enters heaven with prayer.

5 O Thou! by whom we come to God,
The life, the truth, the way,-
The path of prayer thyself hast trod-
O, teach us how to pray!

324. 7's. Relief Hymns.
Intercession of the Spirit.

on

Come, thy aid to us supply; By thy influence, now prepare Humble hearts for fervent prayer. 2 Dove-like Spirit, now descend, With our thoughts and feelings blend; Thou, alone, canst teach alway What to pray for-how to pray. 3 Come, inspiring fervent prayer, Be our heavenly Monitor; Thought and speech of our's may err, Be thou our Interpreter.

325. C. M.

The Efficacy of Prayer.

NOME, let us lift the voice of prayer,
Up to our God on high!

No trembling sinner need despair-
Delivering grace is nigh.

2 Prayer's not confin'd by walls of stone, Nor bound by iron chains;

It rises to th' eternal throne,

The throne where Jesus reigns.

3 The prayer of faith the sick shall heal, The broken heart shall bind; The hidden truth of God reveal

To soothe the troubled mind

4 The prayer of faith makes rebels shake, And seek to be forgiven;

The cords of sin asunder break,-
Expands the gate of heaven

5 'Twas prayer that lock'd the lions' jaws, And prayer restrain'd the flame; "Tis prayer that all our blessings draws From heaven in Jesus' name.

6 Yet, not on our poor prayers alone,
O God, have we relied;-

Great Advocate before the throne!
To thee we all confide.

326. C. M. The Request.

O

THOU, who didst for sinners die,
Grant me this one Request;
For ever at thy feet to lie,
Or lean upon thy breast.

2 No strength have I to walk or stand,
Just nothing can I do,-
O hold me, Saviour, with thy hand,
And never let me go.

327. 7's.

Fervent Prayer to the Trinity
NATHER, in the dust we lie,
Upwards send the ardent
Nought besides can satisfy,
Give us Christ or else we die.

F

cry,

2 Shed the Holy Spirit down,

Shed Him, Lord, on every one;
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Now restore what Adam lost.

328. L. M.

Prayer and Pleading.

P to the throne where Jesus reigns, of light

To God, who all the world sustains,
Come, let us lift the voice of prayer.

2 He sweetens every heaving sigh,
And hears the anxious sinner's groan;
O let our thoughts and wishes fly,
In strong petitions to his throne.

3 Perfum'd with sacred, heavenly blood,
Father, I send my cries to thee,-
Dispel this gloom-remove this load,-
In Christ may I accepted be.

4 His blood I plead, for nought I know Besides, a sinking soul can find

To ease the heart opprest with woe,
And soothe the sorrows of the mind.

329. S. M. Wesley's Coll.
Prayer and Watchfulness.

HE praving spirit breathe, power impart ; From all entanglements beneath, Call off my roving heart. 2 My feeble mind sustain,

By worldly thoughts opprest; Appear, and bid me turn again To my eternal rest.

3 Swift to my rescue come,

Thine own this moment seize,
Gather my wandering spirit home,
And keep in perfect peace.
4 Suffer'd no more to rove

O'er all the earth abroad;
Arrest the prisoner of thy love,
And shut me up in God.

330. L. M. Cowper.
Exhortation to Prayer.

W

THAT various hindrances we meet,
In coming to the mercy-seat!
Yet who, that knows the worth of prayer,
But wishes to be often there!

2 Prayer makes the darken'd cloud withdraw,
Prayer climbs the ladder Jacob saw,
Gives exercise to faith and love,
Brings every blessing from above.

3 Restraining prayer we cease to fight:
Prayer makes the Christian's armour bright,
And Satan trembles when he sees
The weakest saint upon his knees.

4 Were half the breath that's vainly spent,
To heaven in supplication sent,
Our cheerful song would oftener be,
'Hear what the Lord has done for me!'

331. C. M. Medley.

At opening a Prayer Meeting.

TH

HE hour of prayer once more is come;
Once more, O Lord, we meet;
Thanks to thy name, there yet is room,
To bow before thy seat.

2 The faith and hope, the joy and love,
Of all thy saints increase;
Hardness and prejudice remove,
And fill our hearts with peace.

3 The sick, the weak, and those confin'd,
Upon our hearts we bear;

May they be to thy will resign'd,
And thy compassion share.

4 Father! assist their souls, who may
Upon thee farther call;
Banish the fear of man away,
And smile upon us all.

332. C. M Wesley's Coll.
The same subject.

HEPHERD Divine, our wants relieve
In this our evil day;
To all thy tempted followers give
The power to watch and pray.