3 Thou didst once a wretch behold,
In rebellion blindly bold,
Scorn thy grace, thy power defy;
That poor rebel, Lord, was I.

4 Once a sinner, near despair,
Sought thy mercy-seat by prayer;
Mercy heard, and set him free;
Lord, that mercy came to me.

5 Many days have passed since then, Many changes have I seen,

Yet have been upheld till now;
Who could hold me up but thou?

6 Thou hast helped in every need;
This emboldens me to plead:
After so much mercy past,
Canst thou let me sink at last?

7 No-I must maintain my hold,
'Tis thy goodness makes me bold;
I can no denial take,

When I plead for Jesus' sake.

74

BES

S. M.

ESIDE the gospel pool,
Appointed for the poor,

From year to year my helpless soul

Has waited for a cure.

2 How often have I thought:
Why should I longer lie?
Surely, the mercy I have sought
Is not for such as I.

3 But whither can I go?
There is no other pool,

Where streams of sovereign virtue flow,

To make a sinner whole.

4 Here, then, from day to day,
I'll wait, and hope, and try:
Can Jesus hear a sinner pray,
Yet suffer him to die?

5 No: he is full of grace:
He never will permit

A soul, that fain would see his face,
To perish at his feet.

75

11, 5.

HEN torn is thy bosom by sorrow and

WHEN

care,

Be it ever so simple, there's nothing like prayer;

It eases, soothes, softens, subdues, yet sustains, Gives vigor to hope, and puts passion in chains. Prayer, prayer, sweet, sweet prayer,

Be it ever so simple, there's nothing like prayer.

2 When forced from the friends we hold dearest to part,

What fond recollections yet cling to the

heart:

Past converse, past scenes, past enjoyments are there,

O how hurtfully pleasing till hallow'd by

prayer.

8 When pleasure would woo us from piety's

arms,

The siren sings sweetly, or silently charms; We listen, love, loiter, are caught in the snare, But, looking to Jesus, we conquer by prayer.

4 While strangers to prayer, we are strangers to bliss:

Heaven pours its full streams through no medium but this;

And till we the seraphs' full ecstacy share, Our chalice of bliss must be guarded by prayer.

SAVIOR, visit thy plantation!
Grant us, Lord, a gracious rain;

All will come to desolation,
Unless thou return again.

Lord, revive us!

All our help must come from thee.

2 Keep no longer at a distance,
Shine upon us from on high!
Lest for want of thine assistance,
Every plant should droop and die.
8 Let our mutual love be fervent,
Make us prevalent in prayer;
Let each one, esteemed thy servant,
Shun the world's bewitching snare.

4 Break the tempter's fatal power,
Turn the stony heart to flesh;
And begin, from this good hour,
To revive thy work afresh.

77

WH

L. M.

HAT 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 darkest clouds withdraw,
Prayer climbs the ladder Jacob saw;
Gives exercise to faith and love,
Brings every blessing from above.

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

4 Were half the time so vainly spent
To heaven in supplication sent,

Our cheerful songs would oftener be, "Hear what the Lord hath done for me."

78

HA

7s.

ARK, my soul, it is the Lord! 'Tis thy Savior, hear his word! Jesus speaks, he speaks to thee"Say, poor sinner, lov'st thou me?

2 "I delivered thee when bound,

And, when bleeding, healed thy woundSought thee wandering, set thee right Turn'd thy darkness into light.

8 "Can a mother's tender care
Cease toward the child she bare?
Yes, she may forgetful be,
Yet will I remember thee.

4 "Mine is an unchanging love,
Higher than the heights above,
Deeper than the depths beneath,
Free and faithful, strong as death.
5 "Thou shalt see my glory soon,
When the work of faith is done,

Partner of my throne shalt be,
Say, poor sinner, lov'st thou me?"

6 Lord, it is my chief complaint
That my love is still so faint;
Yet I love thee and adore,
O for grace to love thee more?

ALL-loving Lamb, a sinner I am,

And come, as a sinner, thy mercy to claim; With joy I embrace the pardon and grace Thy passion hath purchas'd for all the lost race.

2 For sinners like me thy mercy is free

O who would not love such a Savior as thee; Yet long I withstood, and fled from my God, But mercy pursued, with the cry of thy blood!

8 It challenged the stray, and forced me to stay, And washed all my sins in a moment away; I felt it applied, and joyfully cried,

Me, me thou hast loved, and for me thou hast died!

4 How mighty thou art, O love, to convert!
Love only could conquer so stubborn a heart;
The love of God-man alone could constrain
So sturdy a rebel to love thee again.

5 But sure at the last thy goodness I taste;
My soul on thy goodness delighted I cast;
Thy goodness I praise, I sing of thy grace,
And joyfully live out my few happy days.

6 And when thy dear love from earth shall re

move,

O then I shall sing like the angels above;