HOW shall a lost sinner in pain

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

To spare such a rebel as 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,

And show me the life-giving blood, And pardon a sinner once more,

And bring me again unto God.

30 Jesus! in pity draw near,

Come quickly to help a lost soul; To comfort a mourner appear, And make a poor Lazarus whole ! The balm of thy mercy apply, (Thou seest the sore anguish I feel) Save, Lord, or I perish, I die, O save, or I sink into hell!

4 I sink, if thou longer delay

Thy pardoning mercy to show; Come quickly, and kindly display The power of thy passion below!

By all thou hast done for my sake, One drop of thy blood I implore, Now, now let it touch me, and make The sinner a sinner no more!

7 s & 6 s.t

GOD

of

175

my salvation, hear,
And help me to believe!
Simply do I now draw near,
Thy blessing to receive:
Full of sin, alas! I am,
But to thy wounds for refuge flee;
Friend of sinners, spotless Lamb,
Thy blood was shed for me.

2 Standing now as newly slain,
To thee I lift mine eye!
Balm of all my grief and pain,
Thy grace is always nigh:
Now, as yesterday, the same
Thou art, and wilt for ever be;
Friend of sinners, spotless Lamb,
Thy blood was shed for me.

3 Nothing have I, Lord, to pay,

Nor can thy grace procure,
Empty send me not away,

For I, thou know'st, am poor:
Dust and ashes is my name,
My all is sin and misery;
Friend of sinners, spotless Lamb,
Thy blood was shed for me.

4 No good word, or work, or thought,

Bring I to gain thy grace;

Pardon I accept unbought,
Thy proffer I embrace,
Coming, as at first I came,
To take, and not bestow on thee;
Friend of sinners, spotless Lamb,
Thy blood was shed for me.

5 Saviour, from thy wounded side
never will depart;
Here will I my spirit hide
When I am pure in heart:

Till my place above I claim, This only shall be all my plea, Friend of sinners, spotless Lamb, Thy blood was shed for me.

6-8 s.

176

GOD, thy righteousness we own,
Judgment is at thy house begun!
With humble awe thy rod we hear,
And guilty in thy sight appear,
We cannot in thy judgment stand,
But sink beneath thy mighty hand.

2 Our mouth as in the dust we lay,
And still for mercy, mercy, pray;
Unworthy to behold thy face,
Unfaithful stewards of thy grace,
Our sin and wickedness we own,
And deeply for acceptance groan.

3 We have not, Lord, thy gifts improved,
But basely from thy statutes roved,
And done thy loving Spirit despite,
And sinned against the clearest light;
Brought back thy agonizing pain,
And nailed thee to thy cross again.

4 Yet do not drive us from thy face,
A stiff-necked and hard-hearted race;
But O! in tender mercy break
The iron sinew in our neck;
The softening power of love impart,
And melt the marble of our heart.

And in thy arms of mercy take,
And bring the weary wanderer back.

3 Weary and sick of sin I am;

I hate it, Lord, and yet I love; When wilt thou rid me of my shame? When wilt thou all my load remove? Destroy the fiend that lurks within, And speak the word of power, "Be clean!"

4 O Lord, if I at last discern

That I am sin, and thou art love, If now o'er me thy bowels yearn, Give me a token from above; And conquer my rebellious will, And bid my murmuring heart be still.

5 Sin only let me not commit,

(Sin never can advance thy praise) And lo! I lay me at thy feet,

And wait unwearied all my days, Till my appointed time shall come, And thou shalt call thine exile home.

178

1

6-8 s.

"Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father?" Jeremiah iii. 4.

YES

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

Vilest of all thy children, I, Not worthy to be called 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 Ah, canst thou find it in thy heart To give me up, so long pursued?

Ah, canst thou finally depart,

And leave thy creature in his blood?
Leave me, out of thy presence cast,
To perish in my sins at last?

4 If thou hast willed 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!

179

1

7s & 6 s.t

FATHER, if thou must reprove

For all that I have done,

Not in anger, but in love

Chastise thine humbled son;
Use the rod, and not the sword,
Correct with kind severity;
Bring me not to nothing, Lord!

But bring me home to thee.

2 True and faithful as thou art, To all thy Church and me, Give a new, believing heart,

That knows and cleaves to thee; Freely our backslidings heal, And, by thy precious blood restored, Grant that every soul may feel,

"Thou art my pardoning Lord!" 3 Might we now with pure desire Thine only love request; Now, with willing heart entire, Return to Christ our rest! When we our whole hearts resign, O Jesus, to be filled with thee, Thou art ours, and we are thine, Through all eternity.

2 Yet would I not regard thy stroke; But when thou didst thy grace revoke, And when thou didst thy face conceal, Thy absence I refused to feel.

3 I knew not that the Lord was gone, In my own froward will went on, And lived to the desires of men; And thou hast all my wanderings seen. 4 Yet, O the riches of thy grace!

Thou, who hast seen my evil ways, Wilt freely my backslidings heal, And pardon on my conscience seal. 5 For this I at thy footstool wait, Till thou my peace again create; Fruit of thy gracious lips, restore My peace, and bid me sin no more!

6 Far off, yet at thy feet, I lie,

Till thou again thy blood apply;
Till thou repeat my sins forgiven,
As far from God as hell from heaven.

7 But, for thy truth and mercy's sake,
My comfort thou wilt give me back,
And lead me on from grace to grace,
In all the paths of righteousness;

8 Till, throughly saved,my new-born soul,
And perfectly by faith made whole,
Doth bright in thy full image rise,
To share thy glory in the skies.

I WILL hearken what the Lord

Will say concerning me: Hast thou not a gracious word For one who waits on thee? Speak it to my soul, that I

May in thee have peace and power, Never from my Saviour fly, And never grieve thee more. 2 How have I thy Spirit grieved Since first with me he strove, Obstinately disbelieved,

3

And trampled on thy love! I have sinned against the light; I have broke from thy embrace; No, I would not, when I might, Be freely saved by grace. After all that I have done To drive thee from my heart, Still thou wilt not leave thine own, Thou wilt not yet depart;

Wilt not give the sinner o'er;
Ready art thou now to save,
Bidd'st me come, as heretofore,

That I thy life may have.

4 0 thou meek and gentle Lamb!
Fury is not in thee;
Thou continuest still the same,
And still thy grace is free;
Still thine arms are open wide,

Wretched sinners to receive;
Thou hast once for sinners died,
That all may turn and live.
5 Lo! I take thee at thy word,
My foolishness I mourn;
Unto thee, my bleeding Lord,
However late, I turn:
Yes, I yield, I yield at last,
Listen to thy speaking blood;
Me, with all my sins, I cast
On my atoning God!

JESU, Shepherd of the sheep,
Pity my unsettled soul !
Guide, and nourish me, and keep,
Till thy love shall make me whole:
Give me perfect soundness, give,
Make me steadfastly believe.

2 I am never at one stay,

Changing every hour I am;
But thou art, as yesterday,

Now and evermore the same;
Constancy to me impart,
Stablish with thy grace my heart.
8 Give me faith to hold me up,

Walking over life's rough sea,
Holy, purifying hope

Still my soul's sure anchor be;
That I may be always thine,
Perfect me in love divine.

1 MY God, my God, to thee I cry, Thee only would I know;

Thy purifying blood apply,
And wash me white as snow.

2 Touch me, and make the leper clean, Purge my iniquity;

Unless thou wash my soul from sin,
I have no part in thee.

3 But art thou not already mine?
Answer, if mine thou art!
Whisper within, thou Love divine,
And cheer my drooping heart.

4 Tell me again my peace

And bid the sinner live ;

made,

The debt's discharged, the ransom's paid,

My Father must forgive.

5 Behold, for me the victim bleeds,
His wounds are opened wide;
For me the blood of sprinkling pleads,
And speaks me justified.

6 O why did I my Saviour leave?
So soon unfaithful prove!
How could I thy good Spirit grieve,
And sin against thy love?

7 I forced thee first to disappear,
I turned thy face aside;

Ah, Lord! if thou hadst still been