Lamenting spiritual Sloth.
1 My drowsy powers, why sleep ye so?"
Awake, my sluggish soul!
Nothing has half thy work to do,
Yet nothing's half so dull.
2 The little ants for one poor grain
Labour, and tug, and strive;
Yet we who have a heav'n to obtain,
How negligent we live!
3 We for whose sake all nature stands,¦
And stars their courses move;
We for whose guard the angel-bands
Come flying from above;
4 We for whom GOD the SON came down,
And labour'd for our good-
How careless to secure that crown
He purchas'd with His blood!
5 LORD, shall we lie so sluggish still,
And never act our parts!
Come, holy Dove, descending, fill
And warm our frozen hearts.
6 Then shall our active spirits move,
Our souls shall upward rise:
With hands of faith, and wings of love,
We'll fly and take the prize.
Lamenting Hardness of Heart.
1 My heart, how cold, how hard it is!
How heavy here it lies!
Heavy and cold within my breast,
Just like a rock of ice.
2 Sin, like a raging tyrant, sits
Upon this flinty throne,
And every grace lies buried deep
Beneath this heart of stone.
3 How seldom do I rise to God,
Or taste the joys above!
This mountain presses down my faith,
And chills my flaming love.
4 When smiling mercy courts my soul
With all it's heavenly charms,
This stubborn, this relentless thing,
Would thrust it from my arms.
5 Against the thunders of Thy Word
Rebellious I have stood;
My heart it shakes not at the wrath
And terrors of a GOD.
6 Dear SAVIOUR, steep this rock of mine In Thine own crimson sea:
None but the streams of blood divine
Can melt the flint away.
Lamenting Unfruitfulness.
1 LONG have I sat beneath the sound
Of Thy salvation, LORD;
But still how weak my faith is found,
And knowledge of Thy Word!
2 Oft I frequent Thy holy place,
And hear almost in vain :
How small a portion of Thy grace
My mem'ry can retain !
3 ALMIGHTY SAVIOUR, and my GOD,
How little art Thou known
By all the judgments of Thy rod,
And blessings of Thy throne!
4 How cold and feeble is my love!
How negligent my fear!
How low my hope of joys above!
How few affections there!
5 Great GOD! Thy sov'reign power impart,
To give Thy Word success;
Write Thy salvation in my heart,
And make me learn Thy grace.
6 Show my forgetful feet the way
That leads to joys on high;
There knowledge grows without decay,
And love shall never die.
Cumbering the Ground.
1 DEPTH of Mercy! can there be
Mercy still reserved for me?
Can my GOD His wrath forbear?
Me, the chief of sinners, spare?
I have long withstood His grace;
Long provok'd Him to His face;
Would not hearken to His calls;
Griev'd Him by a thousand falls.
2 I have spilt His precious blood,
Trampled on the SON OF GOD;
Fill'd with pangs unspeakable!
I, who yet am not in hell!
Whence to me this waste of love?
Ask my Advocate above;
See the cause in JESU's face,
Now before the Throne of Grace.
3 Lo! I cumber still the ground;
Lo! an Advocate is found!
"Hasten not to cut him down;
"Let this barren soul alone."
JESUS speaks, and pleads His blood!
He disarms the wrath of GOD!
Now my FATHER's bowels move;
Justice lingers into love.
4 Kindled His relentings are;
Me He now delights to spare;
Cries, "How shall I give thee up?"
Lets the lifted thunder drop.
There for me the SAVIOUR stands,
Shows His wounds, and spreads His hands!
GOD is Love, I know, I feel;
JESUS weeps, and loves me still!
1 SWEET was the time when first I felt
The SAVIOUR's pard'ning blood
Apply'd, to cleanse my soul from guilt,
And bring me home to GOD.
2 Soon as the morn the light reveal'd,
His praises tun'd my tongue;
And when the ev'ning shades prevail'd,
His love was all my song.
3 In vain the tempter spread his wiles,
The world no more could charm;
I liv'd upon my SAVIOUR'S Smiles,
And lean'd upon His arm.
4 In pray'r my soul drew near the LORD,
And saw His glory shine;
And when I read His holy Word,
I call'd each promise mine.
5 Then to His saints I often spoke,
Of what His love had done;
But now my heart is almost broke,
For all my joys are gone.
6 Now Satan threatens to prevail,
And make my soul his prey;
Yet, LORD, Thy mercies cannot fail:
O come without delay!
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