Neglected opportunities.
AH, what can I, a sinner do,
With all my guilt opprest?
I feel the hardness of my heart,
And conscience knows no rest.
2 Great God, thy good and perfect law
Does all my life condemn;
The secret evils of my soul
Fill me with fear and shame.
3 How many precious Sabbaths gone,
I never can recall;
And, oh, what cause have I to mourn,
Who misimprov'd them all!
4 How long, how often have I heard
Of Jesus, and of heav'n;
Yet scarcely listen'd to his word,
Or pray'd to be forgiv'n!
5 Constrain me, Lord, to turn to thee,
And grant renewing grace;
For thou this flinty heart canst break,
And thine shall be the praise.
Prayer for the Holy Spirit.
TURN, great Ruler of the skies,
Turn from my sin thy searching eyes,
Nor let th' offences of my hand,
Within thy book recorded stand.
2 Give me a will to thine subdu❜d,
A conscience pure, a soul renew'd;
Nor let me, wrapt in endless gloom,
An outcast from thy presence roam.
3 O, let thy Spirit to my heart
Once more his quick'ning aid impart,
My mind from ev'ry fear release,
And soothe my troubled thoughts to peace
4 So shall the souls, whom error's sway
Has urg'd from thee, blest Lord, to stray,
From me thy heavenly precepts learn,
And, humbled, 1. their God return.
Y former hopes are fled,
My terror now begins;
I feel, alas! that I am dead
In trespasses and sins.
2 Ah, whither shall I fly?
I hear the thunder roar;
The law proclaims destruction nigh,
And vengeance at the door.
3 When I review my ways,
I dread impending doom;
But sure a friendly whisper says,
"Flee from the wrath to come.
4 I see, or think I see,
A glimm'ring from afar;
A beam of day that shines for me,
To save me from despair.
5 Forerunner of the sun,
It marks the pilgrim's way;
I'll gaze upon it while I run,
And watch the rising day.
1 COME, my soul, thy suit prepare,
Jesus loves to answer pray'r;
He himself has bid thee pray,
Rise and ask without delay.
2 With my burden I begin;
Lord! remove this load of sin!
Let thy blood, for sinners spilt,
Set my conscience free from guilt.
3 Lord! I come to thee for rest,
Take possession of my breast;
There thy sov'reign right maintain,
And without a rival reign.
4 Show me what I have to do,
Ev'ry hour my strength renew;
Let me live a life of faith,
Let me die thy people's death.
Confession and repentance.
LORD, my God, in mercy turn,
In mercy hear a sinner mourn!
To thee I call, to thee I cry,
O leave me, leave me not to die!
2 O pleasures past, what are ye now
But thorns about my bleeding brow?
Spectres that hover round my brain,
And aggravate and mock my pain.
3 For pleasure I have giv'n my soul;
Now, justice, let thy thunders roll!
Now, vengeance, smile-and with a blow
Lay the rebellious ingrate low.
4 Yet Jesus, Jesus! there I'll cling,
I'll crowd beneath his shelt'ring wing;
I'll clasp the cross, and holding there,
E'en me, oh bliss!-his wrath may spare.
Repentance at the cross.
1H, if my soul were form'd for woe,
How would I vent my sighs!
Repentance should like rivers flow
From both my streaming eyes.
2 'Twas for my sins my dearest Lord
Hung on the cursed tree,
And groan'd away a dying life
For thee, my soul, for thee.
3 O how I hate those lusts of mine
That crucified my Lord,
Those sins that pierc'd and nail'd his flesh
Fast to the fatal wood.
4 Yes, my Redeemer, they shall die,
My heart has so decreed,
Nor will I spare the guilty things
That made my Savior bleed.
5 Whilst with a melting, broken heart
My murder'd Lord I view,
I'll raise revenge against my sing,
And slay the murd'rers too.
Terror turned to joy.
MOTE by the law, I'm justly slain;
Great God, behold my case;
Pity a sinner fill'd with pain,
Nor drive me from thy face.
2 Dread terrors fright my guilty soul-
Thy justice, all in flames,
Gives sentence on this heart so foul,
So hard, so full of crimes.
3 'Tis trembling hardness that I feel;
I fear, but don't relent,-
Perhaps of endless death the seal;
O that I could repent!
4 My pray'rs, my tears, my vows are vile;
My duties black with guilt;
On such a wretch can mercy smile,
Though Jesus' blood was spilt?
5 Speechless I sink to endless night,
I see an op'ning hell:
But lo! what glory strikes my sight!
Such glory who can tell?
Enrapt in these bright beams of peace,
I feel a gracious God:
Swell, swell the note-O tell his grace;
Sound his high praise abroad!
Parting with all for Christ.
E glitt'ring toys of earth, adieu;
A nobler choice be mine;
A heavenly prize attracts my view,
A treasure all divine.
2 Jesus, to multitudes unknown,-
O name divinely sweet!—
Jesus, in thee, in thee alone,
True wealth and honor mect.
3 Should earth's vain treasures all depart,
Of this dear gift possest,
I'd clasp it to my joyful heart,
And be for ever blest.
4 Dear portion of my soul's desires,
Thy love is bliss divine;
Accept the wish that love inspires,
And let me call thee mine.
SUPPLICATION FOR DIVINE MERCY.
270 The penitent suing for pardon. P. M. 8.7.8.7
AVIOR, canst thou love a traitor?
Canst thou love a child of wrath?
Can a hell-deserving creature
Be the purchase of thy death?
2 Is thy blood so efficacious
As to make my nature clean?
Is thy sacrifice so precious,
As to free my soul from sin?
3 Sin on ev'ry side surrounds me,
I can hear of no relief;
Pangs of unbelief confound me,
Help me, Lord, to bear my grief.
4 This is now my resolution,
At thy dearest feet to fall;
Here I'll meet my condemnation,
Or a freedom from my thrall.
5 If I meet with condemnation,
Justly I deserve the same;
If I meet with free salvation,
I will magnify thy name
1 LORD, at thy feet I prostrate fall,
Opprest with fears to thee I call:
Reveal thy pard'ning love to me,
And set my captive spirit free.
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