2 O may one beam of thy blest light
Pierce through, dispel, the shade of night:
Touch my cold breast with heavenly fire;
With holy, conqu'ring zeal inspire.
3 For zeal I sigh, for zeal I pant;
Yet heavy is my soul, and faint:
With steps unwav'ring, undismay'd,
Give me in all thy paths to tread.
4 With outstretch'd hands, and streaming eyes, Oft I begin to grasp the prize:
I groan, I strive, I watch, I pray;
But ah! my zeal soon dies away.
5 The deadly slumber then I feel
Afresh upon my spirit steal:
Rise, Lord, stir up thy quick 'ning power,
And wake me that I sleep no more.
JESUS, shall I never be
Firmly grounded upon thee!
Never by thy work abide!
Never in thy wounds reside!
2 O how wav'ring is my mind,
Toss'd about with every wind;
O how quickly doth my heart
From the living God depart.
3 Jesus, let my nature feel
Thou art God unchangeable:
JAH, JEHOVAH, great I AM,
Speak into my soul thy Name.
4 Grant that every moment I
May believe and feel thee nigh;
Steadfastly behold thy face,
Stablish'd with abiding grace.
THEN, O my Saviour, shall it be,
When will this war of passion cease,
And I enjoy a lasting peace!
2 Now I repent; now sin again:
Now I revive; and now am slain :
Slain with the same malignant dart,
Which, O too often wounds thy heart.
3 When, gracious Lord, when shall it be
That I shall find my all in thee,-
The fulness of thy promise prove,
And feast on thine eternal love?
The vanity of mere formality.
ONG have I seem'd to serve thee, Lord,
With unavailing pain;
Fasted, and pray'd, and read thy word,
And heard it preach'd in vain.
2 Oft did I with the' assembly join,
And near thy altar drew:
A form of godliness was mine,-
The power, I never knew.
3 I rested in the outward law,
Nor knew its deep design:
The length and breadth, I never saw,
And height, of love divine.
4 To please thee, thus at length I see,
Vainly I uoped and strove;
For what are outward things to thee,
Unless they spring from love!
5 I see the perfect law requires
Truth in the inward parts;
Our full consent, our whole desires.
Our undivided hearts..
6 But I of means have made my boast;
Of means an idol made:
The spirit in the letter lost,--
The substance, in the shade.
7 Where am I now, or what my hope! What can my weakness do?
Jesus, to thee my soul looks up: 'Tis thou must make it new.
No peace but in the favour of God.
WHERE is now that glowing love
That mark'd our union with the Lord!
Our hearts were fix'd on things above,
Nor could the world a joy afford.
2 Where is the zeal that led us then
To make our Saviour's glory known!
That freed us from the fear of men,
And kept our eye on him alone!
8 Where are the happy seasons, spent
In fellowship with him we loved!
The sacred joy, the sweet content,
The blessedness that then we proved!
4 Behold, again we turn to thee;
O, cast us not away, though vile:
No peace we have, no joy we see,
O'Lord our God, but in thy smile.
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The spirit of the ancient worthies. FOR that flame of living fire, Which shone so bright in saints of old; Which bade their souls to heaven aspire,Calm in distress, in danger old.
Where is that Spirit, Lord, which dwelt In Abrah'm's breast, and seal'd him thine! Which made Paul's heart with sorrow melt, Aud glow with energy divine?-
3 That Spirit, which from age to age Proclaim'd thy love, and taught thy ways Brighten'd Isaiah's vivid page,
And breathed in David's hallow'd lays! 4 Is not thy grace as mighty now As when Elijah felt its power; When glory beam'd from Moses' brow, Or Job endured the trying hour! 5 Remember, Lord, the ancient days; Renew thy work; thy grace restore; And while to thee our hearts we raise, On us thy Holy Spirit pour.
1st P. M. 6 lines 8s.
Broken vows lamented.
GOD! how often hath thine ear
To me in willing mercy bow'd;
While, worshipping thine altar near,
Lowly I wept, and strongly vow'd:
But ah! the feebleness of man!
Have I not vow'd and wept in vain!
2 Return, O Lord of Hosts, return!
Behold thy servant in distress;
My faithlessness again I mourn;
Again forgive my faithlessness;
And to thine arms of mercy take,
And bless me for the Saviour's sake.
The warning voice of Jesus.
GAGs glum ber
RACIOUS Redeemer, shake
Say to me now,-Awake, awake!
And Christ shall make thee whole.
2 Lay to thy mighty hand;
Alarm me in this hour;
And make me fully understand
The thunder of thy power.
3 Give me on thee to call,-
Always to watch and pray,
Lest I into temptation fall,
And cast my shield away.
4 For each assault prepared,
And ready may I be;
Forever standing on my guard,
And looking up to thee.
5 O do thou always warn
My soul of evil near;
When to the right or left I turn,
Thy voice still let me hear :-
6 Come back! this is the way;
Come back, and walk therein;
O may I hearken and obey,
And shun the paths of sin.
Pleading for restoring grace. 'TIS enough, my God, my God! Here let me give my wand'rings o'er: No longer trample on thy blood,
And grieve thy gentleness no more;
No more thy ling'ring anger move,
Or sin against thy light and love.
O Lord, if mercy is with thee,
Now let it unto me be shown;
To me, the chief of sinners, me,
Who humbly for thy mercy groan:
Me to thy Father's grace restore,
Nor let me ever grieve thee more.
8 Fountain of unexhausted love,-
Of infinite compassion,-hear:
My Saviour, and my Prince above,
Once more in my behalf appear:
Repentance, faith, and pardon give:
O let me turn again and live!
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