3 My guilt appeared but sinall before,
Till I with terror saw

How perfect, holy, just, and pure
Is thine eternal law.

4 Then felt my soul the heavy load-
My sins revived again;

I had provoked a dreadful God,
And all my hopes were slain.
5 My God! I cry with every breath,
Exert thy power to save,

269

mf

Oh! break the yoke of sin and death,
And thus redeem the slave.

1 MY former hopes are fled,
My terror now begins;
I feel, alas! that I am dead
In trespasses and sins.
2 Ah, whither shall 1 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 glimmering from afar ;

A beam of day, that shines for me,
To save me from despair.

5 Forerunner of the sun,

270

It marks the pilgrim's way;
I'll gaze upon it while I run,
And watch the rising day.

L. M.

Medway. Middlebury.

Impenitence deplored.

1 AMID displays of wrath and love,

What stubborn creatures, Lord, are we! No relish for the joys of heaven,

No dread of endless misery.

2 With what a base contempt we treat
Thy threatenings and thy promises!
Duty neglect and mercy slight,
Nor fear to sin-nor seek to please.

3 Could angels weep-for us they'd mourn:
Break, then, these flinty hearts, O God!
Sure we must melt beneath thy grace,
Or feel the terrors of thy rod.

271

C. M.

Confession.

Grafton. Spencer

1 ALMIGHTY Father! God of grace!
We all, like sheep astray,

In folly, from thy paths have turned,
Each to his sinful way.

2 Sins of omission and of act
Through all our lives abound;

Alas! in thought, and word, and deed,
No health in us is found.

3 Oh spare us, Lord!-in mercy spare!
Our contrite souls restore,

Through him who suffered on the cross,
And man's transgressions bore.

4 And grant, O Father! for his sake
That we, through all our days,
A just and godly life may lead,
To thine eternal praise.

272

Coldness and Inconstancy lamented.

1 LONG have we heard the joyful sound
Of thy salvation, Lord!

Yet still how weak our faith is found,
And knowledge of thy word!

P 2 How cold and feeble is our love!
How negligent our fear!

How low our hope of joys above!
How few affections there!

3 Great God! thy sovereign power impart,
To give thy word success!

Write thy salvation in each heart,
And make us learn thy grace.

mf 4 Show our forgetful feet the way

That leads to joys on high;

Where knowledge grows without decay,
And love shall never die.

Barby. Stamford.

1 PERPETUAL Source of light and grace,
We hail thy sacred name;
Through every year's revolving round,
Thy goodness is the same.

2 On us, all worthless as we are,
It wondrous mercy pours;

As sure as heaven's established course,
And plenteous as the showers.

3 Inconstant service we repay,

And treacherous vows renew;
As false as morning's scattering cloud,
And transient as the dew.

4 In flowing tears our guilt we mourn,
And loud implore thy grace,
To bear our feeble footsteps on,
In all thy righteous ways.

f 5 Armed with this energy divine,
Our souls shall steadfast move;
And with increasing transport press
To thy bright courts above.

274

L. M.

Middlebury.

1 DEAR Jesus-when-when shall it be,
That I no more shall break with thee?
When will this war of passion cease,
And I enjoy a lasting peace?

2 Here I repent, and sin again;

Sometimes revive-sometimes am slain;
Slain with the same malignant dart,
Which, oh! 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?

275

CHRISTIAN GRACES.

C. M.

Prayer for Repentance.

Medfield. Spencer.

1 OH for that tenderness of heart,
Which bows before the Lord!

That owns how just and good thou art,
And trembles at thy word!

2 Oh for those humble, contrite tears
Which from repentance flow!

That sense of guilt, which trembling fears
The long suspended blow!

3 Saviour, to me in pity give
For sin the deep distress,

The pledge thou wilt at last receive,
And bid me die in peace!-

4 Oh fill my soul with faith and love,
And strength to do thy will;
Raise my desires and hopes above,
Thyself to me reveal.

276

Repentance in View of Divine Patience.
1 AND are we, wretches, yet alive!
And do we yet rebel!

"Tis boundless! 'tis amazing love!
That bears us up from hell!

2 The burden of our weighty guilt
Would sink us down to flames;
And threatening vengeance rolls above,
To crush our feeble frames.

3 Almighty goodness cries-" Forbear”-
And straight the thunder stays;

And dare we now provoke his wrath,
And weary out his grace.

mp 4 Lord-we have long abused thy love,
Too long indulged our sin;

Our aching hearts now bleed to see
What rebels we have been.

mf 115 No more, ye lusts, shall ye command;
No more will we obey:

277

Stretch out, O God, thy conquering hand,
And drive thy foes away.

Ingratitude deplored.

1 IS this the kind return?

Are these the thanks we owe?
Thus to abuse eternal love,
Whence all our blessings flow!

2 To what a stubborn frame
Has sin reduced our mind'

What strange, rebellious wretches we!
And God as strangely kind!

3 Turn-turn us, mighty God!

And mould our souls afresh!

mf 11 Break, sovereign grace, these hearts of stone, And give us hearts of flesh.

1 WITH tears of anguish I lament,
Before thy feet, my God,

My passion, pride, and discontent,
And vile ingratitude.

2 Sure there was ne'er a heart so base,
So false as mine has been;
So faithless to its promises,

Sò prone to every sin.

3 How long, dear Saviour, shall I feel
These struggles in my breast?

When wilt thou bow my stubborn will,
And give my conscience rest?

mf 4 Break, sovereign grace-oh break the charm, And set the captive free:

279

Reveal, great God, thy mighty arm,
And haste to rescue me.

7s.

1 GOD of mercy!-God of grace!
Hear our sad, repentant songs,
Oh restore thy suppliant race,
Thou, to whom our praise belongs!
2 Deep regret for follies past,

Talents wasted-time misspent ;
Hearts debased by worldly cares,
Thankless for the blessings lent,-
3 Foolish fears, and fond desires,
Vain regrets for things as vain,
Lips too seldom taught to praise,
Oft to murmur and complain ;-

Norwich.