3 My guilt appeared but small 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,

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

269

S. M. Olmutz. Little Marlboro'.

MY 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 glimmering from afar;

mf 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.

270

Impenitence deplored.

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,

271

Or feel the terrors of thy rod.

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

P

C. M.

Grafton. Eastport.

Coldness and Inconstancy lamented.

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

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

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.

273

P

f

C. M.

Barby. Stamford.

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.

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.

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.

Medfield. Spencer,

Prayer for Repentance.

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.
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.

mf15 No more, ye lusts, shall ye command;
No more will we obey:

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

f

277

Ingratitude deplored.

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

4 Let past ingratitude

Provoke our weeping eyes;

And hourly, as new mercies fall,
Let hourly thanks arise.

278

C. M.

Indwelling Sin lamented.

Burford, Grafton.

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,

So 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:

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

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 delased 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