p 4 Asham'd of Jesus!-yes I may—
When I've no sins to wash away;
No tear to wipe, no good to crave,
No fear to quell, no soul to save.
-5 Till then, (nor is my boasting vain,)
Till then I boast a Saviour slain!
And, O may this my glory be,
That Christ is not ashaa'd of me!
HYMN 51. C. M. Colchester. [*]
Inconstancy in Religion. Hosea vi, 4.
1 Pwe hail thy sacred Name:
ERPETUAL Source of light and grace,
Through ev'ry year's revolving round,
Thy goodness is the same.
2 On us, all worthless as we are,
It wondrous mercy pours;
Sure as the heav'n's establish'd course,
And plenteous as the show'rs.
e 3 Inconstant service we repay,
And treach'rous vows renew;
False as the morning's scattʼring cloud,
And transient as the dew.
p 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 Arm'd with this energy divine,
Our souls shall steadfast move;
And with increasing transports press,
On to thy courts above.
-6 So by thy pow'r the morning sun
Pursues his radient way;
o Brightens each moment in his race, And shines to perfect day.
HYMN 52. C. M. Canterbury. [b]
O that I were as in months past. Job xxix, 2.
b 1 SWEET was the time, when first 1 felt
The Saviour's pard'ning blood,
Apply'd to cleanse my soul from guilt,
And bring me home to God.
o 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.)
e 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.
e 5 But now-when ev'ning shade prevails,
My soul in darkness mourns:
And when the morn the light reveals,
No light to me returns.
6 My pray'r are now a chatt'ring noise,
For Jesus hides his face;
I read the promise meets my eyes-
But will not reach my case.
Rise, Lord, and help me to prevail-
O make my soul thy care;
a I know thy mercy cannot fail,
Let me that mercy share.
HYMN 53. 8s. Bethany. [b]
Faith fainting.
NCOMPASS'D with clouds of distress,
E Just ready all hope to resign;
I pant for the light of thy face,
And fear it will never be mine:
p Dishearten'd with waiting so long,
I sink at thy feet with my load;
All-plaintive I pour out my song,
And stretch forth my hands unto God.
2 Shine, Lord, and my terrour shall cease;
The blood of atonement apply;
And lead me to Jesus for peace,
The rock that is higher than I.
o Speak, Saviour, for sweet is thy voice,
Thy presence is fair to behold;
Attend to my sorrows and cries,
e My groanings that cannot be tolds
-3 If sometimes I strive, as I mourn,
My hold on thy promise to keep;
o The billows more fiercely return,
And plunge me again in the deep.
-While harass'd and cast from thy sight,
The tempter suggests with a roar,
d "The Lord has forsaken thee quite;
"Thy God will be gracious no more."
e 4 Yet, Lord, if thy love has design'd
No covenant blessing for me,
Ah, tell me, how is it I find
Some pleasure in waiting for thee?
• Almighty to rescue thou art;
Thy grace is my shield and my tow'r:
o Come succour and gladden my heart,
Let this be the day of thy power. RIPPON's CoŁ.
HYMN 54. 7s. Fairfax. [b]
Self Examination.
1 'IS a point I long to know,
Sa causes anxious thought:-
e Do I love the Lord, or no?
Am I his, or am I not?
2 If I love, why am I thus?
Why this dull, this lifeless frame?
Hardly, sure, can they be worse;
Who have never heard his name.
3 Could my heart so hard remain,
Pray'r a task and burden prove
Ev'ry trifle give me pain-
If I knew a Saviour's love?
e 4 When I turn my eyes within,
All is dark, and vain, and wild;
Fill'd with unbelief and sin-
Can I deem myself a child?
5 If I pray, or hear, or read,
Sin is mix'd with all I do;
d You who love the Lord indeed,
Tell me-is it so with you.
o 6 Yet I mourn my stubborn will,
Find my sin a grief and thrall;
Should I grieve for what I feel,
If I did not love at all!
7 Could I joy his saints to meet,
Choose the ways I once abhorr❜d-
Find, at times, the promise sweet,
If I did not love the Lord?
-8 Lord, decide the doubtful case!
Thou who art thy people's sun;
Shine upon thy work of grace,
If it be indeed begun.
9 Let me love thee more and more,
If I love at all, I pray;
If I have not lov'd before,
Help me to begin to-day.
HYMN 55. 8s. Consolation. [*] The Holy Spirit addressed under Darkness. ESCEND, Holy Spirit, the Dove,
1 Dand visit a sorrowful breast;
e My burden of guilt to remove,
And bring me assurance and rest;
-Thou only hast power to relieve
A sinner overwhelm'd with his load;
The sense of redemption to give,
And sprinkle his heart with the blood.
2 With me, if of old thou hast strove,
Ard kindly withheld me from sin;
Resolv'd by the strength of thy love,
My worthless affections to win;
The work of thy mercy revive,
Invincible mercy exert,
And keep my weak graces alive,
And set up thy rest in my heart.
3 If when I have put thee to grief,
And madly to folly return'd,
Thy goodness has been my relief,
And lifted me up as I mourn'd;
O Spirit of pity and grace,
Relieve me again and restore;
My spirit in holiness raise,
To fall, and to grieve thee, no more: e 4 If now I lament after God,
And pant for a taste of his love,e If Jesus, who pour'd out his blood, Obtain'd me a mansion above;—
o Come, heav'nly Comforter, come,
Sweet witness of mercy divine!
• And make me thy permanent home,
And seal me eternally thine.
HYMN 56. L. M. Sicilian. [*b]
Prayer answered by Crosses.
ASK'D the Lord that I might grow
In faith, and love, and every grace;
Might more of his salvation know,
And seek more earnestly his face.
2 'Twas he who taught me thus to pray,
And he, I trust, has answer'd prayer;
But it has been in such a way,
As almost drove me to despair.
3 I hop'd that in some favour'd hour,
At once he'd answer my request;
And by his love's constraining pow'r,
Subdue my sins, and give me rest.
e 4 Instead of this, he made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart;
And let the angry pow'rs of hell
Assault my soul in ev'ry part.
a 5 Yea, more with his own hand he seem'd
Intent to aggravate my wo;
Cross'd all the fair designs I schem❜d, Blasted my gourds, and laid me low. e 6 Lord, why is this? I trembling cry'd, Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death? d "Tis in this way (the Lord reply'd,) "I answer pray'r for grace and faith. 7 "These inward trials I employ, "From self, and pride, to set thee free, "And break thy schemes of earthly jov, "That thou may'st seek thy ail in me." NEWTON
HYMN 57. L. M. Pleyel's. [*]
Inconstancy lamented,
EAR 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?
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