291. Inconstancy lamented. Rom. vii. 19.
WOULD, but cannot sing,
I would, but cannot pray;
For satan meets me when I try,
And frights my soul away.
I would, but can't repent,
Tho' I endeavour oft;
This stony heart can ne'er relent,
Till Jesus makes it soft.
I would, but cannot love,
Tho' woo'd by love divine;
No arguments have pow'r to move
A soul so base as mine.
I would, but cannot rest,
In God's most holy will;
I know what he appoints is best,
Yet murmur at it still.
O could I but believe!
Then all would easy be;
I would but cannot-Lord relieve;
My help must come from thee!
292. Bethesda's Pool. John v. 2-d. 1 BESIDE the gospel pool,
Appointed for the poor,
From year to year my helpless soul
Has waited for a cure.
The healing waters move;
And others round me stepping in,
Their efficacy prove!
But my complaints remain;
1 feel the very same;
As full of guilt, and fear, and pain,
As when at first I came.
O, would the Lord appear
My malady to heal;
He knows how long I've languish'd here,
And what distress I feel.
[5 How often have I thought,
Why should I longer lie?
Surely the mercy I have sought
Is not for such as I?
But whither can I go?
There is no other pool
Where streams of sov'reign virtue flow
To make a sinner whole.]
Here, then, from day to day,
I'll wait, and hope, and try;
Can Jesus hear a sinner pray,
Yet suffer him to die?
He never will permit
A soul, that fain would see his face,
To perish at his feet.
THOU great mysterious God unknown,
Whose love hath gently led me on
E'en from my infant days;
Mine inmost soul expose to view,
And tell me if I ever knew
Thy justifying grace.
2 If I have only known thy fear,
And follow'd with a heart sincere
Thy drawing from above!
Now, now the farther grace bestow,
And let my sprinkled conscience know
Thy sweet forgiving love."
3 Short of thy love I would not stop,
A stranger to the gospel hope,
The sense of sin forgiven;
I would not, Lord, my soul deceive,
Without thy inward witness live,
That antepast of heaven.
If now the witness were in me,
Would he not testify of thee,
In Jesus reconcil'd?
And should I not with faith draw nigh,
And boldly, Abba, Father, cry,
I know myself thy child?
5 Ah! never let thy servant rest,
Till of my part in Christ possess'd
I on thy mercy feed:
Unworthy of the crumbs that fall,
Yet rais'd by him who died for all,
To eat the children's bread.
6 Whate'er obstructs thy pard'ning love,
Or sin, or righteousness, remove,
Thy glory to display;
My heart of unbelief convince,
And now absolve me from my sins,
And take them all away.
294.The broken Heart; or, the Sinner's Piea.
WILL the pardoning God despise
A poor mourner's sacrifice,
One who brings his all to thee,
All his sin and misery;
2 Saviour, see my troubled breast,
Heaving, panting after rest,
Jesus, mark my hollow eye,
Never clos'd and never dry.
3 Listen to my plaintive moans,
Deep uninterrupted groans,
Keep not silence at my tears,
Quiet all my griefs and fears.
Good physician, show thine art,
Bind thou up my broken heart;
Aches it not for thee, my God,
Pants to feel the healing biood?
5 Jesus, answer all thy name,
Save me from my fear and shame
Sunk in desperate misery,
Sinner's friend, remember me!
295. God the preserver of his people God the only wise,
Our Saviour and our King,
Let all the saints below the skies
Their humble praises bring.
2 'Tis his almighty love,
His counsel and his care,
Preserves us safe from sin and death,
And ev'ry hurtful snare.
3 He will present our souls
Unblemish'd and complete,
Before the glory of his face,
With joys divinely great.
4 Then all his faithful sons
Shall meet around the throne, Shall bless the conduct of his grace, And make his wonders known.
5 To our Redeemer, God,
Wisdom and pow'r belongs, Immortal crowns of majesty, And everlasting songs.
A Prayer for the promised Rest, Isa.
1 DEAR Friend of friendless sinners, hear And magnify thy grace divine;
Pardon a worm that would draw near,
That would his heart to thee resign;
A worm, by self and sin opprest,
That pants to reach thy promis'd rest.
2 With holy fear and reverend love,
I long to lie beneath thy throne;
I long in thee to live, and move,
And stay myself on thee alone:
Teach me to lean upon thy breast,
'To find in thee the promis'd rest.
3 Thou say'st thou wilt thy servants keep
In perfect peace, whose minds shall be
Like new-born babes, or helpless sheep,
Completely stay'd, dear Lord! on thee:
How calm their state, how truly blest,
Who trust on thee, the promis'd rest.
4 Take me, my Saviour, as thine own,
And vindicate my righteous cause;
Be thou my portion, Lord, alone,
And bend me to obey thy laws:
In thy dear arms of love caress'd,
Give me to find thy promis'd rest.
Bid the tempestuous rage of sin,
With all its wrathful fury, die;
Let the Redeemer dwell within,
And turn my sorrows into joy:
Oh, may my heart by thee possess'd,
Know thee to be my promis'd rest.
Pleading the Atonement. Ps. lxxxiv. 9 FATHER, God, who seest in me
Only sin and misery,
Turn to thy Anointed One,
Look on thy beloved Son
Him, and then the sinner, see:
Look through Jesus' wounds on me.
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