2 O help us, when our spirits bleed,

With contrite anguish sore; And when our hearts are cold and dead,

O help us, Lord, the more.
3 O help us, through the prayer of faith,

More firmly to believe;
For still the more the servant hath,

The more shall he receive.

4 O help us, Father, from on high;

We know no help but thee; O help us so to live and die,

As thine in heaven to be.

L. M.

401. MONTGOMERY.

The Soul returning to God. 1 RETURN, my soul, unto thy rest,

From vain pursuits and maddening cares; From lonely woes that wring thy breast,

The world's allurements, toils, and snares. 2 Return unto thy rest, my soul,

From all the wanderings of thy thought; From sickness unto death made whole;

Safe through a thousand perils brought. 3 Then to thy rest, my soul, return,

From passions every hour at strife;
Sin's works, and ways, and wages spurn,

Lay hold upon eternal life.
4 God is thy rest; — with heart inclined

To keep his word, that word believe;
Christ is thy rest; — with lowly mind,
His light and easy yoke receive.

C. M.
402

C. WESLEY.
Vain Repentances.
1 Times without number have I prayed,

This only once forgive;
Relapsing when thy hand was stayed,

And suffered me to live :

2 Yet now the kingdom of thy peace,

Lord, to my heart restore;
Forgive my vain repentances,

And bid me sin no more.

L. M. 403. DODDRIDGE.

Returning to God. i LORD, we have wandered from thy way,

Like foolish sheep have gone astray,
Our pleasant pastures we have left,

And of their guard our souls bereft. 2 Exposed to want, exposed to harm,

Far from our gentle Shepherd's arm;
Nor will these fatal wanderings cease,

Till thou reveal the paths of peace.
3 O seek thy thoughtless servants, Lord,

Nor let us quite forget thy word;
Our erring feet do thou restore,
And keep us that we stray no more.

404.

C. M.

MONTGOMERY. Preparation of the Heart. i Lord, teach us how to pray aright,

With reverence and with fear :

Though dust and ashes in thy sight,

We may, we must, draw near. 2 Burdened with guilt, convinced of sin,

In weakness, want, and woe, Fightings without, and fears within,

Lord, whither shall we go? 3 God of all grace, we come to thee,

With broken, contrite hearts; Give what thine eye delights to see,

Truth in the inward parts; — 4 Give deep humility; the sense

Of godly sorrow give;
A strong desiring confidence,

To hear thy voice and live ;5 Patience, to watch, and wait, and weep,

Though mercy long delay; Courage, our fainting souls to keep,

And trust thee, though thou slay. 6 Give these, and then thy will be done;

Thus strengthened with all might, We, by thy Spirit and thy Son,

Shall pray, and pray aright.

C. M.
405.

DODDRIDGE. Salvation only in God. i How long shall dreams of earthly bliss

Our flattering hopes employ? And mock our fond, deluded eyes

With visionary joy? 2 Why from the mountains and the hills

Is our salvation sought?

While our eternal Rock's forsook,

And Israel's God forgot.

3 The living spring neglected flows

Full in our daily view, Yet we, with anxious, fruitless toil,

Our broken cisterns hew.

4 These fatal errors, gracious God,

With gentle pity see;
To thee our roving eyes direct,

And fix our hearts on thee.

S. M. 406.

Watts. Forgiveness of Sin upon Confession. Psalm 32. i O BLESSED souls are they,

Whose sins are covered o'er! Divinely blest, to whom the Lord

Imputes their guilt no more! 2 They mourn their follies past,

And keep their hearts with care ; Their lips and lives, without deceit,

Shall prove their faith sincere.
While I concealed my guilt,

I felt the festering wound;
Till I confessed my sins to thee,

And ready pardon found.
Let sinners learn to pray,

Let saints keep near the throne; Our help in times of deep distress

Is found in God alone.

3

4

C. M. 407.

Watts.
Freedom from Sin and Misery in Heaven.
i Our sins, alas ! how strong they be!

And, like a violent sea,
They break our duty, Lord, to thee,

And hurry us away.
2 The waves of trouble, how they rise!

How loud the tempests roar!
But death shall land our weary souls

Safe on the heavenly shore.

3 There, to fulfil his sweet commands,

Our speedy feet shall move;
No sin shall clog our wingèd zeal,

Or cool our burning love.

4 There shall we sit, and sing, and tell,

The wonders of his grace;
Till heavenly raptures fire our hearts,

And smile in every face.

L. M.

408.

MORAVIAN

Devout Penitence.

1 My soul before thee prostrate lies ;

To thee, her source, my spirit flies;
My wants I mourn, my chains I see;
Olet thy presence set me free.

2 In life's short day, let me yet more

Of thy enlivening power implore ;
My mind must deeper sink in thee,
My foot stand firm, from wandering free.