Oh! let not this dear refuge fail,
This only safe retreat.

4 Oh! shine on this benighted heart,
With beams of mercy shine;
And let thy healing voice impart
A taste of joys divine.

7s.

282. Repentance at the Cross of Christ.

1 HEARTS of stone! relent, relent,
Break, by Jesus' cross subdued;
See his body, mangled, rent,

Covered with the gore of biood!
Sinful soul! what hast thou done?
Crucified God's only Son!

2 Yes, thy sins have done the deed,

Driven the nails that fixed him there, Crowned with thorns his sacred head, Pierced him with a bloody spear,

Made his soul a sacrifice,

While for sinful man he dies.

3 Wilt thou let him bleed in vain,-
Still to death thy Lord pursue?
Open all his wounds again,-

And the shameful cross renew?
No;-with all my sins I'll part,
Break, Oh! break, my bleeding heart!

283.

L. M. 6 Lines.

Pleading in Jesus' Name.

1 FATHER of mercies, God of Love! Oh! hear an humble suppliant's cry; Bend from thy lofty seat above,

Thy throne of glorious majesty; Ch! deign to hear my mournful voice, And bid my drooping heart rejoice. 2 I urge no merit of my own,

No worth to claim thy gracious smile No,-when I come before thy throne, Dare to converse with God awhile, Thy name, blest Jesus! is my plea→ Dearest and sweetest name to me.

3 Father of mercies, God of love! Then hear thine humble suppliant's cry; Bend from thy lofty seat above,

Thy throne of glorious majesty;

One pard'ning word can make me whole,
And soothe the anguish of my soul.

284.

C. M.

Godly Sorrow at the Cross.

1 ALAS! and did my Saviour bleed?
And did my Sovereign die?

Would he devote that sacred head,
For such a worm as I?

2 Was it, for crimes that I had done,
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity !-grace unknown !-
And love beyond degree!

3 Well might the sun in darkness hide,
And shut his glories in,

When Christ, the mighty Maker, died,
For man the creature's sin.

4 Thus might I hide my blushing face,
While his dear cross appears;
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
And melt mine eyes to tears.

5 But floods of tears can ne'er repay
The debt of love I owe;

Here, Lord! I give myself away;-
'Tis all that I can do.

L. M. 6 Lines.

285. Backslider's Return through Chrii.
1 WEARY of wandering from my God,
And now made willing to return,
I hear, and bow beneath the rod;
To him, with penitence, I mourn:
I have an advocate above,-
A friend before the throne of love.
2 O Jesus! full of truth and grace,

More full of grace than I of sin,-
Yet once again I seek thy face,

Open thine arms and take me in;
Oh! freely my backslidings heal,
And love the dying sinner still.

3 Ah! give me, Lord! the tender heart,
That trembles at th' approach of sin
A godly fear of sin impart,

Implant, and root it deep within;
That I may fear thy gracious power,
And never dare t' offend thee more.

286.

C. M.

Penitence and Hope.

1 DEAR Saviour! when my thoughts recall The wonders of thy grace, Low at thy feet ashamed I fall,

And hide this wretched face.

2 Oh while I breathe to thee, my Lord!
The penitential sigh,

Confirm the kind forgiving word,
With pity in thine eye.

3 Then shall the mourner, at thy feet,
Rejoice to seek thy face;

And grateful own-how kind, how sweet,
Thy condescending grace.

287.

7s.

Confession and Entreaty.

1 SOVEREIGN Ruler, Lord of all!
Prostrate at thy feet I fall;
Hear, Oh! hear my earnest cry
Frown not, lest I faint and die.

2 Vilest of the sons of men,-
Chief of sinners I have been;
Oft abused thee to thy face,
Trampled on thy richest grace.

3 Justly might thy righteous dart
Pierce this bleeding, broken heart;
Justly might thine angry breath
Blast me in eternal death.

1 But with thee there 's mercy founa,-
Balm to heal my every wound:
Soothe, Oh! soothe the troubled breast,
Give the weary wanderer rest.

288.

C. M.
Penitence.

1 PROSTRATE, dear Jesus! at thy feet
A guilty rebel lies :

And upwards, to thy mercy-seal,
Presumes to lift his eyes.

2 Let not thy justice frown me hence
Oh! stay the vengeful storm;
Forbid it, that Omnipotence
Should crush a feeble worm.

3 If tears of sorrow could suffice
To pay the debt I owe,

Tears should, from both my weeping eyes,
In ceaseless currents flow.

4 But no such sacrifice I plead
To expiate my guilt;

No tears, but those which thou hast shed
No blood, but thou hast spilt.

5 Think of thy sorrows, dearest Lord!
And all my sins forgive;

Then justice will approve the word
That bids the sinner live.

289.

C. M.

Pleading for Mercy.

1 LORD! at thy feet, we sinners lie,
And knock at mercy's door;

With bleeding heart, and downcast eye,
Thy favour we implore.

2 Without thy grace, we sink oppressed,
Down to the gates of hell;

Oh! give our troubled spirits rest,
Our gloomy fears dispel.

3 'Tis mercy-mercy now we plead;
Let thy compassion move;-
Mercy, that led thee once to bleed,
In tenderness and love.

4 In mercy now, for Jesus' sake,
O God! our sins forgive;

Thy grace our stubborn hearts can break,
An 1, breaking, bid us live.

290.

lls and 10s.

To the Mercy-Seat.

1 COME, ye disconsolate! where'er ye languish, Come to the mercy-seat, fervently kneel:

Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish;

Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal 2 Joy of the desolate, light of the straying,

Hope of the penitent, fadeless and pure! Here speaks the Comforter, tenderly saying, Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot cure. 3 Here see the bread of life; see waters flowing Forth from the throne of God, pure from above. Come to the feast of love; come, ever knowing, Earth has no sorrow, but heaven can remove.

291.

C. M.

The Friend of Sinners.

I JESUS! thou art the sinner's friend;

As such I look to thee;

Now, in the fulness of thy love,

O Lord! remember me.

2 Remember thy pure word of grace,—
Remember Calvary;
Remember all thy dying groans,
And, then, remember me.

3 Thou wondrous Advocate with God!
I yield myself to thee;

While thou art sitting on thy throne.
Dear Lord! remember me.

4 Lord! I am guilty-I am vile,
But thy salvation 's free;
Then, in thine all-abounding grace,
Dear Lord! remember me.

And, when I close my eyes in death,
When creature-helps all flee,
Then, O my dear Redeemer-God!

1

I pray, remember me.

S. M.

292. Repentance, in View of Christ's Comparsion.

I DID Christ o'er sinners weep?

And shall our cheeks be dry?