170

To Worship acceptably

FOR a heart to feel

P.M.

The presence where we stand!
Remember, as we kneel,

That God is nigh at hand,

And while we meet to seek him thus,
He will be gracious e'en to us.
2 The sigh of one distrest

By sorrow for his sins,
Who humbly smites his breast,
And to serve God begins:
This is the voice that God attends,
And such he chooses for his friends.
3 He knows-he knows of me,
If I am friend or foe;

Wherever I may be

He follows as 1 go:

Sees every word, and thought, and look, And writes it in his judgment book. 4 Well may I think with dread

On that tremendous day,
And hang my guilty head,

And now in earnest pray:
In this accepted time I cry,

Have mercy, Lord! or else I die.

171 Suffer us to come.

LORD, before thy throne we stand,
Once again thy children see;

Smile upon this youthful band,
Suffer us to come to thee.

2 Whither else should children go,
Weak and impotent as we?
Thou hast all things to bestow,
Suffer us to come to thee.

7'8

3 While we here have life and breath, This our constant prayer should be, This our latest sigh in death,

Suffer us to come to thee.

172

IWE

E are but young-yet we may sing The praises of our heavenly King; He made the earth, the sea, the sky, And all the starry worlds on high.

2 We are but young-yet we have heard The gospel news, the heavenly word: If we despise the only way,

Dreadful will be the judgment day.

3 We are but young--yet we must die,
Perhaps our latter end is nigh;
Lord, may we early seek thy grace,
And find in Christ a hiding-place.

4 We are but young-we need a guide;
Jesus, in thee we would confide;
O lead us in the path of truth,
Protect and bless our helpless youth.

5 We are but young-yet God has shed
Unnumbered blessings on our head;
Then let our youth and riper days
Be all devoted to his praise.

100

INVITING.

173

1

Early seek God.

IF you will turn away from sin
In childhood's early day,

C.M.

The Lord will make you pure within,
And take your guilt away.

2 He'll show you all his matchless love,
He'll make you heirs of light,

And give you grace, that you may prove Still faithful in his sight.

3 He'll lead you in the pleasant way
Of holiness and peace;

And guide you thus to endless day,
Where sin and sorrow cease.

4 0 stay not in the road to death,
But to the Saviour come;

1

And, when you lose life's fleeting breath, He'll send and take you home.

174

The last Call to Sinners.

SAY, sinner, hath a voice within

L. M.

Oft whispered to thy secret soul, Urged thee to leave the ways of sin, And leave thy heart to God's control. 2 God's Spirit will not always strive With hardened, self-destroying man Ye, who persist his love to grieve, May never hear his voice again.

3 Sinner, perhaps this very day
Thy last accepted time may be;
O shouldst thou grieve him now away,
Then hope may never smile on thee.

175

The faithful Appeal.

SINNERS, turn, why will

ye

die?

God your Maker asks you why?
God, who did your being give,
Made you with himself to live;
He the fatal cause demands,
Asks the work of his own hands;
Why, ye thankless creatures, why
Will ye slight his love, and die?
2 Sinners, turn, why will ye die?
God your Saviour asks you why?
He who did your souls retrieve,
Died himself that you might live.
Will you let him die in vain?
Crucify your Lord again!
Why, ye careless sinners, why
Will ye slight his grace, and die?
3 Sinners, turn, why will ye die?
God the Spirit asks you why?
He who all your lives hath strove,
Wooed you to embrace his love:
Will ye not his grace receive?
Will ye still refuse to live?
O ye dying sinners, why,
Why will ye for ever die?
176

1

The firm Resolve.

7's.

C. M

COME, sinner, in whose guilty breast

A thousand thoughts revolve,

Come, with your guilt and fear opprest, And make this firm resolve

2 "I'll go to Jesus, though my sin
Doth like a mountain rise;
I know his courts, I'll enter in,
Perhaps he'll hear my cries.

3 Prostrate I'll lie before his throne,
And there my guilt confess;
I'll tell him I'm a wretch undone
Without his sovereign grace.

4 Perhaps he will admit my plea,
Perhaps will hear my prayer;
But, if I perish, I will pray,
And perish only there.

5 I can but perish if I go;
I am resolved to try;
For if I stay away, I know
I must for ever die."

1

177

The Danger of Delay.

[ASTEN, O sinner, to be wise,

H

L. M.

And stay not for the morrow's sun;

The longer wisdom you despise,

The harder is she to be won.

20 hasten mercy to implore,

And stay not for the morrow's sun; For fear thy season should be o'er

Before this evening's hours are gone.

30 hasten, sinner, to return,

And stay not for the morrow's sun; For fear thy lamp should cease to burn Before the needful work is done.

4 O hasten, sinner, to be blest,

And stay not for the morrow's sun; For fear the curse should thee arrest Before the morrow is begun.