3 Other ground-work should we lay,
Sweep those empty hopes away;
Make us feel that Christ alone
Can for human guilt atone.
4 May we daily grow in grace,
And pursue the heavenly race,
Trained in wisdom, led by love,
Till we reach our rest above.
188
Assurance. Rom. viii. 14, 16.
1 WHY should the children of a King
Go mourning all their days?
Great Comforter, descend, and bring
Some tokens of thy grace.
2 Dost thou not dwell in all the saints,
And seal the heirs of heaven?
When wilt thou banish my complaints,
And show my sins forgiven?
3 Assure my conscience of her part
In the Redeemer's blood;
And bear thy witness with my heart
That I am born of God.
4 Thou art the earnest of his love,
The pledge of joys to come;
And thy soft wings, celestial Dove,
Will safe convey me home.
2 If, when I have put thee to grief, And madly to folly returned, Thy goodness has been my relief,
And lifted me up as I mourned
189 The Holy Spirit addressed under Darkness. 1 DESCEND, Holy Spirit, the Dove,
And visit a
My burden of guilt to remove,,
And bring me assurance and rest. Thou only hast power to relieve
A sinner o'erwhelmed with his load, The sense of redemption to give,
And sprinkle his conscience with blood.
O Spirit of pity and grace,
Relieve me again and restore;
My spirit in holiness raise,
To fall and to grieve thee no more.
190
The Spirit entreated not to depart.
1 STAY, thou insulted Spirit, stay,
Though I have done thee such despite ;
Nor cast the sinner quite away,
Nor take thine everlasting flight.
3 Yet, oh, the chief of sinners spare,
In honor of my great High Priest;
Nor, in thy righteous anger, swear
I shall not see thy people's rest.
2 Though I have most unfaithful been
Of all who e'er thy grace received,
Ten thousand times thy goodness seen,
Ten thousand times thy goodness grieved;
191
Fear of Grieving the Spirit.
1 AND shall I still the Spirit grieve,
And still reject his
Oh, will he not the rebel leave
In sin's dark way to fall?
4 Now, Lord, my weary soul release, And raise me by thy gracious hand; Guide me into thy perfect peace,
And bring me to the promised land. C. Wesley.
C. M.
2 Shall I the heavenly Friend refuse,
And drive him from my heart?
His warnings and his love abuse,
And bid him hence depart?
3 Will he not justly give me o'er,
Though ready now to save?
Will he not bar the heavenly door,
When I his pity crave?
4 "Depart"-will he at last reply?
Oh, may I now attend;
Now to the cross for mercy fly,
And make my God my friend.
The Gospel Invitation.
192
1 LET every mortal ear attend,
And every heart rejoice;
The trumpet of the gospel sounds,
With an inviting voice.
2 Ho, all ye hungry, starving souls,
That feed upon the wind,
And vainly strive with earthly toys
To fill an empty mind ;—
3 Eternal wisdom has prepared
A soul-reviving feast,
And bids your longing appetites
The rich provision taste.
4 Ho, ye that pant for living streams, And pine away and die ;
Here you may quench your raging thirst,
With springs that never dry.
5 Rivers of love and mercy here
In a rich ocean join ;
Salvation in abundance flows,
Like floods of milk and wine.
6 The happy gates of gospel grace
Stand open, night and day:
Lord, we are come to seek supplies,
And drive our wants away.
193 Sinners Invited to Christ. Matt. xi. 28.
COME, ye weary, heavy laden,
Lost and ruined by the fall;
If you tarry till you 're better,
You will never come at all:
Not the righteous-
Sinners Jesus came to call.
2 Come, ye needy, come and welcome; God's free bounty glorify:
True belief, and true repentance,
Every grace that brings us nigh—
Without money,
Come to Jesus Christ, and buy.
3 Let not conscience make you linger,
Nor of fitness fondly dream;
All the fitness he requireth
Is to feel your need of him :
This he gives you;
'Tis the Spirit's rising beam.
4 Lo, th' incarnate God, ascended,
Pleads the merit of his blood;
Venture on him, venture wholly,
Let no other trust intrude;
None but Jesus
Can do helpless sinners good.
5 Saints and angels, joined in concert,
Sing the praises of the Lamb;
While the blissful seats of heaven
Sweetly echo with his name;
Hallelujah!
Sinners here may sing the same.
194
The Gospel Feast.
1 YE wretched, hungry, starving poor,
a
Where mercy spreads her bounteous store
For every humble guest.
2 See, Jesus stands with open arms;
He calls, he bids you come;
Guilt holds you back, and fear alarms,
But see, there yet is room.
3 Room in the Saviour's bleeding heart;
There love and pity meet;
Nor will he bid the soul depart,
That trembles at his feet.
4 In him the Father, reconciled,
Invites your souls to come;
The rebel shall be called a child,
And kindly welcomed home.
The accepted Time. 2 Cor. vi. 2.
TOW is th' accepted time,
Now is the day of grace;
Now, sinners, come without delay,
And seek the Saviour's face.
2 Now is th' accepted time,
The Saviour calls to-day;
To-morrow it may be too late-
Then why should you delay ?
3 Now is th' accepted time,
The gospel bids you come; And every promise in his word Declares there yet is room.
1
196 The Saviour's Invitation. John vii. 37.
HE Saviour calls-let every ear
Attend the heavenly sound:
Ye doubting souls, dismiss your fear,
Hope smiles reviving round.
THEH
2 For every thirsty, longing heart,
Here streams of bounty flow;
And life and health and bliss impart,
To banish mortal wo.
3 Ye sinners, come-'tis mercy's voice;
The gracious call obey;
Mercy invites to heavenly joys,
And can you yet delay ?
4 Dear Saviour, draw reluctant hearts;
To thee let sinners fly,
And take the bliss thy love imparts,
And drink, and never die.
"Yet there is room.”
YE
E dying sons of men,
Sunk deep in sin and wo,
The gospel's voice attend,
While Jesus sends to you;
Ye perishing and guilty, come;
In Jesus' arms there yet is room.
2
No longer now delay;
No vain excuses frame;
He bids you come to-day,
Though poor, and blind, and lame :
All things are ready, sinners, come;
For every trembling soul there 's room.
Compelled by bleeding love,
3
Ye wandering souls, draw near;
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