None-none can meet him, and escape,
But through the Saviour's blood.

41

S. M.

Christ a Light in Darkness.

HOW heavy is the night

That hangs upon our eyes—
Till Christ, with his reviving light,
Over our souls arise!

2 Our guilty spirits dread

To meet the wrath of Heaven ;-
But in his righteousness arrayed,
We see our sins forgiven.

3 Unholy and impure

Are all our thoughts and ways:
His hands infected nature cure
With sanctifying grace.

4 The powers of hell agree

To hold our souls in vain ;
He sets the sons of bondage free,
And breaks the cursed chain.

5 Lord, we adore thy ways,

To bring us near to God;

Thy sovereign power-thy healing grace, And thine atoning blood.

HOW sad our state by nature is!
Our sin-how deep it stains!
And Satan holds our captive minds
Fast in his slavish chains.

2 But hark! a voice of sovereign grace
Sounds from the sacred word-

'Ho! ye despairing sinners, come, And trust upon the Lord."

3 My soul obeys the gracious call,
And runs to this relief;

I would believe thy promise, Lord;
Oh help my unbelief.

4 A guilty, weak, and helpless worm,
On thy kind arms I fall:

Be thou my strength and righteousness,
My Saviour, and my all.

43

C. M.

Christ a Light in Darkness.

GREAT King of glory and of grace
We own, with humble shame,
How vile is our degenerate race,
And our first father's name.

2 We live estranged, afar from God,
And love the distance well;

!

With haste we run the dangerous road,
That leads to death and hell.

3 And can such rebels be restored!
Such natures made divine!
Let sinners see thy glory, Lord,
And feel this power of thine.

4 We raise our Father's name on high, Who his own Spirit sends,

To bring rebellious strangers nigh,
And turn his foes to friends.

44

C. M.

Death in Trespasses and Sins.

HOW helpless guilty nature lies,
Unconscious of her load!"

The heart unchanged can never rise
To happiness and God.

2 Can aught beneath a power divine
The stubborn will subdue?
"Tis thine, eternal Spirit, thine,
To form the heart anew.

3 "Tis thine, the passions to recall,
And upward bid them rise;
To make the scales of error fall
From reason's darkened eyes;—
4 To chase the shades of death away,
And bid the sinner live:
A beam of heaven-a vital ray,
"Tis thine alone to give.

5 Oh! change these wretched hearts of ours, And give them life divine;

Then shall our passions and our powers,
Almighty Lord, be thine.

45

L. M.

Pardon and Sanctification penitently implored.
SHOW pity, Lord-O Lord, forgive,
Let a repenting rebel live;

Are not thy mercies large and free?
May not a sinner trust in thee?

2 Oh wash my soul from every sin,
And make my guilty conscience clean;
Here, on my heart, the burden lies,
And past offences pain mine eyes.
3 My lips, with shame, my sins confess,
Against thy law-against thy grace:
Lord, should thy judgment grow severe,
I am condemned-but thou art clear.

4 Yet, save a trembling sinner, Lord,

Whose hope, still hovering round thy word, Would light on some sweet promise there, Some sure support against despair.

46

L. M.

Grief for the Sins and Miseries of Men. ARISE, my tender thoughts, arise; Let torrents drown my weeping eyes; And-thou, my heart, with anguish feel Those evils which thou canst not heal. 2 See human beings sunk in shame; See scandals poured on Jesus' name; See God insulted through his Son, The world abused-the soul undone. 3 My heart with reverence hears thy word, And trembles at thy threatenings, Lord; I know the wretched, dreadful end, To which their careless steps descend. 4 But feeble my compassion proves, It can but weep, where most it loves; Great God, thy saving grace employ, And turn these drops of grief to joy.

LORD, I am vile, conceived in sin,
And born unholy and unclean;
Sprung from the man, whose guilty fall
Corrupts the race, and taints us all.
2 Soon as we draw our infant breath,
The seeds of sin grow up for death:
Thy law demands a perfect heart;
But we're defiled in every part.

3 Jesus, my God, thy blood alone
Hath power sufficient to atone :
Behold, I fall before thy face;
My only refuge is thy grace.
4 Create, O Lord, my heart anew,
And form my spirit pure and true;
Oh, let me hear thy pardoning voice,
To make my mourning soul rejoice.

48

GOSPEL.

S. M.

God's Purpose of Mercy.

THE Lord on high proclaims
His Godhead from his throne;
Mercy and justice are the names
By which he will be known.

2 Ye dying souls, that sit

In darkness and distress,
Look from the borders of the pit
To his recovering grace.

3 Sinners shall hear the sound;

Their thankful tongues shall own,
Their righteousness and strength are found
In thee, O Lord, alone,

4 In thee shall Israel trust,

And see their guilt forgiven;

Thou wilt pronounce the sinners just,
And take the saints to heaven.

MAY not the sovereign Lord on high
Dispense his favors as he will;