2 Goodness I have none to plead,
Sinfulness in all I see,

I can only bring my need;
God be merciful to me.

3 Broken heart and downcast eyes

Dare not lift themselves to thee;
Yet thou canst interpret sighs:
God be merciful to me.

4 From this sinful heart of mine
To thy bosom I would flee:
I am not my own but thine:
God be merciful to me.

5 There is One beside the Throne,
And my only hope and plea
Are in him, and him alone:
God be merciful to me.

6 He my cause will undertake,
My Interpreter will be;
He's my all; and for his sake
God be merciful to me.

149 In whom we have redemption through his blood, [10s. the forgiveness of sins.-Eph. i. 7.

1 WEARY of earth and laden with my sin,
I look at heaven and long to enter in;
But there no evil thing may find a home;
And yet I hear a voice that bids me "Come."

2 So vile I am, how dare I hope to stand
In the pure glory of that holy land?

Before the whiteness of that Throne appear? Yet there are hands stretch'd out to draw me

near.

3 The while I fain would tread the heavenly way, Evil is ever with me day by day;

Yet on mine ears the gracious tidings fall, "Repent, confess, thou shalt be loosed from all."

4 It is the voice of Jesus that I hear,

His are the hands stretch'd out to draw me

near,

And his the blood that can for all atone,

And set me faultless there before the Throne. 5 'Twas he who found me on the deathly wild, And made me heir of heaven, the Father's child, And day by day, whereby my soul may live, Gives me his grace of pardon, and will give. 6 O great Absolver, grant my soul may wear The lowliest garb of penitence and prayer, That in the Father's courts my glorious dress May be the garment of thy righteousness.

7 Yea, thou wilt answer for me, righteous Lord : Thine all the merits, mine the great reward; Thine the sharp thorns, and mine the golden

crown,

Mine the life won, and thine the life laid down. 8 Nought can I bring, dear Lord, for all I owe Yet let my full heart what it can bestow; Like Mary's gift, let my devotion prove, Forgiven greatly, how I greatly love."

150

1

2

Lent: Church Missions.

O Lord, revive thy work.-Hab. iii. 2.
REVIVE thy work, O Lord,

Thy mighty arm make bare;

[S.M.

Speak with the voice that wakes the dead,
And make thy people hear.

Revive thy work, O Lord,
Disturb this sleep of death;

Quicken the smouldering embers now

By thine almighty breath.

3

4

5

Revive thy work, O Lord,
Create soul-thirst for thee;

And hungering for the bread of life,
O may our spirits be.

Revive thy work, O Lord,

Exalt thy precious name;

And, by the Holy Ghost, our love
For thee and thine inflame.

Revive thy work, O Lord,
And give refreshing showers;
The glory shall be all thine own,
The blessing, Lord, be ours.

151 Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.-Rev. xxii. 17.

[8s. 7s. 4s.

1 COME, ye sinners, poor and wretched,
Come in mercy's gracious hour;
Jesus ready stands to save you,
Full of pity, love, and power:
He is able, he is willing: doubt no more.
2 Come, ye needy, come and welcome,
God's free bounty glorify;

True belief, and true repentance,
Every grace which 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 Come, ye weary, heavy laden,

If

Lost and ruin'd by the fall,
you tarry till you're better

You will never come at all:

Not the righteous, sinners Jesus came to call.

5 Lo! the 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.
6 Saints and angels, join'd 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."

152

Why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Ezek. xxxiii. 11.

1 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 you cross his love, and die?
2 Sinners, turn: why will ye die?
God, your Saviour, asks you why-
God, who did your souls retrieve,
Died himself that ye might live.
Will you let him die in vain,
Crucify the Lord again?

Why, ye ransom'd sinners, why
Will you slight his grace, and die?
3 Sinners, turn: why will ye die?
God, the Spirit, asks you why-
He who all your lives hath striven,
Urged you to contend for heaven:
Will you not his grace receive?
Will you still refuse to live?
Why, ye long-sought sinners, why
Will you grieve your God, and die?

[D. 78.

153

4 Can you doubt if God is love.
If to all his yearnings move?
Will you not his word receive?
Will you not his oath believe?
See, your dying Lord appears!
Jesus weeps believe his tears!
Mingled with his blood they cry,
"Why will you resolve to die?"

Let him return unto the Lord.-Isa. Iv. 7. [8s. 6s. 4. 1 RETURN, O wanderer, to thy home,

Thy Father calls for thee:

No longer now an exile roam
In guilt and misery:

Return, return.

2 Return, O wanderer, to thy home,
"Tis Jesus calls for thee:

The Spirit and the bride say, Come,
Oh, now for refuge flee:

Return, return.

3 Return, O wanderer, to thy home,
'Tis madness to delay:

There are no pardons in the tomb,
And brief is mercy's day :

Return, return.

154

There shall be showers of blessing.

[8s. 7s. 3.

Ezek. xxxiv. 26.

1 LORD, I hear of showers of blessing, Thou art scatt❜ring full and free : Showers the thirsty land refreshing;

Let some droppings fall on me-Even me.

2 Pass me not, O gracious Father;

Sinful though my heart may be;

Thou might'st leave me, but the rather
Let thy mercy light on me-Even me.