Hymn 223. L. M.

THOU, that hear'st when sinners cry,
Though all my crimes before thee lie,
Behold them not with angry look,

But blot their mem'ry from thy book.
2. Create my nature pure within,
And form my soul averse to sin;
Let thy good Spirit ne'er, depart,
Nor hide thy presence from my heart.
3. Though I have griev'd thy Spirit, Lord,
Thy help and comfort still afford:
And let a wretch come near thy throne
To plead the merits of thy Son.

4. A broken heart, my God, my King,
Is all the sacrifice I bring;

The God of grace will ne'er despise
A broken heart for sacrifice.

5. My soul lies humbled in the dust,

1.

And owns thy dreadful sentence just ;
Look down, O Lord, with pitying eye,
And save the soul condemn'd to die.

"Ο

Hymn 224. c. M.

GOD of mercy hear my call,
My load of guilt remove;

Break down this separating wall,
That bars me from thy love.

2. Give me the presence of thy grace,
Then my rejoicing tongue

Shall speak aloud thy righteousness,
And make thy praise my song.

3. No blood of goats, nor heifer slain
For sin could e'er atone;

The death of Christ shall still remain
Sufficient and alone.

4. A soul, opprest with sin's desert,
My God will ne'er despise ;
A humble groan, a broken heart,
Is our best sacrifice.

1.

Hymn 225. c. M.

HE Lord will happiness divine
On contrite hearts bestow :

THE

Then tell me, gracious God, is mine
A contrite heart or no?

2. I hear, but seem to hear in vain,
Insensible as steel;

If ought is felt, 'tis only pain,
To find I cannot feel.

3. I sometimes think myself inclin'd
To love thee, if I could;
But often feel another mind,
Averse to all that's good.

4. My best desires are faint and few,
Í fain would strive for more:

But when I cry, "My strength renew,"
Seem weaker than before.

5. Thy saints are comforted, I know,
And love thy house of pray'r;
I therefore go where others go,
But find no comfort there.

6. O make this heart rejoice or ache ;
Deci le this doubt for me;
And if it be not broken, break,
And heal it, if it be.

Hymn 226. s. M.

1. M Impatient of restraint,

Y sorrows, like a flood,

Into thy bosom, O my God,

Pour out a long complaint.

2. This impious heart of mine
Could once defy the Lord,
Could rush with violence to sin,
In presence of thy sword.

3. How often have I stood
A rebel to the skies,

The calls, the tenders of a God,
And mercy's loudest cries!

4. He offers all his grace,

And all his heav'n to me.
Offers! But 'tis to senseless brass,

That cannot feel, nor see.

5. Jesus, the Saviour, stands

To court me from above,

And looks and spreads his wond'rous hands,
And shews the prints of love.

Hymn 227. L. M.

how sinneps disagree,

The Publican and Pharisee !

One doth his righteousness proclaim,
The other owns his guilt and shame.
2. This man at humble distance stands,
And cries for grace with lifted hands;
That boldly rises near the throne,
And talks of duties he has done.

3. The Lord their diff'rent language knows,
And diff'rent answers he bestows;
The humble soul with grace he crowns,
While on the proud his anger frowns.

4. Dear Father, let me never be
Join'd with the boasting Pharisee;
I have no merits of my own,
But plead the suff'rings of thy Son.

1.

1.

Hymn 228. s. M.

'S this the kind return?

Is

Are these the thanks we owe
Thus to abuse eternal love,

Whence all our blessings flow!

2. To what a stubborn frame

?

Has sin reduc'd our mind!
What strange rebellious wretches we;
And God as strangely kind!

3. Turn, turn us, mighty God,

And mould our souls afresh ;

Break, sov'reign grace, these hearts of stone,
And give us hearts of flesh.

4. Let past ingratitude

Provoke our weeping eyes,
And hourly, as new mercies fall,
Let hourly thanks arise.

Hymn 229. c. M.

H if my soul did feel her woe,
How would I vent my sighs!

Repentance should like rivers flow,
From both my streaming eyes.

2. 'Twas for my sins, my dearest Lord
Hung on the cursed tree,
And groan'd away a dying life,
For thee, my soul, for thee.

3. O how I hate those lusts of mine,
That crucify'd my God,

Those sins that pierc'd, and nail'd his flesh
Fast to the fatal wood!

4. Yes, my Redeemer, they shall die,
My heart has so decreed;

Nor will I spare the guilty things,

That made my Saviour bleed.

5. Whilst, with a melting broken heart,
My murder'd Lord I view,
I'll raise revenge against my sins,
And slay the murd❜rers too.

1.

Hymn 230. c. M.

The repenting Prodigal. Luke xv. ., &c.
EHOLD the wretch, whose lust and wine
Has wasted his estate,

B

He begs a share among the swine,

To taste the husks they eat.! 2. "I die with hunger here," he cries, "I starve in foreign lands;

"My Father's house has large supplies,
"And bounteous are his hands.

3. “I'll go, and with a mournful tongue,
"Fall down before his face;
"Father, I've done thy justice wrong,
"Nor can deserve thy grace."

4. He said, and hasten'd to his home,
To seek his Father's love.
The Father saw the rebel come,
And his compassions move.

5. He ran, and fell upon his neck,
Embrac'd and kiss'd his son;
The rebel's heart with sorrow brake
For follies he had done.

1.

Hymn 231. c. M.

Sincerity and Hypocrisy.

John iv. 24.

Psalm cxxxix. 23, 24.

GOD is a Spirit, just and wise,

sees our inmost mind;

In vain to heav'n we raise our cries,
And leave our souls behind.