DE

Convinced of Backsliding.

8-78.

C. WESLEY. 1740.

EPTH of mercy, can there be
Mercy still reserved for me!
Can my God His wrath forbear,
Me, the chief of sinners, spare !
I have long withstood His grace,
Long provoked Him to His face;
Would not hearken to His calls;
Grieved Him by a thousand falls.
2 I have spilt His precious blood,
Trampled on the Son of God;
Filled with pangs unspeakable!
I, who yet am not in hell!
Whence to me this waste of love?
Ask my Advocate above;

See the cause in Jesu's face,
Now before the throne of grace.

3 Lo! I cumber still the ground:
Lo! an Advocate is found!
"Hasten not to cut him down;
Let this barren soul alone :"
Jesus speaks, and pleads His blood!
He disarms the wrath of God!
Now my Father's bowels move:
Justice lingers into Love.

4 Kindled His relentings are:

Me He now delights to spare ;

Cries, "How shall I give thee up?"

Lets the lifted thunder drop.

There for me the Saviour stands;

Shows His wounds, and spreads His hands!

God is Love! I know, I feel;

Jesus weeps, and loves me still!

5 Jesus, answer from above:
Is not all Thy nature Love?
Wilt Thou not the wrong forget?
Suffer me to kiss Thy feet?
If I rightly read Thy heart,
If Thou all compassion art,
Bow Thine ear, in mercy bow!
Pardon and accept me now.
6 Pity from Thine eye let fall;
By a look
my soul recall ;
Now the stone to flesh convert,
Cast a look, and break my heart.
Now incline me to repent ;
Let me now my fall lament;
Now my foul revolt deplore;
Weep, believe, and sin no more.

565

(479)

88.

C. WESLEY. 1749.

N trouble, I seek Thee, O God,

Constrained by the stroke of Thy rod,
I pour out a penitent prayer:
Ah do not abhor my sad moan,
Extorted, alas! by distress,
But hear, and with pity look down,
And send me an answer of peace.

2 What must a poor prodigal do,
Thy forfeited grace to regain?
My trouble I only can show,

And tell Thee my sorrow and pain:
I only for mercy can cry,

And groan with the sense of my load,

Save, Lord, or I perish, I die,

I die in my sins and my blood.

3 I own I have sinn'd in Thy sight,

Have sinn'd against knowledge and love, And done Thy good Spirit despite ;

Yet look on my Surety above!

His passion alone is my plea,
His free inexhaustible grace:
My Advocate answered for me,
And Jesus hath died in my place.
4 0 Father of mercies! restore,
For Jesus's merits alone,

566

2

And heal a backslider once more,
And give me again to Thy Son :
If still Thou art able to spare,
If Infinite Mercy Thou art,
Reply to my penitent prayer,
And whisper Thy peace to my heart.

(466)

JES

ESUS, Friend of sinners, hear,
Yet once again I pray :
From my debt of sin set clear,
For I have nought to pay:
Speak, O speak, the kind release,
A poor backsliding soul restore;
Love me freely, seal my peace,
And bid me sin no more.

For my selfishness and pride,
Thou hast withdrawn Thy grace;
Left me long to wander wide,
An outcast from Thy face;
But I now my sins confess,
And mercy, mercy, I implore:
Love me freely, seal my peace,
And bid me sin no more.

3 Though my sins as mountains rise,
And swell and reach to heaven,
Mercy is above the skies,

I may be still forgiven:

Infinite my sins' increase,
But greater is Thy mercy's store:
Love me freely, seal my peace,

And bid me sin no more.

4

5

6

Sin's deceitfulness hath spread
A hardness o'er my heart;
But if Thou Thy Spirit shed,
The stony shall depart :

Shed Thy love, Thy tenderness,
And let me feel Thy softening power;
Love me freely, seal my peace,
And bid me sin no more.

From the' oppressive power of sin
My struggling spirit free;
Perfect righteousness bring in,
Unspotted purity:

Speak, and all this war shall cease,
And sin shall give its raging o'er;
Love me freely, seal my peace,
And bid me sin no more.
For this only thing I pray,
And this will I require,
Take the power of sin away,

Fill me with chaste desire;
Perfect me in holiness;
Thine image to my soul restore;
Love me freely, seal my peace,
And bid me sin no more.

JES

ESUS, the all-restoring Word,
My fallen spirit's hope,

After Thy lovely likeness, Lord,
Ah, when shall I wake up?
2 Thou, O my God, Thou only art
The Life, the Truth, the Way:
Quicken my soul, instruct my heart,
My sinking footsteps stay.

3 Of all Thou hast in earth below,
In heaven above, to give,

Give me Thy only Self to know,
In Thee to walk, and live.

4 Fill me with all the life of love;
In mystic union join

Me to Thyself, and let me prove
The fellowship divine.

5 Open the intercourse between
My longing soul and Thee,
Never to be broke off again
To all eternity.

568

OTIS enough

"TIS enough, my God, my God!
Here let me give my wanderings o'er;
No longer trample on Thy blood,

And grieve Thy gentleness no more;
No more Thy lingering anger move,
Or sin against Thy light and love.
2 O Lord, if mercy is with Thee,

Now let it all on me be shown;
On me, the chief of sinners, me,

Who humbly for Thy mercy groan:
Me to Thy Father's grace restore;
Nor let me ever grieve Thee more!
3 Fountain of unexhausted love,
Of infinite compassion, hear!
My Saviour, and my Prince above,
Once more in my behalf appear;
Repentance, faith, and pardon give;
O let me turn again and live!

UNEXHAUSTED Grace!
O Love unsearchable !

I am not gone to my own place;
I am not yet in hell!
Earth doth not open yet,
My soul to swallow up;

And, hanging o'er the burning pit,
I still am forced to hope.