168.-78 5s. God is my Helper. [New Ar. 374.

1

of sorrow, child of care, wouldst thou learn thy griefs to bear,

And escape from every snare?
Trust in God alone :
Human strength is weak and vain,
Sin will oft its power regain;
Humbly ask, and help obtain,
From thy Father's throne.

2 Knowest thou in this vale of tears,
Gloomy doubts, distracting fears,
Painful months, and sorrowing years?
To the Saviour fly.

He that drank the bitter cup,
Bids thee in his mercy hope;
Let thy prayer be lifted up
To his throne on high.

169.-L. M. Mourning over Sin. [New Ar. 366

1

EE a poor sinner, gracious Lord,

SEE

Whose soul, encouraged by thy word,
At mercy's footstool would remain,
And there would look, and look again.

2 How oft, deceived by self and pride,
Has my fond heart been turn'd aside;
And, Jonah like, has fled from thee,
Till thou hast look'd again on me.

3 Ah, bring a wretched wanderer home,
And to thy footstool let me come,
And tell thee all my grief and pain,
And wait, and look, and look again.

4 Take courage, then, my trembling soul,

One look from Christ will make thee whole;

Trust thou in him, 't is not in vain,
But wait, and look, and look again.

5 Look to the Lord, his word, his throne;
Look to his grace, and not thine own;
There wait and look, and look again,
Thou shalt not wait, nor look in vain.

170.-L. M. Inconstancy lamented.

[N.A.369..

A That cum from Jesus thus depart;

H! wretched, vile, ungrateful heart,

Thus fond of trifles vainly rove,
Forgetful of a Saviour's love.

2 In vain I charge my thoughts to stay,
And chide each vanity away;

In vain, alas! resolve to bind

This rebel heart, this wand'ring mind.

3 Through all resolves, how soon it flies,
And mocks the weak, the slender ties ;
There's nought beneath a power divine,
That can this roving heart confine.

4 Jesus, to thee I would return,

And at thy feet repenting mourn;
There let me view thy pard'ning love,
And never from thy sight remove.

5 0, let thy love, with sweet control,
Bind all the passions of my soul;
Bid every vanity depart,

And dwell for ever in my heart.

171.-C. M. Recovered Wanderer. [New Ar. 370.

1 HOW oft, alas! this wretched heart

Has wander'd from the Lord;

How oft my roving thoughts depart,
Forgetful of his word.

2 Yet sovereign mercy cries, "Return;"
Dear Lord, and may I come;
My vile ingratitude I mourn;
O, take the wanderer home.

3 And canst thou, wilt thou, yet forgive,
And bid my guilt remove?
And shall a pardon'd rebel live
To speak thy wondrous love?

4 Almighty grace, thy healing power,
How glorious, how divine,
That can to life and bliss restore,
So vile a heart as mine.

5 Thy pard'ning love, so free, so sweet,
Dear Saviour, I adore ;
O keep me at thy sacred feet,
And let me rove no more.

172.-88.

Returning Backsliders. [N. A. 371.

SHEPHERD of Israel, divine !
Too far from thy fold I have stray'd;
What hand can restore me but thine,
Thus wounded, cast down, and dismay'd?
My soul would look upward to thee,
Though prostrate, I'll cry from the dust;
No other salvation I see,

In no other name will I trust.

2 Thou, thou art my strength and my shield,
Henceforth in thy arm I'll confide;

The weapons alone I will wield,
Thy wisdom and mercy provide :
Salvation belongs to the Lord,
Deliv'rance must come from his hand;
O! who would not trust in his word,
Acknowledge his right to command.

3 O Shepherd of Israel, divine,
Thy life-giving presence I feel;
Let the light of thy countenance shine,
Thine arm now in mercy reveal:
For strength and deliv'rance I wait;
On thee in my trouble I call,
My sinful backslidings I hate,
Uphold me, dear Lord, or I fall.

173.-L.M.6.1. Returning Backslider. [N. A. 372.

1 WEARY of wand'ring from my God,

And now made willing to return,

I hear, and bow beneath the rod;
To him with penitence I mourn.
I have an Advocate above,

A Friend before the throne of love.

2 O, Jesus, full of pard'ning grace;
More full of grace than I of guilt;
Yet once again I seek thy face,
Whose precious blood for man was spill'd;
O, freely my backslidings heal,
And love the dying sinner still.

3 Now give me, Lord, the tender heart,
That trembles at th' approach of sin,
A godly fear to me impart;
Implant and root it deep within,

That I may know thy sov'reign power,

And never dare offend thee more.

174.—L.M. 'The Backslider's Prayer. [N. A. 373

10, Turn from my sin thy searching eyes,

TURN, great Ruler of the skies,

Nor let th' offences of my hand
Within thy book recorded stand.

2 Give me a will to thine subdued,
A conscience pure, a soul renew'd,

Nor let me, wrapt in endless gloom, An outcast from thy presence roam. 3 O let thy Spirit to my heart

Once more his quick'ning aid impart,
My mind from ev'ry fear release,

And soothe my troubled thoughts to peace.

4 So shall the souls, whom error's sway
Has urged from thee, blest Lord, to stray,
From me thy heav'nly precepts learn,
And, humbled, to their God return.

175.-C. P. M. In Darkness.

[New Ar. 364.

1 MOURN the hidings of thy face,
The absence of that smile,
That sweetly fill'd a throne of grace,
And gave my heart a resting place,
From earthly care and toil.

2 How sad and desolate the night!
How gloomy is the day?
Nature no more can charm the sight,
Afford one comfort or delight,

Without thy cheering ray.

3 Oft in the lone and silent hour,
I tell my tale of grief;
In tears of tenderness implore,
The presence of thy healing power,
But tears bring no relief.

4 "T is sin that separates from thee,
This poor benighted soul;
My folly and my guilt I see,
And now upon the bended knee,
Submit to thy control.

5 Up to the place of thine abode,
I lift my darken'd eye;