Jesus loves the pure and holy,
They alone are his delight;
Seek his favor,

And your hearts to him unite. 3 All your sins to him confessing Who is ready to forgive;

Seek the Saviour's richest blessing,
On his precious name believe;
He is waiting,-

280.

Will you not his grace receive?

7s.

Children invited to Christ.

1 CHILDREN! listen to the Lord,
And obey his gracious word;
Seek his face with heart and mind-
Early seek, and you shall find.
2 Sorrowful, your sins confess;
Plead his perfect righteousness;
See the Saviour's bleeding side;-
Come-you will not be denied.
3 For his worship now prepare;
Kneel to him in fervent prayer;
Serve him with a perfect heart;
Never from his ways depart.

281.

PENITENTIAL.

C. M.
Contrition.

1 0 THOU! whose tender mercy hears Contrition's humble sigh;

Whose hand, indulgent, wipes the tears
From sorrow's weeping eye;—

2 See, low before thy throne of grace,
A wretched wanderer mourn;
Hast thou not bid me seek thy face?
Hast thou not said "Return?"

3 And shall my guilty fears prevail
To drive me from thy feet?

Oh! let not this dear refuge fail,
This only safe retreat.

4 Oh! shine on this benighted heart,
With beams of mercy

shine;

And let thy healing voice impart
A taste of joys divine.

282.

7s.

Repentance at the Cross of Christ.

1 HEARTS of stone! relent, relent,
Break, by Jesus' cross subdued;
See his body, mangled, rent,
Covered with a gore of blood!
Sinful soul! what hast thou done?
Crucified God's only Son!

2 Yes, thy sins have done the deed,

Driven the nails that fixed him there, Crowned with thorns his sacred head, Pierced him with the bloody spear, Made his soul a sacrifice,

While for sinful man he dies.

3 Wilt thou let him bleed in vain,-
Still to death thy Lord pursue?
Open all his wounds again,--

And the shameful cross renew?
No;-with all my sins I'll part,
Break, Oh! break, my bleeding heart!

283.

L. M. 6 Lines.

Pleading in Jesus' Name.

1 FATHER of mercies, God of love!
Oh! hear an humble suppliant's cry;
Bend from thy lofty seat above,-

Thy throne of glorious majesty;
Oh! deign to hear my mournful voice,
And bid my drooping heart rejoice.

2 I urge no merit of my own,—

e;

No worth to claim thy gracious smile No,-when I come before thy throne, Dare to converse with God awhile, Thy name, blest Jesus! is my plea,Dearest and sweetest name to me.

3 Father of mercies, God of love!
Then hear thine humble suppliant's cry;
Bend from thy lofty seat above,

Thy throne of glorious majesty;
One pard'ning word can make me whole,
And soothe the anguish of my soul.

C. M.

284. Godly Sorrow at the Cross.

1 ALAS! and did my Saviour bleed?
And did my Sovereign die?

Would he devote that sacred head,
For such a worm as I?

2 Was it, for crimes that I had done,
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity!—grace unknown!-
And love beyond degree!

3 Well might the sun in darkness hide,
And shut his glories in,

When Christ, the mighty Maker, died,
For man the creature's sin.

4 Thus might I hide my blushing face,
While his dear cross appears;
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
And melt mine eyes to tears.

5 But floods of tears can ne'er repay
The debt of love I owe;

Here, Lord! I give myself away;-
"T is all that I can do.

285.

L. M. 6 Lines.

Backslider's Return through Christ.
1 WEARY of wandering 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 truth and grace,

More full of grace than I of sin,—
Yet once again I seek thy face,
Open thine arms and take me in;
Oh! freely my backslidings heal,
And love the dying sinner still.

3 Ah! give me, Lord! the tender heart, That trembles at th' approach of sin; A godly fear of sin impart,

Implant, and root it deep within;
That I may fear thy gracious power,
And never dare t' offend thee more.

286.

C. M.

Penitence and Hope.

1 DEAR Saviour! when my thoughts recall The wonders of thy grace, Low at thy feet ashamed I fall,

And hide this wretched face.

2 Oh! while I breathe to thee, my Lord!
The penitential sigh,
Confirm the kind forgiving word,
With pity in thine eye.

3 Then shall the mourner, at thy feet,
Rejoice to seek thy face;

And grateful own-how kind, how sweet,
Thy condescending grace.

287.

78.

Confession and Entreaty.

1 SOVEREIGN Ruler, Lord of all!
Prostrate at thy feet 1 fall;
Hear, Oh! hear my earnest cry,
Frown not, lest I faint and die.

2 Vilest of the sons of men,—
Chief of sinners I have been;
Oft abused thee to thy face,
Trampled on thy richest grace.

3 Justly might thy righteous dart
Pierce this bleeding, broken heart;
Justly might thine angry breath
Blast me in eternal death.

4 But with thee there's mercy found,-
Balm to heal my every wound:

Soothe, Oh! soothe the troubled breast,
Give the weary wanderer rest.

1 PROSTRATE, dear Jesus! at thy feet,
A guilty rebel lies;

And upwards, to thy mercy-seat,
Presumes to lift his eyes.

2 Let not thy justice frown me hence;
Oh! stay the vengeful storm;
Forbid it, that Omnipotence
Should crush a feeble worm.

3 If tears of sorrow could suffice
To pay the debt I owe,

Tears should, from both my weeping eyes,
In ceaseless currents flow.

4 But no such sacrifice I plead
To expiate my guilt;

No tears, but those which thou hast shed,
No blood, but thou hast spilt.

5 Think of thy sorrows, dearest Lord!
And all my sins forgive;

Then justice will approve the word
That bids the sinner live.

289.

C. M.

Pleading for Mercy.

1 LORD! at thy feet, we sinners lie,
And knock at mercy's door;

With bleeding heart, and downcast eye,
Thy favor we implore.

2 Without thy grace, we sink oppressed,
Down to the gates of hell;

Oh! give our troubled spirits rest,
Our gloomy fears dispel.

3 'Tis mercy-mercy now we plead;
Let thy compassion move;—
Mercy, that led thee once to bleed,
In tenderness and love.

4 In mercy now, for Jesus' sake,
O God! our sins forgive;

Thy grace our stubborn hearts can break,
And, breaking, bid us live.