To see the law by Christ fulfill'a,
To hear his pardoning voice,
Changes a slave into a child,
And duty into choice.
MERCY is welcome news indeed
To those who guilty stand:
Wretches who feel what help they need
Will bless the helping hand.
Who rightly would his alms dispose
Must give them to the poor:
None but the wounded patient know
The blessings of a cure.
We all have sinn'd against our God;
Exception none can boast;
But he who feels the heaviest load
Will prize delivʼrance most.
But let our debts be what they may,
However great or small,
As soon as we have nought to pay,
The Lord forgives us all.
Phil. iii. 13.-Gal. vi. 14.
WHEN I survey the wond'rous cross,
On which the Prince of glory died
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the cross of Christ my God:
How vain those things which charm'd me most
When I can feel thy cleansing blood!
See from his head-his hands-his feet-
Sorrow and love flow mingling down '
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
"Twould be a present far too small
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all,
LXXVII.
2 Kings v 14.
BEFORE Elisha's gate
The Syrian leper stood;
But could not brook to wait,
He deem'd himself too good:
He thought the prophet would attend,
And not to him a message send.
Have I this journey come,
And will he not be seen?
I were as well at home,
Would washing make me clean : Why must I wash in Jordan's flood? Damascus rivers are as good.
Thus by his foolish pride,
He almost miss'd a cure;
Howe'er at length he tried:
And found the method sure;
Soon as his pride was brought to yield, The leprosy was quickly heal'd.
Leprous and proud as he,
To Jesus thus 1 came,
From sin to set me free,
When first I heard his fame;
Surely, thought I, my pompous train
Of vows and tears will notice gain.
My heart devised the way.
Which I supposed he'd take
And when I found delay,
Was ready to go back:
Had he some painful task enjoin'd,
I to performance seem'd inclin'd.
When by his word he spake,
"That fountain open'd see;
'Twas open'd for thy sake,
Go wash, and thou art free;"
Oh! how did my proud heart gainsay,
I fear'd to trust his simple way.
At length I trial made,
When I had much endur'd;
The message I obey'd,
I washed, and I was cur'd: Sinners, this healing fountain try, Which cleans'd a wretch so vile as I..
As JESUS the Lord he receives,
So walks the believer in him
Convinced that the blessings he gives
Deserve his most cordial esteem;
He loves him for what he hath done,
And grieves that he loves him no more,
Yet still in the Lord he goes on,
His mercy and love to adore.
He's deeply convinc'd of his sin,
And taught, by the Spirit, to see,
He stands in himself all unclean,
A leper in every degree :
He feels himself thankful to God
For all that the gospel declares,
While Christ and his peace-speaking blood
The chief of ten thousand appears.
No longer he toils at the law,
Deluded with "Do this and live;"
He wants all that God can bestow,
As free as Jehovah can give :
There once was a time he could boast,
And thought that his failings were few,
Yet now, of all beings the worst,
Unable to will or to do.
Thus walking in Jesus the Way.
He's taught to be harmless and wise, And though he delights to obey, Salvation by works he denies;
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