The Works of the Rev. John Newton ...

5 Before corruption, guilt, and fear,
My comforts, blasted, fell;
And unbelief discover'd near
The dreadful depths of hell.

6 But Jesus pity'd my distress,
He heard my feeble cry,
Reveal'd his blood and righteousness,
And brought salvation nigh.

7 Beneath the bauner of his love
I now secure remain ; [move,
The tempter frets, but dares not
To break my peace again.

8 Lord, since thou thus hast broke my
bands,

XXII. Help in the

1 UNLESS the Lord had been my stay, |
(With trembling joy my soul may
say,)

My cruel foe had gain'd his end:
But he appear'd for my relief,
And Satan sees, with shame and
grief,

That I have an Almighty Friend.

2 Oh! 'twas a dark and trying hour, When, harass'd by the tempter's pow'r,

I felt my strongest hopes decline! You only who have known his arts, You only who have felt his darts,

Can pity such a case as mine.

3 Loud in my ears a charge he read,
(My conscience witness'd all he
said,)

My long black list of outward sin; Then bringing forth my heart to view,

[knew,

Too well what's hidden there he He show'd me ten times worse within.

And set the captive free, [hands, I would devote my tongue, my My heart, my all, to thee.

Time of Need.

"Tis all too true, my soul reply'd,
But I remember Jesus dy'd,

And now he fills a throne of grace;
I'll go, as I have done before,
His mercy I may still implore,

I have his promise, "Seek my
face."

5 But, as when sudden fogs arise,
The trees and hills, the sun and
skies,
[view;
Are all at once conceal'd from
So clouds of horror, black as night,
By Satan rais'd, hid from my sight
The throne of grace and promise

too.

Then, while beset with guilt and fear,

He try'd to urge me to despair,

He try'd, and he almost prevail'd;
But Jesus, by a heav'nly ray,
Drove clouds, and guilt, and fear
away,

And all the tempter's malice fail'd.

after a Storm.

What I am still so slow to learn;
That God is love, and changes not,
Nor knows the shadow of a turn.

Sweet truth, and easy to repeat!
But when my faith is sharply try'd,
I find myself a learner yet,

Unskilful, weak, and apt to slide.

5 But O, my Lord, one look from thee
Subdues the disobedient will,
Drives doubt and discontent away,
And thy rebellious worm is still.

6 Thou art as ready to forgive As I am ready to repine;

Thou, therefore, all the praise receive; [mine. Be shame and self-abhorrence

XXIV. C. Mourning and Longing.

1 THE Saviour hides his face!

My spirit thirsts to prove
Renew'd supplies of pard'ning grace,
And never-fading love.

2 The favour'd souls who know
What glories shine in him,
Pant for his presence, as the roe
Pants for the living stream!

3 What trifles tease me now!

They swarm like summer flies; They cleave to ev'ry thing I do, And swim before my eyes.

4 How dull the Sabbath-day,

Without the Sabbath's Lord!

How toilsome then to sing and pray,
And wait upon the word!

5 Of all the truths I hear,

How few delight my taste!
I glean a berry here and there,
But mourn the vintage past.

6 Yet let me, (as I ought,)

Still hope to be supply'd ;
No pleasure else is worth a thought,
Nor shall I be deny'd.

7 Though I am but a worm,

Unworthy of his care,

The Lord will my desire perform,
And grant me all my pray'r.

XXV. Rejoice the Soul of thy Servant.

1 WHEN my pray'ıs are a burden and task,

No wonder I little receive;
O Lord, make me willing to ask,

Since thou art so ready to give : Although I am bought with thy blood,

And all thy salvation is mine: At a distance from thee, my chief good,

I wander, and languish, and pine.

Of thy goodness of old, when I read,

To those who are sinners like me, Why may I not wrestle and plead,

With them a partaker to be? Thine arm is not shorten'd since then, [name,

And those who believe in thy Ever find thou art Yea and Amen,

Through all generations the same.

3 While my spirit within me is prest With sorrow, temptation, and fear, Like JOHN, I would flee to thy breast,* [ear: And pour my complaints in thine

* John, xiii. 25.

1 KINDLE, Saviour, in my heart, A flame of love divine; Here, for mine I trust thou art,

And sure I would be thine: If my soul has felt thy grace,

If to me thy name is known, Why should trifles fill the place Due to thyself alone?

2 'Tis a strange, mysterious life
I live from day to day;
Light and darkness, peace and strife,
Bear an alternate sway:
When I think the battle won,
I have to fight it o'er again;
When I say I'm overthrown,
Relief I soon obtain.

3 Often, at the mercy-seat,

While calling on thy name,
Swarms of evil thoughts I meet,
Which fill my soul with shame.
Agitated in my mind,

Like a feather in the air,
Can I thus a blessing find?
My soul, can this be pray'r?

4 But when Christ, my Lord and Friend,

Is pleas'd to show his pow'r;
All at once my troubles end,
And I've a golden hour;
Then I see his smiling face,
Feel the pledge of joys to come;
Often, Lord, repeat this grace,
Till thou shalt call me home.

XXVIII. C. Prayer for Patience.

1 LORD, who hast suffer'd all for me, My peace and pardon to procure, The lighter cross I bear for thee, Help me with patience to endure.

2 The storm of loud repining hush,

I would in humble silence mourn; Why should th' unburnt, though burning bush,

* Luke, vii. 38.

Be angry as the crackling thorn?

1 WHEN my Saviour, my Shepherd, | 3 By these changes I often pass thro',

is near,

How quickly my sorrows depart!
New beauties around me appear,
New spirits enliven my heart:
His presence gives peace to my soul,
And Satan assaults me in vain;
While my Shepherd his power con-
trols,

I think I no more shall complain.

2 But, alas! what a change do I find, When my Shepherd withdraws from my sight!

My fears all return to my mind,
My day is soon chang'd into
night:

Then Satan his effort renews

To vex and ensnare me again: All my pleasing enjoyments I lose, And can only lament and complain.

*Joshua, vii. 10, 11.

I am taught my own weakness to

5 While I dwell in an enemy's land,
Can I hope to be always in peace?
"Tis enough that my Shepherd's at
hand,
[cease;

And that shortly this warfare will

For ere long he will bid me remove*
From this region of sorrow and
pain,

To abide in his presence above,
And then I no more shall com-
plain.

XXXI. Return, O Lord, how long.

1 RETURN to bless my waiting eyes,
And cheer my mourning heart, O
Lord!

Without thee, all beneath the skies
No real pleasure can afford.

4 But, ah! since thou hast been away,
Nothing but trouble have I
known;

And Satan marks me for his prey,
Because he sees me left alone.

2 When thy lov'd presence meets my 5 My sun is hid, my comforts lost,

sight,

It softens care and sweetens toil; The Sun shines forth with double

light,

The whole creation wears a smile.

9 Upon thine arm of love I rest,
Thy gracious voice forbids my
fear;
[breast,
No storms disturb my peaceful
Nor foes assault, when thou art

near.

XXXII. Cast down,

1 THOUGH Sore beset with guilt and | 3
fear,

I cannot, dare not, quite despair;
If I must perish, would the Lord
Have taught my heart to love his
word?

Would he have giv'n me eyes to see
My danger, and my remedy;
Reveal'd his name, and bid me pray,
Had he resolv'd to say me nay?

2 No-though cast down, I am not
slain;

I fall, but I shall rise again;
The present, Satan, is thy hour,
But Jesus shall control thy pow'r:
His love will plead for my relief,
He hears my groans, he sees my
grief;

Nor will he suffer thee to boast,
A soul that sought his help was lost.

*Rev. ii. 10. ↑ Judges, xiii. 23.

but not destroyed.

"Tis true, I have unfaithful been,
And griev'd his spirit by my sin;
Yet still his mercy he'll reveal,
And all my wounds and follies heal:
Abounding sin, I must confess,
But more abounding is his grace;
He once vouchsaf'd for me to bleed,
And now he lives my cause to
plead.

4 I'll cast myself before his feet,
I see him on his mercy-seat,
("Tis sprinkled with atoning blood ;)
There sinners find access to God:
Ye burden'd souls, approach with
me,

And make the Saviour's name your

plea;

Jesus will pardon all who come,
And strike our fierce accuser dumb.

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