e 5 But now-when ev'ning shade prevails, My soul in darkness mourns:

And when the morn the light reveals,

No light to me returns.

6 My pray'rs are now a chatt'ring noise,
For Jesus hides his face;

I read the promise meets my eyes-
But will not reach my case.

-7 Rise, Lord, and help me to prevail-
O make my soul thy care;

。 I know thy mercy cannot fail,
Let me that mercy share.

HYMN 53. 8s. Bethany. [b]
Faith fainting.

NEWTON

NCOMPASS'D with clouds of distress,

1E Just ready all hope to resign;

I pant for the light of thy face, And fear it will never be mine: p Dishearten'd with waiting so long, I sink at thy feet with my load; All-plaintive I pour out my song, And stretch forth my hands unto God. -2 Shine, Lord, and my terrour shall cease; The blood of atonement apply; And lead me to Jesus for peace, The rock that is higher than I: o Speak, Saviour, for sweet is thy voice, Thy presence is fair to behold; -Attend to my sorrows and cries, e My groanings that cannot be told. -3 If sometimes I strive, as I mourn, My hold on thy promise to keep; o The billows more fiercely return, And plunge me again in the deep. -While harass'd and cast from thy sight, The tempter suggests with a roar, d "The Lord has forsaken thee quite; "Thy God will be gracious no more." e 4 Yet, Lord, if thy love has design'd No covenant blessing for me, Ah, tell me, how is it I find

Some pleasure in waiting for thee?

o Almighty to rescue thou art;
Thy grace is my shield and my tow'r:
o Come succour and gladden my heart,
Let this be the day of thy power.

RIPPON'S COL.

HYMN 54. 75. Fairfax. [b]
Self Examination.

1 'IS a point I long to know,

'T

Oft it causes anxious thought :

e Do I love the Lord, or no? Am I his, or am I not?

2 If I love, why am I thus?
Why this dull, this lifeless frame?
Hardly, sure, can they be worse;
Who have never heard his name.
3 Could my heart so hard remain,
Pray'r a task and burden prove-
Ev'ry trifle give me pain-
If I knew a Saviour's love?
e 4 When I turn my eyes within,
All is dark, and vain, and wild;
Fill'd with unbelief and sin--
Can I deem myself a child?
5 If I pray, or hear, or read,
Sin is mix'd with all I do;
d You who love the Lord indeed,
Tell me is it so with you.

• 6 Yet I mourn my stubborn will,
Find my sin a grief and thrall;
Should I grieve for what I feel,
If I did not love at all!

7 Could I joy his saints to meet,
Choose the ways I once abhorr'd-
Find, at times, the promise sweet,
If I did not love the Lord?

-8 Lord, decide the doubtful case!
Thou who art thy people's sun;
Shine upon thy work of grace,
If it be indeed begun.

9 Let me love thee more and more,
If I love at all, I pray;

If I have not lov'd before,
Help me to begin to-day.

NEWTON.

1

HYMN 55. 3s. Consolation. [*]
The Holy Spirit addressed under darkness.

DESCEND, Holy Spirit, the Dove,

And visit a sorrowful breast;
e My burden of guilt to remove,
And bring me assurance and rest;
-Thou only hast power to relieve

A sinner overwhelm'd with his load;
The sense of redemption to give,
And sprinkle his heart with the blood.
2 With me, if of old thou hast strove,
And kindly withheld me from sin;
Resolv'd by the strength of thy love,
My worthless affections to win;
The work of thy mercy revive,
Invincible mercy exert,

And keep my weak graces alive,
And set up thy rest in my heart.
3 If when I have put thee to grief,
And madly to folly return'd,
Thy goodness has been my relief,
And lifted me up as I mourn'd;
O Spirit of pity and grace,
Relieve me again and restore;
My spirit in holiness raise,

To fall, and to grieve thee, no more: e 4 If now I lament after God,

And pant for a taste of his lovee If Jesus, who pour'd out his blood, Obtain'd me a mansion above;o Come, heav'nly Comforter, come, Sweet witness of mercy divine! • And make me thy permanent home, And seal me eternally thine.

Rippon.

HYMN 56. L. M. Sicilian. [* b]

זי

Prayer answered by Crosses.

ASK'D the Lord that I might grow
In faith, and love, and every grace;

Might more of his salvation know,
And seek more earnestly his face.

2 'Twas he who taught me thus to pray,
And he, I trust, has answer'd prayer;

But it has been in such a way,
As almost drove me to despair.

3 I hop'd that in some favour'd hour,
At once he'd answer my request;
And by his love's constraining pow'r,
Subdue my sins, and give me rest.
• 4 Instead of this, he made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart;
And let the angry pow'rs of hell
Assault my soul in ev'ry part.

a 5 Yea, more with his own hand he seem'd
Intent to aggravate my wo;

Cross'd all the fair designs I schem'd, Blasted my gourds, and laid me low. e 6 Lord, why is this? I trembling cry'd, Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death? d""Tis in this way (the Lord reply'd,) "I answer pray'r for grace and faith. "These inward trials I employ, "From self and pride, to set thee free, "And break thy schemes of earthly joy, "That thou may'st seek thy all in me." NEWTON.

1

HYMN 57. L. M. Pleyel's. [*]
Inconstancy lamented.

D

EAR Jesus, when, when shall it be,
That I no more shall break with thee?

When will this war of passion cease,
And I enjoy a lasting peace?

e 2 Here I repent, and sin again,
Sometimes revive, sometimes am slain;
Slain with the same malignant dart,
Which, oh! too often wounds my heart.
-3 When, gracious Lord, when shall it be,
That I shall find my all in thee-

o The fulness of thy promise prove, And feast on thine eternal love?

HYMN 58. L. M.

DORRINGTON.

Bath. [b*]

Conflict between Sin and Holiness. Gal. v, 17.
THAT jarring natures dwell within→→
Imperfect grace, remaining sin!

1

W

Not this can reign, nor that prevail,
Tho' each by turns my heart assail.
e 2 Now I complain, and groan, and die-
o Now raise my songs of triumph high;
o Sing a rebellious passion slain,

e Or mourn to feel it live again.
o 3 One happy hour beholds me rise,
Borne upwards to my native skies:
When faith assists my soaring flight,
To realms of joy, and worlds of light.
e 4 Scarce a few hours or minutes roli,
Ere earth reclaims my captive soul;
-I feel its sympathetic force,

And headlong urge my downward course.
e 5 How short the joys thy visits give!
How long thine absence, Lord, I grieve!
What clouds obscure my rising sun,
Or interrupt its rays at noon!

-6 Great God, assist me through the fight,
Make me to triumph in thy might;
Thou the desponding heart canst raise,
The vict'ry mine, and thine the praise.

CRUTTENDON.

HYMN 59. C. M. Tunbridge. [*]
Watchfulness and Prayer.

e1 ALAS, what hourly dangers rise!

What snares beset my way!

-To heaven then let me lift my eyes,
And hourly watch and pray.

p 2 How oft my mournful tho'ts complain,
And melt in flowing tears!

e My weak resistance, ah, how vain! How strong my foes and fears!

e

e

e

-3 O gracious God, in whom I live,
My feeble efforts aid;

Help me to watch, and pray, and strive,
Though trembling and afraid.

-4 Increase my faith, increase my hope,
When foes and fears prevail :

And bear my fainting spirit up,
Or soon my strength will fail.