Darkness surrounds me, but I know
That thou art ever nigh.

? Humbly on thee I wait,
Confessing all my sin;
Lord, I am knocking at the gate ;
Open, and take me in.

3 O hearken to my voice,—
Give ear to my complaint;
Thou bidd'st the mourning soul rejoice,
Thou comfortest the faint.

4 Glory to God above,—

The waters soon will cease; For, lo! the swift returning dove Brings home the sign of

peace.

5 Though storms his face obscure,

And dangers threaten loud; Jehovah's covenant is sure,

His bow is in the cloud.

430

The returning prodigal.

C. M.

HE long-lost son, with streaming eyes,
From folly just awake,

Reviews his wand'rings with surprise;

His heart begins to break.

2 I starve, he cries, nor can I bear
The famine in this land,

While servants of my Father share
The bounty of his hand.

3 With deep repentance I'll return,
And seek my Father's face;
Unworthy to be call'd a son,
I'll ask a servant's place.

4 Far off the Father saw him move,-
In pensive silence mourn,-

And quickly ran, with arms of love,
To welcome his return.

5 Through all the courts the tidings flew, And spread the joy around;

The angels tuned their harps anew,—
The long-lost son is found!

431

L

12th P. M. 76, 76, 78, 76.

Saved by grace.

ET the world their virtue boast,-
Their works of righteousness;

I, a wretch undone and lost,
Am freely saved by grace;
Other title I disclaim;

This, only this, is all my plea :-
I the chief of sinners am,

But Jesus died for me.

2 Happy they whose joys abound
Like Jordan's swelling stream;
Who their heaven in Christ have found,
And give the praise to him.
Meanest foll'wer of the Lamb,
His steps I at a distance see:—
I the chief of sinners am,
But Jesus died for me.

3 Jesus, thou for me hast died,
And thou in me wilt live;
I shall feel thy death applied;
I shall thy life receive:
Yet, when melted in the flame

Of love, this shall be all my plea,—

I the chief of sinners am,

But Jesus died for me.

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.

432

JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. 1

11th P. M. 76, 76, 77, 76.

The righteousness of faith.

FT I in my heart have said,—
Who shall ascend on high,

Mount to Christ, my glorious Head,
And bring him from the sky?
Borne on contemplation's wing,
Surely I shall find him there,
Where the angels praise their King,
And gain the Morning Star.
2 Oft I in my heart have said,-
Who to the deep shall stoop,
Sink with Christ among the dead,
From thence to bring him up?
Could I but my heart prepare,
By unfeign'd humility,

Christ would quickly enter there,
And ever dwell in me.
3 But the righteousness of faith
"Hath taught me better things:-
Inward turn thine eyes,—it saith,
While Christ to me it brings:-
Christ is ready to impart

Life to all, for life who sigh:
In thy mouth and in thy heart
The word is ever nigh.

433

L

The Lord our righteousness.

-

L. M.

ET not the wise their wisdom boast, The mighty glory in their might; The rich in flatt'ring riches trust, Which take their everlasting flight.

2 The rush of num'rous years bears down The most gigantic strength of man ; And where is all his wisdom gone,

When, dust, he turns to dust again? 3 One only gift can justify

The boasting soul that knows his God;
When Jesus doth his blood apply,
I glory in his sprinkled blood.
4 The Lord my righteousness I praise,
I triumph in the love divine;

The wisdom, wealth, and strength of grace,
In Christ to endless ages mine.

434

J

6th P. M. 6 lines 7s.

The covenant of grace signed and sealed.
ESUS Christ, who stands between
Angry Heaven and guilty men,
Undertakes to buy our peace;
Gives the covenant of grace;
Ratifies and makes it good;
Signs and seals it with his blood.
2 Life his healing blood imparts,
Sprinkled in our peaceful hearts;
Abel's blood for vengeance cried ;
Jesus speaks us justified;

Speaks and calls for better things;
Makes us prophets, priests, and kings.

435

The realizing light of faith.

AUTHOR of faith, eternal Word;

L. M.

Whose Spirit breathes the active flame; Faith, like its finisher and Lord,

To-day, as yesterday, the same:-
2 To thee our humble hearts aspire,
And ask the gift unspeakable;
Increase in us the kindled fire,
In us the work of faith fulfil.

8 By faith we know thee strong to save: (Save us, a present Saviour thou :) Whate'er we hope, by faith we have; Future, and past, subsisting now. 4 To him that in thy Name believes, Eternal life with thee is given; Into himself he all receives,—

Pardon, and holiness, and heaven. 5 The things unknown to feeble sense, Unseen by reason's glimm'ring ray, With strong commanding evidence, Their heavenly origin display. 6 Faith lends its realizing light; The clouds disperse, the shadows fly; The' Invisible appears in sight,

And God is seen by mortal eye.

436

Salvation only by grace through faith.

L. M.

E have no outward righteousness,
No merits or good works, to plead
We only can be saved by grace;
Thy grace, O Lord, is free indeed.

2 Save us by grace, through faith alone,-
A faith thou must thyself impart ;
A faith that would by works be shown,
A faith that purifies the heart:

3 A faith that doth the mountains move,
A faith that shows our sins forgiven,
A faith that sweetly works by love,
And ascertains our claim to heaven.
4 This is the faith we humbly seek,
The faith in thy all-cleansing blood;
That faith which doth for sinners speak,
O let it speak us up to God!