'Come now, and let us reason together.' 1COME, sinners,' saith the mighty God, 'Heinous as all your crimes have been, Lo! I descend from mine abode
To reason with the sons of men.
2 No clouds of darkness veil my face, No fearful lightnings flash around;
I come with words of life and peace :—
Where sin hath reigned, let grace abound.'
3 Yes, Lord, we will obey thy call,
And to thy gracious sceptre bow;
O make our crimson sins like wool,
Our scarlet crimes as white as snow.
4 So shall our thankful lips repeat
Thy praises with a tuneful voice,
While humbly prostrate at thy feet,
We wonder, tremble, and rejoice.
1 FORGIVENESS! 'tis a joyful sound
To sinners of so deep a dye!
Publish the bliss the world around,—
Ye seraphs, shout it from the sky!
2 'Tis the rich gift of love divine;
'Tis full, out-measuring every crime:
Unclouded shall its glories shine,
And know no change by changing time.
3 O'er sins unnumbered as the sand,
And like the mountains for their size
The seas of sovereign grace expand—
The seas of sovereign grace arise.
4 For this stupendous love of heaven,
What grateful honor shall we show?
Where much transgression is forgiven,
Let love in equal ardors glow.
5 By this inspired, let all our days
With various holiness be crowned;
Let truth and goodness, prayer and praise
In all abide, in all abound.
'Who is a pardoning God like Thee!'
1 GREAT God of wonders! all thy ways
Are matchless, godlike and divine;
But the bright glories of thy grace
More godlike and unrivalled shine.
Who is a pardoning God like thee!
O, who has grace so rich and free!
2 Sins of such baseness to forgive,
Such thankless, guilty worms to spare,—
This is thy grand prerogative,
And none shall in the honor share.
Who is a pardoning God like thee!
O, who has grace so rich and free!
3 In wonder lost, with trembling joy,
We take the pardon of our God;
Pardon for sins of deepest dye,
A pardon sealed with Jesus' blood. Who is a pardoning God like thee! O, who has grace so rich and free! this matchless grace, this great, may This godlike miracle of love,
Fill the wide earth with grateful praise,
And all th' angelic choirs above!
Who is a pardoning God like thee!
O, who has grace so rich and free!
A Penitent pleading for Pardon. Ps. 51.
1 SHOW pity, Lord; O Lord, forgive;
Let a repenting rebel live;
Are not thy mercies large and free?
May not a sinner trust in thee?
2 My sins are great, but not surpass
The power and glory of thy grace:
Great God, thy nature hath no bound,-
So let thy pardoning love be found.
3 0 wash my soul from every sin,
And make my guilty conscience clean;
Here on my heart the burden lies,
And past offences pain mine eyes.
4 My lips with shame my sins confess
Against thy law, against thy grace;
Lord, should thy judgment grow severe,
I am condemned, but thou art clear.
5 Yet save a trembling sinner, Lord,
Whose hope, still hovering round thy word,
Would light on some sweet promise there,
Some sure support against despair.
10 THOU, the wretched's sure retreat,
Who dost our cares control,
And, with the cheerful smile of
Revive the fainting soul!
2 Did ever thy propitious ear
The humble plea disdain ?
Or when did plaintive misery sigh
Or supplicate in vain ?
3 Oppressed with grief and shame, dissolved In penitential tears,
Thy goodness calms our anxious doubts,
And dissipates our fears.
4 New life from thy refreshing grace
Our sinking hearts receive;
Thy gentlest, best-loved attribute,
To pity and forgive.
5 From that blest source, propitious hope
Appears serenely bright,
And sheds her soft and cheering beam
O'er sorrow's dismal night.
6 Our hearts adore thy mercy, Lord!
And bless the friendly ray,
Which ushers in the smiling morn
Of everlasting day.
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