VI
Long may thy light and truth remain
To bless this place when we are gone,
And numbers here be born again,
To dwell for ever near thy throne.
21
The Lord’s Call to His Children
By Newton
2 Corinthians 6:17–18.
I
Let us adore the grace that seeks
To draw our hearts above!
Attend, ’tis God the Saviour speaks,
And every word is love.
II
Though fill’d with awe, before his throne
Each angel veils his face;
He claims a people for his own
Amongst our sinful race.
III
Careless, awhile, they live in sin,
Enslaved to Satan’s power;
But they obey the call divine
In his appointed hour.
IV
“Come forth,” He says, “no more pursue
The paths that lead to death;
Look up, a bleeding Saviour view;
Look, and be saved by faith.
V
“My sons and daughters you shall be
Through the atoning blood;
And you shall claim and find in me
A Father and a God.”
VI
Lord, speak these words to every heart,
By thine all-powerful voice;
That we may now from sin depart,
And make thy love our choice.
VII
If now we learn to seek thy face
By Christ the living way,
We’ll praise thee for this hour of grace,
Through an eternal day.
22
The Prayer of Jabez
By Newton
1 Chronicles 4:9–10.
I
Jesus, who bought us with his blood,
And makes our souls his care,
Was known of old as Isr’el’s God,
And answered Jabez’ prayer.
II
Jabez, a child of grief! the name
Befits poor sinners well;
For Jesus bore the cross and shame,
To save our souls from hell.
III
Teach us, Lord, like him to plea
For mercies from above;
O come, and bless our souls indeed,
With light and joy and love.
IV
The gospel’s promised land is wide,
We fain would enter in:
But we are press’d on every side
With unbelief and sin.
V
Arise, O Lord, enlarge our coast,
Let us possess the whole,
That Satan may no longer boast
He can thy work control.
VI
Oh! may thy hand be with us still.
Our guide and guardian be,
To keep us safe from every ill,
Till death shall set us free.
VII
Help us on thee to cast our care,
And on thy word to rest;
That Isr’el’s God, who heareth pray’r
Will grant us our request.
23
Waiting at Wisdom’s Gates
By Newton
Proverbs 8:34–35.
I
Ensnared too long my heart has been
In folly’s hurtful ways;
O may I now at length begin
To hear what Wisdom says!
II
’Tis Jesus, from the mercy-seat,
Invites me to his rest;
He calls poor sinners to his feet,
To make them truly blest.
III
Approach, my soul, to Wisdom’s gates
While it is call’d to-day;
No one who watches there and waits
Shall e’er be turn’d away.
IV
He will not let me seek in vain,
For all who trust his word
Shall everlasting life obtain,
And favour from the Lord.
V
Lord! I have hated thee too long,
And dared thee to thy face;
I’ve done my soul exceeding wrong
In slighting all thy grace.
VI
Now I would break my league with death,
And live to thee alone;
Oh! let thy Spirit’s seal of faith
Secure me for thine own.
VII
Let all the saints assembled here,
Yea, let all heaven rejoice,
That I begin with this new year
To make the Lord my choice.
24
Asking the Way to Zion
By Newton
Jeremiah 1:5.
I
Zion, the city of our God,
How glorious is the place!
The Saviour there has his abode,
And sinners see his face!
II
Firm against every adverse shock
Its mighty bulwarks prove;
’Tis built upon the living Rock,
And wall’d around with love.
III
There all the fruits of glory grow,
And joys that never die;
And streams of grace and knowledge flow,
The soul to satisfy.
IV
Come, set your faces Zion-ward,
The sacred road enquire;
And let a union to the Lord
Be henceforth your desire.
V
The gospel shines to give you light;
No longer, then, delay;
The Spirit waits to guide you right,
And Jesus is the way.
VI
O Lord, regard thy people’s prayer,
Thy promise now fulfill;
And young and old by grace prepare
To dwell on Zion’s hill.
25
We Were Pharaoh’s Bondmen
By Newton
Deuteronomy 6:20–23.
I
Beneath the tyrant Satan’s yoke
Our souls were long opprest,
Till grace our galling fetters broke,
And gave the weary rest.
II
Jesus, in that important hour,
His mighty arm made known;
He ransom’d us by price and power,
And claim’d us for his own.
III
Now, freed from bondage, sin, and death,
We walk in wisdom’s ways;
And wish to spend our every breath
In wonder, love, and praise.
IV
Ere long, we hope with Him to dwell
In yonder world above;
And now we only live to tell
The riches of his love.
V
O might we, ere we hence remove,
Prevail upon our youth
To seek, that they may likewise prove
His mercy and his truth!
VI
Like Simeon, we shall gladly go,
When Jesus calls us home;
If they are left a seed below,
To serve him in our room.
VII
Lord, hear our prayer, indulge our hope.
On these thy Spirit pour,
That they may take our story up,
When we can speak no more.
26
Travailing in Birth for Souls
By Newton
Galatians 4:19.
I
What contradictions meet
In ministers’ employ!
It is a bitter sweet,
A sorrow full of joy:
No other post affords a place
For equal honour or disgrace!
II
Who can describe the pain
Which faithful preachers feel,
Constrain’d to speak in vain
To hearts as hard as steel?
Or who can tell the pleasures felt
When stubborn hearts begin to melt!
III
The Saviour’s dying love,
The soul’s amazing worth,
Their utmost efforts
