Part 31 (1/2)

”Come, thou Fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing thy grace; Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of endless praise.

”Teach me some melodious sonnet, Sung by flaming tongues above; Praise the mount, I'm fixed upon it-- Mount of G.o.d's unchanging love.

”Here I raise my Ebenezer, Hither by thy help I'm come, And I hope, by thy good pleasure, Safely to arrive at home.

”Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wandering from the fold of G.o.d; He, to save my soul from danger, Interposed with precious blood.

”Oh, to grace how great a debtor Daily I'm constrained to be: Let that grace, Lord, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to thee.

”p.r.o.ne to wander, Lord, I feel it, p.r.o.ne to leave the G.o.d I love; Here's my heart, O take and seal it, Seal it from thy courts above.”

Eternal G.o.d, I bless thy name, The same thy power, thy grace the same; The tokens of thy friendly care Open and crown and close the year.

I mid ten thousand dangers stand, Supported by thy gracious hand; And see, when I survey thy ways, Ten thousand monuments of grace.

Thus far thine arm has led me on; Thus far I make thy mercy known; And while I tread this desert land, New mercies shall new songs demand.

My grateful soul on Jordan's sh.o.r.e Shall raise one sacred pillar more; Then bear, in thy bright courts above, Inscriptions of immortal love.

No works to rest upon have I, No boast of moral dignity; If e'er I lisp a song of praise, Grace is the note my soul shall raise.

'Twas grace that quickened me when dead; 'Twas grace my soul to Jesus led, Grace brings me pardon for my sin, And grace subdues my l.u.s.ts within.

'Tis grace that sweetens every cross, 'Tis grace supports in every loss; In Jesus' grace my soul is strong, Grace is my hope, and Christ my song.

Thus, 'tis alone of grace I boast, And 'tis alone in grace I trust: For all that's past, grace is my theme, For what's to come 'tis still the same.

And when I come to Jordan's sh.o.r.e, I'll raise one Ebenezer more; Th' ark of the covenant in my view, I'll sing of grace the Jordan through.

”Is this the kind return, Are these the thanks we owe-- Thus to abuse eternal love, Whence all our blessings flow?

”To what a stubborn frame Has sin reduced our mind!

What strange rebellious wretches we, And G.o.d as strangely kind!

”Turn, turn us, mighty G.o.d!

And mould our souls afresh; Break, sovereign grace, these hearts of stone, And give us hearts of flesh.