Hymn on Mercy and Grace of God in Christ (1740)
Poor Sinners, hark! what Voice is this
That soundeth in your Ears?
Jehovah speaks, in boundless Grace,
To banish all your Fears.
The Lord doth speak from Sion’s Mount,
To Sinners in Distress,
Thro’ his own son, his Mercy-seat,
Array’d in all his Grace.
The Lord, the Lord God, merciful,
And gracious, is He,
Long suffering, and abundant too
In Goodness, rich, and free:
Forgiving Sin, Transgression,
And all Iniquity;
For Thousands keeping Mercy still,
By th’ Truth that is in Me.
This was the bright Display he made,
To Moses, of his Name,
When he i’th’ Rock was put, while God
His Goodness did proclaim.
Poor Sinners, hark to th’ Voice of Grace:
Here’s none of Sinai’s Roar,
Altho’ you have deserv’d to die,
That threatens to devour.
No, God in Christ, is reconcil’d,
And sweetly doth invite
Lost Sinners to return to Him,
Who doth in Grace delight.
In’s Word, he thus to th’ Wicked speaks;
Let him forsake his Way,
And the unrighteous Man his Thoughts;
And turn without Delay,
Unto Jehovah, who will shew,
On Him his Mercy Free,
And to that God, who pardon will,
And that Abundantly.
Well then, poor Soul, art thou by Sin,
Brought into sore Distress?
Obey God’s Call, come to his Throne;
For ’tis a Throne of Grace.
Are thy Sins great? and dost thou fear
There is no Grace for Thee?
Why, what’s thy Sin, if once compar’d
To Mercy’s boundless Sea!
They’re Great indeed, but Finite still;
God’s Mercy’s Infinite:
And far exceeds them all, as far
As th’ Heavens th’ Earth for Height.
Jehovah’s Mercy never fails,
And doth no Limits know:
To th’ worst of Sinners, it streams down,
In one Eternal Flow!
It drowns their Sins, those Mountains tall,
Tho’ numberless they be;
Yet without Waste, abides the same,
Unto Eternity.
And since God’s Nature cannot change,
Nor yet his gracious Will;
Thousands of Sinners, thro’ his son,
Shall find his Mercy still.
And tho’ their Sins are multiply’d,
Like Sands upon the Shore;
He’ll pardon All, and they shall see,
His Grace abounds much more.
God’s Thoughts, and Ways in Mercy free,
Our highest Thoughts transcend:
And Grace doth reign thro’ Righteousness,
To Life without an End!
Oh this abundant pardoning Grace!
’Tis rich, ’tis full, ’tis free;
Soul, if of Sinners thou art chief,
There is enough for Thee!
Yea, there is far more than enough
For when thou hast thy Fill,
There’s more in God, than’s left i’th’ Sea,
When ’t fills a Cockle-shell.
Run then, thou sinful Soul, to God,
Whose Arms stand open wide,
T’ embrace returning Prodigals,
Thro’ Christ, who for them dy’d.
Whate’re thy Sins, whate’re thy Wants,
In thine own Sight appear;
Since Mercy’s deep, and boundless too,
Thou hast no Cause to fear.
God’s boundless Grace, most readily,
Forgives the greatest Score;
And God herein doth much delight,
T’ commend his love the more.
And never any perish’d, that
Did come to God by Christ:
Then cast thy self into his Arms;
Thou’lt be for ever blest.
Oh venture on his boundless Grace!
However vile, and poor;
And he’ll thee save from Death to Life,
To praise him evermore.
Text: [Dutton, Anne]. A Discourse Concerning the New-Birth: to which are added Two Poems; the one on Salvation in Christ, by Free-Grace, for the Chief of Sinners: the Other on a Believer’s Safety and Duty. With an Epistle Recommendatory, by the Reverend Mr. Jacob Rogers, B.A. London: Printed; and sold by John Oswald at the Rose and Crown in the Poultry, near Stocks-Market; and Ebenezer Gardner, at Milton’s Head in Grace-Church-Street, 1740), pp. 126-28.