For One Fallen from Grack, Hymn 18

O Mercy Divine!
When shall it be mine!
Tis mercy alone
Can ransom a soul so entirely undone!

So fallen from grace,
So far from His face
Who brought me to God,
And sprinkled me once with His life-giving blood!

Base wretch that I am!
With sorrow and shame
The sin I confess peace.
Which robb'd me of all my sweet comfort and

Ah, how could I grieve
His Spirit, and leave
A Saviour so kind,
Who labour'd so long a lost sinner to find?

I follow'd an heart
Ever prone to depart
From Jesus my Lord,
And threw off His yoke, and rejected His word.

I thwarted His will,
My own to fulfil,
To nature gave way,
And suffer'd my lusts to recover their sway.

I left my first zeal,
And insensibly fell,
And started aside,
Betray'd into passion by slackness and pride:

My folly return'd
To Egypt, and burn'd
For sensual delight,
And did my adorable Saviour despite.

Through selfish desire
I made Him retire,
(Though loath to depart,)
And leave a divided idolatrous heart.

He left me alone
In nature sunk down,
Till awaken'd again
I felt all the weight of mine enemy's chain.

I felt it; and still
My burden I feel,
My punishment bear,
And hardly to hope for forgiveness I dare.

So soon I abuse
His mercy, and lose
The tendering power,
Plunged deeper in sin and distress than before

Ah! what shall I do?
He only must show
Whose pity can find
A cause in Himself to be gracious and kind.

Whose mercies exceed
My offences, and plead
Unwearied for me;
Whose love is a boundless and bottomless sea.

My refuge is this
Unexhausted abyss;
Forsaken of all,
Lord, into Thy ocean of mercy I fall.

Here, Jesu, am I
Determined to lie,
Thy goodness to prove,
And if I am lost, to be lost in Thy love.