1491.
[Who would not descend His Saviour to meet?]
And he made haste, and came down, and, &c.
—xix. 6–9.
Who would not descend His Saviour to meet?
The publicans' Friend I hasten to greet:
And from my embraces He never shall part,
When on His own graces He feasts in my heart.
The Pharisees see And murmur in vain,
“Who comes unto Me With Me shall remain”;
The gracious Beginner Of faith will go on,
And raise a mere sinner To sit on His throne.
The change of my heart My life shall express,
While freely I part With all I possess;
My Master from heaven To Thee I restore
The goods Thou hast given, By feeding the poor.
I stand in Thy sight My evils to own,
And render their right To all I have known,
Renounce with confusion My ill-gotten gain,
And full restitution I make unto man.
If God justifies, Let all men condemn;
Worse in my own eyes, And viler than them,
Possess'd of Thy favour, A penitent poor,
My God and my Saviour, What can I have more?
The heart that believes Is Jesus's home,
When Him it receives Salvation is come;
And I through His passion From sin am set free,
And now my Salvation Inhabits in me.
Of Abraham's line The Blessing I own,
To me and to mine In Jesus made known:
His indwelling Spirit Believing we find,
And gladly inherit The Friend of mankind.
