Songs 56

¹How wretched was our former state,

when, slaves to Satan’s sway,

With hearts disorder’d and impure,

o’erwhelm’d in sin we lay!

²But, O my soul! for ever praise,

for ever love his name,

Who turn’d thee from the fatal paths

of folly, sin, and shame.

³Vain and presumptuous is the trust

which in our works we place,

Salvation from a higher source

flows to the human race.

⁴’Tis from the mercy of our God

that all our hopes begin;

His mercy sav’d our souls from death,

and wash’d our souls from sin.

⁵His Spirit, through the Saviour shed,

its sacred fire imparts,

Refines our dross, and love divine

rekindles in our hearts.

⁶Thence rais’d from death, we live anew;

and, justify’d by grace,

We hope in glory to appear,

and see our Father’s face.

⁷Let all who hold this faith and hope

in holy deeds abound;

Thus faith approves itself sincere,

by active virtue crown’d.