Humbled and Silenced by Mercy

I

Once perishing in blood I lay;
  Creatures no help could give;
But Jesus pass’d me in the way,
  He saw, and bade me live.

II

Though Satan still his rule maintain’d,
  And all his arts employ’d;
That mighty word his rage restrain’d,
  I could not be destroy’d.

III

At length the time of love arrived,
  When I my Lord should know;
Then Satan, of his power deprived,
  Was forced to let me go.

IV

O can I e’er that day forget,
  When Jesus kindly spoke!
“Poor soul, my blood has paid thy debt,
  And now I break thy yoke.

V

“Henceforth I take thee for my own,
  And give myself to thee;
Forsake the idols thou hast known,
  And yield thy heart to me.”

VI

Ah, worthless heart! it promised fair,
  And said it would be thine;
I little thought it e’er would dare
  Again with idols join.

VII

Lord, dost thou such backslidings heal,
  And pardon all that’s past?
Sure, if I am not made of steel,
  Thou hast prevail’d at last.

VIII

My tongue, which rashly spoke before,
  This mercy will restrain;
Surely I now shall boast no more,
  Nor censure, nor complain.