Verse 1
Jesu, wherewith shall I draw near,
What shall I for acceptance bring,
How in my judge’s sight appear
A rebel ’gainst my God and King!
Loudly my sins for vengeance cry,
And justice wills that I should die.

Verse 2
Summon’d to answer at thy bar,
I come, but “guilty, guilty” plead!
Did I not all thy judgments dare?
On all thy tender mercies tread?
Death’s sentence justly I receive,
I am not worthy, Lord, to live.

Verse 3
Then let me every good resign,
And give my forfeit blessings back;
My gifts and blessings were not mine,
Thou, only thou, the glory take:
I might have heard thy frequent call,
I might have stood, tho’ now I fall.

Verse 4
Long did thy loving Spirit strive,
To win me over to my good;
The spark of grace was kept alive,
For years amidst temptation’s flood:
I now have sinn’d it all away,
And ended is my gracious day.

Verse 5
An alien from the life divine,
The covenant of promis’d grace,
Saviour, no more I call thee mine;
An outcast from thy blissful face,
Without or faith, or joy, or hope
I give (but must I give) thee up!

Verse 6
Yes: with my shield of faith I part,
My hope is lost in just despair,
Love is not in my stony heart,
It cannot be, while sin is there;
My vain pretensions sin disproves;
He cannot sin who Jesus loves.

Verse 7
No choice, endeavour, or desire,
Motion, or will have I to turn;
Extinguish’d is the trembling fire,
Which once in me began to burn:
What have I now whereof to boast?
My all is gone, my God is lost.

Verse 8
See then the sinner stript of all,
A foe, and hater of his God,
Despairing, self-condemn’d I fall,
Of every spark of goodness void;
I cannot now for mercy groan,
Or offer thee an heart of stone.

Verse 9
My mouth is stopt, and guilty now,
Before my judge I am become,
Lo! At thy judgment-seat I bow,
O God of love, pronounce my doom,
And if thy yearning heart permit,
Now, Saviour, slay me at thy feet!