PETER'S SIEVE.

“And  the Lord turned, and looked upon Pete. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he said unto him, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.”  -Luke 22:61,62

Sometimes I find in Peter’s case
What speaks aloud to me.
And shows, without preserving grace,
What I must shortly be.

Peter three times, thro’ fear, declared
His Lord he never know;
And oftentimes my practice says
The same of Jesus to.

Such was the love for Christ he felt,
He said, he fain would die.
But O when left, a servant maid
Did make him Christ deny!

What Jesus told him did transpire;
The cock three times did crow;
But he must feel a heavenly touch,
Before his tears could flow.

The cock might crow a thousand times,
And Peter fast asleep;
But when the Saviour gave a look,
He then went out to weep.

This was a precious fruit of grace,
The grace that him restored;
A qork there was for him to do,-
To preach his dying Lord.

Free grace he sweetly could proclaim,
To souls oppress’d with sin;
He knew the worth of sov’reign grace,
He felt its power within.

Dear Jesus, when I leave the fold,
Like Peter, may I weep,
And feel restoring grace, like him;
Reclaim thy wand’ring sheep.

It is my soul’s supreme desire,
Thy precious face to see,
And feel thy grace in exercise,
To bring forth fruit to thee.

But often have I been with those,-
I speak it to my shame,-
When I, like Peter, have drawn back,
And feared to own thy name.

With guilt and shame, I must confess,
Much to my charge is laid,
That I among ungodly men
Should feel so much afraid.

It is by rich, almighty grace,
That I this moment stand,
Upheld, supported, and supplied,
By thy almighty hand.

The foulest deeds, the blackest crimes,
My mortals ever done,
Are in my nature rooted deep,
If left the same to run.

Dear Lord, subdue each lofty thought,
In league with Satan’s band;
Grant humbling grace in exercise;
It must come from thy hand.

May every day’s experience prove
Grace has in me a seat,
While I in dust and ashes lie
Low at thy sacred feet.

Let me not vainly think I stand,
And in temptation fall;
But me my constant weakness teach,
And Christ be all in all.

_______________________________

I.H.