565    8s     W. Gadsby
Deliverance from Guilt by Christ. 1 Thess. 1. 10

1 Rejoice, and let Christ be thy song,
  For he is thy All and in All;
  He leads my soul safely along,
  In spite of the world, sin, or thrall;
  Though poor in myself, yet in him
  I’ve riches immense and divine;
  Nor can I be brought guilty in,
  For Jesus, my Lord, paid the fine.

2 Once I was enveloped in debt,
  My poor mind was burdened with sin,
  And strove hard to make matters straight,
  That I the Lord’s favour might win!
  But ah! my soul laboured in vain,
  And only the debt did increase,
  Which greatly increasèd my pain,
  And filled me with shame and disgrace.

3 I looked to the law for some help,
  And hoped it some mercy would show;
  But O, my soul trembled, and felt
  The law could but doom me to woe,
  I saw it too just to forgive;
  Too holy at sin to connive;
  Then speechless I stood, as if dead,
  Nor did I expect a reprieve.

4 But while I stood trembling with fear,
  The Saviour of sinners came in,
  Who smiled, and said, “Be of good cheer,
  I surely will save thee from sin;
  I’m Jesus, the First and the Last;
  Thy debts have been chargèd on me –
  The future, the present, the past –
  And thou shalt for ever go free.”