A palace is the sinner's heart

Verse 1

A Palace is the sinner's heart, Which Satan guards in ev'ry part; And with his forces dwells therein, And keeps the soul enslav'd to sin.

Verse 2

There he, without control resides, And there against attack provides; He governs there, and feareth none, And holds the castle as his own.

Verse 3

Poor man obeys him as his chief, Because of pride and unbelief; Like slaves and servants on him wait, And seldom feel their slavish state.

Verse 4

But when the Saviour claims the heart, That cruel tyrant must depart-- When Jesus speaks and gives command, That Prince of darkness can't withstand.

Verse 5

The force of his restraining grace, Will cause that Lord to leave his place; Some outward changes may be seen, But yet some idol lurks within.

Verse 6

Altho' he wanders for a while, Himself he can not reconcile, He has not fully quit his home, But soon he means again to come.

Verse 7

Where Jesus does not fully reign, He surely will return again: With vice and envy seven-fold, Audatious, impudent and bold.

Verse 8

His palace he no more forsak's, In spite of all reproofs and checks; The force of men and angels join'd, Can ne'er renew that hard'ned mind.

Verse 9

That sinners' case was bad before, But now 'tis worse, and still much more: Because he can not be renew'd, And ever hat'st the ways of God.

Verse 10

O! horrid, wretched, awful state, My God let it not be my fate; May the Good spirit gain my heart! To dwell in me and ne'er depart.