789

1st P. M. 6 lines 8s.

Steadfast reliance and confident anticipsion. HOUGH waves and storms go o'er my head, Though strength, and health, and friends be

gone;

Though joys be wither'd all, and dead,
Though every comfort be withdrawn ;
On this my steadfast soul relies,——
Father, thy mercy never dies.

2 Fix'd on this ground will I remain,
Though my heart fail, and flesh decay;
This anchor shall my soul sustain,

When earth's foundations melt away; Mercy's full power I then shall prove, Loved with an everlasting Love.

790

PEA

1st P. M. 6 lines 8s.

I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.
EACE, doubting heart, my God's I am;
Who form'd me man forbids my fear;
The Lord hath call'd me by my name;
The Lord protects, forever near:
His blood for me did once atone,
And still he loves and guards his own.

2 When, passing through the watery deep,
I ask in faith his promised aid,
The waves an awful distance keep,
And shrink from my devoted head:
Fearless, their violence I dare;
They cannot harm, for God is there!

3 To Him mine eye of faith I turn,
And through the fire pursue my way;
The fire forgets its power to burn,-

The lambent flames around me play :
I own his power, accept the sign,
And shout to prove the Saviour mine.

791

S. M.

The sure foundation.

IN every trying houflies;

My soul to

I trust in his almighty power,
When swelling billows rise.
2 His comforts bear me up;
I trust a faithful God;
The sure foundation of my hope
Is in my Saviour's blood.
3 Loud hallelujahs sing,

To our Redeemer's Name;
In joy or sorrow-life or death-
His love is still the same.

792

THY

1st P. M. 6 lines 8s.

The servant shall be as his Lord.

HY every suff'ring servant, Lord,
shall as his perfect Master be;

To all thy inward life restored,

And outwardly conform'd to thee: Out of thy grave the saints shall rise, And grasp, through death, the glorious prize 2 This is the straight, the royal way

That leads us to the courts above:

Here let us ever, ever stay,

Till, on the wings of perfect love, We take our last, triumphant flight, From Calvary's to Zion's height.

793

1st P. M. 6 lines 8s.

Triumphant confidence in the Saviour.
TILL nigh me, O my Saviour, stand,

STILL

And guard in fierce temptation's hour;

Hide in the hollow of thy hand;

Show forth in me thy saving power:
Still be thy arms my sure defence,
Nor earth nor hell shall pluck me thence.

2 Since thou hast bid me come to thee,
(Good as thou art, and strong to save,)
I'll walk o'er life's tempestuous sea,
Upborne by the unyielding wave;
Dauntless, though rocks of pride be near,
And yawning whirlpools of despair.
3 When darkness intercepts the skies,
And sorrow's waves around me roll,
And high the storms of troubles rise,
And half o'erwhelm my sinking soul;
My soul a sudden calm shall feel,
And hear a whisper,-Peace; be still!
4 Though in affliction's furnace tried,
Unhurt, on snares and death I'll tread:
Though sin assail, and hell, thrown wide,
Pour all its flames upon my head,
Like Moses' bush I'll mount the higher,
And flourish, unconsumed, in fire.

794

WHE

It is I; be not afraid.

L. M.

WHEN power divine in mortal form
Hush'd with a word the raging storm,

In soothing accents Jesus said,

Lo, it is I; be not afraid.

2 So when in silence nature sleeps,
And lonely watch the mourner keeps,
One thought shall every pang remove--
Trust, feeble man, thy Maker's love.

3 God calms the tumult and the storm;
He rules the seraph and the worm:
No creature is by him forgot

Of those who know, or know him not.

4 And when the last dread hour shall come,

And shudd'ring nature wait her doom,
This voice shall wake the pious dead,-
Lo, it is I; be not afraid.

795

0

His loving kindness is better than life.

L. M.

GOD, thou art my God alone; Early to thee my soul shall cry; A pilgrim in a land unknown,

A thirsty land, whose springs are dry. 2 Thee, in the watches of the night, When I remember' on my bed, Thy presence makes the darkness light; Thy guardian wings are round my head. 3 Better than life itself, thy love; Dearer than all beside to me; For whom have I in heaven above,

Or what on earth, compared with thee? 4 Praise with my heart, my mind, my voice, For all thy mercy I will give;

My soul shall still in God rejoice,

My tongue shall bless thee while I live.

796

12th P. M. 76, 76, 78, 76.

Jesus, the same yesterday, to-day, and forever.

AST on the fidelity

Of my redeeming Lord,
I shall his salvation see,
According to his word:
Credence to his word I give;

My Saviour in distresses past
Will not now his servant leave,
But bring me through at last.
2 Better than my boding fears
To me thou oft hast proved;
Oft observed my silent tears,
And challenged thy beloved:
Mercy to my rescue flew,

And death ungrasp'd his fainting prey; Pain before thy face withdrew,

And sorrow fled away.

3 Now as yesterday the same,
In all my troubles nigh,
Jesus, on thy word and name
I steadfastly rely:

Sure as now the grief I feel,

The promised joy I soon shall have; Saved again, to sinners tell

Thy power and will to save.

4 To thy blessed will resign'd,
And stay'd on that alone,
I thy perfect strength shall find,-
Thy faithful mercies own;
Compass'd round with songs of praise,

My all to my Redeemer give;
Spread thy miracles of grace,

And to thy glory live.

STEADFASTNESS AND GROWTH IN GRACE.

797

C. M.

Vanity of earthly enjoyments.

HOW

OW vain are all things here below;
How false, and yet how fair!

Each pleasure hath its poison too,
And every sweet a snare.

2 The brightest things below the sky
Give but a flatt'ring light;

We should suspect some danger nigh,
Where we possess delight.

3 Our dearest joys, and nearest friends,
The partners of our blood,

How they divide our wav'ring minds,
And leave but half for God.