RECOVERY FROM SICKNESS.

603. "The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day." Isa. xxxviii. 19. L. M.

1 AND live I yet by power divine?
And have I still my course to run?
Again brought back in its decline,
The shadow of my parting sun?

2 Jesus to my deliverance flew,

Where sunk in mortal pangs I lay :
Pale Death his ancient conqueror knew,
And trembled, and ungrasped his prey.

3 God of my life! what just return
Can sinful dust and ashes give?
I only live my sin to mourn:
To love my God I only live.

4 Be all my added life employed

Thine image in my soul to see.
Fill with Thyself the mighty void :
Enlarge my heart to compass Thee.

5 Come then, my hope, my life, my Lord! And fix in me Thy lasting home.

Be mindful of Thy gracious word:
Thou, with Thy promised Father, come!

604.

"Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy." Psa. xliii. 3, 4. P. M.

1 OH, send Thy light, Thy truth, my God!
Thy grace bestow; Thy word fulfil;
And let them lead me in Thy road,
And bring me to Thy holy hill;
Where happy saints, a chosen band,
Exulting in Thy presence stand.

2 Then to Thine altar will I go,

And pay my destined offerings there; And freely from my heart shall flow The fervent, interceding prayer; A prayer effectual, that shall rise Accepted through the Sacrifice.

2 And I will take salvation's cup,

And call upon Thy blessed name; My grateful heart to Thee lift up, Saviour from death, and guilt, and shame!

Restored in mercy to Thy house,
To render all my grateful vows.

4 There in Thy truth will I rejoice,

And hymn Thy goodness in my lays; And mind, and heart, and soul, and voice,

Shall join to magnify Thy praise, And triumph in the blest employ, My God, and my exceeding Joy!

605.

"Which holdeth our soul in life." Psalm lxvi. 9.

L. M.

1 GOD of my life! whose gracious power Through varied deaths my soul hath led, Or turned aside the fatal hour,

Or lifted up my sinking head!

2 In all my ways Thy hand I own,
Thy ruling providence I see.
Assist me still my course to run,
And still direct my paths to Thee.
3 [Oft hath the sea confessed Thy power,
And given me back at Thy command:
It could not, Lord! my life devour,
Safe in the hollow of Thy hand.]
4 [Oft, from the margin of the grave,
Thou, Lord! hast lifted up my head.
Sudden, I found Thee near to save:
The fever owned Thy touch, and fled.]
5 Whither, Oh whither, should I fly,
But to my loving Saviour's breast,
Secure within Thine arms to lie,

And safe within Thy wings to rest?
6 I have no skill the snare to shun;
But Thou, O Christ, my wisdom art.
I ever into ruin run;

But Thou art greater than my heart. 7 Foolish, and impotent, and blind,

Lead me a way I have not known.

Bring me where I my heaven may find,—
The heaven of loving Thee alone.

ASPIRATION AFTER HOLINESS.

606. "Before I was afflicted, I went astray.

Psalm exix. 67.

L. M.

1 OH how I love Thy holy word,
Thy gracious covenant, O Lord!
It guides me in the peaceful way :
I think upon it all the day.

2 What are the mines of shining wealth,
The strength of youth, the bloom of health;
What are all joys, compared with those
Thine everlasting word bestows!

3 Long unafflicted, undismayed,
In pleasure's path secure I strayed:
Thou mad'st me feel Thy chastening rod,
And straight I turned unto my God.

4 What though it pierced my fainting heart, I bless Thy hand that caused the smart : It taught my tears awhile to flow,

But saved me from eternal wo.

5 Oh, hadst Thou left me unchastised,
Thy precept I had still despised;
And still the snare in secret laid,
Had my unwary feet betrayed.

6 I love Thee, therefore, O my God!
And breathe towards Thy dear abode;
Where, in Thy presence fully blessed,
Thy chosen saints for ever rest.

607. “Holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.”

Heb. xii. 14. L. M.

1 HOLY Lord God! I love Thy truth,
Nor dare Thy least commandmentslight:
Yet, pierced by sin, the serpent's tooth,
I mourn the anguish of the bite.

2 But, though the poison lurks within,
Hope bids me still with patience wait,
Till death shall set me free from sin,
Free from the only thing I hate.

3 Had I a throne above the rest,

Where angels and archangels dwell,
One sin unslain within my breast,
Would make that heaven as dark as hell.

4 The prisoner sent to breathe fresh air,
And blessed with liberty again,
Would mourn, were he condemned to wear
One link of all his former chain.

5 But oh! no foe invades the bliss,
When glory crowns the Christian's head.
One view of Jesus as He is,

Will strike all sin for ever dead.

608. "Rejoice with trembling." Psalm ii. 11.
1 I WAS a grovelling creature once,
And basely cleaved to earth :
I wanted spirit to renounce
The clod that gave me birth.

C. M.