4 From dark temptation's power,
From Satan's wiles, defend;
Deliver in the evil hour,
And guide us to the end.
5 Thine shall forever be

Glory and power divine; The sceptre, throne, and majesty, Of heaven and earth are thine. 6 Thus humbly taught to pray By thy belovéd Son, Through him we come to thee, and say,— All for his sake be done.

556

The spirit of prayer.
THE praying spirit breathe!
The watching power impart :
From all entanglements beneath,
Call off my peaceful heart;
My feeble mind sustain,

By worldly thoughts oppress'd; Appear, and bid me turn again To my eternal rest.

2 Swift to my rescue come;

Thine own this moment seize; Gather my wand'ring spirit home And keep in perfect peace: Suffer'd no more to rove

O'er all the earth abroad, Arrest the pris'ner of thy love, And shut me up in God.

557

S. M.

5th P. M. 4 lines 75.

Encouragements to pray.

COME, my soul, thy suit prepare;

Jesus

prayer;

He himself invites thee near,-
Bids thee ask him, waits to hear.

2 Lord, I come to thee for rest;
Take possession of my breast;
There, thy blood-bought right maintain,
And without a rival reign.

3 While I am a pilgrim here,
Let thy love my spirit cheer;
As my guide, my guard, my friend,
Lead me to my journey's end.
4 Show me what I have to do;
Every hour my strength renew;
Let me live a life of faith,-
Let me die thy people's death.
558

L. M.

Blessings of prayer.

WHAT various hindrances we meet

In to a mercy-seat;
Yet who that knows the worth of prayer,
But wishes to be often there?

2 Prayer makes the darken'd cloud withdrar,
Prayer climbs the ladder Jacob saw;
Gives exercise to faith and love;
Brings every blessing from above.

3 Restraining prayer, we cease to fight;
Prayer keeps the Christian's armour bright
And Satan trembles when he sees
The weakest saint upon his knees.

559

S. M.

The throne of grace.
EHOLD the throne of grace;
calls us near
There Jesus shows a smiling face,
And waits to answer prayer.
2 Thine image, Lord, bestow,-
Thy presence and thy love,-
That we may serve thee here below,
And reign with thee above.

3 Teach us to live by faith,—
Conform our wills to thine;
Let us victorious be in death,
And then in glory shine.

4 If thou these blessings give,
And thou our portion be,
All worldly joys we'll gladly leave,
To find our heaven in thee.

560

1st P. M. 6 lines 8s.

The power of prayer.

WONDROUS power of faithful prayer! What tongue can tell the' almighty grace? God's hands or bound or open are, As Moses or Elijah prays: Let Moses in the Spirit groan, And God cries out,-Let me alone!

2 Let me alone, that all my wrath

May rise, the wicked to consume; While justice hears thy praying faith, It cannot seal the sinner's doom: My Son is in my servant's prayer, And Jesus forces me to spare.

3 Father, we ask in Jesus' name;

In Jesus' power and spirit pray; Divert thy vengeful thunder's aim;

O turn thy threat'ning wrath away! Our guilt and punishment remove, And magnify thy pard'ning love.

4 Father, regard thy pleading Son;
Accept his all-availing prayer;
And send a peaceful answer down,

In honour of our Spokesman there;
Whose blood proclaims our sins forgiven,
And speaks thy rebels up to heaven.

561

Y Name:

The Hearer of prayer. praying souls, rejoice,

With joy to him lift up your voice,
And all his love proclaim.
2 Your mournful cry he hears;
He marks your feeblest groan,
Supplies your wants, dispels your fears,
And makes his mercy known.

3 To all his praying saints He ever will attend,

S. M.

And to their sorrows and complaints
His ear in mercy bend.

4 Then let us still go on
In his appointed ways,
Rejoicing in his Name alone,
In prayer and humble praise.

562

11th P. M. 76, 76, 77, 76. My help cometh from the Lord. hills lift mine eyes, The everlasting hills; Streaming thence in fresh supplies, My soul the Spirit feels: Will he not his help afford?

Help, while yet I ask, is given:
God comes down; the God and Lord
Who made both earth and heaven.
2 Faithful soul, pray always; pray,
And still in God confide;
He thy feeble steps shall stay,
Nor suffer thee to slide;
Lean on thy Redeemer's breast;
He thy quiet spirit keeps;
Rest in him, securely rest;

Thy watchman never sleeps.

3 Neither sin, nor earth, nor hell,
Thy Keeper can surprise;
Careless slumbers cannot steal
On his all-seeing eyes;
He is Israel's sure defence;
Israel all his care shall prove;
Kept by watchful Providence,
And ever-waking Love.

563

11th P. M. 76, 76, 77, 76.
Continued.-The Lord is thy Keeper.
EE the Lord, thy Keeper, stand
Omnipotently near

Lo! he holds thee by thy hand,
And banishes thy fear:
Shadows with his wings thy head;

Guards from all impending harms;
Round thee and beneath are spread

The everlasting arms.

2 Christ shall bless thy going out,
Shall bless thy coming in;
Kindly compass thee about,

Till thou art saved from sin;
Like thy spotless Master, thou,
Fill'd with wisdom, love, and power;
Holy, pure, and perfect now,
Henceforth, and evermore.

564

7th P. M. 8 lines 7s.

The Litany.

AVIOUR, when, in dust, to thee
Low we bow the' adoring knee,-
When, repentant, to the skies
Scarce we lift our streaming eyes,-
O, by all thy pain and wo
Suffer'd once for man below,
Bending from thy throne on high,
Hear us when to thee we cry.