LXI. Power of Prayer.

1 IN themselves, as weak as worms, How can poor believers stand, When temptations, foes, and storms, Press them close on ev'ry hand?

2 Weak, indeed, they feel they are,
But they know the throne of grace ;
And the God who answers pray'r
Helps them when they seek his face.

3 Though the Lord a while delay,
Succour they at length obtain ;
He who taught their hearts to pray,
Will not let them cry in vain.

4 Wrestling pray'r can wonders do,
Bring relief in deepest straits;
Pray'r can force a passage through
Iron bars and brazen gates.

5 Hezekiah on his knees

Proud Assyria's host subdu'd;
And when smitten with disease,
Had his life by pray'r renew'd.

Peter, though confin'd and chain'd,
Pray'r prevail'd and brought him out;

When Elijah pray'd, it rain'd,

After three long years of drought.

7 We can likewise witness bear,
That the Lord is still the same;
Though we fear'd he would not hear,
Suddenly deliverance came.

8 For the wonders he has wrought,
Let us now our praises give;
And by sweet experience taught,
Call upon him while we live.

ON THE SCRIPTURE.

LXII. C. The Light and Glory of the Word.

1 THE Spirit breathes upon the word,
And brings the truth to sight;

Precepts and promises afford
A sanctifying light.

2 A glory gilds the sacred page,
Majestic like the sun;

It gives a light to ev'ry age,
It gives, but borrows none.

3 The hand that gave it still supplies
The gracious light and heat;
His truths upon the nations rise,
They rise but never set.

4 Let everlasting thanks be thine,
For such a bright display,

As makes a world of darkness shine
With beams of heav'nly day.

5 My soul rejoices to pursue

The steps of him I love;

Till glory breaks upon my view
In brighter worlds above.

LXIII. The Word more precious than Gold.

1 PRECIOUS Bible! what a treasure

Does the word of God afford!

All I want for life or pleasure,

FOOD & MEDICINE, SHIELD & Sword?
Let the world account me poor,
Having this I need no more.

2 FOOD to which the world's a stranger,
Here my hungry soul enjoys;
Of excess there is no danger,
Though it fills, it never cloys :

On a dying Christ I feed,

He is meat and drink indeed!

3 When my faith is faint and sickly,
Or when Satan wounds my mind,
Cordials to revive me quickly,
Healing MED'CINES here I find;

To the promises I flee,

Each affords a remedy.

4 In the hour of dark temptation Satan cannot make me yield;

For the word of consolation

Is to me a mighty SHIELD:
While the Scripture-truths are sure,
From his malice I'm secure.

5 Vain his threats to overcome me,
When I take the Spirit's sword;
Then with ease I drive him from me,
Satan trembles at the word:

'Tis a SWORD for conquest made,
Keen the edge, and strong the blade.

6 Shall I envy then the miser,

Doating on his golden store?
Sure I am, or should be wiser,

I am rich, 'tis he is poor:
Jesus gives me in his word,

FOOD and MED'CINE, SHIELD and SWORD.

III. PROVIDENCES.

LXIV. On the Commencement of Hostilities in America.

1 THE gath'ring clouds, with aspect dark, A rising storm presage;

Oh! to be hid within the ark,

And shelter'd from its rage!

2 See the commission'd angel frown* ! That vial in his hand,

Fill'd with fierce wrath, is pouring down Upon our guilty land!

3 Ye saints, unite in wrestling pray'r,
If yet there may be hope;

Who knows but mercy yet may spare,
And bid the angel stopt?

4 Already is the plague begun ‡,
And fir'd with hostile rage,

Brethren, by blood, and int'rest one,
With brethren now engage.

5 Peace spreads her wings, prepar'd for flight, And war, with flaming sword,

And hasty strides, draws nigh, to fight
The battles of the Lord.

* Rev. xvi. 1. † 2 Sam. xxiv. 16. Num. xvi. 46. VOL. III:

3 Y

6 The first alarm, alas! how few,
While distant, seem to hear!
But they will hear, and tremble too,
When God shall send it near.

7 So thunder o'er the distant hills
Gives but a murm'ring sound;
But as the tempest spreads, it fills
And shakes the welkin* round.

8 May we, at least, with one consent,
Fall low before the throne;
With tears the nation's sins lament,
The church's, and our own.

9 The humble souls who mourn and pray,
The Lord approves and knows ;

His mark secures them in the day
When vengeance strikes his foes.

FAST-DAY HYMNS.

LXV. Confession and Prayer. Dec. 13, 1776.

1 OH! may the pow'r which melts the rock Он!

Be felt by all assembled here!

Or else our service will but mock
The God whom we profess to fear.

2 Lord, while thy judgments shake the land,
Thy people's eyes are fix'd on thee!
We own thy just uplifted hand,

Which thousands cannot, will not see.

3 How long hast thou bestow'd thy care
On this indulg'd, ungrateful spot;
While other nations, far and near,
Have envied and admir'd our lot.

Firmament, or Atmosphere.