Trees, plants, cooling fruits and sweet flowers,
All rise to the praise of my God.
• 3 Shall man, the great master of all,
The only insensible prove?
Forbid it, fair gratitude's call,
Forbid it devotion and love.
4 The Lord who such wonders can raise,
And still can destroy with a nod,
My lips shall incessantly praise,
My soul shall rejoice in my God.
Hymn 106. L. M.
Spring and Autumn.
1 WHEN spring displays her various sweets,
And opening blossoms cheer the eyes,
And fancy ev'ry beauty meets,
Whence does the pleasing transport rise?
2 Soon will their transient date expire,
They fly and mock the fond pursuit ;
New pleasures there the thought inspire,
And bounteous Autumn yields her fruit.
3 Thus, when the spring of youth decays,
Though deck'd with blossoms sweet and fair,
Autumn a nobler scene displays,
If fruits of virtue flourish there.
4 For this the vernal buds arise
But if no useful virtues grow,
Their worthless beauty quickly flies,
And blossoms only served for show.
Hymn 107. C. M.
On a Season of Threatening Drought. 1 The spring, great God, at thy command, Leads forth the smiling year;
Gay verdure, foliage, blooms and flowers,
T'adorn her reign appear.
2 But soon canst thou, in righteous wrath,
Blast all the promis'd joy;
And elements await thy nod,
To bless or to destroy.
3 The sun, thy minister of love,
That, from the naked ground,
Calls forth the hidden seeds to birth,
And spreads their beauties round.
4 At the dread order of his God,
Now darts destructive fires ;
Hills, plains, and vales are parch'd with drought,
And blooming life expires.
5 Like burnish'd brass the heav'n around,
In angry terror burns ;
While the earth lies a joyless waste,
And into iron turns.
6 Pity us, Lord, in our distress,
Nor with our land contend;
Bid the avenging skies relent,
And showers of mercy send.
Hymn 108. C. M.
On a Season of Abounding Rain.
1 How hast thou, Lord, from year to year,
Our land with plenty crown'd,
And gen'rous fruit and golden grain
Have spread their riches round.
2 But we thy mercies have abus'd,
To more abounding crimes ;
What heights, what daring heights in sin,
Mark and disgrace our times.
3 Equal, though awful is the doom,
That fierce, descending rain,
Should into inundations swell,
And crush the rising grain.
4 How just, that in the autumn's reign,
When we had hop'd to reap,
Our fields of sorrow and despair
Should lie, a hideous heap!
5 But, Lord, have mercy on our land,
These floods of vengeance stay;
Dispel those glooms, and let the sun
Shine in unclouded day.
6 To thee alone we look for help:
None else of dew or rain
Can give the world the smallest drop,
Or smallest drop restrain.
Hymn 109. S. M. double.
Death and Judgment.
AND am I born to die?
To lay this body down?
And must my trembling spirit fly
Into a world unknown!
A land of deepest shade,
Unpierc'd by human thought;
The dreary regions of the dead,
Where all things are forgot.
2 Soon as from earth I go,
What will become of me?
Eternal happiness or wo
Must then my portion be!
Wak'd by the trumpet's sound,
I from my grave must rise,
And see the judge with glory crown'd,
And see the flaming skies!
3 How shall I leave my tomb?
With triumph or regret?
A fearful or a joyful doom,
A curse or blessing meet!
Will angel-bands convey
Their brother to the bar?
Or devil's drag my soul away
To meet its sentence there?
Who can resolve the doubt
That hovers in my breast?
Shall I be with the damn'd cast out,
Or number'd with the blest?
I must from God be driv'n,
Or with my Saviour dwell
;
Must come at his command to heav'n,
Or else depart to hell.
O thou that would'st not have
One wretched sinner die,
Who died thyself, my soul to save
From endless misery.
Shew me the way to shun
Thy dreadful wrath severe,
That when thou comest on thy throne
I may with joy appear.
Resurrection and Judgment.
1 WHEN rising from the bed of death,
O'erwhelm'd with guilt and fear,
I view my Maker, face to face,
O how shall I appear!
2 If yet while pardon may be found,
And mercy may be sought;
My soul with inward horror shrinks,
And trembles at the thought!
3 When thou, O Lord, shall stand disclos'd In majesty severe,
And sit in judgment on my soul,
O how shall I appear!
4 O may my broken, contrite heart,
Timely my sins lament,
And early with repentant tears,
Eternal wo prevent.
5 Behold the sorrows of my heart,
Ere yet it be too late;
And hear my Saviour's dying groan,
To give those sorrows weight.
6 For never shall my soul despair,
Her pardon to secure,
Who knows thine only Son hath died
To make that pardon sure.
Hymn 111. L. M.
Judgment.
1 HE comes, he comes, the judge severe,
The seventh trumpet speaks him near,
His lightnings flash, his thunders roll
Welcome to the faithful soul.
2 From heav'n angelic voices sound,
See the almighty Jesus crown'd,
Girt with omnipotence and grace,
And glory decks the Saviour's face.
3 Descending on his azure throne,
He claims the kingdoms for his own;
The kingdoms all obey his word,
And hail him their triumphant Lord.
4 Shout all the people of the sky,
And all the saints of the Most High;
Our Lord who now his right obtains,
For ever and for ever reigns.
Hymn 112. S. M. double.
Judgment.
THOU Judge of quick and dead,
Before whose bar severe,
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