6 Thou hast inclin'd this heart of mine
Thy statutes to fulfil;

And thus till mortal life shall end
Would I perform thy will.

393.

1

W

(311.) C. M.

WHILE thee I seek, protecting Pow'r! vain wishes still'd;

Be my.

And may this consecrated hour

With better hopes be fill'd.

2 Thy love the pow'rs of thought bestow'd;
To thee my thoughts would soar.
Thy mercy o'er my life has flow'd:
That mercy I adore.

3 In each event of life, how clear
Thy ruling hand I see!

Each blessing to my soul more dear,
Because bestow'd by thee.

In ev'ry joy that crowns my days,
In ev'ry pain I bear,

My heart shall find delight in praise,
Ör seek relief in pray❜r.

5 When gladness wings my favour'd hour,
Thy love my thoughts shall fill:
Resign'd, when storms of sorrow low'r,
My soul shall meet thy will.

6 My lifted eye, without a tear,

The low'ring storm shall see;

My steadfast heart shall know no fear:
That heart will rest on thee!

394.

L. M.

(312.) Confidence in God.

OUR Father, thron'd above the sky,
To thee our empty hands we spread;

Thy children at thy footstool lie,
And ask thy blessings on their head.

2 With cheerful hope and filial fear, In that august and precious rame, By thee ordain'd, we now draw near, And would the promis'd blessing claim. 3 Does not an earthly parent hear

The cravings of his famish'd son? Will he reject the filial pray'r,

Or mock him with a cake of stone?

4 Our heav'nly Father, how much more
Will thy divine compassions rise;
And open thy unbounded store,
To satisfy thy children's cries?

5 Yes, we will ask, and seek, and press
For gracious audience at thy seat;
Still hoping, waiting for success,
If persevering to entreat.

6 For Jesus in his faithful word

The upright supplicant has blest; And all thy saints with one accord The prevalence of pray'r attest.

395.

1

3. DOUBTS AND FEARS.

L. M.

Hidings of God's face.

HAPPY the hours, the golden days,

When I could call my Jesus mine,
And sit, and view his smiling face,
And melt in pleasures all divine.

2 But now he's gone (O mighty wo!)
Gone from my soul and hides his love!
I hate the sins that griev'd him so,
The sins that forc'd him to remove!

3 Yet let my hope look through my tears, And spy afar his rolling throne,

His chariot through the cleaving spheres Shall bring the bright Beloved down

Swift as a roe flies o'er the hills,
My soul springs out to meet him high:
Then shall the conqu'ror turn his wheels
And climb the mansions of the sky.

C. M.

396. 0 that I were as in months past! Job

1

S

xxix. 2.

WEET was the time when first I felt The Saviour's pardoning blood, Applied to cleanse my soul from guilt, And bring me home to God.

2 Soon as the morn the light reveal'd, His praises tun'd my tongue;

And, when the evening shades prevail'd,
His love was all my song.

3 In vain the tempter spread his wiles,
The world no more could charm;
I liv'd upon my Saviour's smiles,
And lean'd upon his arm.

4 In prayer my soul drew near the Lord,
And saw his glory shine;

And, when I read his holy word,
I call'd each promise mine.

5 Then to his saints I often spoke
Of what his love had done;
But now my heart is almost broke,
For all my joys are ge: e.

6 Now when the evening shade prevails,
My soul in darkness mourns;

And when the morn the light reveals,
No light to me returns.

7 My prayers are now a chatt'ring noise,
For Jesus hides his face!

I read, the promise meets my eyes,
But will not reach my case.

8 Now satan threatens to prevail,
And make my soul his prey;
Yet, Lord, thy mercies cannot fail,
O, come without delay!

Shine upon thy work of grace,
If it be indeed begun.

9 Let me love thee more and more,

If I love at all, I pray;

If I have not lov'd before,
Help me to begin to day.

C. M.

398. The Complaint under Darkness. REJOICE in God, the word commands, And fain would I obey;

1

Yet still my spirit lingering stands,
While doubts impede my way.

2 How can my soul exult for joy,
Which feels this load of sin?

And how can praise my tongue employ,
While darkness reigns within?

3 Whence should my lips give rapture birth, When I no rapture feel?

Or how should notes of heavenly mirth,
Sound from a breast of steel?

4 If falling tears and rising sighs,
In triumph share a part;

Then, Lord, behold these streaming eyes, And search this bleeding heart!

5 My soul forgets to use her wings;
My harp neglected lies;

For sin has broken all its strings,
And guilt shuts out my joys.

6 The power, the sweetness, of thy voice,
Alone my heart can move;
Make me in Christ my Lord rejoice,
And melt my soul to love.

P. M.

39. Cast down, yet hoping. Ps. xlii. 5. 1 OMY soul, what means this sadness?

Wherefore art thou thus cast down?

Let thy griefs be turn'd to gladness,
Bid thy restless fears be gone;