God, the

34.

C. M. STERLE.

supreme Good. I WHEN fancy spreads her boldest wing,

And wanders unconfined
Amid th' unbounded scene of things,

Which entertain the mind : 2 In vain we trace creation o'er,

In search of sacred rest;
The whole creation is too poor,

Too mean to make us blest.
3 In vain would this low world employ

Each flattering, specious wile; For what can yield a real joy,

But our Creator's smile.
4 Let earth and all her charms depart,

Unworthy of the mind;
In God alone, this restless heart

An equal bliss can find. 5 Great spring of all felicity,

To whom our wishes tend !
Do not these wishes rise from thee,

And in thy favour end ? 35. C. M. WATTS.

Rejoicing in the Works of God. 1 REJOICE, ye righteous ! in the Lord ;

This work belongs to you;
Sing of his name, his ways, his word,

How holy, just, and true!
2 By his creative word of might,

The heavenly arch was reared ; And all the beauteous hosts of light

At his command appeared.
3 He bade the mighty waters flow

To their appointed deep ;.
The swelling seas their límits know,

And their own station keep.
4 Ye tenants of the spacious earth!

With awe before him stand:
He spake, and nature took its birth,

And rests on his command.

6 His works of nature and of grace

Reveal his wondrous name;
His mercy and his righteousness

Let heaven and earth proclaim. 36.

L. M. RIPPON'S COLL.
The truth and faithfulness of God.
1 YE humble saints, proclaim abroad

The honours of a faithful God :
How just and true are all his ways,

How much above your highest praise ! 2 The words his sacred lips declare

Of his own mind the image bear;
What should him tempt, from frailty free,

Blest in his self-sufficiency.
3 He will not his great self deny:

A God of truth can never lie:
As well might he his being quit

As break his oath, or word forget. 4 Let frighten'd rivers change their course,

Or backward hasten to their source;
Swift through the air let rocks be hurld,

And mountains like the chaff be whirl'd. 5 Let suns and stars forget to rise,

Or quit their stations in the skies;
Let heav'n and earth both pass away,

Eternal truth shall ne'er decay.
6 True to his word, God gave his Son,

To die for crimes which men had done; Blest pledge! he never will revoke A single promise he has spoke.

PROVIDENCE AND GOVERNMENT OF GOD. 37.

C. M. COWPER.

Mysterious Providence. 1 GOD moves in a mysterious way,

His wonders to perform :
He plants his footsteps in the sea,

And rides upon the storm. 2 Deep in unfathomable mines

Of never-failing skill,

He treasures up his bright designs,

And works his sovereign will. 3 Ye fearful saints ! fresh courage take;

The clouds ye so much dread, Are big with mercy, and will break

In blessings on your head.
4 Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,

But trust him for his grace:
Behind a frowning providence

He hides a smiling face.
5 His purposes will ripen fast,

Unfolding every hour:
The bud may have a bitter taste,

But sweet will be the flower. 6 Blind unbelief is sure to err,

And scan his work in vain : God is his own interpreter,

And he will make it plain. 38.

C. M. BEDDOME. Providence and Grace unsearchable. I ALMIGHTY God, thy wondrous works

Of providence and grace,
An angel's perfect mind exceed,

And all our pride abase. 2 Stupendous heights ! amazing depths!

Creatures in vain explore;
Or if a transient glimpse we gain,

'Tis faint, and quickly o'er. 3 Though all thy mysteries lie concealed

Beyond what we can see,
Grant us the knowledge of ourselves,

The knowledge, Lord, of thee. 39.

C. M. J. TAYLOR. Trust in God through all changes. 1 FATHER divine! before thy view,

All worlds, all creatures lie;
No distance can elude thy search,

No action 'scape thine eye.
From thee our vital breath we drew;

Our childhood was thy care;

And vigorous youth and feeble age

Thy kind protection share. 3 What'er we do, where'er we turn,

Thy ceaseless bounty flows; Oppressed with wo, when nature faints,

Thine arm is our repose.
4 To thee we look, thou Power Supreine

O still our wants supply!
Safe in thy presence may we live,

And in thy favour die. 40.

L. M. DODDRIDGE, Providential Bounties improved. 1 FATHER of lights ! we sing thy name,

Who kindlest up the lamp of day;
Wide as he spreads his golden flame,

His beams thy power and love display. 2 Fountain of good ! from thee proceed

The copious drops of genial rain,
Which o'er the hill and through the mead,

Revive the grass, and swell the grain. 3 Through the wide world thy bounties spread;

Yet millions of our guilty race,
Though by thy daily bounty fed,

Affront thy law, and spurn thy grace. 4 Not so may our forgetful hearts

O'erlook the tokens of thy care;
But what thy liberal hand imparts,

Still own in praise, still ask in prayer. 5 So shall our suns more grateful shine,

And showers in sweeter drops shall fall,
When all our hearts and lives are thine,

And thou, O God ! enjoyed in all. 41. L. M. WESLEY'S COL.

Deliverances acknowledged.
1 GOD of our life, whose gracious power

Through varied deaths our souls hath led,
Or turned aside the fatal hour,

Or lifted up our sinking head!
2 In all our ways thy hand we own,

Thy ruling providence we see:

Assist us still our course to run,

And still direct our paths to thee.
3 Whither, O! whither should we fly,

But to our loving Father's breast,
Secure within thine arms to lie,

And safe beneath thy wings to rest ? 4 We have no skill the snare to shun,

But thou, O God, our wisdom art;
We ever into ruin run;

But thou art greater than each heart. 5 Foolish and impotent and blind,

Lead us a way we have not known;
Bring us where we our heaven may find,

The heaven of loving thee alone. 42.

L. M. BROWNE.

Dependence on Providence.
I GREAT Lord of earth, and seas, and skies

Thy wealth the needy world supplies :
And safe beneath thy guardian arm,

We live secured from every harm. 2 To thee perpetual thanks we owe

For all our comforts here below;
Our daily bread thy bounty gives,

And every rising want relieves.
3 To thee we cheerful homage bring;

In grateful hymns thy praises sing;
On thee we ever will depend,

The rich, the sure, the faithful friend. 43. C. P. M. EXETER COL.

Providential Goodness God.
I GREAT source of unexhausted good,
Who giv'st us health, and friends, and food,

And peace, and calm content,
Like fragrant incense, to the skies,
Let songs of grateful praises rise,

For all thy blessings lent.
2 Through all the dangers of the day,
Thy providence attends our way,

To guard us and to guide;
Thy grace directs our wandering will,
And warns us, lest seducing ill

Allare our souls aside.