277

On

764

The soul's only refuge.

THOU refuge of my soul,

On thee, when sorrows rise,

On thee, when waves of trouble roll,
My fainting hope relies.

2 To thee I tell my grief,

For thou alone canst heal;

Thy word can bring a sweet relief
For every pain I feel.

3 But, O, when doubts prevail,
I fear to call thee mine;

The springs of comfort seem to fail,
And all my hopes decline.

4 Yet, Lord, where shall I flee?
Thou art my only trust;

And still my soul would cleave to thee, Though prostrate in the dust.

5 Here then I doubt no more, But in his pleasure rest;

Whose wisdom, love, and truth, and power, Engage to make me blest.

881

Restored by grace.

JESUS, if thy free grace

Again hath raised me up,

And call'd me still to seek thy face, And given me back my hope,

Thy timely help afford,

Thy loving-kindness show;

139-c.

O keep me, keep me, gracious Lord,
And never let me go.

2 By me, my Saviour, stand,

In sore temptation's hour;

O save me with thine out-stretch'd hand, And show forth all thy power.

Be mindful of thy word;

Sufficient grace bestow;

O keep me, keep me, gracious Lord,
And never let me go.

3 Give me a holy fear,

And fix it in my heart;

That thus I may from evil near
With timely care depart;

Be every sin abhorr'd,

Till thou destroy the foe;

O keep me, keep me, gracious Lord,
And never let me go.

1031 Prayer for our native land.

LORD, while for all mankind we pray,

Of every clime and coast,

O hear us for our native land,-
The land we love the most.

2 O guard our shores from every foe;
With peace our borders bless-
Our cities with prosperity,

Our fields with plenteousness.

3 Unite us in the sacred love

Of knowledge, truth, and thee;
And let our hills and valleys chant
The songs of liberty.

4 Lord of the nations, thus to thee
Our country we commend;
Be thou her refuge and her trust-
Her everlasting friend.

BEN
ENEATH our feet, and o'er our head,
Is equal warning given;
Beneath us lie the countless dead,-

Above us is the heaven.

2 Death rides on every passing breeze,
And lurks in every flower;
Each season has its own disease,-
Its peril every hour.

3 Our eyes have seen the rosy light
Of youth's soft cheek decay,
And fate descend in sudden night
On manhood's middle day.

4 Our eyes have seen the steps of age Halt feebly to the tomb;

And shall earth still our hearts engage, And dreams of days to come?

5 Turn, mortal, turn; thy danger know: Where'er thy foot can tread,

The earth rings hollow from below,
And warns thee by her dead.

6 Turn, mortal, turn; thy soul apply
To truths divinely given:

The dead who underneath thee lie,
Shall live for hell or heaven.

327 The voice that wakes the dead. 75-c.

THOU Son of God, whose flaming eyes
Our inmost thoughts perceive,
Accept the grateful sacrifice
Which now to thee we give.

2 We bow before thy gracious throne,
And think ourselves sincere:

But show us, Lord, is every one
Thy real worshipper?

3 Is here a soul that knows thee not,
Nor feels his need of thee,-

A stranger to the blood which bought
His pardon on the tree?

4 Convince him now of unbelief;
His desp'rate state explain;
And fill his heart with sacred grief,
And penitential pain.

5 Speak, with that voice that wakes the dead, And bid the sleeper rise;

And bid his guilty conscience dread
The death that never dies.

2 Conqu'ror of hell, and earth, and sin,
Still with the rebel strive:
Enter my soul, and work within,
And kill and make alive.

3 More of thy life, and more I have,
As the old Adam dies:
Bury me, Saviour, in thy grave,
That I with thee may rise.

4 Reign in me, Lord; thy foes control,
Who would not own thy sway;
Diffuse thine image through my soul;
Shine to the perfect day.

5 Scatter the last remains of sin,
And seal me thine abode;
O make me glorious all within,—
A temple built by God!

110 Such knowledge is too wonderful for us. 80-b.

SHALL foolish, weak, short-sighted man
Beyond the angels go,-
The great Almighty God explain,
Or to perfection know?

2 His attributes divinely soar
Above the creature's sight,
And prostrate seraphim adore
The glorious Infinite.

3 The brightness of his glory leaves
Description far below;

Nor man's nor angel's heart conceives
How deep his mercies flow.

4 His grace is most unsearchable,
And dazzles all above;

They gaze, but cannot count or tell
The treasures of his love.

430

THE

The returning prodigal.

279

5 Through all the courts the tidings flew,
And spread the joy around;
The angels tuned their harps anew,-
The long-lost son is found!

1013 Children recalling the example of

WHEN

Jesus.

81-a.

HEN Jesus left his Father's throne,
He chose an humble birth;
And, all unhonour'd and unknown,
He came to dwell on earth.

2 Like him, may we be found below
In wisdom's path of peace;
Like him, in grace and knowledge grow,
As years and strength increase.

3 Sweet were his words, and kind his look,
When mothers round him press'd;
Their infants in his arms he took,

And on his bosom blest.

4 Safe from the world's alluring charms, Beneath his watchful eye,

Thus, in the circle of his arms,
May we forever lie.

184 The Holy Spirit witnessing with ours. 76-a.

ETERNAL Spirit! God of truth!

Our contrite hearts inspire;
Kindle a flame of heavenly love--
The pure celestial fire.

2 'Tis thine to soothe the sorrowing,
With guilt and fear oppress'd;
"Tis thine to bid the dying live,
And give the weary rest.

3 Subdue the power of every sin,
Whate'er that sin may be;
That we, in singleness of heart,
May worship only thee.

4 Then with our spirits witness bear,
That we are sons of God;
Redeem'd from sin, and death, and hell,
Through Christ's atoning blood.

77-b.

750

HE long-lost son, with streaming eyes, From folly just awake, Reviews his wand'rings with surprise; His heart begins to break.

2 I starve, he cries, nor can I bear
The famine in this land,

While servants of my father share
The bounty of his hand.

3 With deep repentance I'll return,
And seek my father's face;
Unworthy to be call'd a son,

I'll ask a servant's place.

4 Far off the Father saw him move,-
In pensive silence mourn,-
And quickly ran, with arms of love,
To welcome his return.

Radiant hope.

WHO, in such a world as this,
Could bear his lot of pain,

Did not one radiant hope of bliss
Unclouded yet remain?

117-a.

That hope the sov'reign Lord has given, Who reigns above the skies; Hope that unites the soul to heaven By faith's endearing ties.

2 Each care, each ill of mortal birth,
Is sent in pitying love,

To lift the ling'ring heart from earth,
And speed its flight above.

And every pang that wrings the breast,
And every joy that dies,
Tell us to seek a purer rest,

And trust to holier ties.

L. MASON, 1824.

126 The glory of His kingdom.

2 He comes, with succour speedy To those who suffer wrong; To help the poor and needy,

And bid the weak be strong;
To give them songs for sighing,-
Their darkness turn to light,-
Whose souls, condemn'd and dying,
Were precious in his sight.

3 He shall descend like showers
Upon the fruitful earth,
And love and joy, like flowers,
Spring in his path to birth:
Before him, on the mountains,
Shall peace, the herald, go,
And righteousness, in fountains,
From hill to valley flow.

4 To him shall prayer unceasing,
And daily vows ascend;
His kingdom stil increasing,-
A kingdom without end:
The tide of time shall never

His covenant remove;
His name shall stand forever;
That name to us is Love.

1014

WE

E bring no glitt'ring treasures, No gems from earth's deep mine; We come, with simple measures, To chant thy love divine. Children, thy favours sharing,

Their voice of thanks would raise; Father, accept our off'ring,

Our song of grateful praise.

2 The dearest gift of Heaven,
Love's written word of truth,
To us is early given,

To guide our steps in youth;
We hear the wondrous story,
The tale of Calvary;
We read of homes in glory,
From sin and sorrow free.

3 Redeemer! grant thy blessing!
O! teach us how to pray,
That each, thy fear possessing,
May tread life's onward way;
Then where the pure are dwelling
We hope to meet again,
And sweeter numbers swelling,
Forever praise thy Name.