Week after week his kindness tells,
Day after day his love reveals.
3 The summer's sun, the spring's soft show'r, Declare his all-providing pow'r;
The autumn's fruit, the winter's snow,
To all, his wise arrangements show.
4 His works proclaim his care divine;
In all the earth his glories shine;
Through ev'ry month his gifts appear;
Great God! thy goodness crowns the year.
5 But, above all, our souls would praise
Thy wonders of redeeming grace:
The God of providence we bless,
Yet most adore the "God of peace."
L. M. Ebenezer. 1 Samuel vii. 12.
1 OUR helper God! we bless thy name; The same thy pow'r, thy love the same: The tokens of thy gracious care
Our days, and months, and years declare. 2 We, midst ten thousand dangers, stand Protected by thy guardian hand;
And, while our souls review thy ways,
We now our Ebenezer raise.
3 Thus far thine arm has led us on;
Thus far we make thy mercy known:
And while we tread this desert land,
New mercies shall new thanks demand.
4 Our joyful souls, on Jordan's shore,
Shall raise one grateful pillar more;
Then in the promis'd land above,
We'll sing thy never-changing love.
SECTION FIRST.-THE CHURCH GENERAL.
8.8. 6. The spiritual temple.
1 BEHOLD the temple of the Lord!
God's building, where, by saints ador'd,
His presence he reveals:
Jehovah Jesus, God of peace,
Rears it to be his resting place,
And there his glory dwells.
2 A temple this not made with hands;
The workmanship of grace it stands,
And ever shall endure;
'Tis founded on the "living stone,"
And, midst all changes, shall be known
Immutably secure.
3 Time, that all other works destroys,
Combin'd with pow'r that hell employs,
With safety it defies;
Erected for God's own name's sake,
Though earth with deep convulsions shake,
Majestic it shall rise.
4 Age after age the work goes on:
Soon shall we hear the voice, "'tis done!"
And hail its crowning stone:
With all the armies of the sky,
Grace, grace, unto it" we will cry,
And Jesus' praise make known.
C. M. The Church the body of Christ. Eph. iv. 15, 16.
Colossians i. 18.
I JESUS, we sing thy matchless grace,
Which calls us worms thine own;
Which grants us with thy saints a place,
To make thy glories known.
2 As join'd to thee, our vital head,
We act, and grow, and thrive ;
From thee divided, man is dead
When most he seems alive.
3 The saints on earth, and those above,
Unite in bless'd accord:
One body join'd in mutual love
And thou, their common Lord.
4 O may we day by day derive,
The Spirit's inward might;
Then earth and hell in vain shall strive
Our souls to disunite.
5 Fill'd from thy fulness, may our hearts
Abound in joy and love;
And when this mortal scene departs
Ascend to thee above.
6 Then the whole church, which thou hast bought,
Shall stand before thy face;
Nor shall a wrinkle or a spot
Its beauteous form deface.
8.7. The security of Zion, and the blessedness of her citizens. Psalm 1xxxvii.
1 GLORIOUS things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God!
He whose word can not be broken,
Form'd thee for his own abode.
On the Rock of Ages founded,
What can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation's walls surrounded,
Thou may'st smile at all thy foes.
2 Plenteous streams of living waters,
Springing from eternal love,
Well supply thy sons and daughters,
And all fear of want remove:
Can they faint while such a river
Ever flows their thirst t' assuage?
Grace which, like the Lord the giver,
Never fails from age to age.
3 Bless'd inhabitants of Zion,
Wash'd in the Redeemer's blood!
Jesus, whom their souls rely on,
Makes them kings and priests to God.
Fading is all worldly pleasure,
All its boasted pomp and show;
Solid joys and lasting treasure,
None but Zion's children know.
8.7.7. God the glory and defence of Zion. Psalm xlviii. 1 YE who love the cause of Zion, Though despis'd of men and few, Arm'd with boldness like the lion, Fear not all that men can do: What though all the world oppose, God is stronger than her foes.
2 Zion's foes may all assemble,
But their counsel will not stand:
Soon the stoutest heart will tremble,
When the Lord shall raise his hand :
Who to her would ruin bring,
First must vanquish Zion's King.
3 Come, ye people, walk around her,
View her walls and count her tow'rs:
See how God, her King and founder,
Keeps her safe from hostile pow'rs:
Zion's children live secure,
God has made their dwelling sure.
4 See her firm and deep foundation;
Zion stands upon a rock :
God has call'd her walls salvation,
Form'd to stand each adverse shock:
Strength and glory here unite,
Zion is the Lord's delight.
L. M. The stability of the church.
1 HAPPY the church, thou sacred place,
The seat of thy Creator's grace;
Thy holy courts are his abode,
Thou earthly palace of our God.
2 Thy walls are strength, and at thy gates
A guard of heav'nly warriors waits;
Nor shall thy deep foundations move,
Fix'd on his counsels and his love.
3 Thy foes in vain designs engage;
Against his throne in vain they rage;
Like rising waves, with angry roar,
That dash and die upon the shore.
4 Then let our souls in Zion dwell,
Nor fear the wrath of earth and hell:
His arm defends this happy ground,
Like brazen bulwarks built around.
5 God is our shield, and God our sun;
Swift as the fleeting moments run,
On us he sheds new beams of grace,
And we reflect his brightest praise.
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