Decrees and Providence of God.

1 LET the whole race of creatures lie
Abased before the Lord:

WATTS

Whate'er his mighty hand has formed
He governs with a word.

2 Ten thousand ages ere the skies
Were into motion brought,

All the long years and worlds to come
Stood present to his thought.

3 Trusting thy wisdom, God of love,
We would not wish to know
What, in the book of thy decrees,
Awaits us here below

4 Be this alone our fervent prayer,-
Whate'er our lot shall be,

146.

Or joys, or sorrows, may they form
Our souls for heaven and thee.

"God, with whom is no Variableness."

1 ALL-POWERFUL, self-existent God,
Who all creation dost sustain !
Thou wast, and art, and art to come,
And everlasting is thy reign!

2 Fixed and eternal as thy days,
Each glorious attribute divine,
Through ages infinite, shall still
With undiminished lustre shine.

3 Fountain of being! Source of good!
Immutable thou dost remain !
Nor can the shadow of a change
Obscure the glories of thy reign.

4 Earth may

147.

with all her powers dissolve,
If such the great Creator's will;
But thou forever art the same,

I AM, is thy memorial still.

1 THERE's not a place in earth's vast round,
In ocean deep, or air,

Where skill and wisdom are not found,
For God is everywhere.

2 Around, within, below, above,
Wherever space extends,

There heaven displays its boundless love,
And power with mercy blends.

3 Then rise, my soul, and sing his name,
And all his praise rehearse,

Who spread abroad earth's wondrous frame,
And built the universe.

4 Where'er thine earthly lot is cast.
His power and love declare;

148.

Nor think the mighty theme too vast,
For God is everywhere.

L. M.

Providence Mysterious.

ANONYMOUS

1 Hy ways, O Lord, with wise design,
Are framed upon thy throne above,
And every dark or bending line
Meets in the centre of thy love.

2 With feeble light, and half obscure,

Poor mortals thine arrangements view,
Not knowing that the least are sure,
And the mysterious just and true.

3 They neither know nor trace the way,
Bu, trusting to thy piercing eye,
None of their feet to ruin stray,

Nor shall the weakest fail or die.

4 My favored soul shall meekly learn
To lay her reason at thy throne;
Too weak thy secrets to discern,
I'll trust thee for my guide alone.

149.

GENERAL PRAISE.

L. M.

TATE & BRABY

Praise to the great Jehovah.

1 BE thou, O God, exalted high;

And as thy glory fills the sky.
So let it be on earth displayed,
Till thou art here, as there, obeyed.

2 O God, our hearts are fixed and bent
Their thankful tribute to present;

And, with the heart the voice, we'll raise
To thee, our God, in songs of praise.

3 Thy praises, Lord, we will resound
To all the listening nations round;
Thy mercy highest heaven transcends;
Thy truth beyond the clouds extends.

4 Be thou, O God, exalted high;
And as thy glory fills the sky,
So let it be on earth displayed,
Till thou art here, as there, obeyed.

150.

7s. M. Adoration.

SALISBURY COLL

1 HOLY, holy, holy Lord,
Be thy glorious name adored;
Lord, thy mercies never fail;
Hail, celestial goodness, hail!

2 Though unworthy, Lord, thine ear.
Deign our humble songs to hear;
Purer praise we hope to bring,
When around thy throne we sing.

3 There no tongue shall silent be;
All shall join in harmony;

That, through heaven's capacious round,
Praise to thee may ever sound.

4 Lord, thy mercies never fail;
Hail, celestial goodness, hail!
Holy, holy, holy Lord,

Be thy glorious name adored.

151.

10s. & 11s.

God Glorious.

GRANT

10, WORSHIP the King, all glorious above, And gratefully sing his wonderful love,

Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days Pavilioned in splendor, and girded with praise. 2 Thy bountiful care what tongue can recite? It breathes in the air, it shines in the light, It streams from the hills, it descends to the plain And sweetly distils in the dew and the rain. 3 Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail, In thee do we trust, nor find thee to fail; Thy mercies how tender! how firm to the end! Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend.

4 Father Almighty, how faithful thy love.
While angels delight to hymn thee above,
The humbler creation, though feeble their lays,
With true adoration shall lisp to thy praise.

152.

C. M.

Invitation to offer Praise.

HEMANS.

1 PRAISE ye the Lord; on every height
Songs to his glory raise ;

Ye angel hosts, ye stars of night,
Join in immortal praise.

20 fire and vapor, hail and snow,
Ye servants of his will;
O stormy winds, that only blow
His mandates to fulfil;-

3 Mountains and rocks, to heaven that rise
Fair cedars of the wood;

Creatures of life that wing the skies,
Or track the plains for food;-

4 Judges of nations; kings, whose hand
Waves the proud sceptre high;

O youths and virgins of the land;
0 age and infancy;

5 Praise ye his name, to whom alone
All homage should be given,
Whose glory, from th' eternal throne,
Spreads wide o'er earth and heaven.