If he resolves, who dare oppose,
Or ask him why, or what he does?

3 He wounds the heart, and he makes whole,
He calms the tempests of the soul;
When he shuts up in long despair,
Who can remove the heavy bar?

4 He frowns-and darkness vails the moon;
The fainting sun grows dim at noon;
The pillars of the starry roof
Tremble and start at his reproof.

5 These are a portion of his ways;
But who shall dare describe his face?
Who can endure his light, or stand
To hear the thunders of his hand?

64

1

'L'

The Book of God's Decrees.

ET the whole race of creatures lie
Abased before their God;

Whate'er his sovereign voice has formed
He governs with a nod.

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 There's not a sparrow nor a worm
But's found in his decrees;
He raises monarchs to their throne,
And sinks them as he please.

4 If light attends the course I run,
'Tis he provides those rays;
And 'tis his hand that hides my sun,
If darkness clouds my days.

5 Yet I would not be much concerned,
Nor vainly long to see

The volumes of his deep decrees,
What months are writ for me.

6 When he reveals the book of life,
Oh may I read my name

Among the chosen of his love,

The followers of the Lamb.

Watts.

C. M.

Watts.

65 Salvation by Grace in Christ. 2 Tim. i. 9, 10.
TOW to the power of God supreme
Be everlasting honors given;

1

NOW

He saves from hell-(we bless his name,) He calls our wandering feet to heaven. 2 Not for our duties or deserts,

But of his own abundant grace,
He works salvation in our hearts,
And forms a people for his praise.
3 'Twas his own purpose that begun
To rescue rebels, doomed to die;
He gave us grace in Christ his Son,
Before he spread the starry sky.
4 Jesus the Lord appears at last,

And makes his Father's counsels known;
Declares the great transaction past,
And brings immortal blessings down.
5 He dies!-and in that dreadful night
Did all the powers of hell destroy;
Rising, he brought our heaven to light,
And took possession of the joy.

66

1

Thanks for Preserving Goodness.
THEN all thy mercies, O my God,

W My rising soul surveys,

Transported with the view, I'm lost
In wonder, love, and praise.

2 Unnumbered comforts on my soul
Thy tender care bestowed,
Before my infant heart conceived

From whom those comforts flowed.

3 When in the slippery paths of youth
With heedless steps I ran,

Thy arm, unseen, conveyed me safe,
And led me up to man.

4 Ten thousand thousand precious gifts
My daily thanks employ;
Nor is the least a cheerful heart,
That tastes those gifts with joy.

5 Through every period of my life,
Thy goodness I'll pursue;

L.M.

Watts.

C. M.

And after death, in distant worlds,
The glorious theme renew.

6 Through all eternity, to thee
A joyful song I'll raise :
But oh, eternity's too short
To utter all thy praise.

67

1

HOW

Addison's Spec.

The Servants of God safe.

C. M.

OW are thy servants bless'd, O Lord,
How sure is their defence!

Eternal wisdom is their guide,

Their help Omnipotence.

2 In foreign realms, and lands remote,
Supported by thy care,

Through burning climes they pass unhurt,
And breathe in tainted air.

3 When by the dreadful tempest borne,
High on the broken wave,

They know thou art not slow to hear,
Nor impotent to save.

4 The storm is laid-the winds retire,
Obedient to thy will:

The sea, that roars at thy command,
At thy command is still.

5 In midst of dangers, fears, and deaths,
Thy goodness we'll adore;

We'll praise thee for thy mercies past,
And humbly hope for more.

6 Our life, while thou preserv'st that life,
Thy sacrifice shall be;

And death, when death shall be our lot,
Shall join our souls to thee.

68

1

Providence and Grace.

Addison's Spec.

ALMIGHTY Father, gracious Lord,

Kind guardian of my days,

Thy mercies let my heart record
In songs of grateful praise.

2 In life's first dawn, my tender frame
Was thy indulgent care,

Long ere I could pronounce thy name,
Or breathe the infant prayer.

C. M.

3 Each rolling year new favors brought
From thy exhaustless store;
But ah, in vain my laboring thought
Would count thy mercies o'er.

4 While sweet reflection, through my days
Thy bounteous hand would trace,
Still dearer blessings claim my praise,
The blessings of thy grace.

5 Yes, I adore thee, gracious Lord,
For favors more divine;

That I have known thy sacred word,
Where all thy glories shine.

6 Lord, when this mortal frame decays,
And every weakness dies,

Complete the wonders of thy grace,
And raise me to the skies.

7 Then shall my joyful powers unite
In more exalted lays;

And join the happy sons of light
In everlasting praise.

69

God our Preserver.

Mrs. Steele.

ET others boast how strong they be,

'LE Nor death nor danger fear;

But we'll confess, O Lord, to thee,
What feeble things we are.

2 Fresh as the grass our bodies stand,
And flourish bright and gay;
A blasting wind sweeps o'er the land,
And fades the grass away.

3 Our life contains a thousand springs,
And dies if one be gone;

Strange that a harp of thousand strings
Should keep in tune so long!

4 But 'tis our God supports our frame—
The God who built us first;
Salvation to th' Almighty Name,
That reared us from the dust.

5 While we have breath to use our tongues,
Our Maker we'll adore;

His spirit moves our heaving lungs,

Or they would breathe no more.

C. M.

Watts.

70

1

Our Life in God's Hand.

OSANNA, with a cheerful sound,
To God's upholding hand;

Ten thousand snares attend us round,
And yet secure we stand.

2 That was a most amazing power,
That raised us with a word;
And every day and every hour
We lean upon the Lord.

3 The evening rests our weary head,
And angels guard the room;
We wake, and we admire the bed
That was not made our tomb.

4 The rising morning can't assure
That we shall end the day;
For death stands ready at the door,
To seize our lives away.

5 Our breath is forfeited by sin,
To God's avenging law;

We own thy grace, immortal King,
In every gasp we draw.

6 God is our sun, whose daily light
Our joy and safety brings;
Our feeble flesh lies safe at night,
Beneath his shady wings.

C. M.

Watts.

71

Trust in God.

S. M.

1

THOU, my life, my joy,

My glory and my all

Unsent by thee, no good can come,
No evil can befall.

2 Such are thy wondrous works,
And methods of thy grace,
That I may safely trust in thee,
Through all this wilderness.

3 'Tis thy all-powerful arm

Upholds me in the way;
And thy rich bounty well supplies
The wants of every day.

4 For such compassions, Lord,
Ten thousand thanks are due;