Who the love of God can measure?
None of all our feeble race,-
While, on ev'ry side, we trace
Proofs that mercy is his pleasure.
Great my sins, but high above
Reaches his unbounded love.
3 As my teacher, to direct me,
He has sent his Spirit too :
Who, to comfort and protect me,
Should his scheme of love pursue;
And, while I am sin bewailing,
Give me hope;-in weakness, strength,
Light in darkness;-till, at length,
I might sing his grace unfailing,
And, though earthly griefs annoy,
Triumph still with holy joy.
4 Shall I, weary of confiding,
Fear what may the future be?
Since on earth I've been residing,
God has daily cared for me.
When I think what he has sent me,-
Comforts for my earthly home,
Pledges for the life to come,-
What more need I to content me?
Shall I mine own weakness fear?
He, my confidence, is near.
50 how many springs of sadness
Has my God in mercy dried!
And how many streams of gladness
To my soul has he supplied!
When his purpose he's concealing,
On his wisdom I will rest,-
Still he's doing what is best,
All my ills and anguish healing:
His, a father's love to me,
Has been, and will ever be.
Consolatory reflections on Providence.
1 IS wisdom, mercy, love divine,
Which mingles blessings with our cares;
And shall our thankless heart repine
That we obtain not all our prayers?
2 From want of faith, our sorrows flow,
Short-sighted mortals, weak and blind,
Bend down their eyes to earth and woe,
And doubt if providence be kind.
3 Should heaven with every wish comply,
Say, would the grant relieve the care?
Perhaps the good for which we sigh
Might change its name and prove a snare.
4 Were once our vain desires subdued,
The will resign'd, the heart at rest;
In every scene we should conclude
The will of heaven is right, is best.
Praise for God's providence and grace.
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 thine indulgent care,
Long ere I could pronounce thy name,
Or breathe the infant pray'r.
3 When reason with my stature grew,
How weak her brightest ray!
How little of my God I knew!
How apt from thee to stray!
4 Around my path what dangers rose!
What snares o'erspread my road!
No pow'r could guard me from my foes,
But my preserver, God.
5 When life hung trembling on a breath,
'Twas thine unceasing love
That sav'd me from impending death,
And bade my fears remove.
6 Lord, though this mortal frame decays,
And earthly comfort flies,
Complete the wonders of thy grace,
And raise me to the skies.
E trembling souls! dismiss your fears;
Be mercy all your theme;
Mercy, which like a river flows
In one continued stream.
2 Fear not the pow'rs of earth and hell:
God will these pow'rs restrain;
His mighty arm their rage repel,
And make their efforts vain.
3 Fear not the want of outward good:
He still for his provides,
Grants them supplies of daily food,
And gives them heav'n besides.
4 Fear not that he will e'er forsake,
Or leave his work undone;
He's faithful to his promises,
And faithful to his Son.
5 Fear not the terrors of the grave,
Nor death's tremendous sting:
He will from endless wrath preserve,
To endless glory bring.
6 You in his wisdom, pow'r, and grace,
May confidently trust:
His wisdom guides, his pow'r protects,
His grace rewards the just.
FALL AND DEPRAVITY OF MAN.
Corrupt nature from Adam.
LESS'D with the joys of innocence,
Our father Adam stood,
Till he debas'd his soul to sense,
And ate th' unlawful food.
2 Now we are born a sensual race,
To sinful joys inclin'd;
Reason has lost its native place,
And flesh enslaves the mind.
3 While flesh and sense and passion reign,
Sin is the sweetest good:
We fancy music in our chain,
And so forget the load.
4 Great God, renew our ruin'd frame,
Our broken pow'rs restore,
Inspire us with a heav'nly flame,
And flesh shall reign no more.
5 Eternal Spirit, write thy law
Upon our inward parts,
And let the second Adam draw
ORD, I would spread my sore distress
And guilt before thine eyes;
Against thy laws, against thy grace,
How high my crimes arise!
2 I from the stock of Adam came,
Unholy and unclean;
All my original is shame,
And all my nature sin.
3 Born in a world of guilt, I drew
Contagion with my breath;
And as my days advanced, I grew
A juster prey for death.
4 Cleanse me, O Lord, and cheer my soul
With thy forgiving love;
O! make my broken spirit whole,
And bid my pains remove.
5 Let not thy Spirit e'er depart,
Nor drive me from thy face;
Create anew my sinful heart,
And fill it with thy grace.
The deceitfulness of Sin.
IN has a thousand treach'rous arts
To practice on the mind;
With flatt'ring looks she tempts our hearts, But leaves a sting behind.
2 With names of virtue she deceives
The aged and the young;
And while the heedless wretch believes,
She makes his fetters strong.
3 She pleads for all the joy she brings,
And gives a fair pretence;
But cheats the soul of heav'nly things,
And chains it down to sense.
4 So on a tree divinely fair
Grew the forbidden food;
Our mother took the poison there,
And tainted all her blood.
Adam and Christ, Lords of Creation.
ORD, what was man when made at first,
Adam, the offspring of the dust,
That thou shouldst set him and his race
But just below an angel's place?
2 That thou shouldst raise his nature so,
And make him lord of all below;
Make every beast and bird submit,
And lay the fishes at his feet?
3 But, oh, what brighter glories wait
To crown the second Adam's state!
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