But thou, the same, from age secure,
Shalt, self-existent, still endure:
Thy years, which change nor limit know,
Shall through eternal ages flow.
Thee, Lord, their sole protector, thee,
Thy saints a sure support shall see;
They and their children's children share
The gifts of thy paternal care.
Hymn 113. L. M.
LORD, what is man! extremes how wide
In this mysterious nature join!
The flesh, to worms and dust allied;
The soul, immortal and divine.
Divine at first, a holy flame,
Kindled by God's creative breath;
Till, stain'd by sin, it soon became
The seat of darkness, strife, and death.
Now, what is man, when grace reveals
The virtue of a Saviour's blood?
Again a life divine he feels,
Despises earth, and walks with God.
And what in yonder realms above,
Is ransom'd man ordain'd to be?
With honour, holiness, and love,
No seraph more adorn'd than he.
Nearest the throne, and first in song,
Man shall his hallelujahs raise;
While wondering angels round him throng,
And swell the chorus of his praise.
IS good for us, most gracious Lord!
To feel thy chastening rod :
Afflictions make us learn thy law,
And bring us near to God.
Had not thy word been our delight,
When earthly joys were fled,
Our souls, oppress'd with sorrow's weight,
Had sunk among the dead.
We know thy judgments all are right,
Though some may seem severe :
The heaviest sufferings we endure
Do teach us, Lord, thy fear,
Before we felt thy chastening hand,
Our feet were wont to stray:
But now we keep thy holy word,
And love to tread thy way.
Hymn 115. C. M.
LONG have we heard the joyful sound
Of thy salvation, Lord!
Yet still how weak our faith is found,
How slow to learn thy word!
Oft we frequent thy holy place,
Yet hear almost in vain ;
Such faint impressions of thy grace,
Our languid powers retain.
How cold and feeble is our love!
How negligent our fear!
How low our hopes of joys above!
How few affections there!
Great God! thy sovereign aid impart,
To give thy word success;
Write all its precepts on our heart,
And deep its truths impress.
Oh! speed our progress in the way
That leads to joys on high;
Where knowledge grows without decay,
And love shall never die.
PRAYER is the soul's sincere desire,
Utter'd or unexpress'd;
The motion of a hidden fire,
That trembles in the breast.
Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear:
The upward glancing of an eye,
When none but God is near.
Prayer is the simplest form of speech
That infant-lips can try;
Prayer, the sublimest strains that reach
The Majesty on high.
Prayer is the christian's vital breath,
The christian's native air;
His watch word at the gates of death;
He enters heaven with prayer.
O Christ, by whom we come to God,
The life, the truth, the way! !
The path of prayer thyself hast trod :
Lord, teach us how to pray!
THE festal moru, O God! is come,
That calls us to thy hallow'd dome,
Thy presence to adore:
With joy the summons we attend,
With willing steps thy courts ascend,
And tread the sacred floor.
E'en now to our enraptur'd eyes
The heaven-built towers of Salem rise!
E'en now with glad survey,
We view her mansions, that contain
Angelic forms, a glorious train,
And shine with cloudless day.
Thither, from earth's remotest end,
Let the redeem'd of God ascend,
Their tribute thither bring:
There, crown'd with everlasting joy,
In hymns of praise their tongues employ,
And hail th' Immortal King.
ANGELS, from the realms of glory,
Wing your flight o'er all the earth,
Ye who sang creation's story,
Now proclaim Messiah's birth.
Shepherds, in the fields abiding,
Watching o'er your flocks by night,
God with man is now residing,
Yonder shines the infant light.
Sages, leave your contemplations,
Brighter visions beam afar;
Seek the great desire of nations;
Ye have seen his natal star.
Saints, before the altar bending,
Watching long in hope and fear,
Suddenly, the Lord descending,
In his temple shall appear.
Sinners wrung with true repentance,
Doom'd for guilt to endless pains,
Justice now revokes the sentence,
Mercy calls you,-breaks
ONS of men, behold from far, Hail the long expected star; Jacob's star that gilds the night, Guides bewildered nature right.
Mild it shines on all beneath,
Piercing through the shades of death;
Scattering error's wide-spread night,
Kindling darkness into light.
Nations all remote and near,
Haste to see your God appear:
Haste, for him your hearts prepare ;
Meet him manifested there.
Sing, ye morning stars, again,
God descends to dwell with men ;
Deigns for man his life t' employ ;
Shout, ye sons of God for joy.
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