1 GENTLY, Lord! Oh! gently lead us,
Through this lonely vale of tears;
Through the changes thou 'st decreed us,
Till our last great change appears:
When temptation's darts assail us,
When in devious paths we stray,
Let thy goodness never fail us,
Lead us in thy perfect way.
2 In the hour of pain and anguish,
In the hour when death draws near,
Suffer not our hearts to languish,-
Suffer not our souls to fear:
And, when mortal life is ended,
Bid us on thy bosom rest,
Till, by angel-bands attended,
We awake among the blest.
7s and 6s. Peculiar. Pleading by the Cross.
1 LAMB of God! whose bleeding love We now recall to mind:
Send the answer from above,
And let us mercy find.
Think on us who think on thee;
Every burdened soul release;
Oh! remember Calvary,
And bid us go in peace.
2 Let thy blood, by faith applied,
The sinner's pardon seal;
Speak us freely-justified,
And all our sickness heal:
By thy passion on the tree,
Let our griefs and troubles cease;
Oh! remember Calvary,
And bid us go in peace.
3 Can we ever hence depart
Till thou our wants relieve?
Write forgiveness on our heart,
And all thine image give:
Still our souls shall cry to thee,
Till renewed by holiness,-
Oh! remember Calvary,
And bid us go in peace.
Asking Mercy in Affliction.
1 O THOU whose mercy guides my way!
Though now it seems severe,
Forbid my unbelief to say
There is no mercy here.
2 Oh! grant me to desire the pain
That comes in kindness down,
More than the world's alluring gain
Succeeded by a frown.
3 Then, though thon bend my spirit low,
Love only shall I see;
The very hand, that strikes the blow,
Was wounded once for me.
368. Confidence in God's Government.
1 SINCE all the varying scenes of time
God's watchful eye surveys,
Oh! who so wise to choose our lot,
Or to appoint our ways?
2 Good, when he gives-supremely good
Nor less, when he denies;
E'en crosses, from his sovereign hand,
Are blessings in disguise.
3 Why should we doubt a Father's love,
So constant and so kind?
To his unerring gracious will
Be every wish resigned.
4 In thy fair book of life divine,
My God! inscribe my name;
There let it fill some humble place
Beneath my Lord, the Lamb!
1 HOW firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord!
Is laid for your faith in his excellent word!
What more can he say, than to you he hath said?-
You, who unto Jesus for refuge have fled.
2 Fear not, I am with thee, Oh! be not dismayed, I-I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand. [stand,
3 When through the deep waters I cause thee to go
The rivers of sorrow shall not thee o'erflow;
For I will be with thee thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
4 When thro' fiery trials thy path-way shall lie,
My grace all-sufficient shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee,-I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.
5 E'en down to old age, all my people shall prove
My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still, in my bosom, be borne.
6 The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,
I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes;
That soul, tho' all hell should endeavor to shake, I'll never, no, never,-no, never forsake.
Complaining of spiritual Sloth.
1 MY drowsy powers! why sleep ye so? Awake, my sluggish soul!
Nothing has half thy work to do,
Yet nothing 's half so dull.
2 The little ants, for one poor grain,
Labor, and tug, and strive;
Yet we, who have a heaven t' obtain,→
How negligent we live!-
3 We, for whose sake all nature stands,
And stars their courses move ;-
We, for whose guard the angel-bands
Come flying from above;-
4 We, for whom God, the Son, came down,
And labored for our good;-
How careless to secure that crown
He purchased with his blood!
5 Lord! shall we lie so sluggish still,
And never act our parts?
Come, holy Dove! from th' heavenly hill,
And sit and warm our hearts.
6 Then shall our active spirits move,-
Upwards our souls shall rise:
With hands of faith, and wings of love,
We'll fly and take the prize.
Desire for Heaven.
1 FROM every earthly pleasure,
From every transient joy,
From every mortal treasure
That soon will fade and die ;-
No longer these desiring,
Upward our wishes tend,
To nobler bliss aspiring,
And joys that never end.
2 From every piercing sorrow
That heaves our breast to-day,
Or threatens us to-morrow,
Hope turns our eyes away;
On wings of faith ascending,
We see the land of light,
And feel our sorrows ending,
In infinite delight.
3 'T is true we are but strangers
And pilgrims here below,
And countless snares and dangers
Surround the path we go:
Though painful and distressing,
Yet there's a rest above;
And onward still we 're pressing,
To reach that land of love.
1 ONCE I thought my mountain strong,
Firmly fixed, no more to move;
Then my Saviour was my song,
Then my soul was filled with love:
Those were happy, golden days,
Sweetly spent in prayer and praise.
2 Little, then, myself I knew,
Little thought of Satan's power;
Now I feel my sins renew,
Now I feel the stormy hour;
Sin has put my joys to flight,
Sin has turned my day to night.
3 Saviour! shine, and cheer my soul,
Bid my dying hopes revive,
Make my wounded spirit whole,
Far away, the tempter drive;'
Speak the word and set me free,-
Let me live alone to thee.
Inconstant Heart lamented.
1 AH! wretched, vile, ungrateful heart!
That can from Jesus thus depart;
Thus, fond of trifles, vainly rove,
Forgetful of a Saviour's love.
2 In vain I charge my thoughts to stay,
And chide earth's vanities away:
There's naught beneath a power divine,
That can this roving heart confine.
3 Jesus! to thee I would return,
And, at thy feet repenting, mourn:
There let me view thy pard'ning love,
And never from thy sight remove.
Oh! let thy love, with sweet control,
Bind all the passions of my soul;
Bid every earthly charm depart,
And dwell for ever in my heart.
Secret Self-Examination.
1 RETURN, my roving heart! return, And chase those shadowy forms no more; Now seek, in solitude, to mourn,
And thy forsaken God implore.
2 0 thou great God! whose piercing eye,
Distinctly marks each deep recess,
In these sequestered hours draw nigh,
And with thy presence fill the place.
3 Through all the windings of my heart,
My search let heavenly wisdom guide;
And still its radiant beams impart,
Till all be cleansed and purified.
4 Oh! with the visits of thy love,
Vouchsafe my inmost soul to cheer;
Till every grace shall join to prove,
That God has fixed his dwelling here.
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