Immagini della pagina
PDF
ePub

His Spirit stirr❜d me up to pray,
And hover'd o'er my head,
Infusing the first gracious hope
He spread his wings abroad,
And train'd his infant pupil up
To seek the face of God.

3 The object of his kindest care
He never yet forsook,

But did himself my weakness bear,
And all my burthen took;

He bore me up, from earth he bore
On wings of heav'nly love,
And taught my unfledg'd soul to soar
To those bright realms above.

The Spirit of redeeming grace
Hath been my sure defence,
And through the pathless wilderness
Led on my innocence:
When simple as a little child
All idols I abhorr'd,

And saw as my Redeemer smil'd,
My Paradise restor❜d.

L. M.

86. Consolatory Reflections on Providence. • "TIS wisdom, merey, love divine,

Which mingles blessings with our cares;

And shall our thankless heart repine
That we obtain not all our prayers?

2 From diffidence our sorrows flow,
Short-sighted mortals, weak and blind,
Bend down their eves to earth and wo,
And doubt if providence be kind.

Should heaven with every wish comply,
Say, would the grant relieve the care?
Perhaps the good for which we sigh,
Might change it's name and prove a snare.

4 Were once our vain desires subdu❜d,
The will resign'd, the heart at rest;
In every scene we should conclude,
The will of heaven is right, is best.

C. M.

87. Praise for the Blessings of Providence and

Grace, Psalm cxxxix.

1 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.

3 Each rolling year new favours brought
From thy exhaustless store;

But, ah! in vain my labouring thought
Would count thy mercies o'er.

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

5 Yes, I adore thee, gracious Lord!
For favours 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,
Ard raise me to the skies.

88.

1

YE

(260.) C. M.

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 will for his provide,

Grant them supplies of daily food,
And give them heav'n beside.

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.

89.

FALL AND DEPRAVITY OF MAN.

C. M.

Corrupt Nature from Adam.

1 BLESS'D with the joys of innocence,

Adam, our father, 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.

8 While flesh and sense and passion reigns, Sin is the sweetest good:

We fancy music in our chains,
And so forget the load.

4 Great God, renew our ruin'd frame,
Our broken powers restore,
Inspire us with a heavenly flame,
And flesh shall reign no more.
5 Eternal Spirit, write thy law
Upon our inward parts,
And let the second Adam draw
His image on our hearts.

C. M.

90. Original Sin; or, the first and second Adam

Rom. v. 12. Psalm li. 5. Job xiv. 4.

1 BACKWARD with humble shame we look, On our original;

How is our nature dash'd and broke
In our first father's fall!

2 To all that's good, averse and blind,
But prone to all that's ill;

What dreadful darkness veils our mind!
How obstinate our will!

3 How strong in our degenerate blood,
The old corruption reigns,

And, mingling with the crooked flood,
Wanders through all our veins!

4 Wild and unwholesome as the rout
Will all the branches be;

How can we hope for living fruit
From such a deadly tree?

5 What mortal power from things unclean
Can pure productions bring?

Who can command a vital stream
From an infected spring?

6 Yet mighty God, thy wondrous love
Can make our nature clean,

While Christ and grace prevail above
The tempter, death, and sin.

7 The second Adam shall restore
The ruins of the first,

Hosanna to that sovereign power
That new-creates our dust.

91.

C. M.

The Deceitfulness of Sin.

1 SIN has a thousand treacherous arts To practise on the mind;

With flattering 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.

8 She pleads for all the joy she brings,
And gives a fair pretence;

But cheats the soul of heavenly things,
And chains it down to sense.

So on a tree divinely fair

Grew the forbidden food;

Our mother took the poison there,
And tainted all her blood.

L. M..

92. Adum and Christ, Lords of the Old and the

New Creation.

1 LORD, what was man when made at first, Adam the offspring of the dust,

That thou should'st set him and his race
But just below an angel's place?

2 That thou should'st 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 O, what brighter glories wait
To crown the second Adam's state!
What honours shall thy Son adorn,
Who condescended to be born!

« IndietroContinua »