And hope itself despairing weep, While life deplores its last supply: 3 Amid the dark, the deathful scene, If I can say, The LORD is mine! The joy shall triumph o'er the pain, And glory dawn, tho' life decline. 4 The GOD of my salvation lives; My nobler life he will sustain; His word immortal vigour gives, Nor shall my glorious hopes be vain. 5 Thy presence, LORD! can cheer my heart, Though ev'ry earthly comfort die; Thy smile can bid my pains depart, And raise my sacred pleasures high. 6 O let me hear thy blissful voice, Inspiring life and joys divine! The barren desert shall rejoice; 'Tis paradise if thou art mine.

1

439.

Long Metre. Doddridge.

The weeping seed-time and joyful harvest. HE darken'd sky-how thick it low'rs! Troubl'd with storms, and big with show'rs;

THE

No cheerful gleam of light appears,
But nature pours forth all her tears.
2 Yet let the sons of grace revive;
Gon bids the soul that seeks him, live;

And, from the gloomiest shade of night,
Calls forth a morning of delight.

3 The seeds of ecstacy unknown,
Are in these water'd furrows sown,
See the green blades! how quick they rise!
And with fresh verdure bless our eyes.
4 In secret foldings they contain
Unnumber'd ears of golden grain;
And heav'n shall pour its beams around,
Till the ripe harvest load the ground.
5 Then shall the trembling mourner come,
And find his sheaves, and bring them home;
The voice, long broke with sighs, shall sing,
Till heav'n with hallelujahs ring.

PART XIV.

Life, Death, Judgment, and a Future State.

440.

Common Metre. WATTS.

The shortness of life and the goodness of GOD. IME! what an empty vapour 'tis!

1

TIME!

Our days, how swift they are!

Swift as an Indian arrow flies,

Or like a shooting star.

2 Successive moments just appear, Then slide away in haste;

Nor can we ever say "they're here,”
But only-"they are past."

3 Our life is ever on the wing,
And death is ever nigh;

To live, no sooner we begin,
Than we begin to die.

4 Yet, mighty God! our fleeting days
Thy constant favours share;
Thy bounties, in ten thousand ways,
Still crown the rolling year.

5 His goodness runs an endless round;
All glory to the LORD!

His mercy never knows a bound,

And be his name ador'd.

6 Thus we begin the lasting song; And when in dust we lie,

1

Let age to age thy praise prolong,
Till time and nature die.

441.

Common Metre. WATTS.
Man mortal, and GOD eternal.

OU

UR GOD! our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home!

2 Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth receiv'd her frame,
From everlasting thou art GOD,
To endless years the same.

3 Thy word commands our flesh to dust, "Return, ye sons of men:"

All nations rose from earth at first,
And turn to earth again.

4 The busy tribes of flesh and blood,
With all their hopes and fears,
Are carried downwards by the flood,
And lost in foll'wing years.

5 Like flow'ry fields the nations stand,
Pleas'd with the morning light:

The flow'rs, beneath the mower's hand,
Lie with'ring ere 'tis night.

6 Our God! our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come!
Be thou our guard while troubles last,
And our eternal home.

442.

Long Metre. Doddridge.

Mutability of the creation and immutability of

1

God.

REAT Former of this various frame! We reverence thine awful name; And bow, and tremble, while we praise The Ancient of eternal days.

2 Thou, LORD! with unsurpris'd survey
Saw'st nature rising yesterday;
And, as to-morrow, shall thine eye

See earth and stars in ruin lie.

3 Beyond an angel's vision bright,
Thou dwell'st in self-existent light;
Which shines with undiminish'd ray,
While suns and worlds in smoke decay.
4 Our days a transient period run,
And change with ev'ry circling sun;
And, in the firmest state we boast,
A moth can crush us into dust.

5 But let the creatures fall around;
Let death consign us to the ground;
Let the last genʼral flame arise,
And melt the arches of the skies;