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God is their life; his wings are spread, To shield them 'midst ten thousand dead. 3. If vapours with malignant breath

Rise thick, and scatter midnight death:
Still they are safe; the poison'd air
Again grows pure, if God be there.
4. But if the fire, or plague, or sword,
Receive commission from the Lord,
To strike his saints among the rest:
Their very pains and deaths are blest.
5. The sword, the pestilence, or fire,
Shall but fulfil their best desire;
From sins and sorrows set them free,
And bring thy children, Lord! to thee.
HYMN 89. c. M.

1.

•AND art thou with us, gracious Lord,
To dissipate our fear?

Dost thou proclaim thyself our God,
Our God for ever near?

2. Doth thy right hand, which form'd the earth,
And bears up all the skies,
Stretch from on high its friendly aid,
When dangers round us rise?

3. And wilt thou lead our weary souls
To that delightful scene,
Where rivers of salvation flow
Through pastures ever green ?

4. On thy support our souls shall lean,
And banish ev'ry care;

The gloomy vale of death will smile,
If God be with us there.

5. While we his gracious succour prove,
'Midst all our various ways,

The darkest shades, thro' which we pass,
Shall echo with his praise.

HYMN 90 P. M.

1. THE Lord my pasture shall prepare, And feed me with a shepherd's care; His presence shall my wants supply,

And guard me with a watchful eye; My noon-day walks he shall attend, And all my midnight hours defend. 2. When on the sultry glebe I faint, Or on the thirsty mountain pant; To fertile vales and dewy meads My weary wand'ring steps he leads, Where peaceful rivers, soft and slow, Amid the verdant landscape flow. 3. Though in a bare and rugged way, Through devious lonely wilds I stray; Thy bounty shall my pains beguile, The barren wilderness shall smile, With sudden greens and herbage crown'd; And streams shall murmur all around. 4. Though in the paths of death I tread, With gloomy horrors overspread; My steadfast heart shall fear no ill, For thou, O Lord, art with me still; Thy friendly crook shall give me aid, And guide me through the dreadful shade. HYMN 91. c. M.

1. SH

HINE on our souls, eternal God!
With rays of mercy shine:

O let thy favour crown our days,
And their whole course be thine.

2. Did we not raise our hands to thee,
Our hands might toil in vain :
Small joys success itself could give,
If thou thy love restrain.

3. 'Tis ours' the furrows to prepare,
And sow the precious grain;
'Tis thine, to give the sun and air,
And to command the rain.

4. With thee let ev'ry week begin,
With thee each day be spent,
For thee each fleeting hour improv'd,
Since each by thee is lent.

5. Thus cheer us thro' this toilsome road,
'Till all our labours cease;

1.

And thus prepare our weary souls
For everlasting peace.

How

HYMN 92 C. M.

In travelling.

are thy servants blest, O Lord?
How sure is their defence!

Eternal wisdom is their guide,
Their help omnipotence.

2. In foreign realms and lands remote,
Supported by thy care,

They pass unhurt thro' burning climes,
And breathe in tainted air.

3. Thy mercy sweetens ev'ry soil,
Makes ev'ry.region please.
The hoary frozen hills it warms,
And smooths the boist'rous seas.
4. Tho' by the dreadful tempest toss'd,
High on the broken wave,

They know thou art not slow to hear,
Nor impotent to save.

5. The storm is laid, the winds retire,
Obedient to thy will;

The sea, that roars at thy command,
At thy command is still.

6. From all my griefs and straits, O Lord!
Thy mercy sets me free;
Whilst in the confidence of pray'r
My heart takes hold on thee.

7.In midst of dangers, fears, and deaths,
Thy goodness I'll adore ;

And praise thee for thy mercies past,
And humbly hope for more.

8. My life, while thou preserv'st my life,
Thy sacrifice shall be;

And, oh! may death, when death shall come, Unite my soul to thee!

1.

L'

HYMN 93. c. M.

In a thunder-storm.

ET coward guilt, with pallid fear,
To shelt'ring caverns fly;

And justly dread the vengeful fate,
Which thunders through the sky :

2. Protected by that hand, whose law
The threat'ning storms obey,
Intrepid virtue smiles secure,
As in the blaze of day.

3. In the thick cloud's tremendous gloom,
The lightning's horrid glare,
It views the same all-gracious pow'r
Which breathes the vernal air.

4. Through nature's ever-varying scene,
By diff'rent ways pursu'd,

The one eternal end of heav'n
Is universal good.

5. When, through creation's vast expanse,
The last dread thunders roll,
Untune the concord of the spheres,
And shake the guilty soul:

6. Unmov'd may we the final storm
Of jarring worlds survey,

That ushers in the tranquil morn
Of an eternal day.

V.

MISSION ANDNATIVITY
OF CHRIST.

HYMN 94. C. M.

1. HARK, the glad sound, the Saviour comes, The Saviour promis'd long!

Let ev'ry heart prepare a throne,
And ev'ry voice a song.

2. On him the spirit largely pour'd,
Exerts his sacred fire;

Wisdom, and might, and zeal, and love,
His holy breast inspire.

3. He comes the pris'ners to release,
In Satan's bondage held :

The gates of brass before him burst,
The iron fetters yield.

4. He comes,

from thickest films of vice

To clear the mental ray ;

And on the eyes, oppress'd with night,
To pour celestial day.

5. He comes, the broken heart to bind,
The bleeding soul to cure,
And, with the treasures of his grace,
T'enrich the humble poor.

6. Our glad hosannahs, Prince of peace!
Thy welcome shall proclaim;
And heav'ns eternal arches ring
With thy beloved name.

HYMN 95 s. M.

1. RAISE your triumphant songs,

To an immortal tune,

Let the wide earth resound the deeds
Celestial grace has done.

2. Sing, how eternal love

Its chief beloved chose,

And bade him raise our wretched race
From their abyss of woes.

3. His hand no thunder bears;

No terror clothes his brow;
No bolts to drive our guilty souls

To fiercer flames below.

4. 'Twas mercy fill'd the throne,
No wrath stood frowning by,

When Christ was sent with pardon down
To rebels doom'd to die.

5. Now sinners, dry your tears;
Let hopeless sorrow cease;
Bow to the sceptre of his love,
And take the offer'd peace.

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