62 On Entrance into a New
1 Lord, with thy peaceful presence fill
This dwelling, while thy holy will
Shall here be done by willing hearts,
Who know the bliss thy grace imparts.
2 Here we the household altar raise,
And offer sacrifice of praise;
Morning and night this sacrifice
To thee acceptable shall rise.
3 Here may we dwell in love and peace,
Our blessings and our joys increase;
Our hearts with gratitude inspire
Thy boundless goodness to admire.
4 May health within this house abide,
And reason be our constant guide;
O give us length of peaceful days,
Direct and guard in all our ways.
5 And when we leave our dwellings here,
And in thy heavenly courts appear,
We'll praise thy name for favours past,
And truse "while life and being last."
The Example of Christ.
1 My dear Redeemer, and my Lord,
I read ray duty in thy word;
But in thy life thy law appears,
Drawn out in living characters.
2 Such was thy piety and zeal,
Thy def'rence to thy Father's will,
Thy love and meekness so divine,
I would transcribe and make them mine.
3 Be thou my pattern, make me bear
More of thy gracious image here;
Then God, the Judge, shall own my
Among the followers of the Lamb. [name,
64 Gratitude to God for his innu
1 In glad amazement, Lord! I stand,
Amidst the bounties of thy hand!
How numberless those bounties are!
How rich, how various, and how fair!
2 But O! what poor returns I make!
What lifeless thanks I pay thee back!
Lord! I confess with humble shame,
My off rings scarce deserve the name.
3 Fain would my lab'ring heart devise
To bring some nobler sacrifice,
It sinks beneath the mighty load,
"What shall I render to my God?"
4 To him I consecrate my praise,
And vow the remnant of my days!
Yet what, at best, can I pretend,
Worthy such gifts from such a friend!
5 In deep abasement, Lord! I see
My emptiness and poverty;
Enrich my soul with grace divine,
And make me worthier to be thine.
65 The Pleasures of Devotion. 1 God of my strength! to thee I cry; To thee, my surest refuge, fly: O may thy light attend my way, Thy truth afford its cheering ray! 2 Thy mercies, to my heart reveal'd, A theme of endless transport yield; Thy love does all my bosom fire, Thy praise does all my song inspire. 4 In all our cares, in all our woes, On God our steadfast hopes repose; To God our thanks shall still be paid, Our sure defence, our constant aid.
67
1 Why sinks my weak, desponding mind?
Why heaves my heart the anxious sigh?
Can sov'reign goodness be unkind?
Am I not safe, if God be nigh?
2 He holds all nature in his hand:
That gracious hand, on which I live,
Does life, and time, and death command,
And has immortal joys to give.
3 'Tis he supports this fainting frame;
On him alone my hopes recline;
The wond'rous glories of his name,
How wide they spread! how bright they
[shine!
4 Infinite wisdom! boundless power!
Unchanging faithfulness and love!
Here let me trust, while I adore,
Nor from my refuge e'er remove.
68 Loving Kindness of the Saviour.
I Awake, my soul, in joyful lays,
And sing thy great Redeemer's praise;
He justly claims a song from me;
His loving kindness, O how free!
2 Tho' numerous hosts of mighty foes,
Tho' earth and sin, my way oppose,
He safely leads my soul along;
His loving kindness, O how strong!
3 When trouble, like a gloomy cloud,
Has gathered thick, and thundered loud,
He near my soul has always stood;
His loving kindness, O how good!
4 Soon shall I pass the gloomy vale;
Soon all my mortal powers must fail;
may my last, expiring breath,
His loving kindness sing in death.
Blest spirit! source of grace divine! What soul-refreshing streams are thine ! O bring these healing waters nigh, Or we must droop, and fall, and die. 2 No traveller through desert lands, Mid scorching suns and burning sands, More eager longs for cooling rain, Or pants the current to obtain. 3 Our longing souls aloud would sing, Spring forth, celestial fountain, spring; To a redundant river flow, And cheer this thirsty land below.'
4 May this blest torrent near my side Through all the desert gently glide; Then, in Emmanuel's land above, Spread to a sea of joy and love.
Glories of Christ.
1 Now to the Lord a noble song: Awake, my soul, awake, my tongue; Hosanna to Jehovah's name,
And all his boundless love proclaim. 2 The spacious earth, and spreading [flood, Proclaim the wise, the powerful God; And thy rich glories from afar Sparkle in every rolling star. Drawn out in far superior lines; 3 But in thy Son a glory shines, The lustre of redeeming grace, Outshines the beams of nature's face. 4 Grace, 'tis a sweet, a charming theme My thoughts rejoice at Jesus' name; Ye angels, dwell upon the sound; Ye heavens, reflect it to the ground.
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