3 Thy providence my life sustain'd,
And all my wants redrest,
When in the silent womb I lay,
And hung upon the breast.
4 To all my weak complaints and cries
Thy mercy lent an ear,
Ere yet my feeble thoughts had learnt
To form themselves in prayer.
5 Unnumber'd comforts to my soul
Thy tender care bestow'd,
Before my infant heart conceived
From whom those comforts flow'd.
6 When in the slippery paths of youth
With heedless steps I ran,
Thine arm, unseen, convey'd me safe,
And led me up to man.
7 Through hidden dangers, toils, and deaths, It gently clear'd my way,
And through the pleasing snares of vice,
More to be fear'd than they.
8 When worn with sickness, oft hast thou
With health renew'd my face;
And, when in sins and sorrows sunk,
Revived my soul with grace.
9 Thy bounteous hand with worldly bliss
Has made my cup run o'er;
And in a kind and faithful friend
Has doubled all my store.
10 Ten thousand thousand precious gifts
My daily thanks employ;
Nor is the least a cheerful heart,
That tastes those gifts with joy.
11 Through every period of my life
Thy goodness I'll pursue;
And after death, in distant worlds,
The glorious theme renew.
12 When nature fails, and day and night
Divide thy works no more,
My ever grateful heart, O Lord,
Thy mercy shall adore.
13 Through all eternity, to thee
A joyful song I'll raise;
But O! eternity's too short
To utter all thy praise.
HYMN 11. III. 1.
Psalm xxxi. 15.
My times are in thy hand."
SOVEREIGN Ruler of the skies,
Ever gracious, ever wise,
All our times are in thy hand,
All events at thy command.
2 He that form'd us in the womb,
He shall guide us to the tomb;
All our ways shall ever be
Order'd by his wise decree.
3 Times of sickness, times of health,
Blighting want, and cheerful wealtn,
All our pleasures, all our pains,
Come, and end, as God ordains.
4 May we always own thy hand,
Still to thee surrender'd stand,
Know that thou art God alone,
We and ours are all thy own!
HYMN 12. C. M.
GOD moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants his footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.
2 Deep in unfathomable mines,
With never-failing skill,
He treasures up his bright designs,
And works his gracious will.
3 Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head.
4 Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust him for his grace:
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.
5 His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour:
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.
6 Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan his work in vain :
God is his own interpreter,
And he will make it plain.
IV. REDEMPTION.
HYMN 13. S. M.
Job ix. 2-6.
AH, how shall fallen man
Be just before his God!
If he contend in righteousness,
We sink beneath his rod.
2 If he our ways should mark,
With strict inquiring eyes,
Could we for one of thousand faults
A just excuse devise?
3 All-seeing, powerful God!
Who can with thee contend?
Or who that tries the unequal strife,
Shall prosper in the end?
4 The mountains, in thy wrath,
Their ancient seats forsake:
The trembling earth deserts her place,
Her rooted pillars shake:
5 Ah, how shall guilty man
Contend with such a God?
None, none can meet him, and escape,
But through the Saviour's blood.
THOUGH I should seek to wash me clean
In water of the driven snow,
My soul would yet its spot retain,
And sink in conscious guilt and woe:
2 The Spirit, in his power divine,
Would cast my vaunting soul to earth, Expose the foulness of its sin,
And show the vileness of its worth. 3 Ah, not like erring man is God,
That men to answer him should dare;
Condemn'd, and into silence awed,
They helpless stand before his bar.
4 There, must a Mediator plead,
Who, God and man, may both embrace With God, for man to intercede,
And offer man the purchased grace.
5 And lo! the Son of God is slain
To be this Mediator crown'd:
In Him, my soul, be cleansed from stain,
In Him thy righteousness be found!
ALL glorious God, what hymns of praise
Shall our transported voices raise:
What ardent love and zeal are due,
While heaven stands open to our view.
2 Once we were fallen, and O how low !
Just on the brink of endless woe:
When Jesus, from the realms above,
Borne on the wings of boundless love,
3 Scatter'd the shades of death and night,
And spread around his heavenly light:
By him what wondrous grace is shown
To souls impoverish'd and undone.
4 He shows, beyond these mortal shores,
A bright inheritance as ours;
Where saints in light our coming wait
To share their holy, happy state.
HYMN 16. C. M.
SALVATION! O the joyful sound,
Glad tidings to our ears;
A sovereign balm for every wound.
A cordial for our fears.
2 Salvation! buried once in sin,
At hell's dark door we lay;
But now we rise by grace divine,
And see a heavenly day.
3 Salvation! let the echo fly
The spacious earth around;
While all the armies of the sky
Conspire to raise the sound.
4 Salvation! O thou bleeding Lamb,
To thee the praise belongs :
Our hearts shall kindle at thy Name,
Thy Name inspire our songs.
Chorus for the end of each verse.
Glory, honour, praise, and power,
Be unto the Lamb for ever!
Jesus Christ is our Redeemer !
Hallelujah, praise the Lord!
HYMN 17. C. M.
то our Redeemer's glorious Name
Awake the sacred song:
O may his love (immortal flame)
Tune every heart and tongue.
2 His love, what mortal thought can reach ; What mortal tongue display!
Imagination's utmost stretch
In wonder dies away.
3 He left his radiant throne on high,
Left the bright realms of bliss,
And came to earth to bleed and die!
Was ever love like this?
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