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2 My waking eyes prevent the day,
To meditate thy word;

My soul with longing melts away
To hear thy gospel, Lord.

3 No treasures so enrich the mind;
Nor shall thy word be sold
For loads of silver well refined,
Nor heaps of shining gold.

4 When nature sinks and spirits droop, Thy promises of grace

Are pillars to support my hope,
And there I write thy praise.

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1 TO keep the lamp alive,

With oil we fill the bowl;

"Tis water makes the willow thrive,
And grace that feeds the soul.

2 The Lord's unsparing hand

Supplies the living stream;

It is not at our own command,
But still derived from him.

3 Man's wisdom is to seek

His strength in God alone;
And e'en an angel would be weak,
Who trusted in his own.

4 Retreat beneath his wings,

And in his grace confide;

This more exalts the King of kings,
Than all your works beside.

5 In Jesus is our store;

Grace issues from his throne;
Whoever says, "I want no more,"
Confesses he has none.

301

C. M.

COWPER.

Human Frailty.

1 WEAK and irresolute is man;
The purpose of to-day,

Woven with pains into his plan,
To-morrow rends away.

2 Some foe to his upright intent
Finds out his weaker part;

Virtue engages his assent,

But pleasure wins his heart.

3 Bound on a voyage of awful length,
Through dangers little known,
A stranger to superior strength,
Man vainly trusts his own.

4 But oars alone can ne'er prevail
To reach the distant coast;

The breath of heaven must swell the sail,
Or all the toil is lost.

302

C. M.

SCOTCH PARAPHRASES.

God the Source of Strength. Is. xl. 28–31.

1 SUPREME in wisdom, as in power,

The Rock of ages stands;

Though him thou canst not see, nor trace The working of his hands.

2 He gives the conquest to the weak,
Supports the fainting heart,
And courage in the evil hour
His heavenly aids impart.

3 Mere human power shall fast decay,
And youthful vigor cease;

But they who wait upon the Lord,
In strength shall still increase.

4 They with unwearied feet shall tread
The path of life divine;

With growing ardor onward move,
With growing brightness shine.

5 On eagles' wings they mount, they soar;
Their wings are faith and love;
Till, past the cloudy regions here,
They rise to heaven above.

303

C. M.

God the Salvation of his People.

DODDRIDGE.

1 HOW long shall dreams of creature-bliss Our flattering hopes employ,

And mock our fond, deluded eyes
With visionary joy?

2 Why from the mountains and the hills.
Is our salvation sought,

While our eternal Rock's forsook,
And Israel's God forgot?

3 The living spring neglected flows
Full in our daily view;

Yet we, with anxious, fruitless toil,
Our broken cisterns hew.

4 These fatal errors, gracious God,
With gentle pity see;

To thee our roving eyes direct,
And fix our souls on thee.

304

C. M.

DODDRIDGE.

God supplying the Wants of his People.

1 MY God, how cheerful is the sound!
How pleasant to repeat !

Well may that heart with pleasure bound,
Where God hath fixed his seat.

2 What want shall not our God supply
From his redundant stores?

What streams of mercy from on high
An arm almighty pours!

3 From Christ, the ever-living Spring,
These ample blessings flow;
Prepare, my lips, his name to sing,
Whose heart hath loved us so.

4 Now to our Father and our God
Be endless glory given,

Through all the realms of man's abode,
And through the highest heaven.

305

L. M.

RIPPON'S COL:

Divine Influences compared to Rain.

1 AS showers on meadows newly mown, Our God shall send his Spirit down; Eternal Source of grace divine,

What soul-refreshing drops are thine!

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