2.

Did ever, LORD! thy gracious ear
A contrite prayer disdain?

Or when did misery humbly sigh,
And look to thee in vain?

3.

Oppress'd with grief and shame, dissolv'd In penitential tears,

Thy goodness calms our restless doubts, And dissipates our fears.

4.

New life from thy forgiving love,
The sinking heart receives:
Oh that we may no more offend
The GOD who thus forgives!

5.

Thy grace hath caus'd celestial hope
To shine serenely bright,

And shed its soft and cheering beam
O'er sorrow's darkest night.

6.

Our hearts adore thy mercy, LORD!
And bless the friendly ray

Which ushers in the smiling morn
Of everlasting day.

46. L. M.

Divine Mercy.

1.

THERE is forgiveness, LORD! with thee,
The humble penitent to cheer;
That all who thy rich mercy see,
May hope and love, as well as fear.

2.

More welcome than the morning's face
To those who long for breaking day,
Great GOD! is that abundant grace
Which thy kind promises display.

3.

Our trust is fix'd upon thy word,
Nor shall we trust thy word in vain:
Let contrite souls address the LORD,
And find relief from all their pain.

47. P. M.

Divine Mercy.

1.

'Tis mercy calls, let all their tribute bring Of grateful homage to our heavenly King; In strains of joy proclaim abroad The boundless mercy of our GOD, The mercies shown us from above, The wonders of redeeming love: 'Tis mercy calls,-in sacred chorus raise To GOD, the GOD of all, a song of heartfelt praise.

2.

That glorious Being reigns enthron'd on high,
Yet views the wretched with a pitying eye;
His eye beholds each anxious care,
The lonely sigh, the silent tear;
He sees the widow's streaming eye,
He hears the hungry orphan's cry:
Depending worlds his sacred bounty share;
All creatures find a place in their Creator's

care.

3.

Hear this, ye pious but dejected minds, Whom error darkens, or whom weakness

binds;

Lift from the dust your mournful eye, And know, the LORD, your help, is nigh; These sorrows from your breast shall roll, And comfort bless the humble soul: Let cheerful hope in every bosom spring, For boundless mercy dwells with heaven's immortal King.

4.

All ye who bend beneath the stroke of time, And ye whose cheeks confess their healthy

prime,

Your Maker and Preserver praise, For early and for lengthen'd days: The pious and the grateful song, Shall lisp upon the infant's tongue; While heavenly mercy soothes the mourner's

care,

And bids the saint rejoice, the sinner not despair.

5.

Tis mercy calls,-let all their tribute bring
Of grateful homage to our heavenly King;
With ardent love our hearts should glow,
And heaven's sweet work begin below,
And strive with those around his throne,
To praise the great Almighty One:
The Almighty hears, and gives us leave to call
On him, the Judge, the Guide, and sacred
Lord of all.

48. P. M.

The Universal Providence of God.

1.

THE mighty God who rolls the spheres,
And storm and fire and hail prepares,
And guides this vast machine,—
His powerful hand our life sustains,
And scatters all those joys and pains
Which fill this chequer'd scene.

2.

His piercing eye at once surveys,
Where thousand suns and systems blaze,
And where the sparrow falls:
While seraphs tune their harps on high,
His ear attends the softest cry,
When human misery calls.

3.

Eternal GOD! who shall not fear,
And trust, and love, with soul sincere,
Thine awful glorious name!
While man, thy creature, swift decays,
Time has no measure for thy days;-
Thou ever art the same.

49. L. M.

The constant Providence of God.

1.

ETERNAL source of every joy!

Well may thy praise our lips employ,

While in thy temple we appear,

Whose goodness crowns the circling year.

2.

From thee all creatures seek supply;
To thee they lift the asking eye,
Receiving from thy bounteous hand
Whate'er their various wants demand.
3.

Wide as the wheels of nature roll,
Thy hand supports and cheers the whole:
By thee the sun is taught to rise,

And darkness when to veil the skies.

4.

Seasons, and months, and weeks, and days,
Demand successive hymns of praise;
Still be the cheerful homage paid,
With morning light and evening shade.

5.

Oh may our more harmonious tongues
Hereafter join in nobler songs,
And through eternal years adore

The God of love, the GoD of pow'r!

50. c. M.

The constant Providence of God.

1.

How many are thy thoughts of love!
Thy mercies, LORD! how great!
Life is too short, and words too few,
Their numbers to repeat.

2.

In all thy works we see thy hand,
Thy footsteps, LORD! we trace;
Thy goodness how divinely free!
How wondrous is thy grace!