7's.

S.M.

227

Early Grace.
1 As the early opening blooms

Send around their rich perfumes ;
So the early opening mind

Sheds its fragrance more refined. 2 Sweet the prospect to behold

Early blossoms thus unfold ;
Sweeter still when grace divine

Does in youthful sinners shine!
228 The Fear of God.
1 THE fear of God is clean,

Lowly, and meek, and good ;
Abhors the way of hell and sin,

And stands in awe of God.
2 Children who fear the Lord,

And trust in His dear Name,
Shall live His wonders to record,

And sing His matchless fame. 3 He'll listen to their cry,

Protect them day and night; Their every need He will supply,

And guide their footsteps right. 229

The same. 1 CHILDREN who know and fear the Lord,

From all the paths of sin depart;
Rejoice and tremble at His word,

And hide it deep within their heart. 2 They in His mercy hope, through grace ;

Revere His judgments, not contemn;
In pleasing Him their pleasure's placed,
And His delight is placed in them.

C.M.

3 This fear, a rich and endless store,

Preserves the soul from pois'nous pride :
The heart that wants this fear is poor,

Whatever it possess beside.
4 This treasure was by Christ possessed ;

In this through all His life He stood;
And every one that's with it blest

Has free redemption in His blood. 230 Christ's Regard for Children. 1 SEE, Israel's gentle Shepherd stands,

With soul-engaging charms;
Hark how He greets the tender lambs,

And folds them in His arms!
2 “Suffer them to approach,' He cries ;

Nor scorn their humble name;
It was to save such souls as these

The Lord of angels came.'
3 Encouraged thus, O Lord, in prayer

We

e bring the young to Thee ; Joyful that we ourselves are Thine,

May Thine the children be!
231 Early Desires after Christ.
1 'Tis a sweet proof that Christ is nigh,

When babes in grace begin to cry ;
The Holy Spirit dwells in all

Who on the Lord sincerely call.
2 The Lord resides within that soul

Which longs to be completely whole ;
'Tis He inspires the living breath
Which prays for felt release from death.

L.M.

3 No soul would ever feel its woe,

Did God not dwell with man below;
Nor ever taste His mighty love,

Did Christ not plead His cause above. 4 Each warm desire that inly burns,

And for the Saviour's presence yearns ; Each heaving sigh, each breath of prayer,

Bespeaks His gracious presence there.
5 He whose sweet name the sinner pleads,

For that poor sinner intercedes ;
And God the Father it delights

To hear the prayer the Spirit writes. 6 Thus all true prayer from God comes down,

And then ascends through Christ the Son ;
That sinners may have cause to boast

In Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 232 Hardness of Heart Mourned. C.M. 1 What is there, Lord, a child can do

That feels with guilt oppressed ?
There's evil that I never knew

Before, within my breast. 2 My thoughts are vain ; my heart is hard ;

My temper apt to rise ;
And when I seem upon my guard,

It takes me by surprise.
3 Whene'er to Thy commands I turn,

I find I've broken them ;
And in Thy Holy Scriptures learn

That God will sin condemn.
4 With pity to my prayer attend,

My humble voice regard ;

And Thine own Holy Spirit send,

To melt a heart so hard. 233 Jesus Lives to Save.

C.M. 1 DEAR child, and dost thou feel thy sin

A load of pain and grief,
Producing darksome fears within ?

Jesus can give relief.
2 Is there within thy aching breast

A void which none can fill ?
Christ died, and therefore can give rest;

He lives, and therefore WILL.
3 Thy night will soon to day give place,

Ånd all the pain remove;
'Tis grace that makes thee long for grace ;

'Tis love that thirsts for love. 234 They who seek shall Find. THE child, however young in years,

Who feels an inward smart,
And longs for Christ with cries and tears,

In Jesus has a part.
2 The child who seeks the Saviour's face,

In His good time shall find ;
He never mocks a thirst for grace,

Or scorns a willing mind.
3 The child who longs in truth to know

The way to joys above,
Is being led by Christ below

To His eternal love.
235 Early Desires for God.
I How soft the words the Saviour speaks !

How kind the promises He makes !

C.M.

L.M.

A bruised reed He never breaks,

Nor will He quench the smoking flax. 2 The humble poor He'll not despise,

Nor on the contrite sinner frown;
His ear is open to their cries,

He quickly sends salvation down.
3 When His rich grace in early minds,

Like tender buds, begins to shoot,
He guards the plants from threat'ning winds,

And ripens blossoms into fruit.
4 With humble souls He bears a part

In all the sorrows they endure ;
Tender and gracious is His heart,

His promise is for ever sure.
5 He sees the struggles that prevail

Between the powers of grace and sin,
He kindly listens while they tell

The bitter pangs they feel within. 6 Though pressed with fears on every side,

They know not how the strife may end; Yet He will soon the cause decide,

And judgment unto victory send. 236 The Friend of Children. 7.6 double.

Though sinful, weak, and erring,

The God who dwells in light
Will hear a child preferring

His praises, day and night;
Will stoop from heaven to listen

E’en when an infant kneeis :
And mark the tears that giisten

For every woe he feels.

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