Page images
PDF
EPUB

2 Yet when its waves most fiercely beat,
And spread destruction wide;

Thy Spirit can a standard raise,
To stem the roaring tide.

3 May thy triumphant arm awake,
Thy sacred cause to plead ;
And let the multitude confess
That thou art God indeed.

4 Our feeble souls at least support,
And there thy power display;
Then multitudes shall strive in vain
To draw us from thy way.

456

C. M.

Prudence.

WATTS.

1 O, 'TIS a lovely thing to see A man of prudent heart,

Whose thoughts, and lips, and life, agree To act a useful part.

2 When envy, strife, and wars, begin

In little, angry souls,

Mark how the sons of peace come in,
And quench the kindling coals.

3 Their minds are humble, mild, and meek, Nor let their fury rise;

Nor passion moves their lips to speak,
Nor pride exalts their eyes.

4 Their frame is prudence mixed with love; Good works fulfil their day;

They join the serpent with the dove,
But cast the sting away.

[blocks in formation]

The Christian encouraged.

1 GIVE to the winds thy fears; Hope, and be undismayed;

MORAVIAN.

God hears thy sighs, and counts thy tears;
God shall lift up thy head.

2 Through waves, through clouds and storms,
He gently clears thy way;
Wait thou his time; so shall the night
Soon end in joyous day.

3 He every where hath rule,

And all things serve his might;
His every act pure blessing is,
His path unsullied light.

4 Thou comprehend'st him not;
Yet earth and heaven tell,
God sits as Sovereign on the throne;
He ruleth all things well.

5 Thou seest our weakness, Lord;
Our hearts are known to thee

O, lift thou up the sinking hand,
Confirm the feeble knee!

6 Let us, in life or death,

Boldly thy truth declare,

[ocr errors]

And publish, with our latest breath,
Thy love and guardian care.

357

458

L. M.

SIR H. WOTTON.

The Character of a happy Life.

1 HOW happy is he born and taught, That serveth not another's will, Whose armor is his honest thought,

And simple truth his utmost skill!

2 Whose passions not his masters are, Whose soul is still prepared for death, Untied unto the world by care

Of public fame, or private breath;

3 Who envies none that chance doth raise,
Nor vice hath ever understood,

How deepest wounds are given by praise,
Nor rules of state, but rules of good; -

4 Who hath his life from rumors freed;

Whose conscience is his strong retreat;
Whose state can neither flatterers feed,
Nor ruin make oppressors great;

5 Who God doth late and early pray

More of his grace than gifts to lend,
And entertains the harmless day

With a religious book or friend;

6 This man is freed from servile bands
Of hope to rise, or fear to fall;
Lord of himself, though not of lands,
And having nothing, yet hath all.

358

459

L. M.

The Beatitudes.

WATTS.

1 BLEST are the humble souls that see Their emptiness and poverty;

Treasures of grace to them are given, And crowns of joy laid up in heaven. 2 Blest are the meek, who stand afar From rage and passion, noise and war; God will secure their happy state,

And plead their cause against the great.
3 Blest are the souls that thirst for grace,
Hunger and long for righteousness;
They shall be well supplied and fed
With living streams and living bread.
4 Blest are the men whose bowels move
And melt with sympathy and love;
From Christ the Lord shall they obtain
Like sympathy and love again.

5 Blest are the pure, whose hearts are clean
From the defiling powers of sin;
With endless pleasure they shall see
A God of spotless purity.

6 Blest are the men of peaceful life,
Who quench the coals of growing strife;
They shall be called the heirs of bliss,
The sons of God, the God of

peace.

7 Blest are the sufferers who partake
Of pain and shame for Jesus' sake;
Their souls shall triumph in the Lord;
Glory and joy are their reward.

460

7s & 6s M.

Joy and Peace in believing.

COWPER.

1 SOMETIMES a light surprises
The Christian while he sings;
It is the Lord, who rises
With healing on his wings:
When comforts are declining,
He grants the soul again
A season of clear shining,
To cheer it after rain.

2 In holy contemplation,

We sweetly then pursue
The theme of God's salvation,
And find it ever new ;
Set free from present sorrow,
We cheerfully can say,
E'en let the unknown to-morrow
Bring with it what it may!

3 It can bring with it nothing
But he will bear us through;
Who gives the lilies clothing
Will clothe his people too;
Beneath the spreading heavens
No creature but is fed;
And he who feeds the ravens

Will give his children bread.

4 Though vine nor fig-tree neither
Their wonted fruit shall bear,

Though all the field should wither,
Nor flocks nor herds be there,

« PreviousContinue »