2 His lib'ral favours he extends,
To some he gives, to others lends ;
A gen'rous pity fills his mind:
Yet what his charity impairs,
He saves by prudence in affairs,
And thus he's just to all mankind.
3 His hands, while they his alms bestow'd,
His glory's future barvest sow'd :
The sweet remembrance of the just,
Like a green root, revives and bears
A train of blessings for his heirs.
When dying nature sleeps in dust.
4 Beset with threat'ning dangers round,
Unmov'd shail he maintain his ground;
His conscience bears his courage up:
The soul that's fill'd with virtue's light,
Shines brightest in affliction's night,
And sees in darkness beams of hope.
HYMN 506. C. M.
Secret Devotion.
FATHER Divine! thy piercing eye
Looks through the shades of night;
In deep retirement thou art nigh,
With heart-discerning sight.
2 There shall that piercing eye survey
My humble worship paid,
With ev'ry morning's dawning ray,
And ev'ry ev'ning's shade.
3 I'll leave behind each earthly care;
To thee my soul shall soar;
Winle grateful praise and fervent pray'r
Employ the silent hour.
4 So shall the visits of thy love
My soul in secret bless;
So shalt thou deign, in worlds above,
Thy suppliant to confess.
Prayer for Support in Old Age and Death.
TERNAL Sire, enthron'd on high!
Whom heav'nly hosts adore
Who yet to suppliant dust art nigh:
Thy presence I implore.
2 O guide me down the steep of age,
And keep my passions cool;
Teach me to scan the sacred page,
And practise ev'ry rule.
3 My flying years time urges on ;
What's human must decay;
My friends, my youth's companions gone,
Can I expect to stay?
4 Ah! no-then smooth the mortal hour;
On thee my hope depends;
Support me with almighty pow'r,
While dust to dust descends.
HYMN 508. C. M.
An Evening Hymn.
EE! the bright monarch of the day
In ocean dips his beams;
While from his brow a parting ray
In milder glory streams.
2 The moon, pale empress of the night,
In sweet succession reigns;
And finely paints, with silver light,
The mountains, vales, and plains.
3 The planets in progression rise,
And shine from pole to pole;
Their pleasing course delights our eyes,
And charms th' attentive soul.
4 The starry arch in grandeur glows,
Through all its ample round:
Great God! thy pow'r no limit knows,
Thy wisdom knows no bound.
ORD, may thy humble servants here
Thy words regard with watchful care,
And with affection strong:
May no false charm cause us to stray,
From wisdom's strait and narrow way,
Forbidden paths among.
2 While we recount thy favours o'er,
And contemplate that boundless store
Whence all our comforts flow,
May gratitude to thee arise,
While ev'ry sin within us dies,
And each internal foe.
3 Wash'd by thy word of truth from sin, May purity be found within
These hearts, which sin beguil'd;
And O! thou kindest friend above,
Preserve us by thy constant love
From that which has defil'd.
4 Through all our future days may we
With circumspection worship thee,
In spirit and in truth;
And when decaying nature dies,
Grant us a mansion in the skies
To bloom in endless youth.
E heavy-laden'd, come, repose,
Forsake your burdens and your woes,
And enter into rest;
In error's night why will you roam,
Like wand'rers lost and far from home?
To grace you're welcome guests.
2 Why longer will you peace refuse,
Sin's servitude and bondage choose,
In room of liberty?
Hark! hear the voice of JESUS cry,
To me, ye weary souls, draw nigh,
My grace shall set you free.
3 Vain, haughty souls, my meekness learn;
Humility shall soon disarm
The tyrant of the heart ;
From burdens give a full discharge,
From bondage shall the soul enlarge,
And peace divine impart.
4 Burdens are light, impos'd by me;
My service is true liberty;
Freedom my laws require: Come, then, my easy yoke receive, My laws obey, my grace believe, The fulness of desire.
HYMN 511. 6 1. L. M.
Before or after Sermon. Ps. cxix. 33, 36.
WHILE here as wand'ring sheep we stray,
Teach us, O teach us, Lord, thy way!
Dispose our hearts, with willing awe,
To love thy word, and keep thy law;
That, by thy guiding precepts led,
Our feet the paths of truth may tread.
2 Great source of light to all below!
Teach us thy holy will to know;
Teach us to read thy word aright,
And make it our supreme delight;
That, purg'd from vain desires, our mind
In thee its only good may find.
3 Maker, instructer, judge of all,
O bear us when on thee we call!
To us, all-bounteous Lord, dispense
Thy grace, and guiding influence!
Preserve us in thy holy ways,
And teach our hearts to speak thy praise !
HYMN 512. Sevens Metre.
The acceptable Worshipper. Ps. xv.
'HO shall tow'rds thy chosen seat
Turn, O Lord, his favour'd feet?
Who shall at thine aitar bend?
Who shall Zion's hill ascend?
Who, great God, a welcome guest,
On thy holy mountain rest?
2 He, whose heart thy love has warm'd;
He whose will to thine conform'd
Bids his life unsullied run;
He, whose word and thought are one;
Who, from sin's contagion free,
Lifts his willing soul to thee.
3 He, who thus, with heart unstain'd,
Treads the path by thee ordain'd,
He shall tow'rds thy chosen seat
Turn, O Lord, his favour'd feet;
He thy ceaseless care shall prove,
He shall share thy constant love.
HYMN 513. L. M.
Hymn to the Deity.
GREATEST of beings, source of life,
Sov'reign of air, of earth, and sea!
All nature feels thy pow'r; but man
A grateful tribute pays to thee.
2 Subject to wants, to thee he looks,
And from thy goodness seeks supplies:
And when opprest with guilt he mourns,
Thy mercy lifts him to the skies.
3 Children, whose little minds, unform'd,
Ne'er rais'd a tender thought to heav'n;
And men, whom reason lifts to God,
Tho' oft by passion downward driv'n?
4 Those too, who bend with age and care,
And faint and tremble near the tomb;
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