3 I hoped that in some favoured hour,

At once He'd answer my request,
And, by His love's constraining power,

Subdue my sins, and give me rest. 4 Instead of this, He made me feel

The hidden evils of my heart;
And let the angry powers of hell

Assault my soul in every part.
5 Lord, why is this? I trembling cried :

Wilt Thou pursue Thy worm to death ? 'Tis in this way, the Lord replied,

I answer prayer for grace and faith. 6 These inward trials I employ,

From self and pride to set thee free ;
And break thy schemes of earthly joy,
That thou may'st seek thine all in Me.

James i. 2.

87's.

COWPER,

546 1 '

Not to live without the cross,
But the Saviour's power to know,
Sanctifying every loss.
Trials must and will befall;
But with humble faith to see
Love inscribed upon them all,

This is happiness to me.
2 God, in Israel, sows the seeds

Of affliction, pain, and toil;
These spring up and choke the weeds
Which would else o'erspread the soil
Trials make the promise sweet;
Trials give new life to prayer ;
Trials bring me to His feet,
Lay me low, and keep mo there,

3 Did I meet no trials here,

No correction by the way,
Might I not with reason fear,
I should prove a cast-away?
Worldlings may escape the rod,
Sunk in earthly, vain delight;
But the true-born child of God
Must not, would not, if he might.

547 0

Psalm lxix. 1-3; 10-18. D. C. M.

HEBER.
GOD, that madest earth and sky,

The darkness and the day,
Give ear to this Thy family,

And help us when we pray ;
For wide the waves of bitterness

Around our vessel roar,
And heavy grows the pilot's heart

To view the rocky shore.
2 The cross our Master bore for us,

For Him we fain would bear;
But mortal strength to weakness turns,

And courage to despair,
Have mercy on our failings, Lord;

Our sinking faith renew;
And when Thy sorrows visit us,

O send Thy patience too.
548 Lam. v. 16, 17; 21. 8 74. MILMAN.
L
ORD, have mercy when we pray

Strength to seek a better way;
When our waking thoughts begin
First to loathe our cherished sin ;
When our weary spirits fail,
And our aching brows are pale;
When our tears bedew Thy word,
Then, O then, have mercy, Lord.

2 Lord, have mercy when we lie

On the restless bed and sigh,
Sigh for death, yet fear it still
From the thought of former ill :
When the dim advancing gloom
Tells us that our hour is come;
When is loosed the silver cord,

Then, O then, have mercy, Lord. 3 Lord, have mercy when we know

First how vain this world below:
When its darker thoughts oppress,
Doubts perplex, and fears distress;
When the earliest gleam is given
Of Thy bright but distant heaven:
Then Thy fostering grace afford;
Then, O then, have mercy, Lord.

P. M.

HOGG.

549 Ezek. xxxiv. 12.

O high,

Beyond yon stars, within yon sky, Where the dazzling fields never needed light

Of the sun by day, nor the moon by night: 2 Though shining millions around Thee stand,

For the sake of Him at Thy right hand,
O think on the souls that cost Him dear,

Now wandering in doubt and darkness here. 3 Our night is dreary, and dim our day,

And if Thou turn Thy face away,
We are sinful, feeble, and helpless dust,
With none to look to, and none to trust.

HIS CONSOLATIONS.

WATTS. 1 WAKE, our souls; away, our fears;

Awake, and run the heavenly race,
And put a cheerful courage on.

550 Isaiah xl. 28–31. L. M.

A ;

2 True, 'tis a strait and thorny road,

And mortal spirits tire and faint;
But they forget the mighty God

That feeds the strength of every saint; 3 Thee, mighty God, whose matchless power

Is ever new and ever young,
And firin endures, while endless years

Their everlasting circles run.
4 From Thee, the overflowing spring,

Our souls shall drink a fresh supply, While such as trust their native strength

Shall melt away, and droop, and die. 5 Swift as an eagle cuts the air,

We'll mount aloft to Thine abode;
On wings of love our souls shall fly,
Nor tire amidst the heavenly road.

551

Col. iii. 3. C. M. NEWTON. R ;

EJOICE, believer, in the Lord, The hope that's built upon His word,

Can ne'er be overthrown.
2 Though many foes beset your road,

And feeble is your arm,
Your life is bid with Christ, in God,

Beyond the reach of harm.
3 Weak as you are, you shall not faint;

Or fainting, shall not die.
Jesus, the strength of every saint,

Will aid you from on high.
4 Though unperceived by mortal sense,

Faith sees Him always near, -,
A guide, a glory, a defence:
Then what have you to fear?

BB

☆ As surely as He overcamć,

And triumphed once for you;
So surely you that love His name,

Shall through Him triumph too.

552

1 Cor. x. 13. L, M. DODDRIDGE. W let the feeble all be strong,

1

song:

His shield is spread o'er every saint ;

And thus supported, who shall faint ? 2 What though the hosts of hell engage

With mingled cruelty and rage ?
A faithful God restrains their hands,

And chains them down in iron bands. 3 Bound by His word, He will display

A strength proportioned to our day:
And when united trials meet,

Will shew a path of safe retreat.
4 Thus far we prove that proinise good,

Which Jesus ratified with blood :
Still is He gracious, wise, and just,
And still in Him let Israel trust.

553 WE

2 Cor. iv. 17, 18. C. M

WATTS 1 THEN I can read my title clear

To mansions in the skies, I bid farewell to every fear,

Α. wipe my weeping eyes, 2 Should earth against my soul engage,

And hellish darts be hurled, Then I can smile at Satan's rage,

And face a frowning world 3 Let cares, like a wild deluge, come,

And storms of sorrow fall, May I but safely reach my home,

My God, my heaven, my all.