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3 With equal speed the earth and seas
Their mighty Maker's voice obeyed;
He spake, and straight the plants and trees,
And birds, and beasts, and men were made.
4 But man, the lord and crown of all,

By sin his honour soon defac'd;
His heart (how alter'd since the fall!)
Is dark, deform'd, and void, and waste.
5 The new creation of the soul

Does now no less his power display,*
Than when he form'd the mighty whole,
And kindled darkness into day.

6 Though, self-destroyed, O Lord, we are,
Yet let us feel what thou canst do;
Thy word the ruin can repair,
And all our hearts create anew.

HYMN LXXXI.

The Book of Creation.

1 THE book of nature open lies,
With much instruction stor❜d;
But till the Lord anoints our eyes,
We cannot read a word.

2 Philosophers have por❜d in vain,
And guess'd from age to age:
For reason's eye could ne'er attain
To understand a page.

3 Though to each star they give a name, Its size and motions teach;

The truths which all the stars proclaim,
Their wisdom cannot reach.

4 With skill to measure earth and sea,
And weigh the subtile air;
They cannot, Lord, discover thee,
Though present ev'rywhere.

5 The knowledge of the saints excels
The wisdom of the schools;
To them his secrets God reveals,
Though men account them fools.
6 To them the sun and stars on high,
The flowers that paint the field,†
And all the artless birds that fly,
Divine instruction yield.

7 The creatures on their senses press,
As witnesses to prove

Their Saviour's power and faithfulness,
His providence and love.

8 Thus may we study nature's book,
To make us wise indeed!
And pity those who only look
At what they cannot read.‡

HYMN LXXXII.

The Rainbow.

1 WHEN the sun, with cheerful beams,
Smiles upon a low'ring sky,
Soon its aspect soften'd seems,
And a rainbow meets the eye:

While the sky remains serene,
This bright arch is never seen.

* 2 Cor. iv. 6. ↑ Matth. vi, 26-28. 1 Rom. i. 20.

2 Thus the Lord's supporting power
Brightest to his saints appears,
When affliction's threat'ning hour
Fills the sky with clouds and fears,
He can wonders then perform,
Paint a rainbow on the storm.*
3 All their graces doubly shine,
When their troubles press them sore;
And the promises divine
Give them joys unknown before:
As the colours of the bow

To the cloud their brightness owe.
4 Favour'd John a rainbow saw,t
Circling round the throne above;
Hence the saints a pledge may draw
Of unchanging cov'nant love:
Clouds a while may intervene,
But the bow will still be seen.

HYMN LXXXIII.
Thunder.

1 WHEN a black o'erspreading cloud Has darken'd all the air,

And peals of thunder, roaring loud,
Proclaim the tempest near;

2 Then guilt and fear, the fruits of sin, The sinner oft pursue:

A louder storm is heard within,

And conscience thunders too. 3 The law a fiery language speaks, His danger he perceives; Like Satan, who his ruin seeks, He trembles and believes. 4 But when the sky serene appears, And thunders roll no more,

He soon forgets his vows and fears,
Just as he did before.

5 But whither shall the sinner flee,
When nature's mighty frame,
The pond'rous earth, and air, and sea,‡
Shall all dissolve in flame?

6 Amazing day! it comes apace;

The Judge is hasting down: Will sinners bear to see his face, Or stand before his frown? 7 Lord, let thy mercy find a way To touch each stubborn heart; That they may never hear thee say, "Ye cursed ones, depart."

8 Believers, you may well rejoice!
The thunder's loudest strains
Should be to you a welcome voice,
That tells you, "JESUS REIGNS."

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2 So lightning in the gloom of night
Affords a momentary day;
Disclosing objects full in sight,
Which, soon as seen, are snatch'd away.
3 Ah! what avail these pleasing scenes?
They do but aggravate my pain;
While darkness quickly intervenes,
And swallows up my joys again.
4 But shall I murmur at relief?
Though short, it was a precious view
Sent to control my unbelief,

And prove that what I read is true.
5 The lightning's flash did not create
The op'ning prospect it reveal'd;
But only show'd the real state
Of what the darkness had conceal'd.
6 Just so, we by a glimpse discern

The glorious things within the vail;
That, when in darkness, we may learn
To live by faith, till light prevail.

7 The Lord's great day will soon advance,
Dispersing all the shades of night;
Then we no more shall need a glance,
But see by an eternal light.

HYMN LXXXV.

On the Eclipse of the Moon, July 30, 1776.

1 THE moon in silver glory shone,

And not a cloud in sight,
When suddenly a shade begun
To intercept her light.

2 How fast across her orb it spread,
How fast her light withdrew!
A circle, ting'd with languid red,
Was all appear'd in view.

3 While many with unmeaning eye,
Gaze on thy works in vain,
Assist me, Lord, that I may try
Instruction to obtain.

4 Fain would my thankful heart and lips
Unite in praise to thee,

And meditate on thy eclipse

In sad Gethsemane.

5 Thy people's guilt, a heavy load,
(When standing in their room)
Depriv'd thee of the light of God,
And fill'd thy soul with gloom.
6 How punctually eclipses move,
Obedient to thy will!

Thus shall thy faithfulness and love
Thy promises fulfil.

7 Dark like the moon without the sun,
I mourn thine absence, Lord!
For light or comfort I have none,
But what thy beams afford.

8 But lo! the hour draws near apace,
When changes shall be o'er,
Then I shall see thee face to face,
And be eclips'd no more.

HYMN LXXXVI.
Moon-Light.

1 THE moon has but a borrow'd light,
A faint and feeble ray;

She owes her beauty to the night,
And hides herself by day.

2 No cheering warmth her beam conveys,
Though pleasing to behold;
We might upon her brightness gaze
Till we were starv'd with cold.
3 Just such is all the light to man
Which reason can impart;

It cannot show one object plain,
Nor warm the frozen heart.
4 Thus moon-light views of truths divine
To many fatal prove,

For what avail in gifts to shine,*
Without a spark of love?

5 The gospel, like the sun at noon,
Affords a glorious light;

Then fallen reason's boasted moon
Appears no longer bright.

6 And grace not light alone bestows,
But adds a quick'ning power;
The desert blossoms like the rose,
And sin prevails no more.

HYMN LXXXVII.
The Sea.

1 IF, for a time, the air be calm,
Serene and smooth the sea appears,
And shows no danger to alarm
The unexperienc'd landsman's fears.
2 But if the tempest once arise,

The faithless water swells and raves;
Its billows, foaming to the skies,
Disclose a thousand threat'ning graves.
3 My untried heart thus seem'd to me
(So little of myself I knew)
Smooth as the calm unruffled sea,
But, ah! it prov'd as treach'rous too!
4 The peace of which I had a taste,
When Jesus first his love reveal'd,
I fondly hop'd, would always last,
Because my foes were then conceal'd.
5 But when I felt the tempest's power
Rouse my corruptions from their sleep,
I trembled at the stormy hour,
And saw the horrors of the deep.
6 Now on presumption's billows borne,
My spirit seem'd the Lord to dare;
Now, quick as thought, a sudden turn
Plung'd me in gulfs of black despair.
7 Lord, save me, or I sink, I prayed,

He heard, and bid the tempest cease;
The angry waves his word obeyed,
And all my fears were hush'd to peace.
8 The peace is his, and not my own,
My heart (no better than before)

* 1 Cor. xiii. 1. ↑ Isa. xxxv. 1.

Book I. Hymn erv.

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1 THOUGH Small the drops of falling rain,
If one be singly view'd;
Collected they o'erspread the plain,
And form a mighty flood.

2 The house it meets within its course
Should not be built on clay,
Lest, with a wild resistless force,
It sweep the whole away.

3 Though for a while it seemed secure,
It will not bear the shock,
Unless it has foundations sure,

And stands upon a rock.

4 Thus sinners think their evil deeds,
Like drops of rain, are small;
But it the power of thought exceeds,
To count the sum of all.

5 One sin can raise, though small it seems, A flood to drown the soul;

What then, when countless million streams
Shall join to swell the whole?

6 Yet, while they think the weather fair,
If warn'd, they smile or frown;
But they will tremble and despair,

When the fierce flood comes down.
7 Oh! then, on Jesus ground your hope,
That stone in Zion laid ;*
Lest your poor building quickly drop,
With ruin on your head.

HYMN LXXXIX.
The Thaw.

1 THE ice and snow we lately saw,
Which cover'd all the ground,
Are melted soon before the thaw,
And can no more be found.
2 Could all the art of man suffice
To move away the snow,
To clear the rivers from the ice,
Or make the waters flow?

3 No, 'tis the work of God alone;
An emblem of the power

By which he melts the heart of stone
In his appointed hour.

4 All outward means, till he appears,
Will ineffectual prove;

Though much the sinner sees and hears
He cannot learn to love.

5 But let the stoutest sinner feel

The soft'ning warmth of grace,
Though hard as ice, or rocks, or steel,
His heart dissolves apace.

6 Seeing the blood which Jesus spilt,
To save his soul from woe,
His hatred, unbelief, and guilt,
All melt away like snow.

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7 Jesus, we in thy name entreat,
Reveal thy gracious arm;
And grant thy Spirit's kindly heat,
Our frozen hearts to warm.

HYMN XC.

The Loadstone.

1 As needles point towards the pole, When touch'd by the magnetic stone; So faith in Jesus gives the soul A tendency before unknown. 2 Till then, by blinded passions led, In search of fancied good we range; The paths of disappointment tread, To nothing fix'd, but love of change. 3 But when the Holy Ghost imparts A knowledge of the Saviour's love, Our wand'ring, weary, restless hearts, Are fix'd at once, no more to move. 4 Now a new principle takes place, Which guides and animates the will; This love, another name for grace, Constrains to good, and bars from ill. 5 By love's pure light we soon perceive Our noblest bliss and proper end; And gladly ev'ry idol leave,

To love and serve our Lord and Friend. 6 Thus borne along by faith and hope, We feel the Saviour's words are true; "And I, if I be lifted up,

Will draw the sinner upward too."

HYMN XCI.

The Spider and the Bee.

1 ON the same flower we often see
The loathsome spider and the bee;
But what they get by working there,
Is different as their natures are.
2 The bee a sweet reward obtains,
And honey well repays his pains;
Home to the hive he bears the store,
And then returns in quest of more.

3 But no sweet flowers that grace the field
Can honey to the spider yield;
A cobweb all that he can spin,
And poison all he stores within.

4 Thus in that sacred field, the word,
With flowers of God's own planting stor❜d,
Like bees his children feed and thrive,
And bring home honey to the hive.

5 There, spider-like, the wicked come,
And seem to taste the sweet perfume:
But the vile venom of their hearts
To poison all their food converts.
6 From the same truths believers prize,
They weave vain refuges of lies;
And from the promise license draw,
To trifle with the holy law.

7 Lord, shall thy word of life and love
The means of death to numbers prove!

John xii. 32.

Unless thy grace our hearts renew,* We sink to hell, with heaven in view.

HYMN XCII.

The Bee saved from the Spider.

1 THE subtle spider often weaves
His unsuspected snares

Among the balmy flowers and leaves,
To which the bee repairs.

2 When in his web he sees one hang,
With a malicious joy,

He darts upon it with his fang,
To poison and destroy.

3 How welcome then some pitying friend, To save the threaten'd bee:

The spider's treach'rous web to rend,
And set the captive free!

4 My soul has been in such a case;
When first I knew the Lord,

I hasted to the means of grace,
Where sweets I knew were stor❜d.
5 Little I thought of danger near,
That soon my joys would ebb:
But ah! I met a spider there,
Who caught me in his web.

6 Then Satan rais'd his pois'nous sting,
And aim'd his blows at me;
While I, poor helpless trembling thing,
Could neither fight nor flee.

7 But, oh! the Saviour's pitying eye
Relieved me from despair;
He saw me at the point to die,

And broke the fatal snare.

8 My case his heedless saints should warn, Or cheer them if afraid;

May you from me your danger learn,
And where to look for aid.

HYMN XCIII.

The tamed Lion.

1 A LION, though by nature wild,
The art of man can tame;
He stands before his keeper mild,
And gentle as a lamb.

2 He watches, with submissive eye,
The hand that gives him food,
As if he meant to testify

A sense of gratitude.

3 But man himself, who thus subdues
The fiercest beasts of prey,
And nature more unfeeling shows,
And far more fierce than they.

4 Though by the Lord preserv'd and fed, He proves rebellious still:

And while he eats his Maker's bread,
Resists his holy will.

5 Alike in vain of grace that saves,
Or threat'ning law he hears;

The savage scorns, blasphemes, and raves, But neither loves nor fears.

6 O Saviour! how thy wond'rous power
By angels is proclaim'd!

When in their own appointed hour,
They see this lion tam'd.

7 The love thy bleeding cross displays,
The hardest heart subdues;
Here furious lions, while they gaze,

Their rage and fierceness lose.*

8 Yet we are but renew'd in part,
The lion still remains;

Lord, drive him wholly from my heart,
Or keep him fast in chains.

HYMN XCIV. Sheep.

1 THE Saviour calls his people sheep,
And bids them on his love rely;
For he alone their souls can keep,
And he alone their wants supply.
2 The bull can fight, the hare can flee,
The ant in summer food prepare;
But helpless sheep, and such are we,
Depend upon the Shepherd's care.
3 Jehovah is our Shepherd's name,t
Then what have we, though weak, to fear;
Our sin and folly we proclaim,
If we despond while he is near.

4 When Satan threatens to devour,
When troubles press on every side,
Think of our Shepherd's care and power,
He can defend, he will provide.

5 See the rich pastures of his grace,
Where, in full streams, salvation flows!
There he appoints our resting place,
And we may feed, secure from foes.
6 There, 'midst the flock, the Shepherd
The sheep around in safety lie; [dwells,
The wolf in vain with malice swells,
For he protects them with his eye.‡

7 Dear Lord, if I am one of thine,
From anxious thoughts I would be free,
To trust, and love, and praise, is mine,
The care of all belongs to thee.

HYMN XCV.

The Garden.

1 A GARDEN contemplation suits,
And may instruction yield,
Sweeter than all the flowers and fruits
With which the spot is fill'd.

2 Eden was Adam's dwelling-place,
While bless'd with innocence;
But sin o'erwhelm'd him with disgrace,
And drove the rebel thence.

3 Oft as the garden-walk we tread
We should bemoan his fall:

* Book III. Hymn Ixxi.

* Isaiah xi. 6. † Psalm xxiii. 1.

1 Micah v. 4.

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For a Garden-Seat or Summer-House. 1 A SHELTER from the rain or wind,† A shade from scorching heat, A resting-place you here may find To ease your weary feet.

2 Enter, but with a serious thought

Consider who is near:
This is a consecrated spot,

The Lord is present here.

3 A question of the utmost weight,

While reading, meets your eye; May conscience witness to your state, And give a true reply!

4 Is Jesus to your heart reveal'd,

As full of truth and grace? And is his name your hope and shield, Your rest and hiding-place?

5 If so, for all events prepar'd

Whatever storms may rise,
He whom you love will safely guard,
And guide you to the skies.

6 No burning sun, or storm, or rain,
Will there your peace annoy;
No sin, temptation, grief or pain,
Intrude to damp your joy.

7 But if his name you have not known,
O seek him while you may!
Lest you should meet his awful frown
In that approaching day.

8 When the avenging Judge you see,
With terrors on his brow,
Where can you hide, or whither flee,
If you reject him now?

Isa. Ixi. 3.

HYMN XCVII.

The Creatures in the Lord's Hands.
1 THE water stood like walls of brass,
To let the sons of Israel pass,*
And from the rock in rivers burst,

At Moses' prayer,† to quench their thirst. 2 The fire, restrain'd by God's commands, Could only burn his people's bands:‡ Too faint, when he was with them there, To singe their garments or their hair. 3 At Daniel's feet the lions lay,

Like harmless lambs, nor touch'd their prey;
And ravens, which on carron fed,
Procur'd Elijah flesh and bread.||

4 Thus creatures only can fulfil
Their great Creator's holy will;
And when his servants need their aid
His purposes must be obeyed.

5 So if his blessing he refuse,
Their power to help they quickly lose;
Sure as on creatures we depend,
Our hopes in disappointment end.

6 Then let us trust the Lord alone,
And creature-confidence disown;
Nor, if they threaten, need we fear;
They cannot hurt if he be near.
7 If instruments of pain they prove,
Still they are guided by his love,
As lancets by the surgeon's skill,
Which wound to cure and not to kill.

HYMN XCVIII.

On Dreaming.

1 WHEN slumber seals our weary eyes,
The busy fancy wakeful keeps;
The scenes which then before us rise,
Prove something in us never sleeps.
2 As in another world we seem,
A new creation of our own;
All appears real, though a dream,
And all familiar, though unknown.
3 Sometimes the mind beholds again
The past day's bus'ness in review,
Resumes the pleasure or the pain,
And sometimes all we meet is new.

4 What schemes we form! what pains we We fight, we run, we fly, we fall; [take, But all is ended when we wake,

We scarcely then a trace recall.

5 But though our dreams are often wild,
Like clouds before the driving storm,
Yet some important may be styl'd,
Sent to admonish or inform.

6 What mighty agents have access,
What friends from heaven or foes from hell,
Our minds to comfort or distress,

When we are sleeping, who can tell?

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