4 Into thy hands, my gracious God!
Did I my soul resign;

And humbly trusted in thy grace,
For pardoning love is thine.

5 Back from the borders of the grave,
At thy command I come;
Nor would I wish a speedier flight
To my celestial home.

6 Where thou appointest mine abode,
There would I choose to be;
For in thy presence death is life,
And earth is heaven with thee.

467. L. M.

Doddridge.

God our Helper. 1 Sam. vii. 12.

1 My Helper, God! I bless thy name! The same thy power, thy grace the same: The tokens of thy friendly care

Open, and crown, and close the year.

2 Amidst ten thousand deaths I stand,
Supported by thy guardian hand;
And see, when I survey thy ways,
Ten thousand monuments of praise.
3 Thus far thine arm hath led me on;
Thus far I make thy mercy known;
And, while I tread this desert land,
New blessings shall new songs demand.
4 My grateful soul on Jordan's shore,
Shall raise one sacred pillar more:
Then bear, in thy bright courts above,
Inscriptions of immortal love.

Doddridge.

1

2

3

4

468. s. M.

Prayer in Sickness.

My Sovereign! to thy throne,
With humble hope I press;

O bow thine ear, to hear the groan
Of anguish and distress!

My life, bowed down with pain,
Mourns its decaying bloom;

Lord! clothe these bones with flesh again,
And spare me from the tomb.

Without one murmuring word,
Thy chastening I receive;

But with submission ask, O Lord!
A merciful reprieve.

My supplicating voice,

Unwearied, I will raise :

Say to thy servant's soul,' rejoice'
And fill my mouth with praise.

469. P. M.

Angels proclaiming the Birth of Christ.

1 No war nor battle's sound

2

Was heard the world around;

Scott.

No hostile chiefs to furious combat ran;
But peaceful was the night,

In which the Prince of light

His reign of peace upon the earth began.

The shepherds on the lawn,

Before the point of dawn

In social circle sat; while all around

The gentle fleecy brood,

Or cropp'd the flowery food,

Or slept, or sported on the verdant ground.

3 When lo! with ravished ears,
Each swain delighted hears

Sweet music, offspring of no mortal hand;
Divinely warbled voice,

Answering the stringed noise,

With blissful rapture charmed the listening band.

4 They saw a glorious light

3

6

Burst on their wondering sight.
Harping in solemn choir, in robes arrayed,
The helmed cherubim

And sworded seraphim

Are seen in glittering ranks, with wings displayed.

Sounds of so sweet a tone

Before were never known,

But when of old the sons of morning sung,
While God disposed in air

Each constellation fair,

And the well-balanced world on hinges hung.

'Hail, hail, auspicious morn!

The Saviour Christ is born :'

(Such was the immortal seraph's song sublime) 'Glory to God in heaven!

To man sweet peace be given, Sweet peace and friendship to the end of time!'

Milton, alt'd. by the Rev. Dr. Gardiner.

470. L. M.

The aged Christian, longing for Heaven.

1 O COULD I Soar to worlds above,
That blessed abode of peace and love!
How gladly would I mount and fly
On angels' wings to joys on high!

2 But ah! still longer must I stay,
Ere darksome night is changed to day
More crosses, sorrows, conflicts bear,
Exposed to trials, pains, and care.

3 Then let these troubles still abound,
Let thorns and briars strew the ground;
Let storms and tempests dreadful come
Till I arrive at heaven, my home.

4 My Father knows what road is best,
And how to lead to peace and rest;
To him I cheerful give my all,

Go where he guides, and wait his call. 5 When he commands my soul away, Not kingdoms then should tempt my stay; With rapture I shall wake, and rise To join my friends above the skies.

471. c. M.

A Communion Hymn.

Proud.

1 O GOD! accept the sacred hour
Which we to thee have given ;
And let this hallowed scene have power
To raise our souls to heaven.

2 Still let us hold, till life departs,
The precepts of thy Son,

Nor let our thoughtless, thankless hearts Forget what he has done.

3 His true disciples may we live,

From all corruption free,

And humbly learn like him to give
Our powers, our wills to thee.

4 And oft along life's dangerous way,
To smooth our passage through,
Wilt thou, on this thy holy day,
For us this scene renew.

472. C. M.

A Hymn for Communion.

10 HERE, if ever, God of love!
Let strife and hatred cease;
And every heart harmonious move,
And every thought be peace.

2 Not here, where met to think on him
Whose latest thoughts were ours,
Shall mortal passions come, to dim
The prayer devotion pours.

3 No, gracious Master! not in vain
Thy life of love hath been;

The peace thou gav'st may yet remain, Though thou no more art seen.

4 'Thy kingdom come:' we watch, we wait To hear thy cheering call;

When heaven shall ope its glorious gate, And God be all in all.

473. C. M.

Miss E. Taylor.

For a Charitable Occasion.

1 OH! how can they look up to heaven, And ask for mercy there,

Who never soothed the poor man's pang, Nor dried the orphan's tear?