7 Thy mercy-seat is open still :
Here let my soul retreat ;
With humble hope attend thy will,
And wait beneath thy feet.

865. Cast down, get Trusting in the Lord. 8-7-4

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my GOD.-PSALM xliii. 5.

O MY soul, what means this sadness?
Wherefore art thou thus cast down?
Let thy griefs be turned to gladness,
Bid thy restless fears be goue ;
Look to JESUS,

Thou by faith with him art one.
2 What tho Satan's strong temptations
Harass thee from day to day,
And thy sinful inclinations
Often fill thee with dismay;
Thou shalt conquer,
Thro' the Lamb's redeeming blood.

3 Tho ten thousand ills beset thee
From without and from within ;
JESUS saith, he'll ne'er forget thee,
But will save from hell and sin :
He is faithful

To perform his gracious word.

4 Tho' distresses now attend thee,

And thou tread'st the thorny road; His right hand shall still defend thee, Soon he'll bring thee home to GOD; Therefore praise him,

Praise the great REDEEMER's name.

5 O that I could now adore him,
Like the heav'nly host above,
Who for ever bow before him,
And unceasing sing his love!
Happy songsters!
When shall I your chorus join ?

366. Rejoicing in the Lord under Privations. Ss.

Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, &c.-yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. HAB. iii. 17, 18.

AH! why this disconsolate frame ?
Though earthly enjoyments decay,
Yet JESUS is ever the same,
A sun in the gloomiest day :
Though awhile I am cast in the fire,
'Tis only the gold to refine;
And be it my simple desire,
Though suffering, not to repine.

2 What can be the pleasures to me,
Which earth in its fulness can boast?
Delusive its vanities flee,
Enjoy'd for a moment at most :

And, if the REDEEMER could part,
For me, with his throne in the skies,
Ah! why is so dear to my heart
What he in his wisdom denies ?

3 Though riches to others be given,
Their corn and their vintage abound;
Yet, if I have treasure in heaven,
Where should my affections be found?
Why stoop for the glittering sands
Which they are so eager to share,
Forgetting those wealthier lands
That form my inheritance there?
4 Do thou, LORD, my spirit refine,
My wand'ring affections recal;
Then be there no fruit in the vine,
Deserted and empty the stall;
The long-labour'd olive may die,
The field may no harvest afford
Yet under the gloomiest sky,
My soul shall rejoice in her LORD.

;

5 Yea, let the rude tempest assail,
The blast of adversity blow;
The haven, though distant, I hail,
Beyond this rough ocean of woe.
When safe on the heavenly strand,
I'll smile at the billows that foam;
Kind angels will hail me to land,
And JESUS will welcome me home.

367. Trusting in the Lord. L. M.

My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of CHRIST may rest upon me.-2 Cor. xii. 9.

THY promise, Lord, just suits my case; I sought assurance from thy mouth; That one like me, so poor and base, Would persevere to keep thy truth. 2 When to my heart I turn my eyes, I see but motives to despair; Whatever charm the world supplies, It finds a kindred temper there.

3 Sufficient ground thy promise yields,
On which a worm may rest his hope;
And he who on thy promise builds,
May give his confidence full scope

4 Thy strength in weakness is display'd:
My soul this truth can relish now:
A worm upon thy pow'r is stay'd;
The weaker he, the greater thou.

5 If of myself I henceforth speak,
'Tis of infirmity alone;

I know that I am strong, tho' weak; Mystrength is CHRIST, the Mighty One.

6 On everlasting arms I lean; god A& These only can sustain my hope; These have till now my refuge been, And these thro' life still hold me up.

7 [I can look forward now with joy,
Though in myself a feeble worm;
For JESUS will his pow'r employ,
And save my soul in ev'ry storm.]

SECTION SIXTH.

THE GOSPEL.

368. Adoption. S.M.

Beloved, now are we the sons of GOD; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure.-1 JOHN iii. 2, 3.

2

3

BEHOLD what wond'rous Grace
The Father has bestow'd
On sinners of a mortal race,
To call them Sons of GOD!

Nor doth it yet appear

How great we must be made;
But when we see our SAVIOUR here,
We shall be like our head.

A hope so much divine

May trials well endure,

May purge our souls from sense and sin,

AS CHRIST the Lord is pure.