Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan his work in vain;
God is his own interpreter,
And he will make it plain.

40. S. M.

Refignation to Providence.

Y Lord knows what I want,
He fees my helplessness ;

ΜῊ

And always readier is to grant,
Than I to ask his grace:

My fearful heart he reads,
Secures my foul from harms ;
While, underneath, his mercy spreads
Its everlafting arms.

The fictious pow'rs of chance
And fortune, I defy;

My life's minutest circumstance
Is fubject to his eye:

He hears the ravens call,

Nor can his children grieve,
Nor can a worthlefs fparrow fall,
Without my Father's leave.

O might I doubt no more,
But in his pleasure rest ;

Whose wisdom, love, and truth, and pow'r,
Engage to make me blest!

T'accomplish his defign, The creatures all agree; And ev'ry attribute divine Is now at work for me.

The FALL and RECOVERY of MAN.

41. L., M.

WATTS'S H.

DE

ECEIV D by fubtil fnares of hell,
Adam our head, our father fell,
When fatan in the ferpent hid,
Propos'd the fruit that God forbid.

Death was the threat'ning, death began
To take poffeffion of the man;
His unborn race receiv'd the wound,
And heavy curfes fmote the ground.

But fatan found a worse reward;
Thus faith the veng`ance of the Lord,
"Let everlafting hatred be
"Betwixt the woman's Seed and thee.

The woman's Seed fhall be my Son; "He shall destroy what thou hast done; "Shall break thy head, and only feel Thy malice raging at his heel."

He spake;
and bid four thousand years
Roll on ;-at length his Son appears;
Angels with joy defcend to earth,
And fing the young Redeemer's birth.

Lo, by the fons of hell he dies :
But as he hung 'twixt earth and skies,
He gave their prince a fatal blow,
And triumph'd o'er the pow'rs below.

C

ET us now in contemplation

Las now in condemn has made:

O! what dreadful defolation

Doth the works of God invade ; Whilft in ruins

All the world at once is laid!

O'er the higheft hills prevailing,
See th' impetuous rains descend!
All the hopes of mortals failing
In despair and ruin end!
On what refuge

Shall prefumption now depend?

Yet, amidst this fcene diftreffing,
Those that in the ark refide,
Full fecurity poffeffing,

Fearless view the swelling tide :
O how favor'd

They who in that ark abide !

Such is Chrift to true believers :
He from the o'erwhelming flood
Of approaching wrath delivers,
By his own atoning blood:

In him only

Can we find a safe abode.

[The Rainbow, jee 71]·

The SCRIPTURES.

45. C. M. WATTS'S H.

LADEN with guilt, and full of fears

I fly to thee, my Lord;

And not a glimpse of hope appears,
But in thy written word.

The volume of my Father's grace
Does all my grief affuage:
Here I behold my Saviour's face
Almoft in ev'ry page.

This is the field where hidden lies
The pearl of price unknown;
That merchant is divinely wife,
Who makes that pearl his own.

Here confecrated water flows
To quench my thirst of sin;
Here the fair tree of knowledge grows,
Nor danger dwells therein.

This is the judge, that ends the ftrife,
Where wit and reafon fail
My guide to everlafting life
Thro' all this gloomy vale.

O may thy counfels, mighty God!
My roving feet command;
Nor I forfake the happy real,
That leads to thy right hand.

46. C. M. STEELE.

The Excellency of the Scriptures.

FATHER of mercies, in thy word

What endless glory fhines!

For ever be thy name ador'd
For thefe celeftial lines.

Here, may the wretched fons of want
Exhauftlefs riches find;

Riches, above what earth can grant,
And lafting as the mind.

Here, the fair tree of knowledge grows,
And yields a free repaft;
Sublimer fweets than nature knows
Invite the longing taste.

Here, the Redeemer's welcome voice
Spreads heav'nly peace around;
And life, and everlasting joys
Attend the blifsful found.

O may these heav'nly pages be
My ever dear delight;

And still new beauties may I fee,
And still increasing light!

Divine Inflructor, gracious Lord,

Be thou for ever near,
Teach me to love thy facred word,
And view my Saviour there.