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53.

The Universal Providence of God.

1

THE earth, and all the heavenly frame,
Their great Creator's love proclaim :
He gives the sun his genial power,
And sends the soft refreshing shower.

2

The ground with plenty blooms again, And yields her various fruits to men ;To men, who from his bounteous hand, Receive the gifts of every land.

3

Nor to the human race alone
Is his paternal goodness shown;
The tribes of earth and sea and air,
Enjoy his universal care.

4

Not even a sparrow yields its breath,
Till God permits the stroke of death
He hears the ravens when they call-
The Father and the Friend of all!

54.

God the Universal Benefactor.

1

GOD of the universe! whose hand

;

Hath strew'd with suns the fields of space,
Round which, obeying thy commands,
The peopled worlds fulfil their race!

2

How vast the region, where thy will
Existence, form, and order gives!
Pleas'd the wide cup with joy to fill,
For all that grows, and feels, and lives.

3

Lord! while we thank thee, let us learn Beneficence to all below:

Those praise thee best, whose bosoms burn To spread the gifts from thee that flow.

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PARENT of good! thy bounteous hand
Blessings on all that breathe distils;
And all in air, or sea, or land,
With plenteous food and gladness fills.

2

Each evening shews thy tender love ;
Each rising morn, thy plenteous grace:
Reluctant doth thine anger move;
Thy willing mercy flies apace.

3.

Thou bidst the sun his genial ray
Alike on all impartial pour;

On all who slight or bless thy sway,
Thou bidst descend the fruitful shower.

4

To thy benign indulgent care,

Father, this light, this breath, we owe;
And all we have, and all we are,
From thee, great Source of being, flow.

5

All-holy thine the kingdom is;
The power, Omnipotent! is thine ;
And when created nature dies,
Thy never ceasing glories shine.

56.

Creation and Providence in general.

1

LORD! when our raptur'd thought surveys
Creation's beauties o'er,

All nature joins to teach thy praise
And bid our souls adore.

2

Where'er we turn our gazing eyes,
Thy radiant footsteps shine;
'Ten thousand pleasing wonders rise,
And speak their Source divine.

3

'The living tribes, of countless forms,
In earth, and sea, and air,
The meanest flies, the smallest worms,
Almighty power declare.

4

All rose to life at thy command,
And wait their daily food
From thy paternal bounteous hand,
Exhaustless Source of good!

5

On us thy providence hath shone
With gentle smiling rays;

Oh let our lips and lives make known
Thy goodness and thy praise.

57.

God's Providential Care of Man.

1

THY wisdom, power, and goodness, Lord!
In all thy works appear:
And, oh! let man thy praise record-
Man, thy distinguish'd care.

2

From thee the breath of life he drew,
That breath thy power maintains;

Thy tender mercy, ever new,

His brittle frame sustains.

3

Yet nobler favours claim his praise,

Of reason's light possest;

By revelation's brightest rays
Still more divinely blest.

4

Thy providence his constant guard
When threatening woes impend-
Will each impending danger ward,
Or timely succour lend.

5

Thy gifts, O Lord, with grateful heart,
Dispose us to improve;

Those gifts continue to impart,
And crown them with thy love.

58.

The wonderful Formation of Man.

1

WHEN I with curious eyes survey
My complicated frame,

I read, on every part inscrib'd,
My great Creator's name.

2

He bade the purple tide of life

In circling streams to flow; And sent the genial heat around, Through every part to glow.

3

My heaving lungs, while they have power
To fan the vital flame,

Shall sing thy praises, O my God!
Thy wondrous skill proclaim.

4

Author of life! my tongue shall sing
The wonders of my frame :

Long as I breathe, and think, and speak,
I'll praise thy glorious name.

59.

God's distinguished Goodness to Man.-Ps. viii,

1

O LORD, our heavenly King!

Thy name is all divine;

Thy glories round the earth are spread,
And o'er the heavens they shine.

2

When to thy works above
I raise my wondering eyes,

And see the moon thy hands have form'd,
In all her splendour rise:

3

When I survey the stars,
That fill the vaulted sky;

Lord! what is man, that he should stand
In thy regard so high?

4

Or what the son of man,

That he should be thy care; And in the bounties of thy love Possess so large a share?

5

How rich thy favours are!
How wondrous are thy ways!

Of dust and worms thy power can frame
A monument of praise.

60.

God's distinguished Goodness to Man.-Ps. viii.

1

O LORD! how glorious is thy name,
Throughout the earth's extended frame !
Majestic splendours form thy seat,

And heaven adores beneath thy feet.

2

When all thy shining works on high
I contemplate with raptur'd eye-
The silver moon, the starry train,
Which gild the fair ethereal plain ;-

3

Lord! what is man, that he should share
Thy notice, thine indulgent care;
With noblest gifts be circled round,
And with distinguish'd honours crown'd?

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