For all thy favours, O my God,
Thy goodness I adore:
Thou hast my cup with blessings fill'd,
And made that cup run o'er.
For thy great mercy's sake, forgive
The guilt that marks the year;
And may I more than ever strive
To keep my conscience clear.
What shall befall in future life
I would not, Lord! inquire:
To be prepar'd for all thy will-
Be this my chief desire?
THINE influence, mighty God, is felt
Through nature's ample round;
In heaven, on earth, through air and skies,
Thy energy is found.
Thy sacred influence, Lord, we need
To form our hearts anew;
Oh cleanse our souls from every sin,
And thy salvation shew!
Father of light! thine aid impart,
To guide our doubtful way;
Thy truth shall scatter every cloud,
And make a glorious day.
Supported by thy heavenly grace,
We'll do and bear thy will;
That grace shall make each burden light,
And every murmur still.
Cheer'd by thy smiles, we'll fearless tread
The gloomy path of death;
And with the hopes of endless bliss
To thee resign our breath.
Desire of spiritual Instruction.
THY mercies fill the earth, O Lord!
How good thy works appear!
Open mine eyes to read thy word,
And see thy wonders there.
My heart was fashion'd by thy hand
My service is thy due;
Oh make thy servant understand
The duties he must do.
Since I'm a stranger here below,
Let not my path be hid;
But mark the road my feet should go,
And be my constant guide.
If God to me his statutes shew,
And heavenly truth impart,
His work for ever I'll pursue,
His law shall rule my heart.
For entire Subjection to the Will of God.
O THOU who hast at thy command
The hearts of all men in thy hand!
These wayward erring hearts incline
To have no other will but thine,
Our wishes, our desires, control;
Mould every purpose of the soul;
O'er all may we victorious be,
That stands between ourselves and thee.
Twice blest will all thy blessings be,
When we can look through them to thee;
When each glad heart its tribute pays,
Of love, and gratitude, and praise.
Still make us, when temptation's near,
As our worst foe ourselves to fear:
And, each vain-glorious thought to quell,
Teach us how Peter vow'd and fell.
Yet may we, feeble, weak, and frail,
Against our mightiest foes prevail;
Thy word, our safety from alarm;
Our strength, thine everlasting arm.
And while we to thy glory live,
May we to thee all glory give,
Until the joyful summons come,
That calls thy willing servants home.
Preservation from Sin implored.
AMIDST a world of hopes and fears,
A wild of cares, and toils, and tears,
Where foes alarm, and dangers threat,
And pleasures kill, and glories cheat-
Shed down, O Lord, a heavenly ray
To guide me in the doubtful way;
And o'er me hold thy shield of power,
To guard me in the dangerous hour.
Teach me the flattering paths to shun,
In which the thoughtless many run;
Who for a shade the substance miss,
And grasp their ruin in their bliss.
Each noble principle impart,
The faith which sanctifies the heart, Hope that to heaven's high vault aspires, And love that warms with holy fires.
Whate'er is honest, pure, refin'd,
Just, generous, amiable, and kind,
That may my constant zeal pursue,
That may I love and practise too.
May never pleasure, wealth, or pride,
Allure my wandering soul aside;
Nor tempt me from the narrow road,
Which leads to happiness and God.
Supplication for Aid in the Duties of Life.
GOD, my strength, to thee I pray !
Turn not thou thine ear away;
Gracious to my cry attend,
While the suppliant knee I bend.
Grant me, Lord, thy grace and light,
To direct my steps aright;
To protect, in trial's hour,
From the world's ensnaring power.
Cleanse me from the guilt that lies
Wrapt within my heart's disguise;
Let me thence, by thee renew'd,
All presumptuous sin exclude.
Let my tongue, from rashness free,
Speak the words approv'd by thee:
And to thine all-searching eyes,
Let my thoughts accepted rise.
Hear, and to my soul display,
Mercy's all-enlivening ray :
Let it lead, in faith and love,
Onward to a home above.
Steadfastness and Watchfulness implored.
GREAT God! my Father, and my Friend!
On whom I cast my constant care,
On whom for all things I depend
To thee I raise my humble prayer.
Endue me with a holy fear;
The frailty of my heart reveal;
Sin and its snares are always near,
Thee may I always nearer feel.
Oh that to thee my constant mind
May with a steady flame aspire;
Pride in its earliest motions find,
And check the rise of wrong desire!
Oh that my watchful soul may fly
The first perceiv'd approach of sin;
Look up to thee when danger's nigh,
And feel thy fear control within!
Search, gracious God, my inmost heart;
From guilt and error set me free;
Thy light, and truth, and peace impart,
And guide me safe to heaven and thee.
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