A collection of hymns, for the use of the Protestant Church of the United brethren. Revised and enlarged. [With]

8 Lord God almighty, ceaseless praise | 2 He built the earth, he spread the sky, In heav'n, thy throne, to thee is giv'n; And fixt the starry lights on high: Here, as in heav'n, thy name we bless, He fills the sun with morning light, For where thy presence shines, is He bids the moon direct the night. heav'n.

158. T. 14.

LONG ere the lofty skies were spread,

Jehovah fill'd his throne;
Ere man was form'd, or angels made,
The Maker liv'd alone.

2 His boundless years can ne'er de-
But still maintain their prime, [crease,
ETERNITY's his dwelling-place,
And EVER is his time.

3 While like a tide our minutes flow,
The present and the past,
He fills his own immortal NOW,
And sees our ages waste.

159.* T. 590.

LORD, when thou saidst, "So let it be,"

The heav'ns were spread, and shone, And this whole earth stood gloriously; Thou spak'st, and it was done; The whole creation still records, Unto this very day,

3 He sent his Son with pow'r to save
From guilt, from darkness,and the grave:
Wonders of grace to God belong,
Repeat his mercies in your song.
4 Thro' this vainworld he guides our feet,
And leads us to his heav'nly seat;
His mercies ever shall endure,
When this vain world shall be no more.

But man is thy peculiar care. My God, how excellent thy grace! Whence all our hope and comfort

That thou art God, the Lord of lords; The sons of Adam in distress [springs,

Thee all things must obey.

Fly to the shadow of thy wings.

3 From the provisions of thy house

We shall be fed with sweet repast; There mercy, like a river, flows,

And we the living water taste. Life, like a fountain rich and free,

Springs from thy presence, gracious And in thy light divine we see [Lord, The glories promis'd in thy word.

163.* T. 214.

I WILL sing to my Creator,

Unto God I'll render praise, Who by ev'ry thing in nature

Magnifies his tender grace. Nought but loving condescension Still inclines his faithful heart

To support and take their part, Who pursue his blest intention.

All things to their period tend,
But his mercy hath no end.

2 Yea, his Son his heart paternal
Freely did give up for me,
Me to save from death eternal
And from endless misery.
Depth of love past comprehension!
Whence can my weak spirit fetch
Thoughts profound enough to reach
This unfathom'd condescension!
All things, &c.

3 His good Spirit's blest instruction
In his word to me is giv'n,
Whose unerring manuduction

Leads me in the way to heav'n.
He endows my soul and spirit
With the light of living faith,
To o'ercome sin, world and death,
And escape the hell I merit.
All things, &c.

4 My soul's welfare he advances,
For my body he doth care;
Aid and comfort he dispenses,
When I call on him by pray'r;
When my natʼral strength is shrinking,
In the time of utmost need,
He, my God, draws nigh with speed,
And recovers me from sinking.
All things, &c.

5 As a hen is us'd to gather
Her young brood beneath her wings,
So hath God, my heav'nly Father,
Kept me safe from hurtful things;
Had

my God withdrawn his favor,
Had not his protecting grace
Sav'd me in each trying case,
I should have been helped never.
All things, &c.

6 Since nor end, nor bounds, nor mea-
In God's mercies can be found,[sure,
Heart and hands I lift with pleasure,
As a child in duty bound;
Humbly I request the favor:

Grant me grace both day and night,
Thee to love with all my might,
Till I change this infant savor
For that taste of bliss above,
Perfect praise and endless love.

WHEN all thy mercies, O my God,
My rising soul surveys,
Transported with the view, I'm lost
In wonder, love, and praise.

2 O how shall words with equal warmth
The gratitude declare,

That glows within my ravish'd heart!
But thou canst read it there.
3 Thy providence my life sustain'd,
And all my wants redrest,
When in the silent womb I lay,
And hung upon the breast.

4 To all my weak complaints and cries
Thy mercy lent an ear,

Ere yet my feeble thoughts had learnt
To form themselves in pray'r.

5 Unnumber'd comforts to my soul
Thy tender care bestow'd,
Before my infant-heart conceiv'd

From whom those comforts flow'd.
6 When in the slipp'ry paths of youth
With heedless steps I ran,
Thine arm, unseen, convey'd me safe,
And led me up to man.

7 Thro' hidden dangers, toils & deaths,
It gently clear'd my way,
And thro' the pleasing snares of vice,
More to be fear'd than they.

8 When worn with sickness,oft hast thou
With health renew'd my face;
And when in sin and sorrow sunk,
Reviv'd my soul with grace.

9 Ten thousand thousand precious gifts
My daily thanks employ;
Nor is the least a cheerful heart,
10 Thro' ev'ry period of my
That tastes those gifts with joy.

life

Thy goodness I'll pursue;
And after death, in heav'n with thee,
The glorious theme renew.

11 Thro' all eternity to thee

A joyful song I'll raise:
But, O! eternity's too short
To utter all thy praise.

IN thee I live, and move, and am;
Thou number'st all my
days:
As thou renew'st my being, Lord,
Let me renew thy praise.

2 From thee I am, thro' thee I am,
And for thee I must be:
'Twere better for me not to live,
Than not to live to thee.

3 Naked I came into this world,

And nothing with me brought;
And nothing have I here deserv'd;
Yet I have lacked nought.

4 I do not praise my lab'ring hand,
My lab'ring head, or chance;
Thy providence, most gracious God,
Is my inheritance.

5 Thy bounty gives me bread with
A table free from strife: [peace,
Thy blessing is the staff of bread,
Which is the staff of life.

6. The daily favors of my God
I cannot sing at large;
Yet humbly can I make this boast,
I am th' Almighty's charge.

7 Lord, in the day, thou art about

The paths wherein I tread;
And in the night, when I lie down,

Thou art about my bed,

8 O let my house a temple be,
That I and mine may sing
Hosannas to thy majesty,
And praise our heav'nly King.

166.* T. 192.

How well, O Lord, art thou thy people leading, [strange! Tho' oft thy ways seem wonderful and There can be nothing wrong in thy proceeding,

Because thy faithfulness can never change.

Thy ways seem often crooked, yet are straight,

In which thy children are ordain'd to wałk:

Should all to ruin seem to go and wreck, At last 'tis seen that thou art wise and great.

2 Far as from east to west, thy wisdom scatters

Things, which man's prudence to combine would try:

And that, which some would lay in bonds and fetters,

Is by thy power rais'd to reach the sky. The contrary of what thou dost intend Sometimes presents itself to human sight; [it right, Man, while he thought he understood Is often disappointed in the end.

3 'Fore thee that's nought, which is the admiration

Of all; what's nothing, that thou lov'st, O Lord!

Fine words with thee find no recommendation,

[afford. Thy impulse must th' emphatic pow'r The haughty pharisee thou passest by, To humble sinners thou dost mercy show;

Thy thoughts are very high, who can them know!

What human mind thy wisdom can descry!

To help ourselves we're utterly unable, Thou art but adding grief to grief,
Our very actions prove our impotence. Instead of getting sure relief.
Therefore thou tak'st us, thou dost us 3 Would we but be resign'd and quiet,
uphold;
[faithfulness:
Deal'st father-like, show'st mother's Who oft prescribes us wholesome diet,
And rest in God's good providence,
Those sheep, which that they're thine,

no man could guess, Are ever fed, and kept within thy fold.

By methods cross to flesh and sense! Our wants and cares are fully known. To him, who chose us for his own,

6 Sometimes it seems, thou art severe-4 ly dealing,

Again art tender and compassionate: Thy chastisement corrects us when we're failing,

Whene'er our minds seek to extravagate.

Then bashfulness forbids us to look up;
Thou pardon'st us, we promise better
things;

Thy holy Spirit peace unto us brings,
And puts to all extravagance a stop.

He knows the hours for joy and gladness,

The proper time and proper place; Are we but faithful 'midst our sadness,

Seek not ourselves, but seek his He'll come, before we are aware,(praise: And dissipate our grief and care.

God can this hour with ev'ry dainty The poor man's table amply spread; And strip the rich of all his plenty,

And send him out to beg his bread :
God can do wonders, if he please,
Humble the one, the other raise.
6 Do thou with faith discharge thy sta-
tion,

Rely on him for preservation, [praise;
Keep God's commands, and sing his

On whom the whole creation stays.
The man that's truly wise and just,
Makes God, and God alone his trust.

3 Thy faithfulness eternal,
O Father, certainly
What's good or detrimental
Doth for thy children see :
Thee all things serve in nature,
According to thy will;
Thou, as the great Creator,
Thy counsel dost fulfil.

4 My soul! then with assurance
Hope still, be not dismay'd;
He will from each incumbrance
Again lift up thy head:
Beyond thy wish extended
His goodness will appear,
When he hath fully ended
What caus'd thy needless fear.

169.* T. 595.

;

GIVE to the winds thy fears,
Hope, and be undismay'd;
God hears thy sighs and counts thy tears,
God shall lift up thy head
Thro' waves, thro' clouds and storms,
He gently clears thy way;
Wait thou his time, so shall the night
Soon end in joyous day.

2 He ev'ry where hath way,

And all things serve his might, His ev'ry act pure blessing is, His path unsullied light: When he makes bare his arm, What shall his work withstand ? When he his people's cause defends, Who, who shall stay his hand?

3 Leave to his sov'reign sway

To choose and to command,

With wonder fill'd, thou then shalt own
How wise, how strong his hand;
Thou comprehend'st him not,

Yet earth and heaven tell,
God sits as sov'reign on the throne,
He ruleth all things well.

4 Thou seest our weakness, Lord,
Our hearts are known to thee,
O lift thou up the sinking hand,
Confirm the feeble knee;

CHILDREN of God lack nothing,
His promise bears them thro';
Who gives the lilies clothing,
Will clothe his people too ;
Beneath the spreading heavens,
No creature but is fed;
And he, who feeds the ravens,
Will give his children bread.
2 Tho' vine, nor fig-tree neither,
Their wonted fruit should bear;
Tho' all the fields should wither,

Nor flocks nor herds be there:
Yet God the same abiding,

His praise shall tune my voice;
For, while in him confiding,
I cannot but rejoice.

171. T. 581. QUIET, Lord, my froward heart,

Make me teachable and mild, Upright, simple, free from art,

Make me as a weaned child: From distrust and envy free, Pleas'd with all that pleaseth thee. 2 What thou shalt to-day provide, Let me as a child receive; What to-morrow may betide,

Calmly to thy wisdom leave: 'Tis enough that thou wilt care, Why should I the burden bear? 3 As a little child relies

On a care beyond his own, Knows he's neither strong nor wise, Fears to stir a step alone: Let me thus with thee abide,

Father, Guard and Guide. 4 Thus preserv'd from Satan's wiles, Safe from dangers, free from fears, May I live upon thy smiles,

Till the promis'd hour appears, When the sons of God shall prove All their Father's boundless love.

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A collection of hymns, for the use of the Protestant Church of the United ...