I'll praise him for ten thousand past, And humbly sue for more. 6. Then, O my soul, why thus depress'd, And whence this anxious fear? Let former favors fix thy trust, And check the rising tear. 7. Here will I rest, and build my hopes, Nor murmur at his rod; He's more than all the world to me, My health, my life, my God. SECTION XIX. The Christian Race. 1. AWAKE, my soul, stretch every nerve, A heavenly race demands thy zeal, 2. A cloud of witnesses around, 3. "Tis God's all animating voice, 4. That prize with peerless glories bright, When victors' wreaths, and monarchs' gems, 5. My soul, with sacred ardor fir'd, The glorious prize pursue; And meet with joy the high command, To bid this earth adieu. SECTION XX. The dying Christian to his soul. 1. VITAL spark of heav'nly flame! COTTON. DODDRIDGE. Drowns my spirits, draws my breath? Lend, lend your wings! I mount! I fly! O Death! where is thy sting? SECTION XXI. Epitaph on a poor and virtuous mat 1. STOP, reader, here, and deign to look Ne'er enter'd in the ample book 7 3. Studious of peace, he hated strife His coat of arms, 3. Quarter'd therewith was innocence; 4. In the great day of wrath, though pride Thousands shall wish they'd been allied. SECTION XXII. Love to enemies. 1. WHEN Christ, among the sons of men, 2. The woes of men, his pity mov'd; 3. Their malice rag'd without a cause, He pray'd for murd'rers on his cross 4. From the rich fountain of his love What streams of mercy flow! 5. Let not this bright example shine, Give us, great God, a soul like his, SECTION XXIII. The dangers and snares of life. 1. AWAKE, my soul! lift up thine eyes: Has thousands and ten thousands slain. But most the traitor in thy heart. 5. Come then, my soul, now learn to wield Of heav'nly truth, and heav'nly love. SECTION XXIV. WATTS. BARBAULD The Divine Being knows and sees every thing. My heart and flesh, with all their powers. 2. My thoughts, before they are my own, Are to my God distinctly known; He knows the words I mean to speak Ere from my op'ning lips they break. 3. Within thy circling power I stand; On every side I find thy hand: Awake, asleep, at home, abroad, I am surrounded still with God. 4. Amazing knowledge, vast and great! What large extent! what lofty height! My soul, with all the powers I boast, Is in the boundless prospect lost! 5. O may these thoughts possess my breast, Where'er I rove, where'er I rest! Nor let my weaker passions dare Consent to sin, for God is there! 6. Could I so false, so faithless prove, To quit thy service, and thy love, Where, Lord, could I thy presence shun, Or, from thy dreadful glory run? 7. If up to heav'n I take my flight, 'Tis there thou dwell'st enthron'd in light; 10. Oh! may these thoughts possess my breast, SECTION XXV. All nature attests the great Creator. 1. Hast thou beheld the glorious sun, Rise in the east a beauteous show? 3. When darkness had o'erspread the skies, Hast thou e'er seen the moon arise? WATTS: ...L... And with a mild and placid light, Shed lustre o'er the face of night? 4. Hast thou e'er wander'd o'er the plain, And view'd the fields, and waving grain; The flow'ry mead, the leafy grove, Where all is melody and love? 5. Hast thou e'er trod the sandy shore, And heard the restless ocean roar, When, rous'd by some tremendous storm, Its billows roll in dreadful form? 6. Hast thou beheld the lightning stream, Through night's dark gloom with sudden gleam While the bellowing thunder's sound, Roll'd rattling through the heav'ns profound ? 7. Hast thou e'er felt the cutting gale, The sleety shower, the biting hail; Beheld bright snow o'erspread the plains The water bound in icy chains ? 8. Hast thou the various beings seen, That sport along the valley green; That sweetly warble on the spray, Or wanton in the sunny ray: 9. That shoot along the briny deep, Or under ground their dwellings keep; 'That through the gloomy forests range, Or frightful wilds, and deserts strange ? 10. Hast thou the wondrous scene survey'd, That all around thee are display'd? And hast thou never rais'd thine eyes TO HIM who caus'd these scenes to rise? 11. 'Twas GOD who form'd the concave sky, And all the shining orbs on high: Who gave the various beings birth, That people all the spacious earth. 12. "Tis HE that bids the tempest rise, And rolls the thunder through the skies. Through all the earth extends his sway. 13. His goodness all his creatures share; But man is his peculiar care. Then, while they all proclaim his praise, |