2 Weak, indeed, they feel they are,
But they know the throne of grace;
And the God who answers pray'r
Helps them when they seek his face.
3 Tho' the Lord awhile delay,
Succour they at length obtain;
He who taught their hearts to pray,
Will not let them cry in vain.
4 Wrestling pray'r can wonders do,
Bring relief in deepest straits;
Pray'r can force a paffage thro
Iron bars and brazen gates.
5 Hezekiah on his knees"
Proud Affyria's hoft fubdu'd;
And when smitten with disease,
Had his life by pray'r renew'd.
6 Peter, tho' confin'd and chain'd,
Pray'r prevail'd and brought him out;
When Elijah pray'd, it rain'd,
After three long years of drought.
7 We can likewise witness bear,
That the Lord is still the fame;
Tho' we fear'd he would not hear,
Suddenly detiverance came.
8 For the wonders he has wrought,
Let us now our praises give;
And by sweet experience taught,
Call upon him while we live.
ON THE SCRIPTURE.
LXII. C. The Light and Glory of the Word.
THE Spirit breathes upon the word,
And brings the truth to fight;
Precepts and promises afford
A fanctifying light.
2 A glory gilds the facred page, Majestic like the fun';
It gives a light to ev'ry age,
It gives, but borrows none.
'3 The hand that gave it still supplies
The gracious light and heat;
His truths upon the nations rife,
They rife but never fet.
4 Let everlasting thanks be thine,
For fuch a bright display,
As makes a world of darkness shine
With beams of heav'nly day.
5. My foul rejoices to pursue
The steps of him I love;
Till glory breaks upon my view
In brighter worlds above.
LXIII. The Word more precious than Gold.
Recious Bible! what a treasure
Does the word of God afford?
All I want for life or pleasure,
FOOD and MED'CINE, SHIELD and SWORD:
Let the world account me poor,,,
Having this I need no more.
2 FOOD to which the world's a stranger,
Here my hungry foul enjoys.....
Of excess there is no danger,
Tho' it fills, it never cloys:
On a dying Chrift I feed,
He is meat and drink indeed!
3 When my faith is faint and fickly,
Or when Satan wounds my mind,
Cordials to revive me quickly,
Healing MED'CINES here I find:
To the promifes I flee,
Each affords a remedy.
4 In the hour of dark temptation
Satan cannot make me yield;
For the word of confolation
Is to me a mighty SHIELD:
While the fcripture-truths are sure,
From his malice I'm fecure.
5 Vain his threats to overcome me,
When I take the Spirit's sword;
Then with ease I drive him from me,
Satan trembles at the word:
'Tis a SWORD for conquest made,
Keen the edge, and strong the blade.
Shall I envy then the miser,
Doating on his golden store?
Sure I am, or should be wifer,
I am rich, 'tis he is poor:
Jesus gives me in his word,
FOOD and MEDICINE, SHIELD and
III. PROVIDENCES.
LXIV. On the Commencement of Hostilities in America
THE gath'ring clouds, with aspect dark,
A rifing storm presage;
Oh! to be hid within the ark,
And shelter'd from its rage!
2 See the commiffion'd angel frown*!
That vial in his hand,
Fill'd with fierce wrath, is pouring down
Upon our guilty land!
3 Ye faints, unite in wrestling pray'r,
If yet there may be hope;
Who knows but mercy yet may spare,
And bid the angel stop †?
4 Already is the plague begun *,
And fir'd with hostile rage,
Brethren, by blood and int'rest one,
With brethren now engage.
5 Peace spreads her wings, prepar'd for flight,
And war, with flaming sword,
And hasty strides, draws nigh, to fight
The battles of the Lord.
6 The first alarm, alas, how few,
While distant, feem to hear!
But they will hear, and tremble too,
When God shall send it near.
7 So thunder o'er the distant hills
Gives but a murm'ring found;
But as the tempest spreads, it fills,
And shakes the welkin † round.
8 May we, at least, with one consent,
Fall low before the throne;
With tears the nation's fins lament,
The church's, and our own.
9 The humble souls who mourn and pray,
The Lord approves and knows;
His mark secures them in the day
When vengeance strikes his foes.
FAST-DAY HYMNS.
LXV. Confeffion and Prayer. Dec. 13. 1776
H may the pow'r which melts the rock
Be felt by all afsembled here!
Or elfe our service will but mock
The God whom we profess to fear!
† Firmament, or Atmosphere.
2 Lord, while thy judgments shake the land,
Thy people's eyes are fix'd on thee !
We own thy just uplifted hand,
Which thousands cannot, will not fee.
3 How long hast thou bestow'd thy care
On this indulg'd ungrateful spot;
While other nations, far and near,
Have envy'd and admir'd our lot.
4 Here peace and liberty have dwelt,
The glorious gospel brightly shone;
And oft our enemies have felt
That God has made our cause his own.
5 But ah! both heaven and earth have heard
Our vile requital of his love !
We, whom like children he has rear'd,
Rebels against his goodness prove *.
6 His grace defpis'd, his pow'r defy'd,
And legions of the blackest crimes,
Profaneness, riot, lust, and pride,
Are figns that mark the present times.
7 The Lord difpleas'd, has rais'd his rod;
Ah, where are now the faithful few
Who tremble for the ark of God,
And know what Ifrael ought to do †?
8 Lord, hear thy people ev'ry where,
Who meet to mourn, confefs, and pray;
The nation and thy churches spare,
And let thy wrath be turn'd away.
MOSES and AMALEK
February 27. 1778.
WHILE Joshua led the armed bands
Of Ifrael forth to war;
Moses apart with lifted hands
Engag'd in humble pray'r.
Ifa. i. 2. † Chron. xii. 32.
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