378.

C.M.-Christian Charity.

1 BEHOLD where, breathing love divine,
Our dying Master stands!

His weeping followers, gathering round,
Receive his last commands.

2 From that mild Teacher's parting lips
What tender accents fell!

The gentle precept which he

Became its Author well.

gave

3"Blest is the man whose softening heart Feels all another's pain;

To whom the supplicating eye

Was never rais'd in vain:

4 "Whose breast expands with generous warmth, A stranger's woes to feel;

And bleeds in pity o'er the wound

He wants the power to heal.

5" He spreads his kind, supporting arms To every child of grief:

His secret bounty largely flows,

And brings unask'd relief.

6" To gentle offices of love,
His feet are never slow:

He views, through mercy's melting eye,
A brother in a foe.

7" Peace from the bosom of his God,
My peace to him I give;

And when he kneels before the throne,
His trembling soul shall live.

8" To him protection shall be shown,
And mercy from above

Descend on those who thus fulfil
The perfect law of love."

379.

L.M.-The Heart purified to Love by the Spirit. 1 Pet. i. 22. 1 GREAT Spirit of immortal love, Vouchsafe our frozen hearts to move: With ardour strong these breasts inflame, To all that own a Saviour's name. 2 Still let the heavenly fire endure, Fervent and vigorous, true and pure; Let every heart and every hand, Join in the dear fraternal band. 3 Celestial Dove! descend and bring The smiling blessings on thy wing, And make us taste those sweets below Which in the blissful mansions grow.

380.

L.M.-Communing with our Hearts. Ps. iv. 4.

1 RETURN, my roving heart, return,
And chase these shadowy forms no more:
Seek out some solitude to mourn,
And thy forsaken God implore.

2 Wisdom and pleasure dwell at home:
Retir'd and silent seek them there:
True conquest is our souls to o'ercome,
True strength to break the tempter's snare.
3 And thou, my God, whose piercing eye
Distinct surveys each deep recess,
In these abstracted hours draw nigh,
And with thy presence fill the place.
4 Through all the mazes of my heart,
My search let heavenly wisdom guide,
And still its radiant beams impart,

Till all be search'd and purified. 5 Then with the visits of thy love, Vouchsafe my inmost soul to cheer, Till every grace shall join to prove, That God hath fix'd his dwelling there.

381.

C.M.-Retirement.

1 FAR from the world, O Lord, I flee,
From strife and tumult far;

From scenes where Satan wages still
His most successful war.

2 The calm retreat, the silent shade,
With prayer and praise agree,
And seem by thy sweet bounty made
For those who follow thee.

3 There, if thy Spirit touch the soul,
And grace her mean abode,

O with what peace, and joy, and love,
She communes with her God!

4 There, like the nightingale, she pours
Her solitary lays;

Nor asks a witness of her song,
Nor thirsts for human praise.

5 Author and guardian of my life,
Sweet source of light divine,
And (all harmonious names in one)
My Saviour thou art mine!

6 What thanks I owe thee, and what love!
A boundless, endless store,
Shall echo through the realms above,
When time shall be no more.

382.

P.M.-Christian Moderation. 1 Cor. vii, 29-31.

1 SPRING up, my soul, with ardent flight,
Nor let this earth delude thy sight
With glittering trifles gay and vain:
Wisdom divine directs thy view
To objects ever grand and new,

And faith displays the shining train.

2 Be dead, my hopes, to all below, Nor let unbounded torrents flow

When mourning o'er my wither'd joys; So this deceitful world is known, Possess'd, I call it not my own, Nor glory in its painted toys. 3 The empty pageant rolls along; The giddy unexperienc'd throng Pursue it with enchanted eyes; It passeth with swift march away, Still more and more its charms decay, Till the last gaudy colour dies.

4 My God, to thee my soul shall turn, For thee my noblest passions burn,

And drink in bliss from thee alone: I fix on that unchanging home, Where never-fading pleasures bloom,

Fresh springing round thy radiant throne.

383.

C.M.--God speaking Peace to his People. Ps. lxxxv. 8.
1 UNITE, my roving thoughts, unite,
In silence soft and sweet;

And thou, my soul, sit gently down
At thy great Sovereign's feet.

2 Jehovah's awful voice is heard,
Yet gladly I attend,

For lo! the everlasting God
Proclaims himself my friend.

3 Harmonious accents to my soul
The sounds of peace convey;
The tempest at his word subsides,
And winds and seas obey.

4 By all its joys, I charge my heart
To grieve his love no more,
But, charm'd by melody divine,
To give its follies o'er.

384.

L.M.-Peace from and with God. Isa. lvii. 19.

1 HARK! for the great Creator speaks;
In silence let the earth attend;
And, when his words of grace are heard,
In grateful adoration bend.

2"'Tis I create the fruit of praise,

"And give the broken heart to sing; "Peace, heavenly peace, my lips proclaim, "Pleas'd with the happy news they bring." 3 Receive the tidings with delight, Ye Gentile nations from afar; And you the children of his love,

Whom grace hath brought already near. 4 To these, to those, his sovereign hand, Its healing energy imparts:

Peace, peace, be echo'd from your tongues, And echo'd from consenting hearts.

5 Enjoy the health which God hath wrought; Nor let the daily tribute cease,

Till chang'd for more exalted songs
In regions of eternal peace.

385.

L.M.-Peace after a Storm,

1 WHEN darkness long has veil'd my mind,
And smiling day once more appears;
Then, my Redeemer, then I find
The folly of my doubts and fears.

2 Straight I upbraid my wandering heart,
And blush that I should ever be
Thus prone to act so base a part,
Or harbour one hard thought of thee!
3 O! let me then at length be taught,
What I am still so slow to learn ;
That God is love, and changes not,
Nor knows the shadow of a turn.