4 To gentle offices of love

His feet are never slow:

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

5 He, from the bosom of his God,
Shall present peace receive―

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

HYMN 185.

C. M.

Cowper.

Canterbury. Colchester.

Comforts-true and false.

1 O GOD, whose favorable eye
The sin-sick soul revives;
Holy and heav'nly is the joy,
Thy shining presence gives.

2 This hypocrites have ne'er believ'd,
They judge with graceless hearts;
Swell'd with their pride, they are deceiv'd
By Satan's wily arts.

3 Unholy, selfish joys are theirs;

And while they boast their light,
And seem to soar above the stars,
They're plunging into night.
4 Lull'd in a soft and formal sleep,
They sin, and yet rejoice;

Were they indeed the Saviour's sheep,
They sure would hear his voice.

5 Be mine the comforts that reclaim
The soul from Satan's pow'r;

That make me blush for what I am,
And hate my sin the more.

6 'Tis joy enough, my All in All,
At thy dear feet to lie;

Thou wilt not let me lower fall,
And none can higher fly.

HYMN 186.

L. P. M.

Carolan's. Cumberland.

D. R.

Confidence in the Mediator. Heb. iv. 15. 1 WHEN gathering clouds around I view, And days are dark and friends are few, On him I lean, who not in vain, Experienc'd every human pain; He sees my wants, allays my fears, And counts and treasures up my tears. 2 If aught should tempt my soul to stray From heav'nly virtue's narrow way, To fly the good I would pursue, Or do the sin I would not do, Still he who felt temptation's pow'r Shall guard me in that dang'rous hour. 3 When sorrowing o'er some stone I bend, Which covers all that was a friend; And from his voice, his hand, his smile Divides me-for a little while,Thou, Saviour, seest the tears I shed, For thou didst weep o'er Lazarus dead. 4 And Oh, when I have safely past Through every conflict-but the last,

Still, still unchanging, watch beside
My painful bed,—for thou hast died;
Then point to realms of cloudless day,
And wipe the latest tear away.

HYMN 187. C. M.

Barby. Bray.

Ryland.

Delight in God. Ps. xxxvii. 4.

1 GRANT, Lord, I may delight in thee, And on thy care depend;

To thee in every trouble flee,
My best, my only friend.

2 No good in creatures can be found,
But all is found in thee;

I must be blessed and abound,
While thou art God to me.

3 Oh, that I had a stronger faith,
To look within the veil,

To credit what my Saviour saith,
Whose word can never fail.

4 O Lord, I cast my care on thee,
I triumph and adore;

Henceforth my great concern shall be,
To love and please thee more.

HYMN 188. C. M.

Plymouth. Walsal.

Cowper,

Contrite heart. Isa. lvii. 15.

1 THE Lord will happiness divine On contrite hearts bestow;

Then tell me, gracious God, is mine
A contrite heart or no?

2 I hear, but seem to hear in vain,
Insensible as steel;

If aught is felt, 'tis only pain,
To find I cannot feel.

3 I sometimes think myself inclin'd
To love thee, if I could;
But often feel another mind,
Averse to all that's good.

4 My best desires are faint and few,
I fain would strive for more;
But, when I cry, "My strength renew,"
Seem weaker than before.

5 Thy saints are comforted, I know,
And love thy house of pray'r;

I therefore go where others go,

But find no comfort there.

6 Oh, make this heart rejoice or ache—
Decide this doubt for me;
And if it be not broken, break,
And heal it, if it be.

HYMN 189.

8s.

Lambeth Uxbridge. Bethany,

Hart.

Faith conquering. Rom. i. 17.

1 THE moment a sinner believes,
And trusts in his crucify'd God,
His pardon at once he receives--
Redemption in full through his blood.

"Tis faith that still leads us along, And lives under pressure and load, That makes us in weakness more strong, And draws the soul upward to God. 2 It treads on the world and on hell, It vanquishes death and despair; And Oh! let us wonder to tell,

It wrestles and conquers by pray'r:
Permits a vile worm of the dust,
With God to commune as a friend;
To hope his forgiveness as just,
And look for his love to the end.
3 It says to the mountains, " Depart,"

That stand between God and the soul;It binds up the broken in heart,

And makes wounded consciences whole; Bids sins of a crimson-like dye

Be spotless as snow, and as white;

And raises the sinner on high,

To dwell with the angels of light.

HYMN 190. L. M.

Portugal. Kent.

Watts.

Faith connected with salvation.

1 NOT the best deeds that we have done, Can make a wounded conscience whole; Faith is the grace,—and faith alone, That flies to Christ, and saves the soul.

2 Lord, I believe thy heav'nly word, Fain would I have my soul renew'd ;