4 Guard me, Saviour, by Thy power,
Guard me in the trying hour:
Let Thy unremitting care
Save me from the lurking snare.
5 Let my few remaining days
Be devoted to Thy praise;
So the last, the closing scene,
Shall be tranquil and serene.
6 To Thy will I leave the rest,
Grant me but this one request,
Both in life and death to prove
Tokens of Thy special love.

C.M.

507 The Lord gave, and the Lord hath

taken away.-Job 1, 21.

1M Gent God! are in Thine hand:

times of sorrow and of joy,

My choicest comforts come from Thee,
And go at Thy command.

2 If Thou shouldst take them all away,
Yet would I not repine;
Before they were possest by me,
They were entirely Thine.

3 Nor would I drop a murmuring word, Though the whole world were gone; But seek enduring happiness

In Thee, and Thee alone.

4 What is the world, with all its store?
Tis but a bitter sweet;

When I attempt to pluck the rose,
A pricking thorn I meet.

5 Here perfect bliss can ne'er be found, The honey's mixed with gall:

Midst changing scenes and dying friends,

Be Thou my All in all.

78.

508 My times are in Thy hand.-PA.

1

31, 15.

SOVEREIGN Ruler of the skies!
Ever gracious, ever wise!

All my times are in Thy hand;
All events at Thy command.

2 Times of sickness, times of health;
Times of penury and wealth;
Times of trial and of grief;
Times of triumph and relief;

3 Times the tempter's power to prove;
Times to taste a Saviour's love:
All must come, and last, and end,
As shall please my heavenly Friend.
4 Plagues and deaths around me fly;
Till He bids, I cannot die:

Not a single shaft can hit
Till the God of love sees fit.

5 O Thou Gracious, Wise, and Just,
In Thy hands my life I trust:
Have I somewhat dearer still?
I resign it to Thy will.

6 May I always own Thy hand-
Still to the surrender stand;
Know that Thou art God alone,
I and mine are all Thine own.
7 Thee at all times will I bless;
- Having Thee, I all possess:
How can I bereaved be,

Since I cannot part with Thee?

S.M.

509 I opened not my mouth; because

Thou didst it.-Ps. 39, 9.

T is Thy hand, my God;

IT

My sorrow comes from Thee:

I bow beneath Thy chastening rod,
I know Thou lovest me.

I would not murmur, Lord,
Before Thee I am dumb:

Lest I should breathe one murmuring

word,

To Thee for help I come.

My God, Thy name is Love,
A Father's hand is Thine;

With tearful eyes I look above,
And cry, Thy will be mine!

I know Thy will is right,
Though it may seem severe:
Thy path is still unsullied light,
Though dark it may appear.

5

6

Jesus for me hath died,

Thy Son Thou didst not spare;
His pierced hands, His bleeding side,
Thy love for me declare.

Here my poor heart can rest;
My God, it cleaves to Thee;

Thy will is love, Thine end is blest,
All work for good to me.

8.6.8.6.8.8.

510 We trust in the living God.

1 Tim. 4. 10.

1 WHEN I can trust my all with God,

In trial's fearful hour,
Bow, all resigned, beneath His rod,
And bless His sparing power;
A joy springs up amid distress,
A fountain in the wilderness.

2 Oh! blessed be the hand that gave,
And blessed when it takes;
Blessed be He who smites to save,
Who heals the heart He breaks.
Perfect and true are all His ways,
Whom heaven adores, and death obeys.

C.M.

511 Fet what I shall choose I wot not.

Phil. 1, 22.

1 LORD, it belongs not to my care,

Whether I die or live:

To love and serve Thee is my share,
And this Thy grace must give.

2 If life be long, I will be glad,
That I may long obey;

If short, yet why should I be sad,
To soar to endless day?

3 Come, Lord, when grace has made me

meet,

Thy blessed face to see;

For if Thy work on earth be sweet,
What will Thy glory be?

4 Then I shall end my sad complaints,
And weary sinful days;

And join with the triumphant saints, Who sing Jehovah's praise.

5 My knowledge of that life is small, The eye of faith is dim;

1

But tis enough that Christ knows all,
And I shall be with Him.

8.7.7.7.

512 Ye know not what shall be on the

morrow.-James 4, 14.

TIS to us no cause of sorrow, That we cannot tell to-day, What it is will come to-morrow; Tis enough that we can say, He whom we our Father call, Knows the future, knows it all. 2 Happy they, who, all committing To their Father's care and love, Let Him choose what most is fitting, And of all He does, approve: Ever free from anxious care, Blest in this, His people are. 3 Teach us, O our God and Father, Teach us to obey Thee thus, Be Thy choice our portion, rather Than what may seem good to us; Tis not meet we should refuse Aught that Thou, our God, shalt choose.

4 Future things with Thee are present; All to come Thine eye can see; Safe it is for us and pleasant

Future things to trust to Thee:
Then Thy people happy are

When on Thee they cast their care.

C.M.

513 Patient in tribulation.—Rom. 12,

12.

LORD! my best desires fulfil,
And help me to resign

Life, health, and comfort to Thy will,
And make Thy pleasure mine.

2 Why should I shrink at Thy command,
Whose love forbids my fears?
Or tremble at the gracious hand
That wipes away my tears?

3 No! let me rather freely yield
What most I prize to Thee,
Who never hast a good withheld,
Nor wilt withhold from me.

4 Thy favour, all my journey through,
Thou art engaged to grant:
What else I want, or think I do,
Tis better still to want.

5 Wisdom and mercy guide my way;
Shall I resist them both;

A poor blind creature of a day,
And crushed before the moth?
6 But, ah! my inmost spirit cries,
Still bind me to Thy sway;

Else the next cloud, that veils my skies,
Drives all these thoughts away.

112th.

514 His great love, wherewith He loved

1

us.-Eph. 2, 4.

THOU, hidden love of God, whose

height.

Whose depth unfathomed, no man
knows;

I see from far Thy beauteous light,
Inly I sigh for Thy repose:

My heart is pained, nor can it be
At rest, till it finds rest in Thee.

2 Thy secret voice invites me still

The sweetness of Thy yoke to prove:
And fain I would: but though my will
Seems fixed, yet wide my passions rove:
Yet hindrances strew all the way;

I aim at Thee, yet from Thee stray. 3 Tis mercy all, that Thou hast brought My mind to seek her peace in Thee: Yet while I seek, but find Thee not, No peace my wandering soul shall see: Oh! when shall all my wanderings end, And all my steps to Thee-ward tend? 4 Is there a thing beneath the sun That strives with Thee my heart to share?

Ah! tear it thence, and reign alone,
The Lord of every motion there:
Then shall my heart from earth be free,
When it hath found repose in Thee.