9 Inspir'd to praise I then shall join
Glad nature's cheerful song:
And love and gratitude divine
Attune my joyful tongue.

TH

HYMN 576.

MRS. STEELE.

L. M.

The Resurrection. Matt. xxviii. 2---4.
HE silent noon of night was past,
The moon was bright in silver sheen,
When sudden gloom the sky o'ercast,
And quench'd in darkness all the scene.
2 The centinels around the tomb,
In which the murder'd Jesus lay,
Look'd forward from the dreary gloom
With anxious eyes for coming day.
3 But, hark beneath, the rumbling earth
Began with inward roars to rock,
As if her entrails from their girth
Were bursting with impetuous shock.
4 Th' affrighted soldiers rais'd their eyes
To angry Heav'n in fear-form'd pray'r;
But, lo! new terror in the skies!
A mighty spirit in the air!

5 Like lightning's fire his count'nance beam'd,
His garments glitter'd white as snow;
Wrapp'd in a blaze of light, he seem'd
Descending tow'rds the earth below.

6 They sunk, in terror overwhelm'd
Struck to the quaking ground with dread:
The iron warrior, mail'd and helm'd,
Lay pale and senseless as the dead.

7 Soon to the earth the seraph came,
Soon was the rocky door thrown wide,
The quick-returning vital flame
Re-animates the Crucified!

8 With radiant glory compass'd round,
Forth walks the Conqueror girt with might;

The prostrate seraph licks the ground,
Eclips'd in his Creator's light.

9 How chang'd the scene!—of late, the mirth
And passive scorn of soldiers rude:

But now, while they lie stretch'd on earth,
He walks, too glorious to be view'd.

10 Behold yon tyrant! stript and bare,
In his own fetters bound, he lies;
His sceptre broken, while the air
Is troubled with his wailing cries.

11 Well may'st thou wail! the time draws nigh,
(This Resurrection seals the doom)
When thou, with all thy pow'r shalt die,
And all thy captives leave the tomb.

THO

HYMN 577. C. M.
Widow.

HO' faint and sick, and worn away
With poverty and woe,

My widow'd feet are doom'd to stray,

'Mid thorny paths below;

2 Be Thou, O Lord! my Saviour still-
My confidence and guide!

I know that perfect is Thy will,
Whate'er that will decide.

3 I know the soul that trusts in Thee
Thou never wilt forsake;
And though a bruised reed I be,

That reed thou wilt not break.

4 Then, keep me, Lord! where'er I Support me on my way;

go

Though worn with poverty and woe,
My widow'd footsteps stray !

5 To give my weakness strength, O God!
Thy staff shall yet avail :

And though thou chasten with thy rod,
That staff shall never fail.

J. M. G.

E. W-G

HYMN 578. C. M.

The Condescension of God. 1 Kings viii. 97. -
TERNAL pow'r, almighty God,
Who can approach thy throne?
Accessless light is thy abode,
To angel-eyes unknown.

Before the radiance of thine eye
The heav'ns no longer shine,
And all the glories of the sky
Are but the shade of thine.

3 Great God, and wilt thou condescend
To cast a look below,

To this vile world thy notice bend,
These seats of sin and woe?

it oh! to shew thy smiling face,
To bring thy glories near-
Amazing and transporting grace
To dwell with mortals here!

5 How strange! how awful is thy love!
With trembling we adore :

Not all the exalted minds above
Its wonders can explore.

6 While golden harps, and angel tongues
Resound immortal lays,

Great God, permit our humble
To rise and mean thy praise.

songs

MRS. STEELL.