2 'Twas Israel's God and King,
Who sent him to the fight;
Who gave him strength to sling,
And skill to aim aright:

Yet feeble saints, your strength endures,
For David's God and King is yours.
3 Who order'd Gideon forth,*
To storm the' invader's camp,
With arms of little worth,

A pitcher and a lamp?

The trumpets made his coming known; And all the host was overthrown.

4 Oh! I have seen the day,

When with a single word,
God helping me to say,

66

My trust is in the Lord,"

My soul has quell'd a thousand foes,
Fearless of all that could oppose.

5 But unbelief, self-will,

Self-righteousness and pride,
How often do they steal

My weapon from my side?

Yet David's Lord, and Gideon's Friend, I trust will help me to the end.

HYMN 153.

(L. M. MARTIN'S LANE.)

In affliction and distress.

1 GOD of my life, to Thee I call; Afflicted at thy feet I fall;

When the great water-floods prevail, Leave not my trembling heart to fail. * Judg. vii. 15, &c.

2 Friend of the friendless, and the faint!
Where should I lodge my deep complaint?
Where but with Thee, whose open door
Invites the helpless and the poor?

3 Did ever mourner plead with Thee,
And Thou refuse that mourner's plea?
Does not thy word still fix'd remain,
That none shall seek thy face in vain?
4 That where a grief I could not bear,
Didst Thou not hear, and answer prayer;
But a prayer-hearing,-answering
Supports me under every load.

God,

5 Fair is the lot that's cast for me;
I have an Advocate with Thee:
They, whom the world caresses most,
Have no such privilege to boast.
6 Poor though I am, despised, forgot,
Yet God, my God, forgets me not;
And he is safe, and must succeed,
For whom the Lord vouchsafes to plead.

HYMN 154.

(C. M. LIVERPOOL.)

For submission to the will of God.

1 O LORD! my best desire 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?

Why tremble at thy 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,
Ór 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 refuse them both?

A

poor blind creature of a day, And crush'd before the moth? 6 But ah! mine inward spirit cries, "Still bind me to thy sway;" Else the next cloud that veils my Drives all these thoughts away. HYMN 155.

(C. M. ST. ANN'S.)

skies

Ephraim repenting. Jerem. xxxi. 18-20. 1 TILL I received thy gracious stroke, How stubborn, Lord, was I! So unaccustom❜d to the yoke, So backward to comply.

2 With grief my just reproach I bear; Shame fills me at the thought, How frequent my rebellions were, What wickedness I wrought.

3 Thy merciful restraint I scorn'd, And left the heavenly road;

Yet turn me, and I shall be turn'd;
Thou art the Lord my God,

4 "Is Ephraim banish'd from my thoughts, Or vile in my esteem?

No," saith the Lord, "with all his faults,
I still remember him."

5"Is he a dear and pleasant child?
Yes, dear and pleasant still;
Though sin his foolish heart beguiled,
And he withstood my will.

6 My sharp rebuke has laid him low,
He seeks my face again;

My pity kindles at his woe;
He shall not seek in vain."

(P. M.

HYMN 156.

NORTHAMPTON CHAPEL.)

Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth. Heb. xii. 6.

1 'Tis my happiness below

Not to live without the cross;

But the Saviour's power to know,
Sanctifying every loss.

2 Trials must, and will befall;
But with humble faith to see
Love inscribed upon them all,
This is happiness to me.

3 God in Israel sows the seeds
Of affliction, pain, and toil;

น

These spring up and choke the weeds
Which would else o'erspread the soil.

4 Trials make the promise sweet;
Trials give new life to prayer;
Trials bring me to his feet,
Lay me low, and keep me there.
5 Did I meet no trials here,
No correction by the way,
Might I not, with reason fear
I should prove a cast-away?
6 Others may escape the rod,
Sunk in earthly, vain delight;
But the true-born child of God
Must not, would not, if he might.

HYMN 157.

(L M. NEW SABBATH.)

The benefit of affliction.
1 O HOW I love thy holy word,
Thy gracious covenant, O Lord!
It guides me in the peaceful way,
That leads to realms of endless day.

2 What is the pomp of power and wealth,
The strength of youth, the bloom of health?
What are all joys, compared with those
Thine everlasting word bestows?

3 Long unaffected, undismay'd,
In folly's ways secure I stray'd;
At length I felt thy chastening rod;
And strait return'd to Thee my God.

4 What though it pierced my fainting heart,
Í bless the hand that caused the smart;
*Heb. xii. 8.