It was the good Physician now

Soothed thy cheek and chafed thy brow;
Whispering, as he raised thy head,—
"It is I, be not afraid."

God of glory, God of grace,

Hear from heaven, thy dwelling-place;

Hear, in mercy, and forgive,

Bid thy child believe, and live.

Bless her, and she shall be blest,
Soothe her, and she shall have rest;

Fix her heart, her hopes, above,
Love her, Lord, for thou art love.

THE AGED.

"Now, also, when I am old and gray-headed, O God, forsake me not; until I have showed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.". Ps. lxxi. 18.

WITH years oppressed, with sorrows worn,
Dejected, harassed, sick, forlorn,

To thee, O God, I pray ;

To thee my withered hands arise,
To thee I lift these failing eyes,

O, cast me not away

y!

Thy mercy heard my infant prayer,
Thy love, with all a mother's care,
Sustained my childish days,

Thy goodness watched my ripening youth,
And formed my heart to love thy truth,
And filled my lips with praise.

O Saviour! has thy grace declined ?

Can

years affect the Eternal mind? Or time its lone decay?

A thousand ages pass thy sight,

And all their long and weary flight
Is gone like yesterday.

Then, even in age and grief, thy name
Shall still my languid heart inflame,
And bow my faltering knee.
O, yet this bosom feels the fire,
This trembling hand and drooping lyre
Have yet a strain for thee.

Yes, broken, tuneless, still, O Lord,
This voice transported shall record
Thy goodness tried so long:
Till sinking slow, with calm decay,
Its feeble murmurs melt away

Into a seraph's song.

GRANT.

THE DYING FATHER.

"Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let thy widows trust in me." -Jer. xlix. 11.

O THOU faithful God of love!
Gladly I thy promise plead;
Waiting for my last remove,
Hastening to the happy dead:
Lo, I cast on thee my care,
Breathe my latest breath in prayer!

Trusting in thy word alone,
I to thee my children leave;
Call my little ones thine own,

To them all thy blessings give:
Keep them while on earth they breathe,
Save their souls from endless death.

Whom I to thy grace commend,
Under thy protection take :
Be her sure, immortal friend;

Save her for my Saviour's sake :
Free from sin, from sorrow free,
Let my widow trust in thee.

Father of the fatherless,

Husband of the widow prove;

Me and mine vouchsafe to bless,
Tell me, we shall meet above :
Seal the promise on my heart,
Bid me then in peace depart!

C. WESLEY.

SICKNESS AND HEALING.

"Healing all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease among the people." Matt. iv. 23.

How frail are these bodies of clay!
How soon all their vigor is lost!
They flourish in beauty to-day, -
To-morrow they mingle with dust.

So flowers in the morning may rise,
Unfolding their leaves to the sun;
While the breath of each zephyr that sighs
May blast them, and soon they are gone.

Afflictions spring not from the ground,
Diseases our Sovereign obey;

His hand can heal every wound,
Or fill us with death and dismay.

We lie at thy sovereign control,
O Lord, in this hour of distress;

Physician of body and soul,

Send down thy recovering grace.

O, speak, and the dying shall live,
Jehovah, almighty to save!

At thy voice, e'en the dead shall revive,
And triumph, at last, o'er the grave.

CONVALESCENCE.

"For indeed he was sick nigh unto death; but God had mercy on him.”. Phil. ii. 27.

ALL hail! thou lengthener of my days!
Thy still preserving love I praise,

The

And thankfully receive

present of my life restored: O, may I spend it for thee, Lord, And to thy glory live!

No other end of life I 'd know,
Nor would I live one hour below
But to declare thy praise;

To suffer all thy holy will,
And all thy counsel to fulfil,

And publish all thy grace.

WESLEY.