And fragrance breathes in ev'ry gale, 2 Hark! how the feather'd warblers sing! 3 O God of nature, and of grace, 76 HYMN. S. M. The Spring. SWEET is the time of spring, The birds with ceaseless pleasure sing, But sweeter far the spring When children bless and praise their King 2 Sweet is the dawn of day, When light just streaks the sky; When shades and darkness pass away, And morning's beams are nigh: But sweeter far the dawn Of piety in youth; When doubt and darkness are withdrawn Before the light of truth. 3 Sweet is the early dew, Which gilds the mountain's tops, And decks each plant and flow'r we view, With pearly glitt'ring drops: But sweeter far the scene On Zion's holy hill; When there the dew of youth is seen Its freshness to distil. 1 GREAT God, at thy command Seasons in order rise: Thy pow'r and love in concert reign Through earth, and seas, and skies. 2 How balmy is the air! How warm the sun's bright beams! While, to refresh the ground, the rains Descend in gentle streams. 3 With grateful praise we own While grass, and herbs, and waving corn, 4 But greater still the gift Of thine incarnate Son; 1 THE winter is over and gone, The thrush whistles sweet on the spray, The turtle breathes forth her soft moan, The lark mounts and warbles away. 2 Shall every creature around Their voices in concert unite, And I, the most favour'd, be found, In praising to take less delight? 3 Awake, then, my harp, and my late! Sweet organs, your notes softly swell! No longer my lips shall be mute, The Saviour's high praises to tell! 4 His love in my heart shed abroad, My graces shall bloom as the spring; This temple, his Spirit's abode, My joy, as my duty, to sing. Hark! the birds, with artless lays, 2 Lord, afford a spring to me! Chill'd my hopes, suppress'd my song. 3 How the soul in winter mourns, Till the Lord, the Sun, returns! Till the Spirit's gentle rain Bids the heart revive again! 4 O beloved Saviour, haste, Tell me all the storms are past: HYMN. C. M. 1 TO praise the ever bounteous Lord, 2 His cov❜nant with the earth he keeps; 3 Well pleas'd the toiling swains behold The waving yellow crop; With joy they bear the sheaves away, 4 Thus teach me, gracious God, to sow 5 Then, in the last great harvest, I 1 STERN winter throws his icy chains, Encircling nature round; How bleak, how comfortless the plains, 3 My heart, where mental winter reigns, 4 Return, O blissful Sun, and bring This mental winter shall be spring, 5 O happy state, divine abode, Where spring eternal reigns; And perfect day, the smile of God, Fills all the heav'nly plains! 6 Great Source of light, thy beams display, My drooping joys restore, And guide me to the seats of day, 82 HYMN. L. M. Goodness of God in the Seasons. 1 ON God the race of man depends, Far as the earth's remotest ends; At his command the morning ray Smiles in the east, and leads the day. 2 Seasons and times obey his voice; The morn and ev'ning both rejoice To see the earth made soft with showers, Laden with fruit, and dress'd in flowers. 3 The desert grows a fruitful field; Abundant food the valleys yield; The plains shall shout with cheerful voice, And neighbouring hills repeat their joys. 4 Thy works pronounce thy power divine; O'er every field thy glories shine; Through ev'ry month thy gifts appear: Great God, thy goodness crowns the year. 1 THE Lord is good, the heav'nly King, 2 The times and seasons-days and hours, 3 The soften'd ridges of the field 4 The various months thy goodness crowns; How bounteous are thy ways! The bleating flocks spread o'er the downs, 1 SING to the Lord, exalt him high, He views his children with delight; 1 LET Zion praise the mighty God, And make his honours known abroad; |