XII. C. Prayer for Children.

1 GRACIOUS Lord, our children see,
By thy mercy we are free;
But shall these, alas! remain,
Subjects still of Satan's reign:
Israel's young ones, when of old
Pharaoh threat'ned to withhold* ;
Then thy messenger said, "No;
"Let the children also go."

2 When the angel of the Lord,
Drawing forth his dreadful sword,
Slew, with an avenging hand,
All the first-born of the land;
Then thy people's doors he pass'd,
Where the bloody sign was plac'dt;
Hear us, now, upon our knees,

Plead the blood of Christ for these!

3 Lord, we tremble, for we know
How the fierce, malicious foe,
Wheeling round his watchful flight,
Keeps them ever in his sight;
Spread thy pinions, King of kings;
Hide them safe beneath thy wings
Lest the rav'nous bird of prey

Stoop, and bear the brood away.

XIII. The Shunamite.

1 THE Shunamite, oppress'd with grief, When she had lost the son she lov'd,' Went to Elisha for relief,

Nor vain her application prov'd.

Exodus x. 9. † Exodus xii. 13, 2 Kings iv. 31,

3" O God! if I thy servant am,

"If 'tis thy message fills my heart, "Now glorify thy holy name,

"And show this people who thou art!"

4. He spake, and, lo! a sudden flame

Consum'd the wood, the dust, the stone;
The people struck, at once proclaim,
"The Lord is God, the Lord alone."

5 Like him, we mourn an awful day,
When more for Baal than God appear;
Like him, believers, let us pray,
And may the God of Israel hear!

6 Lord, if thy servant speak thy truth,
If he indeed is sent by thee;
Confirm the word to all our youth,
And let them thy salvation see.

7 Now may thy Spirit's holy fire

Pierce ev'ry heart that hears thy word,
Consume each hurtful, vain desire,

And make them know thou art the Lord.

XV. Preaching to the dry Bones*.

1: PREACHERS may from Ezekiel's case,
Draw hope in this declining day :
A proof, like this, of sov'reign grace
Should chase our unbelief away.

2 When sent to preach to mould'ring bones, . Who could have tho't he would succeed?, But well he knew the Lord from stones

Could raise up Abr'ham's chosen seed. * Ezek. xxxvii.

3 Can these be made a num'rous host,

And such dry bones new life receive? The prophet answer'd, "Lord thou know'st "They shall, if thou commandment give.” 4 Like him around I cast my eye,

And, oh! what heaps of bones appear; Like him, by Jesus sent, I'll try,

For he can cause the dead to hear.

5 Hear, ye dry bones, the Saviour's word! He, who when dying gasp'd, "Forgive," That gracious sinner-loving Lord,

Says, "Look to me, dry bones, and live."

6 Thou heav'nly wind awake and blow,
In answer to the pray'r of faith;
Now thine almighty influence show,
And fill dry bones with living breath.

7. O make them hear, and feel, and shake,
And, at thy call, obedient move;

The bonds of death and Satan break,
And bone to bone unite in love.

XVI. The Rod of Moses.

WHEN Moses wav'd his mystic rod
What wonders follow'd while he spoke!

Firm as a wall the waters stood*,

Or gush'd in rivers from the rockt.

2 At his command the thunders roll'd, Lightning and hail his voice obey'd‡, And Pharaoh trembled to behold

His land in desolation laid.

Exod. xiv. 21. † Num. xx. 11. Exod. ix.

23.

3 But what could Moses' rod have done,
Had he not been divinely sent?
The pow'r was from the Lord alone,
And Moses but the instrument.

4 O Lord, regard thy people's pray'rs !
Assist a worm to preach aright:
And, since thy Gospel rod he bears,
Display thy wonders in our sight.

5 Proclaim the thunders of thy law,
Like lightning let thine arrows fly,
That careless sinners, struck with awe,
For refuge may to Jesus cry.

6 Make streams of godly sorrow flow,
From rocky hearts, unus'd to feel;
And let the poor in spirit know

That thou art near, their griefs to heal.

7 But chiefly, we would now look up To ask a blessing for our youth, The rising generations' hope,

That they may know and love thy truth.

8 Arise, O Lord, afford a sign,

Now shall our pray'rs success obtain; Since both the means and pow'r are thine, How can the rod be rais'd in vain?

XVII. God speaking from Mount Zion..

1 The God who once to Israel spoke
From Sinai's top, in fire and smoke,
In gentler strains of Gospel grace
Invites us now to seek his face.