The Sower. The seed once hidden in the ground, Thy gifts appear; New praises from our lips shall sound! YE The Sower. W. COWPER. E sons of earth, prepare the plough, The sower is gone forth to sow, The seed that finds a stony soil But ill repays the sower's toil, Soon wither'd, scorch'd, and dead. The thorny ground is sure to balk But not the fruitful ear The beaten path and highway side And pick up all the grain. But where the Lord of grace and power How plenteous is the golden store The deep-wrought furrows yield! 343 Father of mercies, we have need Let the same hand that gives the seed Hymn to the Seasons. BISHOP HEBER. HEN Spring unlocks the flowers to paint the laugh WE ing soil, When Summer's balmy showers refresh the mower's toil, When Winter binds in frosty chains the fallow and the flood, In God the earth rejoiceth still, and owns its Maker good. The birds that wake the morning, and those that love the shade; The winds that sweep the mountain, or lull the drowsy glade ; The sun that from his amber bower rejoiceth on his way; The moon, and stars, their Maker's name in silent pomp display. Shall man, the lord of nature, expectant of the sky,- Thee. The flowers of Spring may wither, the hope of Summer fade, The Autumn droop in Winter, the birds forsake the shade, The wind be lull'd, the sun and moon forget their old decree, But we in Nature's latest hour, O Lord! will cling to Thee. The Leaf. Eternal Source of every Joy. Rev. Philip DodDRIDGE, D.D. ETERNAL source of every joy, Well may Thy praise our lips employ, Thy hand in autumn richly pours Seasons and months and weeks and days Oh! may our more harmonious tongues The Leaf. Isaiah Ixiv. 6. BISHOP HORNE. EE the leaves around us falling SE Dry and wither'd to the ground; Thus to thoughtless mortals calling, In a sad and solemn sound: 345 Sons of Adam, once in Eden, Virgins, much, too much, presuming Sons of honour, fed on praises, Brings us down to parent earth. Youths, though yet no losses grieve you, Yearly in our course returning, Thus we preach this truth concerning Saints in Heaven. On the Tree of Life eternal, Man, let all thy hope be staid, Which alone, for ever vernal, Bears a leaf that shall not fade. Saints in Heaven. Rev. vii. 13-17. JAMES MONTGOMERY. HAT are these in bright array, WHA This innumerable throng, Round the altar, night and day, New dominion every hour." These through fiery trials trod; These from great affliction came; Now, before the throne of God, Seal'd with His Almighty Name, Through their dear Redeemer's might, Hunger, thirst, disease, unknown, 347 |