Page images
PDF
EPUB

3 How happy if their lot is cast

Where statedly the Gospel sounds!

The Word is honey to their taste, [wounds!
Renews their strength, and heals their

4 Though pinch'd with poverty at home,
With sharp afflictions daily fed,
It makes amends, if they can come

To GOD's own house for heav'nly bread!

5 With joy they hasten to the place

Where they their SAVIOUR oft have met;
And while they feast upon His grace,
Their burdens and their griefs forget.

6 This favour'd lot, through grace, is ours;
May we the privilege improve,
And find these consecrated hours
Sweet earnests of the joys above!

Hymn.

Solemnity.-House of God.

1 BENEATH this consecrated roof again,
FATHER, to Thee we hymn the pious strain,
And give, obedient to Thy kind decree,
The sacred day to holiness and Thee.

2 At rest from labour, and releas'd from care,
We bow in penitence, and melt in pray'r:
For ev'ry past offence, or thought or done,
FATHER, forgive us, for Thy dying SON.

3 When on the week, with sins unnumber'd fraught,
We back, repentant, turn our troubled thought;
Cheer us, O SPIRIT, as yon orb of light
Rose gladsome on the world, and cheer'd the night.

CHILDREN.

4 Though weak an infant's humble voice ascend, To hear an infant's voice, O FATHER, bend: None round Thy throne in hymns shall take their part,

But such as bear an infant's spotless heart.

CHORUS.

5 Come, HOLY GHOST! Come, Comforter divine!
Descend and sanctify this solemn shrine ;
Raise the weakframe, the languid thought inspire,
And touch our grateful lips with heav'nly fire.

1

2

3

Hymn.

The Sabbath.

WELCOME, sweet day of rest, That saw the LORD arise; Welcome to this reviving breast,

And these rejoicing eyes! Hallelujah.

The King Himself comes near,

And feasts His saints to-day:

Here we may sit, and see Him here,
And love, and praise, and pray.

One day amidst the place

Where my dear GOD hath been, Is sweeter than ten thousand days Of pleasurable sin.

4. My willing soul would stay
In such a frame as this,

And sit, and sing herself away
To everlasting bliss.

Hymn.

Present and eternal Sabbath.

1 LORD of the sabbath, hear our vows, On this Thy day, in this Thy house; And own, as grateful sacrifice,

The songs which from Thy servants rise. Thine earthly sabbaths, LORD, we love; But there's a nobler rest above; To that our longing souls aspire With ardent hope and fixt desire. 3 No more fatigue, no more distress; Nor sin nor sorrow reach the place: No groans to mingle with the songs Resounding from immortal tongues; 4 No rude alarms of raging foes; No cares to break the long repose; No midnight shade, no clouded sun, But sacred, high, eternal noon.

5 O long-expected day begin!

Dawn on these realms of woe and sin;
Fain would we leave this weary road,
And sleep in death to rest with GOD.

Hymn.

Present and eternal Sabbath.

1 THE LORD of sabbath let us praise,
In concert with the blest;
Who, joyful in harmonious lays,
Employ an endless rest.

Thus, LORD, while we remember Thee,
We blest and pious grow;

By hymns of praise we learn to be
Triumphant here below.

2 On this glad day a brighter scene
Of glory was display'd,

By GOD, th' eternal WORD, than when
This universe was made:

He rises, who mankind has bought
With grief and pain extreme:

'Twas great to speak a world from nought; 'Twas greater to redeem.

Hymn.

Abstraction from the World.-For Worship.

1 I FAIN would love the day of rest, Would still esteem this day the best; But oft, alas, I've need to say,

"How barren is my soul to-day!"

2 True, I frequent the house of pray'r; go, and sit with others there:

I

I hear, and sing, and seem to pray,
But oft my mind is call'd astray.

3 I fain would see the SAVIOUR near,
Of Him would think, and speak, and hear:
But vain and sinful thoughts intrude,
And draw my soul from what is good.

4 Redeem'd from earth by JESU's blood,
I fain would give the day to GOD;
Would prostrate at Thy throne appear,
And worship in Thy holy fear.

5 Of sinners, LORD, I am the chief;
O bring Thy helpless worm relief!
Revive Thy work within my soul,
And all my thoughts and pow'rs control.

1

Hymn.

Solemnity of the House of God.

LO! GOD is here; let us adore,
And own how dreadful is this place!
Let all within us feel His pow'r,

And silent bow before His face!
Who know His pow'r, His grace who prove,
Serve Him with awe, with rev'rence love.

2 Lo! GOD is here! Him day and night
United choirs of angels sing:
To Him enthron'd above all height,

Heav'n's host their noblest praises bring:
Disdain not, LORD, our meaner song,
Who praise Thee with a stamm'ring tongue.

3 Gladly the toys of earth we leave,

Wealth, pleasure, fame, for Thee alone: To Thee our will, soul, flesh we give; O take! O seal them for Thy own! Thou art the GOD; Thou art the LORD: Be Thou by all Thy works ador'd!

4 Being of beings, may our praise

Thy courts with grateful fragrance fill;
Still may we stand before Thy face,
Still hear and do Thy sov'reign will;
To Thee may all our thoughts arise,
Ceaseless, accepted sacrifice!

« PreviousContinue »