291.

L. M. The prosperity of the church desired and rejoiced in.
Psalm cvi. 1-5.

1 To God, the great, the ever bless'd,
Let songs
of honour be address'd:

His mercy firm for ever stands;

Give him the thanks his love demands.
2 Who knows the wonders of thy ways?
Who shall fulfil thy boundless praise?
Bless'd are the souls that fear thee still,
And pay obedience to thy will.
3 Remember what thy mercy did
For Jacob's race, thy chosen seed;
And with the same salvation bless
The meanest suppliant of thy grace.
4 O may we see thy church rejoice,
And aid her triumphs with our voice!
This is our glory, Lord! to be

Join'd to thy saints, and near to thee.

292.

L. M. Praise and prayer for the office-bearers of the church. Acts vi. 2-4;

Tim. iii.

1 GREAT King of saints, enthron'd on high,
Under thy care thy churches live:
Thou dost their various wants supply,
And well-appointed elders give.

2 For pastors may thy name be bless'd,
Who teach the doctrines of the Lord;
On deacons may thy favour rest,
Chosen according to thy word.

3 While they their works assign'd fulfil,
O may their souls with grace be crown'd;
And patience, sympathy, and zeal,
With meekness in their lives abound.

4 Sound in the faith, in conscience clear, Ever may they themselves approve; Sober and just, devout, sincere, Guided by wisdom from above.

5 And when their service here is done, Their labours and their conflicts o'er, Then may they wait before thy throne, In heav'n to praise thee evermore.

SECTION SIXTH.-THE LORD'S SUPPER.

*293.

L. M. The Lord's supper. 1 Cor. xi. 20. 1 HERE is a rich and royal feast, Provided by the King of heav'n; How privileg'd are they and bless'd, To whom the bread of life is giv'n! 2 We worship Him who bore the cross, We glory in his death alone;

The world itself appears but loss
To those to whom his name is known.

3 We celebrate the great event

On which our peace and hope depend; We leave the empty world, content To know the Lord, the sinner's friend. 4 The blood he shed supplies a stream That washes all our sins away;

How highly should we Him esteem,
Whose death we celebrate to-day.
5 O may his great and glorious name
To us more precious daily grow!
Our love become a purer flame,
And with seraphic ardour glow!

**294.

C. M. The new covenant in Christ's blood. Matt. xxvi. 27. 1 THE promise of Jehovah's grace

For ever shall endure;

Its blessings, great beyond our thought,
Are to believers sure.

2 When Jesus took the cup, he said,
(O words of wondrous love!)
""Tis the new cov'nant in my blood
"Which does your guilt remove.

3 Founded upon his death are all
God's gifts of grace to men;
And seal'd thereby, immutable
The charter will remain.

4 This symbol of the sacrifice
With humble joy we take;
And trusting only in the cross,
The Saviour's praises speak.

**295.

L. M. Keeping the christian paschal feast with unleavened bread. 1 Cor. v. 7, 8.

1 CHRIST our great Passover is slain,
This board his bless'd memorial is ;
And here we meet, while we remain
As pilgrims to the land of bliss.

2 All malice and iniquity

Be from this table far remov'd;
As order'd, with sincerity

And truth, we keep this feast of love.
3 If in our hearts, O God of heav'n,
Who knowest all things! thou dost see
Aught lurking of the cursed leav'n,
From its defilement set us free.

4 Walking in love and godly fear,
May we the Saviour's praise proclaim;

Until, above, our souls appear,

At the great supper of the Lamb.

*296.

C. M. Attendance on the Lord's supper, in obedience to the Saviour. I Cor xi. 23.

1 IN fellowship we meet around
The table of the Lord;

Let joy and thankfulness abound,
And be his name ador'd.

2 The people whom the Lord appoints
The heirs of glory here,
With holy unction he anoints,
And clothes them with his fear.

3 By wisdom from above, they know
The precepts of his will;
In all his ways they love to go,
And thus his praise fulfil.

4 Obedient to his high command
We take the bread and wine;
May it be ours to understand
The mystery divine.

5 Thus we the Saviour's death would show,
And testify our love,

Till, with the glorified, we go

To see his face above.

297.

L. M. The Lord's supper designed to remind his followers of their obligations to him. 1 Cor. xi. 24. 25.

1 JESUS is gone above the skies,

Where our weak senses reach him not,
And carnal objects court our eyes,
To thrust the Saviour from our thought.

2 He knows what wand'ring hearts we have,
Apt to forget his lovely face;

2 When streams of love, from Christ the spring, Descend to ev'ry soul;

And heav'nly peace, with balmy wing,
Shades and bedews the whole:

3 'Tis like the oil divinely sweet
On Aaron's rev'rend head;
The trickling drops perfum'd his feet,
And o'er his garments spread.

4 'Tis grateful as the morning dews
That fall on Zion's hill;

Where God his mildest glory shows,
And makes his grace distil.

288.

L.M. God's people his witnesses before the world.
Isaiah xliii. 10.

1 MAY we, O God! thy mind express,
Stand forth thy chosen witnesses;
Thy pow'r unto salvation show,
In love and holiness below:

2 The fulness of thy grace receive,
And simply to thy glory live;
Strongly reflect the light divine,
And in a land of darkness shine.
3 In us let all mankind behold
How Christians liv'd in days of old;
Mighty their envious foes to move,
A proverb of reproach-and love.
4 O make us of one soul and heart,
The all-conforming mind impart,
Spirit of peace and unity!

Taught, and renew'd, and rul'd, by thee.

*289.

8.7.7. The Lord's vineyard. Isaiah v. 1. 1 WE are, Lord, a vineyard planted By thy sov'reign pow'r and love;