1 LORD let thy goodness lead our land,
Still saved by thy Almighty hand,
The tribute of its love to bring,
To thee our Saviour and our King.
2 Till every public temple raise
A song of triumph to thy praise;
And every peaceful private home
To thee a temple shall become.
3 Still be it our supreme delight
To walk as in thy glorious sight;
Still in thy precepts and thy fear,
Till life's last hour to persevere.
1 HOW pleasant 'tis to see
Kindred and friends agree,
Each in his proper station move;
And each fulfil his part,
With sympathising heart,
In all the cares of life and love.
'Tis like the ointment shed
On Aaron's sacred head,
Divinely rich, divinely sweet :
The oil through all the room
Diffused a choice perfume,
Ran through his robes, and blest his feet.
3 Like fruitful showers of rain
That water all the plain,
Descending from the neighbouring hills;
Such streams of pleasure roll
Through every friendly soul,
Where love like heavenly dew distils.
1 THOU boundless source of every good
Our best desires fulfil,
And help us to adore thy grace,
And mark thy sov'reign will.
2 In all thy mercies may our souls
Thy bounteous goodness see;
Nor let the gifts thy grace imparts
Estrange our hearts from thee.
3 Teach us in time of deep distress,
To own thy hand, O God;
And in submissive silence learn
The lessons of thy rod.
4 In every changing scene of life,
Whate'er that scene may be,
Give us a meek and humble mind,
A mind at peace with thee.
5 Do thou direct our steps aright,
Help us thy Name to fear;
And give us grace to watch and pray,
And strength to persevere.
6 Then may we close our eyes in death,
Free from distracting care;
For death is life, and labour rest,
If thou art with us there.
1 STRAIT is the way, the door is strait
Which leads to joys on high;
'Tis but a few that find the gate,
While crowds mistake and die.
2 Beloved self must be denied,
The mind and will renew'd;
Passion suppress'd, and patience tried,
And vain desires subdued.
3 The tongue, that most unruly power,
Requires a strong restraint;
We must be watchful every hour,
And pray, but never faint.
4 Lord! can a feeble, helpless worm,
Fulfil a task so hard?
By grace we must the work perform,
And take a free reward.
1 THE Sovereign of the earth and skies,
Glorious in holiness and might,
Deigns to accept our sacrifice,
And views our offerings with delight.
2 Through grace our grateful songs will please,
Our acts of mercy, kindness, love;
No costly rites can equal these,
In his regard who reigns above.
3 As he his various gifts imparts,
With liberal hand dispense them here;
Rejoice the widows' aching hearts,
Comfort the sick, -the orphan cheer.
4 Protect the friendless and the poor,
And teach the dark uncultured mind,
To know the God whom we adore,
And love the Saviour of mankind.
10 THOU who from the mouth of babes,
And infant tongues didst perfect praise;
Almighty Father, hear the song
Which we thy helpless servants raise.
2 How blest are they, who early taught
To know and love the word of truth;
Far from the haunts of sinners spend
The tranquil morning of their youth.
3 And blest are they whose care forbids
The youthful Christian's feet to stray;
Unfolds the Book of God, and there
To heaven, through Christ, points out the way.
4 Hear, Lord, thy servants' prayer, and still
Let the full tide of mercy flow,
That thousands yet unborn may learn
Thy will, and all thy goodness know.
(Prayer for our Country.)
1 FROM foes that would the land devour,
From guilty pride and lust of power,
From wild sedition's lawless hour,
From yoke of slavery :
From blinded zeal by faction led,
• From giddy change by fancy bred,
From poisonous error's serpent head,
Good Lord preserve us free.
2 Defend, O Lord, with guardian hand,
The laws and rulers of our land;
And grant our Church thy grace to stand
In faith and unity!
The Spirit's help of thee we crave,
That thou whose blood was shed to save,
May'st at thy second coming have
A flock to welcome thee!
(On hearing the Passing Bellt.)
1 THOU Judge of quick and dead,
Before whose bar severe,
With holy joy, or guilty dread,
We all shall soon appear.
Our caution'd souls prepare
For that tremendous day;
And fill us now with watchful care,
And stir us up to pray.
3 To pray and wait the hour,
That awful hour unknown,
When robed in majesty and power,
Thou shalt from heaven come down.
To damp our earthly joys,
T' increase our gracious fears,
For ever let th' Archangel's voice
Be sounding in our ears.
Oh! may we thus be found
Obedient to his word;
Attentive to the trumpet's sound,
And looking for our Lord.
† Anciently when any one was departing out of this life a bell was ordered to be tolled, that all good Christians hearing the same might be directed to offer up their prayers to God for the dying person. But when the Popish error of praying for the dead was introduced, then the tolling was omitted till after the decease, and it is now of no other use than as a solemn warning to the living.
6 Oh! may we thus insure
A lot among the blest;
And watch a moment to secure
An everlasting rest.
Excellence of the Bible.
Prefixed to the old English Bible, printed in 1607.
1 HERE is the Spring where waters flow,
To quench our heat of sin;
Here is the tree where truth doth grow,
To lead our lives therein.
2 The tidings of salvation dear
Come to our ears from hence;
The fortress of our faith is here,
And shield of our defence.
3 Read not this book in any case,
But with a single eye;
Read not, but first desire God's grace
To understand thereby.
4 Pray still in faith, with this respect,
To fructify therein;
That knowledge may have this effect
To mortify thy sin.
5 Then happy thou in all thy life,
Whate'er to thee befalls;
Yea, doubly happy shalt thou be
When God by death thee calls.
365. A Thanksgiving after receiving the Lord's Supper.
The following verses from the Old Version will be found to supply the best explanation of the true nature of that ordinance which is, perhaps, any where to be found.
1 THE Lord be thanked for his gifts,
And mercies evermore;
That he doth show unto his saints,
To him be laud therefore.
2 Our tongues cannot so praise the Lord,
As he doth right deserve;
Our hearts cannot of him so think,
As he doth us preserve :
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