  1305L. M. Here have we no continuing city. “We’ve no abiding city here;” Sad truth, were this to be our home; But let this thought our spirits cheer, “We seek a city yet to come.” 2 “We’ve no abiding city here;” We seek a city out of sight: Zion its name—the Lord is there, It shines with everlasting light. 3 O sweet abode of peace and love, Where pilgrims freed from toil are blest! Had I the pinions of the dove, I’d fly to thee, and be at rest. 4 But, hush, my soul! nor dare repine; The time my God appoints is best; While here, to do his will be mine, And his to fix my time of rest. 1306L. M. The mercies of God. My God, how endless is thy love! Thy gifts are every evening new; And morning mercies, from above, Gently distill like early dew. 2 Thou spreadest the curtains of the night, Great Guardian of my sleeping hours; Thy sovereign word restores the light, And quickens all my drowsy powers. 3 I yield my powers to thy command; To thee I consecrate my days; Perpetual blessings from thy hand Demand perpetual songs of praise. 1307L. M. Lord, let thy goodness lead our land. Lord, let thy goodness lead our land, Still saved by thine almighty hand, The tribute of its love to bring To thee, our Saviour and our King. 2 Let every public temple raise Triumphant songs of holy praise; Let every peaceful, private home, A temple, Lord, to thee 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. 1308C. M. Submission. Teach us, in time of deep distress, To own thy hand, O God, And in submissive silence learn The lessons of thy rod. 2 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. 3 Do thou direct our steps aright; Help us thy name to fear; And give us grace to watch and pray, And strength to persevere. 4 Then may we close our eyes in death, Without a fear or care; For death is life, and labor rest, If thou art with us there. 1309C. M. Psalm. 145:18. Dear Father, to thy mercy-seat My soul for shelter flies; ’Tis here I find a safe retreat When storms and tempests rise. 2 My cheerful hope can never die, If thou my God art near; Thy grace can raise my comforts high And banish every fear. 3 My great Protector, and my Lord! Thy constant aid impart; O let thy kind, thy gracious word, Sustain my trembling heart. 4 O! never let my soul remove From this divine retreat; Still let me trust thy power and love, And dwell beneath thy feet. 1310C. M. The hour of prayer. Thou Lord of life! whose tender care Hath led us on till now, We in this quiet hour of prayer Before thy presence bow. 2 Thou, blessÉd God! hast been our Guide; Through life, our Guard and Friend; O, still, on life’s uncertain tide, Preserve us to the end! 3 To thee our grateful praise we bring, For mercies day by day: Lord, teach our hearts thy love to sing, Lord, teach us how to pray! 1311C. M. Love of God. Thou Grace divine, encircling all, A soundless, shoreless sea! Wherein at last, our souls shall fall, O Love of God most free! 2 When over dizzy steeps we go, One soft hand blinds our eyes, The other leads us safe and slow, O Love of God most wise! 3 And though we turn us from thy face, And wander wide and long, Thou holdest us still in thine embrace, O Love of God most strong! 4 The saddened heart, the restless soul, The toilworn frame and mind, Alike confess thy sweet control, O Love of God most kind! 5 But not alone thy care we claim, Our wayward steps to win: We know thee by a dearer name, O Love of God within! 6 And filled and quickened by thy breath, Our souls are strong and free To rise o’er sin, and fear, and death, O Love of God, to thee! 1312C. M. They that seek me early shall find me. Happy the child whose tender years Receive instruction well, Who hates the sinner’s path, and fears The road that leads to hell. 2 ’Twill save us from a thousand snares To mind religion young, Grace will preserve our following years, And make our virtues strong. 3 To thee, Almighty God, to thee Our childhood we resign; ’Twill please us to look back and see That our whole lives were thine. 4 O let the work of prayer and praise Employ my youngest breath; Thus I’m prepared for longer days, Or fit for early death. 1313C. M. 6 lines. Vespers. O Shadow in a sultry land, We gather to thy breast, Whose love, unfolding like the night, Brings quietude and rest, Glimpse of the fairer life to be, In foretaste here possessed; 2 From aimless wanderings we come, From drifting to and fro; The wave of being mingles deep, Amid its ebb and flow; The grander sweep of tides serene Our spirits yearn to know! 3 That which the garish day had lost, The twilight vigil brings, While softlier the vesper bell Its silver cadence rings,— The sense of an immortal trust, The brush of angel wings! 4 Drop down behind the solemn hills, O Day, with golden skies! Serene above its fading glow, Night, starry-crowned, arise! So beautiful may heaven be, When life’s last sunbeam dies! 1314S. M. Christ the Day-Star. We lift our hearts to thee, Thou Day-star from on high: The sun itself is but thy shade, Yet cheers both earth and sky. 2 O, let thy rising beams Dispel the shades of night; And let the glories of thy love, Come like the morning light! 3 How beauteous nature now! How dark and sad before!— With joy we view the pleasing change, And nature’s God adore. 4 May we this life improve, To mourn for errors past; And live this short, revolving day, As if it were our last. 1315C. M. Evening. O Lord! another day is flown, And we, a feeble band, Are met once more before thy throne, To bless thy fostering hand. 2 Thy heavenly grace to each impart; All evil far remove; And shed abroad in every heart Thine everlasting love. 3 Our souls, obedient to thy sway, In Christian bonds unite; Let peace and love conclude the day, And hail the morning light. 4 Thus, cleansed from sin, and wholly thine, A flock by Jesus led, The Sun of Righteousness shall shine In glory on our head. 5 O still restore our wandering feet, And still direct our way, Till worlds shall fail, and faith shall greet The dawn of endless day. 1316P. M. Flee as a bird. Flee as a bird to your mountain, Thou who art weary of sin; Go to the clear flowing fountain, Where you may wash and be clean! Fly, for the avenger is near thee; Call, and the Saviour will hear thee; He on his bosom will bear thee, Thou who art weary of sin, O thou who art weary of sin. 2 He will protect thee for ever, Wipe every falling tear; He will forsake thee, O never, Sheltered so tenderly there; Haste, then, the hours are flying, Spend not the moments in sighing, Cease from your sorrow and crying, The Saviour will wipe every tear, The Saviour will wipe every tear. 1317P. M. Evening prayer. I come to thee to-night, In my lone closet, where no eye can see, And dare to crave an interview with thee, Father of love and light. 2 Softly the moonbeams shine On the still branches of the shadowy trees, While all sweet sounds of evening on the breeze Steal through the slumbering vine. 3 Thou gavest the calm repose That rests on all; the air, the birds, the flower, The human spirit in its weary hour, Now at the bright day’s close. 4 Father! my soul would be Pure as the drops of eve’s unsullied dew— And as the stars whose nightly course is true, So would I be to thee. 5 Not for myself alone Would I the blessings of thy love implore; But for each penitent the wide earth o’er, Whom thou hast called thine own. 6 And for my heart’s best friends, Whose steadfast kindness o’er my painful years Has watched, to soothe affliction’s griefs and tears, My warmest prayer ascends. 7 And now, O Father, take The heart I cast with humble faith on thee, And cleanse its depths from each impurity, For my Redeemer’s sake. 13186s & 4. Calvary. Whene’er I think of thee, O! sacred Calvary, Love fills my breast. Flow, then, the joyous tears; Flee, all my guilty fears; Saviour! thy cross appears, And I find rest. 2 When from thy bleeding side I see the crimson tide Streaming for me; Faith in thy flowing blood, O! spotless Lamb of God, Points me from earth’s dark clod, Upward to thee. 3 When death’s unsparing dart Pierces my fainting heart, Sweetly I’ll sing: Grave! thou no terror hast; All fearful gloom is past; Victor through Christ at last, Death has no sting! 13198s & 7s. Invitation. Come to Calvary’s holy mountain, Sinners, ruined by the fall! Here a pure and healing fountain, Flows to cleanse the guilty soul; In a full, perpetual tide, Opened when the Saviour died. 2 Come in sorrow and contrition, Wounded, impotent, and blind; Here the guilty find remission, Here the lost a refuge find; Health this fountain will restore; He that drinks shall thirst no more. 3 Come, ye dying, live for ever, ’Tis a soul-reviving flood; God is faithful—he will never Break the covenant, sealed in blood; Signed, when our Redeemer died, Sealed, when he was crucified. 13207s, 6 lines. Glory to our King. Glory, glory to our King! Crowns unfading wreathe his head; Jesus is the name we sing— Jesus risen from the dead; Jesus, Victor of the grave; Jesus, mighty now to save. 2 Now behold him high enthroned; Glory beaming from his face, By adoring angels owned God of holiness and grace: O for hearts and tongues to sing, Glory, glory to our King. 3 Jesus, on thy people shine; Warm our hearts and tune our tongues, That with angels we may join— Share their bliss, and swell their songs: Glory, honor, praise, and power, Lord, be thine for evermore. 13218s & 7s. Night. Hear my prayer, O heavenly Father, Ere I lay me down to sleep: Bid thy angels pure and holy, Round my bed their vigil keep. 2 Great my sins are, but thy mercy Far outweighs them every one; Down before thy cross I cast them, Trusting in thy help alone. 3 Keep me through this night of peril, Underneath its boundless shade; Take me to thy rest, I pray thee, When my pilgrimage is made! 4 None shall measure out thy patience By the span of human thought; None shall bound the tender mercies Which thy holy Son hath wrought. 5 Pardon all my past transgressions; Give me strength for days to come; Guide and guard me with thy blessing, Till thine angels bid me home! 13228s & 7s. Our Mediator. Jesus, hail! enthroned in glory, There for ever to abide; All the heavenly host adore thee, Seated at thy Father’s side. 2 There for sinners thou art pleading; There thou dost our place prepare; Ever for us interceding, Till in glory we appear. 3 Worship, honor, power, and blessing, Thou art worthy to receive; Loudest praises, without ceasing, Meet it is for us to give. 4 Help, ye bright, angelic spirits; Bring your sweetest, noblest lays; Help to sing our Saviour’s merits, Help to chant Immanuel’s praise. 13238s, 7s & 4s. Adoration. Let us sing the King Messiah, King of Righteousness and Peace; Hail him, all his happy subjects, Never let his praises cease! Ever hail him, Let his honors still increase! 2 How transcendent are thy glories! Fairer than the sons of men, While thy blessÉd mediation Brings us back to God again! Blessed Redeemer, How we triumph in thy reign! 3 Gird thy sword on, Mighty Hero, Make thy word of truth thy car, Prosper in thy course triumphant, All success attend thy war! Gracious Victor, Let mankind before thee bow! 4 Blessed are all that touch thy scepter, Blessed are all that own thy reign! Freed from sin, that worst of tyrants, Rescued from his galling chain! Saints and angels, All who know thee bless thy name! 1324H. M. Excellency of Christ. O you immortal throng Of angels round the throne, Join with our feeble song To make the Saviour known: On earth you knew his wondrous grace: In heaven you view his beauteous face. 2 You saw the heavenly child In human flesh arrayed, All innocent and mild, While in a manger laid; And praise to God, and peace on earth, Proclaimed aloud for such a birth. 3 You in the wilderness Beheld the tempter spoiled, Well known in every dress, In every combat foiled: And joyed to crown the Victor’s head, Before his frown when Satan fled. 4 Around the bloody tree You pressed with strong desire, That wondrous sight to see— The Lord of life expire! And could your eyes have known a tear, In sad surprise had dropped it there. 5 Around his sacred tomb A willing watch you keep, Till the blest moment come To rouse him from his sleep: Then rolled the stone, and all adored With joy unknown, our rising Lord. 6 When, all arrayed in light, The shining Conqueror rode, You hailed his rapturous flight Up to the throne of God; Your golden wings you waved around, And struck your strings of sweetest sound. 7 The warbling notes pursue, And louder anthems raise, While mortals sing with you Their own Redeemer’s praise. And you, my heart, with equal flame, Perform your part with joy the same. |
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