4 In evening shadows, when I sleep,
Or morning when I rise,
Thou dost my moments safely keep,
And bring me rich supplies.
5 Thy tender mercies, Lord, I trace
In all my paths around;
And ev'ry day, in ev'ry place,
Thy fulness doth abound.
6 Friendship and safety, rest and health
From thy compassion flow;
And stores of intellectual wealth
Thou freely dost bestow.
7 Receive my humble thankfulness,
As all I can return;
And let not thy abundant grace
The willing off'ring spurn.
HYMN 541. C. M.
Shortness of Time improved.
TIME wings our moments swift away;
Again the shades appear;
Ev'ning returns; the close of day
Comes with the rolling sphere.
2 Thus we to dissolution tend;
Our steps approach the urn;
Our lives approximate their end,
And we to dust return.
3 May we improve the solemn thought
With understanding mind;
Be wisdom by experience taught,
And we to heav'n resign'd.
4 Sure this abode of mortal clay
Is not our place of rest;
But we approach a perfect day,
To be more richly blest.
5 Then let our hearts in love rejoice
At night's returning shade,
And with a happy, cheerful voice,
Its silent reign pervade.
The Christian Sabbath.
ANOTHER six days' work is done,
Another sabbath is begun ;
Improve, my soul! the sacred rest,
And learn for ever to be bless'd.
2 This day may our devotions rise
As grateful incense to the skies;
May heaven that peace divine bestow,
Which none but they who feel it, know,
3 This holy calm within the breast,
Prepares for that eternal rest,
Which for the sons of God remains ;
The end of cares, the end of pains.
4 With joy, great God, thy works we view,
In varied scenes, both old and new;
With praise we think on mercies past,
In hope, we future mercies taste.
5 In holy duties, let the day,
In holy pleasures pass away;
How sweet this sabbath thus to spend,
In hope of that which ne'er shall end !
HYMN 543. L. M.
God our Shepherd and Guardian.
AS the good shepherd gently leads
His wandering flocks to verdant meads,
Where winding rivers, soft and slow,
Amid the flowery landscape flow;
2 So God, the guardian of my soul,
Does all my erring steps control:
When lost in sin's perplexing maze,
He brings me back to virtue's ways:
3 Though I should journey through the plains
Where death in all his horror reigns,
My steadfast heart no ill shall fear,
For thou, my God! art with me there.
4 Thine ever-watchful providence
Is my support and my defence :
With thee I am of all possessed,
And in thy favour, fully blessed.
5 O bounteous God! my future days
Shall be devoted to thy praise;
And in thy house, thy sacred name
And wondrous grace shall be my theme. POPE's Coll.
Commencement of Public Worship.
T the portals of thy house,
Lord! we leave our mortal cares;
Nobler thoughts our souls engage,
Songs of praise and fervent prayers:
Pure and contrite hearts alone,
Find acceptance at thy throne.
2 Hapless men whose footsteps stray
From the temple of the Lord!
Teach them Zion's heavenly way,
To their feet thy light afford :
Let the world united join,
To extol thy love divine.
HYMN 545. S. M.
The Pleasures of Religion.
COME, ye who love the Lord!
And let your joys be known.
Join in a song with sweet accord,
And thus surround his throne.
The sorrows of the mind
Be banished from this place!
Religion never was designed
To make your pleasures less.
God, your eternal Friend,
No present good denies;
And when the scenes of time shall end,
Will call you to the skies.
There shall you see his face,
And never, never sin :
There from the rivers of his grace,
Drink endless pleasures in.
The sons of God have found,
Glory begun below:
Celestial fruits, on earthly ground,
From faith and hope may grow.
6 Then let our sorrows cease,
And every tear be dry;
We're travelling through the paths of peace
To fairer worlds on high,
HYMN 546. L. P. M.
God the unfailing Source of Good.
VIVE to the Lord, in cheerful songs, The praise that to his name belongs, Whose goodness still unceasing flows; Repeat his name with grateful mind, Who, ever good and ever kind,
Nor change, nor variation knows.
2 Sovereign alone of earth and sky! On thee, for every hour's supply,
Thy various creatures all depend; Man, whom thy light has given to know The source whence all his blessings flow, Views in his God his kindest friend!
3 Yet still our notes we'll higher raise, To celebrate in ardent praise
Eternal life through Jesus given; Thy gracious messenger he came, For ever blessed be thy name !
And pointed out the way to heaven. Exeter Coll.
HYMN 547. L. M.
The blessings of Divine Worship.
GOD in his earthly temples lays
Foundations for his heavenly praise;
And loves to see that worship rise,
Which forms his offspring for the skies.
2 His mercy every house attends,
Whence pure devotion's flame ascends;
And ever lends a gracious ear,
Where churches join in praise and prayer.
3 To men of pure and pious hearts,
All real good their God imparts;
With grace he crowns them here below,
And endless glory will bestow.
4 His blessing yields a large increase
Of wisdom, and of sacred peace;
While ripening holiness and love
Prepare their souls for joys above.
5 Father supreme! whose sovereign sway,
All worlds, all beings must obey;
May our first wish and object be,
On earth, in heaven, to dwell with thee. Exeter Coll.
HYMN 548. L. P. M.
The Works and Word of God.
REAT God, the heaven's well ordered frame
Declares the glories of thy name;
There thy rich works of wonder shine:
A thousand starry beauties there,
A thousand radiant marks appear
Of boundless power, and skill divine.
2 From night to day, from day to night,
The dawning and the dying light
Lectures of heav'nly wisdom read G
With silent eloquence, they raise
Our thoughts to the Creator's praise,
And neither sound nor language need.
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