232

WHERE is Hebrews'

W who kept them night and day?

Where is the heavenly fire and cloud,
Which show'd thy Church their way?
2 No symbol visible
We of thy presence find;
Yet all who would obey thy will
Shall know their Father's mind.
3 Yes, Lord, thou still dost lead
The children of thy grace,
The chosen, the believing seed,

Through this vast wilderness.
4 Our chart, thy written Word;
The Holy Ghost, our guide;
And Christ, our glorious risen Lord,
Doth in our hearts reside.

233

Christ in you, the hope of glory.

S. M.

1

9th P. M. 87, 87, 87, 87.

G

God is in the midst of her.
LORIOUS things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God;
He, whose word cannot be broken,
Form'd thee for his own abode;
On the Rock of ages founded,

?

What can shake thy sure repose
With salvation's walls surrounded,
Thou may'st smile at all thy foes.
2 See, the streams of living waters,
Springing from eternal love,
Still supply thy sons and daughters,
And all fear of want remove:
Who can faint while such a river
Ever flows our thirst to' assuage?
Grace, which, like the Lord, the giver,
Never fails from age to age.

Round each habitation hov'ring, See the cloud and fire appear! For a glory and a cov'ring,

Showing that the Lord is near: He who gives us daily manna,

He who listens when we cry, Let him hear the loud Hosanna Rising to his throne on high. 234

L. M.

Put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem.

No longer in thy sins lie down : The garment of salvation take; Thy beauty and thy strength put on. 2 Shake off the dust that blinds thy sight, And hides the promise from thine eyes; Arise, and struggle into light;

The great Deliv'rer calls,-Arise!

3 Shake off the bands of sad despair;
Zion, assert thy liberty;
Look up, thy broken heart prepare,
And God shall set the captive free.
4 Vessels of mercy, sons of grace,

Be purged from every sinful stain;
Be like your Lord, his word embrace,
Nor bear his hallow'd name in vain.

235

L. M.

The heavenly Zion.

the awake!

Thine own immortal strength put on! With terror clothed, hell's kingdom shake, And cast thy foes with fury down.

2 As in the ancient days appear!
(The sacred annals speak thy fame ;)
Be now omnipotently near,

To endless ages still the same.

3 By death and hell pursued in vain,
To thee the ransom'd seed shall come;
Shouting, their heavenly Zion gain,

And pass through death triumphant home.
4 The pain of life shall then be o'er,
The anguish and distracting care;
There sighing grief shall weep no more,
And sin shall never enter there.

236

8th P. M. 87, 87, 47.

ZION

Her enemies confounded.
stands with hills surrounded,
Zion, kept by power divine:
All her foes shall be confounded,
Though the world in arms combine:
Happy Zion,-

What a favour'd lot is thine!

2 Every human tie may perish;

Friend to friend unfaithful prove; Mothers cease their own to cherish; Heaven and earth at last remove; But no changes

Can attend Jehovah's love.

3 In the furnace God may prove thee,
Thence to bring thee forth more bright,
But can never cease to love thee;
Thou art precious in his sight:
God is with thee,-
God, thine everlasting light.

237

Love for Zion.

LOVE thy kingdom, Lord,

S. M.

I

The Church our blest Redeemer saved
With his own precious blood.

2 I love thy Church, O God!
Her walls before thee stand,
Dear as the apple of thine eye,
And graven on thy hand.

3 For her my tears shall fall;
For her my prayers ascend;
To her my cares and toils be given,
Till toils and cares shall end.

4 Beyond my highest joy
I prize her heavenly ways;
Her sweet communion, solemn vows,
Her hymns of love and praise.

5 Sure as thy truth shall last,
To Zion shall be given
The brightest glories earth can yield,
And brighter bliss of heaven.

238

9th P. M. 87, 87, 87, 87. God her everlasting light.

HEAR what God the Lord hath spoken:

O my people, faint and few, Comfortless, afflicted, broken,

Fair abodes I build for you: Scenes of heartfelt tribulation

Shall no more perplex your ways; You shall name your walls salvation, And your gates shall all be praise.

2 Ye, no more your suns descending, Waning moons no more shall see; But, your griefs forever ending,

Find eternal noon in me:
God shall rise, and, shining o'er you,
Change to day the gloom of night;
He, the Lord, shall be your glory-
God your everlasting light.

239

THE SABBATH.

1st P. M. 6 lines

The day consecrated.

[REAT God, this hallow'd day of thine
Demands our souls' collected powers;
May we employ in works divine
These solemn and devoted hours:
O may our souls, adoring, own
The grace which calls us to thy throne.

2 Hence, ye vain cares and trifles, fly! Where God resides appear no more! Omniscient Lord, thy piercing eye

Doth every secret thought explore: O may thy grace our thoughts refine, And fix our hearts on things divine!

240

C. M.

The day improved.

THIS day the Lord hath call'd his own;

Let us praise declare,

Fix our desires on him 'alone,

And seek his face with prayer.

2 Lord, in thy love we would rejoice,
Which sets the sinner free,

And, with united heart and voice,
Devote these hours to thee.

3 Now let the world's delusive things
No more our thoughts employ,
But faith be taught to stretch her wings,
Tow'rd heaven's unfailing joy.

4 0 let these earthly Sabbaths, Lord, Be to our welfare blest;

The purest comfort here afford,
And fit us for our rest.