Beneath this roof, O deign to show
How God can dwell with men below.
Here, may thine ears attend
Our interceding cries,
And grateful praise ascend
All fragrant to the skies:
Here may thy word melodious sound,
And spread celestial joys around!
Here, may th' attentive throng
Imbibe thy truth and love,
And converts join the song
Of seraphim above;
And willing crowds surround thy board,
With sacred joy and sweet accord!
Here, may our unborn sons
And daughters sound thy praise,
And shine, like polish'd stones,
Thro' long succeeding days;
Here, Lord, display thy saving pow'r,
While temples stand, and men adore.
338* (2d P.) C. M. Charmouth 28. James's 163.
Re-building, or re-opening a Place of Worship,
10 GOD, before whose radiant throne
The heav'nly armies bend,
Now graciously incline thine ear
And to our suit attend.
2 Where our forefathers join'd in praise,
We meet to praise thee too,
For us and others here they pray'd,
We now their work renew.
3 This house, these walls, re-edify'd‚†
Are raised, Lord, for thee,
Sung July 22, 1810, at Uffculm, Devon, at the first administration of the Lord's Supper by Dr. R., after the Meeting-House had been rebuilt.
In all the plenitude of grace,
. Let this thy temple be.
4. By pious crowds of new-born souls,
Let countless proofs be giv'n,
This surely is the house of God,
The very gate of heav'n.
5 Here may the dead be made alive,
Backsliding souls return;
More grace by gracious souls be felt,
And saints like seraphs burn.
6 Here build thy Church, maintain thy Cause, Nór let it e'er decline;
But flourish when the trumpet sounds
THE KINGDOMS, LORD, ARE THINÉ.
7 And on each flock around this hill,
Show'r mercy, grace, and love;
Thus meeten us and millions more
For the bless'd Church above.
339 (1st P.) L. M. Chard 175, Wareham 117.
On Opening a Place of Worship.
REAT God! thy watchful care we bless,
Which guards our synagogues in peace;
Nor dare tumultuous foes invade
To fill our worshippers with dread.
2.These walls we to thy honour raise;
Long may they echo to thy praise!
And thou, descending, fill the place
With choicest tokens of thy grace.
3 Here let the great Redeemer reign
With all the graces of his train;
While power divine his word attends
To conquer foes, and cheer his friends.
4 And in the great decisive day
When God the nations shall survey,
May it before the world appear,
That crowds were born to glory here.
339 (2d P.) L. M. Addison's 1. Langdon 217. On opening an enlarged Place of Worship; or, for a Prayer Meeting.
1 JESUS, where'er thy people meet,
There they behold thy mercy-seat;
Where'er they seek thee, thou art found,
And every place is hallow'd ground.
2 For thou, within no walls confin'd,
Inhabitest the humble mind;
Such ever bring thee where they come,
And going, take thee to their home.
3 Dear Shepherd of thy chosen few!
Thy former mercies here renew;
Here, to our waiting hearts proclaim
The sweetness of thy saving name.
4 Here may we prove the power of prayer,
To strengthen faith, and sweeten care;
To teach our faint desires to rise,
And bring all heaven before our eyes.
5 [Behold, at thy commanding word,
We stretch the curtain and the cord;
Come thou, and fill this wider space,
And bless us with a large increase.]
6 Lord, we are few, but thou art near;
Nor short thine arm, nor deaf thine ear;
Oh rend the heavens, come quickly down,
And make a thousand hearts thine own!
COWPER.
C. M. Abridge 201. Bedford 91.
On Opening a Place for Social Prayer.
EAR Shepherd of thy people, hear,
Thy presence now display;
As thou hast given a place for prayer,
So give us hearts to pray.
2 Within these walls let holy peace,
And love, and concord dwell;
Here give the troubled conscience ease,
The wounded spirit heal.
3 Show us some token of thy love
Our fainting hope to raise ;
And pour thy blessings from above,
That we may render praise. don
4 And may the Gospel's joyful sound,
Enforc'd by mighty grace,
Awaken many sinners round
To come and fill the place.
341 S. M. Kibworth 249. Vermont 134.
The Pleasures of Social Worship.
HOW charming is the place,
Where my Redeemer God
Unveils the beauties of his face,
And sheds his love abroad!
2 Not the fair palaces,
To which the great resort,
Are once to be compar'd with this,
Where Jesus holds his court.
Here, on the mercy-seat,
With radiant glory crown'd,
Our joyful eyes behold him sit, &
And smile on all around.
4 To him their prayers and cries
Each humble soul presents: 92
He listens to their broken sighs,
And grants them all their wants.
To them his sov'reign will
He graciously imparts;
And in return accepts, with smiles,
The tribute of their hearts.
6 Give me, O Lord, a place
Within thy blest abode,
Among the children of thy grace,
The servants of my God.
342 78 Bath Abbey 147. Shore Cottage 302. The Excellency of Public Worship. ''
1 LORD of Hosts, how lovely fair, E'en on earth thy temples are!
Here thy waiting people see
Much of heaven, and much of thee.
2 From thy gracious presence flows
Bliss that softens all our woes;
While thy Spirit's holy fire
Warms our hearts with, pure desiré.
3 Here we supplicate thy throne,
Here thou mak'st thy glories known;
Here we learn thy righteous ways,
Taste thy love, and sing thy praise.
4 Thus, with festive songs of joy,
We our happy lives employ;
Love, and long to love thee more,
Till from earth to heaven we soar.
The happiness of humble worship, Psalm lxxxiv.
1 HOW lovely, how divinely sweet,
O Lord, thy sacred courts appear!
Fain would my longing passions meet
The glories of thy presence there.
2 O, blest the men, blest their employ,
Whom thy indulgent favours raise
To dwell in those abodes of joy,
And sing thy never-ceasing praise.
3 Happy the men, whom strength divine
With ardent love and zeal inspires;
Whose steps to thy blest way incline,
With willing hearts and warm desires.
4 One day within thy sacred gate
Affords more real joy to me
Than thousands in the tents of state;
The meanest place is bliss with thee.
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