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411 L. M. Ailie Street 241. Portugal 97.

The Goodness of GoD acknowledged in giving Pastors after his own Heart, Jer. iii. 15.

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At the Settlement of a Minister.

HEPHERD of Israel, thou dost keep,
With constant care, thy humble sheep;
By thee inferior pastors rise

To feed our souls, and bless our eyes.
2 To all thy churches such impart,
Modell'd by thy own gracious heart,
Whose courage, watchfulness, and love,
Men may attest, and God approve.
3 Fed by their active tender care,
Healthful may all thy sheep appear;
And, by their fair example led,
The way to Zion's pasture tread!
4 Here hast thou listen'd to our vows,
And scatter'd blessings on thy house;
Thy saints are succour'd, and no more
As sheep without a guide deplore.
5 Completely heal each former stroke,
And bless the shepherd and the flock!
Confirm the hopes thy mercies raise,
And bless this tribute of our praise.

DR. DODDRIDGE,

412 C. M. Abingdon 42. Braintree 25.

CHRIST'S Care of Ministers and Churches, Rev. ii, 1.

1 WE bless th' eternal source of light,

Who makes the stars to shine;

And through this dark beclouded world,
Diffuseth rays divine.

2 We bless the church's sovereign King,
Whose golden lamps we are;

Fix'd in the temples of his love-
To shine with radiance fair.

3 Still be our purity preserv'd;]
Still fed with oil the flame;
And in deep characters inscrib'd
Our heavenly Master's name!

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4 Then, while between our ranks he walks, And all our state surveys,

His smiles shall with new lustre deck

The people of his praise. DR. DODdridge.

413 L. M. Babylon Streams 23. Gould's 272On the dangerous Illness of a Minister.

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THOU, before whose gracious throne
We how our suppliant spirits down,
View the sad breast, the streaming eye,
And let our sorrows pierce the sky...
2 Thou know'st the anxious cares we feel,
And all our trembling lips would tell;
Thou only canst assuage our grief,
And yield our woe-fraught hearts relief.
3 Tho' we have sinn'd, and justly dread
The vengeance hovering o'er our head,
Yet, Power benign, thy servant spare,
Nor turn aside thy people's prayer.
4 Avert thy swift descending stroke,
Nor smite the shepherd of the flock,
Lest o'er the barren waste we stray,
To prowling wolves an easy prey.
5 Restore him, sinking to the grave;
Stretch out thine arm, make haste to save!
Back to our hope and wishes give,
And bid our friend and father live.

6 Bound to each soul by tenderest ties,
In every breast his image lies;
Thy pitying aid, O GOD, impart,
Nor rend him from each bleeding heart.

7 Yet if our supplications fail,

And prayers and tears can noughtprevail,

Condemn'd on this dark desert coast To mourn our much-lov'd leader lost; 8 Be thou his strength, be thou his stay, Support him through the gloomy way; Comfort his soul, surround his bed, And guide him thro' the dreary shade. 9 Around him may thy angels wait, Deck'd with their robes of heavenly state, To teach his happy soul to rise, And waft him to his native skies.

414 C. M. Huddersfield 202. Matthews 34. Ata Minister's leaving his People.-Paul's farewell Charge, Acts xx. 26, 27.

1 WHEN Paul was parted from his friends,
It was a weeping day;

But JESUS made them all amends,
And wip'd their tears away.
2 In heaven they met again with joy
(Secure no more to part),

Where praises every tongue employ,
And pleasure fills each heart.

3 Thus all the preachers of his grace
Their children soon shall meet;
Together see their Saviour's face,
And worship at his feet.

4 But they who heard the word in vain,
Tho' oft and plainly warn'd,

Will tremble when they meet again
The ministers they scorn'd.

5 On your own heads your blood will fall,
If any perish here;

The preachers who have told you all,
Shall stand approv'd and clear.

6 Yet, LORD, to save themselves alone
Is not their utmost view;

O! hear their prayer, thy message own,
And save their hearers too..

415 L. M. Bowden 78.

Chard 175.

The People's Prayer for their Minister; or, Ministers and Missionaries committed to God.

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1 WITH heavenly power, O LORD, defend

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Him whom we now to thee commend:
His person bless, his soul secure,
And make him to the end endure.
2. Gird him with all-sufficient grace;
Direct his feet in paths of peace;
Thy truth and faithfulness fulfil,
And help him to obey thy will.
3. Before him thy protection send;
O love him, save him to the end!
Nor let him, as thy pilgrim, rove
Without the convoy of thy love.
4 Enlarge, inflame, and fill his heart;
In him thy mighty power exert ;
That thousands yet unborn may praise
The wonders of redeeming grace.

416 L. M. Portugal 97. Magdalene 214. The Pastor's Wish for his People, Phil. iv. 1.

1 MY brethren, from my heart belov'd,
Whose welfare fills my daily care,

My present joy, my future crown,
The word of exhortation hear.

2 Stand fast upon the solid rock

Of the Redeemer's righteousness;
Adorn the Gospel with your lives,
And practise what your lips profess.
3 With pleasure meditate the hour,
When He, descending from the skies,
Shall bid your bodies, mean and vile,
In his all-glorious image rise,

4 Glory in his dear honour'd name,
To him inviolably cleave;

See also Hymn 420, first, second, and third part.

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Your all he purchas'd by his blood,
Nor let him less than all receive.
5 Such is your pastor's faithful charge,
Whose soul desires not your's, but you;
O may he, at the LORD's right hand,
Himself, and all his people view!

GIBBONS.

417 LM. Wareham 117. Mark's 65.

At a Choice of Deacons, 1 Tim. iii. 8-13.

1 FAIR Sion's King, we suppliant bow, And hail the grace thy church enjoys; Her holy deacons are thine own, With all the gifts thy love employs. 2 Up to thy throne we lift our eyes, For blessings to attend our choice* Of such whose generous, prudent zeal Shall make thy favour'd ways rejoice. 3 Happy in JESUS, their own LORD, May they his sacred table spread,The table of their pastor fill,

And fill the holy poor with bread!

4 [When pastor, saints, and poor, they serve,
May their own hearts with grace be crown'd!
While patience, sympathy, and joy,
Adorn, and thro' their lives abound.]

5 By purest love to CHRIST, and truth,
O may they win a good degree
Of boldness in the Christian faith,
And meet the smile of thine and thee
6 And when the work to them assign'd
The work of love-is fully done,
Call them from serving tables here,
To sit around thy glorious throne.

If this hymn be sung before the Choice,then the second Line of the second Verse may stand thus:

For Wisdom to direct our Choice,'

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