4 May he proclaim aloud
The wonders of thy grace;
And do thou to the list ning crowd
His faithful labours bless.

5 Shine on his works below,
With ever gracious beams;

Till thou in heaven his crown bestow
Adorn'd with brighter gems.

We for his journey pray,

Nor may our prayers cease,

That God would bless him in his way
And bring him back in peace.

Farewell, dear pastor, go-
We part with thee in love;
And if we meet no more below,
O may we meet above.

DEATH OF THEIR MINISTER

C. M.

577. Funeral of a faithful Minister.

1

FAR

AR from affliction, toil, and care,
The happy soul is fled;

The breathless clay shall slumber here,
Among the silent dead.

2 The gospel was his joy and song,
E'en to his latest breath;
The truth he had proclaim'd so long
Was his support in death.

$ Now he resides where Jesus is,
Above this dusky sphere;
His soul was ripen'd for that bliss,
While yet he sojourn'd here.

The Churches' loss we all deplore,
And shed the falling tear;

Since we shall see his face no more,
Till Jesus shall appear.

5 But we are hasting to the tomb;
Oh, may we ready stand;

Then, dearest Lord, receive us home,
To dwell at thy right hand.

(433. C. M.

578. For a vacant congregation on the death of its minister.

1 NOW let our drooping hearts revive, And let our tears be dry:

Why should those eyes be drown'd in grief, Which view a Saviour nigh?

2 Though earthly shepherds dwell in dust,
The aged and the young;

The watchful eye in darkness clos'd,
And mute th' instructive tongue:

3 Th' Eternal Shepherd still survives,
New comfort to impart;

His hand still guides us, and his voice
Still animates our heart.

The pow'rs of nature, Lord! are thine,
And thine the aids of grace;
Thine arm has borne thy churches up,
Through ev'ry rising race.

5 Exert thy sacred influence here;
Thy mourning servants bless;

O change to strains of cheerful praise
Their accents of distress.

579.

1

STATE OF DECLINE.

L. M.

For a Church in a low Condition.
Psalm li. 18.

GOD of Zion! from thy throne,
Look with an eye of pity down;

Thy church now humbly makes her prayer
Thy church, the object of thy care.

2 We are a building thou hast rais'd,
How kind thy hand, that hand be prais'd:
Yet all to utter ruin falls,

If thou forsake our tott'ring walls.

3 We call to mind the happier days
Of life and love, of prayer and praise,-
When holy services gave birth

To joys resembling heaven on earth,

But now the ways of Zion mourn,
Her gates neglected and forlorn:
Our life and liveliness are fled,
And many number'd with the dead.

5 We need defence from all our foes,
We need relief from all our woes;
If earth and hell should yet assail,-
Let neither earth nor hell prevail.

6 Near to each other and to thee,
Lord, bring us all in unity;
Oh pour thy Spirit from on high,
And all our num'rous wants supply.

7 Oh show that in our low estate,
No blessing for us is too great;

We plead thy Son, we plead thy word,
O Founder, Patron, bounteous Lord!
P. M.

580. Prayer for a Revival.
1 SAVIOUR, visit thy plantation,

Grant us, Lord, a gracious rain!
All will come to desolation,

Unless thou return again:

Lord, revive us,

All our help must come from thee!

2 Keep no longer at a distance,
Shine upon us from on high,

Lest, for want of thine assistance,
Every plant should droop and die: Lord, &e

S Surely, once thy garden flourished,
Every part look'd gay and green:
Then thy word our spirits nourish'd,
Happy seasons we have seen!

Lord, &c

4 But a drought has since succeeded,
And a sad decline we see;
Lord, thy help is greatly needed,
Help can only come from thee:

Lord, &c.

5 Where are those we counted leaders,

Fill'd with zeal, and love, and truth?

Old professors, tall as cedars,

Bright examples to our youth!

Lord, &c.

€ Some in whom we once delighted,
We shall meet no more below;

Some, alas! we fear are blighted,
Scarce a single leaf they show:

Lord, &c.

7 Younger plants-the sight how pleasant!— Cover'd thick with blossoms stood;

But they cause us grief at present,

Frosts have nipp'd them in the bud: Lord, &o

8 Dearest Saviour, hasten hither,

Thou canst make them bloom again!

Oh! permit then not to wither,
Let not all our hopes be vain.

9 Let our mutual love be fervent;
Make us prevalent in prayers;
Let each one, esteem'd thy servant,

Lord, &c.

Shun the world's bewitching snares: Lord &c.

10 Break the tempter's fatal power;

Turn the stony heart to flesh;
And begin from this good hour
To revive thy work afresh:
Lord, revive us,

All our help must come from thee!

L. M.

Matt. xiii. 37-42.

581. Wheat and tares.

1

THOUGH in the earthly church below
The wheat and tares together grow,

Jesus ere long will weed the crop,
And pluck the tares in anger up.

2 Will it relieve their horrors there,
To recollect their stations here?

How much they heard, how much they knew, How long among the wheat they grew?

3 Oh! this will aggravate their case! 'They perish under means of

grace: To them the word of life and faith Became an instrument of death.

4 We seem alike when thus we meet,-
Strangers might think we all were wheat;
But to the Lord's all-searching eyes,
Each heart appears without disguise.

5 But tho' they grow so tall and strong,
His plan will not require them long;
In harvest when he saves his own,
The tares shall into hell be thrown.

582.

1

L. M.

God entreated for Zion. Is. Ixii. 6, 7. For a Day of Public Humiliation, or a Day of Prayer for the Revival of Religion.

INDULGENT Sovereign of the skies,
And wilt thou bow thy gracious ear?
While feeble mortals raise their cries,
Wilt thou, the great Jehovah, hear?

2 How shall thy servants give thee rest,
Till Zion's mouldering walls thou raise?
Till thine own power shall stand confess'd
And make Jerusalem a praise?

3 Look down, O God, with pitying eye,
And view the desolation round;

See what wide realms in darkness lie,
And hurl their idols to the ground.