2

3

4

5

The King Himself draws near
To bless his saints to-day;

Let filial trust, and faith, and fear,
Dispose our hearts to pray.

One day within the place,

Where Thou, my God! art seen,
Is better than a thousand days
Of vanity and sin.

Oh! that my soul could stay
In such a frame as this,

And sing thy praise, and soar away
To everlasting bliss!

There shall I tune my song,
And every note employ;

There, as the ages roll along,
Tell of eternal joy.

329

1

148th.

The morning of the Lord's day.

Ex. xx, 11. Mark xvi, 9.
CHRISTIANS! awake, awake,
And hail this sacred day!
In loftiest songs of praise

Your grateful homage pay:

Come, bless the day that God hath blest,
The type of heaven's eternal rest.

2

"Twas on this happy morn
The Lord of life arose;

He burst the bars of death,

And vanquish'd all our foes:
And now He pleads our cause above,
And reaps the fruit of all his love.

3 All hail, triumphant Lord!
Heaven with hosannas rings;
And earth with humbler strains
Thy praise responsive sings:-
Worthy the Lamb, that once was slain,
Through endless years to live and reign.

330

D. C. M.

The Sabbath a type of heavenly rest.

Ps. cxxii, 1. Ezek. xx, 20.

Heb. iv, 9.

1 HAIL hallow'd day of heavenly rest,
To man in Eden giv'n;

The day which the Creator bless'd,
A type and pledge of heav'n:
When fallen man, forlorn and 'reft,
Was wrapp'd in sorrow's shroud,
This sign of mercy still was left-
A rainbow in the cloud.

2[We gladly hail the sacred day,

Which breathes of peace and love;
Which bids our toils and cares away,
And tells of rest above:

We love the soothing sabbath bell;
We love the house of prayer;
Sweet thoughts and hopes within us swell,
Whilst we are gather'd there.]

3 Lord! for thy day we bless thy Name;
Thy law has made it sure;

It stands from age to age the same-
The birthright of the poor:
Oh! may these first-fruits of our time,
These sabbath seasons, be

Bright steps, up which our souls may climb
Till they are safe with Thee.

331

10's.

Consecrating the Sabbath to God.

Gen. ii, 2, 3. Neh. xiii, 15-22.

1 AGAIN returns the day of holy rest,

Which, when He made the world, Jehovah blest;

When, like his own, He bade our labours cease, And all be piety, and all be peace.

2 Let us devote this consecrated day
To learn his will, and all we learn obey;
In pure religion's hallow'd duties share,
And join in penitence, and join in prayer.

3 So shall the God of mercy pleased receive That only tribute man has power to give; So shall He hear, while fervently we raise Our choral harmony in hymns of praise.

4 Father of heaven! in whom our hopes confide, Whose power defends us, and whose precepts guide,

In life our Guardian, and in death our Friend, Glory supreme be thine, till time shall end!

332

8.8.6.

Sweet day of rest.

Ps. xlii, 4, 5; cxxxvii, 2.

Rev. iv, 8.

1 SWEET day of rest! for thee I'd wait,
Emblem and earnest of a state
Where saints are fully blest;
For thee I'd look, for thee I'd sigh,
I'd count the days till thou art nigh,
Sweet day of sacred rest!

2 But oft, with shame I will confess,
My privilege my burden is;
No joy, alas! have I:

When I would take my harp and sing,
I find it oft without a string,

And lay it coldly by.

3 But while I thus confess my shame, "Tis right that I should praise his Name, Who makes me sometimes sing; Yes, Lord!-I'll speak it to thy praiseMy cheerful song I sometimes raise, And triumph in my King.

4 Oh! let the case be always so,
My song no interruption know

"Till death shall seal my tongue:
In heaven a nobler strain I'll raise,
And rest from every thing but praise-
My heaven an endless song.

333

Longing for the Sabbath of glory.

Mark ii, 28.

Rev. xxii, 5.

1 LORD of the Sabbath! hear us pray, In this thy house, on this thy day; Accept, as grateful sacrifice,

The songs which from thy temple rise.

L.M.