821

1

Delight in Obedience.

AVIOUR, thy law we love,
Thy pure example bless,

And with a firm, unwavering zeal,
Would in thy footsteps press.

2 Not to the fiery pains

By which the martyrs bled;

Not to the scourge, the thorn, the cross,
Our favored feet are led;-

3 But at this peaceful tide,

Assembled in thy fear,

The homage of obedient hearts
We humbly offer here.

822

1

Christians buried and risen with Christ.

BAPTIZED into our Saviour's death,

Our souls to sin must die;

With Christ our Lord we live anew,
With Christ ascend on high.

2 There, by his Father's side, he sits,
Enthroned divinely fair,

Yet owns himself our Brother still,
And our Forerunner there.

3 Rise from these earthly trifles, rive
On wings of faith and love;
Above our choicest treasure lies--
And be our hearts above.

4 But earth and sin will draw us down, When we attempt to fly;

Lord, send thy strong, attractive power,
To fix our souls on high.

823

Separation from the World.

LORD, we in thy footsteps tread,
With joy thy cause maintain;

Like Jesus numbered with the dead,
Like him we rise and reign.

Down to the hallowed grave we go,
Obedient to thy word;

'Tis thus the world around shall know
We're buried with the Lord.

3 'Tis thus we bid its pomps adieu,
And boldly venture in:

O, may we rise to live anew,
And only die to sin.

824

1

C. M. JAS. NEWTON.

After Baptism.

ET plenteous grace descend on those,
Who, hoping in thy word,

This day have solemnly declared

That Jesus is their Lord.

2 With cheerful feet may they advance,
And run the Christian race,

And, through the troubles of the way,
Find all-sufficient grace.

3 Lord, plant us all into thy death,
That we thy life may prove-
Partakers of thy cross beneath,
And of thy crown above.

825

L. M.

Vows recognized.

DODDRIDGE.

"Tham my Lord's, and he is mine:

IS done; the great transaction 's done;

He drew me, and I followed on,
Rejoiced to own the call divine.

2 Now rest, my long-divided heart;
Fixed on this blissful centre, rest:
Here have I found a nobler part;
Here heavenly pleasures fill my breast.

2 High Heaven, that hears the solemn vow, That vow renewed shall daily hear,

Till in life's latest hour I bow,

And bless in death a bond so dear.

826

CHURCH FELLOWSHIP..

L. M.

Receiving Members.

KELLY.

COME in, thou blessed of the Lord;

O, come in Jesus' precious nam ;
We welcome thee with one accord,
And trust the Saviour does the same.
2 Thy name, 't is hoped, already stands
Within the book of life above;

And now to thine we join our hands,
In token of fraternal love.

3 Those joys which earth cannot affor
We'll seek in fellowship to prove,
Joined in one spirit to our Lord,
Together bound by mutual love.

4 And while we pass this vale of tears,

We'll make our joys and sorrows known, We'll share each other's hopes and fears, And count a brother's case our own.

5 Once more our welcome we repeat; Receive assurance of our love;

O, may we all together meet

Around the throne of God above.

827

1

A Welcome to Fellowship.

COME in, thou blessed of the Lord:

Stranger nor foe art thou:

We welcome thee with warm accord,
Our friend, our brother now.

2 The hand of fellowship, the heart
Of love, we offer thee:

Leaving the world, thou dost but part
From lies and vanity.

3 The cup of blessing which we bless,
The heavenly bread we break,

Our Saviour's blood and righteousness, -
Freely with us partake.

4 In weal or woe, in joy or care,
Thy portion shall be ours;

Christians their mutual burdens bear;
They lend their mutual powers.

5 Come with us; we will do thee good,
As God to us hath done;

Stand but in him, as those have stood
Whose faith the victory won.

6 And when, by turns, we pass away,
As star by star grows dim,
May each, translated into day,
Be lost, and found in him.

828

1

L. M.

On receiving new Members.

NEWTON

KINDRED in Christ, for his dear sake,

A hearty welcome here receive:

May we together now partake

The joys which only he can give.

2 May He, by whose kind care we meet,
Send his good Spirit from above,
Make our communications sweet,
And cause our hearts to burn with love.

3 Forgotten be each worldly theme,

When Christians see each other thus; We only wish to speak of Fiim

Who lived, and died, and reigns for us.

4 We'll talk of all he did, and said,
And suffered for us here below,
The path he marked for us to tread,
And what he's doing for us now.

5 Thus, as the moments pass away,
We'll love, and wonder, and adore,
And long to see the glorious day
When we shall meet to part no more.

829

L. M.

Admission of Members.

BEDDOME.

B who have yourselves to him resigned,
Your faith and practice both approved,
A hearty welcome here shall find.

ELIEVING souls, of Christ beloved.

2 Now saved from sin and Satan's wiles,
Though by a scorning world abhorred,
Now share with us the Saviour's smiles;
Come in, ye ransomed of the Lord.

3 In fellowship we join our hands,
And you an invitation give;
Unite with us in sacred bands;
The pledges of our love receive.

4 Do thou, who art the church's Head,
This union with thy blessing crown;
And still, O Lord, revive the dead,
Till thousands more thy name shall own

830

C. M.

The Pledge of Fidelity.

BEDDOME.

1Y Before the Lord we speak;

E men and angels, witness now,

To him we make our solemn vow,
A vow we dare not break, -

2 That, long as life itself shall last,
Ourselves to Christ we yield;
Nor from his cause will we depart,
Or ever quit the field.

3 We trust not in our native strength,
But on his grace rely;

May he, with our returning wants,
All needful aid supply.

4 O, guide our doubtful feet aright,
And keep us in thy ways;

And, while we turn our vows to prayers,
Turn thou our prayers to praise.