UR praises, Lord, to thee ascend,
Propitious let thine ear attend,
The tribute which we bring;
All creatures should thy praise resound,
Thy love is great, and knows no bound,
Thy love to us we sing.
20 let the mercies we partake,
Our warmest gratitude awake,
To thee, and ev'ry friend :
Taught in our youth thy name to fear,
And in thy earthly courts appear,
And there thy word attend.
Now pour thy choicest blessings down,
On those who us have favour shown,
And pitied human grief;
May love constrain each tender heart,
Out of their bounty to impart,
To grant us fresh relief.
4 Our praises, Lord, to thee ascend, Propitious let thine ear attend,
The tribute which we bring;
All creatures should thy praise resound,
Thy love is great, and knows no bound,
Thy love to us we sing.
1 LO! our Jesus now ascended,
Choicest gifts on man bestows;
Human grief is now befriended,
Through the grace which ever flows
From the Saviour,
Healer, He, of all our woes!
2 See the children round him thronging,
Eager for his mild caress:
See the parents, wishful, longing,
That their offspring Christ would bless ;
Favour'd children,
May we share your happiness!
3 Though we cannot now assemble
Thus before the Saviour's face;
Yet our bliss shall your's resemble,
While on us he pours his grace;
And, in union,
We with you will shout his praise.
4 Thankful friends, you us selected,
In the morning of our days;
May your care be ne'er neglected,
But improve our future ways:
And then issue,
In our great Redeemer's praise.
5 Then our happy souls shall greet you,
When you reap your full reward;
In the realms of love we'll meet you,
Grateful for your kind regard:
And we'll echo,
Come, ye blessed of the Lord!
The same. (P. M.)
TO God, our praises first belong,
Whose mercy like a river flows;
His merey claims our sweetest song,
And rises higher than our woes.
2 We'll praise our God, that we are brought
In tender years to hear his word;
For in the Scriptures we are taught
All sin to shun, and fear the Lord.
3 As every good from God descends,
The Author and the Source of grace;
May grace and peace to all our friends,
Be multiplied, and still increase.
40 may success their labours crown,
And God reward their ev'ry care;
While we with thanks their kindness own,
And for them lisp our daily pray'r.
ORDINATIONS, &c.
127. After a Charge at an Ordination. (C.M.)
ET Zion's watchmen all awake,
And take th' alarm they give;
Now let them from the mouth of God,
Their solemn charge receive.
2 'Tis not a cause of small import,
The pastor's care demands;
But what might fill an angel's heart,
And fill'd a Saviour's hands.
3 They watch for souls, for which the Lord
Did heav'nly bliss forego;
For souls, which must for ever live,
In raptures, or in woe.
4 All to the great tribunal haste,
Th' account to render there ;
And should'st thou strictly mark our faults
Lord, how should we appear!
5 May they that Jesus, whom they preach, Their own Redeemer see;
And watch thou daily o'er their souls,
That they may watch for thee.
Prayer for Ministers. (C. M.)
HIEF Shepherd of thy chosen sheep,
From death and sin set free;
May ev'ry under shepherd keep,
2 With plenteous grace their hearts prepare, To execute thy will:
Compassion, patience, love, and care,
And faithfulness and skill.
3 Inflame their minds with holy zeal,
Their flocks to feed and teach;
And let them live, and let them feel,
The sacred truths they preach.
129. For the Ordination of a Minister. (L. M.)
REAT Lord of angels, we adore
The grace that builds thy courts below; And through ten thousand sons of light, Stoops to regard what mortals do.
2 Amidst the wastes of time and death,
Successive pastors thou dost raise,
Thy charge to keep, thy house to guide,
And form a people for thy praise.
3 The heavenly natives with delight,
Hover around the sacred place;
Nor scorn to learn from mortal tongues,
The wonders of redeeming grace.
4 At length, dismiss'd from feeble clay,
Thy servants join the angelic band;
With them through distant worlds they fly,
With them before thy presence stand.
50 glorious hope! O blest employ !
Sweet soft'ner of our grief and care;
When shall we reach those radiant courts,
And all their joy and honour share?
6 Yet while these labours we pursue, Thus distant from thy heavenly throne, Give us a zeal and love like theirs,
And half their heaven shall here be known.
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