4 Return, O holy dove, return, Sweet messenger of rest;
I hate the sins that made thee mourn,
And drove thee from
5 The dearest idol I have known,
Whate'er that idol be;
Help me to tear it from thy throne,
And worship only thee.
6 So shall my walk be close with God,
Calm and serene my frame;
So purer light shall mark the road,
That leads me to the Lamb.
shall we render unto thee,
Thou glorious Lord of life and pow'r!
Teach us to bow the humble knee,
Teach us with thankfulness ť adore;
To praise thee as thy saints above,
To praise thee for thy wond'rous love.
2 When, like lost sheep, we wander'd wide,
And left the watchful Shepherd's eye;
When borne along the impetuous tide
Of this world's sin and vanity;
Then Jesus from the heav'ns came down,
To save us by his grace alone.
3 He bore our sins upon the tree,
To seek and save the lost he came ;
There was he bound to set us free
From death, and everlasting shame:
The captive flock from hell was freed,
And ransom'd when their Shepherd bled.
4 Before the Father's awful throne,
Our merciful High Priest yet stands,
And interceding for his own,
The purchas'd remnant now demands:
His people's everlasting Friend,
Who loving-loves them to the end.
5 May we, his banish'd ones, rejoice,
Him for our Lord and God to own;
And take him for our only choice,
And cleave to him in love alone;
Still growing up in holiness,
Till call'd to meet in realms of bliss.
6 Then shall our grateful songs abound,
And ev'ry tear be wip'd away:
No sin, no sorrow, shall be found,
No night o'erspread the endless day.
O praise him! all beneath-above,
O praise him! praise the God of love!
632. Complaining of Spiritual Sloth. (C.M.) 1 MY drowsy powers, why sleep ye so? Awake, my sluggish soul!
Nothing has half thy work to do,
Yet nothing's half so dull.
2 The little ants for one poor grain,
Labour, and tug, and strive;
Yet we, who have an heav'n t' obtain,
How negligent we live!
3 We for whose sake all nature stands,
And stars their courses move;
We for whose guard the angel bands
Come flying from above.
4 We for whom God the Son came down,
And labour'd for our good;
How careless to secure that crown,
He purchas'd with his blood!
5 Lord, shall we lie so sluggish still,
And never act our parts?
Come, Holy Dove, from the heav'nly hill,
And sit and warm our hearts.
6 Then shall our active spirits move,
Upward our souls shall rise:
With hands of faith, and wings of love,
We'll fly and take the prize.
533. Choosing the Better Part. Luke. x. 42.
ESET with snares on ev'ry hand,
In life's uncertain path I stand:
Saviour Divine, diffuse thy light,
To guide my doubtful footsteps right.
2 Engage this roving treach'rous heart,
To fix on Mary's better part;
To scorn the trifles of a day,
For joys that none can take away.
3 Then let the wildest storms arise;
Let tempests mingle earth and skies:
No fatal shipwreck shall I fear,
But all my treasures with me bear.
4 If thou, my Jesus, still be nigh,
Cheerful I live, and joyful die;
Secure, when mortal comforts flee,
To find ten thousand worlds in thee.
634. Will ye also go away? John vi. 67-69.
WHEN any turn from Zion's way,
(Alas what numbers do!)
Methinks I hear my Saviour say,
"Wilt thou forsake me too?"
2 Ah, Lord! with such a heart as mine,
Unless thou hold me fast;
I feel I must, I shall decline,
And prove like them at last.
3 Yet thou alone hast pow'r, I know,
To save a wretch like me;
To whom, or whither could I go,
If I should turn from thee?
4 Beyond a doubt I rest assur'd,
Thou art the Christ of God;
Who hast eternal life secur'd
By promise, and by blood.
5 No voice but thine can give me rest,
And bid my fears depart;
No love but thine can make me blest,
And satisfy my heart.
635. The Christian Warfare. (P.M.)
HARK! how the watchmen cry!
Attend the trumpet's sound,
Stand to your arms, the foe is nigh,
The pow'rs of hell surround:
Who bow to Christ's command,
Your arms and hearts prepare ;
The day of battle is at hand!
Go forth to glorious war!
See on the mountain-top,
The standard of your God!
In Jesu's name I lift it up,
All stain'd with hallow'd blood.
His standard-bearer I,
To all the nations call;
Let all to Jesu's cross draw nigh:
He bore the cross for all.
B Go up with Christ your head,
Your Captain's footsteps see:
Follow your Captain, and be led
To certain victory.
All power to him is given; He ever reigns the same: Salvation, happiness, and heaven, Are all in Jesu's name.
Only have faith in God;
In vain your foes assail;
Not wrestling against flesh and blood,
But all the powers of hell:
From thrones of glory driven,
By flaming vengeance hurl'd,
They throng the air, and darken heaven,
And rule the lower world.
Watchfulness. (P. M.)
CHARGE to keep I have,
A God to glorify;
A never-dying soul to save,
And fit it for the sky;
To serve the present age,
My calling to fulfil :
O may it all my powers engage,
To do my Master's will.
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