BOOK IV.

HYMNS RELATING TO CHRISTIAN

2

3

Co

DUTY.

159. s. M.

The Pleasures of Religion.

JOME, ye that love the LORD,
And let your joys be known;
Join in a song with sweet accord,
And thus surround his throne.

Here let the pious mind
Bid all its sorrows cease;
Religion never was design'd
To make its pleasures less..

GOD; your eternal Friend,.

No present good denies;

And when the scenes of time shall end,,
Will call you to the skies.

4

There shall you see his face,
And never, never sin ;...

5

There from the rivers of his grace

Drink endless pleasures in.

The sons of Goo have found.
Glory begun below;

Celestial fruits, on earthly ground,.

From faith and hope may grow..

And ev'ry tear be dry:

We're trav'ling through the paths of peace

To perfect bliss on high.

160. c. M.

The Comforts of Religion.

WHEN gloomy thoughts and boding fears

The trembling heart invade,

And all the face of nature wears

A universal shade,

2 Religion's dictates can assuage
The tempest of the soul;

And ev'ry storm shall cease to rage,
At her divine controul.

3 Through life's bewilder'd, darksome way,
Her hand unerring leads;
And o'er the path her heav'nly ray
A cheering lustre sheds.

4 When feeble reason, tir'd and blind,
Sinks helpless and afraid,

This bless'd supporter of the mind
Affords a pow'rful aid.

5 Oh may our hearts confess her pow'r,
And find a sweet relief

To brighten ev'ry gloomy hour.

And soften ev'ry grief!

161. C. M,

The Advantage of seeking the Knowledge of God. SHINE forth eternal Source of light!

1

Make thy perfections known;

Fill our enlarg'd adoring sight,

With glories all thy own.

2 To know the Author of our frame
Is our divinest skill:

True wisdom is to learn thy name;
True life to do thy will.

3 All wisdom else, compared with this,
Is little worth, and vain,

Who wants it, never tastes of bliss
Though all beside be gain.

4

1

For this may I unceasing pray,

This all may powers pursue,

Till vision of eternal day

Fix and complete the view.

162. P. M.

The unrivalled Beauty and Glory of Religion.

SOFT are the fruitful showers that bring
The welcome promise of the spring,

And soft the vernal gale;

Sweet the wild warbling notes that rise
In grateful chorus to the skies,
And gladden every vale:

2 But softer in the mourner's ear,
Sounds the mild voice of mercy near,
That whispers sins forgiven;
And sweeter far the music swells,
When to the raptur'd soul she tells
Of peace and promis'd heaven.

3 Fair are the flowers that deck the ground;
And groves and gardens, blooming round
Unnumber'd charms unfold;

Bright is the sun's meridian ray,
And bright the beams of setting day,
Which robe the clouds in gold.

4 But far more fair the pious breast,
In richer robes of goodness dress'd,
Where heaven's own graces shine;
And brighter far the prospects rise,
Which burst on faith's delighted eyes
From glories all divine.

5 All earthly charms, however dear,
Howe'er they please the eye or ear,
Will quickly fade and fly;

Of earthly glory faint the blaze,
And soon the transitory rays
la endless darkness die.

The nobler beauties of the just
Shall never moulder in the dust,
Or know a sad decay;

Their honours time and death defy,
And round the throne of GoD on high
Beam everlasting day.

1

163.

C. M.

Advantages of Early Religion.

APPY is he whose early years

HAPI

Receive instructions well;

Who hates the sinner's path, and fears, The road which leads to hell.

2 Youth, when devoted to the LORD,
Is pleasing in his eyes :

A flower when offer'd in the bud,
Is no vain sacrifice.

3 'Tis easier work, if we begin
To fear the LORD betimes!
While sinners who grow old in sin
Are harden'd by their crimes.
4 It saves us from a thousand snares
To mind religion young;

With joy it crowns succeeding years.
And makes our virtue strong.

5 To thee, Almighty God! to thee
Would we our hearts resign:
'Twill please us to look back and see
That our whole lives were thine.

6 Oh may the work of prayer and praise Employ our daily breath!

Thus we're prepar'd for future days,
Or fit for early death.

164. L. M.

A Conversation becoming the Gospel. 1 WHEN Jesus, our great Master, came

To teach us in his Father's name,

In ev'ry act, in ev'ry thought,
He liv'd the precepts which he taught,
2 So let our lips and lives express
The holy gospel we profess;

So let our works and virtue shine,
To prove the doctrine all divine.
3 Thus shall we best proclaim abroad
The honour of Almighty GoD ;
When his salvation reigns within,
And faith subdues the pow'r of sin,
4 Our flesh and sense must be denied,
Passion and envy, lust and pride!

While justice, temp'rance, truth and love,
Our inward piety approve.

5 What though we drink of sorrow's cup,
Religion bears our spirits up;

Hope waits the coming of the LORD,
And faith stands leaning on his word.

165. L. M.

The Character and Happiness of Christians,

LESS'D are the poor of patient mind,

I BLE

To all their Maker's will resign'd;

Their calm submission Go will own,
And raise them to a heav'nly throne.
2 Bless'd are the men who mourn for sin,
And a new course of life begin:
For them divine compassion flows,
A healing balm for all their woes.

3 Bless'd are the meek, who stand afar
From rage and passion, noise and war;
Life's purest joys are their reward,
And God will be their constant guard.