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2 So may our thoughts ascend to God,
as dawns the morning ray;

Ponder with love the sacred page,
and grateful homage pay.

3 'Midst hourly cares may love present
its incense to his throne;

And while the world our hands employs, our hearts be his alone.

4 In painful duties, days of grief,
when by temptations try'd,

We still will in the Lord be strong,
and in his love confide.

5 Each night we'll lean our weary heads
on his paternal breast,
And, safely folded in his arms,
resign our powers to rest.

6 A life like this is heaven on earth;
thus let my days be past!

Nor shall I then impatient wish,
nor shall I fear the last.

26.

ECCL. ii. 11.

1 OFT in vain the voice of truth

Doth, in solemn accents, warn;
Thoughtless inexperienc'd youth,
Though they hear, the warning scorn,
Each in fancy's glass surveys,

Life prolong'd to distant years;
While the vast imagin'd space,

Fill'd with sweets and joys appears.

2 Awful disappointment soon

Overclouds the prospect gay,
Oft their sun goes down at noon,
They become to death a prey
Where are then their pleasing schemes,
Where the joys they hop'd to find?
Gone for ever like their dreams,
Leaving not a trace behind.

3 Others who are spar'd a while,

Live to weep o'er fancy's cheat
Find distress and pain and toil,
Bitter things instead of sweet.
Sin has spread a curse around,
Poison'd all things here below;
On this base, polluted ground,
Peace and joy can never grow.

4 God alone can cure our ills,

Sweeten life with all its cares,
Regulate our stubborn wills,

Save us from surrounding snares
Grant us then thy grace, O Lord!
Let us all thy spirit hear,
Know the blessings of thy word,
Learn to love, obey, and fear.

27.

ECCLES. vii. 2-6.

1 WHILE others crowd the house of mirth,

and haunt the gaudy show,

Let such as would with wisdom dwell,

frequent the house of woe.

When virtuous sorrow clouds the face,

and tears bedim the eye;

The soul is led to solemn thought,

and wafted to the sky.

3 A constant round of giddy mirth,
each better sense destroys;

Unfits the soul for nobler thoughts,
unfits for purer joys.

28.

ECCLES. ix. 4—10.

1 As long as life its term extends,
Hope's blest dominion never ends;
For while the lamp holds on to burn,
The greatest sinner may return.

2 Life is the season God hath given,
To fly from hell, and rise to heaven;
That day of grace fleets fast away,
And none its rapid course can stay.

3 In that great state to which we haste,
There are no acts of pardon past;
The bound is cross'd, the work is done,
A state of woe or bliss begun.

4 Then what our thoughts design to do,
Still let our hands with might pursue;
Before the night of death shall come,
Which shall for ever seal our doom.

D

29.

ISAIAH i. 10-19.

1 RULERS of Sodom! hear the voice,

of heaven's eternal Lord; Men of Gomorrah! bend your ear submissive to his word:

2 Your prayers, your fasts, your rites I scorn, and pomp of solemn days;

3

I know your hearts are full of guile, and crooked are your ways.

8 Cleanse ye from sin ye guilty race, and keep my holy laws;

Learn in your actions to be just,
and plead the widow's cause.

4 External honours mock my name,
while you my words despise;
Such worship and such worshippers,
are hateful in my eyes.

5 But come with true and willing minds,
and, though of crimson dye,

Your guilty souls shall, through my grace, with snow in whiteness vie.

30.

ISAIAH ii. 2-6.

1 THE beam that shines from Zion hill,

shall lighten ev'ry land;

The king who reigns in Salem's tow'rs,
shall all the world command.

2 Among the nations he shall judge, his judgments truth shall guide; His sceptre shall protect the just, and quell the sinner's pride.

3 No strife shall rage, nor hostile feuds, disturb those peaceful years;

To plough-shares men shall beat their swords, to pruning-hooks their spears.

4 No longer hosts encount'ring hosts, shall crowds of slain deplore; They hang the trumpet in the hall, and study war no more.

5 Come then, O house of Jacob! come
to worship at his shrine;

And, walking in the light of God,
with holy beauties shine.

31.

ISAIAH ix. 2-8.

1 THE race that long in darkness pin'd,

have seen a glorious light;
The people dwell in day, who dwelt
in death's surrounding night.

2 To hail thy rise, thou better Sun!
the gath❜ring nations come,
Joyous, as when the reapers bear

the harvest-treasures home.

3 To us a Child of hope is born; to us a Son is giv'n;

Him shall the tribes of earth obey,

him, all the hosts of heav'n.

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