763.

C. M.

BODEN'S COL.

Forgiveness of Enemies.

1 "FATHER, forgive," the Saviour cried,
With his expiring breath,

And drew eternal blessings down
On those who wrought his death.
2 Jesus, this wondrous love we sing,
And whilst we sing, admire ;
Breathe on our souls, and kindle there
The same celestial fire.

3 By thine example ever swayed,
We for our foes will pray;

With love their hatred, and their curse
With blessings, will repay.

764.

C. M.

Beatific Vision of Christ.

WATTS.

1 FROM thee, O God, our joys shall rise,
And run eternal rounds,
Beyond the limits of the skies,
And all created bounds.

2 The holy triumphs of our souls
Shall death itself outbrave,
Leave dull mortality behind,
And fly beyond the grave.

3 There, where our blesséd Saviour reigns,
In heaven's unmeasured space,
We'll spend a long eternity

In pleasure and in praise.

4 Blest Saviour, every smile of thine
Shall fresh endearments bring,
And thousand tastes of new delight
From all thy graces spring.

5 Haste, our beloved, bear our souls
Up to thy blest abode;

Haste, for our spirits long to see
Our Saviour and our God.

Importance of Religion.

1 RELIGION is the chief concern
Of mortals here below;

FAWCETT.

May we its great importance learn,
Its sovereign virtue know.

2 Religion should our thoughts engage
Amidst our youthful bloom;
"Twill fit us for declining age,
And for the solemn tomb.

3 O, may our hearts, by grace renewed,
Be our Redeemer's throne;

And be our stubborn wills subdued,
His government to own.

4 Let deep repentance, faith, and love,
Be joined with godly fear,
And all our conversation prove
Our hearts to be sincere.

5 Let lively hope our souls inspire;
Let warm affections rise;

And may we wait with strong desire
To mount above the skies.

766.

C. M.

Benefits of Religion.

DODDRIDGE.

1 O HAPPY Christian, who can boast,
"The Son of God is mine"!
Happy, though humbled in the dust
Rich in this gift divine.

2 He lives the life of heaven below,
And shall forever live;

Eternal streams from Christ shall flow,
And endless vigor give.

.

3 That life we ask with bended knee;
Nor will the Lord deny,
Nor will celestial mercy see
Its humble suppliants die.

4 That life obtained, for praise alone
We wish continued breath;

And, taught by blest experience, own
That praise can live in death.

Heavenly Joy on Earth.

1 COME, we that love the Lord,
And let our joys be known;
Join in a song with sweet accord,
And thus surround the throne.
2 The sorrows of the mind

Be banished from the place;
Religion never was designed
To make our pleasures less.

3 Let those refuse to sing

Who never knew our God;
But children of the heavenly King
May speak their joys abroad.

4 The hill of Zion yields

A thousand sacred sweets,

WATTS.

Before we reach the heavenly fields,
Or walk the golden streets.

5 Then let our songs abound,

And every tear be dry;

We're marching through Immanuel's ground,
To fairer worlds on high.

768.

S. M.

Religion a Support in Life.

LUTH. COL.

1 WHEN gloomy thoughts and fears
The trembling heart invade,
And all the face of nature wears
A universal shade,

2 Religion can assuage

The tempest of the soul;
And every fear shall lose its rage
At her divine control.

3 Through life's bewildered way,
Her hand unerring leads;
And o'er the path her heavenly ray
A cheering lustre sheds.

4 When reason, tired and blind,
Sinks helpless and afraid,

Thou blest supporter of the mind,
How powerful is thine aid!

5 0, let us feel thy power,
And find thy sweet relief,
To cheer our every gloomy hour,
And calm our every grief.

769.

C. M.

PRATT'S COL.

Importance of Religion to the Young.

1 WHILE in the tender years of youth,
In nature's smiling bloom,
Ere age arrive, and trembling wait
Its summons to the tomb,-

2 Remember thy Creator, God;
For him thy powers employ;
Make him thy fear, thy love, thy hope,
Thy portion, and thy joy.

3 He will in safety guide thy course
O'er life's uncertain sea,

And bring thee to that peaceful shore
Where happy spirits be.

770.

C. M.

WATTS.

Importance of the Bible to the Young.

1 HOW shall the young secure their hearts,
And guard their lives from sin?
Thy word the choicest rules imparts
To keep the conscience clean.

2 "Tis, like the sun, a heavenly light,
That guides us all the day,
And, through the dangers of the night,
A lamp to lead our way.

3 Thy precepts make us truly wise;

We hate the sinner's road;

We hate our own vain thoughts that rise,
But love thy law, O God.

4 Thy word is everlasting truth :

How pure is every page!

That holy book shall guide our youth,
And well support our age.

771.

S. M.

FAWCETT.

The Bible the Guide of the Young.

1 WITH humble heart and tongue,
My God, to thee I pray:

O, bring me now, while I am young,
To thee, the living way.

2 Make an unguarded youth
The object of thy care;

Help me to choose the way of truth,
And fly from every snare.

3 My heart, to folly prone,
Renew by power divine;
Unite it to thyself alone,

And make me wholly thine.

4 O, let thy word of grace

My warmest thoughts employ;
Be this, through all my following days,
My treasure and my joy.

5 To what thy laws impart

Be my whole soul inclined:

O, let them dwell within my heart,
And sanctify my mind.

772.

C. M.

Early Piety.

EPIS. COL.

1 O, IN the morn of life, when youth
With vital ardor glows,

And shines in all the fairest charms
That beauty can disclose,

2 Deep in thy soul, before its powers
Are yet by vice enslaved,
Be thy Creator's glorious name
And character engraved;·

3 Ere yet the shades of sorrow cloud
The sunshine of thy days,

And cares and toils, in endless round,
Encompass all thy ways;-