2 In this world of care and pain,
Lord, thou wouldst no longer leave it;
To the sunny heavenly plain
Dost thou now with joy receive it:
Clothed in robes of spotless white,
Now it dwells with thee in light.
Ah, Lord Jesu, grant that we
Where it lives may soon be living,
And the lovely pastures see
That its heavenly food are giving;
Then the gain of death we prove,
Though thou take what most we love.
486 So he bringeth them unto their desired haven. [6s. 88.
SAFE home, safe home in port:
Rent cordage, shatter'd deck,
Torn sails, provision short,
And only not a wreck:-
But oh, the joy upon the shore
To tell our voyage-perils o'er!
The prize, the prize secure :
The wrestler nearly fell;
Bare all he could endure,
And bare not always well:
But he may smile at troubles gone
Who sets the victor-garland on.
No more the foe can harm :
No more of leaguer'd camp,
And cry of night alarm,
And need of ready lamp :
And yet how nearly had he fail❜d—
How nearly had that foe prevail'd!
The lamb is in the fold,
In perfect safety penn'd:
The lion once had hold,
And thought to make an end :—
But One came by with wounded side,
And for the sheep the Shepherd died.
The exile is at home:
O nights and days of tears,
O longings not to roam,
O sins and doubts and fears!
What matters now grief's darkest day,
When God has wiped all tears away?
O happy, happy bride,
Thy widow'd hours are past;
The Bridegroom at thy side,
Thou all his own at last;
The sorrows of thy former cup
In full fruition swallow'd up."
487 Well done, good and faithful servant: enter
thou into the joy of thy Lord.-Matt. xxv. 21.
"SERVANT of God, well done;
Rest from thy loved employ;
The battle fought, the victory won,
Enter thy Master's joy."
The voice at midnight came;
He started up to hear;
A mortal arrow pierced his frame :
He fell, but felt no fear.
At midnight came the cry,
To meet thy God prepare:
He woke, and caught his Captain's eye;
Then, strong in faith and prayer,—
His spirit with a bound
Burst its encumbering clay :
His tent, at sunrise, on the ground
- A darken'd ruin lay.
The pains of death are past,
Labour and sorrow cease;
And, life's long warfare closed at last,
His soul is found in peace.
Soldier of Christ, well done :
Praise be thy new employ;
And, while eternal ages run,
Rest in thy Saviour's joy.
"RECEIVE AND COMFORT US, WHO ARE GRIEVED AND WEARIED WITH THE BURDEN OF OUR SINS."
488 Let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord; [THREE 7÷. and give not thine heritage to reproach.
1 LORD, in this thy mercy's day,
Ere the time shall pass away,
On our knees we fall and pray.
2 Holy Jesu, grant us tears,
Fill us with heart-searching fears,
Ere the hour of doom appears.
3 Lord, on us thy Spirit pour,
Kneeling lowly at thy door,
Ere it close for evermore.
4 By thy night of agony,
By thy supplicating cry,
By thy willingness to die,
5 By thy tears of bitter woe,
For Jerusalem below,
Let us not thy love forego.
6 Judge and Saviour of our race,
When we see thee face to face,
Grant us 'neath thy wings a place.
7 On thy love we rest alone,
And that love will then be known
By the pardon'd round thy throne.
Out of the depths have I cried unto thee,
O Lord.-Ps. cxxx. 1.
1 THOU who didst on Calvary bleed,
Thou who dost for sinners plead,
Help me in my time of need;
Jesu, hear my cry.
2 In my darkness and my grief,
With my heart of unbelief,
I, who am of sinners chief,
Lift to thee mine eye.
3 Foes without and fears within,
With no plea thy grace to win,
But that thou canst save from sin,
To thy cross I fly.
4 Others, long in fetters bound,
There deliverance sought and found,
Heard the voice of mercy sound,
Surely so may I.
5 There on thee I cast my care,
There to thee I raise my prayer,
Jesu, save me from despair,
Save me, or I die.
6 When the storms of trial lower,
When I feel temptation's power,
In the last and darkest hour,
Jesu, be thou nigh."
Serve the Lord with gladness.-Ps. c. 2. [L.M
1 ALL people that on earth do dwell,
Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice: Him serve with fear, his praise forth tell, Come ye before him and rejoice.
2 The Lord, ye know, is God indeed;
Without our aid he did us make:
We are his flock, he doth us feed;
And for his sheep he doth us take.
3 O enter then his gates with praise,
Approach with joy his courts unto:
Praise, laud, and bless his name always;
For it is seemly so to do.
4 For why? The Lord our God is good;
His mercy is for ever sure
His truth at all times firmly stood;
And shall from age to age endure.
Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our
salvation, &c.-Ps. xcv. 1-7.
1 O COME, loud anthems let us sing,
Loud thanks to our almighty King,
And high our grateful voices raise,
As our Salvation's rock we praise.
2 Into his presence let us haste
To thank him for his favours past;
To him address, in joyful songs,
The praise that to his name belongs.
3 For God the Lord, enthroned in state,
Is with unrivall'd glory great;
The depths of earth are in his hand,
Her secret wealth at his command.
4 O let us to his courts repair,
And bow with adoration there;
Low on our knees with reverence fall,
And on the Lord our Maker call."
492 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting [L.M. to everlasting.-Ps. cvi. 48.
1 O RENDER thanks to God above,
The fountain of eternal love,
Whose mercy firm through ages past
Has stood, and shall for ever last.
2 Who can his mighty deeds express,
Not only vast, but numberless?
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