Ye minstrel birds, wild woodland's charms,
Whose song each child of nature warms
With your lov'd haunts in view;
From Him you borrow'd every note,
Then open wide your chanting throat
To give the tribute due.
Bowing adorers of the gale,
Ye cowslips delicately pale,
Upraise your loaded stems;
Unfold your cups in splendour, speak!
Who deck'd you with that ruddy streak,
And gilt your golden gems?
Violets, sweet tenants of the shade,
In purple's richest pride array'd,
Your errand here fulfil;
Go bid the artist's simple strain
Your lustre imitate, in vain,
And match your Maker's skill.
Daisies, ye flowers of lowly birth,
Embroiderers of the carpet earth,
That stud the velvet sod;
Open to spring's refreshing air,
In sweetest smiling bloom declare
Your Maker, and my God!
Creation's universal round,
That beat the air, or press the ground,
Or plough the seas, the same,
All join in chorusing accord,
Exalt your Maker and your Lord,
And praise His holy name.
Till o'er this sin-consuming world
Destruction's fated doom is hurled,
And ruin's self decays;
Then, freed from sin and Adam's fall,
All join, and hail Him Lord of all,
In everlasting praise.
Tune" Commandments.”
WHERE high the heavenly Temple stands,
The house of God not made with hands,
A great High Priest our nature wears,
The guardian of mankind appears.
He, who for men their Surety stood,
And poured on earth His precious Blood,
Pursues in Heaven His mighty plan,
The Saviour and the Friend of Man.
Though now ascended up on high,
He bends on earth a Brother's eye;
Partaker of the human name,
He knows the frailty of our frame.
Our Fellow-sufferer yet retains.
A fellow-feeling of our pains:
And still remembers in the skies.
His tears, His agonies, and cries.
In every pang that rends the heart
The Man of Sorrows had a part;
He sympathises with our grief,
And to the sufferer sends relief.
With boldness, therefore, at the Throne,
Let us make all our sorrows known;
And ask the aid of Heavenly power
To help us in the evil hour.
BEV. PHILIP DODDRIDGE, D.D.]
SHINE on our souls, eternal God,
With rays of beauty shine!
O let Thy favour crown our daysA
And all their round be thine t
Did we not raise our hands to Thee,
Our bands might toil in vain ;
Small jy success itself could give,
If Thou Thy love restrain.
With Thee let every week begin,
With Thee each day be spent;
For Thee each fleeting hour improv❜d,
Since each by Thee is lent.
Thus cheer us through this desert road,
Till all our labours cease,
And Heaven refresh our weary souls
With everlasting peace!
I WILL praise Thee every day,
Now Thine anger's turn'd away!
Comfortable thoughts arise
From the bleeding sacrifice.
Here, in the fair gospel-field,
Wells of free salvation yield
Streams of life, a plenteous store,
And my soul shall thirst no more.
Jesus is become at length
My Salvation and my Strength;
And His praises shall prolong,
While I live, my pleasant song.
Praise ye then His glorious name,
Publish His exalted fame!
Still His worth your praise exceeds,
Excellent are all His de ds.
Raise again the joyful sound,
Let the nations roll it round!
Zion, shout, for this is He-
God the Saviour dwells in Thee!
How vast the treasure we possess,
How rich Thy bounty, King of grace!
This world is ours, and worlds to come;
Earth is our lodge, and Heaven our home.
All things are ours, the gifts of God,
The purchase of a Saviour's blood;
While the good Spirit shows us how
To use and to improve them too.
If peace and plenty crown my days,
They help me, Lord, to speak Thy praise;
If bread of sorrows be my food,
Those sorrows work my lasting good.
I would not change my blest estate
For all the world calls good or great;
And, while my faith can keep her hold,
I envy not the sinner's gold.
Father, I wait Thy daily will;
Thou shalt divide my portion still;
Grant me on earth what seems Thee best,
Till death and Heaven reveal the rest.
Tune-"St. Cross."-" Hymns
Ancient and Modern."
O COME and mourn with me awhile;
O come ye to the Saviour's side;
O come, together let us mourn;
Jesus, our Lord, is crucified.
Have we no tears to shed for Him,
While soldiers scoff and Jews deride
Ah! look how patiently He hangs;
Jesus our Lord is crucified.
How fast His hands and feet are nailed:
His throat with parching thirst is dried;
His failing eyes are dimmed with blood;
Jesus our Lord is crucified.
Seven times He spake seven words of love;.
And all three hours He silence cried
For mercy on the souls of men;
Jesus our Lord is crucified.
Come, let us stand beneath the Cross;
So may the Blood from out His Side
Fall gently on us drop by drop;
Jesus our Lord is crucified.
A broken heart, a fount of tears
Ask, and they will not be denied;
Lord Jesus, may we love and weep,
Since Thou for us art crucified.
REV. PHILIP DODDRIDGE, D.D.]
YE golden lamps of heaven, farewell,
With all your feeble light;
Farewell, thou ever-changing moon,
Pale empress of the night.
And thou, refulgent orb of day,
In brighter flames array'd;
My soul, that springs beyond thy sphere,
No more demands thine aid.
Ye stars are but the shining dust
Of my divine abode,
The pavement of those heavenly courts
Where I shall reign with God.
The Father of eternal light
Shall there His beams display.
Nor shall one moment's darkness mix
With that unvaried day.
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