They are the true realities of earth,

Friends and companions even from our birth. 4-0 life below,-how brief, and poor, and sad! One heavy sigh.

O life above,-how long, how fair, and glad;
An endless joy.

Oh, to be done with daily dying here!

Oh, to begin the living in yon sphere !

5-0 day of time, how dark! O sky and earth, How dull your hue!

O day of Christ, how bright! O sky and earth,

Each fair and new!

Come, better Eden, with thy fresher green;
Come, brighter Salem, gladden all the scene!

BONAR.

187

Isaiah lv. 3.

1-Sinner, hear thy Saviour's call,

He now is passing by ;

He has seen thy grievous thrall,
And heard thy mournful cry.

He has pardon to impart,

Grace to save thee from thy fears;

See the love that fills His heart,

And wipe away thy tears.

P.M.

2-Why art thou afraid to come
And tell Him all Thy case?
He will not pronounce thy doom,
Nor frown thee from His face.
Wilt thou fear Immanuel ?

Wilt thou dread the Son of God,
Who to save thy soul from hell,
Has shed His precious blood?

3-Think how on the cross He hung,
Pierced with a thousand wounds,
Hark! from each, as from a tongue,
The voice of pardon sounds.
See from all His open'd veins
Blood of wondrous virtue flow,
Shed to wash away thy stains,
And ransom thee from woe.

4-Though His majesty be great,
His mercy is no less,

Though He thy transgression hate,
He feels for thy distress.

By Himself the Lord has sworn,
He delights not in thy death,
But invites thee to return,

That thou may'st live by death.

5-Raise thy downcast eyes and see

What throngs His throne surround;
These, tho' sinners once like thee,
Have full salvation found.

Yield not then to unbelief,

While He says "There yet is room,"
Though of sinners thou art chief,
Since Jesus calls thee, come.

188

John xix. 30.

S.M.

1-Christ's grave

is vacant now,

Left for the throne above,

His cross asserts God's right to bless,
In His own boundless love.

2-'Twas there the blood was shed,
"Twas there the life was pour'd,

There mercy gain'd her diadem,
While justice sheath'd her sword.

3-And thence the child of faith
Sees judgment all gone by,
Perceives the sentence fully met,
"The soul that sins shall die ;"-

Ꭱ

4-Learns how that God in love

Gave Christ the sins to bear
Of all who own His Lordship now,

That they His place might share ;

5-And cries with wondering joy,
"As He is so am I,

Pure, holy, loved as Christ Himself,
Who shall my peace destroy?

6-Reach my blest Saviour first,

Take Him from God's esteem,
Prove Jesus bears one spot of sin,
Then tell me I'm unclean.

7-Nay! for He purged my guilt
By His own precious blood,
And such its virtue, not a stain
E'er meets the eye of God.

189

Psalm lxxiii. 24.

P.M.

1-Father! whose hand hath led me so securely, Father! whose ear hath listen'd to my prayer, Father whose eye hath watch'd o'er me so surely,

Whose heart hath lov'd me with a love so

rare;

Vouchsafe, O heavenly Father, to instruct me
In the straight way wherein I ought to go,
To life eternal and to heaven conduct me,
Through health and sickness and through
weal and woe.

2-O my Redeemer ! who hast my redemption
Purchas'd and paid for by Thy precious blood,
Thereby procuring an entire exemption
From the dread wrath and punishment of
God;

Thou who hast saved my soul from condem-
nation,

Redeem it also from the power of sin;

Be Thou the Captain still of my salvation,
Through whom alone I can the victory win.

3-0 Holy Ghost! who from the Father flowest And from the Son, O teach me how to pray; Thou, who the love and peace of God bestowest,

With faith and hope inspire and cheer my
way;

Direct, control, and sanctify each motion
Within my soul, and make it thus to be
Prayerful, and still, and full of deep devotion,
A holy temple worthy, Lord, of Thee.

FROM LYRA DOMESTICA.