O that the months would roll away, H. 72, B. 1. The Church on Earth. 283 THE CHURCH THE SAFETY OF THE NATION. REAT is the Lord our God, GR And let His praise be great ; He makes His churches His abode, These temples of His grace, In Sion God is known, How bright has His salvation shone When kings against her joined, When navies tall and proud Oft have our fathers told, Our eyes have often seen, How well our God secures the fold Where His own sheep have been. In every new distress We'll to His house repair, We'll think upon His wondrous grace, And seek deliverance there. 284 285 Ps. 48. THE BEAUTY AND GLORY OF THE CHURCH. F MAR as Thy name is known, The world declares Thy praise; Thy saints, O Lord, before Thy throne, Their songs of honour raise. With joy let Judah stand On Sion's chosen hill, Proclaim the wonders of Thy hand, And counsels of Thy will; Let strangers walk around The city where we dwell, Compass and view thine holy ground, The orders of Thy house, The cheerful songs, the solemn vows, And make a fair report. How decent and how wise! How glorious to behold! Beyond the pomp that charms the eyes, And rites adorned with gold. The God we worship now Will guide us till we die, Will be our God while here below, And ours above the sky. Ps. 48. THIS AND THAT MAN SHALL BE BORN THERE. GOD OD in His earthly temples lays He likes the tents of Jacob well, But still in Zion loves to dwell. 286 His mercy visits every house That pay their night and morning vows; What glories were described of old! Thy fame shall Tyre and Egypt know. Egypt and Tyre, and Greek and Jew, When God makes up His last account Ps. 87. THE GARDEN OF GOD. LORD, 'tis a pleasant thing to stand In gardens planted by Thine hand; Let me within Thy courts be seen, There grow Thy saints in faith and love, The plants of grace shall ever live; Ps. 92. 287 288 H Isaiah xxvi.-We have a strong city. OW honourable is the place Lift up the everlasting gates, The doors wide open fling; Here shall you taste unmingled joys, You that have known Jehovah's name, Trust in the Lord, for ever trust, And banish all your fears; What though the rebels dwell on high, On Babylon our feet shall tread The ruins of her walls shall spread So He led them by a right way. H. 8, B. 1. HEN Israel's tribes from bondage brought, W Had left the hated ground; Each soine Egyptian spoils had got, And not one feeble found. The Lord Himself chose out their way, They thirst, and waters from the rock And following still the course they took, O wondrous stream! O blessed type So Christ, our Rock, maintains our life Thus guarded by the Almighty hand, Then let the world forbear its rage, The time to favour her, the set time, is come. Behold the promised hour; Ps. 105 Her God hath heard her mourning voice, Her dust and ruins that remain The Lord will raise Jerusalem, 289 |