222. C. M. MRS. STEELE.
The comforts of religion.

1.

WHEN gloomy thoughts and boding fears
The trembling heart invade,
And all the face of nature wears
An universal shade;

2.

Religion's dictates can assuage
The tempest of the soul;

And every storm shall cease to rage,
At her divine control.

3.

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

4.

When feeble reason, tired and blind,
Sinks helpless and afraid;

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

5.

O let my heart confess thy power,
And find thy sweet relief,

To brighten every gloomy hour,
And soften every grief!

223. C. M. MRS. BARBAULD.
The Lord's day morning.

1.

AGAIN the Lord of life and light
Awakes the kindling ray,
Unseals the eyelids of the morn,
And pours increasing day.

2.

O what a night was that, which wrapp'd
The heathen world in gloom!
O what a sun, which broke this day
Triumphant from the tomb!

3.

This day be grateful homage paid,
And loud hosannas sung;
Let gladness dwell in every heart,
And praise on every tongue.

4.

Ten thousand differing lips shall join
To hail the welcome morn
Which scatters blessings from its wings
To nations yet unborn.

224. P. M.

WATTS.

The pleasure of public worship.

[Psalm 84.]

1.

LORD of the worlds above,
How pleasant and how fair
The dwellings of thy love,
Thine earthly temples are!

To thine abode
My heart aspires,
With warm desires
To see my God.

2.

O happy souls, that pray
Where God appoints to hear!
O happy men, who pay
Their constant service there!
They praise thee still;

And happy they
Who love the way
To Zion's hill.

3.

They go from strength to strength
Through this dark vale of tears,
Till each arrives at length,
Till each in heaven appears:
O glorious seat,

When God our king
Shall thither bring
Our willing feet!

4.

The Lord his people loves:
His hand no good withholds
From those his heart approves,
From pure and pious souls:
Thrice happy he,

O God of hosts,
Whose spirit trusts
Alone in thee.

225. L. M.

WATTS.

The pleasure of public worship.

1.

How pleasant, how divinely fair,
O Lord of hosts, thy dwellings are!
With long desire my spirit faints
To meet the assemblies of thy saints.

2.

Blest are the saints who sit on high
Around thy throne of majesty;
Thy brightest glories shine above,
And all their work is praise and love.

3.

Blest are the souls that find a place
Within the temple of thy grace;
There they behold thy gentler rays,
And seek thy face, and learn thy praise.

4.

Blest are the men whose hearts are set
To find the way to Zion's gate:

God is their strength, and through the road
They lean upon their helper God.

5.

Cheerful they walk with growing strength,
Till all shall meet in heaven at length,
Till all before thy face appear,
And join in nobler worship there.

[The Son shall make you free. John viii.]

1.

YE slaves to time and sense, Whose minds their bondage see; The gospel breaks your servile chain, And sets the captive free.

2.

Gross darkness shall no more Enslave the trembling soul; Before the cheering rays of truth Its gloomy vapours roll.

3.

With Aaron's costly rites, Lo! David's greater son The ceremonial law revokes, And publishes his own.

4.

His hand removed the veil Which hid the mercy-seat, And leads the child of penitence Before his Father's feet.

5.

From soul-debasing vice

He frees the troubled mind; And such as bear his gentle yoke True liberty shall find.

6.

But, oh, triumphant thought!
He calms the fear of death;
We view the Saviour's bursting tomb,
And meekly yield our breath.