2 These transient scenes will soon decay,

They fade upon the sight;
And quickly will their brightest day
Be lost in endless night.

3 Their brightest day, alas, how vain,

With conscious sighs we own;
While clouds of sorrow, care, and pain,

O'ershade the smiling noon.

4 O, could our thoughts and wishes fly

Above these gloomy shades,

To those bright worlds beyond the sky,
Which sorrow ne'er invades !

5 There, joys unseen by mortal eyes,
Or reason's feeble ray,
In ever blooming prospects rise,
Unconscious of decay.

6 Lord, send a beam of light divine,
To guide our upward aim:
With one reviving touch of thine

Our languid hearts inflame.

7 Then shall, on faith's sublimest wing, Our ardent wishes rise,

To those bright scenes where pleasures

Th' exalted Saviour shines;

And beams ineffable delight

On all the heavenly minds.

5 There, shall the followers of the Lamb Join in immortal songs;

And endless honours to his Name

Employ their tuneful tongues.

6 Lord, tune our hearts to praise and love, Our feeble notes inspire;

Till, in thy blissful courts above,

We join th' angelic choir.

On strong immortal wing,

And reach thy palace in the skies,
My Saviour and my King!

5 There, thousands worship at thy feet, And there, divine employ,

The triumphs of thy love repeat
In songs of endless joy.

6 Thy presence beams eternal day
O'er all the blissful place;

Who would not drop this load of clay, And die to see thy face?

2 Thine, O Lord, are power and greatness, Glory, victory, are thine own; All is thine in earth and heaven,

Over all thy boundless throne.

3 Riches come of thee, and honour; Power and might to thee belong; Thine it is to make us prosper,

Only thine to make us strong.

4 Lord our God, for these, thy bounties,
Hymns of gratitude we raise;
To thy Name, for ever glorious,
Ever we address our praise.

HYMN 204. C. M.

Proverbs iii. 13-17.

HAPPY is the man who hears Religion's warning voice, And who celestial wisdom makes

His early, only choice.

2 For she has treasures greater far
Than east or west unfold;
More precious are her bright rewards
Than gems, or stores of gold.

3 Her right hand offers to the just
Immortal, happy days;
Her left, imperishable wealth,

And heavenly crowns displays.
4 And, as her holy labours rise,
So her rewards increase;
Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.

HYMN 205. L. M.

Isaiah xl. 6-8.

THE morning flowers display their sweets,
And gay their silken leaves unfold;
As careless of the noon-day heats,
And fearless of the evening cold.

2 Nipp'd by the wind's unkindly blast, Parch'd by the sun's more fervent ray, The momentary glories waste,

The short-lived beauties die away.

3 So blooms the human face divine,
When youth its pride of beauty shows;
Fairer than spring the colours shine,
And sweeter than the opening rose.

4 But, worn by slowly-rolling years,
Or broke by sickness in a day,
The fading glory disappears,

The short-lived beauties die away.

5 Yet these, new rising from the tomb,
With lustre brighter far shall shine;
Revive with ever-during bloom,
Safe from diseases and decline.

6 Let sickness blast, and death devour,

If heaven shall recompense our pains; Perish the grass, and fade the flower, If firm the Word of God remains.

HYMN 206. C. M.

Isaiah xl. 27-31.

HY mournest thou, my anxious soul
Despairing of relief,

As if the Lord o'erlook'd thy cares,
Or pitied not thy grief?

2 Hast thou not known, hast thou not heard,
That firm remains on high,
The everlasting throne of Him

Who made the earth and sky?

3 Art thou afraid his power will fail
In sorrow's evil day?
Can the Creator's mighty arm
Grow weary or decay?

4 Supreme in wisdom as in power

The Rock of Ages stands;

Thou canst not search his mind, nor trace
The working of his hands.

5 He gives the conquest to the weak,
Supports the fainting heart;
And courage in the evil hour
His heavenly aids impart.

6 Mere human energy shall faint,

And youthful vigour cease;

But those who wait upon the Lord,
In strength shall still increase.

7 They, with unwearied step, shall tread
The path of life divine;
With growing ardour onward move,
With growing brightness shine.

8 On eagles' wings they mount, they soar
On wings of faith and love;

Till, past the sphere of earth and sin,
They rise to heaven above.

HYMN 207. C. M.

Isaiah lvii. 15,

THUS speaks the High and Lofty One:
My throne is fix'd on high;
There, through eternity, I hear
The praises of the sky:

2 Yet, looking down, I visit oft

The humble, hallow'd cell; And, with the penitent who mourn, 'Tis my delight to dwell

3 My presence heals the wounded heart, The sad in spirit cheers;

My presence, from the bed of dust,
The contrite sinner rears.

4 I dwell with all my humble saints While they on earth remain ; And they, exalted, dwell with me, With me for ever reign.

HYMN 208. II. 1.

Habakkuk iii. 17-19.

ALTHOUGH the vine its fruit deny,

The budding fig-tree droop and die,
No oil the olive yield;

Yet will I trust me in my God,
Yea, bend rejoicing to his rod,

And by his grace be heal'd.

2 Though fields, in verdure once array'd, By whirlwinds desolate be laid,

Or parch'd by scorching beam; Still in the Lord shall be my trust, My joy; for, though his frown is just, His mercy is supreme.

3 Though from the fold the flock decay, Though herds lie famish'd o'er the lea, And round the empty stall;

My soul above the wreck shall rise,
Its better joys are in the skies;
There God is all in all.

4 In God my strength, howe'er distrest,
I yet will hope, and calmly rest,
Nay, triumph in his love:
My lingering soul, my tardy feet,
Free as the hind he makes, and fleet,
To speed my course above.

THC

HOU art the Way, to thee alone
From sin and death we flee;
And he who would the Father seek,
Must seek him, Lord, by thee.

2 Thou art the Truth, thy word alone
True wisdom can impart;
Thou only canst inform the mind
And purify the heart.

3 Thou art the Life, the rending tomb
Proclaims thy conquering arm,
And those who put their trust in thee
Nor death nor hell shall harm.

4 Thou art the Way, the Truth, the Life; Grant us that way to know,

That truth to keep, that life to win,
Whose joys eternal flow.

HYMN 210. S. M.

Philippians ii. 12, 13.

HEIRS of unending life,

While yet we sojourn here,

4 Be not blind and foolish still; Call'd of Jesus, learn his will: Jesus calls from death and night, Jesus waits to shed his light.

HYMN 212. C. M.

Hebrews xii. 1, 2.

O! what a cloud of witnesses
Encompass us around;

Men once like us with suffering tried,

But now with glory crown'd.

2 Let us, with zeal like theirs inspired,
Strive in the Christian race;
And, freed from every weight of sin,
Their holy footsteps trace.

3 Behold a witness nobler still,
Who trod affliction's path,
Jesus, the author, finisher,
Rewarder of our faith:

4 He, for the joy before him set,
And moved by pitying love,
Endured the cross, despised the shame,
And now he reigns above.

5 Thither, forgetting things behind,
Press we, to God's right hand;

There, with the Saviour and his saints,
Triumphantly to stand.