My simple, upright heart prepare,
And guide my words aright.
2 Control my ev'ry thought;
My whole of sin remove;

Let all my works in thee be wrought,
Let all be wrought in love.

30 arm me with the mind,

Meek Lamb, that was in thee.!
And let my knowing zeal be join'd
With perfect charity.

With calm and temper'd zeal,
Let me enforce thy call;
And vindicate thy gracious will,
Which offers life to all.

5 O may I love like thee!

In all thy footsteps tread;
Thou hatest all iniquity,
But nothing thou hast made.

6 may I learn the art,

With meekness to reprove!
And hate the sin with all my heart,
But still the sinner love.

L. M.

563. The Pastor's wish for las People.

M

Phil. iv. I.

Y brethren, from my heart belov❜d,
Whose welfare fills my daily care,
My present joy, my future crown,
The word of exhortation hear.

2 Stand fast upon the solid rock

Of the Redeemer's righteousness:
Adorn the gospel with your lives,
And practise what your lips profess.

8 With pleasure meditate the hour, When he, descending from the skies,

Shall bid your bodies, mean and vile,
In his all-glorious image rise.

4 Glory in his dear, honour'd name,
To him inviolably cleave;

Your all he purchas'd by his blood,
Nor let him less than all receive.

5 Such is your pastor's faithful charge,
Whose soul desires not yours, but you;
O may he, at the Lord's right hand,
Himself and all his people view!

C. M.

564. Minister's Farewell Charge.

1

Acts xx. 26, 27.

WHEN Paul was parted from his friends,

It was a weeping day:

But Jesus made them all amends,
And wip'd their tears away.

2 In heav'n they meet again with joy,
Secure no more to part;

Where praises ev'ry tongue employ,
And pleasure fills each heart.

Thus all the preachers of his grace
Their children soon shall meet;
Together see their Saviour's face,
And worship at his feet.

4 But they who heard the word in vain,
Though oft and plainly warn'd,
Will tremble when they meet again
The ministers they scorn'd.

8 On your own heads your blood will fall,
If any perish here;

The preachers who have told you all,
Shall stand approv'd and clear.

6 Yet, Lord, to save themselves alone,
Is not their utmost view;

O hear their pray'r, thy message own,
And save their hearers too.

ORDINATION AND LICENSURE.

(430.) L. M.

565. At the ordination or settlement of a

minister.

THUS spake the Saviour, when he sent
His ministers to preach his word;
They through the world obedient went,
And spread the gospel of their Lord.
2" Go forth, ye heralds, in my name;
Bid the whole earth my grace receive;
The gospel jubilee proclaim,

And call them to repent and live.

3 "The Joyful news to all impart,

And teach them where salvation lies;
Bind up the broken, bleeding heart,
And wipe the tear from weeping eyes.
4" Be wise as serpents where you go,
But harmless as the peaceful dove;
And let your heav'n-taught conduct show,
That you're commission'd from above.
5 "Freely from me ye have receiv'd;
Freely in love to others give;
Thus shall your doctrines be believ'd
And by your labour sinners live."
6 Happy those servants of the Lord,

Who thus their Master's will obey
How rich, how full is their reward,
Reserv'd until the final day!

L. M.

566. The Institution of a Gospel Ministry from Christ. Eph. iv. 8. 11, 12.

1 FATHER of mercies, in thy house

Smile on our homage and our vows; While with a grateful heart we share These pledges of our Saviour's care.

2 The Saviour, when to heaven he rose
In splendid triumph o'er his foes,
Scatter'd his gifts on men below,
And wide his royal bounties flow.

3 Hence sprung th' Apostles' honour'd nama, Sacred beyond heroic fame;

In lowlier form to bless our eyes,
Pastors from hence, and teachers rise.

4 From Christ their varied gifts derive,
And fed by Christ their graces live;
While guarded by his potent hand,
'Midst all the rage of hell they stand.
5 So shall the bright succession run
Through the last courses of the sun;
While unborn churches by their care
Shall rise and flourish large and fair.

€ Jesus our Lord their hearts shall know,
The spring whence all these blessings flow;
Pastors and people shout his praise
Through the long round of endless days.

567.

C. M.

Watching for Souls in the View of the great Account. Heb. xiii. 17.

LET Zion's watchmen all awake,

And take the alarm they give; Now let them from the mouth of God Their solemn charge receive.

2 'Tis not a cause of small import
The pastor's care demands;

But what might fill an angel's heart,
And fill'd a Saviour's hands.

3 They watch for souls, for which the Lord Did heavenly bliss forego;

For souls which must for ever live
In raptures, or in wo.

4 All to the great tribunal haste, Th' account to render there;

And shouldst thou strictly mark our faults Lord, how shall we appear?

5 May they that Jesus, whom they preach,
Their own Redeemer see;

And watch thou daily o'er their souls,
That they may watch for thee.

568.

1

GE

(431.) L. M.

Succession of ministers.

REAT Lord of Angels! we adore
The grace that builds thy courts below;
And, 'midst ten thousand sons of light
Stoops to regard what mortals do'

2 Amidst the wastes of time and death,
Successive pastor; thou dost raise,
Thy kingdom and thy truth to spread,
And form a people for thy praise.

3 At length, dismiss'd from feeble clay,
Thy servants join th' angelic band,
With them through distant worlds they fly,
With them before thy presence stand.

O blest employment! glorious hope!
Sweet lenitive of grief and care!

When shall we reach those radiant courts
And all their joys and honours share?

5 Yet while these labours we pursue,
Tho' distant from thy heav'nly throne,
Give us a zeal and love like theirs,

And half their heav'n shall here be known

569.

1

L. M.

Prayer for Ministers.

FATHER of mercies, bow thine ear,

Attentive to our earnest prayer; We plead for those who plead for thee, Successful pleaders may they be