848

FOR

I commend you to God.-Acts xx. 32.
OR a season called to part,
Let us now ourselves commend
To the gracious eye and heart
Of our ever-present Friend.
2 Jesus, hear our humble prayer;
Tender Shepherd of Thy sheep,
Let Thy mercy and Thy care
All our souls in safety keep.

3 In Thy strength may we be strong;
Sweeten every cross and pain;
Spare us, that we may, ere long,
Meet and worship Thee again.

S.M.

849 Let the word of Christ dwell in you.

1

2

Col. iii. 16.

NCE more, before we part,
We'll bless the Saviour's name:

ONC

Record His mercies every heart,

Sing every tongue the same.

Hoard His sacred word,

up

And feed thereon and grow;

Go on to seek, to know the Lord,
And practise what you know.

THE ORDINANCES.

BAPTISM.

L.M.

850 Why baptizest thou?—John i. 25.

1

WE

HART.

SPENCE.

HAT means the water in this font? What means this simple, sacred rite ? Why bring we babes to Zion's mount,

And in this service thus unite?

2 We claim no power to change the heart,
No mystic grace new life to give;
He must the gift divine impart,
By whom our children's spirits live.
8 This institute of gospel grace
Proclaims our nature spoiled by sin;
Shadows the change that yet must pass
Upon the living soul within;

4 Speaks of the Spirit's power to cleanse
The human heart by sin depraved;
And points us to the gracious means
By which alone the soul is saved.
5 Triune Jehovah! hear our prayer,
As thus we bring our babes to Thee;
Make them in life Thy special care;
Fit them for immortality.

851

1

7s.

GUEST.

Baptizing them in the name of the Father...
Son, and...Holy Ghost.-Matt. xxviii. 19.
EAVENLY Father, may Thy love
Beam upon us from above:

H

Let this infant find a place

In Thy covenant of grace.

2 Son of God, be with us here,
Listen to our humble prayer;
Let Thy blood on Calvary spilt,
Cleanse this child from nature's guilt.
3 Holy Ghost, to Thee we cry,
Thou this infant sanctify;
Thine almighty power display,
Seal him to redemption's day.
4 Great Jehovah !-Father, Son,
Holy Spirit,-Three in One,
Let the blessing come from Thee;
Thine shall all the glory be.

C.M.

DODDRIDGE.

852 Suffer the little children to come.-Mark x. 14.

S

1 EE, Israel's gentle Shepherd stands,
With all-engaging charms :

Hark! how He calls the tender lambs,
And folds them in His arms.

2 Permit them to approach,-He cries,--
Nor scorn their humble name;
For 'twas to bless such souls as these,
The Lord of angels came.

3 Invited by the voice divine,

We bring them, Lord, to Thee;
Joyful that we ourselves are Thine :
Thine let our offspring be.

4 If orphans they are left behind,
Thy guardian care we trust:

That care shall heal our bleeding hearts,
If weeping o'er their dust.

C. WESLEY.

853 The angel... bless me lads.-Gen. XIV. LV.

1

THE

THE great redeeming Angel, Thee,
O Jesus, we confess;

Do Thou our great Deliverer be,
And all our offspring bless.

2 Early discipled to the Lord,

May they be taught of Thee;
And, made to know and trust Thy word,
Wise to salvation be.

3 Thou who hast borne our sins away,
Our children's sins remove;

And bring them through their evil day,
To sing Thy praise above.

4 Partakers of our nature, make
Partakers of Thy grace;

And then the heirs of glory take
To dwell before Thy face.

854

1

C.M.

They brought unto Him also infants.

NOW

Luke xviii. 15.

OW let the children of the saints
Be dedicate to God;

Pour out Thy Spirit on them, Lord,
And wash them in Thy blood.

2 Thus to the parents and their seed
Shall Thy salvation come,

And numerous households meet at last
In one eternal home.

855

1

C.M.

WATTS.

WATTS.

The oath which He sware to...Abraham.
Luke i. 73.

HOW large the promise! how divine!

To Abraham and his seed ;

I'll be a God to thee and thine,
Supplying all their need.

2 The words of His unchanging love
From age to age endure;

The Angel of the Covenant proves
And seals the blessing sure.

3 Jesus the ancient faith confirms,
To our great fathers given;

He takes young children to His arms,
And calls them heirs of heaven.

4 Our God, how faithful are His ways!
His love endures the same;
Nor from the promise of His grace,
Blots out the children's name.

C.M.D.

856 I will pour my Spirit on thy seed.

Isa. xliv. 3.

THOU whose covenant is sure
To all who fear Thy name;
Whose mercies age on age endure,
Eternally the same:

Thou art our fathers' God; we plead
That title: we are Thine:

Pour down Thy Spirit on our seed,
And sanctify our line.

2 In Thee our fathers put their trust;
Thy ways they humbly trod :
Honoured and sacred is their dust,
And still they live to God.

CONDER.

Heirs to their faith, their hope, their prayers,
We the same path pursue;

Entail the blessing to our heirs,

Lord, show Thy promise true.

857 The children which God hath graciously given

1

thy servant.-Gen. xxxiii. 5.
UNITED of mankind;
NITED prayers ascend to Thee,

Smile on this waiting family;
Thy blessing let Thy servants find.

2 Let the dear objects of their love,
Like tender plants around them grow:
Thy present grace, and joys above,
Upon their little ones bestow.

8 Receive at their believing hand
The babe whom they devote as Thine,
Obedient to their Lord's command;
And seal with power the rite divine.