Seeking direction to the choice of a Pastor.
1 SHEPHERD of Israel, bend thine ear,
Thy servants' groans indulgent hear;
Perplex'd, distress'd, to thee we cry,
And seek the guidance of thine eye.
2 Send forth, O Lord, thy truth and light,
To guide our doubtful footsteps right:
Our drooping hearts, O God, sustain,
Nor let us seek thy face in vain.
3 Return, in ways of peace return,
Nor let thy flock neglected mourn;
May our bless'd eyes a shepherd see,
Dear to our souls, and dear to thee.
At the installation of a Minister.
E bid thee welcome in the name
Of Jesus our exalted Head,-
Come as a servant-so he came,
And we receive thee in his stead.
2 Come as a Shepherd; guard and keep
This fold from hell, and earth, and sin;
Nourish the lambs, and feed the sheep,
The wounded heal, the lost bring in.
3 Come as a Watchman; take thy stand
Upon thy tow'r amidst the sky,
And when the sword comes on the land,
Call us to fight, or warn to fly.
4 Come as an Angel, hence to guide
A band of pilgrims on their way,
That, safely walking at thy side,
We faint not, fail not, turn, nor stray.
5 Come as a Teacher, sent from God,
Charg'd his whole counsel to declare;
Lift o'er our ranks the prophet's rod,
While we uphold thy hands with pray'r.
6 Come as a Messenger of
peace,
Fill'd with the spirit, fir'd with love;.
Live to behold our large increase,
And die to meet us all above.
HYMN 154. C. M.
The Ministerial Office.
1 LET Zion's watchmen all awake,
And take th' alarm they give;
Now let them, from the mouth of God,
Their awful charge receive.
2 'Tis not a cause of small import
The pastor's care demands;
But what might fill an angel's heart-
It fill'd a Saviour's hands.
3 They watch for souls, for which the Lord Did heav'nly bliss forego;
For souls, which must for ever live,
In raptures, or in woe.
4 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.
HYMN 155. L. M.
Prayer for a sick Minister.
THOU, before whose gracious throne,
We bow our suppliant spirits down;
Avert thy swift descending stroke,
Nor smite the shepherd of the flock.
2 Restore him, sinking to the grave;
Stretch out thine arm, make haste to save;
Back to our hopes and wishes give,
And bid our friend and father live.
3 Bound to each soul by tend❜rest ties,
In every breast his image lies:
Thy pitying aid, O God, impart,
Nor rend him from each bleeding heart.
4 Yet, if our supplications fail,
And prayr's and tears cannot prevail;
Be thou his strength, be thou his stay,
And guide him safe to endless day.
Comfort under the loss of Ministers.
WHAT-tho' the arm of conq'ring death,
Does God's own house invade;
What-tho' the Prophet and the Priest
Be number'd with the dead!
2 Tho' earthly shepherds dwell in dust,
The aged and the young;
The watchful eye in darkness clos'd,
And mute th' instructive tongue;
3 Th' Eternal Shepherd still survives,
New comforts to impart;
His eye still guides us, and his voice
Still animates our heart.
4 Then let our drooping hearts revive,
And all our tears be dry;
Why should those eyes be drown'd in grief, Which view a Saviour nigh!
SEASONS OF HUMAN LIFE.
HYMN 157. C. M.
Importance of the season of Youth.
H, in the morn of life, when youth
With vital ardour glows,
And shines in all the fairest charms
That beauty can disclose,→
2 Deep in thy soul, before its pow'rs
Are yet by vice enslav'd,
Be thy Creator's glorious name
And character engrav'd:
3 Ere yet the shades of sorrow cloud
The sunshine of thy days;
And cares and toils, in endless round,
Encompass all thy ways:
4 Ere yet thy heart the woes of age,
With vain regret, deplore,
And sadly muse on former joys,
That now return no more.
5 True wisdom, early sought and gain'd,
In age will give thee rest:
O, then improve the morn of life,
To make its ev'ning blest!
HYMN 158. S. M.
Youth the Morning of Life.
SWEET is the time of Spring,
When nature's charms appear;
The birds with ceaseless pleasure sing,
And hail the op'ning year.
2 But sweeter far the spring
Of wisdom, and of grace,
When children bless, and praise their King,
Who loves the youthful race.
3 Sweet is the dawn of day,
When light just streaks the sky,
When shades and darkness pass away,
And morning beams are nigh.
4 But sweeter far the dawn
Of piety in youth;
When doubt and darkness are withdrawn,
Before the light of truth.
5 Sweet is the early dew,
Which gilds the mountain tops;
And decks each plant and flow'r we view,
With pearly, glitt'ring drops.
6 But sweeter far the scene,
On Zion's holy hill;
When there the dew of youth is seen,
Its freshness to distil.
7 Sweet is the op'ning flower,
Which just begins to bloom,
Which, ev'ry day and ev'ry hour,
Fresh beauties will assume.
8 But sweeter that young heart,
Where faith, and love, and peace,
Blossom and bloom in ev'ry part,
With sweet and varied grace.
9 O, may life's early SPRING,
And MORNING, ere they flee,
Youth's DEW, and its fair BLOSSOMING,
Be giv'n, my God, to thee.
HYMN 159. L. M.
Youth Warned.
E lovely bands of blooming youth, Warn'd by the voice of heav'nly truth, Now yield to Christ your youthful prime, With all your talents and your time.
2 Think on your end-nor thoughtless say,
"I'll put far off the evil day;"
Ah! not a moment's in your pow'r,
And death stands ready at the door.
3 Eternity!-how near it rolls!
Count the vast value of your souls!
Beware! and count the awful cost,
What they have gain'd whose souls are lost.
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