3. Now, near the altar of my God,
I choose my safe and blest abode,
From morn till even;

O, still, upon its hallow'd breast,
My heart shall build her lowly nest,
And find an earthly Heaven.

CL.

155

1. Dear is to me the winged hour
Spent in thy hallow'd courts, O Lord,
To feel devotion's soothing pow'r
And catch the manna of thy word.

2. In secret have I often pray'd,

And still the anxious tears would fall;

But on thy sacred altar laid,

The fire descends and dries them all.

3. Oft when the world, with iron hands, Has bound me in its six days chain, This bursts them, like the strong man's And lets my spirit loose again. (bands,

4. Then dear to me the Sabbath morn,
The Hallow'd word, the Saviour's voice,
These oft have found my heart forlorn ;
And oft have bid that heart rejoice.

5. Go, Man of pleasure, strike thy lyre,
Of broken sabbaths sing the charms;
Ours are the Prophet's Car of fire, *
Which bears us to a Father's arms.
* 2 Kings. 2-2.

CLI,

COLLECT FOR ADVENT SUNDAY.

ALMIGHTY God, thy heav'nly grace impart, And cast the works of darkness from our

heart; Send us thy light, and arm us for the strife Against all evils of this mortal life, O'er which our Saviour Jesus Christ thy Son, With great humility the conquest won :

That when in glory, our Victorious Head Shall come, to judge the living and the dead, We may, thro' Him, to life immortal spring, Wherein He reigns, the Everlasting King ;

The Father, Son, and Spirit may adore,
One glorious God Triune, for evermore.

CLII.

COLLECT FOR SECCOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT.

1. Saviour divine in mercy sent To tread our sinful Earth,

Who for our use hast kindly lent

These works of treasur'd Worth.

2, Grant, that our eyes may well discern,
Our Hearts, in Love embrace
The Heav'nly Lessons that we learn
Or holy truths we trace.

3. PATIENCE shall yield us sweet repose; While stedfast FAITH retains

That blest and glorious HOPE, which flows Thro' JESUS' dying pains.

*The Holy Scriptures,

M. A. C.

CLIII.

EASTFR COLLECT.

Almighty God! whose blessed will was done
By Jesus Christ, our Lord, thine only Son;
Who Death o'ercame, and open'd unto
The gate of everlasting life again; (men
Grant us, baptis'd into his death, to die
To all affections, but to things on high;

That when, by thy preventing grace, we find The good desires to rise within our mind, Our wills may tend as thine shall still direct, And bring the good desires to good effect; Thro' Him, our great Redeemer from the fall, Who liv'd and died, and rose again for all.

CLIV.

COLLECT SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.

1. O Lord, to whom all creatures bow,
Whose pow'r shall never end;
From thee all earthly blessings flow,
All heav'nly joys descend.

2. Engraft, upon our ardent hearts,
Affection for thy name;

While true Religion there imparts.
Its holy, vital, flame.

3. O, nourish us with ev'ry good, And ev'ry grace afford:

For still we plead the name and blood

Of JESUS CHRIST our LORD.

CLV.

"O God, merciful Father &c.

Litany.

P

1. The broken heart-the contrite Tear

Thou wilt not, Lord despise ;

Nor yet, unmindful, dost thou hear

The weak desires that rise.

2. When wrapp'd in gath'ring shades of Oppress'd with Mortal Cares;

Haste to our drooping Souls relief,

And aid our feeble Pray'rs.

(grief

3. Should Hell or Man with treach'rous

Our fainting Strength assail,

( Art

Do thou the shield of Faith impart,
Nor let their powers prevail.