2 Oh! that our thoughts and thanks may rise,
As grateful incense to the skies;

And draw, from heaven, that sweet repose,
Which none, but he that feels it, knows.

3 This heavenly calm, within the breast,
Is the dear pledge of glorious rest,
Which for the church of God remains,—
The end of cares, the end of pains.

4 In holy duties, let the day,
In holy pleasures, pass away;
How sweet a Sabbath thus to spend,
In hope of one that ne'er shall end!

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HYMN 495, L. M.

The earthly and heavenly Sabbath.

THINE earthly Sabbaths, Lord! we love,
But there's a nobler rest above;
To that our longing souls aspire,
With cheerful hope and strong desire.
2 No more fatigue, no more distress,
Nor sin, nor death shall reach the place;
No groans shall mingle with the songs,
That warble from immortal tongues.

3 No rude alarms of raging foes,
No cares to break the long repose,
No midnight shade, no clouded sun,
But sacred, high, eternal noon.

mf 4 Soon shall that glorious day begin,
Beyond this world of death and sin;
Soon shall our voices join the song
Of the triumphant, holy throng.

HYMN 496, 78.

The holy Day of Rest.

WELCOME!

ELCOME! sacred day of rest!
Sweet repose from worldly care;-

Day, above all days the best,

When our souls for heaven prepare;·

Day when our Redeemer rose,

Victor o'er the hosts of hell:

Thus he vanquished all our foes ;--
Let our lips his glory tell.

2 Gracious Lord! we love this day,
When we hear thy holy word,
When we sing thy praise, and pray;—
Earth can no such joys afford:
But a better rest remains,

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Heavenly Sabbaths,-happier days, Rest from sin, and rest from pains,Endless joys, and endless praise.

HERE

HYMN 497, C. M.

A Sabbath in the House of God.

cares and angry passions cease, For saints together meet,

To spend an hour of prayer and peace,
At their Redeemer's feet.

2 No sculptured wonders meet the sight,
Nor pictured saints appear,

Nor storied window's gorgeous light,
For God himself is here.

3 And here are comrades, in the war
With Satan and with sin,

Who now in God's own favor share,
And soon their heaven will win.

mf 4 Glory to God! who deigns to bless
This consecrated day,

Unfolds his wondrous promises,

And makes it sweet to pray.

5 Glory to God! who deigns to hear
The humblest sigh we raise,

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And answers every heart-felt prayer,
And hears our hymn of praise.

HYMN 498, C. M.

The first Day of the Week.

1 AND now another week begins,

This day we call the Lord's;

This day he rose, who bore our sins,-
For so his word records.

2 Hark, how the angels sweetly sing!-
Their voices fill the sky;

They hail their great victorious King,
And welcome him on high.

mf 3 We'll catch the note of lofty praise;
May we their rapture feel;

Our thankful song with theirs we 'll raise,
And emulate their zeal.

4 Come, then, ye saints! and grateful sing
Of Christ, our risen Lord,-

Of Christ, the everlasting King,-
Of Christ, th' incarnate Word.

f" 5 Hail, mighty Saviour! thee we hail!
High on thy throne above;

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Till heart and flesh together fail,
We'll sing thy matchless love.

HYMN 499, C. M.

The first Sabbath.

HOW bright a day was that, which saw

Creation's work complete!

All nature owned her Maker's law,
And worshiped at his feet.

2 The world, arranged by power divine,
In perfect order stood;

And, resting from his great design,
God saw that all was good.

3 Not such a Sabbath now appears,
For sin has ruined all;

No longer man with pleasure hears
A gracious Father's call.

4 Yet, Lord! bring back the reign of peace,
Let brighter days begin;

And teach vain creatures how to cease
From folly, and from sin.

5 Let sinners be again made thine,

Though once with vengeance cursed;
And let a second Sabbath shine,
As glorious as the first.

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THE

HYMN 500, C. M.

The Resurrection of Christ.
Lord of Sabbath let us praise,
In concert with the blest;
And joyful, in harmonious lays,
Employ this day of rest.

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2 Lord! may we still remember thee,
And more in knowledge grow;
Oh! may we more of glory see,
While waiting here below.

3 On this blest day, a brighter scene
Of glory was displayed,

By God, th' eternal Word, than when
This universe was made.

4 He rises, who our souls hath bought
With blood, and grief, and pain:

1

'Twas great-to speak the world from nought,— 'T was greater to redeem.

THIS

HYMN 501, L. M.

The Lord's Day.

IS day the Lord hath called his own;-
Oh! let us then his praise declare,
Fix our desires on him alone,

And seek his face, with fervent prayer.
2 Lord! in thy love, would we rejoice,
That bids the burdened soul be free;
And, with united heart and voice,

Devote these sacred hours to thee.
3 Now let the world's delusive things

No more our groveling thoughts employ;
But faith be taught to stretch her wings,
In search of heaven's unfailing joy.

4 Oh! let these earthly Sabbaths, Lord!
Be to our lasting welfare blest;
The purest comfort here afford,
And fit us for eternal rest.

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HYMN 502, 10s.

The Sabbath, a holy Rest.

AGAIN the day returns of holy rest, blest;

Which, when he made the world, Jehovah
When, like his own, he bade our labors cease,
And all be piety, and all be peace.

2 Let us devote this consecrated day
To learn his will, and all we learn obey;
So shall he hear, when fervently we raise
Our supplications, and our songs of praise.

mf 3 Father in heaven! in whom our hopes confide, Whose power defends us, and whose precepts guide ; In life our guardian, and in death our friend,Glory supreme be thine, till time shall end.

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HYMN 503, C. M.

The Sacrifice of the Heart.

WHEN, as returns this solemn day,

comes to meet his God,

What rites-what honors shall he pay?
How spread his praise abroad?

mf 2 From marble domes and gilded spires,
Shall clouds of incense rise?

And gems, and gold, and garlands deck
The costly sacrifice?

3 Vain, sinful man!-creation's Lord
Thine offerings well may spare;
But give thy heart-and thou shalt find,
That God will hear thy prayer.

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HYMN 504, 7s and 6s.

Sabbath Contemplations.

ORD of the vast creation,
Support of worlds unknown,

Desire of every nation!

Behold us at thy throne;
We come, for mercy crying
Through thine atoning blood;
And, on thy grace relying,

We seek each promised good.

2 We bless the condescension,

That brought thee down to earth;
Of which the seers made mention,
Who prophesied thy birth:
We celebrate the glory,

That marked thy wondrous way,

And own the joyful story,

That claims this hallowed day.

mf 3 Oh! when shall thy salvation
Be known through every land,
And men, in every station,
Obey thy great command?