CLXVI. Joshua the High-Priest's Zeal and Fidelity rewarded with a

Station among the Angels. Zechariah iii. 6, 7.

FOR THE ORDINATION OF A MINISTER.
IGREAT Lord of angels we adore

The grace, that builds thy courts below;
And through ten thousand sons of light

Stoops to regard what mortals do.
2 Amidst the wastes of time and death,
Successive pastors thou dost raise
Thy charge to keep, thy house to guide,

And form a people for thy praise.
3 The heavenly natives with delight

Hover around the sacred place;
Nor scorn to learn from mortal tongues

The wonders of redeeming grace.
4 At length, dismiss’d from feeble clay,

Thy servants join the angelic band;
With them through distant worlds they fly,

With them before thy presence stand.
5 ( glorious hope! O blest employ!

Sweet lenitive * of grief and care !
When shall we reach those radiant courts,

And all their joy and honour share ?
6 Yet while these labours we pursue,

Thus distant from thy heavenly throne,
Give us a zeal and love like theirs,
And half their heaven shall here be known.

CLXVII. The completing of the Spiritual Temple. Zechariah iv. 7.

I SING to the Lord above,

W Who deigns on earth to raise
· A temple to his love,
A monument of praise.'

Ye saints around,
Through all its frame,
The builder's name

Harmonious sound.
2 He form’d the glorious plan,

And its foundation laid,
That God might dwell with man,
And mercy be display'd ;

• What easeth or assuageth.

CLXVIII. The Error of despising the Day of sinall Things.

Zechariah iv. 10. 1 “WHAT haughty scorner,” saith the Lord,

“ Shall humble things despise, " When he beholds them with delight,

" Who reigns beyond the skies? 2 66 I from a chaos dark and wild *

“ Made heaven's bright host appear :
" I from the small unnotic'd seeds

6. The loftiest cedars rear.
3 « From Eden's dust I Adam form’d,

" The noblest human frame;
66 And in his humble sons display

“ The honours of my name,
4.“ From fishermen, in number few,

“ In human hearts untaught,
“ All the wide realms my church can boast,

My potent hand hath brought.
“ The pious poor, by men despis’d,

5

grace submit.

Behold the grace that sets us free,

And to that
2 The tidings of deliverance hear,

Confess the covenant good,
And bless the ransom God hath found

In our Emanuel's blood.
3 Justice no more asserts its claim

Your forfeit lives to take;
But smiling mercy quick descends

Your heavy chains to break.
4 We walk at large, and sing the hand,

To which we freedom owe;
And drink those rivers with delight,

Which through this desart flow. 5 He, that hath liberty bestow'd,

Will give a kingdom too; He, that hath loos’d the bonds of death,

The path of life will show.

CLXX, The Fountain of Life. Zechariah xiii, 1.
1 HAIL, everlasting spring!

Celestial fountain, hail!
Thy streams salvation bring,
The waters never fail :

Still they endure,
And still they flow
For all our woe

A sovereign cure,
2 Blest be his wounded side,

And blest his bleeding heart,
Who all in anguish died
Such favours to impart.

His sacred blood
Shall make us clean
From every sin,

And fit for God.
3 To that dear source of love

Our souls this day would come;
And thither from above,
Lord, call the nations home;

That Jew and Greek
With rapturous songs
On all their tongus
Thy praise may speak.

CLXXI. God's Name prófaned, when his Table is treated with Contenipt.

Malachi i, 12.
APPLIED TO THE LORD'S-SUPPER.
M Y God, and is thy table spread? .

V And does thy cup with love o'erflow?
Thither be all thy children led,
And let them all its sweetness know.
2 Hail sacred feast, which Jesus makes!

Rich banquet of his flesh and blood !
Thrice happy he, who here partakes

That sacred stream, that heavenly food!
3 Why are its dainties all in vain

Before unwilling hearts display'd ?
Was not for you the victim slain?

Are you forbid the children's bread?
4 () let thy table honour'd be,

And furnish'd well with joyful guests;
And may each soul salvation see,

That here its sacred pledges tastes,
5 Let crouds approach with hearts prepar'd;

With hearts inflam'd let all attend;
Nor, when we leave our Father's board,

The pleasure, or the profit end.
6 Revive thy dying churches, Lord,

And bid our drooping graces live ;
And more that energy afford,

A Saviour's blood alone can give,
CLXXII, God's gracious Regard to active Attempts to revive Religion,

Malachi iii. 16, 17,
I THE Lord on mortal worms looks down,

From his celestial throne;
And, when the wicked swarm around,

He well discerns his own.
2 He sees the tender hearts, that mourn

The scandals of the times;
And join their efforts to oppose

The wide-prevailing crimes.
3 Low to the social band he bows

His still-attentive ear;
And, while his angels sing around,

Delights their voice to hear.
4 The chronicles of heaven shall keep

Their words in transcript fair;

In the Redeemer's book of life

Their names recorded are. 5 “ Yes”, saith the Lord, “ the world shall know

“ These humble souls are mine:
« These, when my jewels I produce,

“ Shall in full lustre shine.
6 “ When deluges of fiery wrath

“My foes away shall bear, « That hand, which strikes the wicked through,

“Shall all my children spare.” CLXXIII. Christ, the Sun of Righteousness. Malachi iv. 2. įTO thee, O God, we homage pay,

Source of the light that rules the day ;
Who, while he gilds all nature's frame,

Reflects thy rays, and speaks thy name. 2 In louder strains we sing that grace,

Which gives the sun of righteousness;
Whose nobler light salvation brings,

And scatters healing from his wings. 3 Still on our hearts may Jesus shine

With beams of light and love divine;
Quicken'd by him our souls shall live,

And cheer'd by him shall grow and thrive. 4 O may his glories stand confess'd

From north to south, from east to west:
Successful may his gospel run

Wide as the circuit of the sun.
5 When shall that radiant scene arise,

When, fix'd on high in purer skies,
Christ all his lustre shall display
On all his saints through endless day?