882.

2 CHRONICLES vi. 40. Now my GOD, let, I beseech Thee, Thine eyes be open, and let Thine ears be attent to the prayer that is made in this place.

41. Arise, O LORD GOD, into Thy resting place, Thou and the ark of Thy strength. Let Thy priests be clothed with salvation, and let Thy saints rejoice in goodness.

PSALM lxxix. 13. So we Thy people, and sheep of Thy pasture, will give Thee thanks for ever. We will shew forth Thy praise to all generations.

REVELATION Xxi. 3. And I heard a voice out of Heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of GOD is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and GOD Himself shall be with them, and be their GOD. W. S. BENNETT.

883

PSALM XIV. I. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.

x. 6. There shall no harm happen unto me.

PSALM XXXVii. 37. I went by, and lo, he was gone; I sought him, but his place could no where be found.

18. The LORD knoweth the days of the godly, and their inheritance shall endure for ever.

W. S. BENNett.

884

PSALM xliii. 4. I will go unto the Altar of GOD, even the GOD of my joy and gladness.

3. O send out Thy light and Thy truth, that they may lead me that they may bring me to Thy holy hill, and to Thy dwelling;

4. That I may go unto the Altar of GOD, even the GOD of my joy and gladness: and on the harp will I give thanks to Thee, O GOD, my GOD.

GAUNTLETT.

885

ECCLESIASTES iii. 20. All go to one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

PSALM XXXIX. 8. And now, LORD, what is my hope? truly my hope is even in Thee.

ECCLESIASTES xii. 7. The dust shall return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return to GOD Who gave it.

2 CORINTHIANS i. 9. We have the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in GOD Which raiseth the dead.

v. 1. For we know that if our earthly house were dissolved, we have a building of GOD; a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

I THESSALONIANS iv. another with these words.

18. Wherefore comfort one

886

COLLECT

S. S. WESLEY.

For the First Sunday in Advent.

Almighty GOD, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which Thy Son JESUS CHRIST came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when He shall come again in His glorious Majesty to judge both the quick and dead, we may rise to the life immortal, through Him Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, now and Amen. S. S. WESLEY.

ever.

887 COLLECT

For the Second Sunday in Advent.

Blessed LORD, Who hast caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that, by patience, and comfort of Thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which Thou hast given us in our SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. Amen.

S. S. WESLEY.

888

PSALM XCVI. 7. Ascribe unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, ascribe unto the LORD worship and power. 8. Ascribe unto the LORD the honour due unto His Name.

9. Let the whole earth stand in awe of Him.

10. Tell it out among the heathen that the LORD is King, and that He shall judge the people righteously.

9. O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

2, 3. Sing to the LORD, and praise His Name; be telling of His salvation from day to day, His wonders unto all people.

5. As for the gods of the heathen, they are but idols. CXV. 4. Their idols are silver and gold, even the work of men's hands.

5. They have mouths and speak not; eyes have they,

and see not.

6. They have ears, and hear not: noses have they, and smell not.

7. They have hands, and handle not: feet have they, and walk not: neither speak they through their throat.

8. They that make them are like unto them, and so are all such as put their trust in them.

3. As for our GOD, He is in Heaven: He hath done whatsoever pleased Him.

*12. The LORD hath been mindful of us, and He shall bless us: He shall bless the house of Israel, He shall bless the house of Aaron.

13. He shall bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great.

14. Ye are the blessed of the LORD, you and your children.

15. Ye are the blessed of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.*

S. S. WESLEY.

Sometimes sung as a separate Anthem.

889

I PETER i. 3. Blessed be the GOD and Father of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, Which, according to His abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of JESUS CHRIST from the dead,

4, 5. To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, that fadeth not away, reserved in Heaven for you, who are kept by the power of GOD, through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

15. But as He Which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.

17. Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear.

22. See that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

23. Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of GOD.

24. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

25. But the word of the LORD endureth for evermore. Amen.

890

S. S. WESLEY.

ST. LUKE i. 68. Blessed be the LORD GOD of Israel, for He hath visited and redeemed His people.

69, 70. And hath raised up a horn of salvation for us, as He spake by the mouth of His holy prophets, which have been since the world began.

ISAIAH ix. 6. For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given and the government shall be upon His shoulder and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty GOD, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

7. Of the increase of His government and peace, there shall be no end. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will perform this.

ST. LUKE ii. 14. Glory to GOD on high, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men. Glory to GOD in the highest.

S. S. WESLEY.

891

PSALM li. II. Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.

12. Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and uphold me with Thy Spirit.

17. The sacrifices of GOD are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart Thou wilt not despise, O God.

8. Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which Thou hast broken may rejoice.

892 BLAIR, CALKIN, v. 17.

893 HORSLEY, vv. 17, 8.

894

S. S. WESLEY.

PSALM lxxii. 1. Give the king Thy judgments, O GOD: and Thy righteousness unto the king's son.

2. Then shall he judge Thy people according unto right, and defend the poor, and break in pieces the oppressor.

7, 15. In his days shall the righteous flourish: prayer shall be made for him continually.

17. All nations shall call him blessed.

cxxviii. 5. Lo, thus shall the man be blessed, that feareth the LORD.

6. The LORD from out of Sion shall so bless thee, that thou shalt see Jerusalem in prosperity all thy life long. 3. Thy wife shall be as the fruitful vine, upon the walls of thine house.

4. Thy children like the olive-branches, round about thy table.

2. O well is thee, and happy shalt thou be.

7. Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel.

lxxii. 18. Blessed be the LORD GOD, the God of Israel, Who only doeth wondrous things.

19. And blessed be His glorious Name for ever let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen, and Amen. S. S. WESLEY.

895 OUSELEY, vv. 18, 19.