INTRODUCTION.

HYMN I.

The Christian Workman acknowledges God's justice in dooming him to labour and death: and comforts himself with reflection on his mercy, whereby he has set before him the work of his salvation to everlasting life.

Gen. iii. 17, 18, 19. And unto Adam he said, because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it; cursed is the ground

for thy sake: in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life: thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee, and thou shalt eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground, for out of it wast thou taken : for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. Isai. xxxv. 1. The wilderness and solitary place shall be glad for them: and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose.

John vi. 51. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever: and the bread that I give him is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

Gal. vi. 9. Let us not be weary in well-doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Phil. ii. 12. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

IN my short and panting breath,
In the weariness and cold,
Lord! I feel the doom of death
Utter'd on our sire of old,
When in Eden's happy grove
Judgement first on earth appear'd,
And from lips of alter'd love
Adam thus his sentence heard.

"In thy brow's consuming sweat,
While thy temples throb and burn,
Thou thy painful bread shalt eat,
Till to earth thou shalt return.
For from earth thy flesh was ta'en.
Dust thou art, insensate dust.
Therefore go to dust again.
Take the wages of thy lust."

Sounds of horror, words of fear!
How they overwhelm my heart.
But another voice I hear,

And with bounding joy I start.

Son of man, no longer weep. See thy painful doom revers'd. Thou no more in dust shalt sleep. Earth no more shall be accurs'd.

For I bid a Saviour rise

From thy seed, of heavenly brood.
He has offer'd sacrifice

With his pure and precious blood.
He has righted Adam's wrong.
I am satisfied indeed.

Sing thou now another song.
Work another work, and speed.
Work in glorious certainty.
Blest (for Christ) is all around.
Lo! the Spirit's fruitful tree
Wheresoe'er thou sow the ground.
Sow in joy, in fulness reap.
Nought is curst and barren now.
See salvation's countless heap
From thy blessed labour grow.