The Duties of the Sabbath.

REST.

SLEEP-sleep to-day, tormenting cares,
Of earth and folly born!

Ye shall not dim the light that streams
From this celestial morn.

To-morrow will be time enough
To feel your harsh control ;
Ye shall not violate this day,-
The Sabbath of my soul.

ANON.

WHAT says the Prophet? Let that day be blest
With holiness and consecrated rest.

Pastime and business both it should exclude,
And bar the door the moment they intrude:

Nobly distinguish'd above all the six,

By deeds in which the world must never mix.
Hear him again. He calls it a delight,

A day of luxury, observed aright,

When the glad soul is made Heaven's welcome

guest,

Sits banqueting, and God provides the feast.

COWPER.

EVERY thought should be directed

Heavenward, through this hallow'd day;
Worldly themes should be rejected,

Themes that draw the soul away:
'Tis the day of sacred rest,
"Tis the day the Lord has blest.

Oh! what glorious themes invite us,
When we look on Mercy's plan !
These are themes may well delight us,
Themes of joy to guilty man ;
Full of sweetness, full of grace,
Suited to the sinner's case.

Why should we grow weary thinking,
Of the Saviour's grace and love?
From these springs his people, drinking,
Get a taste of joys above;

Oh! 'tis good the Lord to know!
'Tis our heaven begun below.

KELLY.

PUBLIC WORSHIP.

THERE's a refuge of peace from the tempests that beat,

From the dark clouds that threaten, the, stormwind that blows

A holy, a sweet, and a lovely retreat,

A spring of refreshment, a place of repose:

'Tis the House of my God-'tis the dwelling of

prayer

"Tis the temple, all hallow'd by blessing and praise;

If sorrow and faithfulness conquer me, there

My heart to the throne of his grace I can raise ; There comfort, refreshing, and teaching are found, The communion of saints, the remembrance of Thee;

There's something of heaven in all that's around, There's something consoling in all that we see ; There's something that speaks of a future of peace, For the pilgrim a house and a long-desir'd shore; Where all that on earth has perplex'd him shall

cease,

And anguish and grief shall attack him no more. EDMESTON.

As one, in days of old, would fly
To some protecting shrine

From dread pursuers threat'ning nigh,

And, panting, there recline

Lord, to thy dwelling I repair,

And cling around thine altar there!

Or, as the swallow, chased away
From cruel man's abode,

Beneath thy sacred walls will lay
Her cherish'd young, O God!
So there I oft that peace obtain,

Which elsewhere I have sought in vain.

When shelter'd safe, well pleas'd we hear
The waves and tempest roar;

And raging winds, without, endear
The warmth within the more;
Oh, thus I feel, from peril free,
Retired within thy sanctuary.

Or it might seem as if my boat
O'er raging seas had past,
And calmly were allow'd to float
To some bright isle at last,
There to refit the shatter'd sail,
Ere yet again she tempt the gale.

The world's tempestuous ocean dark
Around still foams and swells,

But thou art as the happy ark

Where only safety dwells,

And peace; who skims that troubled sea,

Returns the olive-branch to thee.

Farewell, thou dark and stormy world;
Farewell thy grief and fear;

The port is won, the sails are furl'd,
Ye cannot touch me here!

But welcome, peace and rapture, now,
And, O my Saviour, welcome Thou!

TOWNSEND.

SWEET is the day for worship set apart,

To those who thus assemble ! On the smiles
Of LOVE OMNIPOTENT, at once they feast;
And for those smiles with one accord give thanks.

They love the hours that bring that welcome morn,
And joyfully salute the dawning light

That calls them from their rest to seek the Lord.
Glory's dawn,
And emblem is this sacred day of rest.
The faint and weary then their strength renew,
And mount to glory as on eagle's wings;
Fresh as the morning's dews, and swift as light,
Their heavenly race, unwearied, they pursue;
And, without fainting, walk in duty's path.
These are the courts Jehovah keeps below,
Where often on his children he bestows
Rich earnest of eternal life to come,
And precious tokens of his present care.
Go, stranger-walk the stately city round!
Mark well her bulwarks, count her lofty towers,
And to the generations yet unborn

Transmit a just account. Her gates are praise:
Her walls are strong salvation, founded deep
On God's immutable decrees of grace,

And raised beyond the flight of creature thought.
Her steadfast bulwarks, with omnipotence
Are girt about; and, with paternal love
Closely cemented is each precious stone
That joins the stately structure to compose.
A river, flowing with eternal grace,

Supplies her blest inhabitants with streams
Of solid peace, which they with gladness drink,
And shout her joys aloud through all her gates.
Her lovely gates, on either side are placed :
For entrance into fellowship the one,

The other for translation to the skies.

All those who enter come with grateful notes,
Adoring, as they pass, the matchless power