When the Lord his summons sends*, Earthly comforts lose their pow'r; Honour, riches, kindred, friends, Cannot cheer a dying hour.

4 Happy souls who fear the Lord;
Time is not too swift for you;

When your Saviour gives the word,
Glad you'll bid the world adieu :
Then he'll wipe away your tears,
Near himself appoint your place;
Swifter fly, ye rolling years,
Lord, we long to see thy face.

III. Uncertainty of Life.

1 SEE! another year is gone Quickly have the seasons pass'd!

This we enter now upon

May to many prove their last :
Mercy hitherto has spar'd,

But have mercies been improv'd?

Let us ask, Am I prepar'd,

Should I be this year remov'd?

2 Some we now no longer see,

Who their mortal race have run,

Seem'd as fair for life as we,

When the former year begun :
Some, but who God only knows,
Who are here assembled now,

Ere the present year shall close,

To the stroke of death must bow.

3 Life a field of battle is,

Thousands fall within our view;
And the next death-bolt that flies,

May be sent to me or you:
While we preach, and while we hear,
Help us, Lord, each one to think,
Vast eternity is hear,

I am standing on the brink.

4 If from guilt and sin set free,

By the knowledge of thy grace,
Welcome, then, the call will be
To depart and see thy face:
To thy saints, while here below,
With new years new mercies come;

But the happiest year they know

Is their last, which leads them home.

IV. A New Year's Thought and Prayer.!

1 TIME, by moments, steals away,
First the hour and then the day;
Small the daily loss appears,
Yet it soon amounts to years:
Thus another year is flown,
Now it is no more our own,
If it brought or promis'd good,
Than the years before the flood.

2 But, (may none of us forget,)
It has left us much in debt;
Favours from the Lord receiv'd,
Sins that have his Spirit griev'd,
Mark'd by an unerring hand,
In his book recorded stand;
Who can tell the vast amount,
Plac'd to each of our account?

3 Happy the believing soul!

Christ for you has paid the whole;
While you own the debt is large,
You may plead a full discharge:
But, poor careless sinner, say,
What can you to justice pay?
Tremble, lest when life is past,
Into prison you be cast!

4 Will you still increase the score?
Still be careless as before?
Oh! forbid it, gracious Lord,
Touch their spirits by thy word!
Now, in mercy, to them show
What a mighty debt they owe!
All their unbelief subdue;
Let them find forgiveness too.

5 Spar'd to see another year,
Let thy blessing meet us here;
Come, thy dying work revive,
Bid thy drooping garden thrive:
Sun of righteousness, arise!

Warm our hearts and bless our eyes;

Let our pray'r thy bowels move,

Make this year a time of love.

V. Death and War. 1778.

1 HARK! how time's wide-sounding bell
Strikes on each attentive ear!
Tolling loud the solemn knell
Of the late departed year:
Years, like mortals, wear away,
Have their birth and dying day,
Youthful spring, and wintry age,
Then to others quit the stage.