2 Sad experience may relate
What a year the last has been!
Crops of sorrow have been great,
From the fruitful seeds of sin:
Oh! what numbers, gay and blithe,
Fell by death's unsparing scythe?
While they thought the world their own,
Suddenly he mow'd them down.
3 See how war, with dreadful stride,
Marches at the Lord's command,
Spreading desolation wide,
Through a once much-favour'd land:
War, with heart and arms of steel,
Preys on thousands at a meal;
Daily drinking human gore,
Still he thirsts and calls for more.
4 If the God whom we provoke,
Hither should his way direct ;
What a sin-avenging stroke
May a land like this expect!
They who now securely sleep,
Quickly then would wake and weep;
And too late would learn to fear,
When they saw the danger near.
5 You are safe who know his love,
He will all his truth perform;
To your souls a refuge prove
From the rage of ev'ry storm:
But we tremble for the youth;
Teach them, Lord, thy saving truth.
Join them to thy faithful few,
Be to them a refuge too.
VI. Earthly Prospects Deceitful.
1 OFT in vain the voice of truth
Solemnly and loudly warns; Thoughtless, unexperienc'd youth, Though it hears, the warning scorns: Youth in fancy's glass surveys Life prolong'd to distant years, While the vast imagin'd space Fill'd with sweets and joys appears.
2 Awful disappointment soon
Overclouds the prospect gay;
Some their sun goes down at noon,
Torn by death's strong hand away:
Where are then their pleasing schemes?
Where the joys they hop'd to find?
Gone for ever like their dreams,
Leaving not a trace behind.
3 Others, who are spar'd a while,
Live to weep o'er fancy's cheat;
Find distress, and pain, and toil,
Bitter things instead of sweet:
Sin has spread a curse around,
Poison'd all things here below:
On this base, polluted ground
Peace and joy can never grow.
4 Grace alone can cure our ills,
Sweeten life with all its cares,
Regulate our stubborn wills,
Save us from surrounding snares:
Though you oft have heard in vain,
Former years in folly spent,
Grace invites you yet again,
Once more calls you to repent.
5 Call'd again, at length beware,
Hear the Saviour's voice and live;
Lest he in his wrath should swear,
He no more will warning give:
Pray that you may hear and feel,
Ere the day of grace be past;
Lest your hearts grow hard as steel,
Or this year should prove your last.
BEFORE ANNUAL SERMONS TO YOUNG PEOPLE, ON NEW-YEARS' EVENINGS.
VII. Prayer for a Blessing.
1 Now, gracious Lord, thine arm reveal,
And make thy glory known;
Now let us all thy presence feel,
And soften hearts of stone!
2 Help us to venture near thy throne,
And plead a Saviour's name;
For all that we can call our own,
Is vanity and shame.
3 From all the guilt of former sin
May mercy set us free;
And let the year we now begin,
Begin and end with thee.
4 Send down thy Spirit from above,
That saints may love thee more; And sinners now may learn to love, Who never lov'd before.
5 And when before thee we appear,
In our eternal home,
May growing numbers worship here,
And praise thee in our room.
1 BESTOW, dear Lord, upon our youth
The gift of saving grace;
And let the seed of sacred truth
Fall in a fruitful place.
2 Grace is a plant, where'er it grows,
Of pure and heav'nly root;
But fairest in the youngest shows,
And yields the sweetest fruit.
3 Ye careless ones, O hear betimes
The voice of sov❜reign love!
Your youth is stain'd with
But mercy reigns above.
4 True, you are young, but there's a stone Within the youngest breast,
Or half the crimes which you have done,
Would rob you of your rest.
5 For you the public pray'r is made,
Oh! join the public pray'r!
For you the secret tear is shed,
O shed yourselves a tear!
6 We pray that you may early prove
The Spitit's power to teach;
You cannot be too young to love
That Jesus whom we preach.
1 Now may fervent pray'r arise,
Wing'd with faith, and pierce the skies;
Fervent pray'r shall bring us down
Gracious answers from the throne.
2 Bless, O Lord, the op'ning year,
To each soul assembled here;
Clothe thy word with pow'r divine,
Make us willing to be thine.
3 Shepherd of thy blood-bought sheep!
Teach the stony heart to weep;
Let the blind have eyes to see,
See themselves, and look on thee!
4 Let the minds of all our youth
Feel the force of sacred truth;
While the Gospel call they hear,
May they learn to love and fear.
5 Show them what their ways have been, Show them the desert of sin;
Then thy dying love reveal,
This shall melt a heart of steel.
6 Where thou hast thy work begun,
Give new strength the race to run;
Scatter darkness, doubts, and fears,
Wipe away the mourner's tears.
7 Bless us all, both old and young;
Call forth praise from ev'ry tongue;
Let the whole assembly prove
All thy power, and all thy love.
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