2 Forgive me, Lord, for thy dear Son,
The ills that I this day have done;
That with the world, myself, and thee,
I, ere I sleep, at peace may be.
3 Teach me to live, that I may
The grave as little as my bed;
Teach me to die, that so I may
With joy behold the judgment-day.
4 O may my soul on thee repose,
And with sweet sleep mine eyelids close;
Sleep, that may me more vigorous make,
To serve my God, when I awake.
5 Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise him all creatures here below,
Praise him above, ye heavenly host,
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
NEW-YEAR.
HYMN 97. C. M.
I will bless the Lord at all times."
GOD of our life! thy various praise
Let mortal voices sound!
Thy hand revolves our fleeting days,
And brings the seasons round.
To thee shall annual incense rise,
Our Father and our Friend;
While annual mercies from the skies
In genial streams descend.
In every scene of life thy care,
In every age we see ;
And constant as thy favours are,
So let our praises be.
4 Still may thy love in every scene, In every age appear;
And let the same compassion deign
To bless the opening year.
If mercy smile, let mercy bring
My wandering soul to God;
And in affliction I shall sing,
If thou wilt bless the rod.
HYMN 98. L. M.
"Hitherto hath the Lord helped me."
1 MY helper, God, I bless his name;
The same his power, his grace the same;
The tokens of his friendly care
Open, and crown, and close the year.
2 Amidst ten thousand snares I stand,
Supported by his guardian hand;
And see, when I survey my ways,
Ten thousand monuments of praise.
3 Thus far his arm hath led me on ;
Thus far I make his mercy known;
And, while I tread this desert land,
New mercies shall new songs demand.
4 My grateful soul, on Jordan's shore,
shall raise one sacred pillar more;
Then bear, in his bright courts above,
Inscriptions of immortal love.
HYMN 99. C. M.
We spend our years as a tale that is told."
1 REMARK, my soul, the narrow bounds Of each revolving year!
How swift the weeks complete their rounds!
How short the months appear!
So fast eternity comes on,
And that important day,
When all that mortal life has done
God's judgment shall survey.
Yet like an idle tale we pass
The swift advancing year;
And study artful ways to increase
The speed of its career.
Waken, O God, my trifling heart,
Its great concern to see;
That I may act the christian's part,
And give the year to thee.
So shall their course more grateful roll,
If future years arise;
Or this shall bear my ransom'd soul
To joy that never dies.
CLOSE OF THE YEAR.
HYMN 100. C. M.
The shortness and uncertainty of life.
THEE we adore, Eternal Name,
And humbly own to thee,
How feeble is our mortal frame,
What dying worms are we!
Our wasting lives grow shorter still
As months and days increase;
And every beating pulse we tell
Leaves but the number less.
The year rolls round, and steals away
The breath that first it gave;
Whate'er we do, where'er we stay,
We're travelling to the grave.
Infinite joy or endless woe
Attends on every breath;
And yet how unconcern'd we go
Upon the brink of death.
Waken, O Lord, our languid sense,
To walk this dangerous road;
And when our souls are summon'd hence,
May they be found with God.
HYMN 101. C. M.
"Now is our salvation nearer than when we believed."
CHRISTIANS awake, and raise your eyes,
And lift your voices high;
Awake, and praise that sovereign love
That shows salvation nigh.
Swift on the wings of time it flies,
Each moment brings it near:
Then welcome each declining day,
And each revolving year!
Not many years their round shall run,
Not many mornings rise,
Ere all its glories stand reveal'd
To our admiring eyes.
Ye wheels of nature, speed your course,
Ye mortal powers, decay;
Fast as ye bring the night of death,
Ye bring eternal day.
HYMN 102. c. M.
Life short, yet crowned with mercy.
TIME what an empty vapour 'tis
And days, how swift they are!
Swift as an Indian arrow flies,
Or like a shooting star
Yet, mighty God, these fleeting days
Thy constant favours share;
And with the bounties of thy grace
Thou crown'st the rolling year.
Thy providence supplies our food,
And we are cloth'd with love:
While grace stands pointing out the road,
That leads our souls above.
Thy goodness runs an endless round;
All glory to the Lord!
Thy tender mercy knows no bound,
And be thy name ador'd.
Thus we begin the lasting song,
And when we close our eyes,
Let the next age thy praise prolong,
Till time and nature dies.
The love of Christ a motive to compassion.
FATHER of mercies, send thy grace,
All-powerful from above,
To form in our obedient souls
The image of thy love.
O may our sympathizing breasts
That generous pleasure know,
Kindly to share in others' joy,
And weep for others' woe!
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