Swift as his gladd'ning influence flies,
And spotless as his ray.
2. This day thy fav'ring hand be nigh,
So oft vouchsaf'd before!
Still may it lead, protect, supply,
And I that hand adore.
3. If bliss thy providence impart,
For which, resign'd I pray:
Give me to feel the grateful heart,
That, without guilt, is gay.
4. Affliction should'st thou please to send,
As sin's or folly's cure:
Patient, to gain that blessed end,
May I the means endure.
5. Be this and ev'ry future day
Still wiser than the past;
That, from the whole of life's survey,
I may find peace at last.
2. EVENING.
HYMN 404. L. M.
1. ALL praise to thee, my God! this night, For all the blessings of the light.
Keep me, O keep me, King of kings!
Beneath thy own almighty wings.
2. Forgive me, Lord, through thy dear Son, The ill that I have ever done;
That with the world, myself, and thee,
I, e'er I sleep, at peace may be.
3, Teach me to live, that I may
The grave as little as my bed;
To die, that this frail body may
Rise glorious at the awful day.
HYMN 405. L. M.
HUS far the Lord has led me on;
Thus far his pow'r prolongs my days;
And ev'ry ev'ning shall make known
Some fresh memorial of his grace.
2. Much of my time has run to waste, And I, perhaps, am near my home: But he forgives my follies past,
And strength supplies for days to come. 3. I lay my body down to sleep:
Peace is the pillow of my head:
His ever-watchful eye will keep
Its constant guard around my bed.
4. Faith in his name forbids
my fear:
O may thy presence ne'er depart!
And in the morning may I bear
Thy loving kindness on my heart!
HYMN 406. c. M.
INDULGENT God! whose bounteous care
O'er all thy works is shown:
O let my grateful praise and pray'r
Ascend before thy throne.
2. What mercies has this day bestow'd!
How richly hast thou bless'd!
My cup with plenty overflow'd,
With cheerfulness my breast.
3. How may sweet slumbers close my eyes,
From pain and sickness free;
And let my waking thoughts arise,
To meditate on thee.
4. So bless each future day and night,
"Till life's fond scene is o'er;
And then to realms of endless light
O let my spirit soar !
HYMN 407. c. M.
1. LORD! thou wilt hear me,
I am for ever thine:
I fear before thee all the day,
Nor would I dare to sin.
2. And while I rest my weary head, From cares and business free; 'Tis sweet conversing on my bed With my own heart and thee.
3. I pay this ev'ning sacrifice;
And, when my work is done,
Great God, my faith and hope relies
Upon thy grace alone.
HYMN 408. P. M.
INTERVAL of grateful shade,
Welcome to my weary head!
Welcome, slumber, to my eyes,
Tir'd with glaring vanities.
2. My great Master still allows
Needful periods of repose:
By my heav'nly Father blest,
Thus, I give my pow'rs to rest.
3. Heav'nly Father! gracious name!
Night and day his love the same
Far be each suspicious thought,
Ev'ry anxious care forgot!
4. Thou, my ever-bounteous God!
Crown'st my days with various good.
Thy kind eye, which cannot sleep,
My defenceless hours shall keep.
5. What if death my sleep invade?
Should I be of death afraid?
While encircled by thine arm,
Death may strike, but cannot harm.
6. With thy heav'nly presence blest,
Death is life, and labour rest,
Welcome sleep or death to me,
Still secure, for still with thee!
8. NEW-YEAR.
HYMN 409. L. M.
1. GREAT God! we sing that mighty hand, By which supported, still we stand.
The op'ning year thy mercy shows:
Let mercy, crown it, 'till it close.
2. By day, at night, at home, abroad,
Still we are guarded by our God;
By his incessant bounty fed,
By his unerring counsel led.
3. With grateful hearts the past we own;
The future, all to us unknown,
We to thy guardian-care commit,
And peaceful, leave before thy feet.
4. In scenes exalted or depress'd,
Be thou our joy, and thou our rest:
Thy goodness all our hopes shall raise,
Ador'd through all our changing days.
5. When death shall interrupt our songs,
And seal in silence mortal tongues;
Our helper, God, in whom we trust,
In better worlds our souls shall boast.
HYMN 410. L. M.
GOD of our lives! thy constant care
With blessings crowns each op'ning year.
These lives, so frail, dost thou prolong,
And wake anew our annual song.
2. How many precious souls are filed
To the dark regions of the dead,
Since from this day, the changing sun
Through his last yearly course has run !
3. We yet survive: but who can say,
Or through the year, or month, or day,
I shall retain my vital breath,
Thus far at least in league with death?
4. That breath is thine, eternal God!
'Tis thine to fix the soul's abode.
We hold our lives from thee alone,
On earth, or in the world unknown.
5. To thee we all our pow'rs resign;
Make us and own us still as thine:
Then shall we smile, secure from fear,
Though death should blast the rising year.
6. Thy children, eager to be gone,
Bid time's impetuous tide roll on,
And land them on that blooming shore
Where years and death are known no more.
HYMN 411. c. M.
EMARK, my soul! the narrow bounds
Of the revolving year.
How swift the weeks complete their rounds!
How short the months appear!
2. So fast eternity comes on,
And that important day,
When all that mortal life has done
God's judgment shall survey.
3. Yet like an idle tale we pass
The swift advancing year;
And study artful ways t'increase
The speed of its career.
4. Waken, O God! my trifling heart,
Its great concern to see;
That I may act the christian part,
And give the year to thee."
5. Thus shall their course more grateful run,
If future years arise;
And bear me swift as time can move,
To joy that never dies.
4. PUBLIC AND NATIONAL BLESS. INGS AND AFFLICTIONS.
HYMN 412. L. M.
Thanksgiving.
1. PRAISE, happy land! Jehovah's name ;
His goodness, and thy bliss proclaim.
For thee each blessing largely flows,
That freedom's lib'ral hand bestows.
2. Thy children are secure and blest;
Thy shores have peace, thy cities rest:
He feeds thy sons with finest wheat,
And adds his blessing to their meat.
3. Thy changing seasons he ordains,
Thine early and thy latter rains;
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