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This we repeat, from year to year,
And press upon our youth;
Lord, give them an attentive ear,
Lord, save them by thy truth.
Blessings upon the rising race!
Make this a happy hour,
According to thy richest grace,
And thine almighty power.

We feel for your unhappy state
(May you regard it too),
And would awhile ourselves forge
To pour out prayer for you.

We see, though you perceive it not,
The approaching awful doom;
O tremble at the solemn thought,
And flee the wrath to come!

Dear Saviour, let this new-born year
Spread an alarm abroad;
And cry in every careless ear,
Prepare to meet thy God!"

阿甘

XXIV. PRAYER FOR CHILDREN.

GRACIOUS Lord, our children see,
By thy mercy we are free;
But shall these, alas! remain
Subjects still of Satan's reign?
Israel's young ones, when of old
Pharaoh threaten'd to withhold,*
Then thy messenger said, "No;
Let the children also go.'

When the angel of the Lord,
Drawing forth his dreadful sword.
Slew, with an avenging hand,
All the first-born of the land ;+
Then thy people's doors he pass'd,
Where the bloody sign was placed;
Hear us, now, upon our knees,
Plead the blood of Christ for these!

Lord, we tremble, for we know
How the fierce malicious foe,
Wheeling round his watchful flight,

Keeps them ever in his sight:
Spread thy pinions, King of kings!
Hide them safe beneath thy wings;
Lest the ravenous bird of prey
Stoop, and bear the brood away.

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XXV. JEHOVAH JESUS.

My song shall bless the Lord of all,
My praise shall climb to his abode;
Thee, Saviour, by that name I call,
The great Supreme, the mighty God.
Without beginning or decline,
Object of faith, and not of sense;
Eternal ages saw him shine,
He shines eternal ages hence.
As much, when in the manger laid,
Almighty ruler of the sky,

As when the six days' works he made
Fill'd all the morning stars with joy.
Of all the crowns Jehovah bears,
Salvation is his dearest claim;

That gracious sound well pleased he hears,
And owns Emmanuel for his name.

A cheerful confidence I feel,

My well-placed hopes with joy I see;
My bosom glows with heavenly zeal,
To worship him who died for me.
As man, he pities my complaint,
His power and truth are all divine;
He will not fail, he cannot faint,

Salvation's sure, and must be mine.

XXVI. ON OPENING A PLACE FOR SOCIAL PRAYER,

JESUS! where'er thy people meet,

There they behold thy mercy seat;
Where'er they seek thee, thou art found,
And every place is hallow'd ground.

For thou, within no walls confined,
Inhabitest the humble mind;

Such ever bring thee where they come,
And going, take thee to their home.
Dear Shepherd of thy chosen few!
Thy former mercies here renew;
Here to our waiting hearts proclaim
The sweetness of thy saving name.
Here may we prove the power of prayer,
To strengthen faith and sweeten care;
To teach our faint desires to rise,
And bring all heaven before our eyes.
Behold, at thy commanding word
We stretch the curtain and the cord ;*
Come thou and fill this wider space,
And bless us with a large increase.

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Isaiah liv. 2

Lord, we are few, but thou art near;
Nor short thine arm, nor deaf thine ear;
Oh rend the heavens, come quickly down,
And make a thousand hearts thine own!

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XXIX. EXHORTATION TO PRAYER.

WHAT various hindrances we meet

In coming to a mercy-seat!

Yet who that knows the worth of prayer,
But wishes to be often there?

Prayer makes the darken'd cloud withdraw
Prayer climbs the ladder Jacob saw,
Gives exercise to faith and love,
Brings every blessing from above.

Restraining prayer, we cease to fight,

Prayer makes the Christian's armour bright:
And Satan trembles when he sees

The weakest saint upon his knees.

While Moses stood with arms spread wide.

Success was found on Israel's side;

But when through weariness they fail'd,
That moment Amalek prevail'd.*

Have you no words? Ah! think again,
Words flow apace when you complain,
And fill your fellow-creature's ear
With the sad tale of all your care.

Were half the breath thus vainly spent
To Heaven in supplication sent,

Your cheerful song would oftener be,
"Hear what the Lord has done for me."

XXX. THE LIGHT AND GLORY OF THE WORD

THE Spirit breathes upon the Word,
And brings the truth to sight;

Precepts and promises afford

A sanctifying light.

A glory gilds the sacred page,
Majestic like the sun;
It gives a light to every age,
It gives, but borrows none.
The hand that gave it still supplies
The gracious light and heat:
His truths upon the nations rise,
They rise, but never set.

Let everlasting thanks be thine,
For such a bright display,

As makes a world of darkness shi
With beams of heavenly day.

My soul rejoices to pursue
The steps of him I love,
Till glory breaks upon my view
In brighter worlds above.

Exodus xvii. 11

XXXI, ON THE DEATH OF A MINISTER.

His master taken from his head,
Elisha saw him go;

And in desponding accents said,
"Ah, what must Israel do?"

But he forgot the Lord who lifts
The beggar to the throne;
Nor knew, that all Elijah's gifts
Will soon be made his own.

What! when a Paul has run his course,
Or when Apollos dies,

Is Israel left without resource?
And have we no supplies?

Yes, while the dear Redeemer lives
We have a boundless store,

And shall be fed with what he gives,
Who lives for evermore.

XXXXII. THE SHINING LIGHT.

My former hopes are fled,
My terror now begins;
I feel, alas! that I am dead
In trespasses and sins.

Ah, whither shall I fly?
I hear the thunder roar;
The law proclaims destruction nigh,
And vengeance at the door.

When I review my ways,
I dread impending doom:

But sure a friendly whisper says,
"Flee from the wrath to come."

I see, or think I see,

A glimmering from afar;

A beam of day, that shines for me,
To save me from despair.

Forerunner of the sun,*

It marks the pilgrim's way;
I'll gaze upon it while I run,
And watch the rising day.

XXXIII. SEEKING THE BELOVED.
To those who know the Lord I speak,
Is my beloved near?

The bridegroom of my soul I seek,
Oh! when will he appear?

Psalm cxxx. 6.

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