2 The flowery spring at thy command,
Embalms the air, and paints the land;
The summer rays with vigor shine,
To raise the corn and cheer the vine.
3 Thy hand in autumn richly pours
Through all our coasts redundant stores ;
And winters, soften'd by thy care,
No more a face of horror wear.

4 Seasons and months, and weeks, and days Demand successive songs of praise:

Still be the cheerful homage paid,
With opening light and evening shade.

HYMN 545. C. M. [244]

SING to the great Jehovah's praise;
All praise to him belongs,
Who kindly lengthens out our days,
Demands our choicest songs.

His providence hath brought us through
Another various year;

We all with vows and anthems new,
Before our God appear.

2 Father, thy mercies past we own,
Thy still continued care :

To thee presenting, through thy Son,
Whate'er we have or are.

Our lips and lives shall gladly show
The wonders of thy love,
While on in Jesus' steps we go
To seek thy face above.

3 Our residue of days or hours,
Thine, wholly thine, shall be ;
And all our consecrated powers,
A sacrifice to thee;

Till Jesus in the clouds appear,
To saints on earth forgiven,

And bring the grand sabbatic year, The jubilee of heaven.

HYMN 546. H. M.

THE Lord of earth and sky,
The God of ages praise!
Who reigns enthron'd on high,
Ancient of endless days!
Who lengthens out our trials here,
And spares us yet another year.
2 Barren and wither'd trees,

We cumber'd long the ground! No fruit of holiness

On our dead souls was found!
Yet doth he us in mercy spare,
Another, and another year.

3 When justice bar'd the sword,
To cut the fig-tree down,
The pity of the Lord

Cried, "Let it still alone!"
The Father mild inclines his ear,
And spares us yet another year.

4 Jesus, thy speaking blood,
From God obtain'd the grace;
Who therefore hath bestow'd
On us a longer space;

Thou didst in our behalf appear,
And lo! we see another year!

5 Then dig about the root,
Break up our fallow ground,
And let our gracious fruit

To thy great praise abound O, let us all thy praise declare, And fruit unto perfection bear.

HYMN 547. L. M. [442]

GREAT God, we sing that mighty hand
By which supported still we stand:
The opening year thy mercy shows;
Let mercy crown it till it close.

2 By day, by 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 depressed,

Be thou our joy, and thou our rest;

Thy goodness all our hopes shall raise,

Adored through all our changing days.

HYMN 548. L. M. [439]

GOD of eternity, from thee

Did infant Time his being draw; Moments, and days, and months and years Revolve by thine unvaried law.

2 Silent and slow they glide away; Steady and strong the current flows, Lost in eternity's wide sea

The boundless gulf from whence it rose. 3 With it the thoughtless sons of men Upon the rapid streams are borne, Swift on to their eternal home,

Whence not one soul can e'er return.

4 Yet, while the shore, on either side,
Presents a gaudy flattering show,
e gaze, in fond amazement lost,
Nor think to what a world we go.

We

5 Great Source of wisdom, teach my heart
To know the price of every hour;
That time may bear me on to joys,
Beyond its measure and its power.
HYMN 549. C. M. [439]

AND now my soul, another year
Of thy short life is past;
I cannot long continue here
And this may be my last.

2 Much of my hasty life is gone,
Nor will return again;

And swift my passing moments run,
The few that yet remain.

3 Awake, my soul; with utmost care
Thy true condition learn:
What are thy hopes? how sure? how fair?
What is thy great concern?

4 Behold, another year begins;
Set out afresh for heaven;
Seek pardon for my former sins,
In Christ so freely given.

HYMN 550. L. M. [440]
OUR Helper, God, we bless his name,
Whose love forever is the same;
The tokens of whose gracious care
Begin, and crown, and close the year.
2 Amid ten thousand snares we stand,
Supported by his guardian hand;
And see, when we review our ways,
Ten thousand monuments of praise.
3 Thus far his arm hath led us on;
Thus far we make his mercy known;
And while we tread this desert land,
New mercies shall new songs demand.

4 Our grateful souls on Jordan's shore,
Shall raise one sacred pillar more,
Then bear, in his bright courts above,
Inscriptions of immortal love.

THE SABBATH.

HYMN 551. L. M. [246]

SWEET is the work, my God, my King,
To praise thy name, give thanks and sing:
To show thy love by morning light,
And talk of all thy truth by night.

2 Sweet is the day of sacred rest,
No mortal cares shall seize my breast;
O, may my heart in tune be found,
Like David's harp of solemn sound!
3 When grace has purified my heart,
Then I shall share a glorious part:
And fresh supplies of joys are shed,
Like holy oil to cheer my head.

4 Then shall I see, and hear and know,
All I desir'd or wish'd below;
And every hour find sweet employ,
In that eternal world of joy.

HYMN 552. C. M. [247]

MAY I, throughout this day of thine,
Be in thy spirit, Lord,

Spirit of humble fear divine,

That trembles at thy word.

2 Spirit of faith, my heart to raise, And fix on things above;