Sunday after Christmas: Close of the Year.

"THE LIVING, THE LIVING, HE SHALL PRAISE THEE, AS I DO THIS DAY."

82 A little while and ye shall see me.—John xvi. 16. [D.S.M. 1 A FEW more years shall roll, A few more seasons come,

2

3

4

And we shall be with those that rest
Asleep within the tomb:

Then, O my Lord, prepare

My soul for that great day;
O wash me in thy precious blood,
And take my sins away.

A few more suns shall set

O'er these dark hills of time,

And we shall be where suns are not,
A far serener clime :

Then, O my Lord, prepare

My soul for that bright day;
O wash me in thy precious blood,
And take my sins away.

A few more storms shall beat
On this wild rocky shore,

And we shall be where tempests cease,
And surges swell no more :
Then, O my Lord, prepare
My soul for that calm day
O wash me in thy precious blood,
And take my sins away.

A few more struggles here,
A few more partings o'er,

A few more toils, a few more tears,
And we shall weep no more:
Then, O my Lord, prepare
My soul for that blest day;
O wash me in thy precious blood,
And take my sins away.

6

Shall cheer us on our way,

And we shall reach the endless rest,

The eternal Sabbath day.

Then, O my Lord, prepare

My soul for that sweet day;
O wash me in thy precious blood,

And take my sins away.

"Tis but a little while

And he shall come again,

Who died that we might live, who lives
That we with him may reign:

Then, O my Lord, prepare

My soul for that glad day;
O wash me in thy precious blood,
And take my sins away.

83 Thou art the same, and thy years shall have no [7s. 68. end.-Ps. cii. 27.

1 O GOD, the Rock of Ages,
Who evermore hast been,
What time the tempest rages,

Our dwelling-place serene:
Before thy first creations,

O Lord, the same as now,
To endless generations
The Everlasting Thou!

2 Our years are like the shadows
On sunny hills that lie,
Or grasses in the meadows
That blossom but to die:
A sleep, a dream, a story
By strangers quickly told,
An unremaining glory

Of things that soon are old.
3 0 thou, who canst not slumber,
Whose light grows never pale,
Teach us aright to number
Our years before they fail.

SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS: CLOSE OF THE YEAR.

On us thy mercy lighten,
On us thy goodness rest,
And let thy Spirit brighten

The hearts thyself hast bless'd.

4 Lord, crown our faith's endeavour
With beauty and with grace,
Till, thed in light for ever,
We see theef to face:
A joy no language measures,
A fountain brimming o'er;
An endless flow of pleasures;
An ocean without shore."

84 Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.-1 Sam. vii. 12. [7s. 1 FOR thy mercy and thy grace, Faithful through another year, Hear our song of thankfulness, Father and Redeemer, hear.

2 In our weakness and distress,

Rock of strength, be thou our stay:
In the pathless wilderness

Be our true and living way.

3 Who of us death's awful road

In the coming year shall tread;
With thy rod and staff, O God,
Comfort thou his dying head.
4 Keep us faithful, keep us pure,
Keep us evermore thine own;
Help, O help us to endure;

Fit us for the promised crown.

5 So within thy palace gate

We shall praise, on golden strings,
Thee, the only Potentate,

Lord of lords, and King of kings.

85 So teach us to number our days that we may apply [P.M.

our hearts unto wisdom.-Ps. xc. 12.

1 DAYS and moments quickly flying Speed us onward to the dead:

Oh, how soon shall we be

g

Each within narrow bed!

Jesu, merciful Redeemer,

Rouse dead souls to hear thy voice;
Wake, O wake each idle dreamer
Now to make the eternal choice.

3 Mark we whither we are wending;
Ponder how we soon must go
To inherit bliss unending,
Or eternity of woe.

4

Life passeth soon:
Death draweth near:
Keep us, good Lord,
Till thou appear;
With thee to live,

With thee to die,

With thee to reign through eternity.

5 As a shadow life is fleeting;
As a vapour so it flies;

For the bygone years retreating
Pardon grant, and make us wise-

6 Wise that we our days may number,
Strive and wrestle with our sin,
Stay not in our work nor slumber
Till thy holy rest we win.

7 Soon before the Judge all glorious
We with all the dead shall stand;
Saviour, over death victorious,
Place us then on thy right hand.

8

Life passeth soon:
Death draweth near:.
Keep us, good Lord,

Till thou appear:
With thee to live,

With thee to die,

With thee to reign through eternity.

The Circumcision of Christ: New Year.

"BY THY HOLY NATIVITY AND CIRCUMCISION, GOOD LORD, DELIVER US."

86

1

2

They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. [S.M.
Ps. cxxvi. 5.

THE year begins with thee;
And thou beginn'st with woe,
To let the world of sinners see
That blood for sin must flow.

Thine infant cries, O Lord,

Thy tears upon the breast

Are not enough:-the legal sword

Must do its stern behest.

Pour'd on a victim's head,

Are those few precious drops of thine,
Now first to offering led.

4 Oh, are we born to tears,
Cradled in care and woe;

And seems it hard our vernal years
Few vernal joys can show?

5

Look here and hold thy peace:

The Giver of all good

Even from the womb takes no release
From suffering, tears, and blood.