289

S. M.

WATTS.

God's Word most excellent. Ps. 19

1 BEHOLD, the morning sun
Begins his glorious way;

His beams through all the nations run,
And life and light convey.

2 But where the gospel comes,

It spreads diviner light;

It calls dead sinners from their tombs,
And gives the blind their sight.

3 How perfect is thy word!

And all thy judgments just!
Forever sure thy promise, Lord,
And men securely trust.

4 My gracious God, how plain
Are thy directions given!
O, may I never read in vain,

But find the path to heaven!

5 I hear thy word with love,
And I would fain obey;
Send thy good Spirit from above,
To guide me lest I stray.

6 While with my heart and tongue
I spread thy praise abroad,
Accept the worship and the song,
My Savior and my God.

238

290

C. M.

Ps. 19.

TATE & BRADY.

1 GOD'S perfect law converts the soul,
Reclaims from false desires;

With sacred wisdom his sure word
The ignorant inspires.

2 The statutes of the Lord are just,
And bring sincere delight;

His pure commands in search of truth,
Assist the feeblest sight.

3 His perfect worship here is fixed,
On sure foundations laid;
His equal laws are in the scales
Of truth and justice weighed.

4 Of more esteem than golden mines,
Or gold refined with skill;

More sweet than honey, or the drops
That from the comb distil; —

5 My trusty counsellors they are,
And friendly warnings give:
Divine rewards attend on those
Who by thy precepts live.

291

C. M.

COWPER.

The Light and Glory of the Word.

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

Precepts and promises afford

A sanctifying light.

2 A glory gilds the sacred page, Majestic like the sun;

It gives a light to every age,

It gives, but borrows none.

3 The hand that gave it still supplies
The gracious light and heat;
His truths upon the nations rise, -
They rise, but never set.

4 Let everlasting thanks be thine,
For such a bright display, ́.
As makes a world of darkness shine
With beams of heavenly day.

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

292

C. M.

The Holy Scriptures.

WATTS.

1 LADEN with guilt, and full of fears,
I fly to thee, my Lord;

And not a glimpse of hope appears,
But in thy written word.

2 This is the field where hidden lies
The pearl of price unknown;
That merchant is divinely wise
Who makes the pearl his own.

3 Here consecrated water flows
To quench my thirst of sin;
Here the fair tree of knowledge grows,
Nor danger dwells therein.

4 This is the judge that ends the strife.
Where wit and reason fail,
My guide to everlasting life,
Through all this gloomy vale.

293

L. M.

The Holy Scriptures.

WATTS.

1 GOD, who in various methods told
His mind and will to saints of old,
Sent his own Son, with truth and grace,
To teach us in these latter days.

2 Our nation reads the written word
That book of life, that sure record;
The bright inheritance of heaven
Is by the sweet conveyance given.

3 God's kindest thoughts are here expressed,
Able to make us wise and blessed;
The doctrines are divinely true,
Fit for reproof and comfort too.

294

L. M.

WATTS.

The Books of Nature and Scripture compared. Ps. 19.
1 THE heavens declare thy glory, Lord;
In every star thy wisdom shines;
But when our eyes behold thy word,
We read thy name in fairer lines.

2 The rolling sun, the changing light,

And nights and days, thy power confess; But the blest volume thou hast writ Reveals thy justice and thy grace.

3 Sun, moon, and stars, convey thy praise Round the whole earth, and never stand; So, when thy truth began its race,

It touched and glanced on every land. 4 Nor shall thy spreading gospel rest,

Till through the world thy truth has run,
Till Christ has all the nations blest,
That see the light or feel the sun.

5 Great Sun of righteousness, arise;
Bless the dark world with heavenly light;
Thy gospel makes the simple wise;
Thy laws are pure, thy judgments right.
6 Thy noblest wonders here we view,
In souls renewed and sins forgiven;
Lord, cleanse my sins, my soul renew,
And make thy word my guide to heaven.

295

C. M.

WATTS.

Nature and Scripture. Ps. 119.

1 LET all the heathen writers join
To form one perfect book,-

Great God, if once compared with thine,
How mean their writings look!

2 Not the most perfect rules they gave
Could show one sin forgiven,
Nor lead a step beyond the grave;
But thine conduct to heaven.

3 I've seen an end of what we call
Perfection here below;

How short the powers of nature fall,
And can no farther go.