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!
For ever sure thy promise, Lord,
And we securely trust.
4 My gracious God, how plain
Are thy directions given!
may I never read in vain,
But find the path to heaven.
Instruction from the Scriptures. Psalm 34.
1 How shall the young secure their hearts
And guard their lives from sin?
Thy word the choicest rules imparts,
To keep the conscience clean.
2 When once it enters to the mind,
It spreads such light abroad,
The meanest souls instruction find,
And raise their thoughts to God.
3 'T is like the sun, a heavenly light,
That guides us all the day;
And through the dangers of the night,
A lamp to lead our way.
4 Thy word is everlasting truth;
How pure is every page!
That holy book shall guide our youth,
And well support our age.
The Blessings of the Gospel.
1 BLEST are the souls that hear and know
The Gospel's joyful sound;
Peace shall attend the paths they go,
And light their steps surround.
2 Their joy shall bear their spirits up,
Through their Redeemer's name;
His righteousness exalts their hope,
Nor dares the world condemn.
3 The Lord, our glory and defence,
Strength and salvation gives;
Israel, thy King for ever reigns,
Thy God for ever lives.
Searching the Scriptures.
IMPOSTURE shrinks from light, And dreads the curious eye: But sacred truths the test invite, They bid us search and try.
O may we still maintain
A meek, inquiring mind;
Assured we shall not search in vain,
But hidden treasures find.
3 With understanding blest,
Created to be free,
Our faith on man we dare not rest,
Subject to none but thee.
4 Lord, give the light we need;
With soundest knowledge fill;
From noxious error guard our creed,
From prejudice our will.
5 The truth thou shalt impart,
May we with firmness own;
Abhorring each evasive art,
And fearing thee alone.
The Excellency of Scripture. Psalm 119.
1 LORD, I have made thy word my choice, My lasting heritage;
There shall my noblest powers rejoice,
My warmest thoughts engage.
2 I'll read the histories of thy love,
And keep thy laws in sight,
While through the promises I rove,
With ever fresh delight.
3 'T is a broad land of wealth unknown,
Where springs of life arise;
Seeds of immortal bliss are sown,
And hidden glory lies.
4 The best relief that mourners have,
It makes our sorrows blest:
Our fairest hope beyond the grave,
And our eternal rest.
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!
4 Our faith, and love, and every grace,
Fall far below thy word;
But perfect truth and righteousness
Dwell only with the Lord.
The Value of the Scriptures.
1 How precious is the book divine,
By inspiration given !
Bright as a lamp its doctrines shine,
To lead our souls to heaven.
2 O'er all the straight and narrow way
Its radiant beams are cast;
A light whose never weary ray
Grows brightest at the last.
It sweetly cheers our fainting hearts
In this dark vale of tears;
Life, light, and comfort it imparts,
And calms our anxious fears.
4 This lamp through all the dreary night
Of life shall guide our way,
Till we behold the glorious light
Of never-ending day.
The Books of Nature and Scripture. Psalm 19.
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.
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