But where the gospel comes
It spreads diviner light;
It calls dead sinners from their tombs,
And gives the blind their sight.
How perfect is thy word;
And all thy judgments just :
For ever sure thy promise, Lord,
And men securely trust.
Our gracious God, how plain
Are thy directions given!
O may we never read in vain,
But find our way to heaven!
We hear that word with love,
And fain would we obey;
Send thy good Spirit from above,
To guide us lest we stray.
Warn us of every sin;
Forgive our secret faults!
And cleanse the guilty soul within,
Whose crimes exceed our thoughts.
Hymn 106. C. M.
AFFLICTION is a stormy deep,
Where wave resounds to wave;
Though o'er our heads the billows roll, We know the Lord can save.
The hand which now withholds our joys, Can yet restore us peace;
And he who bade the tempest roar,
Can bid the tempest cease.
In the dark watches of the night,
We'll count his mercies o'er;
We'll praise him for ten thousand past,
And humbly sue for more.
When darkness and when sorrows rose,
And press'd on every side,
The Lord has still sustain'd our steps,
And still has been our guide.
Here will we rest, and build our hope,
Nor murmur at his rod;
He's more than all the world to us,
Our Father, and our God.
LORD! who dost hear the sinner's cry, Though all our crimes before thee lie,
Behold us not with angry look,
But blot their memory from thy book.
Create our nature pure within,
And form each soul averse to sin;
Let thy good Spirit ne'er depart,
Nor hide thy presence from our heart.
Vouchsafe the guidance of thy light,
Nor cast us from thy blissful sight;
Thy saving strength, O Lord, restore,
And guard us that we fall no more.
Then will we teach the world thy ways:
Sinners shall sing aloud thy praise;
And every heart shall join to bless
The Lord, our strength and righteousness.
REAT God, our King, thy various praise
Shall fill the remnant of our days:
Thy grace employ each humble tongue,
Till death and glory raise the song.
The wings of every hour shall bear
Some thankful tribute to thine ear;
And every setting sun shall see
New works of duty done for thee.
Thy truth and justice we'll proclaim
Thy bounty flows, an endless stream;
Thy mercy swift, thine anger slow;
But dreadful to the stubborn foe.
Thy works with sovereign glory shine,
And speak thy majesty divine;
Let distant times and nations raise
The long succession of thy praise.
But who can speak thy wond'rous deeds?
Thy greatness all our thoughts exceeds:
Vast and unsearchable thy ways!
Vast and immortal be thy praise!
Hymn 109. C. M. JOY to the world! the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let ev'ry heart prepare him room;
Let all creation sing.
Ye saints, rejoice, the Saviour reigns!
In praise your tongues employ:
Floods, clap your hands; exult, ye plains;
And shout, ye hills, for joy.
Behold, he comes! he comes to bless
The nations as their God;
To shew the world his righteousness,
And rule them with his rod.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground:
He comes to make his blessings flow,
Far as the curse is found.
Joy to the world! the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King :
Let every heart prepare him room;
Let all creation sing.
HE Lord is King! let earth obey,
Rejoicing in his righteous sway:
Darkness and clouds around him meet;
Judgment and truth uphold his seat.
ye, who love the Saviour's name,
Hate every work of sin and shame;
He keeps his saints, and o'er their heads
The shield of his salvation spreads.
For all his saints, for them alone,
The seeds of heavenly light are sown :
Gladness and joy around them rise,-
A harvest ripening for the skies.
Rejoice, ye righteous in the Lord,
His sacred honours glad record:
With grateful songs Jehovah bless,
And praise him in his holiness.
O-MORROW, Lord, is thine :
Lodg'd in thy sovereign hand,
And, if its sun arise and shine,
It is at thy command.
The present moment flies,
And bears our life away;
Oh! may thy servants, truly wise,
Improve each passing day.
Since on each winged hour
Eternity is hung,
Awaken, by thy mighty power,
The aged and the young.
One thing demands our care ;-
Be that one thing pursued ;
Lest, now despised, we never hear
Thy pardoning voice renew'd.
Hymn 112. L. M.
HY hand, Great God, earth's base had laid,
Thy hand the heaven aloft display'd,
Ere yet along the vast profound,
The restless years began their round.
That earth, that heaven's stupendous frame
Shall feel destruction's wasting flame;
These as a garment shall wax old,
These as a vesture thou shalt fold.
Thou, Lord, whose hand their texture spun,
When time its stated course hath run,
Shalt brighter scenes disclose to view;
And heaven and earth create anew.
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