PART VIII.

Christ and Christianity.

1

206. S. M. WATTS.

The excellency of the gospel.
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:
For ever sure thy promise, LORD!
And men securely trust.

4 My gracious GOD! how plain
Are thy directions giv'n!
I never read in vain,
But find the path to heav'n!

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may

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

The same subject.

1 I LOVE the volumes of thy word:
What light and joy those leaves afford
To souls benighted and distrest!
Thy precepts guide my doubtful way;
Thy fear forbids my feet to stray;
Thy promise leads my heart to rest.
2 From the discov'ries of thy law,
The perfect rules of life I draw;
These are my study and delight:
Not honey so invites the taste,
Nor gold that hath the furnace past,
Appears so pleasing to the sight.

3 Thy threat'nings wake my slumb'ring eyes,
And warn me where my danger lies;
But 'tis thy blessed gospel, LORD!
That makes my guilty conscience clean,
Converts my soul, subdues my sin,

And gives a free but large reward.
4 Who knows the errors of his thoughts?
My God! forgive my secret faults,
And from presumptuous sins restrain;
Accept my poor attempts of praise,
That I have read thy book of grace,
And book of nature not in vain.

AT

208. L. M. WATTS.

The excellency of the christian religion. 1 GREAT GOD! how well thy truths agree! How wise and holy thy commands! Thy promises, how sure they be! How firm our hope and comfort stands! Though we should trace the globe around, And ev'ry diff'rent system scan, There will be no religion found So just to GOD, so safe to man.

3 The various forms that men devise,
To shake my faith with treach'rous art,
scorn as vanity and lies,

I

And bind the gospel to my heart.

209. C. M. WATTS.

Praise for the gospel.

1 TO our Almighty Maker, GOD,
New honours be addrest!
His great salvation shines abroad,
And makes the nations blest.

2 He spake the word to Abrah'm first;
His truth fulfils the grace:

The Gentiles make his name their trust,
And learn his righteousness.

3 Let the whole earth his love proclaim,
With all her diff'rent tongues;
And spread the honours of his name,
In melody and songs.

210. P. M. SALISBURY COLLECTION.

Praise to the GOD of our salvation.
1 HAIL the GOD of our salvation!
Triumph in redeeming love;
Let us with glad exultation
Imitate the blest above.

2 Light of those whose dreary dwelling
Border'd on the shades of death,
He hath, by his grace revealing,
Scatter'd all the clouds beneath.
3 Father! thou art all compassion,
Pure, unbounded love thou art;
Hail the God of our salvation!
Praise him ev'ry thankful heart.
4 Joyfully on earth adore him,
Till in heav'n we take our place;
There enraptur'd fall before him,
Lost in wonder, love and praise.

211. L. M. DODDRIDge.

The christian scheme of salvation worthy of

GOD.

1 IMMORTAL GOD! on thee we call,
The Great Original of all;

From thee we are, to thee we tend;
Our sure support, our glorious end.

2 We praise that wise, that wondrous grace That pitied our revolted race,

The

And Jesus, our victorious head, captain of salvation made. 3 He, thine eternal love decreed, Should many sons to glory lead; And sinful worms to him are giv'n A colony to people heav'n. 4 Jesus for us (O gracious name) Encounter'd agony and shame; Jesus, the glorious and the great, Was by his suff'rings made complete. 5 A scene of wonders here we see, Worthy thy son, and worthy thee; And while this theme employs our tongues, All heav'n unites its sweetest songs.

212. C. M. WATTS.

The blessings of the gospel.

1 BLEST are the souls that hear and know The gospel's joyful sound;

Peace shall attend the path they go,
And light their steps surround.

2 Their joy shall bear their spirits up,
Through God's eternal name;
His promises exalt their hope;
And who shall dare condemn?
3 The LORD, our glory and defence,
Strength and salvation gives:
Isr'el, thy King for ever reigns,
Thy GoD for ever lives.