5 Thy glorious promises, O Lord!
Kindle my hopes, and my desire;
While all the preachers of thy word
Warn me t' escape eternal fire.

6 Thy praise shall still employ my breath, Since thou hast mark'd my way to

heav'n;

Nor will I run the road to death,

And waste the blessings thou hast giv'n,

PRAISE FOR THE GOSPEL.

1 LORD, I ascribe it to thy grace,
And not to chance as others do,
That I was born of Christian race,
And not a heathen nor a Jew.

2 What would the ancient Jewish kings And Jewish prophets once have giv'n,

Could they have heard those glorious

things

Which Christ reveal'd and brought
from heav'n!

3 How glad the heathens would have been,
That worshipp'd idols, wood and stone,
If they the book of God had seen,
Or Jesus and his gospel known!

4 Then if this gospel I refuse,

How shall I e'er lift up my eyes; For all the Gentiles and the Jews, Against me will in judgment rise.

THE EXCELLENCY OF THE BIBLE.

1 GREAT God, with wonder and with praise On all thy works I look;

But still thy wisdom, pow'r, and grace,
Shine brightest in thy book.

2 The stars that in their courses roll
Have much instruction giv'n;
But thy good word informs my soul
How I may climb to heav'n.

3 The fields provide me food, and show
The goodness of the Lord;
But fruits of life and glory grow
In thy most holy word.

4 Here are my choicest treasures hid,
Here my best comfort lies;
Here my desires are satisfy'd,
And hence my hopes arise.

5 Lord, make me understand thy law,
Show what my faults have been;
And from thy gospel let me draw
Pardon for all my sin.

6 Here would I learn how Christ has dy'd,
To save my soul from hell;
Not all the books on earth beside
Such heav'nly wonders tell.

7 Then let me love my Bible

And take a fresh delight

more,

By day to read those wonders o'er,
And meditate by night.

1

2

3

4

5

SONG VIII.

PRAISE TO GOD FOR LEARNING TO READ.

THE praises of my tongue

I offer to the Lord,

That I was taught and learnt so young,

To read his holy word:

That I am brought to know
The danger I was in;

By nature and by practice too,
A wretched slave to sin:

That I am led to see

I can do nothing well;

And whither shall a sinner flee
To save himself from hell?

Dear Lord, this book of thine
Informs me where to go,

For grace to pardon all my sin,
And make me holy too.

Here I can read and learn,
How Christ the Son of God

Has undertook our great concern;
Our ransom cost his blood.

6

And now he reigns above,

He sends his Spirit down,

7

To show the wonders of his love,

And make his gospel known.

O, may that Spirit teach,

And make my heart receive

Those truths which all thy servants preach,

And all thy saints believe.

8

Then shall I praise the Lord

In a more cheerful strain,

That I was taught to read his word,
And have not learnt in vain.

1 ALMIGHTY God, thy piercing eye Strikes thro' the shades of night;