2 The hopes that holy word supplies,
Its truths divine and precepts wise,
In each a heavenly beam I see,
And every beam conducts to thee.

3 Almighty Lord, the sun shall fail,
The moon forget her nightly tale,
And deepest silence hush on high
The radiant chorus of the sky;

4 But, fixed for everlasting years,
Unmoved amid the wreck of spheres,
Thy word shall shine in cloudless day,
When heaven and earth have passed away.

294

NOW

Sir Robert Grant.

The Saviour seen in the Scriptures.

L. M.

OW let my soul, eternal King,
To thee its grateful tribute bring;
My knee with humble homage bow;
My tongue perform its solemn vow.
2 All nature sings thy boundless love,
In worlds below and worlds above;
But in thy blessed word I trace
Diviner wonders of thy grace.

3 There, what delightful truths I read!
There, I behold the Saviour bleed:
His name salutes my listening ear,
Revives my heart and checks my fear.
4 There Jesus bids my sorrows cease,
And gives my laboring conscience peace;
He lifts my grateful thoughts on high,
And points to mansions in the sky.

5 For love like this, O let my song, Through endless years, thy praise prolong; Let distant climes thy name adore,

Till time and nature are no more.

Ottiwell Heginbotham.

295

Riches of God's word.

C. M.

THE counsels of redeeming grace
The sacred leaves unfold;
And here the Saviour's lovely face
Our raptured eyes behold.

2 Here light descending from above
Directs our doubtful feet;

Here promises of heavenly love
Our ardent wishes meet.

3 Our numerous griefs are here redressed,
And all our wants supplied:
Naught we can ask to make us blest
Is in this book denied.

4 For these inestimable gains,
That so enrich the mind,
O may we search with eager pains,
Assured that we shall find.

296

WH

Glory of the Scriptures.

Samuel Stennett.

C. M.

HAT glory gilds the sacred page! It gives a light to every age; Majestic, like the sun,

2 The

The

power that gave

it still supplies

gracious light and heat;

Its truths upon the nations rise:

They rise, but never set.

3 Lord, everlasting thanks be thine For such a bright display, As makes a world of darkness shine With beams of heavenly day. 4 My soul rejoices to pursue

The Till

In

steps of him I love,

glory breaks upon my view
brighter worlds above.

William Cowper.

297

HOW

Bible precious.

OW precious is the book divine,
By inspiration given!

Bright as a lamp its doctrines shine,

To guide our souls to heaven.

C. M.

2 It sweetly cheers our drooping hearts,
In this dark vale of tears;

Life, light, and joy it still imparts,
And quells our rising fears.

3 This lamp through all the tedious night Of life, shall guide our way;

Till we behold the clearer light
Of an eternal day.

298

HA

Revelation disseminated.

John Fawcett.

C. M.

AIL, sacred truth! whose piercing rays
Dispel the shades of night;

Diffusing o'er a ruined world

The healing beams of light.

2 Jesus, thy word, with friendly aid,
Restores our wandering feet;
Converts the sorrows of the mind
To joys divinely sweet.

3 O send thy light and truth abroad,
In all their radiant blaze;

And bid the admiring world adore
The glories of thy grace.

299 Excellence and sufficiency.

John Buttress, alt.

C. M.

ATHER of mercies, in thy word

FAT

What endless glory shines!

Forever be thy name adored

For these celestial lines.

2 Here may the wretched sons of want
Exhaustless riches find;

Riches above what earth can grant,
And lasting as the mind.

3 Here the fair tree of knowledge grows,
And yields a free repast;
Sublimer sweets than nature knows
Invite the longing taste.

4 Here the Redeemer's welcome voice
Spreads heavenly peace around;
And life and everlasting joys
Attend the blissful sound.

5 O may these heavenly pages be
Our ever dear delight;

And still new beauties may we see,
And still increasing light.

6 Divine Instructor, gracious Lord,
Be thou forever near;

Teach us to love thy sacred word,
And view the Saviour there.

300

Light from heaven.

Anne Steele.

C. M.

BRIGHT was the guiding star that led,

With mild, benignant ray,
The Gentiles to the lowly bed
Where the Redeemer lay.

2 But lo! a brighter, clearer light
It shines through sin and sorrow's night,
Now points to his abode;
To guide us to our God.

3 O

gladly tread the narrow path, While light and grace are given; Who meekly follow Christ on earth Shall reign with him in heaven.

301

Harriet Auber.

C. M

God giveth the increase.-1 Cor. 3: 7.
LMIGHTY God, thy word is cast
Like seed upon the ground;

A

let the dew of heaven descend,
And shed its influence round.

2 Let not the foe of Christ and man
This holy seed remove;

May it take root in every heart,
And grow in faith and love.

3 Let not this life's deceitful cares,
Nor worldly wealth and joy,
Nor scorching beam, nor stormy blast,
The rising plant destroy.

4 Where'er the word of life is sown,
A large increase bestow;

That all who hear thy message, Lord, Its saving power may know.

John Cawood, alt. by W. F. Hall,

THE SINNER.

LOST CONDITION.

302

H Our

OW sad our state by nature is!
Our sin, how deep it stains!

And Satan binds our captive souls
Fast in his slavish chains.

2 But there's a voice of sovereign grace
Sounds from the sacred word:
"Ho! ye despairing sinners, come,
And trust a faithful Lord."

3 My soul obeys the gracious call,
And runs to this relief;

I would believe thy promise, Lord;
O help my unbelief!

4 To the blest fountain of thy blood, Incarnate God, I fly;

Here let me wash my guilty soul
From crimes of deepest dye.