Spiritual Melody, Part 4
PART IV. Containing SACRED HYMNS Illuſtrating the glorious Excellencies of God's holy WORD, and bleſſed Goſpel.
HYMN 80. God's Word is Light.
Pſal. 119.105.
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light to my paths.
1
LIght is a pleaſant thing to ſee,
Thy Word true Light doth give,
Nothing can, Lord, ſo pleaſant be,
'Tis that by which we live,
2
By which we walk, by which we work,
And all things elſe we do;
All they who are without this light,
Don't know whither they go.
3
Thy Word diſcovery, Lord, doth make,
It manifeſteth things;
From thence we do our judgment take,
It Knowledge to us brings:
4
What once we were we know hereby
How ſad was then our ſtate;
Sin's filthy nature through it we 'ſpy,
And it do come to hate.
5
The way of our Salvation too
It doth diſcover clear,
And how thou wilt be worſhipped
Whilſt we do all live here.
The Second Part.
1
Who the true Church is we may ſee,
If thy good Word we heed;
And by it we the falſe Church know,
Which filthy is indeed.
2
All things that needful are, O Lord,
Unto eternal life,
Is plain diſcovered by thy Word,
Which ends all doubts and ſtrife
3
That is, hath been a long time
Amongſt us here on Earth,
About the Church, and Truth of God,
But this all ſilenc'd hath.
4
Light hath a clearing quality,
And by its heat things grow;
And by it too all Fogs do fly,
Such influences flow
5
As doth revive and ſweetly chear
The Soul that drooping lies,
They by thy Word, Lord, quickned are,
And all their ſorrows flies.
6
Light hath a ſhining quality,
Thy Goſpel ſhines ſo bright,
That nothing can more glorious be
In all thy Children's ſight.
HYMN 81. The Word of God like Gold.
Pſal. 19.10.
More are they to be deſired than Gold, yea, than much fine Gold.
1
HOw precious is that Word of thine,
Can Gold with it compare,
When 'tis all ſacred, all divine?
No, there is nothing here
2
Like unto it, 'tis of ſuch worth,
A little quantity
Of it exceeds all things on Earth,
Such glories in it lye.
3
Tho' Gold doth deck the outward Man,
This doth the Soul adorn;
Thy Goſpel is an Ornament,
Nay, 'tis thy Peoples Crown.
4
Gold doth make Veſſels which are rare,
Thy Word and Spirit do
Make golden Saints beyond compare,
And golden Churches too:
5
Yea, Candleſticks of beaten Gold
Are formed out of it,
Which glorious are, Lord, to behold,
But will be rarer yet.
The Second Part.
1
And as Gold is durable, ſo
It will the tryal bear;
Thy Word is try'd, and will abide
Whilſt Heaven and Earth appear.
2
But O what pains do Mortals uſe
To get a little Gold!
Which when 'tis got, it flyes away,
And it they cannot hold.
3
O then forbear and labour now
For Gold that will abide,
To laſting glory 'twill bring you,
And fill your Souls beſide:
4
Which Gold could never do, nor ſhall,
That cannot ſatisfie
The Soul of Man, the thing's too ſmall,
It can't its wants ſupply.
5
True peace and ſatisfaction is
Only in God above;
His Word receive, and ſoon you will
Be filled with his love.
HYMN 82. God's Word compar'd to Milk.
1 Pet. 2.2.
As new born Babes deſiring the ſincere Milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby.
1
ARt thou a Babe, tho' newly born?
What is thy Soul's deſire?
Doſt hunger for Milk of God's Word,
And raiſe thy cry yet higher?
2
As pretty Babes who want the Breaſt,
How do they cry amain!
Ah! can thy Soul find no ſmall reſt
Till thou doſt Milk obtain:
3
Then know it is a ſure ſign
Thou haſt a heavenly heart,
And God to feed that Soul of thine
Will his ſweet Word impart
4
To thee, that thou mayſt grow thereby,
O it is very good;
Milk nouriſhes and feeds the Child
Better than other Food.
5
Stong Meat thou canſt not yet digeſt,
Milk's a Reſtorative;
God's Word reſtores decayed Souls,
Nay, makes the dead alive.
6
Milk was a bleſſing choice of old,
And with it Canaan flow'd;
Haſt thou God's Word? What Bleſſing then
Better can be beſtow'd
7
On thee, poor Soul, O prize it much,
And on it always feed,
Twill ſtrengthen thee, and make thee fat,
And nothing ſhalt thou need.
The Second Part.
1
Ye who are Lovers of ſweet Milk,
Will, will you now make haſte?
O come and buy! this doth excell!
We pray you Friends to taſte.
2
If you were once born from above,
Though but young Babes you were,
You with this Milk would fall in love,
And ſay it taſteth rare.
3
But whileſt your evil nature is
Corrupted thus with ſin,
And glutted are continually
With filthy traſh within,
4
You cannot reliſh this ſweet Food,
Your Mouths are out of taſte,
And therefore you don't find it good,
But want it will at laſt:
5
But you who are God's little ones,
What cauſe have you to ſing,
That you have plenty ſtill of Milk,
And every other thing.
6
O live to God, and ſing again
His bleſſed Praiſes forth,
Who feeds, and doth repleniſh you,
And ſtrengthens all your Faith.
HYMN 83. God's Word like ſtrong Meat.
Heb. 5.14.
Strong meat belongs to thoſe that are of age, &c.
1
SOme of God's Children are grown up
To ſuch maturity,
That they on Meat that's ſtrong can ſup,
In which great vertues lye.
2
Young-men and Fathers ſome there be
Whoſe ſ…nſes have been long
In exerciſe, and therefore they
Are ſtronger than the young
3
And little Babes, whoſe Stomach's weak,
And therefore cannot bear
Nor take in dark myſterious things,
Which elder Saints does chear.
4
It argues ſuch diſeaſed be
Who unto years are grown,
If ſuch Meat with them don't agree,
By which Chriſt is made known
5
More clearly to the Ear and Eye
Than other Doctrins can,
And therefore we ſay preſently
He's a diſeaſed Man.
6
Some baſe diſeaſe on him has ſiez'd,
He's under ſome decay,
His ſtomach riſes at God's Word,
And puts it quite away.
The Second Part.
1
But like as Meat that's ſtrong doth yield
The better nouriſhmant,
So ſuch who can ſtrong things take in,
Are not ſo impotent,
2
Nor ne're ſo weak as others be,
But harder work can do,
And unto them continually
Does ſweeter comforts flow.
3
Small things do them not ſoon offend,
But ſtrengthned be to bear
Such things that others ſtartle at,
And can't abide to hear.
4
O then ye Saints do you ſee to't,
Your weakneſs don't betray,
Who have been long in Jeſus's School,
Yet ſtumbling-blocks do lay
5
In your own paths, and others too,
And ſo expoſe God's Name
To great reproach, but on your ſelves
Do bring the greateſt ſhame:
6
But let the ſtrong bear with the weak
In things indifferent,
And let the weak more wiſdom ſeek,
Than from the ſtrong to rent,
7
It is a bleſſed truth of God
For which the ſtrong contend,
Tho' you being weak do yet not ſee't,
But may though in the end.
HYMN 84. God's Word ſweeter than Honey.
Pſal. 110.133.
How ſweet are thy words to my taſte! yea, ſweeter than Honey unto my mouth.
1
HOw ſweet is Honey, and the Comb
In which Honey i… found!
But, Lord, thy Word it do… …
Its ſweetneſs does abound
2
Beyond all things, though ne're ſo ſweet,
There's nothing can it ſhow,
Nor ſet it forth unto its worth
Of things which are below:
3
Nothing with it can once compare,
O do but taſte and try;
For none but ſuch can ever tell
What good in it doth lye.
4
If you to Honey add ſuch things
Which very bitter are,
The bitterneſs it doth take off,
Nay ſweet it doth appear
5
Unto the taſte; ſo if you do
With great afflictons meet,
If God a Promiſe gives to you,
The tryal will be ſweet.
6
But though Honey ſo ſweet is found,
Yet ſome do it not love;
So none do find God's Word moſt ſweet,
But thoſe born from above.
The Second Part.
1
For the full ſtomach oft doth loath
The Honey-Comb ſo ſweet;
So carnal … count God's Word
As poor and ſorry Meat.
2
Honey is of a purging kind,
God's Word it purges ſo,
It doth make clean both Heart and Mind,
The Life and Lip alſo.
3
O then be like the pretty Bee
Which doth induſtriouſly
From ev'ry Flower ſhe can ſee
Her ſelf ſtore with Honey.
4
And now ye Saints who ſweetneſs find
In God's moſt bleſſed Word,
Sing forth his Praiſe with joyful Mind
Joyntly with one accord.
HYMN 85. God's Word Sword of the Spirit.
Eph. 6.17.
And the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, &c.
1
O Lord, we hear War is proclaim'd,
And we engaged are
To fight with thee, and in theſe VVars,
To take our proper ſhare.
2
The Enemy is cruel ſtrong,
And will no quarter give;
And threatens us both old and young,
VVe ſhan't much longer live:
3
Thou didſt o'recome him formerly,
He rallies up again.
His ſcatter'd force, and we eſpy
VVe fight muſt or be ſlain.
4
O let us have thy mighty Sword!
O there is none like it!
If in our hearts we have thy VVord,
VVe'll bring them to our feet.
5
A Sword all Souldiers muſt have on,
So ev'ry Saint muſt have
Thy VVord to fight with, or elſe they
VVill ſoon their Souls inſlave.
6
A Sword doth not only defend
The Souldier in the Field,
But by it he makes Foes to bend,
And unto him to yield:
7
So doth thy Word, O holy Lord,
Save us, and yet annoys,
All cruel Foes, it brings them down,
Nay them it quite deſtroys.
The Second Part.
1
It a two edged Sword is too,
It wounds always with one,
And with the other it does heal
Likewiſe e're it has done;
2
By its ſharp threats it wounds the Soul,
But turn it then again,
It's Promiſes does make us whole,
And eaſes every pain:
3
It will cut off an hand or foot,
Diſmember the old Man;
If we do not deſtroy his Life,
We live, Lord, never can.
4
Wounds of a Sword do mortal prove
If once it pierce the heart;
So let thy Word, Lord, hit our ſin,
A mortal wound impart.
5
A Sword doth often fright a Foe,
So that he cowardly
Beholding it, away doth go,
Nay, ſwift perhaps does fly;
6
Even ſo that Soul who hath thy Word
Drawn always in his Hand,
Doth make hi… Enemies to run,
A Battel will not ſtand.
The Third Part.
1
Thy VVord is a victorious thing,
A VVeapon which oft does
Such execution by thy ſtrength,
Great Armies it o'rethrows.
2
It muſt be us'd with greateſt skill,
And by a pow'rful hand;
'Tis by thy Spirit we do kill
All Foes who us withſtand.
3
No Hand but that this Sword can wield,
The Spirit gives the blow,
VVe by them both do win the Field,
And Enemies o'rethrow.
4
The Spirit doth thy VVord explain,
'Twas forg'd and given forth
Even by himſelf, and therefore he
The chiefeſt glory hath.
5
The efficacy of thy VVord,
Does in thy Spirit lye,
It an impreſſion ne're will make,
If he don't it apply.
6
All praiſe do ye give unto God
VVho do its power feel;
Ah! 'tis a Sword that doth excell
The richeſt made with Steel.
The Fourth Part.
1
Ye Saints hold faſt beſure your Sword,
and rather die o'th' ſpot
Than to be cheated of God's VVord;
For ſhould it be your lot
2
It for to loſe, you naked are
And will become a prey
Unto the bloody Church of Rome
The very ſelf ſame day:
3
And ſee you have skill it to uſe
VVhen you with Foes do meet,
Or elſe you never will prevail
To bring them to your feet:
4
And always bleſs the holy God
VVho doth to us afford
The bleſſed Scriptures of Truth,
Prize it with one accord.
HYMN 86. God's Word like a Glaſs
2 Cor. 3.18.
But we all with open face beholding as in a glaſs, &c.
1
How prone are people generally
To look into a Glaſs,
But will not look into God's VVord
To ſee their woful caſe.
2
There may they ſee how foul they be,
How loathſom in God's Eyes,
VVhilſt in their ſins they do remain,
Like Swine in filthy Sties.
3
A Glaſs it is a medium fit
Perſons to repreſent,
So in thy VVord we may behold
Our God Omnipotent;
4
Therein his rare Perfections ſhine,
Yea, his illuſtrious Face,
In all his glorious Attributes,
His Goodneſs and his Grace,
5
VVe in thy VVord may theſe behold
Beyond what we do ſee;
Thoſe VVorks of thine, Lord, can unfold,
Or do make known of thee.
6
Here we may ſee the Father clear,
And Son in glory ſhine;
Here doth the Holy Ghoſt appear,
And all alike divine.
The Second Part.
1
A Glaſs, that's true, doth repreſent
A Man's own nat'ral Face,
But he away goes, and forgets
VVhat kind of Man he was:
2
So they who only hear God's VVord,
And the ſame do not do,
The Holy Ghoſt to ſuch compare,
Which doth their folly ſhow.
3
A Glaſs is us'd dreſs the Head
To put on their Attire;
Come, dreſs your ſelves by this rare Glaſs,
To raiſe your beauty higher.
4
Here you may ſee what ſtill you want,
The which you muſt have on;
Here may you ſee how fair you be,
That Grace doth ſweet adorn.
5
You wanton Ones, for ſhame leave off
Your evil habits, who
Spend ſo much time in looking in
Your Glaſſes; Sinners know.
6
Your Glaſſes will in the laſt day
As Witneſſes ariſe
Againſt you in judgment ſevere,
Such folly in it lyes,
7
That nothing can more hateful be
Such precious time to ſpend,
To dreſs a filthy Head that muſt
Be eat of Worms i'th' end,
8
Whilſt your poor Soul has nothing on
But ſtinking Rags moſt vile,
And is neglected and forgot
By you too all the while.
HYMN 87. God's Word compared to Rain.
Deut. 32.2.
My Doctrine ſhall drop as the Rain.
1
LOrd 'tis a droughty time we ſee
With us, alas, within,
Our moyſture ſeems all dried up
By Luſt, that fire of ſin.
2
O thou who doſt command the Clouds,
Shall now thy Showers fall?
Shall Rain pour out on barren Hearts?
And Dews diſtill as ſmall
3
Upon the ſweet and tender Herb,
That ſo the one may be
Made ſoft with Rain, and th' other
Refreſhed be by thee?
4
The Rain falls at thy dread Command
A Shower here and there;
'Tis as thou doſt, O Lord, appoint
That we of Bleſſings ſhare;
5
That we enjoy thy precious Word,
Whilſt other barren lye,
Who hardly have one drop of Rain
Their wants for to ſupply.
1
The former Rain was poured out,
It was a mighty ſhower;
So ſhall the latter Rain come down
Before this day is o'er.
2
A little at one time, again
We have a little more;
Thus doth thy Word like unto Rain
Refreſh thy bleſſed Poor.
3
Rain makes the Earth both freſh & green,
And ev'ry thing to grow;
Tis by thy Word and Spirit; Lord,
We thrive and flouriſh do.
4
There's none can ſtop the Rain that falls,
If thou Commiſſion give,
Thy Word ſhall come upon us all,
Thy Grace ſhall make us live.
5
Let ſin and Devil do their worſt,
Thy Word ſhall not return
Unto thee empty, it proſper ſhall,
For thy Will muſt be done.
The Third Part.
1
Thy Miniſters are like to Clouds
Who do the Rain retain;
Of them thou doſt make equal uſe
To pour it out again.
2
O let us then cry unto God
His Clouds may all be full,
Not empty ones which hold no Rain,
But do deceive the Soul,
3
And pray that we may always have
Rain as we do it need,
That Grace may grow, and in us all
Spring up like to choice Seed,
4
And praiſe the glorious God above
Who doth ſuch Bleſſings ſend;
If we his Mercies do improve,
Our days will joyful end.
5
'Tis a ſore Judgment when the Lord
Doth ſtop the Bottles of Heav'n,
But O 'tis worſe when God's good Word
And Bleſſings are with helden.
6
We wisk away, our glory fades
When God his Word denies,
Or doth with-hold his Bleſſings from't,
Both Faith and Hope then dies.
7
O look to God, remember him
From whom your Fruit doth flow!
If you are fruitful, ſing his praiſe,
And live unto him too.
HYMN 88. God's Word compared to Dew.
Deut. 32.3.
My Speech ſhall diſtill as Dew.
1
AS Dew doth inſenſibly fall,
So doth God's gracious Word
Inviſibly op'rate in us,
As we have often heard.
2
How ſweet are Dews unto the Herb,
It makes them richly ſmile;
So doth thy Word bedew oft-times
Thy own true Iſrael.
3
It makes our Graces to ſend forth
A rare and fragrant ſcent,
Which doth delight the holy One,
The Lord omnipotent.
4
But Dews will not, Lord, always do,
Mens hearts ſo barren are;
Some ſoaking ſhowers they muſt have,
If any Fruit they bear.
5
All praiſe and glory unto God
Who wiſely orders things,
That as our wants and needs appear,
His Mercies flow like Springs.
HYMN 89. God's Word choice Treaſure.
2 Cor. 4.7.
But we have this treaſure i… earthen veſſels, &c.
1
THy Word is treaſure very rare,
For we do often ſee
Thou doſt to Gold the ſame compare,
And things that glor'ous be.
2
It is, Lord, of ſo great a worth
No Man can comprehend,
Nor Tongues of Angels ſet it forth,
All Riches does tranſcend:
3
Ah! ſuch is thy moſt holy Word,
Through it thy precious love
To us conveyed is, O Lord,
This doth the matter prove
4
That which the beſt and wiſeſt Men
Eſteem'd above all things,
And is the channel that let's in
The joy of divine Springs;
5
And doth enrich the Soul of Man,
And that eternally;
The worth of it there's no one can
Expreſs aſſuredly.
The Second Part.
1
Some treaſure that in bulk is ſmall,
Yet doth in worth excell;
Such is thy Goſpel, bleſſed Lord,
Thy People know it well.
2
One Promiſe is more worth than all
The Gold which the World hath;
If thou doſt give it, then we ſhall
Say, What is all the Earth
3
When unto it compar'd it is?
This Treaſure does delight
The Souls of Saints, and makes them ſing
To thee both day and night.
4
It hath ſuch influence on the Heart,
As earthly Treaſure here,
That on thy Word we meditate,
Becauſe our hearts are there
5
Where our chief Treaſure even lyes,
On that the heart is ſet,
And hence it is they it eſteem
'Bove their neceſſary Meat.
6
This makes Men great and honourable,
Becauſe much Treaſure have;
This alſo frees from care and trouble,
And does not us inſlave
7
To Dunghil-Earth, as Treaſures do,
It raiſes Souls above
All things that are, O Lord, below,
To joy in thy ſweet love.
The Third Part.
1
Treaſure in Earthen Veſſels is
Often laid up by us,
And we know very well, ſo 'tis
The Treaſure's ne're the worſe:
2
Ev'n ſo altho' thy Gold is found
In Miniſters ſo mean,
The worth of it doth ſtill abound,
Though ſome do not eſteem
3
Of it, becauſe the Veſſels are
Deſpis'd; but there's a day
When they ſhall glorious appear,
And golden Scepters ſway.
4
O prize God's faithful Servants then,
Who do inrich your Souls!
O value them above all Men,
And be no longer Fools
5
To grieve them, and to wear them out
By any means, if ye
Would ever, in the Judgement-day
Chriſt's face with comfort ſee;
6
For as you 'ſteem or diſ-eſteem
True Preachers of God's Word,
Chriſt looks upon't as done to him,
Like meaſures will award;
7
And you whom God doth Veſſels make
His Treaſure to retain,
See that you ſeek his Praiſe always,
And don't his Glory ſtain.
HYMN 90. God's Word compar'd to Fire.
Jer. 23.29.
Is not my Word like Fire.
1
THy Word it doth illuminate,
It giveth forth ſweet light,
And alſo from it we have heat,
Our Graces to excite.
2
Thy Word, like Fire, doth conſume
Our filth and droſs within;
What is combuſtible does waſte,
It ſiezes on our ſin.
3
Fire is of an aſcending kind,
It mounts things up aloft;
So they mount up in heart and mind,
Who by thy Word are taught;
4
As fir'd are by thy own Spirit,
Thy Word without that, Lord,
Will never burn, nor raiſe our hearts
(As we have newly heard.)
5
Fire will melt and ſoften things
That hard are naturally;
'Tis by thy Word and Spirit we
Do with thy Will comply.
6
'Tis that which bends & makes us yield,
And humbles much the heart,
Which naturally was proud and vain,
And too obdurate.
The Second Part.
1
Thy Word it quickens and revives,
Like Fire it does chear;
It conſolates and makes ſuch warm
Who to it do draw near:
2
For they who to it will not come,
No profit can receive;
So ſuch who do reject thy Word,
Their Souls ſhall not live.
3
Fire will penetrate and pierce,
There is no ſecret place
Within the Soul, but thy Word will
Moſt quick and ſwiftly paſs.
4
It doth the very Thoughts diſcern,
Nay it divides between
The Soul and Spirit of a Man,
To ſever both from ſin.
5
And Fire is uſed to lay waſte
Houſes where Rebels hide,
Ev'n ſo thy Word doth quite conſume
The Houſe of Luſts and Pride.
6
Man with vain hopes a Houſe doth raiſe,
And vaunts himſelf each day;
But when thy Word doth ſieze on him,
His Houſe conſumes a way.
7
All his vain hope he had before,
It is conſum'd and gone,
And a new Temple up is rais'd
For the moſt holy One.
The Third Part.
1
Take heed, ye Sinners, you don't quench
God's Word, that fire within;
Nor leſſon not its burnings if
You would not die in ſin.
2
If you will ſin and have your Luſts,
Whatever Preachers ſay,
Then down to Hell be ſure you muſt,
When Death takes you away.
3
Ah! there's another Fire know,
If this your filth don't waſte,
Into Eternal Fire then you
Shall all be thrown at laſt.
4
Conſider is't not better far
That ſin conſumed be,
Yea, all beloved ſins and luſts,
Than damn'd eternally.
5
You that do find the work's begun,
That there's a ſpark of Fire
Kindled in your Souls, O let it burn,
And raiſe its flames up higher!
6
O 'tis, Soul know, a ſacred ſpark,
'Tis Fire all divine!
And God be ſure has kindled it
In that poor Soul of thine.
The Fourth Part.
1
Conſider God's deſign herein
Is to ſoften thy heart,
And to cement thy Soul to him,
And Saving-grace impart:
2
And if it ſhould be quench'd in thee,
It lyes not in thy power
To kindle it, and God in wrath
May alſo give thee over,
3
And never more renew that work,
But let thee quite alone,
In all thy ſins to take thy ſwinge,
Until thy Soul is gone.
4
But ye who are the Saints of God,
As this is Fire divine;
So let Devils ſtrive and do their worſt,
It in thy Soul ſhall ſhine;
5
Though not always to ſuch degree
Your ſin deaden may,
And therefore ſee you careful be
To cheriſh it each day;
6
And ſing God's praiſe continually,
Who makes the Fire burn,
And pray that he would blow it up,
Till all your work is done;
7
And alſo cry unto the Lord
This Fire to kindle round about,
And ſweetly burn in ev'ry place,
And never be put out.
HYMN 91. God's Word comp. to a Hammer.
Jer. 23.29.
Is not my Word like a Fire, and like a Hammer, to break the Rock in pieces?
1
ROcks they are hard to work upon,
Yea, 'gainſt a mighty Hand;
The hardeſt Flint or Pebble-ſtone
Whole, long it cannot ſtand.
2
If thou, O Lord, art pleas'd to take
The Hammer up and ſtrike,
Thou wilt Impreſſion quickly make,
Though none can do the like.
3
There's none can break our flinty Rock
Beſides thy ſelf alone;
Alas, our power is too weak
To break ſuch hearts of ſtone!
4
What can the Hammer do, O Lord,
Thou the great Agent art;
The Inſtrument, that is thy Word,
O ſmite upon the heart,
5
And make it yield! and ſquare it then
For thy own bleſs'd deſign;
Thy Image on it, Lord, cut out
Moſt holy and divine;
6
And fit it for thy building too,
O ſet it in its place,
And life infuſe into it ſo
That it may ſhine with Grace.
The Second Part.
1
O let it be well poliſhed,
And it alſo unite
Unto thy building, there to be
A Jaſper-ſtone moſt bright,
2
That it may ſuit and well agree
With the Foundation ſtone,
Which is of Gold, no Diamond
More glorious ever ſhone;
4
And then ſhall we, when thus we be
Into thy Building laid,
Have cauſe to ſing unto our King
By thy eternal aid.
4
This Hammer of thy bleſſed Word
Muſt drive the Nail quite home,
Or elſe Convictions will not ſtick
Whenever they do come:
5
The Precept, Lord, will not abide,
Nor Promiſe faſt'ned be;
Nor no Conviction laſt in us,
Until drove home by thee:
6
But ſince we find they faſten'd are,
Let us ſing forth thy Praiſe;
And ſince thy Word ſo precious is,
Let us its Glory raiſe.
HYMN 92. Hymns on the Divine Authority of the Sacred Scriptures.
1
THe ſacred Scriptures are ſublime,
Although myſterious be;
Their Matter ſhews they are divine,
Nay, their divinity
2
Is ſeen by what they do treat of,
Or unto us make known,
There we do read of great Jehovah,
The high and lofty One,
3
Of his dread Eſſence, nature pure,
And of the Ʋnity
Between the Father, Son, and Spirit,
Or holy Trinity;
4
There do we read of his great works
Who did this World frame;
How out of nothing by his Word
All things at the firſt came.
…
There we may ſee and wonder too
…ow infinite Wiſdom ſhone
W…th' glorious compact made between
The Father and the Son,
6
In finding out, and bringing in
A way for to unite
Juſtice and Mercy, that ſo they
Might equally ſhine bright.
7
Here Juſtice doth with Mercy meet
Like an endeared Brother;
And Mercy doth God's Juſtice greet,
And both do kiſs each other.
8
From hence ye may ſee cauſe to ſing
Th' Eternal One's high praiſe
(In bringing in of Jeſus Chriſt)
With thankful hearts always.
The ſecond Part.
1
Th' Antiquity of Scripture ſhow
That they are moſt divine;
For no Writings did the World know
So ſoon as they did ſhine.
2
This was the firſt and chiefeſt Book
That e're was made, or pen'd;
O therefore love in it to look,
Though you can't comprehend
3
The Myſteries that lye therein
Hid from all carnal Eyes;
Yet ſince it hath ſo ancient been,
O ſee theſe lines ye prize!
4
Their Royal deſcent from God alone
Alſo does plain appear
By their high Style and Majeſty,
That ſhines in them moſt clear.
The Third Part.
1
The holineſs which they promote
To ſuch a high degree,
May clearly ev'ry Soul convince
Of their Authority:
2
So pure and perfect is God's Word
It ſilence may all them
Who it oppoſe, and Saints from hence
It love and much eſteem.Pſ. 119.140.
3
This is the cauſe wherefore they love
God's Words better than Gold
Or Jewels rich, which are eſteem'd
By moſt who them behold.
4
They ſee God's Precepts are moſt just,
It doth all ſins deſcry,
And ev'ry Luſt and falſe way they
Hate therefore bitterly.
5
Th' admirable and ſweet conſent,
And bleſſed harmony
That's in the whole and ev'ry part
Shews their divinity.
6
The credit of their Pen-men too,
Whom none could ever charge
With the leaſt forgery or guile,
Doth prove to us at large,
6
That they from God alone proceed,
Who did their Souls inſpire
In writing all they written have,
That Grace we might admire.
The Fourth Part.
1
Their Prophecies accompliſh'd were,
(Which ſhews they are divine,)
Exactly as to time and thing,
To matter and deſign:
2
And the Miracles which were wrought
Theſe VVritings do confirm,
Muſt needs alſo herein be brought,
To ſhew from whence they came.
3
The preſervation they have had
Was ſtrange and marvellous,
And to their truth doth glory add
For to be priz'd by us.
4
The great ſucceſs with which they met
In midſt of bitter Foes,
And how their power has prevail'd,
Their laſting glory ſhows:
5
The VVorld by a few Fiſhermen,
By this moſt ſacred Word,
Without the help of carnal force,
VVere turned to the Lord.
The Fifth Part.
1
The harmony and joynt conſent
Of holy Men and good,
And Martyrs who ſeal'd to the Truth
Of them with their dear Blood,
2
Do ſhew their great veracity,
And may all Men convince
They came from God, therefore we muſt
Bear up in their defence
3
Againſt all ſuch who them oppoſe,
Or count them not divine;
For doubtleſs in all wiſe Mens ſight
By theſe their glory ſhine.
4
The Evidence unto the heart
VVhichWhich to good Men they give
Of God's great love, who doth impart
To all who them receive
5
(In life and power) his Image clear:
Bringing the old Man down,
Renewing of their inward Man,
So that they can't but own
6
The work which by this Word is wrought brought
On them to be divine;
Thus from theſe hints which we have
Gods VVord doth glorious ſhine.
7
The very Heathen witneſs bear
As to Matter of Fact,
Touching ſuch things Scriptures declare
That God and Chriſt did act.
The Sixth Part.
1
Berolus, as Joſephus ſhews,
Doth mention Noah's Flood;
And *Pliny, lib. 5. cap. 16. & Juſtin, lib. 36.Pliny, with ſome others, ſpeak
How the moſt mighty God
2
Did Sodom turn by dreadful Flames
Unto a diſmal Lake:
Of Moſes and his VVonders too
VVe find the Egyptians ſpeak
3
In their Records; yea, the Chaldeans
And Grecians own the ſame:
And others ſhew with what high hand
Iſrael from Egypt came.
4
The Star which at Chriſt Jeſus Birth
To th' VViſe-men did appear,
Pliny and Calcidius both
Moſt plain and full declare.
5
But there's no need of Man's Record,
To Men we do not fly;
The witneſs of the glorious Lord
Is full of certainty.
HYMN 93. Scripture can't be broken.
Joh. 10.35.
And the Scripures cannot be broken, &c.
1
THe Scripture broken cannot be,
Let Men think what they will,
Such, ſuch is their veracity,
God will his VVord fulfill.
2
VVhatever thou, O Lord, haſt ſaid,
Accompliſhed ſhall be;
No Promiſe paſt, nor Threat delay'd,
No Soul ſhall ever ſee;
3
Becauſe they are Diuine we know,
Of ſuch Authority,
That they from thee alone do flow,
VVho will not, cannot lye.
4
Let Saints therefore rejoyce and ſing,
For they from hence may ſee
Great comfort unto them does ſpring
To all eternity;
5
For what thou haſt, Lord, promiſed
To ſuch who do believe,
As 'tis contained in thy VVord,
The ſame they ſhall receive:
6
But wo unto all wicked Ones,
Their doom appears hereby;
For if they live and die in ſin,
In Hell they all muſt lye.
7
All praiſe to thee, O God, alone,
VVhoſe VVord we know ſhall ſtand;
Let all ſuch ſing who it believe,
And yield to thy commmand,
8
VVho will do all, and do no more
Than written they do ſee,
Theſe, theſe ſhall ſing, and thee adore
Unto eternity.
HYMN 94. God's Word eſtabl. in Heaven.
Pſal. 119.89.
For ever, O Lord, thy Word is ſettled in Heaven.
1
IN Heaven, Lord, where thou doſt dwell
Thy VVord's eſtabliſh'd ſure,
And ſhall to all eternity
Faſt graven there endure.
2
From age to age thy Truth abides,
As doth the Earth witneſs,
Whoſe Ground-work thou haſt laid ſo firm
No tongue can it expreſs.
3
Go too therefore ye fooliſh Men,
Depart from me, Be gone;
For God's good Precepts we'll obey,
Nay, keep them ev'ry one.
4
What thou haſt promis'd, Lord, perform,
Till Death doth ſeize on me;
Ner'e let my hope abuſe me ſo
As to diſtruſt in thee.
5
Uphold me and I ſhall be ſafe
For ought they do or ſay,
And in thy Statutes pleaſure take,
O Lord, both night and day.
6
Thou haſt trod ſuch under thy feet
VVho do thy Statutes break;
For nought avails their ſubtilty,
Their counſel is but weak.
HYMN 95. Vertue and Power of Scripture
Pſal. 119.8, 9, 10, 11.
1
THy Covenants are very deep,
And full of things profound;
My Soul therefore thy Word will keep
When they are try'd and found.
2
When Men enter into thy VVord,
They find a Light moſt clear;
Tho' Fools, yet they, Lord, ſhall not err
VVhen they to it adhere.
3
The VVord of God moſt perfect is,
His Teſtimony ſure;
Converting Souls, and making wiſe
The ſimple and obſcure.
4
The Statutes of the Lord are right,
And fill the heart with joys;
The Precepts of the Lord are pure,
Enlightning the Eyes.
5
The Fear of God is clean alſo,
And doth endure for ever;
The Judgments of the Lord are true,
And righteous altogether.
6
Yea, more than Gold, than much fine Gold
To be embrac'd alway;
The Honey and the Honey-comb
Are not ſo ſweet as they:
7
They are thy Servants Monitors,
How he his life ſhould frame,
And great Rewards is there for them
VVho do obſerve the ſame.
HYMN 96. Profit of the Scriptures.
Joh. 5.39.
Search the Scriptures.
1
SEarch the Scripture, by which ye think
Eternal Life to have;
And thoſe are they that teſtifie
Of Him that came to ſave;
2
For what of old was given forth
VVas for our learning penn'd,
That we by Scriptures comforted
Might hope unto the end.
3
The Prophecy came not of old
By Man's own private will,
But holy Men of God foretold
By Heavn's inſpired skill:
4
Then to the Law and Teſtament
For they that ſpeak not right,
And as this Word doth repreſent,
In them there is no light:
For Scripture, ſacred Verities
Came all by Inſpiration,
Able to perfect and make wiſe,
Through Faith, unto Salvation.
HYMN 97. The Excellency of the Goſpel.
1
BLeſſed be God that we were born
Under the joyful ſound,
And rightly have Baptized been,
And bred on Engliſh ground,
2
Where God moſt gracious doth appear,
And does pour forth his Grace;
The lines are fallen unto us
In a moſt pleaſant place.
3
"We might have been dark Pagans all,
"Or veiled like each Jew,
"Or cheated with an Alcoran
"Amongſt the Turkiſh crew.
4
Dumb Pictures might we all ador'd,
Like Papiſts in Devotion;
And with Rome's Errours ſo been ſtor'd,
To drink her deadly Potion.
5
We might have liv'd in ſhades of night,
And ne're have known good days,
But thou haſt ſent us Goſpel Light
To thine eternal praiſe.
6
The Sun which roſe up in the East,
And drove their ſhades away,
Hath ſent his Light unto the West,
And turn'd our Night to Day.
7
Bleſſed be God for what we ſee,
Our God for what we hear;
Sweet News of Heaven, Lord, from thee
Sounds daily in our Ear.
The End of the Fourth Part.