Hymns and Spiritual Songs | Page 2

in
them peculiarly evangelical: and many parts of the Old Testament also,
that have a reference to the times of the Messiah.
"The second part consists of hymns whose form is mere human
composure; but I hope the sense and materials will always appear
divine. I might have brought some text or other, and applied it to the
margin of every verse, if this method had been as useful as it was easy.
If there be any poems in the book that are capable of giving delight to
persons of a more refined taste and polite education, perhaps they may
be found in this part; but except they lay aside the humour of criticism,

and enter into a devout frame, every ode here already despairs of
pleasing.
"I have prepared the third part only for the celebration of the Lord's
Supper, that, in imitation of our blessed Saviour, we may sing an hymn
after we have partaken of the Bread and Wine."
Hymns.
Book 1.
Collected from the Holy
Scriptures.
Hymn 1:1.
A new song to the Lamb that was slain.
Rev. 5. 6 8 9 10
12.
1 Behold the glories of the Lamb
Amidst his Father's throne

Prepare new honours for his name,
And songs before unknown.
2 Let elders worship at his feet,
The church adore around,
With
vials full of odours sweet,
And harps of sweeter sound.
3 Those are the prayers of the saints,
And these the hymns they raise:

Jesus is kind to our complaints,
He loves to hear our praise.
4 [Eternal Father, who shall look
Into thy secret will?
Who but the
Son shall take that book
And open every seal?
5 He shall fulfil thy great decrees,
The Son deserves it well;
Lo, in
his hand the sovereign keys
Of heaven, and death, and hell!]
6 Now to the Lamb that once was slain
Be endless blessings paid;

Salvation, glory, joy remain
For ever on thy head.
7 Thou hast redeem'd our souls with blood,
Hast set the pris'ners free,

Hast made us kings and priests to God,
And we shall reign with
thee.

8 The worlds of nature and of grace
Are put beneath thy power;

Then shorten these delaying days,
And bring the promis'd hour.
Hymn 1:2.
The deity and humanity of Christ, John 1. 1-3 14.
Col. 9.
16. Eph. 3, 9 10.
1 Ere the blue heavens were stretch'd abroad,
From everlasting was
the Word;
With God he was; the Word was God,
And must divinely
be ador'd.
2 By his own power were all things made;
By him supported all
things stand;
He is the whole creation's head,
And angels fly at his
command.
3 Ere sin was born, or Satan fell,
He led the host of morning stars;

(Thy generation who can tell,
Or count the number of thy years?)
4 But lo, he leaves those heavenly forms,
The Word descends and
dwells in clay,
That he may hold converse with worms,
Dress'd in
such feeble flesh as they.
5 Mortals with joy beheld his face,
Th' eternal Father's only Son;

How full of truth! how full of grace!
When thro' his eyes the Godhead
shone!
6 Archangels leave their high abode
To learn new mysteries here, and
tell
The loves of our descending God,
The glories of Imannuel.
Hymn 1:3.
The nativity of Christ, Luke 1. 30 &c. Luke 2, 10 &c.
1 Behold, the grace appears,
The promise is fulfill'd;
Mary the
wondrous virgin bears,
And Jesus is the child.
2 [The Lord, the highest God,
Calls him his only Son;
He bids him
rule the lands abroad,
And gives, him David's throne.

3 O'er Jacob shall he reign
With a peculiar sway;
The nations shall
his grace obtain,
His kingdom ne'er decay.]
4 To bring the glorious news
A heavenly form appears;
He tells the
shepherds of their joys,
And banishes their fears.
5 "Go, humble swains," said he,
"To David's city fly;
"The promis'd
infant born to-day,
"Doth in a manger lie.
6 "With looks and heart serene,
"Go visit Christ your King;"
And
straight, a flaming troop was seen;
The shepherds heard them sing:
7 "Glory to God on high,
"And heavenly peace on earth,

"Good-will to men, to angels joy,
"At the Redeemer's birth!"
8 [In worship so divine
Let saints employ their tongues,
With the
celestial host we join,
And loud repeat their songs:
9 "Glory to God on high,
"And heavenly peace on earth,

"Good-will to men, to angels joy,
"At our Redeemer's Birth."]
Hymn 1:4. [Supplement]
The inward witness to Christianity, 1 John 5.
10.
1 Questions and doubts be heard no more;
Let Christ and joy be all
our theme;
His Spirit seals his gospel sure,
To every soul that trusts
in him.
2 Jesus, thy witness speaks within:
The mercy which thy words
reveal
Refines the heart from sense and sin,
And stamps its own
celestial seal.
3 'Tis God's inimitable hand
That moulds and forms the heart anew;

Blasphemers can no more withstand,
But bow and own thy
doctrine true.

4 The guilty wretch that trusts thy blood,
Finds peace and pardon at
thy cross;
The sinful soul averse to God,
Believes and loves his
Maker's laws.
5 Learning and wit may cease their strife,
When miracles with glory
shine;
The voice that calls the dead to life
Must