131 HYMN. L. M. Divine Authority of the Bible. 1 'TWAS by an order from the Lord, The ancient prophets spoke his word; His Spirit did their tongues inspire, And warm their hearts with heav'nly fire. 2 Great God! mine eyes with pleasure look On the dear volume of thy book; There my Redeemer's face I see. 1 HOW precious, Lord, thy sacred word! Thy precepts guide our doubtful way, 2 Thy threat'nings wake our slumb❜ring eyes, That makes the guilty conscience clean, 1 OPPRESS'D with guilt, and full of fears, I come to thee, my Lord; While not a ray of hope appears, 2 The volume of my Father's grace Here I behold my Saviour's face, 3 Here living water freely flows, "Tis here the tree of knowledge grows, 4 O! may thy counsels, mighty God, 1 BEHOLD the morning sun His beams through all the nations run, 2 But where the gospel comes, It spreads diviner light, It calls dead sinners from their tombs, 3 How perfect is thy word! And all thy judgments just! 4 My gracious God, how plain 1 HOW shall the young secure their hearts, 2 'Tis like the sun-a heavenly light, And, through the dangers of the night, 3 Thy precepts make me truly wise; I hate the sinner's road; I hate my own vain thoughts that rise, 4 Thy word is everlasting truth, That holy book shall guide our youth, 136 AFFLICTIONS AND DEATH. HYMN. 8's and 7's. Mourners comforted. 1 CEASE, ye mourners, cease to languish, 2 While our silent steps are straying, Lonely, through night's deep'ning shade, Sheds o'er heav'n a moment's gloom. 1'HOW bless'd the righteous when he dies! 2 So fades a summer cloud away, So sinks the gale when storms are o'er, So dies a wave along the shore. 3 A holy quiet reigns around, A calm which life nor death destroys; Nothing disturbs that peace profound Which his unfetter'd soul enjoys. 4 Farewell, conflicting hopes and fears, Where lights and shades alternate dwell; How bright th' unchanging morn appears, Farewell, inconstant world, farewell. 1 HEAR what the voice from heav'n proclaims, For all the pious dead; Sweet is the savour of their names, And soft their sleeping beds. 2 They die in Jesus, and are bless'd; 3 Far from this world of toil and strife, 1 THAT once lov'd form now cold and dead, Each mournful thought employs; And nature weeps, her comforts fled, 2 Hope looks beyond the bounds of time; Shall rise in full immortal prime, 3 Then cease, fond nature, cease thy tears, There everlasting spring appears, HYMN. C. M. 140 "The weary are at rest." 1 HOW still and peaceful is the grave, Th' appointed house, by heav'n's decree, 2 The wicked there from troubling cease, 3 All, levell'd by the hand of death, Till God, in judgment, call them forth › THE grave is now a favour'd spot— To saints who sleep, in Jesus bless'd; For there the wicked trouble not, And there the weary are at rest. 2 At rest in Jesus' faithful arms; At rest as in a peaceful bed: Secure from all the dreadful storms, Which round this sinful world are spread. 3 Thrice, happy souls, who're gone before They labour, sorrow, sigh no more, 1 HOW blest is our brother, bereft How easy the soul that has left This wearisome body behind! Of evil incapable thou, see, Whose relics with envy I 2 This earth is affected no more With sickness, or shaken with pain; The war in the members is o'er, And never shall vex him again; |