2 From night to day, from day to night,
The dawning and the dying light
Lectures of heavenly wisdom read;
With silent eloquence, they raise
Our thoughts to our Creator's praise,
And neither sound nor language need.

3 Yet their divine instructions run
Far as the journeys of the sun,

And every nation knows their voice;
The sun, like some young bridegroom dressed,
Breaks from the chambers of the east,

Rolls round, and makes the earth rejoice.
4 Where'er he spreads his beams abroad,
He smiles, and speaks his maker God;
All nature joins to show thy praise;
Thus God in every creature shines,
Fair are the book of nature's lines,
But fairer is thy book of grace.

The Books of Nature and Scripture compared. Psalm 19.
1 THE heavens declare thy glory, Lord;
In every star thy wisdom shines;
But when our eyes behold thy word,
We read thy name in fairer lines.

2 The rolling sun, the changing light,

And nights and days, thy power confess; But the blest volume thou hast writ Reveals thy justice and thy grace.

3 Sun, moon, and stars convey thy praise Round the whole earth, and never stand;

So, when thy truth begun its race,
It touched and glanced on every land.

4 Nor shall thy spreading gospel rest,

Till through the world thy truth has run,
Till Christ has all the nations blest,
That see the light, or feel the sun.

5 Great Sun of Righteousness, arise;
Bless the dark world with heavenly light;
Thy gospel makes the simple wise;
Thy laws are pure, thy judgments right.

6 Thy noblest wonders here we view,
In souls renewed, and sins forgiven;
Lord, cleanse my sins, my soul renew,
And make thy word my guide to heaven.

The Book of Nature and Scripture. Psalm 19.

1 BEHOLD, the lofty sky

Declares its maker God,

And all his starry works on high
Proclaim his power abroad.

2 The darkness and the light
Still keep their course the same,
While night to day, and day to night
Divinely teach his name.

3 In every different land

Their general voice is known ;
They show the wonders of his hand,
And orders of his throne.

4

5

Ye Christian lands, rejoice;
He here reveals his word;
We are not left to nature's voice,

To bid us know the Lord.

His statutes and commands
Are set before our eyes;

He puts his gospel in our hands,
Where our salvation lies.

6 While of thy works I sing,
Thy glory to proclaim,

Accept the praise, my God, my King, In my Redeemer's name.

Light and Glory of the Scriptures.

1 THE Spirit breathes upon the word,
And brings the truth to sight;
Precepts and promises afford
A sanctifying light.

2 A glory gilds the sacred page,
Majestic like the sun;
It gives a light to every age,
It gives, but borrows none.

3 The hand that gave it still supplies
The gracious light and heat;
His truths upon the nations rise,
They rise, but never set.

4 Let everlasting thanks be thine
For such a bright display,

As makes a world of darkness shine
With beams of heavenly day.

5 My soul rejoices to pursue
The steps of him I love,
Till glory break upon my view
In brighter worlds above.

God's Word most excellent. Psalm 19.

1 BEHOLD, the morning sun Begins his glorious way;

His beams through all the nations run, And life and light convey.

2

But where the gospel comes,

It spreads diviner light;

It calls dead sinners from their tombs,
And gives the blind their sight.

3 How perfect is thy word!
And all thy judgments just!
For ever sure thy promise, Lord,
And men securely trust.

4

My gracious God, how plain
Are thy directions given!
O, may I never read in vain,

But find the path to heaven!

5 I hear thy word with love,
And I would fain obey;
Send thy good Spirit from above
To guide me, lest I stray.

6

While with my heart and tongue
I spread thy praise abroad,

Accept the worship and the song,
My Saviour and my God.

L. P. M.

245.

WATTS.

Instruction and Delight from the Scriptures. Psalm 119.

1 How precious, Lord, thy holy word! What light and joy its truths afford

To souls benighted and distressed! Thy precepts guide our doubtful way; Thy fear forbids our steps to stray;

Thy promise leads the heart to rest.

2 Thy threatenings wake our slumbering eyes,
And warn us where our danger lies;
While gospel truth and grace divine
Inspire the heart with filial love,
Exalt and fix our hopes above,

And make the willing spirit thine.

3 From the discoveries of thy law
What perfect rules of life we draw!
Be these our study and delight;
May every deed, and word, and thought,
To truth and duty's standard brought,
Become well pleasing in thy sight.

4 O, may thy word those faults reveal,
Which blind self-love may yet conceal,
And from presumptuous sins restrain !
Thus taught to use the book of grace,
We'll raise a grateful song of praise
That we possess it not in vain.

C. M.

246.

MRS. STEELE.

Excellency of the Holy Scriptures.

1 FATHER of mercies! in thy word
What endless glory shines!