Isaac Watts

Prophecy and inspiration.

'Twas by an order from the Lord The ancient prophets spoke his word; His Spirit did their tongues inspire, And warmed their hearts with heav'nly fire.

The works and wonders which they wrought Confirmed the messages they brought; The prophet's pen succeeds his breath, To save the holy words from death.

Great God, mine eyes with pleasure look On the dear volume of thy book; There my Redeemer's face I see, And read his name who died for me.

Let the false raptures of the mind Be lost, and vanish in the wind; Here I can fix my hope secure; This is thy word, and must endure.

My God, how many are my fears! How fast my foes increase! Conspiring my eternal death, They break my present peace.

The lying tempter would persuade There's no relief from heaven; And all my swelling sins appear Too big to be forgiven.

But thou, my glory and my strength, Shall on the tempter tread, Shall silence all my threat'ning guilt, And raise my drooping head.

I cried, and from his holy hill He bowed a list'ning ear; I called my Father, and my God, And He subdued my fear.

He shed soft slumbers on mine eyes, In spite of all my foes; I woke, and wondered at the grace That guarded my repose.

What through the hosts of death and hell All armed against me stood, Terrors no more shall shake my soul; My refuge is my God.

Arise O Lord, fulfill thy grace, While I thy glory sing; My God has broke the serpent's teeth, And death has lost his sting.

Salvation to the Lord belongs; His arm alone can save: Blessings attend thy people here, And reach beyond the grave.

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.

The rolling sun, the changing light, And night and day, thy power confess; But the blest volume thou hast writ Reveals thy justice and thy grace.

Sun, moon, and stars convey thy praise Round the whole earth, and never stand; So when thy truth began its race, It touched and glanced on every land.

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.

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.

v.12-15 L. M. Grace above riches; or, The happy nation.

Happy the city where their sons, Like pillars round a palace set, And daughters, bright as polished stones, Give strength and beauty to the state.

Happy the country where the sheep, Cattle, and corn, have large increase; Where men securely work or sleep, Nor sons of plunder break the peace.

Happy the nation thus endowed, But more divinely blest are those On whom the all-sufficient God Himself with all his grace bestows.

Baptism.

Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:38.

'Twas the commission of our Lord, "Go teach the nations, and baptize:" The nations have received the word Since he ascended to the skies.

He sits upon th' eternal hills, With grace and pardon in his hands; And sends his cov'nant with the seals, To bless the distant British lands.

"Repent, and be baptized," he saith, For the remission of your sins:" And thus our sense assists our faith, And shows us what his gospel means.

Our souls he washes in his blood, As water makes the body clean; And the good Spirit from our God Descends like purifying rain.

Thus we engage ourselves to thee, And seal our cov'nant with the Lord; O may the great eternal Three In heav'n our solemn vows record!

Happy the man to whom his God No more imputes his sin, But, washed in the Redeemer's blood, Hath made his garments clean.

Happy beyond expression he Who debts are thus discharged; And from the guilty bondage free, He feels his soul enlarged.

His spirit hates deceit and lies, His words are all sincere; He guards his heart, he guards his eyes, To keep his conscience clear.

While I my inward guilt suppressed, No quiet could I find; Thy wrath lay burning in my breast, And racked my tortured mind.

Then I confessed my troubled thoughts, My secret sins revealed; Thy pard'ning grace forgave my faults, Thy grace my pardon sealed.

This shall invite thy saints to pray; When like a raging flood Temptations rise, our strength and stay Is a forgiving God.

God is the refuge of his saints, When storms of sharp distress invade; Ere we can offer our complaints, Behold him present with his aid!

Let mountains from their seats be hurled Down to the deep, and buried there, Convulsions shake the solid world, Our faith shall never yield to fear.

Loud may the troubled ocean roar; In sacred peace our souls abide; While every nation, every shore, Trembles, and dreads the swelling tide.

There is a stream, whose gentle flow Supplies the city of our God, Life, love, and joy still gliding through, And watering our divine abode.

Zion enjoys her monarch's love, Secure against the threatening hour; Nor can her firm foundation move, Built on his faithfulness and power.

Let Zion in her King rejoice, Though Satan rage, and kingdoms rise: He utters his almighty voice, The nations melt, the tumult dies.

The Lord of old for Jacob fought; And Jacob's God is still our aid: Behold the works his hand hath wrought! What desolations he hath made!

From sea to sea, through all their shores, He makes the noise of battle cease; When from on high his thunder roars, He awes the trembling world to peace.

He breaks the bow, he cuts the spear; Chariots he burns with heavenly flame: Keep silence, all the earth, and hear The sound and glory of his name:

"Be still, and learn that I am God, Exalted over all the lands; I will be known and feared abroad; For still my throne in Zion stands."

O Lord of hosts, almighty King! While we so near thy presence dwell, Our faith shall rest secure, and sing Defiance to the gates of hell.

Our tongues were made to bless the Lord, And not speak ill of men: When others give a railing word, We must not rail again.

Cross words and angry names require To be chastised at school; And he's in danger of hell-fire That calls his brother fool.

But lips that dare be so profane To mock, and jeer, and scoff At holy things, or holy men, The Lord shall cut them off.

When children, in their wanton play, Served old Elisha so, And bade the prophet go his way, "Go up, thou bald head, go!"

God quickly stopped their wicked breath; And sent two raging bears, That tore them limb from limb to death, With blood, and groans, and tears.

Great God! How terrible art thou To sinners e'er so young: Grant me thy grace, and teach me how To tame and rule my tongue.