Isaac Watts - The Poetical Works of Isaac Watts, D.D, Vol. 3 of 7: Containing His Hymns and Spiritual Songs; In Three Books

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Hymns and Spiritual Songs, by Isaac Watts

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Title: Hymns and Spiritual Songs

Author: Isaac Watts

Release Date: August 31, 2004 [EBook #13341]

Language: English

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS ***

Produced by Lewis Jones.

In Three Books.

1. Collected from the Scriptures.

2. Composed on Divine Subjects.

3. Prepared for the Lord's Supper.

By I. Watts, D.D.

Revelation 5, 9.And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy, &c. for thouwast slain, and hast redeemed us, &c.

Soliti essent (i.e. Christiani) convenire, carmenque Christo quasiDeo dicere.Plin. In Epist.

Transcriber's Note.

There are significant differences in the numerous reprints of
Isaac Watts' "Hymns and Spiritual Songs." The first generation
of this Project Gutenberg file was from an 1818 printing by C.
Corrall of 38 Charing Cross, London.

The "Index" and the "Table of the Scriptures that are Turned intoVerse" are retained, and can be found at the end of the text. The"Table to find any Hymn by the first Line," however, has beenomitted for the following reasons:1. It refers to page numbers that are here expunged; and2. In this electronic version first lines can be easilylocated via searches.

There are 3 books of hymns, and numbers have been added to indicatein which of these the hymns are placed. For example, "2:38" refersto "Book 2, Hymn Number 38," and so on.

Throughout, modern numerals have been substituted for their Romanequivalents.

Preface.

The following extracts from the Doctor's preface contain thesubstance of his plan in the three different parts into which theHymns are divided; the whole would have exceeded the limits of asmall book.

"Far be it from my thoughts to lay aside the Book of Psalms inpublic worship; few can pretend so great a value for them asmyself: it is the most noble, most devotional and divine collectionof poesy; and nothing can be supposed more proper to raise a pioussoul to heaven than some parts of that book; never was a piece ofexperimental divinity so nobly written, and so justly reverencedand admired. But it must be acknowledged still, that there are athousand lines in it which were not made for a church in our daysto assume as its own. There are also many deficiencies of lightand glory which our Lord Jesus and his apostles have supplied inthe writings of the New Testament: and with this advantage I havecomposed these Spiritual Songs, which are now presented to theWorld. Nor is the attempt vainglorious or presuming; for in respectof clear evangelical knowledge, 'The least in the kingdom of heavenis greater than all the Jewish Prophets.' Matt. xi. 11.

"Now let me give a short account of the following composures.

"The greatest part of them are suited to the general state of thegospel, and the most common affairs of Christians: I hope therewill be very few found but what may properly be used in a religiousassembly, and not one of them but may well be adapted to someseasons either of private or public worship. The most frequenttempers and changes of our spirit, and conditions of our life,are here copied, and the breathings of our piety expressed accordingto the variety of our passions, our love, our fear, our hope, ourdesire, our sorrow, our wonder and our joy, as they are refinedinto devotion, and act under the influence and conduct of theblessed Spirit; all conversing with God the Father 'by the newand living Way' of access to the throne, even the person and themediation of our Lord Jesus Christ. To him also, even 'to the Lambthat was slain and now lives,' I have addressed many a song; forthus doth the holy Scripture instruct and teach us to worship inthe various patterns of Christian psalmody described in theRevelation.

"I have aimed at ease of numbers, and smoothness of sound, andendeavoured to make the sense plain and obvious. If the verseappears so gentle and flowing as to incur the censure of feebleness,I may honestly affirm, that sometimes it cost me labour to makeit so.

"In the first part I have borrowed the sense and much of the formof the song from some particular portions of scripture, and haveparaphrased most of the doxologies in the New Testament, thatcontain any thing in them peculiarly evangelical: and many partsof the Old Testament also, that have a reference to the times ofthe Messiah.

"The second part consists of hymns whose form is mere humancomposure; but I hope the sense and materials will always appeardivine. I might have brought some text or other, and applied itto the margin of every verse, if this method had been as usefulas it was easy. If there be any poems in the book that are capableof giving delight to persons of a more refined taste and politeeducation, perhaps they may be found in this part; but except theylay 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 theLord's Supper, that, in imitation of our blessed Saviour, we maysing an hymn after we have partaken of the Bread and Wine."

Hymns.

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.