The book of nature open lies

The book of nature open lies

Author: John Newton
Published in 14 hymnals

Full Text

1 The book of nature open lies,
With much instruction stored;
But till the Lord anoints our eyes,
We cannot read a word.

2 The knowledge of the saints excels
The wisdom of the schools;
To them his secrets God reveals,
Tho' men account them fools.

3 To them the sun and stars on high,
The flowers that paint the field,
And all the artless birds that fly,
Divine instruction yield.

4 The creatures on their senses press,
As witnesses to prove
Their Savior's power and faithfulness,
His providence and love.

5 Thus may we study nature's book,
To make us wise indeed!
And pity those who only look
At what they cannot read.

The Hartford Selection of Hymns from the most approved authors, 1799

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Author: John Newton

Newton, John, who was born in London, July 24, 1725, and died there Dec. 21, 1807, occupied an unique position among the founders of the Evangelical School, due as much to the romance of his young life and the striking history of his conversion, as to his force of character. His mother, a pious Dissenter, stored his childish mind with Scripture, but died when he was seven years old. At the age of eleven, after two years' schooling, during which he learned the rudiments of Latin, he went to sea with his father. His life at sea teems with wonderful escapes, vivid dreams, and sailor recklessness. He grew into an abandoned and godless sailor. The religious fits of his boyhood changed into settled infidelity, through the study of Shaftesbury and… Go to person page >

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Text Information

First Line: The book of nature open lies
Author: John Newton
Meter: 8.6.8.6
Language: English
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Instances

Instances (14)TextImageAudioScore
A Choice Selection of Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs for the use of Christians #35Image
A Collection of Evangelical Hymns; made from Different Authors and Collections for the English Lutheran Church in New York #d221
Christian Psalms and Hymns to Aid in Public and Private Devotion #d840
Hymns for Children and Young Persons. First Am. from the London ed. #d118
Old School Sonnets, or a Selection of Choice Hymns #d224
Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs, 4th ed. #d179
Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Original and Selected. (14th stereotype ed.) #S1Image
Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs: original and selected (5th ed.) #S1Image
Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Original and Selected. (7th ed.) #S1Image
Selection of Hymns for the Sunday School Union of the Methodist Episcopal Church #30Image
The Baptist Hymn Book: comprising a large and choice collection of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, adapted to the faith and order of the Old School, or Primitive Baptists (2nd stereotype Ed.) #396Image
The Hartford Selection of Hymns from the Most Approved Authors: to which are added a number never before published #XXVITextImage
The Hartford Selection of Hymns from the most approved authors to which are added, a number never before published. #26Image
The Hartford Selection of Hymns: from the most approved authors: to which are added a number never before published (2nd ed.) #XXVITextImage
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