The path that Christians tread

1 The path that Christians tread
To reason’s eye is strange;
Through regions of the dead,
They frequently must range;
Ten thousand monstrous beasts of prey
Beset the soul by night and day.

2 We must not learn God’s truth
As school-boys learn their task;
Such knowledge is not proof
Against delusion’s blast.
An empty knowledge bloats with air,
But dies when dreadful storms appear.

3 Christians oft pray for faith;
To trace God’s beauties more;
To triumph over death;
And Jesus’ name adore.
God hears and answers their desire;
But ’tis through scenes of floods and fire.

4 [Sin, armed with all the spleen
Of enmity to God,
Oft rises up within,
And scorns the Saviour’s blood;
A world of filth, too base to name,
Beset and plunge the soul in shame.

5 To pray, he thinks too bold;
While he in silence moans,
His bones keep waxing old,
By reason of his groans;
And by such means, though strange to tell,
The Lord will teach him Jesus well.]

6 When self and nature die,
And all our beauty’s gone,
The Saviour brings us nigh,
To trust in him alone;
’Tis then we trust his righteousness,
And rest alone on sovereign grace.

7 Thus Jesus wears the crown;
We gladly trace the power
That brings all nature down,
And leads us to adore
Jesus, the Lord our Righteousness,
Who saves in every deep distress.

Source: A Selection of Hymns for Public Worship. In four parts (10th ed.) (Gadsby's Hymns) #618