Scripture Verse

These were more noble…in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed. Acts 17:11–12

Introduction

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Charles Wesley (1707–1788)

Words: Charles Wes­ley, Short Hymns on Se­lect Pas­sag­es of the Ho­ly Scrip­tures (Bris­tol, Eng­land: E. Far­ley, 1762), Vol­ume 2, num­ber 508, pag­es 272–73.

Music: He Lead­eth Me Will­iam B. Brad­bury, The Gold­en Cen­ser (New York: 1864) (🔊 pdf nwc).

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William B. Bradbury (1816–1868)

Lyrics

Can we in un­be­liev­ers find
That no­ble rea­di­ness of mind
To hear, in­ves­ti­gate, and prove
The truth of Je­su’s par­don­ing love?
Yes, Lord; thro’ Thy pre­vent­ing grace,
There are who cor­dial­ly em­brace
The joyf­ul news of sin for­giv­en,
With God Him­self sent down from Hea­ven.

Up from the sleep of na­ture stirred,
They dai­ly search Thy writ­ten word,
Inquiring if these things be so,
To Thine own ora­cles they go;
Thine ora­cles the an­swer give,
And will­ing mul­ti­tudes be­lieve
The Gos­pel by Thy Spi­rit sealed,
And find Thy glo­ri­ous self re­vealed.

What then are they that dare for­bid
The un­con­vinced Thy book to read,
Who take the sac­red key away,
Damp their de­sire to search and pray,
Conceal Thy re­cords from their view,
The Scrip­tures were not wrote for you,
Accept your more un­err­ing guide
The Church, the Ca­tho­lics—the bride!

Turn, sin­ners, turn from such away,
And ra­ther God than man ob­ey;
The Scrip­tures search both day and night,
And try if what ye hear be right;
Put forth your grain of gra­cious pow­er,
(Your use of that shall bring ye more)
’Till the true light Him­self impart,
And breathes, the Wit­ness, in your heart.