VI
When a guilty sinner sees him,
While he looks his soul is heal’d;
Soon this sight from anguish frees him,
And imparts a pardon seal’d:
May this Saviour be to all our hearts reveal’d!
VII
With desire and admiration,
All his blood-bought flock behold
Him who wrought out their salvation,
And enclosed them in his fold:
Yet their warmest love and praises are too cold.
VIII
By the eye of carnal reason
Many view him with disdain;
How will they abide the season
When he comes with all his train?
To escape him then they’ll wish, but wish in vain.
IX
How their hearts will melt and tremble
When they hear his awful voice
But his saints he’ll then assemble,
As his portion and his choice,
And receive them to his everlasting joys.
79
Praise for the Fountain Opened
By Cowper
Zechariah 13:1.
I
There is a fountain fill’d with blood
Drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stains.
II
The dying thief rejoiced to see
That fountain in his day;
And there have I, as vile as he,
Wash’d all my sins away.
III
Dear dying Lamb, thy precious blood
Shall never lose its power
Till all the ransom’d church of God
Be saved, to sin no more.
IV
E’er since, by faith, I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die.
V
Then in a nobler, sweeter song,
I’ll sing thy power to save—
When this poor lisping stamm’ring tongue
Lies silent in the grave.
VI
Lord, I believe thou hast prepared
(Unworthy though I be,)
For me a blood-bought free reward,
A golden harp for me!
VII
’Tis strung, and tuned for endless years,
And form’d by power divine;
To sound in God the Father’s ears
No other name but thine.
80
They Shall Be Mine, Saith the Lord
By Newton
Malachi 3:16–18.
I
When sinners utter boasting words,
And glory in their shame,
The Lord, well pleased, an ear affords,
To those who fear his name.
II
They often met to seek his face;
And what they do or say
Is rioted in his book of grace
Against another day.
III
For they, by faith, a day descry,
And joyfully expect,
When he, descending from the sky,
His jewels will collect.
IV
Unnoticed now, because unknown,
A poor and suff’ring few;
He comes to claim them for his own,
And bring them forth to view.
V
With transport then their Saviour’s care
And favour they shall prove;
As tender parents guard and spare
The children of their love.
VI
Assembled worlds will then discern
The saints alone are blest,
When wrath shall like an oven burn,
And vengeance strike the rest.
81
The Beggar
By Newton
Matthew 7:7–8.
I
Encouraged by thy word
Of promise to the poor,
Behold a beggar, Lord,
Waits at thy mercy’s door!
No hand, no heart, O Lord, but thine,
Can help or pity wants like mine.
II
The beggar’s usual plea,
Relief from men to gain,
If offer’d unto thee,
I know thou wouldst disdain;
And pleas which move thy gracious ear
Are such as men would scorn to hear.
III
I have no right to say,
That though I now am poor,
Yet once there was a day
When I possessed more:
Thou know’st that from my very birth
I’ve been the poorest wretch on earth.
IV
Nor can I dare profess,
As beggars often do,
Though great is my distress,
My faults have been but few:
If thou shouldst leave my soul to starve,
It would be what I well deserve.
V
’Twere folly to pretend
I never begg’d before;
Or if thou now befriend,
I’ll trouble thee no more;
Thou often hast relieved my pain,
And often I must come again.
VI
Though crumbs are much too good
For such a dog as I,
No less than children’s food
My soul can satisfy.
O do not frown and bid me go—
I must have all thou canst bestow!
VII
Nor can I willing be
Thy bounty to conceal
From others who, like me,
Their wants and hunger feel:
I’ll tell them of thy mercy’s store,
And try to send a thousand more.
VIII
Thy thoughts, thou Only Wise,
Our thoughts and ways transcend,
Far as the arched skies
Above the earth extend:
Such pleas as mine men would not bear,
But God receives a beggar’s pray’r.
82
The Leper
By Newton
Matthew 8:2–3.
I
Oft as the leper’s case I read,
My own described I feel:
Sin is a leprosy indeed
Which none but Christ can heal.
II
Awhile I would have pass’d for well,
And strove my spots to hide,
Till it broke out incurable,
Too plain to be denied.
III
Then from the saints I sought to flee,
And dreaded to be seen;
I thought they all would point at me.
And cry, “Unclean, unclean!”
IV
What anguish did my soul endure
Till hope and patience ceased!
The more I strove myself to cure,
The more the plague increased.
V
While thus I lay distress’d, I saw
The Saviour passing by;
To him, though fill’d with shame and awe,
I raised my mournful cry.
VI
Lord, thou canst heal me if thou wilt,
For thou canst all things do;
O cleanse my leprous soul from guilt,
My filthy heart renew.
VII
He heard, and with a gracious look
Pronounced the healing word;
“I will—be clean,” and while he spoke
I felt my health restored.
VIII
Come, lepers, seize the present hour,
The Saviour’s grace to prove;
He can relieve, for he is power—
He will, for he is love.
83
A Sick Soul
By Newton
Matthew 9:12.
I
Physician of my sin-sick soul,
To thee I bring my case;
My raging malady control,
And heal
