Now thine almighty infl’ence show,
And fill dry bones with living breath.
VII
O make them hear and feel and shake,
And at thy call obedient move.
The bonds of death and Satan break,
And bone to bone unite in love.
16
The Rod of Moses
By Newton
I
When Moses waved his mystic rod,
What wonders follow’d while he spoke!
Firm as a wall the waters stood,
Or gush’d in rivers from the rock.
II
At his command the thunders roll’d;
Lightning and hail his voice obey’d;
And Pharaoh trembled to behold
His land in desolation laid.
III
But what could Moses’ rod have done
Had he not been divinely sent?
The power was from the Lord alone,
And Moses but the instrument.
IV
O Lord, regard thy people’s pray’rs!
Assist a worm to preach aright;
And since thy gospel-rod he bears,
Display thy wonders in our sight.
V
Proclaim the thunders of thy law,
Like lightning let thine arrows fly,
That careless sinners, struck with awe,
For refuge may to Jesus fly.
VI
Make streams of godly sorrow flow
From rocky hearts, unused to feel;
And let the poor in spirit know
That thou art near their griefs to heal.
VII
But chiefly we would now look up
To ask a blessing for our youth,
The rising generation’s hope,
That they may know and love thy truth.
VIII
Arise, O Lord, afford a sign,
Now shall our pray’rs success obtain;
Since both the means and power are thine,
How can the rod be raised in vain?
17
God Speaking from Mount Zion
By Newton
I
The God who once to Isr’el spoke
From Sinai’s top in fire and smoke,
In gentler strains of gospel grace
Invites us now to seek his face.
II
He wears no terrors on his brow;
He speaks in love from Zion now;
It is the voice of Jesus’ blood,
Calling poor wand’rers home to God.
III
The holy Moses quaked and fear’d
When Sinai’s thund’ring law he heard:
But reigning grace, with accents mild,
Speaks to the sinner as a child.
IV
Hark! how from Calvary it sounds,
From the Redeemer’s bleeding wounds!
“Pardon and grace I freely give;
Poor sinner, look to me and live.”
V
What other arguments can move
The heart that slights a Saviour’s love!
Yet till almighty power constrain,
This matchless love is preach’d in vain.
VI
Saviour, let that power be felt,
And cause each stony heart to melt!
Deeply impress upon our youth
The light and force of gospel truth.
VII
With this new year may they begin
To live to thee, and die to sin;
To enter by the narrow way
Which leads to everlasting day.
VIII
How will they else thy presence bear
When as a Judge thou shalt appear!
When slighted love to wrath shall turn,
And the whole earth like Sinai burn!
18
A Prayer for Power on the Means of Grace
By Newton
I
Thou at whose almighty word
The glorious light from darkness sprung!
Thy quick’ning influence afford,
And clothe with power the preacher’s tongue.
II
Though ’tis thy truth he hopes to speak,
He cannot give the hearing ear;
’Tis thine, the stubborn heart to break,
And make the careless sinner fear.
III
As when, of old, the water flow’d
Forth from the rock at thy command;
Moses in vain had waved his rod
Without thy wonder-working hand.
IV
As when the walls of Jericho
Down to the earth at once were cast;
It was thy power that brought them low,
And not the trumpet’s feeble blast.
V
Thus we would in the means be found,
And thus on thee alone depend;
To make the gospel’s joyful sound
Effectual to the promised end.
VI
Now, while we hear thy word of grace.
Let self and pride before it fall;
And rocky hearts dissolve apace,
In streams of sorrow at thy call.
VII
On all our youth assembled here
The unction of thy Spirit pour;
Nor let them lose another year,
Lest thou shouldst strive and call no more.
19
Elijah’s Mantle
By Newton
2 Kings 2:11–14.
I
Elisha, struck with grief and awe,
Cried, Ah! where now is Isr’el’s stay?”
When he his honour’d master saw
Borne by a fiery car away.
II
But while he look’d a last adieu,
His mantle, as it fell, he caught;
The Spirit rested on him too,
And equal miracles he wrought.
III
“Where is Elijah’s God?” he cried,
And with the mantle smote the flood;
His word control’d the swelling tide,
Th’ obedient waters upright stood.
IV
The wonder-working gospel thus
From hand to hand has been convey’d;
We have the mantle still with us,
But where, O where’s the Spirit’s aid?
V
When Peter first his mantle waved,
How soon it melted hearts of steel!
Sinners, by thousands, then were saved,
But now how few its virtues feel!
VI
Where is Elijah’s God, the Lord,
Thine Isr’el’s hope and joy and boast?
Reveal thine arm, confirm thy word,
Give us another Pentecost!
VII
Assist thy messenger to speak,
And while he aims to lisp thy truth,
The bonds of sin and Satan break,
And pour thy blessing on our youth.
VIII
For them we now approach thy throne:
Teach them to know and love thy name,
Then shall thy thankful people own,
Elijah’s God is still the same.
After Sermons to Young People on New-Year’s Evenings, Suited to the Subjects
20
David’s Charge to Solomon
By Newton
1 Chronicles 28:9.
I
O David’s Son and David’s Lord!
From age to age thou art the same;
Thy gracious presence now afford,
And teach our youth to know thy name.
II
Thy people, Lord, though oft distress’d,
Upheld by thee, thus far are come;
And now we long to see thy rest,
And wait thy word to call us home.
III
Like David, when this life shall end,
We trust in thee sure peace to find;
Like him, to thee we now commend
The children we must leave behind.
IV
Ere long, we hope to be where care
And sin and sorrow never come;
But oh! accept our humble prayer,
That these may praise thee in our room
V
Show them how vile they are by sin,
And wash them in thy cleansing blood;
Oh, make them willing to be thine,
And be to them a
