2 But there"s a voice of sovereign grace Sounds from the sacred word;-- "Ho! ye despairing sinners! come And trust a faithful Lord."
3 My soul obeys the gracious call And runs to this relief; I would believe thy promise, Lord!
Oh! help my unbelief.
4 To the blest fountain of thy blood, Incarnate G.o.d! I fly; Here let me wash my spotted soul, From crimes of deepest dye.
5 A guilty, weak, and helpless worm, On thy kind arms I fall; Be thou my strength and righteousness My Jesus, and my all.
Isaac Watts, 1707.
183 Downs. C.M.
_Man"s Need of the New Birth._ (400)
Sinners, this solemn truth regard, Hear, all ye sons of men; For Christ, the Savior, hath declared, "Ye must be born again."
2 Whate"er might be your birth or blood, The sinner"s boast is vain; Thus saith the glorious Son of G.o.d, "Ye must be born again."
3 That which is born of flesh is flesh, And flesh it will remain: Then marvel not that Jesus saith, "Ye must be born again."
4 Spirit of life, thy grace impart, And breathe on sinners slain: Bear witness, Lord, in ev"ry heart, That we are born again.
John Fawcett.
184 Rockbridge. L.M.
_Man"s Need of Christ._ (402)
Buried in shadows of the night We lie, till Christ restores the light; Till he descends to heal the blind, And chase the darkness of the mind.
2 Our guilty souls are drowned in tears, Till his atoning blood appears; Then we awake from deep distress, And sing the Lord our righteousness.
3 Jesus beholds where Satan reigns, And binds his slaves in heavy chains; He sets the prisoners free, and breaks The iron bondage from our necks.
4 Poor, helpless worms in thee possess Grace, wisdom, power, and righteousness Thou art our mighty all, and we Give our whole selves, O Lord, to thee.
Isaac Watts, 1709.
185 Melody. C.M.
_Law and Grace._ (399)
Vain are the hopes, the sons of men On their own works have built; Their hearts by nature all unclean, And all their actions, guilt.
2 Let Jew and Gentile stop their mouths, Without a murm"ring word; And the whole race of Adam stand Guilty before the Lord.
3 In vain we ask G.o.d"s righteous law To justify us now, Since to convince, and to condemn, Is all the law can do.
4 Jesus! how glorious is thy grace!
When in thy name we trust, Our faith receives a righteousness, That makes the sinner just.
Isaac Watts, 1709.
186 Glorious Fountain. C.M.
_Glorious Fountain._ (407)
There is a fountain filled with blood, Drawn from Immanuel"s veins, And sinners plunged beneath that flood, Lose all their guilty stains.
Cho.--Oh, glorious fountain!
Here will I stay, And in thee ever Wash my sins away.
2 The dying thief rejoiced to see, That fountain in his day, And there may I, though vile as he, Wash all my sins away.
3 Thou dying Lamb, thy precious blood, Shall never lose its power, Till all the ransomed church of G.o.d, Are saved to sin no more.
4 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.
5 And when this feeble, faltering tongue Lies silent in the grave, Then in a n.o.bler, sweeter song, I"ll sing thy power to save.
William Cowper, 1779.
187 Siloam. C.M.
_The All-Sufficient Grace._ (488)
When wounded sore, the stricken soul Lies bleeding and unbound: One hand alone, a pierced hand, Can heal the sinner"s wound.
2 When sorrow swells the laden breast, And tears of anguish flow, One heart alone, a broken heart, Can feel the sinner"s woe.
3 "Tis Jesus" blood that washes white, His hand, that brings relief; His heart, that"s touched with all our joys, And feeleth for our grief.
4 Lift up thy bleeding hand, O Lord!
Unseal that cleansing tide; We have no shelter from our sin, But in thy wounded side.
Mrs. Cecil F. Alexander, 1858.
188 Siloam. C.M.
_Salvation._
Salvation! oh, the joyful sound!
What pleasure to our ears; A sovereign balm for every wound, A cordial for our fears.