3 Come then, ye blind, and beg, and pray,
And in the Lord believe;
For who can tell? perhaps to-day
You may your sight receive.
4 Jesus of Naz'reth passeth by-
He is the sinner's friend;
Call on his name, and wait and cry,
He will your suit attend.
5 Should sinners say "hold ye your peace, "Nor dare to make so free,"
The louder cry, and never cease,
"Have mercy, Lord, on me.'
6 Your worthless garments leave behind
Go to the Lord of light;
Trust in his name, however blind,
And he will give you sight.
191. 148th. Newton.
The Beggar....Matt. vii. 7, 8.
NCOURAG'D by the word
Of promise to the
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.
The beggar's usual plea,
Relief from men to gain,
If offer'd unto thee,
I know thou wouldst disdain;
And those which move thy gracious ear,
Are such as men would scorn to hear.
'Twere folly to pretend
I never begg'd before;
Or, if thou now befriend,
I'll trouble thee no more;
Thou often hast reliev'd my pain,
And often I must come again.
4 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.
192. L. M. Thwaite's Col.
Bethesda's Pool.... John v. 2-4.
OW long, thou faithful God, shall I
Here in thy ways forgotten lie?
When shall the means of healing be
The channels of thy grace to me?
2 Sinners on every side step in,
And wash away their pain and sin;
But I, an helpless, sin-sick soul,
Still lie expiring at the pool.
3 Thou Cov'nant angel, swift come down,
To-day thine own appointments crown;
Thy pow'r into the means infuse,
And give them now their sacred use.
4 Thou seest me lying at the pool,
I would, thou know'st I would be whole:
O let the troubled waters move,
And minister thy healing love.
193. S. M. Newton.
Bethesda's Pool....John v. 2-40
ESIDE the gospel pool,
Appointed for the poor,
From year to year my helpless soul
Has waited for a cure.
The healing waters move;
And others round me stepping in,
Their efficacy prove!
But my complaints remain;
I feel the very same;
As full of guilt, and fear, and pain,
As when at first I came.
O, would the Lord appear
My malady to heal;
He knows how long I've languish'd here,
And what distress I feel.
[5 How often have I thought
Why should I longer lie?
Surely the mercy I have sought
Is not for such as I?
There is no other pool
Where streams of sov'reign virtue flow
To make a sinner whole.]
Here, then, from day to day,
I'll wait, and hope, and try;
Can Jesus hear a sinner pray,
Yet suffer him to die?
No-he is full of grace;
He never will permit
A soul, that fain would see his face,
To perish at his feet.
194. L. M. Scott.
Bible indited and preserved by God the Spirit....Isa. xl. 8.
TERNAL Spirit! 'twas thy breath
The oracles of truth inspir'd;
And kings and holy seers of old
With strong prophetic impulse fir'd.
2 Fill'd with thy great almighty pow'r,
Their lips with heav'nly science flow'd;
Their hands a thousand wonders wrought,
Which bore the signature of God.
3 With gladsome hearts they spread the news
Of pardon, thro' a Saviour's blood;
And to a num'rous seeking crowd
Mark'd out the path to his abode.
4 The pow'rs of earth and hell in vain
Against the sacred word combine;
Thy providence thro' ev'ry age
Securely guards the work divine.
5 Thee, its great author, source of light,
Thee, its preserver, we adore ;
And humbly ask a ray from thee,
Its hidden wonders to explore.
Excellency of the Bible....Ps. cxix. 97.
ATHER of mercies, in thy word
What endless glory shines!
For ever be thy name ador'd
For these celestial lines!
2 Here may the wretched sons of want Exhaustless riches find;
Riches, above what earth can grant,
And lasting as the mind.
3 Here the fair tree of knowledge grows,
And yields a sweet repast;
Sublimer sweets than nature knows
Invite the longing taste.
4 Here springs of consolation rise
To cheer the fainting mind;
And thirsty souls receive supplies,
And sweet refreshment find.
5 Here the Redeemer's welcome voice Spreads heav'nly peace around; And life and everlasting joys
Attend the blissful sound!
6 O may these heav'nly pages be
My ever dear delight;
And still new beauties may I see,
And still increasing light!
7 Divine instructor, gracious Lord,
Be thou forever near ;
Teach me to love thy sacred word,
And view my Saviour there!
196. 8.7. Newton.
Precious Bible....Psalm xix. 10.
RECIOUS Bible! what a treasure
Does the word of God afford!
All I want for life or pleasure,
Food and med'cine, shield and sword;
Let the world account me poor-
Having this I need no more.
2 Food, to which the world's a stranger,
Here my hungry soul enjoys;
Of excess there is no danger,
Tho' it fills, it never cloys:
On a dying Christ I feed-
He is meat and drink indeed!
Whereas I was blind, now I see....John ix. 25.
OW let my soul with wonder trace
The Saviour's miracles of grace;
Now let my lips and life record
The loving-kindness of the Lord.
2 'Till late I fancied all was well,
Tho' walking in the road to hell;
But now, thro' grace divinely free,
I, who was blind, am brought to see.
3 Long had I slept in nature's night,
But Jesus came and gave me light!
Ten-thousand praises, Lord, to thee,
'That tho' born blind, yet now I see!
4 Long had I wallow'd in my sin;
Blind to the dangers I was in;
But now appeal, great God, to thee,
That tho' once blind, yet now I see!
5 Long did I on the law rely,
And pass the friend of sinners by;
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