From Hart's Hymns
Joseph Hart, 1712-1768
Come, ye Christians, sing the praises
Of your condescending God;
Come and hymn the holy Jesus,
Who has washed us in his blood.
We are poor, and weak, and silly,
And to every evil prone;
Yet our Jesus loves us freely,
And receives us for his own.
Though we're mean in man's opinion,
He has made us priests and kings;
Power, glory, and dominion,
To the Lamb the sinner sings.
Leprous souls, unsound and filthy,
Come before him as you are:
'Tis the sick man, not the healthy,
Needs the good Physician's care.
O beware of fondly thinking
God accepts thee for thy tears;
Are the shipwrecked saved by sinking?
Can the ruined rise by fears?
O beware of trust ill-grounded;
'Tis but fancied faith at most,
To be cured, and not be wounded;
To be saved before you're lost.
No big words of ready talkers,
No dry doctrine will suffice;
Broken hearts, and humble walkers,
These are dear in Jesus' eyes.
Tinkling sounds of disputation,
Naked knowledge, all are vain;
Every soul that gains salvation
Must and shall be born again.
