Who of the Great, or Wise

Who of the great

or wise

Hath our re­port be­lieved!

Alas! they close their eyes

Nor will be un­de­ceived:

The world cry out

in need­less fright

Your rash at­tempt for­bear

To lift us to pre­sump­tion’s height

Or plunge us in des­pair.

Whoever seek to know

Their sins on earth for­giv­en

Or sink in hope­less woe

Or rise to mad­ness driv­en.

They safe­ly choose the mid­dle way

Aware of each ex­treme

The on­ly pru­dent men are they

And wis­dom dies with them.

The say­ings of our Lord

Their fol­ly dares des­pise

Above the writ­ten Word

To their own ru­in

wise;

The writ­ten Word

by which we steer

From all mis­take se­cure

It bids us make our call­ing here

And our elect­ion sure.

It bids the wea­ry come

And find in Christ their rest

Invites the wan­der­er home

To his Re­deem­er’s breast;

It stirs us up to knock

and pray

And seek the par­don­ing God

Till Je­sus take our sins away

And wash us in His blood.

It prof­fers hap­pi­ness

To all who dare be­lieve

And pro­mis­es a peace

Which man can nev­er give;

With full as­sur­ance of be­lief

Commands us to draw near

And taste the joy that casts out grief

The love that casts out fear.

Water of life di­vine

It bids us free­ly take

And mys­tic milk and wine

For Je­sus’ on­ly sake:

The Ho­ly Ghost

the Com­fort­er

To all who ask is giv’n

That seal of our sal­va­tion here

That an­te­past of Heav­en.

But still the world re­fuse

A Heav­en be­gun be­low

And vain­ly fear t’ab­use

The grace they nev­er know:

The grace their pride will not re­ceive

They im­pious­ly de­ny

And in their sins se­cure­ly live

And des­per­ate­ly die.