Hymn 90
John Newton
7,6,7,6,7,7,7,6
The foolish virgins 99See also Book 3, Hymn 72
Mt 25:1 When descending from the sky The Bridegroom shall appear; And the solemn midnight cry, Shall call professors near: How the sound our hearts will damp! How will shame o’erspread each face! If we only have a lamp, Without the oil of grace. | Foolish virgins then will wake And seek for a supply; But in vain the pains they take To borrow or to buy: Then with those they now despise, Earnestly they’ll wish to share; But the best, among the wise, Will have no oil to spare. | Wise are they, and truly blest, Who then shall ready be But despair will seize the rest, And dreadful misery: 112 Once, they’ll cry, we scorned to doubt, Though in lies our trust we put; Now our lamp of hope is out, The door of mercy shut. | If they then presume to plead, “Lord open to us now; We on earth have heard and prayed, And with thy saints did bow:” He will answer from his throne, “Though you with my people mixed, Yet to me you ne’er were known, Depart, your doom is fixed.” | O that none who worship here May hear that word, Depart! LORD impress a godly fear On each professor’s heart: Help us, Lord, to search the camp, Let us not ourselves beguile; Trusting to a dying lamp Without a stock of oil. | |