A Friend Closer than a Brother

1. There is a Friend, who sticketh fast,
And keeps his love from first to last,
And Jesus is his name;
An earthly brother drops his hold,
Is sometimes hot and sometimes cold,
But Jesus is the same.

2. He loves his people, great and small,
And, grasping hard, embraces all,
Nor with a soul will part;
No tribulations which they feel,
No foes on earth, or fiends of hell,
Shall tear them from his heart.

3. His love before all time began,
And through all time it will remain,
And evermore endure;
Though rods and frowns are sometimes brought,
And man may change, he changes not;
His love abideth sure.

4. A method strange this Friend has shown,
Of making love divinely known
To rebels doomed to die;
Unasked, he takes our humblest form,
And condescends to be a worm,
To lift us up on high.

5.The law demanded blood for blood,
And out he lets his vital flood
To pay the mortal debt;
He toils through life, and pants through death,
And cries, with his expiring breath,
“’Tis finished,” and complete!

J. BERRIDGE

“Come unto me, all ye that labour”

1. Christ has blessings to impart,
Grace to save thee from thy fears;
O the love that fills his heart!
Sinner, wipe away thy tears
.

2. Why art thou afraid to come?
Why afraid to tell thy case?
He will not pronounce thy doom;
Smiles are seated on his face.

3.Though his majesty be great,
Yet his mercy is no less;
Though he thy transgressions hate,
Jesus feels for thy distress.

4. Raise thy downcast eyes and see,
Numbers do his throne surround;
These were sinners once, like thee;
But have full salvation found.

5. Yield not, then, to unbelief;
Courage, soul, “there yet is room!”
Though of sinners thou art chief,
Come, thou burdened sinner, come.

J. NEWTON

Come unto me, all ye that labour and
are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28