Welcome cross

Source

Source: Christian Classics Ethereal Library (Olney Hymns, 1779) Source URL: https://ccel.org/ccel/newton/olneyhymns Public domain basis: First published London, 1779; Newton d. 1807, Cowper d. 1800. CCEL first-edition transcription. US public domain. Coverage: Complete individual poem extracted from parent edition olney-hymns at bytes 295081-295887; checksum 512348e2d23fec834539b3f6bc4d4e013cb8a7ea659c55f5bdfe88fe1e748807.

# Welcome cross

Welcome cross

Hymn 16

William Cowper

7,7,7,7

Welcome cross.

'Tis my happiness below

Not to live without the cross;

But the Savior's pow'r to know,

Sanctifying every loss:

Trials must and will befall;

But with humble faith to see

Love inscribed upon them all,

This is happiness to me.

God, in Israel, sows the seeds

Of affliction, pain, and toil;

These spring up, and choke the weeds

Which would else o'erspread the soil:

Trials make the promise sweet,

Trials give hew life to prayer;

Trials bring me to his feet,

Lay me low, and keep me there.

Did I meet no trials here,

No chastisement by the way;

Might I not, with reason, fear

I should prove a cast-away:

Bastards may escape the rod, Heb 12:8

Sunk in earthly, vain delight;

But the true-born child of GOD,

Must not, would not, if he might.