Page:Olney Hymns - 1840.djvu/72

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68
GENESIS.
BOOK I.

7 O sinners, hear his gracious call !
His mercy s door stands open wide ;
He has enough to feed you all,
And none who come shall be denied.

12.
Joseph made known to his Brethren Gen. xlv, 3, 4.

1 WHEN Joseph his brethren beheld
Afflicted and trembling with fear,
His heart with compassion was fill d ;
From weeping he could not forbear.
Awhile his behaviour was rough,
To bring their past sins to their mind ;
But when they were humbled enough,
He hasted to show himself kind.

2 How little they thought it was he
Whom they had ill-treated and sold !
How great their confusion must be,
As soon as his name he had told !
I am Joseph, your brother," he said,
"^And still to my heart you are dear ;
You sold me, and thought I was dead,
But God for your sakes sent me here."

3 Though greatly distressed before,
When charged with purloining the cup,
They now were confounded much more,
Not one of them dared to look up.
" Can Joseph, whom we would have slain.
Forgive us the evil we did ?
And will he our households maintain ?
this is a brother indeed!"

4 Thus dragg d by my conscience I came,
And laden with guilt, to the Lord,
Surrounded with terror and shame,
Unable to utter a word.
At first he look d stern and severe,
What anguish then pierced my heart !
Expecting each moment to hear
The sentence, " Thou cursed, depart! "