Hymns and Tunes 1886 369
The Sinner—Christ the Way of Life
Words: Isaac WattsMusic: I. P. ColeTune: MelodyC. M.
1Not all the outward forms on earth,
Nor rites that God has given,
Nor will of man, nor blood, nor birth,
Can raise a soul to heaven.
2The sovereign will of God alone
Creates us heirs of grace;
Born in the image of his Son,
A new, peculiar race.
3The Spirit, like some heavenly wind,
Breathes on the sons of flesh,
New-moulds all the carnal mind,
And forms the man afresh.
4Our quickened souls awake and rise
From the long sleep of death;
On heavenly things we fix our eyes,
And praise employs our breath.
- Words
- Isaac Watts
- Music
- I. P. Cole
- Tune
- Melody
- Meter
- C. M.
- Scripture
- John 3:5-8; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:8-9
Public Domain
The verse
- Meter
- 8.6.8.6 · as printed
- Foot
- iambic (da-DUM) · 75% of beats fit
- Rhyme
- ABAB
Could also be sung to Azmon, Coronation, Ortonville, Cantate Domino, Christmas · same meter and stresses; not printed with these words, so try it first.
Scan every line
/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary · * a word sung short, as “heav’n”
Verse 1
Verse 2
Verse 3
Verse 4
Counted by machine from the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. It cannot hear emphasis or a poet’s licence, so treat it as a place to start reading, not the last word.