Christ and His cross is all our theme;
The mys­ter­ies that we speak
Are scan­dal in the Jew’s es­teem
And fol­ly to the Greek.

But souls en­light­ened from ab­ove
With joy re­ceive the word;
They see what wis­dom, pow­er, and love
Shine in their dy­ing Lord.

The vi­tal sa­vor of His name
Restores their faint­ing breath;
But un­belief per­verts the same
To guilt, des­pair, and death.

Till God dif­fuse His grac­es down,
Like show­ers of heav’n­ly rain,
In vain Apol­los sows the ground,
And Paul may plant in vain.