108. O Man, What Virtue Now Adorns

1. O man, what virtue now adorns
Thy life, if thou look in thee?
Is thy heart’s acre bearing thorns,
Or are good fruits within thee?
For by its fruits the field is known,
And who upon the field has sown, -
The Lord or thy destroyer?

2. Thy heart may be like as a road
Whereon if seed were scattered,
It soon would underfoot be trod
Or by the birds be gathered.
O prove thyself most earnestly;
Should this thy heart’s condition be,
Then thou deserves pity.

3. For if the seed be born away,
Or crushed, it cannot flourish;
Thou wilt not have thy faith as stay,
Nor food thy soul to nourish.
For if the Word should reach thine ear,
And yet thy heart should fail to hear,
Its trace would quickly vanish!

4. Or if thy heart a stone is like,
Long hardened by much sinning,
The seed its roots there cannot strike,
God’s word makes no beginning.
For stones can never give the seed
The moisture it so much doth need
To grow, spring up, and flourish.

5. Before the heart good fruit can bear
That grace and love betoken,
The law must do its own work there,
The heart be bowed and broken.
Consider this and turn to God,
In deep and true contrition bowed;
Believe, and Christ will heal you!

6. And thorns may oft fill up a heart,
By care and worries ridden;
Oft may it live in wealth apart
By which the seed is hidden;
Yea, it is choked and caused to die,
So that it can no more supply
The fruit of godly living.

7. This is our lot, if here we cling
To earthly pride and treasures,
If joys this evil world can bring
Make up our dearest pleasures.
Where hearts still worldly joy hold dear,
God’s kingdom cannot prosper there;
The seed must surely smother.

8. But fertile land may still be found,
As our Lord Jesus knoweth;
In hearts where faith and hope abound,
To whom He mercy showeth.
The seed the Savior soweth there
Of fruits an hundredfold doth bear;
These are the hearts most faithful. –

9. O hear, who hearing ears possess,
And test yourselves sincerely;
Today is still the day of grace,
While God’s Word warns you clearly.
Time swiftly flies; the end draws near;
Unless the seed is fruitful here,
We cannot life inherit!

10. Lord Jesus, make my heart sincere
And deep in its contrition;
Let Thy good seed be cherished there
Till it fulfill its mission.
O may its harvest follow me,
And multiplied in heaven be –
This is my constant longing!