THE REDEEMER’S WORK: BY THE REV. RALPH ERSKINE.
KIND teacher, may I come to learn,
In this abrupt address,
By framing questions that concern,
My endless happiness?
Yea, child; but if you’d learn to run
The great salvation race,
Know that the name of Christ alone
Can answer every case.
By sin, my God and all is lost,
O where may God be found?
In Christ, for so the Holy Ghost
Shews by the joyful sound.
But how will God with sinful me
Again be reconciled?
In Christ, in whom His grace to thee,
And favour is revealed.
O how shall I a sharer prove,
And see His glorious grace?
In Christ, the image of His love,
And brightness of His face.
Where shall I seek all divine store,
And without fail obtain?
In Christ, in whom for evermore,
His fulness does remain.
But how shall I escape and flee
Th’ avenging wrath of God?
In Christ, who bore upon the tree
The whole amazing load.
Alas! I’m daily apt to stray,
How shall I heav’n-ward make?
Through Christ, the consecrated way,
Designed for thee to take.
Ah! where’s my title, right, or claim,
To that eternal bliss?
In Christ alone, that glorious name,
The Lord our righteousness.
But who unfit can enter there,
Or with such nasty feet?
Christ by His blood presents thee fair,
His Spirit makes thee meet.
But mayn’t my spirit, weak as grass,
Fail ere it reach the length?
Jesus the Lord thy righteousness,
Will be the Lord thy strength.
Mayn’t hellish hosts and wicked foes
Sore by the way molest?
Christ is a friend to bridle those,
And give the weary rest.
Mayn’t guilty conscience loudly brand,
And all my comfort chase?
Christ, with a pardon in His hand,
Can shew His smiling face.
But how can divine mercy vent,
Where sins are great and throng?
Christ is the channel with descent,
That mercy runs along.
But may not justice interpose
And stand in mercy’s way?
Jesus did all the debt thou owes
To divine justice pay.
Where shall mine eyes the pardon spy,
Unto my saving good?
In Christ’s free promise see it lie,
In His atoning blood.
What ground have I to trust, and say
The promise is not vain?
In Christ the promises are Yea,
In Him they are Amen.
But where is Christ Himself, O where,
With promises so sweet?
Christ’s in the promises, and there
Thy faith and He may meet.
Is Christ in them and they in Christ,
How shall I this descry?
His blood and Spirit therein list
To seal and to apply.
‘Gainst legal fiery threats of wrath,
Pray, what defence is best?
Christ’s full obedience eyed by faith—
There should the guilty rest.
But how shall faith be had? Alas!
I find I can’t believe.
Christ is the Author of that grace,
And faith is His to give.
Ah! when may faithless I expect
He’ll such a gift bequeath?
He will of unbelief convict,
And pave the way for faith.
Repentance must attend, but whence
Shall I this grace receive?
Christ is exalted as a prince,
All needful grace to give.
How can so vile a lump of dust
Heart-holiness expect?
Christ by His Holy Spirit must
This gradual change effect.
How shall I do the works aright
I’m daily bound unto?
Christ in thee, by His Spirit’s might,
Works both to will and do.
How shall my maladies be healed
So sore molesting me?
Christ is the great Physician sealed,
The Lord that healeth thee.
By prayer I ought to seek His face:
This course how shall I drive?
‘Tis Christ alone that has the grace
And spirit of prayer to give.
Salvation work is great and ‘high;
Alas! what shall I do?
Christ is the Alpha thereof, aye,
And the Omega too.
What pillar, then, is most secure
To build my hope upon?
Christ only the foundation sure,
The living corner-stone.
When I’m with black pollution stained
How shall I cleansed be?
Christ is a fountain for that end,
Set open wide for thee.
What shall I do when plagues abound
With sorrows, griefs, and fears?
Christ has a balsam for thy wounds,
A bottle for thy tears.
But is there any help for one
That utterly is lost?
Christ saves from sin, and He alone,
Even to the uttermost.
But where shall I be safe at last
From hell and endless death?
Christ is a refuge from the blast
Of everlasting wrath.
But mayn’t ev’n natural death to me
Become a dreadful thing?
Christ by His death, in love to thee,
Did every death unstring.
Why, Sir! is Christ the whole, you say?
No answer else I find;
Because, were Christ our all away,
There’s nothing left behind.
How can He answer every case,
And help in every thrall?
Because He is the Lord of grace,
Jehovah, all in all.
How is He present to supply
And to relieve us thus?
Because His glorious name is nigh—
Immanuel, God with us.
Has He alone all power to save?
Is nothing left to man?
Yea, without Christ, we nothing have,
Without Him nothing can.
Mayn’t some from hence take latitude
And room, their lusts to please?
If Christ do all, then very good,
Let us take carnal ease.
Christ will, in flaming vengeance come
With fury in His face,
To damn His foes that dare presume,
And thus abuse His grace.