Ralph Erskine, The Beauties of Erskine, 1745
A Poem On Law & Gospel:
The law supposing I have all, Does ever for perfection call;
The gospel suits my total want, And all the law can seek does grant.
The law could promise life to me, If my obedience perfect be;
But grace does promise life upon My Lord's obedience alone.
The law says, Do, and life you'll win; But grace says, Live, for all is done;
The former cannot ease my grief, The latter yields me full relief.
The law will not abate a mite, The gospel all the sum will quit;
There God in thret'nings is array'd But here in promises display'd.
The law excludes not boasting vain, But rather feeds it to my bane;
But gospel grace allows no boasts, Save in the King, the Lord of Hosts.
The law brings terror to molest, The gospel gives the weary rest;
The one does flags of death display, The other shows the living way.
The law's a house of bondage sore, The gospel opens prison doors;
The first me hamer'd in its net, The last at freedom kindly set.
An angry God the law reveal'd The gospel shows him reconciled;
By that I know he was displeased, By this I see his wrath appeased.
The law still shows a fiery face, The gospel shows a throne of grace;
There justice rides alone in state, But here she takes the mercy-seat.
Lo! in the law Jehovah dwells, But Jesus is conceal'd;
Whereas the gospel's nothing else But Jesus Christ reveal'd.
I remember watching at the end of the Vietnam war some of those magnificent videos of men who had been away from their wives, some of them I think up to five years. I remember watching them run toward each other and seeing them sweep their wives off their feet. My heart leapt and my tears flowed when I watched that kind of reunion. 
Join the group
