GRACE, to be sure, is, in the last degree, The @3gift@1 of God, divinely pure and free; Not bought or paid for, merited or claim'd, By any works of ours that can be nam'd. What claim, or merit, or withal to pay, Could creatures have before creating day? Gift of existence is the gracious one, Which all the rest must needs depend upon. All boasting then of merit, all pretence Of claim from God, in a deserving sense, Is, in one word, excluded by St. Paul— "Whate'er thou hast, thou hast receiv'd it all." But sure the @3use@1 of any gracious pow'rs, Freely bestow'd, may properly be ours; Right application being ours to choose, Or, if we will be so absurd, refuse. In this respect what need to controvert The sober sense of @3merit@1 or @3desert?@1 Works, it is said, will @3have@1 and is it hard To say @3deserve@1 or @3merit?@1 their reward. Grace is the real saving gift; but, then, Good works are profitable unto men; God wants them not; but, if our neighbours do, Flowing from grace, they prove it to be true. When human words ascribe to human spirit Worthy, unworthy, merit or demerit, Why should disputes forbid the terms a place, Which are not meant to derogate from grace? All comes from God, who gave us first to live, And all succeeding grace; 'tis ours to give To @3God alone@1 the @3glory@1; and to @3man@1, Impow'r'd by Him, to do what @3good@1 we can. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THIRD YPRES by EDMUND CHARLES BLUNDEN TO AN ASTRONOMER by ANNE CHARLOTTE LYNCH BOTTA BACH'S ORGAN WORKS by THOMAS EDWARD BROWN HOSPITAL FLOWERS by MRS. VIRGIL BROWNE OLD PICTURES IN FLORENCE by ROBERT BROWNING HARRIET BEECHER STOWE'S WORKS: 'UNCLE TOM'S CABIN' by FRANK BARBOUR COFFIN FIRST SONGS: 4 by HILDA CONKLING TO [THE REVEREND] MR. NEWTON ON HIS RETURN FROM RAMSGATE by WILLIAM COWPER |