The Poetical Works of Robert Montgomery Collected and Revised by the Author |
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CHRIST THE GRAND REFUGE. |
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 | The Poetical Works of Robert Montgomery |  |
CHRIST THE GRAND REFUGE.
“Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words
of eternal life.”—John vi. 68.
“There is none other name under heaven given among men
whereby we must be saved.”—Acts iv. 12.
Lord, and whither shall we go?
Thou alone hast words of life:
In our stormful griefs below
Who, but Thou, can heal the strife
Sin and sorrow round us bring,
In life's vale, while wandering?
Thou alone hast words of life:
In our stormful griefs below
Who, but Thou, can heal the strife
Sin and sorrow round us bring,
In life's vale, while wandering?
What can mortal Wisdom teach
If o'er graves it cannot soar?
How can rest the conscience reach
If it leaves us as before?
Guilty shades will haunt us yet,
Making life one long regret!
If o'er graves it cannot soar?
How can rest the conscience reach
If it leaves us as before?
Guilty shades will haunt us yet,
Making life one long regret!
Poet! shall we come to thee,
Harping forth some noble strain,—
Songs of fire, which tell the free
Never to be slaves again,
Till they echo back thy word
As by trumpet-music stirr'd?
Harping forth some noble strain,—
Songs of fire, which tell the free
Never to be slaves again,
Till they echo back thy word
As by trumpet-music stirr'd?
Son of Science! shall we soar
Through yon starry worlds, to find
Burning secrets which before
Never glanced on human mind,—
Orbs of myst'ry, as they roll
Preaching God to sense and soul?
Through yon starry worlds, to find
Burning secrets which before
Never glanced on human mind,—
Orbs of myst'ry, as they roll
Preaching God to sense and soul?
Man of Learning! may we dare
From thine oracle to draw
Truths which tell us what we are,
Or, that hush the dreadful Law,
Thund'ring forth from earth and sea,
“Render what thou ow'st to me?”
From thine oracle to draw
Truths which tell us what we are,
Or, that hush the dreadful Law,
Thund'ring forth from earth and sea,
“Render what thou ow'st to me?”
Can you ease a burden'd soul
From the crushing weight of sin,
When it feels some fierce control
Like a throbbing hell within?
Can you cry to wearied Breast,
“Hither! here is holy rest?”
From the crushing weight of sin,
When it feels some fierce control
Like a throbbing hell within?
Can you cry to wearied Breast,
“Hither! here is holy rest?”
Have your words a healing skill,
If applied with perfect art,
To renew the rebel Will
Till it take the better part,
Bidding ev'ry wing'd desire
Upward to the heavens aspire?
If applied with perfect art,
To renew the rebel Will
Till it take the better part,
Bidding ev'ry wing'd desire
Upward to the heavens aspire?
God and man can ye unite
In such bonds of sacred peace,
That the blood-wash'd heart is white
By Atonement's blest release?
Can ye show a radiant Heaven
Smiling o'er the soul forgiven?
In such bonds of sacred peace,
That the blood-wash'd heart is white
By Atonement's blest release?
Can ye show a radiant Heaven
Smiling o'er the soul forgiven?
Foolish all false wisdom is,
If to such attempts it rise;
Would we claim a power like this?—
Seek it, then, beyond the skies:
Man at most can human be;
What we want, is Deity!
If to such attempts it rise;
Would we claim a power like this?—
Seek it, then, beyond the skies:
Man at most can human be;
What we want, is Deity!
Blessed Christ! embodied Word!
Thou alone art Life and Light;
Saints who have Thy truth preferr'd
Walk in peace, and worship right;
Thou alone to sin canst say,
“I am Love, the Living Way.”
Thou alone art Life and Light;
Saints who have Thy truth preferr'd
Walk in peace, and worship right;
Thou alone to sin canst say,
“I am Love, the Living Way.”
Sun of Grace! oh, ever shine
Round our paths, where'er they lead;
Midnight feels a ray divine
Breaking through the darkest need,
If we hear, when most dismay'd,
“It is I! be not afraid!”
Round our paths, where'er they lead;
Midnight feels a ray divine
Breaking through the darkest need,
If we hear, when most dismay'd,
“It is I! be not afraid!”
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Pardon, peace, and purity,
Gifts without, and grace within,
Love and light, which set us free
From the curse and chain of sin,—
These, Emanuel! Thou canst give,
While upon Thy words we live.
Gifts without, and grace within,
Love and light, which set us free
From the curse and chain of sin,—
These, Emanuel! Thou canst give,
While upon Thy words we live.
Not a want, Thou canst not fill;
Not a fear, Thou wilt not tame;
If, indeed, repentance will
Rest upon Thy glorious name,
High o'er every guilt and grave
Shall Redemption's banner wave!
Not a fear, Thou wilt not tame;
If, indeed, repentance will
Rest upon Thy glorious name,
High o'er every guilt and grave
Shall Redemption's banner wave!
Lord, then whither shall we go,
Save to Thee, our Refuge sure?
Balm to each bereaving woe,—
Who alone the heart canst cure,
Turning sickness into health,
And, to want, becoming wealth.
Save to Thee, our Refuge sure?
Balm to each bereaving woe,—
Who alone the heart canst cure,
Turning sickness into health,
And, to want, becoming wealth.
Well of Comfort! Vital Spring!
Other source we dare not seek;
Broken cisterns only bring
Mocking draughts which make us weak:
If our souls would slake their thirst,
They must die, or seek Thee first!
Other source we dare not seek;
Broken cisterns only bring
Mocking draughts which make us weak:
If our souls would slake their thirst,
They must die, or seek Thee first!
Saviour! be our Polar Star
Shaded by no sinful night;
Shed upon us from afar
Living beams of holy light:—
When we reach our radiant home,
We shall know the way we come.
Shaded by no sinful night;
Shed upon us from afar
Living beams of holy light:—
When we reach our radiant home,
We shall know the way we come.
| The Poetical Works of Robert Montgomery | |