The Poems of John Byrom Edited by Adolphus William Ward |
 | I. |
 | II. |
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| II. |
ON THE NATURE OF FREE GRACE, AND THE
CLAIM TO MERIT FOR THE PERFORMANCE
OF GOOD WORKS. |
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 | The Poems of John Byrom |  |
496
ON THE NATURE OF FREE GRACE, AND THE CLAIM TO MERIT FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF GOOD WORKS.
I
Grace, to be sure, is in the last DegreeThe Gift 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.
II
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.
III
All “boasting” then of Merit, all PretenceOf 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.”
IV
But, sure, the Use of any Gracious Pow'rsFreely bestow'd may properly be ours;
Right Application being ours to choose,
Or, if we will be so absurd, refuse!
497
V
In this Respect what need to controvertThe sober Sense of Merit or Desert?
“Works,” it is said, “will have,”—and is it hard
To say “deserve,” or “merit”—“their Reward.”
VI
Grace is the real saving Gift; but thenGood Works are profitable unto Men.
God wants them not; but, if our Neighbours do,
Flowing from Grace, they prove it to be true.
VII
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?
VIII
All comes from God Who gave us first to liveAnd all succeeding Grace; 'tis ours to “give
To God Alone the Glory,” and to Man,
Empow'r'd by Him, to do what Good we can.
| The Poems of John Byrom | |