Christ his People’s Surety. Prov. 11. 15; Matt. 27. 29
J. Berridge 8.8.6.
1
For wretched strangers such as I,
The Saviour left his native sky,
And surety would become;
He undertakes for sinners lost,
And, having paid the utmost cost,
Returns triumphant home.
2
A judgment bond against me lay,
Law charges, too, which he must pay,
But found a smarting debt.
The garden scene begins his woes,
And fetches agonising throes,
And draws a bloody sweat.
3
His back with hardy stripes is hewed,
Till flakes of gore, and streams of blood,
Besmear the frighted ground!
A scornful and a smarting crown
His holy head is thrust upon,
And thorns begird it round.
4
He smarts with nails that pierce his feet,
And smarts with hanging all his weight
Upon the accursèd tree!
He smarts beneath a Father’s rod,
And roars aloud, “Why, O my God,
Hast thou forsaken me?”
5
[May all my Saviour’s love and smart,
Be sweetly graven on my heart,
And with me fast abide;
And let me sing thy praises well,
And love thee more than I can tell,
And trust in none beside.]
