The Lord first empties whom he fills

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The Lord first empties whom he fills

Author: Ralph Erskine
Published in 7 hymnals

Representative Text

1 The Lord first empties whom he fills,
Casts down whom he would raise;
He quickens when the letter kills,
Exalting thus his praise.
When he applies his healing blood
Unto a sin-sick soul,
This balsam, pow'rful, precious, good,
Ne'er fails to make it whole.

2 On us he spent his life and blood,
Our losses to retrieve;
Mankind's redemption now holds good
For sinners who believe.
Lord, I believe! whate'er befall,
A thankful heart be mine,
A heart that answers to thy call,
One that is wholly thine.

Source: Christ in Song: for all religious services nearly one thousand best gospel hymns, new and old with responsive scripture readings (Rev. and Enl.) #122

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Author: Ralph Erskine

Erskine, Ralph, was son of Henry Erskine who was Rector of Cornhill, Northumberland, before the Act of Uniformity in 1662, and after the Revolution of 1688 was Parish minister of Chirnside, Berwickshire. He was born at Moneylaws, Northumberland, March 15, 1685, his father being then in exile from Scotland for taking part in conventicles. He entered the University of Edinburgh in 1699, was licensed to preach in 1709, in 1711 ordained second minister of the Abbey Church, Dunfermline, and became first minister in 1716. Joining in 1737 with the "Four Brethren," who, protesting against the action of the General As¬sembly on Patronage, had been loosed from their charges by the Commission in 1733 and had formed themselves into a Presbytery at Gai… Go to person page >

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