Analysis of What Think Ye Of Christ?

John Newton 1725 (Wapping, London) – 1807 (London)



What think you of Christ? is the test
To try both your state and your scheme;
You cannot be right in the rest,
Unless you think rightly of him.
As Jesus appears in your view,
As he is beloved or not;
So God is disposed to you,
And mercy or wrath are your lot.

Some take him a creature to be,
A man, or an angel at most;
Sure these have not feelings like me,
Nor know themselves wretched and lost:
So guilty, so helpless, am I,
I durst not confide in his blood,
Nor on his protection rely,
Unless I were sure he is God.

Some call him a Saviour, in word,
But mix their own works with his plan;
And hope he his help will afford,
When they have done all that they can:
If doings prove rather too light
(A little, they own, they may fail)
They purpose to make up full weight,
By casting his name in the scale.

Some style him the pearl of great price,
And say he's the fountain of joys;
Yet feed upon folly and vice,
And cleave to the world and its toys:
Like Judas, the Saviour they kiss,
And, while they salute him, betray;
Ah! what will profession like this
Avail in his terrible day?

If asked what of Jesus I think?
Though still my best thoughts are but poor;
I say, he's my meat and my drink,
My life, and my strength, and my store,
My Shepherd, my Husband, my Friend,
My Saviour from sin and from thrall;
My hope from beginning to end,
My Portion, my Lord, and my All.


Scheme AXAXBCBC DXDXEXEX XFXFXGXG HIHIJKJK LXLXMNMN
Poetic Form Etheree  (25%)
Metre 11111101 11111011 11011001 01111011 11001011 1110111 1110111 01011111 11101011 01111011 11111011 11011001 11011011 11101011 11101001 01101111 1110101 11111111 01111101 11111111 11011011 01011111 11011111 11011001 11101111 01101011 11011001 01101011 1100111 01101101 11101011 01011001 11111011 11111111 11111011 11011011 11011011 1111011 11101011 11011011
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 1,341
Words 274
Sentences 10
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 8, 8, 8, 8, 8
Lines Amount 40
Letters per line (avg) 26
Words per line (avg) 7
Letters per stanza (avg) 208
Words per stanza (avg) 54
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 07, 2023

1:22 min read
95

John Newton

Rev Dr John A Newton CBE is a prominent Methodist minister, author, historian and former President of the Methodist Conference. more…

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