How Vast the Benefits Divine
How vast the benefits divine which we in Christ possess!
We are redeemed from guilt and shame and called to holiness.
But not for works which we have done, or shall hereafter do,
Hath God decreed on sinful men salvation to bestow.
The glory, Lord, from first to last, is due to Thee alone;
Aught to ourselves we dare not take, or rob Thee of Thy crown.
Our glorious Surety undertook to satisfy for man,
And grace was given us in Him before the world began.
This is Thy will, that in Thy love we ever should abide;
That earth and hell should not prevail to turn Thy Word aside.
Not one of all the chosen race but shall to heav’n attain,
Partake on earth the purposed grace and then with Jesus reign.
poem by Augustus Montague Toplady
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Before I Knew
My whole life is ordained by, The Lord God, Who reigns on high,
Not knowing Christ at infancy, but, as for The Lord, He knew me,
Knitting me in my mother's womb, while my life began to bloom,
Born a sinful soul, but, I would find, my Holy Lord, in God's time.
Creating me through love and care, also, even before I was there,
My Lord plotted out my destiny, for all my life before my infancy,
With God's plan, from my birth, to be used by God, on this earth,
My life, for His honor and glory, this from His writing of my story.
My whole life is know by the One, Who sent for me His Only Son,
Sending Christ, before I knew, my Savior, who loves me and you,
Although I didn't seek God's face, God, poured on me His Grace,
His grace brought to my life, love and knowledge of Jesus Christ.
The Eternal Author of my salvation, filled my heart with Revelation.
From the creation upon earth's sod, into The Eternal Word of God,
Filling me with the knowledge of, God, Who leads me from above,
Leading me to witness and herald, His Eternal Truth to a lost world.
Right from that womb to the grave, it was Christ, Who would pave,
That journey, which would save me, and guide me to Life Eternally,
As I was redeemed by Jesus Christ, The Author of my Eternal Life,
All ordained, well before I knew, God, Who sees all things through.
(Copyright ©11/2012)
Psalm 84 part 2
God and his church; or, Grace and glory.
Great God, attend, while Zion sings
The joy that from thy presence springs:
To spend one day with thee on earth
Exceeds a thousand days of mirth.
Might I enjoy the meanest place
Within thy house, O God of grace,
Not tents of ease, nor thrones of power,
Should tempt my feet to leave thy door.
God is our sun, he makes our day;
God is our shield, he guards our way
From all th' assaults of hell and sin,
From foes without and foes within.
All needful grace will God bestow,
And crown that grace with glory too!
He gives us all things, and withholds
No real good from upright souls.
O God, our King, whose sovereign sway
The glorious hosts of heav'n obey,
And devils at thy presence flee,
Blest is the man that trusts in thee.
poem by Isaac Watts
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Of Imputed Righteousness
Now, if thou wouldst inherit righteousness,
And so sanctification possess
In body, soul, and spirit, then thou must
To Jesus fly, as one ungodly first;
And so by him crave pardon for thy sin
Which thou hast loved, and hast lived in;
For this cannot at all forgiven be,
For any righteousness that is in thee;
Because the best thou hast is filthy rags,
Profane, presumptuous, and most beastly brags
Of flesh and blood, which always cross doth lie
To God, to grace, and thy felicity.
Then righteousness imputed thou must have,
Thee from that guilt and punishment to save
Thou liest under as a sinful man,
Throughout polluted, and that never can
By any other means acquitted be,
Or ever have true holiness in thee.
The reason is, because all graces are
Only in Christ, and be infused where,
Or into those whom he doth justify,
By what himself hath done, that he thereby
Might be the whole of all that happiness
The sinner shall enjoy here, and in bliss.
Besides, if holiness should first be found
In those whom God doth pardon, then the ground
Why we forgiven are would seem to be,
He first found holiness in thee and me;
But this the holy Scriptures will refute,
And prove that righteousness he doth impute
Without respect to goodness first in man;
For, to speak truth indeed, no goodness can
Be found in those that underneath the law
Do stand; for if God goodness in them saw,
Why doth he once and twice say, There is none
That righteous be; no, not so much as one;
None understandeth, none seek after God,
His ways they have not known, but have abode
In wickedness, unprofitably they
Must needs appear to be then every way.
Their throats an open sepulchre, also
Their mouths are full of filthy cursings too;
And bitterness, yea, underneath their lips
The asp hath poison. O how many slips
And falls in sin must such poor people have!
Now here's the holiness that should them save,
Or, as a preparation, go before,
To move God to do for them less or more?
No, grace must on thee righteousness bestow,
Or, else sin will for ever thee undo.
Sweet Paul this doctrine also doth express,
Where he saith, Some may have righteousness,
Though works they have not; and it thus may stand,
Grace by the promise gives what the command
Requireth us to do, and so are we
Quitted from doing, and by grace made free.
poem by John Bunyan
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Under Especial Blessing
Lord Christ, Lord Christ, ah for a little space
Turn hence. Some day, when I again am low
In the new dust of whatsoever blow
Time hath in license, from Thy perfect place
Oh let the awful solace of thy face
Sun me, but not now! Lord, Thou seest me! How
Can I, o'erborne by what Thy hands bestow,
Bear what Thine eyes? Now, therefore, of Thy grace
I ask but that if ever, as of yore,
Thou lookest up and sigh'st, my kneeling thought
May kiss Thy skirt, and Thou, who know'st if aught
Touch Thee, mayst know, and through Thee, what no more
Is I, but, ne'ertheless, began in me,
May rise to Him Whom no man hath seen, nor can see.
poem by Sydney Thompson Dobell
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He Brings Salvation
It is God alone, who brings, Salvation in The King of kings,
He is the very Lord of lords, whom to all the world affords,
God’s Gift of Eternal Life, through the Savior, Jesus Christ,
Offering to all a second birth, to every willing soul on earth.
For God alone is The One, Who sent to earth His Only Son,
Who set aside His Majesty, to live on earth for you and me,
Coming to earth as a child, born in a stable, meek and mild,
Starting in that lowly place; was for us, God’s gift of Grace.
The vessel of how we are saved, from a world so depraved,
In a world dark as the night, Christ became this world’s light,
The center of salvation’s plan, isn’t us, but, The Son of Man,
Sent to earth by God’s Grace, to save the entire human race.
With mankind the focus of, the Lord God’s unmatched Love,
A Love offering all we need, as Christ alone would intercede,
For sinners such as you and I, when He came to earth to die,
Paying God’s Supreme Price, becoming for all His Sacrifice.
From His death He would rise, to His throne above the skies,
And here on earth as we believe, God’s Salvation we receive,
As the only work required of us, is to in Christ place our trust,
For it’s all God’s work of Grace, when I come to Him by faith.
(Copyright ©12/2009)
Not Works of Righteousness
It is not by works of righteousness, that from Hell, I am saved,
For I’m filled with wickedness, with a heart that is so depraved;
My salvation is by God’s Grace, and it’s all God’s Grace alone,
That I’m saved from that place, to enter Heaven, as God’s Own.
All believing that they are good, by their works, to enter above,
Must heed what’s understood, no one on earth is good enough,
For every earthly soul falls short, of God’s Perfect Glory above,
But, The Good News does report, that He saves us by His Love.
Holy God cannot strive with sin; the sin that’s tainted every soul;
From the very day that we begin, all are cursed from Adam’s fall,
That sin has separated all of us, from our Creator, Lord and God,
So our God sent His Son Jesus, down to the sinful earth we trod.
For the righteous He didn’t come, when to this earth He was sent,
But, He came that all, not just some, fallen sinners, would repent,
To turn from sin to God’s Son, the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,
Who had come to grant everyone, through New Birth, Eternal Life.
One belief, that’s worse than sad, for one’s entrance into Heaven,
Have your good outweigh your bad, which is only spiritual leaven,
For the single way to be assured, of your life in Heaven Eternally,
Is a sinner’s faith alone in The Lord, through The Cross of Calvary.
(Copyright ©09/2010)
We Sing to Thee, Thou Son of God
We sing to Thee, Thou Son of God,
Fountain of life and grace;
We praise Thee, Son of Man, whose blood
Redeemed our fallen race.
Thee we acknowledge God and Lord,
The Lamb for sinners slain;
Who art by heaven and earth adored,
Worthy o'er both to reign.
To Thee all angels cry aloud,
Through heaven's extended coasts: -
Hail! holy, holy, holy Lord
Of glory and of hosts.
The cherubim and seraphim
Incessant sing to Thee;
The worlds and all the powers therein
Adore Thy majesty.
The prophets' goodly fellowship,
In radiant garments dressed,
Praise Thee, Thou Son of God, and reap
The fulness of Thy rest.
The apostles' glorious company
Thy righteous praise proclaim:
The martyred army glorify
Thine everlasting name.
Through all the world, Thy churches join
To call on Thee their Head,
Brightness of majesty Divine,
Who every power hast made.
Among their number, Lord, we love
To sing Thy precious blood.
Reign here, and in the worlds above,
Thou Holy Lamb of God!
poem by Augustus Montague Toplady
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Psalm 4
v. 1-3,5-7
L. M.
Hearing of prayer.
O God of grace and righteousness,
Hear and attend when I complain;
Thou hast enlarged me in distress,
Bow down a gracious ear again.
Ye sons of men, in vain ye try
To turn my glory into shame;
How long will scoffers love to lie,
And dare reproach my Savior's name?
Know that the Lord divides his saints
From all the tribes of men beside;
He hears the cry of penitents,
For the dear sake of Christ that died.
When our obedient bands have done
A thousand works of righteousness,
We put our trust in God alone,
And glory in his pardoning grace.
Let the unthinking many say,
"Who will bestow some earthly good?"
But, Lord, thy light and love we pray;
Our souls desire this heav'nly food.
Then shall my cheerful powers rejoice,
At grace and favors so divine;
Nor will I change my happy choice
For all their corn, and all their wine.
poem by Isaac Watts
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Hymn 22 part 1
Christ the eternal life.
Rom. 9:5.
Jesus, our Savior and our God,
Arrayed in majesty and blood,
Thou art our life; our souls in thee
Possess a full felicity.
All our immortal hopes are laid
In thee, our surety and our head;
Thy cross, thy cradle, and thy throne,
Are big with glories yet unknown.
Let atheists scoff, and Jews blaspheme
Th' eternal life and Jesus' name;
A word of thy almighty breath
Dooms the rebellious world to death.
But let my soul for ever lie
Beneath the blessings of thine eye;
'Tis heav'n on earth, 'tis heav'n above,
To see thy face and taste thy love.
poem by Isaac Watts
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Hymn 149
The offices of Christ. From several scriptures.
Join all the names of love and power
That ever men or angels bore,
All are too mean to speak his worth,
Or set lmmannel's glory forth.
But O what condescending ways
He takes to teach his heav'nly grace
My eyes with joy and wonder see
What forms of love he bears for me.
[The Angel of the cov'nant stands
With his commission in his hands,
Sent from his Father's milder throne,
To make the great salvation known.]
[Great Prophet! let me bless thy name;
By thee the joyful tidings came
Of wrath appeased, of sins forgiv'n,
Of hell subdued, and peace with heav'n.]
[My bright Example and my Guide,
I would be walking near thy side;
O let me never run astray,
Nor follow the forbidden way!]
[I love my Shepherd, he shall keep
My wand'ring soul among his sheep;
He feeds his flock, he calls their names,
And in his bosom bears the lambs.]
[My Surety undertakes my cause,
Answering his Father's broken laws:
Behold my soul at freedom set,
My Surety paid the dreadful debt.]
[Jesus, my great High Priest, has died;
I seek no sacrifice beside;
His blood did once for all atone,
And now it pleads before the throne.]
[My Advocate appears on high,
The Father lays his thunder by;
Not all that earth or hell can say
Shall turn my Father's heart away.]
[My Lord, my Conqueror, and my King!
Thy sceptre and thy sword I sing;
Thine is the vict'ry, and I sit
A joyful subject at thy feet.]
[Aspire, my soul, to glorious deeds,
The Captain of salvation leads;
March on, nor fear to win the day,
Though death and hell obstruct the way.]
[Should death, and hell, and powers unknown,
Put all their forms of mischief on,
I shall be safe; for Christ displays
Salvation in more sovereign ways.]
poem by Isaac Watts
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Born A Child, Yet A King
Christ came to earth for us all, as a tiny baby, humble and small,
The very God of all of Eternity, came to the earth for you and me.
He came by God’s chosen one, a virgin to deliver His Only Son,
By The Spirit she would conceive, The Savior men would receive.
Jesus was born a child yet a King; God and Creator of everything,
Christ was born in humble Bethlehem, to be the Savior of all men.
Named Immanuel or God with us; One in whom we place our trust.
Named Jesus by The Father’s will, for He’ll save His people Israel.
He came to save men from their sin, if they would only trust in Him.
To save God’s chosen nation, by Christ’s redemption and salvation,
He also came as a light to those, nations thought to be Israel’s foes,
A Light to every Gentile nation, to share in God’s Glorious Salvation.
Christ was born of a virgin birth, to give new life to men on the earth,
This New Life Christ now gives, to all who believe that He now lives.
He came in such a humble state, with a bloody death to be His fate,
Predestined by The Father above, to express to this world His Love.
The planned death of Jesus Christ, was so we can have eternal life,
Christ came to earth to set us free, so that we could live for Eternity,
God born of flesh to be a lamb, God’s single sacrifice for every man,
Born as a baby for you and me, to die as a man upon Calvary’s tree.
Although Christ died, now He lives, and Eternal Life, now God gives,
To all men who believe Christ came, and in faith, confess His Name.
Soon Jesus Christ will come again, and shall be revealed to all men,
However, this time as The Lord of all, not the humble baby in a stall.
You can receive God’s saving Grace, from Christ any time any place,
God’s saving Grace you will receive, when in His Son you do believe.
So you can reign with The Son, when He reigns as Lord of everyone,
And live with Christ forevermore, when you receive Him as your Lord.
Hymn 27
Assurance of heaven.
2 Tim. 4:68,18.
[Death may dissolve my body now,
And bear my spirit home;
Why do my minutes move so slow,
Nor my salvation come?
With heav'nly weapons I have fought
The battles of the Lord;
Finished my course, and kept the faith,
And wait the sure reward.]
God has laid up in heav'n for me
A crown which cannot fade;
The righteous Judge at that great day
Shall place it on my head.
Nor hath the King of grace decreed
This prize for me alone;
But all that love and long to see
Th' appearance of his Son.
Jesus the Lord shall guard me safe
From every ill design;
And to his heav'nly kingdom keep
This feeble soul of mine.
God is my everlasting aid,
And hell shall rage in vain;
To him be highest glory paid
And endless praise--Amen.
poem by Isaac Watts
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Always there
Before the Daystar was in position
and the planets began their round
Or the galaxies were called into being
and a single star was found.
There standing at the threshold of 'The beginning',
preceding time and space.
You said 'Let there be' and the vast universe
nestled neatly into place.
Light burst forth commencing a great journey,
shining its' illuminating ray
and thus began the glorious dawning
of the very first created day.
Many years have passed and gone since that first day
with its pristine light did shine
including times when in the garden Adam
walked and talked with God Divine.
But sin through disobedience brought
separation between God and man
and God through grace began to implement
His wonderful salvation plan.
To walk with men on earth and to climb
that Calvary hill and there to die
To save us from the penalty of our sin
and the law to satisfy.
You have always been there,
throughout the history of the human race
and Lord, You will always be there,
when the new heaven and earth takes its place.
When this old creation has passed away
and the new Jerusalem appears
and the multitude of redeemed sing your praises
through the eternal years.
Psalm 118 part 4
v.24-26
C. M.
Hosanna; the Lord's day; or, Christ's resurrection and our salvation.
This is the day the Lord hath made,
He calls the hours his own;
Let heav'n rejoice, let earth be glad,
And praise surround the throne.
Today he rose and left the dead,
And Satan's empire fell;
Today the saints his triumphs spread,
And all his wonders tell.
Hosanna to th' anointed King,
To David's holy Son;
Help us, O Lord; descend and bring
Salvation from thy throne.
Blest be the Lord, who comes to men
With messages of grace;
Who comes in God his Father's name
To save our sinful race.
Hosanna in the highest strains
The church on earth can raise;
The highest heav'ns, in which he reigns,
Shall give him nobler praise.
poem by Isaac Watts
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Psalm 85 part 2
v.9ff
L. M.
Salvation by Christ.
Salvation is for ever nigh
The souls that fear and trust the Lord
And grace descending from on high
Fresh hopes of glory shall afford.
Mercy and truth on earth are met,
Since Christ the Lord came down from heav'n;
By his obedience so complete,
Justice is pleased, and peace is giv'n.
Now truth and honor shall abound,
Religion dwell on earth again,
And heav'nly influence bless the ground
In our Redeemer's gentle reign.
His righteousness is gone before
To give us free access to God;
Our wand'ring feet shall stray no more,
But mark his steps and keep the road.
poem by Isaac Watts
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God’s Revelation
Only through God’s Revelation, can one come to true salvation,
The Revelation of God’s Son, Christ, who’d come for everyone,
The salvation Christ came with, was from God an awesome gift,
A Gift from God for all the world, you and I both need to herald.
In Him, our salvation is complete, in light of Satan’s sure defeat,
In Christ we are completely saved, from the world, so depraved,
Saved from a darkened world, with a message of light to herald,
Light for each and every nation, about God’s Glorious Salvation.
God’s salvation’s pure and whole, saving one’s life and his soul,
Friend, the salvation of our God, begins upon this earth we trod,
While a sinner here on earth, receives from The Lord a New Birth,
When by God’s Spirit sinful men, in Christ Jesus are Born Again.
God’s Salvation takes a life, marking it for His Son Jesus Christ,
Moving that soul from the night, into The Savior’s Glorious Light,
A light that changes everything, as one begins to serve the King,
Service that begins down here, extending beyond earth’s sphere.
Soon Truth will be revealed again, and this time seen by all men,
Christ, who came before Calvary, to lead all peoples to Eternity,
The Living Word of God’s Creation, will return to bring Salvation,
To all humble hearts who heard, and believed His revealed Word.
(Copyright ©05/2008)
Hymn 137
Salvation by grace in Christ.
2 Tim. 1:9,10.
Now to the power of God supreme
Be everlasting honors giv'n;
He saves from hell, (we bless his name,)
He calls our wand'ring feet to heav'n.
Not for our duties or deserts,
But of his own abounding grace,
He works salvation in our hearts,
And forms a people for his praise.
'Twas his own purpose that begun
To rescue rebels doomed to die;
He gave us grace in Christ his Son
Before he spread the starry sky.
Jesus the Lord appears at last,
And makes his Father's counsels known;
Declares the great transactions past,
And brings immortal blessings down.
He dies, and in that dreadful night
Did all the powers of hell destroy;
Rising, he brought our heav'n to light,
And took possession of the joy.
poem by Isaac Watts
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Hymn 140
A living and a dead faith. Collected from several scriptures.
Mistaken souls, that dream of heav'n,
And make their empty boast
Of inward joys, and sins forgiv'n,
While they are slaves to lust!
Vain are our fancies, airy flights,
If faith be cold and dead;
None but a living power unites
To Christ the living head.
'Tis faith that changes all the heart;
'Tis faith that works by love;
That bids all sinful joys depart,
And lifts the thoughts above.
'Tis faith that conquers earth and hell
By a celestial power;
This is the grace that shall prevail
In the decisive hour.
[Faith must obey her Father's will,
As well as trust his grace;
A pard'ning God is jealous still
For his own holiness.]
When from the curse he sets us free,
He makes our natures clean;
Nor would he send his Son to be
The minister of sin.
[His Spirit purifies our frame,
And seals our peace with God;
Jesus and his salvation came
By water and by blood.]
poem by Isaac Watts
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Hymn 23 part 2
A hopeful youth falling short of heaven.
Mark 10:21.
Must all the charms of nature, then,
So hopeless to salvation prove?
Can hell demand, can heav'n condemn,
The man whom Jesus deigns to love?
The man who sought the ways of truth,
Paid friends and neighbors all their due;
A modest, sober, lovely youth,
And thought he wanted nothing new.
But mark the change; thus spake the Lord-
"Come, part with earth for heav'n today:"
The youth, astonished at the word,
In silent sadness went his way.
Poor virtues that he boasted so,
This test unable to endure;
Let Christ, and grace, and glory go,
To make his land and money sure!
Ah, foolish choice of treasures here!
Ah, fatal love of tempting gold!
Must this base world be bought so dear?
Are life and heav'n so cheaply sold?
In vain the charms of nature shine,
If this vile passion govern me:
Transform my soul, O love divine!
And make me part with all for thee.
poem by Isaac Watts
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Hymn 35 part 1
Faith the way to salvation.
Rom. 1:16; Eph. 2:8,9.
Not by the laws of innocence
Can Adam's sons arrive at heav'n;
New works can give us no pretence
To have our ancient sins forgiv'n.
Not the best deeds that we have done
Can make a wounded conscience whole;
Faith is the grace, and faith alone,
That flies to Christ, and saves the soul.
Lord, I believe thy heav'nly word,
Fain would I have my soul renewed;
I mourn for sin, and trust the Lord
To have it pardoned and subdued.
O may thy grace its power display,
Let guilt and death no longer reign;
Save me in thine appointed way,
Nor let my humble faith be vain.
poem by Isaac Watts
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