ZECHARIAH
Chapter 3:9
On one Stone shall be seven Eyes
Jesus Christ, the Lord’s anointed,
Who his blood for sinners spilt,
Is the Stone by GOD appointed,
And the church is on him built:
He delivers all who trust him from their guilt.
Many eyes at once are fixed
On a person so divine;
Love, with aweful justice mixed,
In his great redemption shine:
Mighty Jesus! give me leave to call thee mine.
By the Father’s eye approved,
Lo, a voice is heard from heaven, (a)
“Sinners, this is my beloved,
For your ransom freely given:
All offences, for his sake, shall be forgiven.”
Angels with their eyes pursued him, (b)
When he left his glorious throne;
With astonishment they viewed him
Put the form of servant on:
Angels worshipped him who was on earth unknown.
Satan and his host amazed,
Saw this stone in Zion laid;
JESUS, though to death abased,
Bruised the subtle serpent’s head, (c)
When to save us, on the cross his blood he shed.
When a guilty sinner sees him,
While he looks his soul is healed;
Soon this sight from anguish frees him,
And imparts a pardon sealed: (d)
May this Saviour be to all our hearts revealed.
With desire and admiration,
All his blood-bought flock behold;
Him who wrought out their salvation,
And enclosed them in his fold: (e)
Yet their warmest love, and praises, are too cold.
By the eye of carnal reason
Many view him with disdain; (f)
How will they abide the season
When he’ll come with all his train?
To escape him then they’ll wish, but wish in vain.
How their hearts will melt and tremble
When they hear his aweful voice; (g)
But his saints he’ll then assemble,
As his portion and his choice,
And receive them to his everlasting joys.
(a) Matthew 3:17
(b) 1 Timothy 3:16
(c) John 12:31
(d) John 3:15
(e) 1 Peter 2:7
(f) Psalm 118:22
(g) Revelation 1:7
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from John Newton's Diary, relevant to this hymn:
Monday 17 April 1775
The Fair Day ... In the evening preached to a pretty large congregation. Revelation 22:17 [And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.]
Thursday 20 April 1775
Preached in the evening. Favoured with some liberty. But alas how am I straitened in secret. Revelation 19:6 [And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.]
Friday 21 April 1775
When tea was over went to Lavendon, and spoke to a house full of people at Mrs Ratcliffe’s from Psalm 106:4,5 [Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation; That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance.] Have done little with my pen this week but a letter to Lord Dartmouth, a long one for the [Gospel] Magazine and one to Miss Greatheed.
Sunday 23 April 1775
The Lord is gracious. He still supports and enables me. When I go to preach and feel dry, barren and incapable, which is often the case, he puts words in my mouth and I am helped. But I am poor indeed in myself and a conviction in innumerable ways that I am so, fills up the chief part of my experience. No. 201.
2 Samuel 23:5
Proverbs 8:31
Hymn No. 201
[On this date Newton preached from the above texts at his church, St Peter & St Paul, Olney, during the morning and afternoon services, and from this hymn at the informal evening service] |
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