April 6, 2012

• "The inestimable Benefits of Christ's Death, inferred from the excellency of his Person"

  The inestimable Benefits of Christ's Death, inferred from the excellency of his Person.
  by Joseph Hart

  Part I.

  1  The things on earth which men esteem,
          And of their richness boast,
       In value, less or greater seem,
          Proportion'd to their cost.

  2  The diamond, that’s for thousands sold,
         Our admiration draws;
       For dust, men seldom part with gold;
          Or barter pearls for straws.

  3  Then what inestimable worth
          Must in those crowns appear,
       For which the Lord came down to earth,
          And bought for us so dear?

  4  The Father dearly loves the Son,
          And rates his merits high.
       For no mean cause he sent him down
          To suffer, grieve, and die.

  5  The blessings from his death that flow,
          So little we esteem,
       Only because we slightly know,
          And meanly value, him.

  6  ’Twas our Creator for us bled,
          The Lord of life and power;
       Whom angels worship, devils dread,
          God blest for evermore.

  7  Oh! could we but with clearer eyes
         His excellencies trace;
      Could we his person learn to prize,
         We more should prize his grace.

  Part II.

  1  And did the darling Son of God
         For sinners, deign to bleed?
      The purchase of that precious blood
         Must needs be rich indeed.

  2  God’s wisdom would not pay for toys
         So great a price as this.
      ’Tis God-like glory, boundless joys;
          ’Tis unexampled bliss.

  3  Saints, raise your expectations high;
         Hope all that heaven has good;
      Think what the blood of Christ can buy;
         Invaluable blood!

  4  Eye has not seen, nor ear hath heard,
         Nor can the heart conceive,
      What blessings are for them prepar'd
         Who in the Lord believe.

  5  By others, for their virtue fair,
         Let rich rewards be sought;
      Give me, my God, to freely share
         What thou hast freely bought.

  

  Matthew 13:44  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.  45  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: 46  Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

  Matthew 16:15  He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16  And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar–jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

  I Corinthians 2:6  Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: 7  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8  Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10  But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11  For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15  But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 16  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

  Have the eyes of your understanding been enlightened to behold the all-surpassing excellency of the Treasure?

  Psalm 27:4  One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

  Psalm 84:10  For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

  Song of Solomon 3:1  By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. 2  I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. 3  The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? 4  It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go...

  Psalm 63:8a  My soul followeth hard after thee

  Psalm 73:25  Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. 26  My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. 27  For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. 28  But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.

  Philippians 3:7  But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8  Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9  And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11  If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 12  Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15  Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

  
  If you have beheld the excellency of Christ's person,
  if you have begun to grasp the inestimable benefits of His death,
  if you have tasted His unexampled bliss,
  how can you settle for any lesser treasure?

  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
   (Luke 12:34)

  “Thursday, Oct. 21 [1742]. Had a very deep sense of the vanity of the world most of the day; had little
  more regard to it than if I had been to go into eternity the next hour. Through divine goodness, I
  felt very serious and solemn. O, I love to live on the brink of eternity, in my views and meditations!
  This gives me a sweet, awful, and reverential sense and apprehension of God and divine things,
  when I see myself as it were standing before the judgment-seat of Christ."

  "Tuesday, Dec. 9 [1740]. I was in a comfortable frame of soul most of the day; but especially in evening
  devotions, when God was pleased wonderfully to assist and strengthen me; so that I thought nothing
  should ever move me from the love of God in Christ Jesus my Lord. O! one hour with God infinitely
  exceeds all the pleasures and delights of this lower world."
  (David Brainerd's Journals)
  
  

  ---

  Reference: "The Death and Excellency of Christ," Hymns 803 and 803A in Gadsby's Hymnal. Please note: I edited the hymns found there to reflect the text of Joseph Hart's Hymn 76 (pp. 114-115) in "Hymns Composed on Various Subjects" (1811) by Joseph Hart. I highly recommend your reading Joseph Hart's account of his own experience found on page vii.

  Related:

  My other posts on Lent & the Resurrection

  Some other hymns of Joseph Hart:

  • Lenten Reflections: "all that is talked about the sufferings of Jesus" (Joseph Hart)
  • Come, Holy Spirit, Come! (Joseph Hart)
  • "Blessed is the Man that endureth Temptation" by Joseph Hart

  And these posts...

  • Martyn Lloyd-Jones: Why the Cross? Part 1-The Exceeding Sinfulness of Sin
  • Martyn Lloyd-Jones: Why the Cross? Part 2-The Holy Law of God
  • "My situation was so dangerous, so hopeless, that nothing less than the incarnation..." (Payson)
  • No other ~ Never shall the merit of Christ decay
  • Bible Reading: Lamentations 1:12-Is His Sacrifice nothing to you?
  • Outcast vine, faithless bride ~ What beauty? What did you see?
  • I am a leopard - Christ is a lion ~ The Resurrection Celebration
  • Praise to the Triumphant Lamb: "God of Unexampled Grace"
  • this earthly manna ~ the Christian hedonist's plea
  • Finding pleasure in Him
  • Moderation in pursuing God? An answer from Jonathan Edwards
  • Moderation in pursuing God? An answer from George Whitefield
  • How's your spiritual appetite? (Jonathan Edwards)
  • As a deer pants ... Is your soul panting for God? (Psalms 42 & 43)
  • Where do you go when the world is unlovely? (Psalm 84 & the theology of Biblical counseling)
  • Letter 25 on assurance and fighting for joy (a strong craving ≠ His joy)
  • don't waste your new year ~ teach us, satisfy us, make us glad (Psalm 90:12-15)
  • Linger, linger, linger – so you might know God's love
  • Things To Look for in a Church, 9: "Pearl Freaks" (a.k.a. a Kingdom-Obsessed People)
  • In the midst of my temptations fierce ~ O, Jesus Christ, my Treasure first
  • Palm Sunday: What Happens after the Triumphal Entry?
  • God, Love & Cookies ~ Have you abandoned your first Love? (Revelation 2:4)
  • adopting God's purpose for the nations is for your joy & His glory (Letter 76 on joy)
  • the lover's inquiry | letter 114 on fighting for joy
  • our yearnings & desires and God's mission (Isaiah 26:9)
  • what's your price? (Bible reading - Matthew 26:14-16)
  • Why read Christian biography? To help us examine our love for God.
  • Have you forgotten? Will you REMEMBER and REPENT?

  Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Holy Bible.

  • 5:35 PM
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