Looking to Christ

Great God! if thou shouldst bring me near

Author: John Cennick
Published in 1 hymnal

Representative Text

1 Great God! if thou should’st bring me near,
To answer at thy awful bar,
And my own self defend;
If Jesus did himself withdraw,
I know thy holy, fiery law
My soul to hell would send.

2 A sinner self-condemned I come,
Worthy that thou should’st me consume,
But, O! one thing I plead:
The every mite to thee I owed,
Christ Jesus, with his own heart’s blood,
In pity for me paid.

3 Now should’st thou me to judgment call,
Though Moses faced me there, and all
My dreadful sins appeared,
I should not fear, but boldly stand;
Through Jesus’ piercèd heart and hand,
I know I should be spared.

4 My full receipt should there be showed,
Written with iron pens in blood,
On Jesus’ hands and side.
“I’m safe!” I’ll shout, “O law and sin,
Ye cannot bring me guilty in,
For Christ was crucified!”


Source: A Selection of Hymns for Public Worship. In four parts (10th ed.) (Gadsby's Hymns) #163

Author: John Cennick

John Cennick was born at Reading, Berkshire, in the year 1717. He became acquainted with Wesley and Whitefield, and preached in the Methodist connection. On the separation of Wesley and Whitefield he joined the latter. In 1745, he attached himself to the Moravians, and made a tour in Germany to fully acquaint himself with the Moravian doctrines. He afterwards ministered in Dublin, and in the north of Ireland. He died in London, in 1755, and was buried in the Moravian Cemetery, Chelsea. He was the author of many hymns, some of which are to be found in every collection. --Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A. 1872.… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Great God! if thou shouldst bring me near
Title: Looking to Christ
Author: John Cennick
Meter: 8.8.6.8.8.6
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

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Text

A Selection of Hymns for Public Worship. In four parts (10th ed.) (Gadsby's Hymns) #163

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