Corner Stone

The builder, whom true wisdom sways

Author: James Relly
Published in 3 hymnals

Representative Text

1 The builder, whom true wisdom sways,
First, the foundation deeply lays;
Prepar'd against each shock:
Our builder, sure of his own plan,
Founded us deeply in the man,
On God, th' eternal rock.

2 Christ is that precious corner stone,
Which all his church is built upon;
Nor can it ever fall:
The prophets, and apostles too,
Other foundations never knew
Than Jesus, Lord of all.

3 Christ, in this building is the door;
And always open to the poor,
Who would approach their God:
Nor, tho' they're naked, need they fear;
For Christ is yea; boldly draw near,
And plead redeeming blood.

4 As windows rang'd, admit the light
To chase the horrors of the night,
Enlight'ning ev'ry part:
So, in our Saviour's lovely face,
The Godhead shines in love and grace,
To cheer the human heart.

5 The stone the builders did refuse,
Which human wisdom ne'er will choose,
Is here the head-stone seen:
Brought forth with joy to make all fast;
Christ is the first stone and the last;
The church is safe between.

6 The spacious roof, extended wide,
Lock'd in secure on ev'ry aide,
Braves all the storms that fall:
Christ is that cov'ring, suited well,
To shelter man from storms of hell;
O Christ! thou art our all.

Source: Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs: selected and original, designed for the use of the Church Universal in public and private devotion #XLVII

Author: James Relly

James Relly was born about 1722 at Jeffreston, Pembrokeshire, Wales, and died in 1778. He was converted to Christianity during the Great Awakening ushered in by George Whitefield. He worked under George Whitefield as a Calvinistic Methodist preacher and missionary. However, Whitefield and Relly separated ways over Relly's seemingly universalist teaching that all humanity was elect (i.e. saved) when Christ took the punishment for all sin when he died. He also departed from both the Calvinists and Methodists by taking the doctrine of Justification further, in teaching that believers no longer sin and the Law's sole purpose is to condemn humanity and point them to Christ. He was the mentor of John Murray, the founder of the Universalist Ch… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: The builder, whom true wisdom sways
Title: Corner Stone
Author: James Relly
Meter: 8.8.6.8.8.6
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

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Instances (1 - 3 of 3)
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Christian Hymns, Poems, and Spiritual Songs #I.LXXVII

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Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs #24

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Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs #XLVII

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