Broadus
Puritan Board Freshman
I was asked by a church member about a verse in Charles Wesley’s hymn “Depth of Mercy.”
Wesley is obviously using the language of Hebrews 6:6. The writer of Hebrews declares in that verse that it is impossible to restore to repentance those who “are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.” If a person is so living in that state, the last thing for which he will despair, it seems to me, is being too far removed for God’s grace to reach him. It’s hard to see that he would care about coming to Christ on Christ’s terms.
Perhaps Wesley’s hymn expresses the deep contrition of a person who fears that he has crucified again the Lord Jesus and has held him to open contempt but has not actually crossed that line.
The hymn obviously expresses deep agony and mourning over one’s sin, akin to Isaiah’s “woe is me” in the presence of the thrice-holy God. Wesley had been a moralist in Church of England before conversion. Did he consider his moralism as denying Christ, crucifying him afresh, etc.?
Any thoughts?
I my Master have denied,
I afresh have crucified,
Oft profaned his hallowed name,
Put him to an open shame.
I afresh have crucified,
Oft profaned his hallowed name,
Put him to an open shame.
Wesley is obviously using the language of Hebrews 6:6. The writer of Hebrews declares in that verse that it is impossible to restore to repentance those who “are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.” If a person is so living in that state, the last thing for which he will despair, it seems to me, is being too far removed for God’s grace to reach him. It’s hard to see that he would care about coming to Christ on Christ’s terms.
Perhaps Wesley’s hymn expresses the deep contrition of a person who fears that he has crucified again the Lord Jesus and has held him to open contempt but has not actually crossed that line.
The hymn obviously expresses deep agony and mourning over one’s sin, akin to Isaiah’s “woe is me” in the presence of the thrice-holy God. Wesley had been a moralist in Church of England before conversion. Did he consider his moralism as denying Christ, crucifying him afresh, etc.?
Any thoughts?
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