According to the editor of The Oxford Edition of the Works of John Wesley (Oxford: Clarendon, 1975-1983, vol. 7), “And Can It Be” was written immediately after Charles Wesley’s conversion (May 21, 1738). Wesley knew his Bible well prior to this time, but had not yet experienced assurance of new birth or the fulness of grace in his life. The editor also that it was probably this hymn, or “Where Should My Wond’ring Soul Begin?” that was sung late on the evening of his brother John’s Aldersgate Street conversion just three days later on May 24¹.

And can it be that I should gain
An int’rest in the Saviour’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me?

Refrain
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me!

‘Tis mystery all! Th’Immortal dies!
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine!
‘Tis mercy all! let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.

Refrain

He left His Father’s throne above,
So free, so infinite His grace;
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race;
‘Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found out me.

Refrain

Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quick’ning ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free;
I rose, went forth and followed Thee.

Refrain

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

Refrain

¹thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justin-taylor/charles-wesleys-and-can-it-be-background-and-scriptural-allusions/

Since the children in his children could become noisy and restless, Pastor Horatius Bonar wrote a hymn “in a desire to provide something which children could sing and appreciate in divine worship”. Bonar wrote many of his hymns for the children, yet “they are so spiritually profound they will always satisfy the most mature Christian mind, despite it”s simplicity”¹. Enjoy this hymn this Lord’s Day!

I lay my sins on Jesus,
The spotless Lamb of God;
He bears them all, and frees us
From the accursed load.
I bring my guilt to Jesus,
To wash my crimson stains
White in his blood most precious,
Till not a spot remains.

I lay my wants on Jesus;
All fullness dwells in him;
He heals all my diseases,
My soul he does redeem.
I lay my griefs on Jesus,
My burdens and my cares;
He from them all releases,
He all my sorrows shares.

I rest my soul on Jesus,
This weary soul of mine;
His right hand me embraces,
I in his arms recline.
I love the name of Jesus,
Immanuel, Christ, the Lord;
Like fragrance on the breezes
His name abroad is poured.

I long to be like Jesus,
Meek, loving, lowly, mild;
I long to be like Jesus,
The Father’s holy child.
I long to be with Jesus
Amid the heav’nly throng,
To sing with saints his praises,
To learn the angels’ song.

¹page 219 – Leeman, D. and Leeman, B., 2022. Our Hymns, Our Heritage: A Student Guide to Songs of the Church

“As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them” Luke 24:15. This encounter on the Emmaus road wonderfully shows the Christian life as a walk with Jesus. This song expresses our heart’s desire to walk with Jesus, and reminds us that this privilege is available only because he first chose to walk with us: ‘Jesus I will walk with you… for Jesus walks with me’¹. Enjoy this lovely song by Joyful Noise

Jesus I will walk with you
Companion for the way
My constant friend and faithful guide
Beside me every day
Through times of winter harsh and bare
Through summer’s gentle breeze
I’ll walk with faith and hope and love
For Jesus walks with me

Jesus I will walk with you
Attentive to your voice
In every written word you speak
And make my heart rejoice
Though now I walk an unseen road
In prayer I know your peace
And walk with persevering faith
For Jesus walks with me

Jesus I will walk with you
The way of victory
The stranglehold of sin is gone
Your blood has set me free
And though my sin is deep and dark
Your spirit’s power will be
My daily strength to walk with you
For Jesus walks with me

Jesus I will walk with you
Salvation’s ancient way
Where countless saints have walked before
And triumphed by your grace
Your faithfulness their victory song
Their joyful voice agrees
There is no better way to walk
For Jesus walks with me.

¹joyful-noise.bandcamp.com/track/jesus-i-will-walk-with-you-2

This great modern hymn written by Matt Boswell and Matt Papa is a wonderful reminder of the vast spiritual treasure we have inherited through Christ. This song full of such rich biblical language and imagery I’m sure will have you humming and singing throughout the day, with your hearts full of joy that Christ through His blood has made us His. I really like this simple, acoustic version; enjoy!

How rich a treasure we possess
In Jesus Christ our Lord;
His blood our ransom and defence,
His glory our reward.
The sum of all created things,
Is worthless in compare;
For our inheritance is Him,
Whose praise angels declare.

How free and costly was the love
Displayed upon the cross;
While we were dead in untold sin,
The Sovereign purchased us.
The will of God the Father
Demonstrated through the Son;
The Spirit seals the greatest work,
The work which Christ has done.

How vast and measureless the flood
Of mercy unrestrained;
The penalty was paid in full,
The spotless Lamb was slain.
Salvation what a priceless gift
Received by grace through faith;
We stand in robes of righteousness,
We stand in Jesus’ Name.

For Yours is the Kingdom, and the power,
And the glory.
Yours is the Kingdom, and the power,
And the glory! Amen!

Richard Thompson and Jonny Robinson are writers within the worship group CityAlight. On writing modern hymns, and today’s song, they write: “We began this writing project inspired by an idea… The idea was joy. More specifically we had in mind Christian joy which we believed to be something quite distinct, and we wanted that notion to inspire, underwrite, and unify the songs written for this project. The songs resulting from this meditation are six simple songs for the church centered upon those remarkable realities of the Christian faith that are occasions for deep and lasting joy. Our hymn “Yet Not I but Through Christ in Me” took us 12 weeks to write. We dove deep into the idea of what it meant to have Christ dwell in us…This is an exploration of one of the greatest mysteries of the Christian faith¹. Enjoyy!

What gift of grace is Jesus my redeemer
There is no more for heaven now to give
He is my joy, my righteousness, and freedom
My steadfast love, my deep and boundless peace

Refrain
To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus
For my life is wholly bound to His
Oh how strange and divine, I can sing, “All is mine”
Yet not I, but through Christ in me

The night is dark but I am not forsaken
For by my side, the Saviour He will stay
I labour on in weakness and rejoicing
For in my need, His power is displayed

Refrain

No fate I dread, I know I am forgiven
The future sure, the price it has been paid
For Jesus bled and suffered for my pardon
And He was raised to overthrow the grave

Refrain

With every breath I long to follow Jesus
For He has said that He will bring me home
And day by day I know He will renew me
Until I stand with joy before the throne

Refrain

¹challies.com/interviews/get-to-know-cityalight-and-their-new-album/

Augustus Montague Toplady, was born at Farnham, Surrey, November 4, 1740. His father was an officer in the British army and his mother was a woman of remarkable piety. While on a visit in Ireland in his sixteenth year he was awakened and converted at a service held in a barn in Codymain. In 1758, through the influence of sermons preached by Dr. Manton on the seventeenth chapter of John, he became an extreme Calvinist in his theology, which brought him later into conflict with Mr. Wesley and the Methodists. He was ordained to the ministry in the Church of England in 1762, and in 1768 he became vicar of Broadhembury, a small living in Devonshire, which he held until his death. When his health worsened and he was on the brink of death, he told his physician “why, that is a good sign that my death is fast approaching; and, blessed be God, I can add that my heart beats stronger and stronger every day for glory.”  He died of consumption August 11, 1778. His volume of Psalms and Hymns for Public and Private Worship was published in 1776. which included four hundred and nineteen hymns, such as the well known “Rock of Ages”¹.

How vast the benefits divine,
Which we in Christ possess!
We are redeemed from guilt and shame,
And called to holiness.
But not for works which we have done,
Or shall hereafter do;
Hath God decreed on sinful me
Salvation to bestow.

The glory, Lord, from first to last,
Is due to Thee alone;
Aught to ourselves we dare not take,
Or rob Thee of Thy crown.
Our glorious Surety undertook
To satisfy for man,
And grace was given us in Him
Before the world began.

This is Thy will, that in Thy love
We ever should abide;
That earth and hell should not prevail
To turn Thy Word aside.
Not one of all the chosen race
But shall to Heav’n attain,
Partake on earth the purposed grace
And then with Jesus reign.

¹hymnary.org/person/Toplady_Augustus

This hymn is another addition given to us by William Cowper who struggled with poor mental health. When Rev. John Newton was curate of the market town of Olney, he invited Cowper and the family he was staying with, who recently suffered a tragedy, to move under his care. Newton’s pastoral influence was vital in encouraging Cowper to apply his talents toward writing hymns. He wrote most of his best hymns in this period before relapsing into a deep depression in 1773. “There is a fountain filled with blood” was included in the infamous collection “Olney Hymns” (1779), a collection of hymns written by Newton and Cowper¹.

There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel’s veins;
And sinners, plunged beneath that flood,
Lose all their guilty stains:
Lose all their guilty stains,
Lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners, plunged beneath that flood,
Lose all their guilty stains.

The dying thief rejoiced to see
That fountain in his day;
And there may I, though vile as he,
Wash all my sins away:
Wash all my sins away,
Wash all my sins away;
And there may I, though vile as he,
Wash all my sins away.

Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood
Shall never lose its pow’r,
Till all the ransomed Church of God
Be saved, to sin no more:
Be saved, to sin no more,
Be saved, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed Church of God
Be saved to sin no more.

E’er since by faith I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die:
And shall be till I die,
And shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die.

When this poor lisping, stamm’ring tongue
Lies silent in the grave,
Then in a nobler, sweeter song
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save:
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save,
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save;
Then in a nobler, sweeter song
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save.

¹hymnologyarchive.com/there-is-a-fountain

Samuel Whitelock Gandy is the original writer of this hymn; he was the Vicar of a church in Kingston-on-Thames with Richmond from Jan. 1817 to his death, Dec. 24, 1851. As well as this hymn, his other more popular hymn was “What tho’ the Accuser roar” (Victory through Jesus) found in the Plymouth Brethren “Hymns for the Poor of the Flock“, 1838. Some of his Sermons were published posthumously in 1859¹. This version has been slightly tweaked by Zac Hicks, but is wonderful nonetheless.

His be the Victor’s Name
Who fought the fight alone;
Triumphant saints no honour claim;
Their conquest was His own.

By weakness and defeat
He won the glorious crown;
Trod all His foes beneath His feet
By being trodden down.

Refrain
What though the vile accuser roar
Of sins that I have done;
I know them well, and thousands more;
My God, He knoweth none

He hell in hell laid low;
Made sin, He sin o’erthrew;
Bowed to the grave, destroyed it so,
And death, by dying, slew.

Refrain

Bless, bless the Conqueror slain,
Slain by divine decree!
Who lived, who died, who lives again,
For thee, my soul, for thee.

Refrain

My sin is cast into the sea
Of God’s forgotten memory
No more to haunt accusingly
For Christ has lived and died for me

¹https://hymnary.org/text/his_be_the_victors_name