The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

Thou hast not to my soul declared
Whom Thou wilt with Thy servant send;
Who shall the helpless shepherd guard,
Who shall the trembling guide defend:
Yet hast Thou call'd me by my name,
Accepted in Thy sight I am.

If then I have acceptance found,
And grace, and favour in Thy sight,
Now let Thy pardoning grace abound,
Now manifest Thy clearest light;
Show me Thy way, Thy life make known,
Thy truth, and goodness, in Thy Son.

Ah! give me all Thy grace to know,
Thy grace to this Thy people give;
Lead them throughout their course below,
And bid me in Thy presence live;
Thy presence all my steps attend:
O love me, love me to the end.

Go with me Thou in all my ways,
And give my weary spirit rest;
May I, may all the chosen race,
Be with Thy special presence blest:
Or let us never hence remove,
Without the convoy of Thy love.

How shall it but by this be known
Our sure acceptance in Thy sight?
We have found grace, we are Thine own,
For lo! we walk with God in light:
Thy presence shows the holy seed,
Thy presence makes us saints indeed.

Distinct by characters Divine,
Thy sons as priests, and kings, appear,
In Thy reflected light they shine,
And bear Thy glorious image here,
The' election of peculiar grace,
The pure in heart, who see Thy face.

CLXXVIII. THE SAME.

Hymn 2.

[O God, my hope, my heavenly rest]

O God, my hope, my heavenly rest,
My all of happiness below,
Grant my importunate request,
To me, to me Thy goodness show:
Thy beatific face display,
The brightness of eternal day.

Before my faith's enlighten'd eyes
Make all Thy gracious goodness pass:
Thy goodness is the sight I prize:
O might I see Thy smiling face!
Thy nature in my soul proclaim,
Reveal Thy love, Thy glorious name.

There in the place beside Thy throne,
Where all that find acceptance stand,
Receive me up into Thy Son,
Cover me with Thy mighty hand;
Set me upon the rock, and hide
My soul in Jesu's wounded side.

O put me in the cleft, empower
My soul the glorious sight to bear;
Descend in this accepted hour,
Pass by me, and Thy name declare;
Thy wrath withdraw, Thy hand remove,
And show Thyself—the God of love!

CLXXIX. THE SAME.

Hymn 3.

[Come down, all-glorious Lord, come down]

Come down, all-glorious Lord, come down,
Stand with me on the mountain Thou;
Thy great mysterious name make known,
And manifest Thy nature now;
Now in my inmost soul proclaim
Thy attributes, with Thee the same.

The Lord, the Lord, and God of love,
All-merciful, all-gracious I!
To man My yearning bowels move,
I would not have one sinner die,
But still pursue the' apostate race,
Long-suffering, full of truth, and grace.

Mercy I keep for all mankind,
An infinite, exhaustless store,
A sea unfathom'd, unconfined;
To all, to all My love runs o'er;
Sinners may all My mercy prove;
My first great attribute is love.

A pardoning God of mercy, I
Iniquity, and sin forgive:
Those, only those I leave to die,
Who will not come to Me, and live;
Who will not in My mercy trust,
And find Me good, shall find Me just.

The guilty I will never clear,
But make on them Mine anger known,
Visit their sin in judgments here,
And scourge the father in the son;
My wrath to distant heirs extends,
And never, but in Jesus, ends.

CLXXX. THE SAME.

Hymn 4.

[To Thee, great God of love, I bow]

To Thee, great God of love, I bow,
And prostrate in Thy sight adore:
By faith I see Thee passing now:
I have; but still I ask for more:
A glimpse of love cannot suffice,
My soul for all Thy presence cries.

I cannot see Thy face, and live!
Then let me see Thy face, and die:
Now, Lord, my gasping spirit receive;
Give me, on eagle's wings to fly,
With eagle's eyes on Thee to gaze,
And plunge into the glorious blaze.

The fulness of my great reward
A blest eternity shall be,
But hast Thou not on earth prepared
Some better thing than this for me?
What, but one drop! One transient sight!
I want a sun, a sea of light.

Moses Thy backward parts might view,
But not a perfect sight obtain:
The gospel doth Thy fulness show,
To us by the commandment slain;
The dead to sin shall find the grace;
The pure in heart shall see Thy face.

More favour'd than the saints of old,
Who now through faith approach to Thee,
Shall all with open face behold
In Christ the glorious Deity,
Shall see, and put the Godhead on,
The nature of Thy sinless Son.

This, this is our high calling's prize:
Thine image in Thy Son I claim,
And still to higher glories rise,
Till all-transform'd I know Thy name,
And glide to all my heaven above,
My highest heaven of Jesu's love.

CLXXXI. THE SAME.

Hymn 5.

[Yet hear me, for Thy people hear]

Yet hear me, for Thy people hear,
If I have with my Lord found grace,
To every rebel soul appear,
And bear with the backsliding race;
Amongst Thy stiffneck'd people go,
And all Thy patient pity show.

Forgive us for Thy mercy sake,
Our multitude of sins forgive,
And for Thine own possession take,
And bid us to Thy glory live,
Live in Thy sight, and gladly prove
Our faith by our obedient love.

The covenant of forgiveness seal,
And all Thy mighty wonders show,
Our inbred enemies expel,
And conquering them to conquer go,
Till all of wrath and pride is slain,
And not one evil thought remain.

O put it in our inward parts
The living law of perfect love,
Write the new precept on our hearts;
We cannot then from Thee remove,
Who in Thy glorious image shine
Thy people, and for ever Thine.

CLXXXII. THE SAME.

Hymn 6.

[Shepherd of souls, if Thou indeed]

Shepherd of souls, if Thou indeed
Hast raised me up Thy flock to feed,
(Thy meanest servant me,)
O may I all their burdens share,
And gently in my bosom bear
The lambs redeem'd by Thee.

Thy Spirit send me from above,
Spirit of meek long-suffering love,
Of all-sufficient grace;
Endue me with Thy constant mind,
So good, so obstinately kind
To our rebellious race.

A faithful steward of my Lord,
Give me to minister Thy word,
And in Thy steps to tread;
By every sore temptation tried,
By sufferings fully qualified
Thy ailing flock to lead.

O may Thy bowels yearn in me,
Whene'er a wandering sheep I see,
Till Thou that sheep retrieve;
And let me in Thy Spirit cry
Why, sinner, wilt thou perish, why,
When Jesus bids thee live?

My bosom fill with soft distress,
With sympathising tenderness
For every tempted soul:
Still would I grieve, and suffer still,
And all their pain and sickness feel,
Till Thou hast made them whole.

But chiefly would I make my moan,
And deep beneath the burden groan
Of those who did run well,
But fainted in their evil day,
And swerving from the narrow way
By pride or passion fell.

Here let me pour out all my tears,
And spend in prayer my mournful years,
That these may rise renew'd
Who have, like me, their Lord denied,
That these again may feel applied
Thine all-atoning blood.

The love which brought Thee from the skies,
And made Thy soul a sacrifice,
Jesu, on me bestow;
Or let me, Lord, my life resign
That these, who once were counted Thine,
Again Thy voice may know.

Shepherd, appear, the Great, the Good,
And O! once more remove our load,
Repeat our sins forgiven,
And mark the sheep with Thy new name,
And ascertain our lawful claim
To pardon, grace, and heaven.

CLXXXIII. THE SAME.

Hymn 7.

[My Lord, by sinners crucified]

My Lord, by sinners crucified,
By me ten thousand times denied,
(And yet Thy bowels move,
And yet Thy heart relents for me,)
Alas! what shall I answer Thee,
When ask'd, if Thee I love?

How shall I in Thy presence dare
The' abominable crime declare,
Or speak the horrid word?
And yet compell'd I am to own,
And cry with an heart-breaking groan,
I do not love Thee, Lord!

My basest want of love I feel:
The most apostate fiend in hell
Is not so vile as I:
A Man, a Sufferer for my sake,
Thou never didst their nature take,
Nor didst for devils die.

'Twas I that caused Thy mortal pain,
And made Thee bow the head, in vain,
And waste Thy precious blood:
For O! this base ungrateful heart!
I linger still with all to part,
I cannot love my God.

Not all Thy passion's bleeding power,
Before the' acceptable hour,
This flinty breast can move:
Yet may I not to Thee appeal?
Thou know'st I would Thy goodness feel,
I would my Saviour love.

Jesus, pronounce the softening word,
And make me fully willing, Lord,
The blessing to receive;
My faithless heart in love renew,
And then I shall, I shall prove true,
And to Thy glory live.

Then shall my tongue delight to own
The wonders Thou for me hast done,
The blessings Thou hast given,

And gladly tell Thee o'er and o'er,
Thou know'st, O Lord, I love Thee more
Than all Thy earth and heaven.

Then shall I labour to approve
My firm inviolable love,
Obedient to my God,
And guide with all my power, and keep
The tender lambs and yeaning sheep,
Which cost my Lord His blood.

Be this my whole employ below,
Before Thy little flock to go,
And in Thy steps to tread;
Shepherd of souls, I fain would be
Their faithful pastor under Thee,
And feed as I am fed.

Happy, could I through life declare
How dear to me Thy followers are;
But happier still might I
Like Thee my life at last give back,
And suffer, Saviour, for Thy sake,
And for Thy people die!

CLXXXIV. THE SAME.

Hymn 8.

[O Thou great almighty Lord]

O Thou great almighty Lord,
How can I declare Thy word,
Least of all Thy servants I,
Weak as helpless infancy!
Sunk in shame, and deep amaze,
On Thine outstretch'd hand I gaze,
Ask again, How can it be
The great God should send by me!

100

But Thou know'st this heart of mine:
Fain I would the work decline,
Most unworthy as I am,
Most unfit to bear Thy name:
O how often have I cried,
Send by whom Thou wilt beside:
Still I plead for my release,
Let me, Lord, depart in peace.

Conscious to myself, I pray
Take me from the evil day,
From the thing I always fear
Save Thy weakest messenger;
Jealous for Thine honour be,
Do not trust Thy cause to me;
Me, a man of lips unclean,
Me, the sinfullest of men:

Weary, burden'd, and oppress'd,
Stranger to delight, and rest,
How can I beneath my load
Preach redemption in Thy blood?
Looking every fearful day
To become a castaway,
How shall I in sorrow tell
News of joy unspeakable?

But Thou know'st, a sharper pain
Every moment I sustain,
Saviour, for Thy glorious cause,
Lest by me it suffer loss.
Do not, O my Help, my Hope,
Jesus, do not give me up,
Never let me live to be
A reproach to Thine and Thee.

101

Jealous for Thy own great name,
Let me not be put to shame;
Make my perseverance sure,
In the quiet grave secure:
Rid me of my life and fear;
Safe retreat is conquest here,
Happy, and triumphant I,
Suffer'd to escape, and die!

CLXXXV. THE SAME.

Hymn 9.

[Master, Thy promised help I claim]

Master, Thy promised help I claim,
Sent forth to testify Thy name,
Which speaks a world forgiven,
Sent forth Thy mercy to display,
And teach, as taught of Thee, the way,
The living way to heaven.

Thy servant in the gospel, I
For all my fellow-servants cry,
In never ceasing prayer:
By us in each hard trial stand,
Support us with Thine outstretch'd hand,
And all our burdens bear.

Thou seest the threatening of our foes;
A world with restless rage oppose
Thy messengers, and Thee:
Beneath Thy wings our weakness hide,
And turn the furious blast aside,
And end the tyranny.

102

Thou seest the dire malicious fiend
Doth closely all our steps attend,
And watches all our ways:
And lo! the powers of darkness join,
Through us to frustrate the design
Of Thy redeeming grace.

But worse than all Thou seest within
The cruel misbelieving sin,
Which tempts us to depart,
Staggers our faith, and shakes our hope,
And drinks our fainting spirits up,
And tears our aching heart.

Thou know'st the black desponding fear,
The doubt we should not persevere
Till all our course is run,
The conflict in ourselves we have,
Lest we the souls of others save,
And sadly lose our own.

We tremble in our evil day,
Lest we ourselves should fall away,
And perish in our blood:
It is mine own infirmity!
There's none hath felt it more than me,
And still I bear my load.

But O Thou faithful God of love,
The cause of our distress remove,
The heart to evil prone:
Our doubts, and fears, and sins destroy,
And fill with everlasting joy,
And perfect us in one.

103

CLXXXVI. THE SAME. FOR A LAY PREACHER.

Hymn 10.

I thank Thee, Lord of earth and heaven,
That Thou to me, e'en me, hast given
The knowledge of Thy grace,
(Which flesh and blood could ne'er reveal,)
And call'd a babe Thy love to tell,
And stammer out Thy praise.

None of the sacred order I,
Yet dare I not the grace deny
Thou hast on me bestow'd,
Constrain'd to speak in Jesu's name,
And show poor souls the' atoning Lamb,
And point them to His blood.

I now believe, and therefore speak,
And found myself, go forth to seek
The sheep that wander still;
For these I toil, for these I care,
And faithfully to all declare
The peace which all may feel.

My God supply Thy servant's need,
If Thou hast sent me forth indeed
To make Thy goodness known;
Thy Son in sinners' hearts reveal,
By gracious signs my mission seal,
And prove the word Thine own.

O for Thy only Jesu's sake,
Into those arms of mercy take
Thy meanest messenger,
And ever in Thy keeping have,
And grant me, Lord, at last to save
Myself with all that hear.

104

CLXXXVII. THE SAME.

Hymn 11.

[O thou whose gracious word]

O thou whose gracious word
I to the world proclaim,
Be mindful of Thy promise, Lord,
Be jealous for Thy name;
From what I always fear
My tempted soul defend,
And keep Thy meanest messenger,
And keep me to the end.

Thou seest this feeble heart,
Which trembles every day,
Lest I myself from Thee depart,
And die a castaway,
Lest I the' occasion give
To all who hate Thy cross,
And to reproach Thy people live,
And to disserve Thy cause.

Thou know'st the tenfold rage
Wherewith Thy foe pursues,
The men in our adulterous age
Whom Thou art pleased to use,
But never, never leave
A soul employ'd by Thee,
Nor let the subtle fiend deceive,
Or serve himself on me.

Rather my spirit take
To rest with Thee above,
For Thy own name and glory's sake,
For Thy own truth and love,

105

Let me from Satan fly
Into the arms Divine,
And all-renew'd this moment die,
To live for ever Thine.

CLXXXVIII. THE SAME.

Hymn 12.

[O that I was as heretofore]

O that I was as heretofore
When first sent forth in Jesu's name
I rush'd through every open door,
And cried to all, “Behold the Lamb!”
Seized the poor trembling slaves of sin,
And forced the outcasts to come in.

The God who kills, and makes alive,
To me the quickening power impart,
Thy grace restore, Thy work revive,
Retouch my lips, renew my heart,
Forth with a fresh commission send,
And all Thy servant's steps attend.

Give me the faith which can remove,
And sink the mountain to a plain,
Give me the childlike praying love,
That longs to build Thine house again;
The love which once my heart o'erpower'd,
And all my simple soul devour'd.

I want an even strong desire,
I want a calmly fervent zeal,
To save poor souls out of the fire,
To snatch them from the verge of hell,
And turn them to the pardoning God,
And quench the brands in Jesu's blood.

106

I would the precious time redeem,
And longer live for this alone
To spend, and to be spent for them
Who have not yet my Saviour known,
Fully on these my mission prove,
And only breathe, to breathe Thy love.

My talents, gifts, and graces, Lord,
Into Thy blessed hands receive,
And let me live to preach Thy word,
And let me for Thy glory live,
My every sacred moment spend
In publishing the Sinner's Friend.

Enlarge, inflame, and fill my heart
With boundless charity Divine,
So shall I all my strength exert,
And love them with a zeal like Thine,
And lead them to Thine open side,
The sheep, for whom their Shepherd died.

Or if, to serve Thy church and Thee,
Myself be offer'd up at last,
My soul brought through the purple sea
With those beneath the altar cast
Shall claim the palm to martyrs given,
And mount the highest throne in heaven.

University of Virginia Library

[FOR A PREACHER OF THE GOSPEL]

MOSES'S WISH.—Exodus xxxiii. 12 to xxxiv. 9.

CLXXVII. FOR A PREACHER OF THE GOSPEL.

Hymn 1.