 | The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley |  |
I. THE TRIAL OF FAITH.
Hymn 1.
“Christ also suffered, leaving us an example.”
Come, O my soul, the call obey,
Take up the burden of thy Lord!
His practice is thy living way,
Thy guide His pure unerring word,
The lovely perfect pattern read,
And haste in all His steps to tread.
Take up the burden of thy Lord!
His practice is thy living way,
Thy guide His pure unerring word,
The lovely perfect pattern read,
And haste in all His steps to tread.
What did my Lord from sinners bear?
His patience is the rule for me:
Walking in Him I cannot err:
And lo! the Man of Griefs I see,
Whose life one scene of sufferings was,
Quite from the manger to the cross.
His patience is the rule for me:
Walking in Him I cannot err:
And lo! the Man of Griefs I see,
Whose life one scene of sufferings was,
Quite from the manger to the cross.
Here then my calling I discern,
('Tis written in affliction's book,)
My first, and latest lesson learn,
For nothing here but sufferings look,
I bow me to the will Divine,
To suffer with my Lord be mine.
('Tis written in affliction's book,)
My first, and latest lesson learn,
For nothing here but sufferings look,
I bow me to the will Divine,
To suffer with my Lord be mine.
142
To suffer as my Lord I come:
How did the Lamb His wrongs endure?
Clamorous, and warm? or meek, and dumb?
Did He by force His life secure?
His injured innocence defend;
Or bear His burden to the end?
How did the Lamb His wrongs endure?
Clamorous, and warm? or meek, and dumb?
Did He by force His life secure?
His injured innocence defend;
Or bear His burden to the end?
Did He evade the pain, and shame,
Impatient of unjust disgrace?
Did He throw off the imputed blame?
Did He from spitting hide His face?
Did He to man for succour fly;
Or offer up Himself, and die?
Impatient of unjust disgrace?
Did He throw off the imputed blame?
Did He from spitting hide His face?
Did He to man for succour fly;
Or offer up Himself, and die?
When nature sunk beneath her load,
Would He the dreadful cup decline?
Prostrate, and bruised, and sweating blood,
“Father, Thy will be done, not Mine,”
He speaks, and meets His enemies,
And gives them power Himself to seize.
Would He the dreadful cup decline?
Prostrate, and bruised, and sweating blood,
“Father, Thy will be done, not Mine,”
He speaks, and meets His enemies,
And gives them power Himself to seize.
The word, which struck them to the ground,
Could it not strike them into hell?
Whom all the hosts of heaven surround,
He will not force by force repel.
“Put up,” He cries, thy needless “sword,”
Nor stain the meekness of thy Lord.
Could it not strike them into hell?
Whom all the hosts of heaven surround,
He will not force by force repel.
“Put up,” He cries, thy needless “sword,”
Nor stain the meekness of thy Lord.
He chides His rash disciple's zeal,
Accepts not man's nor angel's aid:
Vouchsafes His wounded foe to heal:
The hands, that had His murderers made,
He stretches out; He lets them bind
The hands that could unmake mankind.
Accepts not man's nor angel's aid:
Vouchsafes His wounded foe to heal:
The hands, that had His murderers made,
He stretches out; He lets them bind
The hands that could unmake mankind.
143
Doth He in deed or word gainsay,
Or ask or struggle to be freed?
They lead the speechless Lamb away:
To scorn, and pain, and death they lead
The speechless Lamb; resign'd unto
The utmost earth and hell could do.
Or ask or struggle to be freed?
They lead the speechless Lamb away:
To scorn, and pain, and death they lead
The speechless Lamb; resign'd unto
The utmost earth and hell could do.
O that I might like Him withstand,
Like Him mine innocency clear,
Like Him resist the ruffian band,
Like Him refuse the cross to bear,
Like Him the persecutor fly;
Like Him submit to live, and die?
Like Him mine innocency clear,
Like Him resist the ruffian band,
Like Him refuse the cross to bear,
Like Him the persecutor fly;
Like Him submit to live, and die?
| The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley | |