The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

How long, Thou suffering Son of God,
Shall sinners take Thy name in vain,
Start from the thorny narrow road
Of sacred salutary pain,
Fondly presume to call Thee, Lord,
But tremble to obey Thy word?

154

The man that will Thy follower be,
Thou bidd'st him still himself deny,
Take up his daily cross with Thee,
Thy shameful death rejoice to die,
And choose a momentary pain,
A crown of endless life to gain.

But who the dreadful word receive,
Or gladly take Thy burden up?
We dare not, Lord, the truth believe,
But soothed with a self-flattering hope
To feeble man for succour run,
The crown-ensuring cross to shun.

A thousand ways and means we try,
The cross of none effect to make;
To Egypt we for chariots fly,
Shelter in human laws we take,
Assured the world will do us right,
And Satan against Satan fight.

Fools that we are, and slow of heart,
Our richest portion to refuse,
The patient Saviour's better part,
The labour, and reward, to lose,
The fairest prize to sufferers given,
The largest recompense in heaven.

But O! suffice the season past
That we Thy saying have abhorr'd,
Disdain'd Thy passion's cup to taste,
And strove to be above our Lord:
To Thy sweet yoke at length we bow,
And meekly come to suffer now.

155

Or let us here on Tabor stop,
Thy glorious face awhile to see,
Or climb yon adverse mountain's top,
The height of rugged Calvary;
To Calvary we with joy repair,
And die to find our Saviour there.

University of Virginia Library

X. THE SAME.

Hymn 10.

[How long, Thou suffering Son of God]