 | The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley |  |
[DESIRING DEATH]
XLIV. DESIRING DEATH.
Hymn 1.
To languish for his native air,
Can the poor wandering exile cease?
The tired his wish of rest forbear?
The tortured help desiring ease?
The slave no more for freedom sigh?
Or I no longer pine to die?
Can the poor wandering exile cease?
The tired his wish of rest forbear?
The tortured help desiring ease?
The slave no more for freedom sigh?
Or I no longer pine to die?
As shipwreck'd mariners desire
With eager grasp to reach the shore,
As hirelings long to' obtain their hire,
And veterans wish their warfare o'er,
I languish from this earth to flee,
And gasp for immortality.
With eager grasp to reach the shore,
As hirelings long to' obtain their hire,
And veterans wish their warfare o'er,
I languish from this earth to flee,
And gasp for immortality.
To heaven I lift my mournful eyes,
And all within me groans How long?
O were I landed in the skies!
The bitter loss, the cruel wrong
Should there no more my soul molest,
Or break my everlasting rest.
And all within me groans How long?
O were I landed in the skies!
The bitter loss, the cruel wrong
Should there no more my soul molest,
Or break my everlasting rest.
No faithless friend shall there be found
To mock me with his offers vain,
By deep ingratitude to wound,
To cause, and then upbraid my pain,
To leave me at my greatest need,
Or trample on my sinking head.
To mock me with his offers vain,
By deep ingratitude to wound,
To cause, and then upbraid my pain,
To leave me at my greatest need,
Or trample on my sinking head.
200
In that Jerusalem above,
No pain the happy spirit meets,
No sense of ill-requited love,
No sad complaining in their streets;
Crying, and curse, and death are o'er;
And there temptation is no more.
No pain the happy spirit meets,
No sense of ill-requited love,
No sad complaining in their streets;
Crying, and curse, and death are o'er;
And there temptation is no more.
O could I break this fleshly fence,
Drop all my sorrows in the tomb,
On angels' wings remove from hence,
And fly this happy moment home,
Quit the dark house of mouldering clay,
And launch into eternal day!
Drop all my sorrows in the tomb,
On angels' wings remove from hence,
And fly this happy moment home,
Quit the dark house of mouldering clay,
And launch into eternal day!
XLV. THE SAME.
Hymn 2.
[O sorrowful soul]
O sorrowful soul,
Thy measure is full,
Thy cup it runs o'er,
On earth thou canst sorrow, and suffer no more.
Thy measure is full,
Thy cup it runs o'er,
On earth thou canst sorrow, and suffer no more.
My comfort is fled,
My joy is all dead,
Extinguish'd my hope,
And never again I on earth shall look up.
My joy is all dead,
Extinguish'd my hope,
And never again I on earth shall look up.
In patient distress
From the creature I cease,
Disdain the relief,
Which can neither remove, nor diminish my grief.
From the creature I cease,
Disdain the relief,
Which can neither remove, nor diminish my grief.
From the things that are seen,
From the children of men,
To the comforts I fly,
To the joys, and the pleasures that never shall die.
From the children of men,
To the comforts I fly,
To the joys, and the pleasures that never shall die.
201
From the world I remove
To a city above,
Whose basis stands fast,
And long as the heavenly Founder shall last.
To a city above,
Whose basis stands fast,
And long as the heavenly Founder shall last.
No mournful complaints
In a city of saints,
No evil, or sin,
No want, or temptation can ever break in.
In a city of saints,
No evil, or sin,
No want, or temptation can ever break in.
No curse to annoy,
No death to destroy,
No trouble, or care,
No anguish, or sorrow, or crying is there.
No death to destroy,
No trouble, or care,
No anguish, or sorrow, or crying is there.
The King of the place
Shall show me His face;
The rapturous sight
Shall fill me with pure and unfading delight.
Shall show me His face;
The rapturous sight
Shall fill me with pure and unfading delight.
O thrice-blessed hope!
Even now it lifts up
My soul to the skies,
And wipes for a moment the tears from my eyes.
Even now it lifts up
My soul to the skies,
And wipes for a moment the tears from my eyes.
The vale I look through
To the glory in view,
That eternal reward
For all, who endure to the end with their Lord.
To the glory in view,
That eternal reward
For all, who endure to the end with their Lord.
For that heavenly prize
The cross I despise,
Till with life I lay down
The burden, through which I inherit the crown.
The cross I despise,
Till with life I lay down
The burden, through which I inherit the crown.
202
XLVI. THE SAME.
Hymn 3.
[Great Author of my being]
Great Author of my being,
Who seest mine inward care,
The ills of Thy decreeing
Enable me to bear;
The justice of Thy sentence
With meekest awe to own,
And spend in deep repentance
My last expiring groan.
Who seest mine inward care,
The ills of Thy decreeing
Enable me to bear;
The justice of Thy sentence
With meekest awe to own,
And spend in deep repentance
My last expiring groan.
The grief beyond expressing
To me, to me impart,
I ask this only blessing
An humble broken heart:
The spirit of contrition
O might I now receive,
For all my soul's ambition
Is worthily to grieve.
To me, to me impart,
I ask this only blessing
An humble broken heart:
The spirit of contrition
O might I now receive,
For all my soul's ambition
Is worthily to grieve.
In sacred melancholy
I would through life abide,
And wail my days of folly,
My years of sin, and pride,
Far from the paths of pleasure,
Disdaining all relief,
Would count my mournful treasure,
And hug my hoard of grief.
I would through life abide,
And wail my days of folly,
My years of sin, and pride,
Far from the paths of pleasure,
Disdaining all relief,
Would count my mournful treasure,
And hug my hoard of grief.
Be this my constant care
From all delight to flee,
And suffer none to share
My sacred misery;
No succour, or compassion
Of feeble man I crave,
No earthly consolation,
Or refuge—but the grave.
From all delight to flee,
And suffer none to share
My sacred misery;
203
Of feeble man I crave,
No earthly consolation,
Or refuge—but the grave.
The friend, whom once I wanted
To mitigate my woe,
Revoked as soon as granted,
I calmly now forego;
My latest strife is over,
The fleeting good to stay,
Nor would I, Lord, recover
Whom Thou hast snatch'd away.
To mitigate my woe,
Revoked as soon as granted,
I calmly now forego;
My latest strife is over,
The fleeting good to stay,
Nor would I, Lord, recover
Whom Thou hast snatch'd away.
Thou know'st my heart's desire
Is only to be gone,
And silently retire,
And live, and die alone:
No sweet companion near
To catch my latest sighs,
My dying words to hear,
Or close these weary eyes.
Is only to be gone,
And silently retire,
And live, and die alone:
No sweet companion near
To catch my latest sighs,
My dying words to hear,
Or close these weary eyes.
Only Thou God of power,
Thou God of love attend,
In that decisive hour,
When pain with life shall end:
Thou only bear my burden,
And help my last distress,
And give me back my pardon,
And bid me die in peace.
Thou God of love attend,
In that decisive hour,
When pain with life shall end:
Thou only bear my burden,
And help my last distress,
And give me back my pardon,
And bid me die in peace.
O for Thy Jesus' merit,
The forfeiture restore,
And land my fainting spirit
On yonder happy shore:
In safety waft me over,
And harbour in Thy breast,
And let me there recover
Mine everlasting rest.
The forfeiture restore,
And land my fainting spirit
On yonder happy shore:
204
And harbour in Thy breast,
And let me there recover
Mine everlasting rest.
XLVII. THE SAME.
Hymn 4.
[To the fountain of Thy blood]
To the fountain of Thy blood
With trembling haste I fly;
Wash me, O my pardoning God,
From crimes of deepest dye;
Purge my every crimson stain,
And give my burden'd conscience ease,
Turn me to my rest again,
And bid me die in peace.
With trembling haste I fly;
Wash me, O my pardoning God,
From crimes of deepest dye;
Purge my every crimson stain,
And give my burden'd conscience ease,
Turn me to my rest again,
And bid me die in peace.
None of all Thy gifts below
Do I, O Lord, desire,
Grant me but Thy love to know,
And quietly expire;
From my sin's, my body's chain
This weary wretched soul release;
Turn me, &c.
Do I, O Lord, desire,
Grant me but Thy love to know,
And quietly expire;
From my sin's, my body's chain
This weary wretched soul release;
Turn me, &c.
If Thou canst, the whole remit
Of what I feel, and fear,
Send me up out of the pit
Of temporal despair:
All the sad arrears of pain
Discharge by Thy own righteousness;
Turn me, &c.
Of what I feel, and fear,
Send me up out of the pit
Of temporal despair:
All the sad arrears of pain
Discharge by Thy own righteousness;
Turn me, &c.
Let the punishment suffice
I have already borne,
Wipe the sorrow from my eyes,
And bid me now return;
Me a wretched sinful man
Redeem from all my sinfulness:
Turn me, &c.
I have already borne,
Wipe the sorrow from my eyes,
And bid me now return;
205
Redeem from all my sinfulness:
Turn me, &c.
Weak, and coward as I am,
I dare no longer live:
Hide me from my grief, and shame,
And to Thyself receive:
Might I now the port obtain,
Might all these storms and sorrows cease!
Turn me, &c.
I dare no longer live:
Hide me from my grief, and shame,
And to Thyself receive:
Might I now the port obtain,
Might all these storms and sorrows cease!
Turn me, &c.
Plunge me in the purple tide
Of Thy atoning blood;
Take me, Lord, into Thy side,
And bring me pure to God:
If Thou hast not died in vain,
The purchase of Thy passion seize;
Turn me to my rest again,
And bid me die in peace.
Of Thy atoning blood;
Take me, Lord, into Thy side,
And bring me pure to God:
If Thou hast not died in vain,
The purchase of Thy passion seize;
Turn me to my rest again,
And bid me die in peace.
XLVIII. THE SAME. AT LYING DOWN.
Hymn 5.
When shall I lay down my head
On my softest, earthen bed,
Have the rest I fain would have,
Sink into the quiet grave!
On my softest, earthen bed,
Have the rest I fain would have,
Sink into the quiet grave!
When shall I my haven find,
Leave my cares and griefs behind,
Gain the good for which I weep,
Close mine eyes in lasting sleep!
Leave my cares and griefs behind,
Gain the good for which I weep,
Close mine eyes in lasting sleep!
206
Might I now escape away,
Quit the tenement of clay,
Take my unsuspected flight,
Steal into the world of light.
Quit the tenement of clay,
Take my unsuspected flight,
Steal into the world of light.
Only this do I desire,
Change, and O! my soul require,
Come, my Lord, and Saviour come,
Now prepare, and take me home.
Change, and O! my soul require,
Come, my Lord, and Saviour come,
Now prepare, and take me home.
Now pronounce the welcome word,
Pardon, and receive me, Lord;
Now the hallowing blood apply,
Bid me lay me down, and die.
Pardon, and receive me, Lord;
Now the hallowing blood apply,
Bid me lay me down, and die.
Work a sudden work of grace,
Cut it short in righteousness,
Liken'd to the saints in light,
Call me hence this happy night.
Cut it short in righteousness,
Liken'd to the saints in light,
Call me hence this happy night.
Save me now from all my fears,
Let me pour my latest tears,
Ere I see the' approaching morn,
Bid my spirit to God return;
Let me pour my latest tears,
Ere I see the' approaching morn,
Bid my spirit to God return;
Breathless leave this heavy clod,
Faint into the arms of God,
Glide in blissful dreams away,
Wake in everlasting day.
Faint into the arms of God,
Glide in blissful dreams away,
Wake in everlasting day.
XLIX. THE SAME.
Hymn 6.
[Thou wretched man of sorrow]
Thou wretched man of sorrow,
Whose eyes all day o'erflow,
Indulge thy grief, and borrow
The night for farther woe;
In ceaseless lamentation
Thy solemn moments spend,
And groan thy expectation,
That pain with life shall end.
Whose eyes all day o'erflow,
Indulge thy grief, and borrow
The night for farther woe;
207
Thy solemn moments spend,
And groan thy expectation,
That pain with life shall end.
Till then in fix'd despair
Of all relief I live,
My utmost burden bear,
And now retire to grieve;
To taste my only pleasure,
In secret sighs complain,
Augment my mournful treasure,
And aggravate my pain.
Of all relief I live,
My utmost burden bear,
And now retire to grieve;
To taste my only pleasure,
In secret sighs complain,
Augment my mournful treasure,
And aggravate my pain.
To pain and grief inured
I from the womb have been,
And all the rage endured,
And all the shame of sin,
Wander'd my forty years
Throughout the desert wide,
And in ten thousand fears
Ten thousand deaths have died.
I from the womb have been,
And all the rage endured,
And all the shame of sin,
Wander'd my forty years
Throughout the desert wide,
And in ten thousand fears
Ten thousand deaths have died.
Eternal death's sad sentence
I still, alas, receive;
With fruitless, vain repentance
For final mercy grieve:
The agony of temptation
I every moment feel,
As doom'd to desperation,
As rushing into hell.
I still, alas, receive;
With fruitless, vain repentance
For final mercy grieve:
The agony of temptation
I every moment feel,
As doom'd to desperation,
As rushing into hell.
My comforts all are blasted,
My Comforter is gone:
The joy which once I tasted,
O that I ne'er had known!
The gourd which soothed my anguish
Is wither'd o'er my head,
And faint with grief I languish
To sink among the dead.
My Comforter is gone:
The joy which once I tasted,
O that I ne'er had known!
208
Is wither'd o'er my head,
And faint with grief I languish
To sink among the dead.
From all I suffer here,
(If God my sins forgive,)
From all I feel, and fear,
I there redeem'd shall live:
No serpent to deceive me,
No sin to stain my thought,
No loss, or wrong to grieve me,
Where all things are forgot.
(If God my sins forgive,)
From all I feel, and fear,
I there redeem'd shall live:
No serpent to deceive me,
No sin to stain my thought,
No loss, or wrong to grieve me,
Where all things are forgot.
No heart-distracting passion
Is there to break my peace,
But joy without cessation,
And love without excess:
Of paradise secure,
I shall no longer mourn;
The bliss is full, and sure,
The rose without a thorn.
Is there to break my peace,
But joy without cessation,
And love without excess:
Of paradise secure,
I shall no longer mourn;
The bliss is full, and sure,
The rose without a thorn.
Safe on the happy shore,
My soul the storm defies,
Where pain afflicts no more,
And grief no longer cries:
In that celestial city
From all our toils we cease,
And lose our sighing pity
In universal bliss.
My soul the storm defies,
Where pain afflicts no more,
And grief no longer cries:
In that celestial city
From all our toils we cease,
And lose our sighing pity
In universal bliss.
In hope of that salvation
I feel a moment's rest,
The calm of expectation
Has stole into my breast;
I weep at rescue near,
I struggle to be gone,
And joy is in the tear,
And God is in the groan!
I feel a moment's rest,
The calm of expectation
Has stole into my breast;
209
I struggle to be gone,
And joy is in the tear,
And God is in the groan!
Hear then Thy own petition,
And suddenly release,
And crown my sole ambition,
And let me die in peace:
Or lengthen out my care
To threescore years and ten,
But then in mercy spare,
But O! receive me then!
And suddenly release,
And crown my sole ambition,
And let me die in peace:
Or lengthen out my care
To threescore years and ten,
But then in mercy spare,
But O! receive me then!
L. THE SAME. IN WEARINESS.
Hymn 7.
Worn out with long fatigue, and pain,
Let my feeble flesh complain,
Or fail beneath its load;
My spirit shall superior rise,
Regaining swift her native skies,
And sooner reach her God.
Let my feeble flesh complain,
Or fail beneath its load;
My spirit shall superior rise,
Regaining swift her native skies,
And sooner reach her God.
Too long this corruptible clay
Clouded the ethereal ray,
And press'd my spirit down;
A gainer now by every loss,
I find in weariness a cross
That lifts me to a crown.
Clouded the ethereal ray,
And press'd my spirit down;
A gainer now by every loss,
I find in weariness a cross
That lifts me to a crown.
Of pain I now advantage make,
Meekly bear it for His sake,
Who suffer'd death for me:
To suffer death for Him I wait,
And pain shall open wide the gate
Of immortality.
Meekly bear it for His sake,
Who suffer'd death for me:
To suffer death for Him I wait,
And pain shall open wide the gate
Of immortality.
210
O blessed hope of lasting peace!
Let me lawfully decrease,
And sensibly decay:
Welcome whate'er my Lord ordain,
Disease, or weariness, or pain,
To hasten me away.
Let me lawfully decrease,
And sensibly decay:
Welcome whate'er my Lord ordain,
Disease, or weariness, or pain,
To hasten me away.
I come, with eager joy I come
To my everlasting home,
Where toil and sorrow end,
Where all my stores of grief shall fail,
And I no more in groans bewail
My poor departed friend.
To my everlasting home,
Where toil and sorrow end,
Where all my stores of grief shall fail,
And I no more in groans bewail
My poor departed friend.
In that Jerusalem above
All is harmony and love,
And joy without a sting:
The tears are banish'd from our eyes,
And not a single sigh can rise,
Where saints for ever sing.
All is harmony and love,
And joy without a sting:
The tears are banish'd from our eyes,
And not a single sigh can rise,
Where saints for ever sing.
O might I, from this dungeon freed,
Now lay down my weary head,
My mournful soul resign,
This moment meet the' appointed day,
And faint, and sink, and die away
Into the arms Divine.
Now lay down my weary head,
My mournful soul resign,
This moment meet the' appointed day,
And faint, and sink, and die away
Into the arms Divine.
LI. THE SAME.
Hymn 8.
[Jesu, help Thy fallen creature!]
Jesu, help Thy fallen creature!
Conqueror of the world Thou art,
Stronger than the fiend, and greater
Than this poor rebellious heart.
Power, I know, to Thee is given,
Power to sentence or release,
Power to shut, or open heaven;
Thou alone hast all the keys.
Conqueror of the world Thou art,
Stronger than the fiend, and greater
Than this poor rebellious heart.
211
Power to sentence or release,
Power to shut, or open heaven;
Thou alone hast all the keys.
Open then, in great compassion,
Open mercy's door to me,
Out of mighty tribulation
Bring me forth Thy face to see;
O cut short my days of mourning,
Quickly to my rescue come,
Let me suddenly returning
Reach my everlasting home.
Open mercy's door to me,
Out of mighty tribulation
Bring me forth Thy face to see;
O cut short my days of mourning,
Quickly to my rescue come,
Let me suddenly returning
Reach my everlasting home.
Hear me, Lord, myself bemoaning,
Banish'd from my native place,
Languishing for God, and groaning
To appear before Thy face:
From this bodily oppression
Set my earnest spirit free,
Give me now the full possession,
Let me now Thy glory see.
Banish'd from my native place,
Languishing for God, and groaning
To appear before Thy face:
From this bodily oppression
Set my earnest spirit free,
Give me now the full possession,
Let me now Thy glory see.
If Thou ever didst discover
To my faith the promised land,
Bid me now the stream pass over,
On that heavenly border stand,
Now surmount whate'er opposes,
Into Thine embraces fly;
Speak the word Thou spak'st to Moses,
Bid me get me up, and die.
To my faith the promised land,
Bid me now the stream pass over,
On that heavenly border stand,
Now surmount whate'er opposes,
Into Thine embraces fly;
Speak the word Thou spak'st to Moses,
Bid me get me up, and die.
212
LII. THE SAME.
Hymn 9.
[Weary world of sin, and anguish]
Weary world of sin, and anguish,
How I long from thee to fly!
Fainting for relief I languish,
Dying through desire to die:
O my life, my only treasure,
Let me cast it all behind,
Now fill up my mournful measure,
Now my heavenly Canaan find.
How I long from thee to fly!
Fainting for relief I languish,
Dying through desire to die:
O my life, my only treasure,
Let me cast it all behind,
Now fill up my mournful measure,
Now my heavenly Canaan find.
Never shipwreck'd mariner wanted
More to reach the distant shore,
Never wandering exile panted
For his native country more:
Hear my earnest supplication,
Thou who only canst release,
Show me now Thy full salvation,
Let me now depart in peace.
More to reach the distant shore,
Never wandering exile panted
For his native country more:
Hear my earnest supplication,
Thou who only canst release,
Show me now Thy full salvation,
Let me now depart in peace.
Hear me, Lord, my suit redouble,
Till the promise I obtain,
Cease from all my grief, and trouble,
Everlasting comfort gain:
Can it be to Thee displeasing
That I fain Thy face would see,
Eager for the mighty blessing,
All on fire to die for Thee?
Till the promise I obtain,
Cease from all my grief, and trouble,
Everlasting comfort gain:
Can it be to Thee displeasing
That I fain Thy face would see,
Eager for the mighty blessing,
All on fire to die for Thee?
Present with me in temptation,
Thou my troubled soul hast known,
All my sorrow, and vexation,
All my fear to Thee I own:
Lord, I would not live to grieve Thee,
Would not from Thy bosom stray;
Place me, where I cannot leave Thee,
Now transport my soul away.
Thou my troubled soul hast known,
All my sorrow, and vexation,
All my fear to Thee I own:
213
Would not from Thy bosom stray;
Place me, where I cannot leave Thee,
Now transport my soul away.
LIII. THE SAME.
Hymn 10.
[O might the gracious Hand]
O might the gracious Hand
Which into being brought,
Transport me to that quiet land,
Where all things are forgot!
That land of settled rest,
Where fear, and grief is o'er,
And loss, and pain no more molest,
And sin torments no more.
Which into being brought,
Transport me to that quiet land,
Where all things are forgot!
That land of settled rest,
Where fear, and grief is o'er,
And loss, and pain no more molest,
And sin torments no more.
This mountain load of care,
This bitterness of shame,
This memory—I shall lose it there,
With all I feel, and am:
In sweet oblivion drown'd
My sorrows all shall cease;
There only peace for me is found,
A sure eternal peace.
This bitterness of shame,
This memory—I shall lose it there,
With all I feel, and am:
In sweet oblivion drown'd
My sorrows all shall cease;
There only peace for me is found,
A sure eternal peace.
I dare not hope to see
My sufferings end below,
But wait the hour that sets me free
From life, and all its woe:
No gleam of joy shall steal
Into this wretched heart,
Till God His perfect love reveal,
And bid me hence depart.
My sufferings end below,
But wait the hour that sets me free
From life, and all its woe:
No gleam of joy shall steal
Into this wretched heart,
Till God His perfect love reveal,
And bid me hence depart.
214
Harden'd in just despair
I hug the destined cross,
The wound incurable I bear,
The' irreparable loss:
The pangs through which I groan
On earth shall never end,
For O! eternity alone
Can give me back my friend.
I hug the destined cross,
The wound incurable I bear,
The' irreparable loss:
The pangs through which I groan
On earth shall never end,
For O! eternity alone
Can give me back my friend.
O happy, happy hope,
(My only hope of bliss,)
I, even I, shall there look up,
And see my troubles cease;
Beyond the cruel power
Of sin I there shall be,
I, even I, shall reach the shore
Of calm eternity.
(My only hope of bliss,)
I, even I, shall there look up,
And see my troubles cease;
Beyond the cruel power
Of sin I there shall be,
I, even I, shall reach the shore
Of calm eternity.
Come then, my friendly foes,
With kindest violence come,
Fill up the measure of my woes,
Hasten my spirit home.
Let grief, and loss, and shame
With men and devils join,
To drive a wretch—without a name—
Into the arms Divine.
With kindest violence come,
Fill up the measure of my woes,
Hasten my spirit home.
Let grief, and loss, and shame
With men and devils join,
To drive a wretch—without a name—
Into the arms Divine.
| The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley | |