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 | The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley |  |
228
HYMN VII. ON THE DEATH OF ---.
Go, blessed spirit, from earth set free!
Thou shalt not leave us long behind!
Who calmly hastening after thee,
And copying out thy Saviour's mind,
Like thee with swift obedience move,
To seize the crown of perfect love.
Thou shalt not leave us long behind!
Who calmly hastening after thee,
And copying out thy Saviour's mind,
Like thee with swift obedience move,
To seize the crown of perfect love.
Thou couldst not rest among the dead,
In chains of education bound,
But following Truth, where'er it led,
And listening to the gospel sound,
Thy simple heart obey'd His call,
And found the God who died for all.
In chains of education bound,
But following Truth, where'er it led,
And listening to the gospel sound,
Thy simple heart obey'd His call,
And found the God who died for all.
A witness of His boundless love,
Which wills that every soul should live,
Thou didst the general blessing prove,
The universal grace receive,
The rapturous sense of sin forgiven,
The Holy Ghost sent down from heaven.
Which wills that every soul should live,
Thou didst the general blessing prove,
The universal grace receive,
The rapturous sense of sin forgiven,
The Holy Ghost sent down from heaven.
By that unerring Spirit led,
Thou didst the Christian rite require:
The Spirit show'd thy farther need
Of water, though baptized with fire;
He drew thee to the hallow'd stream,
Though all thy soul was plunged in Him.
Thou didst the Christian rite require:
The Spirit show'd thy farther need
Of water, though baptized with fire;
He drew thee to the hallow'd stream,
Though all thy soul was plunged in Him.
Who could forbid the outward sign,
When God had given the inward grace?
Obedient to the word Divine,
Glad to fulfil all righteousness,
Thou found'st thy Lord again reveal'd,
And gloriedst in thy pardon seal'd.
When God had given the inward grace?
Obedient to the word Divine,
Glad to fulfil all righteousness,
Thou found'st thy Lord again reveal'd,
And gloriedst in thy pardon seal'd.
229
Didst thou not walk with Christ in white?
Didst thou not keep thy garments pure?
The virtue of that heavenly rite,
The Spirit, made thy goings sure,
And hid thee in the Saviour's breast,
And fitted for eternal rest.
Didst thou not keep thy garments pure?
The virtue of that heavenly rite,
The Spirit, made thy goings sure,
And hid thee in the Saviour's breast,
And fitted for eternal rest.
Soon as the warning angel came,
Thy convoy to that world unknown,
Thy soul, a follower of the Lamb,
Rejoiced to lay its burden down,
To pay Him back His dying love,
And do His will like those above.
Thy convoy to that world unknown,
Thy soul, a follower of the Lamb,
Rejoiced to lay its burden down,
To pay Him back His dying love,
And do His will like those above.
No earthly wish detains thee here,
Nor friends by more than flesh allied,
Dearer than life, yet not so dear
As Him who calls thee to His side,
And claims thy spotless spirit for His,
And crowns thee with immortal bliss.
Nor friends by more than flesh allied,
Dearer than life, yet not so dear
As Him who calls thee to His side,
And claims thy spotless spirit for His,
And crowns thee with immortal bliss.
Bless'd be the love that led thee on,
And saved throughout from first to last!
Saviour, on Thy dear love alone
In life and death our souls we cast,
Till ripe for heaven we take our flight,
And clasp again our friends in light.
And saved throughout from first to last!
Saviour, on Thy dear love alone
In life and death our souls we cast,
Till ripe for heaven we take our flight,
And clasp again our friends in light.
| The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley | |