 | The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley |  |
ON THE DEATH OF MRS. ELIZABETH BLACKWELL, MARCH 27, 1772.
PART I.
God of all power, and truth, and love,
Whose faithful mercies never end,
Thy longing servant to remove,
Who dost the flaming convoy send;
Help us Thine attributes to praise,
Help us Thy follower to pursue,
Till all obtain the crowning grace,
Till all with her Thy glory view.
Whose faithful mercies never end,
Thy longing servant to remove,
Who dost the flaming convoy send;
Help us Thine attributes to praise,
Help us Thy follower to pursue,
Till all obtain the crowning grace,
Till all with her Thy glory view.
Ere yet she into being came,
Thou didst Thy favourite handmaid choose,
Thy love inscribed her with Thy name,
And mark'd the vessel for Thy use:
With tender, gracious awe inspired,
With innocence and purity,
God, above all, the child desired,
And gave her simple heart to Thee.
Thou didst Thy favourite handmaid choose,
Thy love inscribed her with Thy name,
And mark'd the vessel for Thy use:
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With innocence and purity,
God, above all, the child desired,
And gave her simple heart to Thee.
Her pious course with life began,
Call'd by the consecrating rite,
In wisdom's pleasant paths she ran,
And served her Maker day and night:
Watchful to keep her garments clean,
Glad to frequent the hallow'd place,
She never left her God for sin,
Or wholly lost that earliest grace.
Call'd by the consecrating rite,
In wisdom's pleasant paths she ran,
And served her Maker day and night:
Watchful to keep her garments clean,
Glad to frequent the hallow'd place,
She never left her God for sin,
Or wholly lost that earliest grace.
While, zealous for Thy righteous law,
She her integrity maintain'd,
Thou didst her trembling spirit awe,
And bless with lowliness unfeign'd:
No pharisaic pride or scorn
Could harbour in her bosom find,
Her virtue into poison turn,
Or taint so pure and good a mind.
She her integrity maintain'd,
Thou didst her trembling spirit awe,
And bless with lowliness unfeign'd:
No pharisaic pride or scorn
Could harbour in her bosom find,
Her virtue into poison turn,
Or taint so pure and good a mind.
Touching the legal righteousness,
While blameless in Thy sight she lived,
Thee she confess'd in all her ways,
And all her good from Thee received;
Faithful even then, she flew to tend,
Where'er distress'd, the sick and poor,
Rejoiced for them her life to spend,
And all Thy gifts through them restore.
While blameless in Thy sight she lived,
Thee she confess'd in all her ways,
And all her good from Thee received;
Faithful even then, she flew to tend,
Where'er distress'd, the sick and poor,
Rejoiced for them her life to spend,
And all Thy gifts through them restore.
Did not her alms and prayers arise,
Memorial sweet, before Thy throne?
Grateful, accepted sacrifice,
They brought the gospel blessing down:
To one who Thee sincerely fear'd,
Thou didst the Comforter impart:
The herald spake; the grace appear'd,
And stamp'd salvation on her heart.
Memorial sweet, before Thy throne?
Grateful, accepted sacrifice,
They brought the gospel blessing down:
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Thou didst the Comforter impart:
The herald spake; the grace appear'd,
And stamp'd salvation on her heart.
Her unopposing heart received
With meekness the engrafted word,
With reverential joy believed,
And sunk before her smiling Lord:
Reciprocal affection moved,
And wonder ask'd, “How can it be?
Hath God so poor a creature loved,
Or bought so mean a worm as me?”
With meekness the engrafted word,
With reverential joy believed,
And sunk before her smiling Lord:
Reciprocal affection moved,
And wonder ask'd, “How can it be?
Hath God so poor a creature loved,
Or bought so mean a worm as me?”
PART II.
Commences now the Christian race,
The conflict good, the life conceal'd,
The' eternal God, replete with grace,
Jesus is to her soul reveal'd:
Translated into wondrous light,
Humbly assured of sin forgiven,
She goes in peace, she walks in white,
And close pursues her Guide to heaven.
The conflict good, the life conceal'd,
The' eternal God, replete with grace,
Jesus is to her soul reveal'd:
Translated into wondrous light,
Humbly assured of sin forgiven,
She goes in peace, she walks in white,
And close pursues her Guide to heaven.
Exulting with her Head to rise,
She seeks the things conceal'd above,
For joy sells all, the jewel buys,
The heavenly treasure of His love;
Jesus alone resolved to gain,
And, crucified with Jesus here,
The finish'd sanctity to' attain,
The lowliness of filial fear.
She seeks the things conceal'd above,
For joy sells all, the jewel buys,
The heavenly treasure of His love;
Jesus alone resolved to gain,
And, crucified with Jesus here,
The finish'd sanctity to' attain,
The lowliness of filial fear.
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Fear to offend or God or man
In all her conversation shines,
While, following the Redeemer's plan,
She carries on His great designs:
Watchful immortal souls to win,
The God supreme she dares commend,
Constrains the outcasts to come in,
And shows them their expiring Friend.
In all her conversation shines,
While, following the Redeemer's plan,
She carries on His great designs:
Watchful immortal souls to win,
The God supreme she dares commend,
Constrains the outcasts to come in,
And shows them their expiring Friend.
By wisdom pure and peaceable,
By the meek Spirit of her Lord,
She knows the stoutest to compel,
And sinners wins without the word:
They see the tempers of the Lamb,
They feel the wisdom from above,
And bow, subdued, to Jesu's name,
As captives of resistless love.
By the meek Spirit of her Lord,
She knows the stoutest to compel,
And sinners wins without the word:
They see the tempers of the Lamb,
They feel the wisdom from above,
And bow, subdued, to Jesu's name,
As captives of resistless love.
Witness, ye once to evil sold!
Witness her kind parental zeal,
Thou wanderer of the Romish fold,
Pursued so long, and loved so well!
Saved by her prayers, through Jesu's blood,
Thy endless debt make haste to pay;
Go, meet her at the throne of God,
Her crown and glory in that day.
Witness her kind parental zeal,
Thou wanderer of the Romish fold,
Pursued so long, and loved so well!
Saved by her prayers, through Jesu's blood,
Thy endless debt make haste to pay;
Go, meet her at the throne of God,
Her crown and glory in that day.
Witness, ye souls to her allied,
Her humble walk with God below;
She ne'er look'd back, or lost her Guide,
Or started like a broken bow;
She ne'er forsook her former love,
Or wander'd in the wilderness,
But labour'd on her faith to prove
By power, and purity, and peace.
Her humble walk with God below;
She ne'er look'd back, or lost her Guide,
Or started like a broken bow;
She ne'er forsook her former love,
Or wander'd in the wilderness,
But labour'd on her faith to prove
By power, and purity, and peace.
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Her living faith by works was shown:
Through faith to full salvation kept,
She made the sufferer's griefs her own,
And wept sincere with those that wept:
Nursing the poor with constant care,
Affection soft, and heart-esteem,
She saw her Saviour's image there,
And gladly minister'd to Him.
Through faith to full salvation kept,
She made the sufferer's griefs her own,
And wept sincere with those that wept:
Nursing the poor with constant care,
Affection soft, and heart-esteem,
She saw her Saviour's image there,
And gladly minister'd to Him.
How did she entertain the spies,
By fervent prayer their labours speed,
Bring down the Spirit's fresh supplies,
And more than share their every deed!
To spread Jehovah's gracious word,
To do His will, her pleasant meat,
And serve the servants of her Lord,
And wash an old disciple's feet!
By fervent prayer their labours speed,
Bring down the Spirit's fresh supplies,
And more than share their every deed!
To spread Jehovah's gracious word,
To do His will, her pleasant meat,
And serve the servants of her Lord,
And wash an old disciple's feet!
PART III.
For converse form'd by art Divine,
For friendship delicate as pure,
Did she not all with ease resign,
To make another's bliss secure?
On him by heavenly grace bestow'd,
Her generous heart entire she gave;
And, charged with the behests of God,
She only lived his soul to save.
For friendship delicate as pure,
Did she not all with ease resign,
To make another's bliss secure?
On him by heavenly grace bestow'd,
Her generous heart entire she gave;
And, charged with the behests of God,
She only lived his soul to save.
As born her earthly lord to please,
Studious of his content alone,
Dispersing virtuous happiness,
She made his every wish her own:
As in their heavenly Bridegroom's sight
The church their vows with rapture pay,
Her duty minister'd delight,
Her joy and glory was to' obey.
Studious of his content alone,
Dispersing virtuous happiness,
She made his every wish her own:
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The church their vows with rapture pay,
Her duty minister'd delight,
Her joy and glory was to' obey.
God's image she in man revered,
And honour'd all the ransom'd race;
Thrice happy soul, who always fear'd,
Whose love did the whole world embrace!
So humble, affable, and meek,
Her gentle, inoffensive mind,
None ever heard that angel speak
A railing speech, or word unkind.
And honour'd all the ransom'd race;
Thrice happy soul, who always fear'd,
Whose love did the whole world embrace!
So humble, affable, and meek,
Her gentle, inoffensive mind,
None ever heard that angel speak
A railing speech, or word unkind.
Upright she walk'd in open day,
Free as the light, on all she shone,
In sight of Him whose eyes survey
The secret wish to man unknown:
Whene'er her pleasing voice we heard,
We saw her thoughts spontaneous rise,
Whose heart in every word appear'd,
Whose generous soul abhorr'd disguise.
Free as the light, on all she shone,
In sight of Him whose eyes survey
The secret wish to man unknown:
Whene'er her pleasing voice we heard,
We saw her thoughts spontaneous rise,
Whose heart in every word appear'd,
Whose generous soul abhorr'd disguise.
Even as life the heavenly flame
In all her words and actions burn'd,
While still, invariably the same,
Her sweetness all estates adorn'd:
Strangers with loving awe confess'd
The ministerial spirit below,
And every charm'd spectator bless'd,
And lived and died without a foe.
In all her words and actions burn'd,
While still, invariably the same,
Her sweetness all estates adorn'd:
Strangers with loving awe confess'd
The ministerial spirit below,
And every charm'd spectator bless'd,
And lived and died without a foe.
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PART IV.
Soon as the' appointed sickness came,
And promised her departure near,
She welcomed death in Jesu's name,
Nor weakly dropp'd a lingering tear.
Let those lament with conscious dread,
Who teach, “Ye must in darkness die:”
She knew her Advocate had sped;
Her place was ready in the sky.
And promised her departure near,
She welcomed death in Jesu's name,
Nor weakly dropp'd a lingering tear.
Let those lament with conscious dread,
Who teach, “Ye must in darkness die:”
She knew her Advocate had sped;
Her place was ready in the sky.
“How can I doubt my blissful end,
How can I tremble to remove,
When Jesus, my almighty Friend,
Is the great God of truth and love?
Him, God supreme for ever bless'd,
Sole self-existing God, I own,
Who purchased my eternal rest,
And calls me up to share His throne.
How can I tremble to remove,
When Jesus, my almighty Friend,
Is the great God of truth and love?
Him, God supreme for ever bless'd,
Sole self-existing God, I own,
Who purchased my eternal rest,
And calls me up to share His throne.
“Surrounded by His power I stand,
Whom day and night His mercies keep;
He holds me in His chastening hand;
He gives to His beloved sleep:
While in His mercies I confide,
He keeps my soul in perfect peace;
He comforts me on every side,
And pain is lost in thankfulness.
Whom day and night His mercies keep;
He holds me in His chastening hand;
He gives to His beloved sleep:
While in His mercies I confide,
He keeps my soul in perfect peace;
He comforts me on every side,
And pain is lost in thankfulness.
“Who for so poor a creature care,
My friends, are with His kindness kind;
My burdens for His sake they bear;
The Fountain in the stream I find:
I magnify my Saviour's name,
I praise Him with my parting breath,
And, sinking into dust, proclaim
The everlasting arms beneath.”
My friends, are with His kindness kind;
My burdens for His sake they bear;
The Fountain in the stream I find:
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I praise Him with my parting breath,
And, sinking into dust, proclaim
The everlasting arms beneath.”
In words like these the dying saint
Her humble confidence express'd,
Or calmly sigh'd her only want,
And languish'd for that endless rest:
Rest after toil and pain, how sweet
To souls whose full reward is sure;
Who their last wish, like her, submit,
Like Jesus, to the end endure!
Her humble confidence express'd,
Or calmly sigh'd her only want,
And languish'd for that endless rest:
Rest after toil and pain, how sweet
To souls whose full reward is sure;
Who their last wish, like her, submit,
Like Jesus, to the end endure!
Enduring, with that patient Lamb,
The' appointed years of sacred woe,
She comes as gold out of the flame,
To triumph o'er her mortal foe;
Sweet peace, and pure celestial hope,
And humble joy, the bride prepare,
While, waiting to be taken up,
She whispers soft her final prayer.
The' appointed years of sacred woe,
She comes as gold out of the flame,
To triumph o'er her mortal foe;
Sweet peace, and pure celestial hope,
And humble joy, the bride prepare,
While, waiting to be taken up,
She whispers soft her final prayer.
The witness which through life she bore,
When now made ready to ascend,
Loving, and meek, resign'd, and poor,
She bears consistent to the end:
No sudden starts, with nature mix'd,
No violent ecstasies of grace,
Her eye on Him, her heart is fix'd,
And silence speaks her Saviour's praise.
When now made ready to ascend,
Loving, and meek, resign'd, and poor,
She bears consistent to the end:
No sudden starts, with nature mix'd,
No violent ecstasies of grace,
Her eye on Him, her heart is fix'd,
And silence speaks her Saviour's praise.
Exempt from nature's agonies,
Who now is able to conceive
What with her closing eyes she sees?
She cannot bear the sight and live:
In sweet communion with her God,
She glides insensibly away,
Quietly drops the smiling clod,
And mingles with eternal day!
Who now is able to conceive
What with her closing eyes she sees?
She cannot bear the sight and live:
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She glides insensibly away,
Quietly drops the smiling clod,
And mingles with eternal day!
| The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley | |