The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

The pleasant land display'd before
Our eyes of faith we see;
And God, the God of Abraham, swore
To give it unto me:
I now go up, the perfect peace,
The perfect love to feel,
And in that land of righteousness
I shall for ever dwell.

280. [Our brethren, of their foes afraid]

Our brethren have discouraged our heart. —i. 28.

Our brethren, of their foes afraid,
Have us by their report dismay'd;
And listening to their lie,
That “sin can never be brought down,”
Faint-hearted slaves, we must sin on,
Till in despair we die.

281. [Thy messenger we hear]

Dread not, neither be afraid of them, &c. —i. 29, 30.

Thy messenger we hear,
Who tells us better things,

Who in Thy name forbids our fear,
And joyful tidings brings:
The Lord our God and Guide,
Thou dost prepare our way;
Our Captain fights on Israel's side,
And Christ shall win the day:

By Thee from Egypt led
We on to conquer go,
Confident in Thy strength to tread
On each devoted foe;
Thine arm stretch'd out again
Shall put forth all its power,
Till every Canaanite is slain,
And sin exists no more.

282. [Yes, the Lord my God hath bless'd]

The Lord thy God hath blessed thee, &c. —ii. 7.

Yes, the Lord my God hath bless'd
Whate'er my hand hath done,
Seen me labouring after rest,
And all my walking known:
In this ghastly wilderness
Thou hast my kind Preserver been,
Nourish'd with sufficient grace,
And held me back from sin.

283. [Lost, perplex'd with doubts and fears]

These forty years the Lord thy God, &c. —ii. 7.

Lost, perplex'd with doubts and fears,
By endless troubles tried,
Thee for more than forty years
I own my secret Guide:
Now on Jordan's brink I stand,
The borders of that heavenly place,
Wait to cross at Thy command,
And see my Leader's face.

284. [Who dares blame Thy justice, Lord]

We utterly destroyed them, men, women, &c. —iii. 6.

Who dares blame Thy justice, Lord,
Which when their sin was full,
Slew Thy foes with Israel's sword,
And cut off every soul!
Vengeance swept the old away,
But mercy will'd the young to die,
From, though in, the evil day
It snatch'd them to the sky.

285. [Arm'd with Jesu's two-edged sword]

Arm'd with Jesu's two-edged sword
We now His charge fulfil,
All the' inhabitants abhorr'd
Of cursed Canaan kill;
Mercy, Lord, we will not show,
But execute Thy righteous mind,
Root and branch destroy the foe,
Nor leave a sin behind.

286. [We in our Lord's command]

Ye shall not fear them, for the Lord your God, &c. —iii. 22.

We in our Lord's command
A gracious promise hear,
The people of the land,
He saith we shall not fear;
And I shall more than conqueror be,
Since Jesus fights Himself for me.

287. [Lo! in longing hope I stand]

I pray thee, let me go over and see the good land, &c. —iii. 25.

Lo! in longing hope I stand,
To enter, Lord, the goodly land,
Land of liberty and peace,
Happy land of righteousness!

Me who have rebellious been,
Bring into the rest from sin,
Into the rest of ripest love,
Into the rest of saints above.

For Thy people's rest I sigh,
Ready on Jordan's brink to die:
Must I, Lord, excluded be,
Never tread the land I see?
O for mercy's sake revive,
Bid me in Thine image live,
And then in perfect peace depart,
Holy, and just, and pure of heart.

288. [Fain would I, Lord, from earth remove]

Get thee up into the top of Pisgah. —iii. 27.

Fain would I, Lord, from earth remove,
Made meet before Thy face to' appear;
But tell me first Thy name is love,
But show me all Thy goodness here:
Borne on the wings of faith and hope,
I then shall to the mountain fly,
And yield my raptured spirit up,
And fainting on Thy bosom die.

289. [Self Thy word would fain diminish]

Ye shall not add unto the word, &c. —iv. 2.

Self Thy word would fain diminish,
Pride Thy word would fain increase,
But what Thou art pleased to finish
Never can be more or less;
All Thy word without addition
Renders us for glory meet,
Fits us for the blissful vision,
Makes the man of God complete.

290. [Obedience is our pure delight]

Keep and do them, for this is your wisdom. —iv. 6.

Obedience is our pure delight,
Our wisdom, glory, gain,
Unblamable in Jesu's sight
We all with Him obtain:
For while we out of love obey,
Unto salvation wise
We walk in wisdom's pleasant way,
Which leads us to the skies.

291. [Greater than ancient Israel, we]

What nation is there so great who hath God, &c. —iv. 7.

Greater than ancient Israel, we
With open face His glory see,
And God more intimately nigh
Doth now our every want supply,
The Spirit of His Son imparts,
And prays Himself in all our hearts.

292. [From hence, most gracious Lord, from hence]

If from thence thou shalt seek the Lord, &c. —iv. 29.

From hence, most gracious Lord, from hence
The land of my captivity,
I wail my complicate offence,
And turn from every sin to Thee;
Mine utmost strength (which is not mine)
In striving against sin exert,
And weep, and pray for love Divine
With all my soul, and all my heart.

293. [O'erwhelm'd alas, with deep distress]

When thou art in tribulation, &c. —iv. 30, 31.

O'erwhelm'd alas, with deep distress,
O'ertaken by Thy plagues I mourn,
And lo! in these my latest days
To Thee, my pardoning God, I turn:

Obedient now Thy voice I hear;
I will with all Thy words comply:
Avert the punishment I fear,
Nor leave me in my sins to die.

294. [Gracious Lord, who stand'st between]

Speak thou unto us all that the Lord, &c. —v. 27.

Gracious Lord, who stand'st between
The great God and sinful men,
Thee we joyfully will hear;
Speak, Divine Interpreter,
Speak whate'er He speaks to Thee,
Then we shall obedient be,
Then our answering heart shall prove
All the law fulfill'd in love.

295. [Be it according to Thy will]

O that there were such an heart in them, &c. —v. 29.

Be it according to Thy will,
According to Thy soul's desire;
The gracious principle instil,
The tender awe Thou dost require;
I want an heart to fear my Lord:
O take this heart of stone away,
And let me tremble at Thy word,
And only live Thy word to' obey.

296. [Father, Thy merciful design]

That it might be well with them for ever. —v. 29.

Father, Thy merciful design
We see, and joyfully approve,
Thou kindly dost Thy laws enjoin,
To make us happy in Thy love:
With joy we own the gracious end
For which Thy laws were all bestow'd,
Thou dost by each command intend
Our present and eternal good.

297. [Lord, I believe Thy mercy's power]

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, &c. —vi. 5.

Lord, I believe Thy mercy's power
Shall every obstacle remove,
I trust Thy promise to restore
In me the kingdom of Thy love:
Jesus, Thy word cannot be vain;
Truth, power, and love Divine Thou art;
And I shall love my God again,
With all my mind, soul, strength, and heart.

298. [The table of my heart prepare]

These words which I command thee, &c. —vi. 6.

The table of my heart prepare,
(Such power belongs to Thee alone,)
And write, O God, Thy precepts there,
To show Thou still canst write in stone,
So shall my pure obedience prove
All things are possible to love.

299. [Father, instruct my docile heart]

Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children. —vi. 7.

Father, instruct my docile heart,
Apt to instruct I then shall be,
I then shall all Thy words impart,
And teach (as taught myself by Thee)
My children in their earliest days,
To know, and live the life of grace.

300. [When quiet in my house I sit]

Thou shalt talk of them, when thou sittest in thine house. —vi. 7.

When quiet in my house I sit,
Thy book be my companion still,
My joy Thy sayings to repeat,
Talk o'er the records of Thy will,
And search the oracles Divine,
Till every heartfelt word is mine.

301. [O might the gracious words Divine]

And when thou walkest by the way. —vi. 7.

O might the gracious words Divine
Subject of all my converse be,
So would the Lord His follower join,
And walk, and talk Himself with me,
So would my heart His presence prove,
And burn with everlasting love.

302. [Oft as I lay me down to rest]

And when thou liest down. —vi. 7.

Oft as I lay me down to rest,
O may the reconciling word
Sweetly compose my weary breast,
While on the bosom of my Lord
I sink in blissful dreams away,
And visions of eternal day.

303. [Rising to sing my Saviour's praise]

And when thou risest up. —vi. 7.

Rising to sing my Saviour's praise,
Thee may I publish all day long,
And let Thy precious word of grace
Flow from my heart, and fill my tongue,
Fill all my life with purest love,
And join me to Thy church above.

304. [What angel can explain]

The Lord did not set His love upon you, &c. —vii. 7, 8.

What angel can explain
The love of God to man,
The secret cause assign
Of charity Divine?
Nothing in us could move,
Deserve, or claim His love:
'Tis all a mystery,
And must for ever be!

305. ['Tis not a sudden stroke of grace]

The Lord thy God will put out those nations, &c. —vii. 22.

'Tis not a sudden stroke of grace
Destroys at once the cursed race,
When first to Christ we come;
But by degrees insensible
The Lord shall all our sins expel,
And utterly consume.

Both suddenly and gradually. J. W.

306. [So be it Lord; my foes bring down]

The Lord thy God shall deliver them, &c. —vii. 23.

So be it Lord; my foes bring down,
And bid me go victorious on
To my last victory;
Jesus, destroy whom Thou hast bound,
Till not a single sin is found
To stir, or breathe in me.

307. [Deliver'd now into mine hand]

He shall deliver their kings into thine hand, &c. —vii. 24.

Deliver'd now into mine hand,
Not one of all my foes shall stand,
Or dare his conqueror meet,
My reigning lusts shall reign no more,
For ever stripp'd of all their power,
And gasping at my feet.

308. [Jesus, I in Thy promise trust]

There shall no man be able to stand before thee, &c. —vii. 24.

Jesus, I in Thy promise trust,
No bosom-sin, no darling lust
Too strong for me shall prove,
Till Thou their nature hast destroy'd,
And fill'd my soul's unbounded void
With all Thy perfect love.

309. [Can I forget the wondrous ways]

Thou shalt remember all the way, &c. —viii. 2.

Can I forget the wondrous ways
By which Thou hast Thy servant led
Through a long lonely wilderness!
How strangely kept, how strangely fed,

Tempted, and proved by hopes and fears,
I roved for more than forty years!

Provoked, Thou didst not quite depart,
But farther yet Thy Spirit tried,
And show'd the evil of my heart,
The stubbornness, deceit, and pride,
While still I cast Thy grace away,
And would not, when I might, obey.

310. [Saviour, my nature's pride to' abase]

He humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, &c. —viii. 3.

Saviour, my nature's pride to' abase,
Thou oft hast seem'd my soul to leave,
Withheld the comforts of Thy grace,
And suffer'd me to pine, and grieve:
But when Thou dost my pride destroy,
Thy sweetness I shall always prove,
And fill'd with righteousness, enjoy
The manna of Thy perfect love.

311. [Long in a tempted state forlorn]

Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, &c. —viii. 16.

Long in a tempted state forlorn
Thou hast my kind Supporter been,
Yet suffer'd me at times to mourn,
To feel that all my heart is sin;
My depth of unbelief to prove,
And groan for all Thy humbling love.

I now Thy love's design perceive;
Me to myself Thy love hath shown,
Thou didst in love Thy servant leave,
To come again and claim Thine own,
To save, when all my griefs were pass'd,
And do me endless good at last.

Never. J. W.

312. [A novice, to myself unknown]

A novice, to myself unknown,
That endless good I could not prove,
Or, when my race was scarce begun,
Attain the goal of perfect love:
But on Thy promise I depend
To bless me at my latter end.

Saviour, my latter end is come,
Now to my parting soul appear,
The root, the man of sin consume,
And let me sink to nothing here,
Resorb'd into perfection's sea,
And lost, for ever lost in Thee!

Yes; whenever God pleases. J.W.

313. [My latter end is come]

To do thee good at thy latter end. —viii. 16.

My latter end is come:
But where's the promised good?
Ah, do it, Lord, and take me home
Through Thy all-cleansing blood!
The gracious work remains
Unfinish'd, and undone:
Fill up my faith, fill up my pains,
And take me to Thy throne.

By Thy own Spirit's might
The work of faith fulfil,
With love's habitual, pure delight
I then shall do Thy will.
I then my God shall see,
With raptured saints adore,
And plunge in Thy immensity,
And bathe for evermore!

314. [Think, thou busy, prosperous man]

Thou shalt remember the Lord thy God, &c. —viii. 18.

Think, thou busy, prosperous man,
From whence thy goods increase,
All thy diligence were vain,
If God refused to bless:
Wealth thou dost through Him acquire,
That all thy soul may heavenward move,
Wing'd with infinite desire
Of Jesu's richest love.

315. [Jesus, taught by Thee we know]

Understand, that the Lord thy God, &c. —ix. 3.

Jesus, taught by Thee we know
The wonders of Thy name,
Thou before our face dost go
As a consuming flame:
Burn with fire unquenchable
Our foes whom Thou dost first o'ercome,
Sin out of our hearts expel,
And root and branch consume.

316. [Faith lays hold on Thy great might]

He shall destroy them, so shalt thou destroy them. —ix. 3.

Faith lays hold on Thy great might,
And forth to battle goes,
Arm'd herewith we put to flight
And triumph o'er our foes.
Trusting in Thy faithful word
We Thine almighty arm employ,
Slay them with Thy Spirit's sword,
And all our sins destroy.

317. [My merit, Lord, and righteousness]

Understand, that the Lord thy God, &c. —ix. 6.

My merit, Lord, and righteousness
I utterly disclaim,
Whate'er I am, whate'er possess,
By grace I have and am;

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By grace enabled, I receive
Thy blessings from above,
And wait, till Jesu's grace shall give
The crown of perfect love.

318. [Thou need'st the kind command repeat]

Remember, and forget not how thou provokedst, &c. —ix. 7.

Thou need'st the kind command repeat,
So apt the sinner to forget
His former trespasses:
But lest I cast them still behind,
Saviour, bring all my sins to mind,
And on my heart impress.

319. [I now reflect with grief and shame]

From the day that thou didst depart, &c. —ix. 7.

I now reflect with grief and shame,
That since I out of Egypt came,
I have rebellious been,
Provoked Thee in the wilderness,
And wearied out Thy patient grace
By adding sin to sin;

A rebel to this present hour!
Yet now for all Thy mercy's power
I ask with contrite sighs
To end my sin, but not my pain:
I would lament till death, and then
Rejoice in paradise.

God forbid! J.W.

320. [What doth the Lord require of man?]

And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God, &c. —x. 12.

What doth the Lord require of man?
From sin if we can never cease,
Or do the things His laws ordain,
He asks impossibilities!
But if Thou ask them, Lord, from me,
Impossibilities shall be.

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321. [May we not grant our God's request]

What doth the Lord thy God require, &c. —x. 12.

May we not grant our God's request,
And serve Thee with an heart sincere,
With Thy prevenient Spirit bless'd,
Inspired with Thy ingenuous fear,
And strengthen'd by sufficient grace
To walk in all Thy righteous ways!

322. [O my most condescending Lord]

What doth the Lord thy God request, &c. —x. 12, 13.

O my most condescending Lord,
He humbly stoops to ask my love!
'Tis no impracticable word;
I may, I will obedient prove,
His grace accept, His power exert,
And serve my God with all my heart.

Full of Thy holy love I rise,
To worship spiritual and true,
On eagle's wings my spirit flies,
Whate'er my Lord commands to do,
To answer all my Saviour's will,
And perfectly His law fulfil.

323. [Jesus, Thou dost not sue in vain]

Jesus, Thou dost not sue in vain,
Or ask what I can never give:
Thyself hast placed the power in man
His proffer'd Saviour to receive,
While knocking at the door Thou art,
And criest “My son, give Me thy heart!”

Come in, Thou Supplicant Divine,
I hear Thy voice and open now:
Take my poor heart, no longer mine,
Enter with all Thy fulness Thou;
Take my poor heart, ('tis all Thine own,)
And never leave Thy humble throne.

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324. [If Thou command it, Lord, we may]

Circumcise the foreskin of your heart, &c. —x. 16.

If Thou command it, Lord, we may
With our transgressions part:
We do cut off, and cast away
The foreskin of our heart;
Our stiff-neck'd souls we bow to Thee,
And trusting in Thy power,
We need no more rebellious be,
We will rebel no more.

325. [Lord, Thy saying I embrace]

There shall no man be able to stand before you. —xi. 25.

Lord, Thy saying I embrace,
And 'gainst my threefold foe,
Trusting the sure word of grace,
To certain conquest go;
Satan, and the world shall fly,
Till bound, and vanquish'd by Thy power,
Feeble sin shall faint, and die,
And fall to rise no more.

326. [Teach me, O God, Thy will to do]

Observe all these words which I command thee, &c. —xii. 28.

Teach me, O God, Thy will to do,
To love myself aright,
My real interest to pursue
By walking in Thy sight:
Walking in all the ways Divine,
O may I thus ensure
A blessing, Lord, on me and mine,
Which always shall endure.

327. [I shall, (when He who saith I shall]

Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God. —xviii. 13.

I shall, (when He who saith I shall,
Hath with Himself bestow'd
Sufficient strength to walk in all
The righteous ways of God,)

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I shall attain my heart's desire,
And serve like those above,
Complete in His whole will, entire
And perfect in His love.

328. [Father, Thou hast raised Him up]

I will raise them up a Prophet, &c. —xviii. 18.

Father, Thou hast raised Him up,
That Prophet of the Lord,
Every heart's desire and hope,
Thine own eternal Word:
In our feeble flesh array'd
We own the Filial Deity,
Jesus like His brethren made,
To make us all like Thee.

329. [Speak, Thou true Interpreter]

I will put My words in His mouth, &c. —xviii. 18.

Speak, Thou true Interpreter,
Those gracious words Divine,
Give our listening hearts to hear
The Father's voice in Thine;
Now declare the mystery,
And make His utmost counsel known,
Make Thy people one with Thee,
As Thou and God are one.

330. [Woe to them who will not own]

Whosoever will not hearken unto My words, &c. —xviii. 19.

Woe to them who will not own
The Truth, the Life, the Way,
Will not the eternal Son
As God supreme obey!
Judge of all He soon shall come,
The dreadful penalty require,
Every unbeliever doom
To everlasting fire.

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331. [All that command is love!]

Thou shalt keep all that commandment [Heb.] &c. —xix. 9.

All that command is love!
Which now I long to' obey,
And trust Thee, Saviour, to remove
Whate'er obstructs the way:
Obedient to Thy will
Which doth my heart incline,
I shall by loving Thee fulfil
The perfect law Divine.

332. [The host is now gone forth: to fly]

When the host goeth forth against thine enemies, &c. —xxiii. 9.

The host is now gone forth: to fly;
Or fight? to conquer; or to die?
O, let us cast our sins away,
That God may hear His servants pray,
May us with more than conquest bless,
With glorious and eternal peace.

333. [Strengthen'd by Thy command]

Strengthen'd by Thy command
Against my wickedness,
Henceforth I every sin withstand
Through Thy sufficient grace:
I lay the sin aside
Which caused my frequent fall,
And wait to feel the blood applied
That cleanses me from all.

334. [This be ever on my mind]

Amalek smote the hindmost. —xxv. 18.

This be ever on my mind,
And fill my heart with fear,
Lest again I lag behind,
And loiter in the rear;

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Let me, Lord, unwearied press
Toward the things before, above,
With the foremost strive to seize
The prize of perfect love.

335. [On Thee, O God, my soul is stay'd]

The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, &c. —xxx. 6.

On Thee, O God, my soul is stay'd,
And waits to prove Thine utmost will:
The promise by Thy mercy made
Thou canst, Thou wilt in me fulfil:
No more I stagger at Thy power,
Or doubt Thy truth, which cannot move:
Hasten the long-expected hour,
And bless me with Thy perfect love.

One of the stubborn, harden'd race,
Now, Lord, on me the work begin,
And by the Spirit of Thy grace
Cut off the foreskin of my sin:
My stiff-neck'd heart to circumcise,
Thy sanctifying power exert,
And I shall then attain the prize,
And love my God with all my heart.

336. [My God, from whom the precept came]

The word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, &c. —xxx. 14.

My God, from whom the precept came,
Doth power Divine therewith impart,
When Jesus I desire, and name,
The word is in my mouth and heart;
I feel it intimately near,
Soon as my heart believes Him true,
And conscious of His presence here,
Through Jesus I can all things do.

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337. [Wouldst Thou insult the fallen man]

I have set before you life and death, &c. —xxx. 19.

Wouldst Thou insult the fallen man,
The work of Thy own hands,
Or mock us, Lord, with offers vain,
If Thy decree withstands?
Thou canst not thus our souls deceive,
(Though men their God belie,)
Thou canst not bid us choose to live,
Whom Thou hast doom'd to die.

338. [Have we not then a power from Thee]

Have we not then a power from Thee
Our Saviour, to refuse
The death, the curse, the misery,
And endless life to choose:
May I not turn from sin and live,
And taste how good Thou art?
O let Thy love this moment give
The answer in my heart.

339. [Father, I know my day is nigh]

Behold, thy days approach that thou must die. —xxxi. 14.

Father, I know my day is nigh,
And by Thy justice doom'd to die,
The sentence I receive:
But ere I yield my fleeting breath,
O let my soul redeem'd from death
By faith in Jesus live.

340. [By mercy seal'd in lasting sleep]

Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers. —xxxi. 16.

By mercy seal'd in lasting sleep,
Mine eyes shall then no longer weep;
My flesh in hope shall rest
Blended with my forefathers' dust,
Till waked by Him in whom I trust,
I mingle with the bless'd.

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341. [Jesus, Son of God, Thou art]

He is the Rock, His work is perfect. —xxxii. 4.

Jesus, Son of God, Thou art
Omnipotence Divine,
Tell it to my faithful heart
That what Thou art is mine;
Rock of everlasting love,
If on Thee my hopes I build,
I Thy perfect work shall prove
With all Thy fulness fill'd.

342. [Their sinful spot the heathen have]

Their spot is not the spot of his children, &c. —xxxii. 5.

Their sinful spot the heathen have;
But whom Thou dost redeem,
Jesus, omnipotent to save,
It cannot cleave to them:
Thou shedd'st Thy blood (and not in vain
Did the rich current flow)
To make us clean from every stain,
Thy spotless church below.

No wrinkle of the Adam old
Shall on Thy saints be seen;
The sons of God are pure as gold,
When grown to perfect men:
And if I in Thy word confide,
Thou, Lord, shalt say to me,
“Thou art all fair, My love, My bride,
There is no spot in thee!”

343. [He found me in a desert place]

He found him in a desert land, &c. —xxxii. 10.

He found me in a desert place,
Where far from God I roved,
And led me through the legal maze,
And chasten'd whom He loved;

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Kept as the apple of His eye,
With tenderest care caress'd,
And saved my soul, while sin was nigh,
And hid me in His breast.

344. [The eagle fond her charge awakes]

As an eagle stirreth up her nest, &c. —xxxii. 11, 12.

The eagle fond her charge awakes
Where in the nest they doze,
And while her fluttering plumes she shakes
The way to fly she shows;
She spreads her wings, her young to bear,
Before their own they try,
And takes them up, and cleaves the air,
And soars above the sky.

345. ['Twas thus in nature's sleep I lay]

'Twas thus in nature's sleep I lay,
When Christ His Spirit shed:
His Spirit stirr'd me up to pray,
And hover'd o'er my head,
Infusing the first gracious hope
He spread His wings abroad,
And train'd His infant-pupil up
To seek the face of God.

346. [The object of His kindest care]

The object of His kindest care
He never yet forsook,
But did Himself my weakness bear,
And all my burden took,
He bore me up, from earth He bore
On wings of heavenly love,
And taught my callow soul to soar
To those bright realms above.

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347. [The Spirit of redeeming grace]

The Spirit of redeeming grace
Hath been my sure defence,
And through the pathless wilderness
Led on my innocence,
When simple as a little child
All idols I abhorr'd,
And saw, as my Redeemer smiled,
My paradise restored.

348. [When first He freely justified]

He made him ride on the high places, &c. —xxxii. 13, 14.

When first He freely justified,
And did my pardon seal,
O'er earth's strongholds He bade me ride,
O'er all the powers of hell:
Butter and milk He made me eat,
And lifted up on high
I saw the moon beneath my feet,
I soar'd above the sky.

With all the new-born babes I fed
Upon the milky word,
Partaker of the children's bread,
The favour of my Lord;
I feasted on the Paschal Lamb
Who all my wants supplied,
And with the sweetness of His name
My soul was satisfied.

The bliss of those above I knew,
The angels' food partook,
Fresh oil, and sweetest honey drew
Out of the heavenly Rock;

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The joy, and love from Jesus flow'd,
And tasting Him as mine,
I drank the purest richest blood
Of that immortal Vine.

349. [And have not I ungrateful been]

But Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked, &c. —xxxii. 15.

And have not I ungrateful been,
Basely forsook my God for sin,
My God who form'd me man,
Abused my Saviour's pardoning grace,
And turn'd it into wantonness,
And murder'd Him again!

Thee that I may no more forsake,
O Rock of my salvation, take
And keep me in Thy side;
There in the open cleft secure
My contrite heart, my spirit poor
From sin for ever hide.

350. [Dost Thou not, Lord, with pity see]

The Lord shall repent Himself, &c. —xxxii. 36.

Dost Thou not, Lord, with pity see
My helplessness and misery,
Dost Thou not hear Thy servant groan,
And know, that all my power is gone?
Returning now in tenderest love,
Thy judgments with their cause remove,
Take my oppressive sin away,
And give me back an heart to pray.

351. [Thy killing and Thy quickening power]

I kill, and I make alive. —xxxii. 39.

Thy killing and Thy quickening power,
Jesus, in me display,
My life of nature, from this hour,
My pride and passion slay;

111

Then, then, my utmost Saviour, raise
My soul with saints above
To serve Thy will, and spread Thy praise,
And sing Thy perfect love.

352. [Deepen the wound Thy hands have made]

I wound, and I heal. —xxxii. 39.

Deepen the wound Thy hands have made
In this weak helpless soul,
Till mercy with its balmy aid
Descend to make me whole:
The sharpness of Thy two-edged sword
Enable me to' endure,
Till bold to cry “My hallowing Lord
Hath wrought a perfect cure!”

353. [Is it a thing so small]

Get thee up and die. —xxxii. 49, 50.

Is it a thing so small,
So easy to comply,
When summon'd by a sudden call
To get us up, and die?
For those who humbly keep
The faith by Christ bestow'd,
To die is but to fall asleep
In the soft arms of God!

O could I thus sink down
To everlasting rest,
Without a lingering sigh or groan,
On my Redeemer's breast!
Jesus, Thy blood apply,
Thy mind and Spirit give,
Then shall I get me up and die,
Then shall I truly live.

112

354. [Thrice welcome word to those who live]

Thrice welcome word to those who live
By faith in Him, their hearts receive
With true affection fill'd,
Who feel redemption in His blood,
And happy in the peace of God
Enjoy their pardon seal'd.

Before I render up my breath
Stronger than sin, and hell, and death,
Thy love I long to know.
Thy love omnipotent impart,
To strengthen and renew my heart,
And let my spirit go.

355. [The people out of Egypt brought]

Yea, He loved the people: all His saints, &c. —xxxiii. 3.

The people out of Egypt brought,
Whose burdens He removed,
Whom with a thousand pangs He bought,
More than His life He loved.
Stronger than death His love was shown:
And still He doth defend,
And having freely loved His own,
Will love them to the end.

Whom Jesu's blood doth sanctify
Need neither sin nor fear;
Hid in our Saviour's hands we lie,
And laugh at danger near.
His guardian hand doth hold, protect,
And save by ways unknown,
The little flock, the saints elect,
Who trust in Him alone.

113

Our Prophet, Priest, and King, to Thee
We joyfully submit;
And learn, in meek humility,
Our lesson at Thy feet.
Spirit and life Thy words impart,
And blessings from above;
And drop in every listening heart,
The manna of Thy love.

Now, Lord, with simple faith divine,
Thy lessons we receive,
Rule upon rule, line upon line,
And by Thy Spirit live.
Till late to all Thy life restored,
And ripen'd for the sky,
We hear that last, and sweetest word,
“Go, get thee up and die.”

356. [As my day my strength hath been]

As thy days, so shall thy strength be. —xxxiii. 25.

As my day my strength hath been,
And shall for ever be,
Grace, an overmatch for sin,
Will still deliver me;
Every day the truth I prove
Of Jesus my almighty Friend,
Kept by Him, whose constant love
Shall keep me to the end.

357. [God of the upright ones]

There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, &c. —xxxiii. 26.

God of the upright ones,
Who can with Him compare!
He makes the house of Israel's sons
His everlasting care:

114

Jehovah's rapid course
What can resist, or shun,
When heaven is His managed horse,
And brings the Thunderer down!

Glorious in majesty,
He takes the whirlwind's wings,
Sublime He rides upon the sky,
And help to Israel brings;
His people's sure defence
He takes them to His breast;
And safe in His omnipotence
They shall for ever rest.

358. [Secure in Christ I dwell]

The eternal God is thy refuge, &c. —xxxiii. 27.

Secure in Christ I dwell,
Jeshurun's God is mine,
I feel it now, by faith I feel
The' eternal strength Divine;
My refuge in distress,
In every trying hour,
Jesus, Thy saving name I bless,
And shout within my tower.

From sin preserved in Thee,
Thy fulness I embrace,
And wait for more than victory,
For all Thy hallowing grace:
I laugh at hell and death,
And every moment prove
The everlasting arms beneath,
The everlasting love.

115

359. [Eternal God, my refuge now]

Eternal God, my refuge now
In trouble and temptation Thou:
Though still to sin inclined,
Safe from the snares of hell and death
Thine everlasting arms beneath
My sinking soul I find.

Yet, Lord, I ask a further grace:
The guilt original efface,
The inbred foe exclude;
I then shall dwell conceal'd with Thee
In spiritual serenity,
In blissful solitude.

Happy as the first sinless man,
I then my paradise regain
And rival those above,
Inflamed with pure seraphic zeal,
To do Thine acceptable will
In innocence and love.

In the highway of holiness
I walk with Christ in perfect peace,
Contemplating the prize,
Smooth as on eagle's wings ascend,
Translated with my heavenly Friend,
And grasp Thee in the skies.

360. [Lord, I Thy truth proclaim]

He shall thrust out the enemy, &c. —xxxiii. 27.

Lord, I Thy truth proclaim,
And all-sufficient grace,
Kept by the virtue of Thy name
To perfect holiness:

116

Till Thou Thyself reveal,
I on the promise feed,
Thou wilt the enemy expel,
And slay the cursed seed:

The enemy within
He shall not long annoy,
Thou surely wilt extirpate sin,
And utterly destroy.
Thou wilt my soul defend,
Fulfil Thine own design,
My unbelief and troubles end,
And make me all Divine.

361. [Jesus, Thyself impart]

Israel then shall dwell in safety alone. —xxxiii. 28.

Jesus, Thyself impart,
The world and sin to' exclude,
And let me find it in my heart
The long-sought solitude,
The still sequester'd shade
For which Thy people pine,
The bower for weary spirits made
By the celestial Vine!

That secret place afford,
That shelter in Thy side,
And by Thy constant presence, Lord,
My soul for ever hide:
Secure I then shall dwell,
Delightfully alone,
Till Thou Thy glorious life reveal,
And take me to Thy throne.

117

362. [Meanest of Jacob's race]

The fountain [or Eye Heb.] of Jacob, &c. —xxxiii. 28.

Meanest of Jacob's race
By Jordan's stream I stand,
And lo! mine eye of faith surveys
The wide extended land!
A land of corn and wine
Our spirits to sustain,
And fill with vigorous life Divine
The gladden'd heart of man:

There the soft dew distils,
The soul-reviving bliss,
And Christ His pardoning grace reveals,
And whispers I am His,
Till God His Spirit pours,
His fulness from above,
In streams of righteousness, and showers
Of everlasting love.

363. [Israel, exult to prove]

Happy art thou, O Israel, &c. —xxxiii. 29.

Israel, exult to prove
How dear to God thou art,
Object of His peculiar love
Who made thee pure in heart;
Feel all thy happiness,
When Christ is form'd in thee,
Consummate joy, and perfect peace,
And spotless charity:

Saved to the utmost here,
When Christ is fully thine,
And meet before thy God to' appear,
In righteousness Divine,

118

Clothed with that heavenly Sun,
Behold His brightest blaze,
Go put thy robes of glory on,
And see Him face to face.

364. [How safe, when God hath seal'd]

The Lord is the shield of thy help, &c. —xxxiii. 29.

How safe, when God hath seal'd
And hid our life above,
We rest surrounded with the shield
Of His almighty love!
Arm'd with His Spirit's sword,
Which slays the man of sin,
We prove the truth of Jesu's word,
Redeem'd and saved within:

Flesh, earth, and Satan join'd,
Cry out, it cannot be!
But them we soon shall liars find,
From sin entirely free:
Through the great strength of God
We trust to tread them down,
And triumph o'er our foes destroy'd,
And take the starry crown.

365. [Rapt to Pisgah's top, I stand]

Moses went up to the top of Pisgah. —xxxiv. 1.

Rapt to Pisgah's top, I stand,
And more than see the promised land!
Flows the word in milky rills,
Honey from the rock distils;
Fountains pure of life arise,
Flowers, and trees of paradise;
And heavenly joys on earth I prove:
Heaven on earth is Jesu's love!

119

366. [Moses, when dead, himself survives]

His eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated. —xxxiv. 7.

Moses, when dead, himself survives,
He always in his precepts lives;
Though sinners dream his office o'er,
He loses nothing of his power,
His sight is as the eagle's strong,
And Sinai thunders in his tongue.

Think not the law through faith made void,
Its vigour cannot be destroy'd:
It marks our hearts with quickest eye,
And doth our smallest faults espy,
It seizes with almighty hands,
And holds us in eternal bands.

It holds us, when by grace set free
From curse, and fear, and penalty;
The easy yoke of Christ we prove,
Bound to obey the God we love;
And when these heavens are pass'd away,
We still shall glory to obey.

University of Virginia Library

DEUTERONOMY.

279.

[The pleasant land display'd before]

280.

[Our brethren, of their foes afraid]

281.

[Thy messenger we hear]

282.

[Yes, the Lord my God hath bless'd]

283.

[Lost, perplex'd with doubts and fears]

284.

[Who dares blame Thy justice, Lord]

285.

[Arm'd with Jesu's two-edged sword]

286.

[We in our Lord's command]

287.

[Lo! in longing hope I stand]

288.

[Fain would I, Lord, from earth remove]

289.

[Self Thy word would fain diminish]

290.

[Obedience is our pure delight]

291.

[Greater than ancient Israel, we]

292.

[From hence, most gracious Lord, from hence]

293.

[O'erwhelm'd alas, with deep distress]

294.

[Gracious Lord, who stand'st between]

295.

[Be it according to Thy will]

296.

[Father, Thy merciful design]

297.

[Lord, I believe Thy mercy's power]

298.

[The table of my heart prepare]

299.

[Father, instruct my docile heart]

300.

[When quiet in my house I sit]

301.

[O might the gracious words Divine]

302.

[Oft as I lay me down to rest]

303.

[Rising to sing my Saviour's praise]

304.

[What angel can explain]

305.

['Tis not a sudden stroke of grace]

306.

[So be it Lord; my foes bring down]

307.

[Deliver'd now into mine hand]

308.

[Jesus, I in Thy promise trust]

309.

[Can I forget the wondrous ways]

310.

[Saviour, my nature's pride to' abase]

311.

[Long in a tempted state forlorn]

312.

[A novice, to myself unknown]

313.

[My latter end is come]

314.

[Think, thou busy, prosperous man]

315.

[Jesus, taught by Thee we know]

316.

[Faith lays hold on Thy great might]

317.

[My merit, Lord, and righteousness]