The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

Beneath a mountain-load of grief,
Subdued, submissive, and resign'd,
I find in prayer my sure relief,
Returning peace with Christ I find:
Soon as on Him I cast my care,
My care doth all at once depart,
My visage can no more declare
The sadness of a broken heart.

460. [Not like the mothers in our day]

The woman gave her son suck, until she weaned him. —i. 23.

Not like the mothers in our day,
Who of all care themselves divest,
And thrust their new-born babes away,
And hang them on another's breast.

461. [Whate'er I ask, I surely know]

For this child I prayed; and the Lord, &c. —i. 27.

Whate'er I ask, I surely know,
And steadfastly believe,
Thou wilt the thing desired bestow,
Or else a better give;
To Thee I therefore, Lord, submit
My every fond request,
And own, adoring at Thy feet,
Thy will is always best.

462. [Since what I lend or give to Thee]

I have lent him to the Lord, as long as he liveth. —i. 28.

Since what I lend or give to Thee,
Was first Thy precious gift to me,

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In this irrevocable loan,
Father, I render Thee Thine own;
Assured Thou wilt in life's short day
My loan an hundred-fold repay,
And crown me, when Thy Son comes down,
With glorious life's eternal crown.

463. [Holy as Thee, O Lord, is none]

There is none holy as the Lord. —ii. 2.

Holy as Thee, O Lord, is none;
Thy holiness is all Thine own,
A drop of that unbounded sea
Is ours, a drop derived from Thee:
And when Thy purity we share,
Thine only glory we declare,
And humbled into nothing, own
Holy and pure is God alone.

464. [Sole, self-existing God and Lord]

There is none beside Thee: neither is there any, &c. —ii. 2.

Sole, self-existing God and Lord,
By all Thy heavenly hosts adored,
Let all on earth bow down to Thee,
And bless Thy peerless majesty,
Thy power unparallel'd confess,
Establish'd on the Rock of peace,
The Rock that never shall remove,
The Rock of pure almighty love.

465. [What man or angel can explore]

The Lord is a God of knowledge, &c. —ii. 3.

What man or angel can explore
Thy wisdom's unexhausted store,
Thy strict unerring justice trace
Which all our thoughts and actions weighs,

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And renders every man his due;
As that decisive day shall show,
Thy providential ways explain,
Thy justice and Thy love to man.

466. [When mortal man resigns his breath]

The Lord killeth. —ii. 6.

When mortal man resigns his breath,
'Tis God directs the shafts of death,
Casual howe'er the stroke appear,
He sends the fatal messenger:
The keys are in that Hand Divine;
That Hand must first the warrant sign,
And arm the death, and wing the dart,
Which doth His message to our heart.

467. [Who first inspired the breath of lives]

The Lord killeth and maketh alive, &c. —ii. 6.

Who first inspired the breath of lives,
The living kills, the dead revives,
Brings to the margin of the grave,
And shows us there His power to save:
From hence if Thou my body raise,
I'll publish my Restorer's praise,
My life at Thy dear hands receive,
And only for Thy glory live.

468. [Great God, who dost the proud abase]

The Lord bringeth low, and lifteth up. —ii. 7.

Great God, who dost the proud abase,
And giv'st to humble souls Thy grace,
Bring down my nature's virtuous boast,
And lay mine honour in the dust;
Then answer a mere sinner's cry,
Where in the lowest deep I lie,
Then from the gates of hell bring back,
And save me for my Saviour's sake.

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469. [Most destitute, most helpless I]

He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, &c. —ii. 8.

Most destitute, most helpless I,
A beggar, at the point to die!
Sunk in the deepest poverty,
I all things want by wanting Thee!
Jesus, Thou know'st my desperate case;
Out of my own foul dunghill raise,
Lift up the poor by grace Divine,
And speak the heavenly kingdom mine.

470. [Lord, if I have with Thee found grace]

Lord, if I have with Thee found grace,
Lower and lower still abase,
Till by humility made meet
Among Thy priestly kings to sit:
Then wilt Thou lift Thy servant up
Partaker of my holiest hope,
And bid me with Thyself sit down,
A sharer of Thy brightest throne.

471. [Less than the least of saints, on me]

He will keep the feet of His saints. —ii. 9.

Less than the least of saints, on me
Thy word fulfill'd I daily see,
Kept by Thy love's almighty zeal,
Preserved from falling into hell:
And still I trust Thy faithful grace
To' uphold my goings in Thy ways,
Till walking with my God, I see
The glorious place prepared for me.

472. [Not all the powers of earth and hell]

By strength shall no man prevail, &c. —ii. 9, 10.

Not all the powers of earth and hell
Shall against Jesu's church prevail,
Who bruises with His iron rod
The world, and their infernal god;

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The stubborn He in pieces breaks,
But peace to prostrate rebels speaks,
And stretches o'er the faithful race
The golden sceptre of His grace.

473. [All power, O God, in earth and heaven]

The Lord shall judge the ends of the earth, &c. —ii. 10.

All power, O God, in earth and heaven
Thou hast to Thy Messias given,
And bade the' almighty Son of man
At Thy right hand in glory reign:
Our Saviour-Prince shall thence descend,
His sway from east to west extend,
And reign o'er all the earth alone,
Triumphant on the great white throne.

474. [The fruit of your indulgence see]

Nay my sons: for it is no good report that I hear. —ii. 24.

The fruit of your indulgence see,
Whoe'er in Eli's footsteps tread,
Ye curse your fondled progeny,
Ye pull destruction on their head;
The wrath of an almighty Lord,
Your lenity's effect, they feel:
It fattens for the slaughtering sword,
It softly lets them down to hell.

475. [Holy Child, our children take]

The child Samuel grew on, and was in favour, &c. —ii. 26.

Holy Child, our children take
With Thyself on us bestow'd,
Partners of Thy nature make,
Bless, and bring them up for God,
Give them in Thy grace to grow,
Favourites of the Deity,
Favourites of Thy saints below,
Perfectly conform'd to Thee.

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476. [Of my extreme distresses]

It is the Lord: let Him do what seemeth Him good. —iii. 18.

Of my extreme distresses
The author is the Lord:
Whate'er His wisdom pleases,
His name be still adored!
If still He prove my patience,
And to the utmost prove,
Yet all His dispensations
Are faithfulness, and love.

477. [“Israel before their foes are fled!”]

When he made mention of the ark of God, &c. —iv. 18.

“Israel before their foes are fled!”
Composed the tidings he receives:
“Whole troops; and both thy sons are dead!”
He hears the fatal news, and lives:
“The ark is taken by the foe,
And God doth with His ark depart!”
This, this inflicts the mortal blow,
And breaks his trembling, faithful heart.

478. [Great is the truth, and must prevail]

Dagon was fallen upon his face before the ark. —v. 3.

Great is the truth, and must prevail
O'er error, and the gates of hell,
While Dagon, tumbled from his shrine,
Bows down before the ark Divine,
And Satan's kingdom falls before
Our Prince whom earth and heaven adore.

479. [Idols may triumph for an hour]

Idols may triumph for an hour,
But vanquish'd by almighty power
They to the living God shall bow:
And Dagon stoops to Jesus now;
And till an end of sin I see,
Corruption bows to grace—in me.

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480. [Who can Thy strict tribunal face]

Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? —vi. 20.

Who can Thy strict tribunal face,
Or stand before the' Almighty's frown,
Approach Thee in Thy brightest place,
Look full upon Thy glorious throne!
God inaccessible Thou art;
Yet who by faith Thy Son receive,
Perfect in love, and pure in heart,
They here shall see Thy face, and live.

481. [Touch'd from above with sacred woe]

All the house of Israel lamented after the Lord. —vii. 2.

Touch'd from above with sacred woe
O that we might incessant mourn,
After the Lord lamenting go,
Till Jesus, the true Ark, return!
The contrite heart, the grief sincere,
Jesus, to all our Israel give,
And then display Thy presence here,
And in Thy saints for ever live.

482. [An Advocate in heaven we have]

Cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us, &c. —vii. 8.

An Advocate in heaven we have,
Who pleads for Israel's faithful race,
And God shall to the utmost save
The souls for whom our Prophet prays:
From sin, the world, and Satan's powers
He now doth to our rescue come,
And when the greedy tomb devours,
Redeems us from the greedy tomb.

483. [Sinners, behold the sacred flame]

Samuel offered a lamb, and cried unto the Lord, &c. —vii. 9.

Sinners, behold the sacred flame
Ascending from the slaughter'd Lamb,
The Lamb of God for Israel given,
Who offers up Himself to heaven;

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Mix'd with the smoke His prayers arise,
And God accepts the sacrifice.

484. [Father, Thou dost our Prophet hear]

As Samuel was offering up the burnt-offering, &c. —vii. 10.

Father, Thou dost our Prophet hear,
While now the Philistines draw near;
The offering, which for us He pleads,
Brings down Thy blessing on our heads,
Brings down Thy thunder on our foes,
And all the hellish host o'erthrows.

485. [Kept by constant miracle]

Hitherto hath the Lord helped us. —vii. 12.

Kept by constant miracle,
And succour'd hitherto,
Jesus, I set to my seal
That Thou art good and true,
Trust Thou never wilt depart,
And glad my monument to raise,
Thank Thee with a loving heart,
And with a life of praise.

486. [Thy call, O God, to man conveys]

God gave him another heart. —x. 9.

Thy call, O God, to man conveys
Sufficiency of gifts and grace:
Wherefore to me Thy Spirit impart,
And bless me with a pastor's heart;
The servant of Thy people I
Shall then rejoice to live and die.

487. [Yes; if the Lord His mind reveal]

Is Saul also among the prophets? —x. 12.

Yes; if the Lord His mind reveal,
E'en to the meanest of the throng:
Their Father sends by whom He will,
And teaches babes the gospel song;

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Not to the prophets' schools confined,
He gives to the unlearn'd His word;
And lo, they now declare His mind,
And husbandmen proclaim their Lord!

488. [The good in man is not his own]

There went with Saul a band of men, &c. —x. 26.

The good in man is not his own,
But freely flows from grace alone,
If to the right our hearts incline,
They own a secret touch Divine;
And Britain's boasted loyalty,
O King of kings, is all from Thee.

489. [Pierced with the true religious fear]

The fear of the Lord fell on the people, &c. —xi. 7.

Pierced with the true religious fear,
We must our king and country love,
Their interests serve with heart sincere,
And swift to their assistance move:
Let all the people of this land
Thus, Lord, to Thee their homage show,
And, duteous to Thy dread command,
Revere Thy delegate below.

490. [Vilest of the sinful race]

Ye have done all this wickedness, yet turn not, &c. —xii. 20.

Vilest of the sinful race,
Plunged in desperate wickedness,
Shall I let my Saviour go?
No: His bowels answer No!
After all that I have done,
Still He bids me follow on,
Till I know the God who died,
Till I find Him—pacified.

491. [If mercies without end could move]

Only fear the Lord, and serve Him, &c. —xii. 24.

If mercies without end could move
So base, so hard an heart as mine,

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Its whole capacity of love
Had surely long ago been Thine:
Lord, for Thine endless mercies' sake,
My stubborn misery relieve,
And to Thyself this moment take
The heart which I can never give.

492. [What lost the king his regal power?]

Now would the Lord have established, &c. —xiii. 13, 14.

What lost the king his regal power?
The want of patience for an hour:
And who for Christ refuse to stay,
With patience cast their souls away,
The cross they hastily lay down,
And forfeit an immortal crown.

493. [After we have endured a while]

After we have endured a while,
The Lord rewards our patient toil,
Establishes our hearts with grace,
And perfects us in holiness;
But if impatiently we rise
To offer sinless sacrifice,
The power we shall not long maintain,
Or kings without our Saviour reign.

How? J.W.

494. [How fond the self-deceiver's hope]

Saul spared Agag. —xv. 9.

How fond the self-deceiver's hope,
By partial righteousness,
By giving grosser evils up
An holy God to please!
Our vulgar sins we slay in vain,
And every lust beside,
If still we suffer self to reign,
Or spare the life of pride.

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495. [How shall we offer to the skies]

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice. —xv. 22.

How shall we offer to the skies
That better, more, than sacrifice?
Jesus, with heavenly wisdom bless,
And teach us how Thyself to please:
O work in me to will and do;
Spiritual adoration true
In perfect love I then shall pay,
And Thee with all my heart obey.

496. [Sinner, alarm'd by judgment near]

Surely the bitterness of death is past. —xv. 32.

Sinner, alarm'd by judgment near,
Who fold'st thine arms for sleep again,
As far from death's superfluous fear
And hell's imaginary pain,
No more with harden'd heart presume,
But tremble at thine instant doom.

In pride and delicacy bred,
Secure of a long length of days,
Justice Divine will strike thee dead;
And when thou goest to thy own place,
That bitterness is never o'er,
That death shall last for evermore.

But all who Jesus' spirit breathe,
By faith on Jesus' passion cast,
With them the bitterness of death,
The bitterness of life, is pass'd;
And O! for ever happy, I,
With these indulged to live and die.

497. ['gainst the man of sin in me]

Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord. —xv. 33.

'gainst the man of sin in me,
O Lord, Thine arm make bare,
End his life and tyranny
Whom I reserve and spare:

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Agag is the reigning lust;
O let him feel Thy Spirit's sword,
Sacrificed to God the just,
Devoted to the Lord.

498. [Music, as first by heaven design'd]

When the evil spirit was upon Saul, David, &c. —xvi. 23.

Music, as first by heaven design'd
To calm the tumult of the mind,
Relieves us by its sacred aid,
As Saul was well when David play'd:
But if it takes the tempter's part,
And softly steals from God the heart,
It chases the good Spirit away,
And courts the evil one to stay.

499. [Mindful of my rescues pass'd]

The Lord that delivered me out of the paw, &c. —xvii. 37.

Mindful of my rescues pass'd,
When sin and hell were near,
Lord, on Thee my soul I cast,
And no Goliath fear;
Thou, in whom I put my trust,
Wilt still Thy guardian power display,
Save from every giant-lust,
And keep me to that day.

500. [Our Prince and Friend enthroned above]

Jonathan stripped himself of the robe, &c. —xviii. 4.

Our Prince and Friend enthroned above
Did thus His zeal for man express,
He stripp'd Himself of all but love,
To clothe us with His righteousness:
Kinder than Jonathan, He wore
The rags of our humanity,
Self-emptied, sorrowful, and poor,
That all my God might dwell in me.

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501. [Thanks to my redeeming Lord!]

There is but a step between me and death. —xx. 3.

Thanks to my redeeming Lord!
Late by Thee to sight restored,
Life itself I plainly see
One short step 'twixt death and me:
While this one short step I take,
Keep me for Thy mercy's sake;
Furnish'd then with wings to fly,
Bear me, Saviour, to the sky.

502. [Fly, sinners, fly to David's Son]

Every one that was in distress, and every one, &c. —xxii. 2.

Fly, sinners, fly to David's Son,
Distress'd, indebted, and undone,
Him for your Captain choose,
Let Him your ruin'd cause maintain;
The worst, and most forlorn of men
He never will refuse.

If such Thou wilt indeed receive,
Captain, to Thee my name I give,
The poorest outcast I;
And joining now the desperate band,
And subjected to Thy command,
With Thee I live and die.

503. [In want and murmuring distress]

In want and murmuring distress,
In debt to sovereign righteousness,
A wretched, desperate outcast, I
To David for protection fly.

Jesus, the Antitype Thou art,
The David after God's own heart,
Commander of the helpless band,
Enlist me under Thy command.

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Assure me, Thou my debt hast paid,
Hast for my sins atonement made,
And on Thyself my burden take,
And save me for Thy mercy's sake.

Captain of my salvation, show
Thy strength against my threefold foe,
And, sure of final victory,
In life and death, I follow Thee.

504. [O may I thus confirm my friend]

He strengthened his hand in God. —xxiii. 16.

O may I thus confirm my friend,
And teach on Jesus to depend,
On Jesus turn his heart and eye
Who only doth our wants supply,
And makes His strength in weakness known,
And all our works effects alone.

505. [So oft preserved in perils pass'd]

David said in his heart, I shall now perish, &c. —xxvii. 1.

So oft preserved in perils pass'd,
Why should I despond at last,
And cast my faith away?
I cannot help this abject fear,
For still the hellish Saul is near
My hunted soul to slay.

Thou seest my feebleness of heart;
Do not, do not, Lord, depart
In life's extremity;
But stand another hour between,
Another hour my weakness screen,
And take my soul to Thee.

506. [No wily fiend, by magic spell]

Saul perceived that it was Samuel. —xxviii. 14.

No wily fiend, by magic spell
Evoked from his infernal cell,
To personate the prophet true,
But Samuel's self appears in view;

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To make the prostrate king relent,
Humbly accept his punishment,
To warn him of his instant doom,
But not denounce the wrath to come.

507. [What do these solemn words portend?]

To-morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me. —xxviii. 19.

What do these solemn words portend?
A gleam of hope when life shall end:
“Thou and thy sons, though slain, shall be
To-morrow, in repose with me!”
Not in a state of hellish pain,
If Saul with Samuel doth remain,
Not in a state of damn'd despair,
If loving Jonathan is there!

508. [Let earth and hell their powers engage]

The people spake of stoning him: but David, &c. —xxx. 6.

Let earth and hell their powers engage,
And fierce temptations rise,
Above their impotence of rage
My soul to Jesus flies:
Louder than all their threats I hear
The voice of Love Divine,
Nor can I faint nor can I fear,
Who know that God is mine.

University of Virginia Library

I. SAMUEL.

458.

[O take this plague away!]

459.

[Beneath a mountain-load of grief]

460.

[Not like the mothers in our day]

461.

[Whate'er I ask, I surely know]

462.

[Since what I lend or give to Thee]

463.

[Holy as Thee, O Lord, is none]

464.

[Sole, self-existing God and Lord]

465.

[What man or angel can explore]

466.

[When mortal man resigns his breath]

467.

[Who first inspired the breath of lives]

468.

[Great God, who dost the proud abase]

469.

[Most destitute, most helpless I]

470.

[Lord, if I have with Thee found grace]

471.

[Less than the least of saints, on me]

472.

[Not all the powers of earth and hell]

473.

[All power, O God, in earth and heaven]

474.

[The fruit of your indulgence see]

475.

[Holy Child, our children take]

476.

[Of my extreme distresses]

477.

[“Israel before their foes are fled!”]

478.

[Great is the truth, and must prevail]

479.

[Idols may triumph for an hour]

480.

[Who can Thy strict tribunal face]

481.

[Touch'd from above with sacred woe]

482.

[An Advocate in heaven we have]

483.

[Sinners, behold the sacred flame]

484.

[Father, Thou dost our Prophet hear]

485.

[Kept by constant miracle]

486.

[Thy call, O God, to man conveys]

487.

[Yes; if the Lord His mind reveal]

488.

[The good in man is not his own]

489.

[Pierced with the true religious fear]

490.

[Vilest of the sinful race]

491.

[If mercies without end could move]

492.

[What lost the king his regal power?]

493.

[After we have endured a while]

494.

[How fond the self-deceiver's hope]

495.

[How shall we offer to the skies]

496.

[Sinner, alarm'd by judgment near]