The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

Such is the heart of man to God,
So harden'd in his bold offence,
As resolute not to be subdued,
Or baffled by Omnipotence!
But from His angry presence driven,
Who will not here His judgments feel,
Unconquer'd by the fire from heaven
They perish by the fire of hell.

575. [When God receives His servants up]

Elijah took his mantle, and smote the waters, &c. —ii. 8.

When God receives His servants up,
As at the stream of death we stop,
On Jordan's brink a moment stay:
But Jesus, our immortal Guide,
Did by His death the waves divide,
And shows our souls an open way.

Christ and the promised land in view,
His ransom'd pass securely through,
Howe'er the idle billows roar;
In our Elijah's mantle clad,
By His eternal Spirit stay'd,
We reach with songs the heavenly shore!

576. [Before the saints to glory go]

Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken, &c. —ii. 9.

Before the saints to glory go,
We may implore their aid;
Christ doth on us the gifts bestow,
For which on earth they pray'd:
But when He doth our friends remove,
Himself their place supplies,
Our only Advocate above,
Who prays us to the skies.

185

577. [“Ask what ye will,” 'tis Jesu's word]

Ask what I shall do for thee . . . Let a double, &c. —ii. 9.

“Ask what ye will,” 'tis Jesu's word
To all the followers of their Lord;
He speaks with confidence Divine,
“To give the Holy Ghost is Mine!”
And Thou who didst to heaven go,
Wilt on Thy church the Spirit bestow,
To bless, and sanctify, and seal,
And all our souls for ever fill.

578. [Hard it is, but not for Thee]

Thou hast asked an hard thing. —ii. 10.

Hard it is, but not for Thee
Clothed with full authority,
Hard for sinners to receive,
Easy for my Lord to give:
Sent, in answer to Thy prayer,
Let the promised Comforter
Tell me, Saviour, who Thou art,
Show Thy glory to my heart.

579. [Thee Thy first disciples saw]

If thou see me, when I am taken from thee, &c. —ii. 10.

Thee Thy first disciples saw,
When Thou didst from earth withdraw,
Prostrate they received the sign,
Then the plenitude Divine:
Still our faith with joyful eyes
Sees our parting Master rise,
Thus assured Thy Spirit shall come,
Make us His eternal home.

580. [Not in contemplating, or prayer]

As they still went on and talked, &c. —ii. 11.

Not in contemplating, or prayer,
Their charge the flaming convoy find,
But labouring on with restless care,
And quickening whom He leaves behind,

186

Employ'd, and useful to the end:
And thus, my God, may I ascend!

581. [Suitable grace to him is show'd]

Suitable grace to him is show'd,
Who burn'd with fervent zeal for God,
By heavenly fire refined, removed,
Translated to the God he loved,
He without pain obtains the prize,
And mounts immortal to the skies.

582. [Seraphs the fiery horses were]

Seraphs the fiery horses were,
And cherubs form'd the heavenly car;
And lo, in state Elijah rides
To where the glorious God resides!
And thus the everlasting Son
Return'd in triumph to His throne!

583. [That chariot, in my life's short day]

And parted them both asunder. —ii. 11.

That chariot, in my life's short day
I oft have seen descend,
To tear my other self away,
To part me from my friend:
But lo, it comes my soul to' unite
With those that went before,
It whirls me to my friends in light,
Where we shall part no more.

584. [He leap'd the fatal ditch, where all]

Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. —ii. 11.

He leap'd the fatal ditch, where all
Our death-devoted race must fall!
Who once so fondly wish'd to die,
He went, not downward, to the sky,
And show'd the way by heaven design'd
To save our whole translated kind.

187

585. [See the true Elijah flies]

See the true Elijah flies,
Lord of those unfolding skies!
Swifter than the whirlwind's wings,
Flies the glorious King of kings,
Girt with flames of living fire,
Higher still He soars and higher,
Till He gains His bright abode,
Carries up our hearts to God!

586. [Jesus, dear departing Lord]

My father, my father! —ii. 12.

Jesus, dear departing Lord,
Hang we on Thy latest word,
Us who can Thy word receive,
Fatherless Thou wilt not leave:
Though we may a moment mourn,
Yet we look for Thy return,
Now enjoy the earnest given,
Then ascend with Thee to heaven.

587. [Lord of hosts, to Thee we bow]

The chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof, &c. —ii. 12.

Lord of hosts, to Thee we bow,
Israel's car and horsemen Thou!
Shall we not Thy loss deplore,
Whom we see on earth no more?
Ever mindful of Thine own,
Thou for us to heaven art gone,
Gone but to prepare our place,
Room for all the ransom'd race.

588. [We gather up with pious care]

He took up the mantle of Elijah. —ii. 13.

We gather up with pious care
What happy saints have left behind,
Their writings in our memory bear,
Their sayings on our faithful mind;

188

Their works which traced them to the skies
For patterns to ourselves we take,
And dearly love, and highly prize
The mantle for the wearer's sake.

589. [Ascending to be clothed upon]

He took up the mantle that fell from him. —ii. 13.

Ascending to be clothed upon
With purest robes of heavenly light,
(Robes that outshine the noonday sun,)
He drops his mantle in his flight!
Divested of mortality
He needs it not to wrap his face,
Allow'd his God unveil'd to see,
And strong to bear the glorious blaze!

590. [When saints forsake our mean abode]

Where is the Lord God of Elijah? —ii. 14.

When saints forsake our mean abode,
Our hearts should after them ascend,
Inquire, Where is Elijah's God,
The God of my translated friend?
His God, and mine, for ever lives,
Giver of immortality,
And who but now my friend receives,
Shall send the chariot soon—for me!

591. [To traverse hills and dales is vain]

They sought, but found him not. —ii. 17.

To traverse hills and dales is vain,
Or search the world around,
It cannot bring us to the man
On earth no longer found:
But following him in holy love,
In zeal, and faith, and prayer,
We soon shall find the seer above,
And share his raptures there.

189

592. [Jesus, Thy salvation bring]

He cast the salt into the spring, &c. —ii. 21.

Jesus, Thy salvation bring,
Cast the salt into the spring,
In my heart Thy love reveal,
Nature's bitter waters heal:
Let the principle of grace
Bring forth fruits of righteousness,
Then the barren curse is o'er,
Sin and death are then no more.

593. [Regardless of a private wrong]

He cursed them in the name of the Lord. —ii. 24.

Regardless of a private wrong,
No personal revenge he seeks:
Vengeance doth unto God belong,
And mock'd He in His prophet speaks:
Jehovah speaks the direful word,
That old and young, that great and small
May quake before their righteous Lord,
Who hates, and visits sin in all.

594. [Three kings expecting at his gate]

The king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, &c. —iii. 12.

Three kings expecting at his gate
The prophet's needful help implored,
Elijah's successor so great,
So great a servant of the Lord!

595. [Hark! the sacred minstrel plays]

It came to pass when the minstrel played, &c. —iii. 15.

Hark! the sacred minstrel plays,
And sings the great Jehovah's praise
See the soothed attentive seer
Ready now his God to hear!
All his powers in concert join,
Passive to the touch Divine,
Admit the everlasting Guest,
And heaven is open'd in his breast.

190

596. [When by the harp's harmonious aid]

When by the harp's harmonious aid
The fluttering of his spirit is laid,
When nature's latest tumult ends,
The Lord upon his soul descends,
Whose visit greater honour brings
Than three of earth's attending kings!

597. [Straiten'd in God we cannot be]

When the vessels were full, the oil stayed. —iv. 6.

Straiten'd in God we cannot be,
No bounds His power and bounty know,
His grace is an exhaustless sea,
Which flows, and shall for ever flow;
And if its course suspended seem,
The hindrance is in us, not Him.

All in ourselves the straitness lies,
Our faith, and not His promise, fails,
He blesses us with fresh supplies
Of joy out of salvation's wells;
And when our heart with joy runs o'er,
Enlarges, and still gives us more.

598. [Above what we can ask or hope]

Above what we can ask or hope,
The God of grace delights to give,
To fill the empty vessels up:
And when we grace for grace receive,
Enough in Christ remains behind,
To fill the souls of all mankind.

Long as our faith's capacity
Is stretch'd to' admit the blessing given,
We drink the streaming Deity,
And gasp for larger draughts of heaven!
But when we lose our emptiness,
The oil, the joy, the Spirit stays!

191

Empty us then, most gracious Lord,
And keep us always empty here,
Till Thee, according to Thy word,
We see upon the clouds appear,
Thy glorious fulness to reveal,
And all Thy saints for ever fill.

599. [To whom with my complaints should I]

He said unto his father, My head, my head. —iv. 19.

To whom with my complaints should I,
But to my heavenly Father, go?
Father, to Thee in pain I cry,
My heart, my heart to Thee I show!
It breaks, if Thou Thy help delay,
The soul which Thou hast made expires,
My spirit faints and sinks away,
Implunged in everlasting fires.

600. [Souls from the death of sin to raise]

He laid the staff upon the face of the child, &c. —iv. 31.

Souls from the death of sin to raise
What can a servant of the Lord?
The staff we lay before their face,
We minister the gospel-word,
Wait for the Saviour-God, from whom
Proceeds the animating power;
And Jesus to the dead doth come,
And by the Spirit of life restore.

601. [Type of Christ, the servant gains]

He prayed unto the Lord. —iv. 33.

Type of Christ, the servant gains
Power from heaven to raise the dead,
Power the Son Himself ordains,
Lord of life, and Fountain-head!
“Maid,” the Saviour saith, “Arise!”
With Divine authority,
“Lazarus, come forth,” He cries,
“Find thy life derived from Me!”

192

602. [See the power of God display'd]

The child opened his eyes. —iv. 35.

See the power of God display'd,
The mortal, quickening power!
He the living kills, the dead
He doth to life restore!
The great power of faith confess,
Reversing laws to nature given!
Power of prayer, which hath the keys
Of death, the womb, and heaven!

603. [Woman, thy faith is great]

Take up thy son. —iv. 36.

Woman, thy faith is great,
Receive thy dead restored!
And so shall I, who humbly wait
On mine almighty Lord:
That twice dead son of mine,
Jesus, on Thee I cast,
And trust the power of Love Divine
To raise his soul at last.

604. [Death in the pot! 'tis always there]

There is death in the pot. —iv. 40.

Death in the pot! 'tis always there,
The bane of all our food,
When we partake it without fear,
Without an eye to God:
Unless He sanctify the meat,
And bless us from the sky,
Unless we to His glory eat,
Our souls by eating die.

605. [Is it not Thy blessing, Lord]

Is it not Thy blessing, Lord,
Which makes the wholesome food?
Speak the sanctifying word
O'er this on us bestow'd;

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Now into our hearts convey
The virtue which proceeds from Thee,
Every creature then shall say
“There is no harm in me!”

606. [No: for the Lord is not in them]

Are not Abana and Pharpar better? —v. 12.

No: for the Lord is not in them,
But Jordan's consecrated stream:
And by the means Himself ordains
We all may wash away our stains,
A leprous world may be restored
By virtue of the gospel-word,
Our spirit, soul, and flesh renew'd
In the pure laver of His blood.

607. [To cure the spirit's leprosy]

If the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, &c. —v. 13.

To cure the spirit's leprosy
Easy the way and plain:
Wouldst thou be heal'd? the method see,
And perfect soundness gain:
Wash in the Fountain, and be clean,
Repent, and be forgiven,
Believe, and be redeem'd from sin,
Love, and be rapt to heaven!

608. [Accepting what the poor bestow'd]

I will receive none. —v. 16.

Accepting what the poor bestow'd,
He spurn'd the riches of the great,
To show the world, a man of God
Trampling as dirt beneath his feet
The things they ignorantly prize,
Lays up his treasure in the skies.

609. [What saith a younger prophet's zeal?]

Go in peace. —v. 19.

What saith a younger prophet's zeal?
Not “go in peace” but “go to hell!”

194

“And would an hoary seer allow
That Naaman should to Rimmon bow?”
No; but he did his weakness spare,
Glad that his convert went so far,
The evil saw, the good confess'd,
And trusted God to do the rest.

610. [Deep sunk in nature's base desire]

He cut down a stick, and cast it in, and the iron, &c. —vi. 6.

Deep sunk in nature's base desire,
The sinful mud, the worldly mire,
What but the casting in of grace
This stony, iron heart, can raise,
To heavenly turn my earthly love,
And lift my soul to things above?

611. [Thick swarming from the dark abyss]

They that be with us, are more than they, &c. —vi. 16.

Thick swarming from the dark abyss
What troops our soul assail,
Rulers and principalities
And all the fiends of hell!
But Israel's God, supreme in might,
Their countless host o'erpowers,
Single He puts them all to flight;
And Israel's God is ours.

612. [How safe the man in Jesus found]

Behold, the mountain was full of horses, &c. —vi. 17.

How safe the man in Jesus found,
Who keeps his Saviour's word!
Angelic hosts his soul surround,
The chariots of the Lord,
Myriads of flaming guards he sees,
In earth and hell's alarms,
And feels beneath, the Rock of peace,
The everlasting arms!

195

613. [By all who neither love nor fear]

God do so and more also to me, if the head of, &c. —vi. 31.

By all who neither love nor fear
Our God, the righteous are abhorr'd,
As authors of their evils here,
They hate the servants of the Lord:
“Away with them,” the world exclaim,
“The Christians to the lions cast!”
The stream is troubled by the lamb,
And must be so, while time shall last.

614. [The world, O Lord, will not receive]

Thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt, &c. —vii. 2.

The world, O Lord, will not receive
Thy word to sinners given;
They see Thy church in plenty live,
And fed with bread from heaven:
Yet though Thou dost Thy blessings pour,
Incessant from the sky,
They never taste the gracious shower,
But unbelievers die.

615. [How should we place to Satan give]

Is thy servant a dog, that he should do this, &c. —viii. 13.

How should we place to Satan give,
Or sin to such excess?
We cannot now the depths conceive
Of our own wickedness;
Ourselves so skilful to conceal,
So exquisite our art,
God only knows the utmost hell
Of the deceitful heart.

But now, whate'er was done by man,
Divinely taught I see,
What most my soul abhors, I can
Commit, if left by Thee:

196

Ah, do not, Lord, forsake Thine own,
And I shall never fall,
Urged to all sins shall yield to none,
Though capable of all.

616. [Who in the painting art excel]

She painted her face, and tired her head. —ix. 30.

Who in the painting art excel,
Fair rivals of a Pagan fair,
Look in the glass of Jezebel,
Admire her lovely likeness there!

617. [Thus will I, Lord, Thy grace employ]

Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab. —x. 11.

Thus will I, Lord, Thy grace employ,
My former master to destroy,
Drive on, determined not to spare,
And shoot, and stab, and kill, and tear,
Till all of Ahab's house is slain,
And not one single sin remain:
Thou, Saviour, then shalt reign alone,
And call me up to share Thy throne.

618. [If mine were right, it could not be]

Is thine heart right? —x. 15.

If mine were right, it could not be,
Good God, so contrary to Thee,
So prone to every sin:
It must remain an evil heart,
Till Thou Thy hallowing grace impart,
And Christ is form'd within.

619. [Can all her fleets and armies save]

O my father, my father, the chariot of, &c. —xiii. 14.

Can all her fleets and armies save
Britannia from her foes?
No confidence in these we have,
When Rome and hell oppose:

197

What is it then that stands between,
Our nation's sure defence?
The prayers of a few righteous men,
Back'd with Omnipotence!

620. [Like him, I smote, engaged with sin]

He smote thrice, and stayed. —xiii. 18.

Like him, I smote, engaged with sin,
Like him I follow'd not my blow;
Rekindled hence the war within,
Revived again the vanquish'd foe:
But now I will Thy word obey,
I will pursue my victory,
And still smite on, and never stay,
Till sin is all consumed in me.

621. [But lo, the Lord for ever lives]

Elisha died, and they buried him. —xiii. 20.

But lo, the Lord for ever lives,
And freely still His Spirit gives,
Who never ties to one His grace,
Can other faithful prophets raise:
He doth His labourers remove,
Yet carries on His work of love,
By whom He will delights to send,
And bless His church, till time shall end.

622. [He went, and touch'd Elisha's bones]

When the man was let down [Heb. went,] &c. —xiii. 21.

He went, and touch'd Elisha's bones
To show, how Adam's fallen sons
May yet the life Divine retrieve:
Drawn by His grace we all may go,
May all our God and Saviour know,
And feel the power of Christ, and live.

198

By faith and hope I now draw nigh,
With Jesus dead and buried I
His resurrection's virtue prove;
I magnify my glorious Lord,
By one continued touch restored
To all the life of heavenly love.

Strengths. Heb.

623. [Our God almighty to redeem]

Let not thy God in whom thou trustest, &c. —xix. 10.

Our God almighty to redeem
All gracious we believe,
And know, who humbly trust in Him
He never can deceive.

624. [My house I may in order set]

Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, &c. —xx. 1.

My house I may in order set,
Thou only canst my soul prepare;
O make me for Thy glory meet,
And send the welcome messenger,
That when I my discharge receive,
With Thee I may for ever live.

625. [Howe'er Thou may'st to-morrow deal]

Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days? —xx. 19.

Howe'er Thou may'st to-morrow deal
With a degenerate race,
Thy goodness, Lord, to-day we feel,
Thy present goodness praise;
Thy truth in this our day we know,
Thy people's peace we prove,
And hand in hand through life we go
To' enjoy Thine heavenly love.

626. [How went he to his grave in peace]

Because thine heart was tender, and thou, &c. —xxii. 19, 20.

How went he to his grave in peace,
Who by the sword in battle fell?
Mercy, which sign'd his soul's release,
Did pardon on his conscience seal:

199

He felt the peace of those that live
Triumphant in eternal day,
Peace which the world can never give,
Which death can never take away!

627. [O for that tenderness of heart]

O for that tenderness of heart
Which bows before the Lord,
Acknowledges how just Thou art,
And trembles at Thy word!
O for those humble contrite tears
Which from repentance flow,
That consciousness of guilt, which fears
The long suspended blow!

Saviour, to me in pity give
The sensible distress,
The pledge Thou wilt at last receive,
And bid me die in peace,
Wilt from the dreadful day remove
Before the evil come,
My spirit hide with saints above,
My body in the tomb.

628. [King of kings, I cry to Thee]

He did lift up the head of Jehoiachin, &c. —xxv. 27–29.

King of kings, I cry to Thee,
Turn my long captivity,
Break the Babylonish chain,
Lift Thou up my head again;
Thou my kind Redeemer art,
Speak forgiveness to my heart,
Change the prisoner's sordid dress,
Robe me in Thy righteousness.

Me an hoary, captive king,
Out of Satan's dungeon bring,

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Raise me, Saviour, to a throne,
Make me partner of Thine own,
Let me at Thy table sit
Nourish'd with immortal meat,
Let me there partake of Thee,
Feast to all eternity.

University of Virginia Library

II. KINGS.

574.

[Such is the heart of man to God]

575.

[When God receives His servants up]

576.

[Before the saints to glory go]

577.

[“Ask what ye will,” 'tis Jesu's word]

578.

[Hard it is, but not for Thee]

579.

[Thee Thy first disciples saw]

580.

[Not in contemplating, or prayer]

581.

[Suitable grace to him is show'd]

582.

[Seraphs the fiery horses were]

583.

[That chariot, in my life's short day]

584.

[He leap'd the fatal ditch, where all]

585.

[See the true Elijah flies]

586.

[Jesus, dear departing Lord]

587.

[Lord of hosts, to Thee we bow]

588.

[We gather up with pious care]

589.

[Ascending to be clothed upon]

590.

[When saints forsake our mean abode]

591.

[To traverse hills and dales is vain]

592.

[Jesus, Thy salvation bring]

593.

[Regardless of a private wrong]

594.

[Three kings expecting at his gate]

595.

[Hark! the sacred minstrel plays]

596.

[When by the harp's harmonious aid]

597.

[Straiten'd in God we cannot be]

598.

[Above what we can ask or hope]

599.

[To whom with my complaints should I]

600.

[Souls from the death of sin to raise]

601.

[Type of Christ, the servant gains]

602.

[See the power of God display'd]

603.

[Woman, thy faith is great]

604.

[Death in the pot! 'tis always there]

605.

[Is it not Thy blessing, Lord]

606.

[No: for the Lord is not in them]

607.

[To cure the spirit's leprosy]

608.

[Accepting what the poor bestow'd]

609.

[What saith a younger prophet's zeal?]

610.

[Deep sunk in nature's base desire]

611.

[Thick swarming from the dark abyss]

612.

[How safe the man in Jesus found]