The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

That ground of fellowship with God
O that I could possess,
Brought near through the atoning blood,
And reconciled by grace!
O might my heart with Thine agree,
Pursue Thy glorious end,
Then should I walk to heaven with Thee
Mine everlasting Friend.

1469.

[The lion roars, before he tears]

The lion hath roared, who will not fear? —iii. 8.

The lion roars, before he tears,
The Lord in wrath and mercy great
Threatens before He strikes; but spares
A sinner prostrate at His feet:
Then let us fall with conscious fear,
And when we faint beneath our load,
Our contrite hearts a voice shall hear,
“The Lion is the Lamb of God!”

1470.

[Stricken for mine iniquity]

Yet have ye not returned unto Me. —iv. 11.

Stricken for mine iniquity,
Forced by a thousand strokes to mourn,

Yet have I not return'd to Thee:
To Thee I never shall return,
Till Jesus from the cross reprove,
And melt me down by dying love.

1471.

[To meet my God]

Prepare to meet thy God. —iv. 12.

To meet my God
Arm'd with His rod
O how shall I prepare?
Prostrate, wallowing in my blood
I pray the Judge to spare.

But if Thou let
Me kiss Thy feet,
And mind Thee of Thy passion,
Then I in my Judge shall meet
The God of my salvation.

1472.

[Seeking in Christ Thy face]

Seek ye Me, and ye shall live. —v. 4.

Seeking in Christ Thy face,
We found the life of grace;
Pardon'd now, by faith we live,
Till we fuller life attain,
Till Thine image we retrieve;
Then the life of heaven we gain.

1473.

[Of my transgressions numberless]

I know your manifold transgressions, &c. —v. 12.

Of my transgressions numberless
The measure, Lord, runs o'er,
But where iniquities increase,
Thy grace increases more:
My mighty sins to Thee are known;
But mightier still is He
Who laid His life a ransom down,
Who pleads His death for me.

1474.

[Glory and thanks to Thee we give]

I will send a famine in the land, &c. —viii. 11.

Glory and thanks to Thee we give,
Our dear redeeming Lord,
Who dost at last our want relieve,
Our hunger for the word!
But multiply the children's bread,
But give Thy word success,
Till every famish'd soul is fed,
Is feasted, with Thy grace.

1475.

[Still the prophetic curse takes place]

I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, &c. —ix. 9.

Still the prophetic curse takes place:
We see the once-peculiar race
Like sifted chaff dispersed and driven
Through every nation under heaven!
But lo, we now the promise plead
For every Israelite indeed:
And when the nation owns Thy call,
Thy mercy, Lord, shall save them all.

1476.

[Jesus, as in the ancient days]

In that day will I raise up the tabernacle, &c. —ix. 11, 12.

Jesus, as in the ancient days,
Return, Thy ruinous house to raise,
Its breaches close, its walls repair:
The men into Thy church receive,
The Christians, who as heathens live,
Dishonouring the great name they bear.

Thou who hast purchased them of old,
Take all the world into Thy fold,
And in one pure religion join,
That every soul its Lord may bless,
And every tongue with joy confess
The saving work of grace Divine.

University of Virginia Library

AMOS.

1468.

[That ground of fellowship with God]