 | The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley |  |
94
JONAH.
1483.
[Then only, when by sore distress]
Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God.
—ii. 1.
Then only, when by sore distress
Compell'd, I seek in God relief,
O'erwhelm'd with floods of wickedness,
And swallow'd up in gulfs of grief;
Out of the deep my mournful prayer
Directing to the throne Divine,
And hoping against hope, I dare
In hell to call the Saviour mine.
1484.
[Though now out of Thy presence driven]
I am cast out of Thy sight; yet I will look, &c.
—ii. 4.
Though now out of Thy presence driven,
I will not quit my hope of heaven,
My hope, O God, of Thee:
I turn me to the holiest Place,
I look to Christ for pardoning grace,
I plead His death for me.
1485.
[Even now my tempted spirit faints]
When my soul fainted within me, &c.
—ii. 7.
Even now my tempted spirit faints,
But calls Thy days of flesh to mind:
Remember Thou Thine own complaints,
And let my prayer acceptance find;
Jesus, my tears, and feeble cries
Unite and mingle with Thine own,
So shall my wailing pierce the skies,
And bring the Spirit from Thy throne.
1486.
[Salvation is the work of God]
Salvation is of the Lord.
—ii. 9.
Salvation is the work of God,
A work entirely Thine,
Who bought'st our pardon with Thy blood,
Thy precious blood Divine:
95
And wholly sanctifies,
And speaks above the better things,
And speaks us to the skies.
1487.
[Him dead and buried we confess]
The fish vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.
—ii. 10.
Him dead and buried we confess,
The storm our sins had raised to' appease,
Three days and nights for us confined:
But lo, emerging from the grave,
He comes, a ransom'd world to save,
He preaches life to all mankind!
The storm our sins had raised to' appease,
Three days and nights for us confined:
But lo, emerging from the grave,
He comes, a ransom'd world to save,
He preaches life to all mankind!
O that we all His words might hear,
A Greater far than Jonah fear,
And live, and die at His command!
Then shall the grave its prey restore,
Raised by His resurrection's power,
And cast us on the heavenly land.
A Greater far than Jonah fear,
And live, and die at His command!
Then shall the grave its prey restore,
Raised by His resurrection's power,
And cast us on the heavenly land.
1488.
[Our joy in a created good]
Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.
—iv. 6.
Our joy in a created good
How soon it fades away,
Fades (at the morning hour bestow'd)
Before the noon of day:
Joy by its violent excess
To certain ruin tends,
And all our rapturous happiness
In hasty sorrow ends.
1489.
[In vain doth earthly bliss afford]
The gourd withered.
—iv. 7.
In vain doth earthly bliss afford
A momentary shade;
It rises like the prophet's gourd,
And withers o'er my head:
96
No more for earth I pine,
Secure of everlasting rest
Beneath the heavenly Vine.
1490.
[Lord, I revoke my hasty prayer]
Jonah fainted, and wished in himself to die, &c.
—iv. 8.
Lord, I revoke my hasty prayer;
No more in peevishness of grief
I faint, the fiery test to bear,
Or summon death to my relief:
Better for me to live, if Thou
My tempted soul with strength supply,
And then my hoary head to bow,
And perfected through sufferings, die.
| The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley | |