The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

Oft have I offer'd up the blind
In sacrifice to Thee,
My foolish ignorance of mind,
My zealous bigotry:
When languid to Thy house I came
To act a formal part,
I sacrificed the sick and lame,
My lips without my heart.

128

Asunder sawn with anxious thought,
With soul-tormenting care,
In prayer to Thee the torn I brought,
In vain distracted prayer:
But that my vows at last may be
Accepted at Thy throne,
I now present them all to Thee
Through Thine atoning Son.

1587.

[The Name be known from east to west]

From the rising of the sun even unto the going, &c. —i. 11.

The Name be known from east to west,
The truth, and power, and love confess'd
Of Christ, our great exalted Lord!
Jesus, we long Thy day to see,
To hail Thy sovereign Majesty
By all the heathen world adored.

The only God supreme Thou art;
To Thee may every praying heart
Present itself an offering pure,
And let our whole converted race,
Who taste Thy love, and sing Thy praise,
To all eternity endure.

1588.

[Jehovah to His temple came]

The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come, &c. —iii. 1.

Jehovah to His temple came,
When in our flesh the Holy Child
Appear'd, and Jesus was His name,
And God and man were reconciled.
Jesus shall to His house again,
To every seeking sinner come;
And when His Spirit we obtain,
Our hearts are His eternal home.

129

1589.

[In wondrous condescension]

In wondrous condescension,
For Thy own promise sake,
My heart to be Thy mansion,
Great God, in mercy take:
Suddenly to Thy temple,
My Lord and Saviour come,
And make the poor and simple
Thy everlasting home.

I wait for Thy appearing,
Thou holy God unknown,
A beggar persevering
I seek Thyself alone,
More than Thy consolations
Thy precious self require,
To recompense my patience
With all I can desire.

Angel and Mediator
Of covenanted grace,
I would Thy purest nature
With all my soul embrace,
The true transporting pleasure,
In Thy enjoyment prove,—
The most unbounded measure
Of beatific love.

1590.

[Angel of covenanted grace]

The Messenger of the covenant, whom, &c. —iii. 1.

Angel of covenanted grace,
Come to this longing soul of mine!
Thy presence makes the holiest place,
Thy coming consecrates the shrine:

130

As lightning let Thy coming be,
To all who bear Thy word in mind,
And who their Eden seek in Thee,
In Thee let them their Eden find.

1591.

[Who may His day abide]

Who may abide the day of His coming? &c. —iii. 2.

Who may His day abide,
Or stand by Jesus tried?
He whose sin the flames consume;
Glad to be by fire refined,
He shall from the furnace come,
Leave his inbred dross behind.

1592.

[That soap from inward sin]

He is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap. —iii. 2.

That soap from inward sin
Shall wash our nature clean,
Wash out all our spots and stains,
(If we to the end endure)
Purge the' original remains,
Make us pure as God is pure.

1593.

[Come then the purging flame]

He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver. —iii. 3.

Come then the purging flame,
The power of Jesu's name!
Jesus, with Thy blood appear,
Blood that washes white as snow,
Purify a people here,
Sinless make Thy church below.

1594.

[Father, make good Thy word of grace]

He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge, &c. —iii. 3.

Father, make good Thy word of grace,
And purify the priestly race
Who minister in things divine,

131

Out of their hearts the dross remove,
Their worldly care, and worldly love;
As silver and as gold refine.

So shall their pure oblations please,
While clothed with Jesu's righteousness
They bring their offering to the throne,
Present the virgin pure and clean,
The church redeem'd from inbred sin,
The spotless consort of Thy Son.

1595.

[Then, Jesus, then, when seven times tried]

Then shall the offering of Judah, &c. —iii. 4.

Then, Jesus, then, when seven times tried,
Thy people saved and sanctified
Thy glorious character shall bear!
A chosen race of priests and kings,
Each his accepted offering brings,
The incense pure of praise and prayer.

Returns the age of golden days,
The vigorous energy of grace,
That in Thine ancient servants shone;
While God with constant smiles approves
The souls whom join'd to Thee He loves,
For ever perfected in one.

1596.

[Lord, with joyful lips and heart]

I am the Lord, I change not; therefore, &c. —iii. 6.

Lord, with joyful lips and heart
We own Thee gracious still;
Love, and only love Thou art,
And love unchangeable:
Wherefore unconsumed, we give
To Thee the glory of Thy grace,
Monuments eternal live
Of Thine eternal praise.

132

1597.

[Jesus, united by Thy fear]

Then they that feared the Lord spake, &c. —iii. 16.

Jesus, united by Thy fear,
The promised grace we claim,
Who commune of Thy kingdom here,
And dwell upon Thy name:
Thou hearken'st now to every word,
Thou dost Thine ear incline,
And hear'st the heart that sighs, “My Lord,
I would be only Thine!”

1598.

[Present in our assemblies we]

A book of remembrance was written before Him. —iii. 16.

Present in our assemblies we
An hidden God adore,
Lamenting, till Thy face we see,
And trembling at Thy power:
Thou know'st our wants, Thou read'st our fears,
Who languish for Thy love,
And all our sad complaints and tears
Are register'd above.

1599.

[According to Thy faithful word]

They shall be Mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, &c. —iii. 17.

According to Thy faithful word
It then shall surely be,
Thou wilt remember us, O Lord,
Who now remember Thee;
To seek, and challenge us for Thine,
Thou wilt from heaven come down,
And we around Thy head shall shine,
As jewels of Thy crown.

1600.

[In tenderest pity to Thine own]

I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son, &c. —iii. 17.

In tenderest pity to Thine own,
Thou dost Thy wrath forbear;

133

Thine every servant is a son
Whom Thou delight'st to spare:
And while our hearts are bow'd to Thee,
Thine easy yoke we prove,
And own it perfect liberty
To serve the God we love.

1601.

[In the discriminating day]

Then shall ye return, and discern between, &c. —iii. 18.

In the discriminating day
They shall Thy justice find
That loved Thine easy yoke, and they
That cast Thy words behind;
Who served their God and who defied,
Shall all the difference feel,
A difference how immensely wide!
As wide as heaven from hell!

1602.

[Lo! it comes, Jehovah's day]

Behold, the day cometh, that shall burn, &c. —iv. 1.

Lo! it comes, Jehovah's day
Of flaming vengeance comes,
Seizes on its ready prey,
And all the proud consumes,
Root and branch the wicked burns,
Fit fuel for Thy righteous ire!
Then Thy wrath enkindled turns
To everlasting fire.

1603.

[Happy they, who humbly dread]

Unto you that fear My name shall the Sun, &c. —iv. 2.

Happy they, who humbly dread
The glorious King of kings:
He on them His beams shall shed,
And cherish with His wings;

134

Christ, the Sun of righteousness,
On them shall rise, to set no more,
All the sin-sick sons of grace
To health, and heaven restore.

1604.

[Sun of righteousness, arise]

Sun of righteousness, arise,
My trembling heart to cheer,
Thou whose glory fills the skies,
Be manifested here;
Chase the darkness of my mind,
All my unbelief remove,
Heal my soul diseased and blind
By heavenly light and love.

1605.

[I bow to God in Jesu's name]

I bow to God in Jesu's name,
I tremble at His word,
Yet O! I still in darkness am,
Nor know my pardoning Lord:
My soul is sick of every sin,
Is all infirmity,
There is no holiness within,
There is no health in me.

Arise, Thou Sun of righteousness,
Extend Thy healing wings;
And bring into my soul the grace
That sure salvation brings.
My sins and sicknesses depart
If Thou in me appear;
And when I find Thee in my heart,
I find Perfection here.

135

1606.

[Expecting, Lord, Thine awful day]

Remember ye the law of Moses My servant. —iv. 4.

Expecting, Lord, Thine awful day,
We bow to Thy command;
Till heaven and earth shall pass away,
Thy holy law shall stand:
Still will we bear it in our mind,
Till all from earth remove,
With angels and archangels join'd
To serve our God above.

1607.

[Once He in the Baptist came]

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet, &c. —iv. 5.

Once He in the Baptist came,
And virtue's paths restored,
Pointed sinners to the Lamb,
Forerunner of his Lord:
Sent again from paradise,
Elijah shall the tidings bring,
“Jesus comes! ye saints, arise,
And meet your heavenly King!”

1608.

[Previous to the dreadful day]

Previous to the dreadful day
Which shall Thy foes consume,
Jesus, to prepare Thy way,
Let the last prophet come;
When the seventh trumpet's sound
Proclaims the grand sabbatic year,
Come Thyself, with glory crown'd,
And reign triumphant here.

1609.

[Yes; we know, our Lord will come]

Lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. —iv. 6.

Yes; we know, our Lord will come,
Smite the Antichrist of Rome,
All His plagues and judgments pour,
Earth accursed with fire devour!

136

But the curse shall soon remove,
But the' incarnate God of love
Sitting on His throne shall show
Earth renew'd is heaven below.

University of Virginia Library

MALACHI.

1586.

[Oft have I offer'd up the blind]