The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

I leave a careless world below,
Mix'd with the multitudes I go,
By faith the mount ascend,
In strong desire to Christ draw near,
And wait in humble hope to hear
The sinner's heavenly Friend.

Open Thy mouth, celestial Lord,
Open my heart to catch the word
Which still proceeds from Thee;
And let Thy lips replete with grace
Drop peace and joy and righteousness
On all Thy church and me.

57. [Jesus, on me the want bestow]

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the, &c. —v. 3.

Jesus, on me the want bestow,
Which all who feel shall surely know
Their sins on earth forgiven;
Give me to prove the kingdom mine,
And taste in holiness Divine
The happiness of heaven.

58. [Turn, into flesh the stony turn]

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be, &c. —v. 4.

Turn, into flesh the stony turn;
And while for Thee alone I mourn,
The consolation send;
O come Thyself, my soul to' embrace,
And let my cheerful life of grace
In glorious comfort end.

59. [Meeken my soul, Thou heavenly Lamb]

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit, &c. —v. 5.

Meeken my soul, Thou heavenly Lamb,
That I in the new earth may claim
My hundred-fold reward;

163

My rich inheritance possess,
Co-heir with the great Prince of peace,
Co-partner with my Lord.

60. [Me with that restless thirst inspire]

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst, &c. —v. 6.

Me with that restless thirst inspire,
That strength of infinite desire,
And feast my hungry heart;
Less than Thyself cannot suffice,
My soul for all Thy fulness cries,
For all Thou hast, and art.

61. [Mercy who show shall mercy find]

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. —v. 7.

Mercy who show shall mercy find:
Thy pitiful and tender mind
Be, Lord, on me bestow'd:
So shall I still the blessing gain,
And to eternal life retain
The mercy of my God.

62. [Jesus, the crowning grace impart]

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. —v. 8.

Jesus, the crowning grace impart,
Bless me with purity of heart;
That now beholding Thee,
I soon may view Thine open face,
On all Thy dazzling beauties gaze,
And God for ever see!

63. [Lord, give me that pacific mind]

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be, &c. —v. 9.

Lord, give me that pacific mind,
Which spreads Thy peace throughout mankind,
And knits them all in one;
So shall He own me for His child,
Who all through Thee hath reconciled,
And take me to His throne.

164

64. [Not for my fault, or folly's sake]

Blessed are they which are persecuted, &c. —v. 10.

Not for my fault, or folly's sake,
The name, or mode, or form I take,
But for true holiness,
Let me be wrong'd, reviled, abhorr'd,
And Thee my sanctifying Lord
In life and death confess.

65. [Call'd to sustain the hallow'd cross]

Blessed are ye, when men shall . . . persecute you, &c. —v. 11.

Call'd to sustain the hallow'd cross,
And suffer for Thy righteous cause,
Pronounce me doubly bless'd,
And let Thy glorious Spirit, Lord,
Assure me of my great reward
In heaven's eternal feast.

66. [The prophets old, and rough, and true]

So persecuted they the prophets which were before you. —v. 12.

The prophets old, and rough, and true
Our patient types we see:
The prophets smooth, and false, and new
Protest “it need not be!”
But all who would in Jesus live
A daily death must die,
His portion upon earth receive,
His portion in the sky.

67. [Still may the preachers of Thy word]

Ye are the salt of the earth. —v. 13.

Still may the preachers of Thy word,
May the disciples be
Dispensers of Thy Spirit, Lord,
In faith and charity:
Apostles to the ransom'd race,
Let all Thy church be join'd
To spread throughout the earth Thy grace,
To season all mankind.

165

68. [Ah, Lord, with trembling I confess]

If the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall, &c. —v. 13.

Ah, Lord, with trembling I confess
A gracious soul may fall from grace,
The salt may lose its seasoning power,
And never, never find it more!
Lest this my fearful case should be,
Each moment knit my soul to Thee,
And lead me to Thy mount above
Through the low vale of humble love.

69. [Darkness in ourselves, we shine]

Ye are the light of the world. —v. 14.

Darkness in ourselves, we shine
With lustre not our own,
Cheer the world with light Divine
Reflected from that Sun,
Till that Sun of righteousness
All His heavenly rays display,
Universal nature bless
With everlasting day.

70. [Can we from the world conceal]

A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. —v. 14.

Can we from the world conceal
A church that's built on Thee?
Seated on Thy holy hill
They must the city see:
Pride may frown, and prudence chide,
Bid us keep our faith unknown;
Faith its light no more can hide
Than the meridian sun.

71. [Not for ourselves the light of grace]

Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel. —v. 15.

Not for ourselves the light of grace
Didst Thou on us bestow,
But for the whole benighted race
Thy darken'd house below:

166

The candlesticks Thy churches are,
The Spirit in them design'd
Thy truth and goodness to declare,
To lighten all mankind.

72. [The light in us must shine]

Let your light so shine before men, that they may, &c. —v. 16.

The light in us must shine;
Thou, Lord, direct the rays,
So shall it show its Source Divine,
And glorify Thy grace,
So shall our works of faith
The charm'd beholders move,
To' extol, like us, in life and death
Our heavenly Father's love.

73. [Saviour, inspire with unknown awe]

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, &c. —v. 17.

Saviour, inspire with unknown awe
The souls who fondly dream
Thou camest to' abolish Thy own law,
Fulfilling it for them:
Put them in fear; and then display
The counsel of Thy will,
The law Thou didst for man obey,
In man again fulfil.

74. [Can a law from God proceed]

Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle, &c. —v. 18.

Can a law from God proceed,
Useless soon, and null, and void?
No; when earth and heaven are fled,
This continues undestroy'd:
On the hearts of all mankind
Graven by its Author's hand,
Copy of the' eternal Mind
Firm it must for ever stand!

167

75. [Yes, the law is like its Giver]

One tittle shall in no wise pass. —v. 18.

Yes, the law is like its Giver,
Holy heaven-descended word,
Word of Him that lives for ever,
Stands co-eval with its Lord:
Firmer than the earth's foundation
This survives the starry host,
In the wreck of all creation
Not one tittle shall be lost.

76. [Whoe'er the' authority impeach]

Whosoever shall do and teach them, the same, &c. —v. 19.

Whoe'er the' authority impeach
Of Thy commanding word,
Still let my life and practice teach
Obedience to my Lord:
Master, to me the blessing give
Thy least commands to love,
Till from Thy mercy I receive
My great reward above.

77. [No partial, outward righteousness]

Except your righteousness shall exceed, &c. —v. 20.

No partial, outward righteousness
Can make me meet to see Thy face,
But such as in Thyself did shine,
Internal, perfect, and Divine:
The faith which works by holiest love
Shall join me to Thy saints above,
The righteousness from heaven sent down
Shall form mine everlasting crown.

78. [Which of the old prophets dared]

But I say unto you. —v. 22.

Which of the old prophets dared
So high a style assume?
Who by them His way prepared,
The Lord Himself is come!

168

“I, the great Jehovah say!”
Open, Lord, this heart of mine,
All Thy words to hear, obey,
And prove them all Divine.

79. [Lord, Thou forbiddest me in vain]

Whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be, &c. —v. 22.

Lord, Thou forbiddest me in vain
By anger, or contempt to kill,
Unless Thou dost at once explain,
And strengthen me to' obey, Thy will:
The spiritual command I see;
But O, Thy Spirit's power impart,
And planting Thy own love in me,
Expel the murderer from my heart.

80. [In vain with angry hearts we dare]

First be reconciled to thy brother, and then come, &c. —v. 24.

In vain with angry hearts we dare
Nigh to Thine altar move,
Since neither sacrifice, nor prayer
Atones for want of love:
O may we each with each agree
Through Thine uniting grace,
Our gift shall then accepted be,
Our life of love and praise.

81. [Can they discharge the debt in hell]

Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means, &c. —v. 26.

Can they discharge the debt in hell,
Or satisfy Thy justice there?
They must with endless burnings dwell,
They must eternal torments bear,
For ever and for ever prove
That God is truth, as well as love.

82. [Can a true follower of Thine]

Thou shalt not commit adultery. —v. 27.

Can a true follower of Thine
Such horrid crimes commit?

169

One moment left by grace Divine,
We sink into the pit:
Ah, do not, dearest Lord, depart
One moment from Thine own,
But purify, and keep the heart
That would be Thine alone.

83. [But will not our almighty Lord]

He hath committed adultery in his heart. —v. 28.

But will not our almighty Lord
The evil heart remove,
And fill us through His hallowing word
With His own heavenly love?
According to our faith in Thee,
To us it shall be done:
Holy and pure we then shall be,
And love our God alone.

84. [Forbid it, Lord, that I should strive]

If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast, &c. —v. 29.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should strive
Mine idols to conceal,
Or keep one bosom-lust alive,
And carry it to hell:
Rather from all I leave behind
My naked soul shall flee,
And lose its life on earth, to find
Its heavenly life in Thee.

85. [The world against their Maker cry]

I say unto you, Swear not at all. —v. 34.

The world against their Maker cry,
Ye must for every trifle swear,
Oaths without end they multiply,
The weak and ignorant ensnare,
Transgressions, perjuries increase,
And harden Satan's witnesses.

170

By oaths they learn their God to scorn,
By oaths their souls for nought they sell,
By oaths they cause the land to mourn,
By oaths rejoice and people hell,
And thus their property secure,
And make their own damnation sure.

86. [Heaven's magnificence declares]

Neither by heaven, for it is God's throne: &c. —v. 34, 35.

Heaven's magnificence declares
Jehovah's brightest seat,
Earth with its productions bears
The impress of His feet:
Him we by the creatures know,
His goodness and His power revere;
All His works, above, below
Proclaim, that God is here!

87. [The trodden worm will turn again]

Resist not evil. —v. 39.

The trodden worm will turn again,
And nature hurt resent the smart,
Unless Thy gentleness restrain,
Unless Thy love o'ercome my heart:
The precept, and the pattern mild,
Thou givest; but add the patient power,
And changed into a little child
Thy follower shall resist no more.

88. [Whate'er to magistrates belong]

Whate'er to magistrates belong,
Who bear the sword and not in vain,
I dare not render wrong for wrong,
Or grief for grief, or pain for pain:
The spirit of fierce vindictive Jews
I hate, when Jesus' mind I know,
And goods, and life itself would lose
Rather than hurt my deadliest foe.

171

89. [O could I view them with those eyes]

Love your enemies. —v. 44.

O could I view them with those eyes
Which wept the bloody Salem's fall,
And echo back the Saviour's cries,
And on My heavenly Father call,
“Forgive them, O My God, forgive,
I thirst—to die, that they may live!”

Send forth the Spirit of Thy Son,
Which turns the leopard to a lamb,
So shall I put His bowels on,
Who hellish hate by love o'ercame,
Who made His murderers His care,
And saved them through His dying prayer.

90. [Loving my friends I freely pay]

Loving my friends I freely pay
The debt that nature owes,
But how shall I Thy word obey
And love my mortal foes?

Hard struggling to comply in vain,
Throughout my soul I feel
This to an unregenerate man
Is quite impossible.

Doth Justice then to man enjoin
The thing that cannot be?
It cannot; but through grace Divine,
Through Jesu's strength in me,

If Thou the power of faith impart,
Lord, I can all things do,
And love my foes with all my heart,
When Thou hast made it new.

172

If still my heart be unrenew'd,
The fault is all my own:
One drop of Thy redeeming blood
Can melt the hardest stone:

The balm for every soul-disease
Ready Thou art to' apply,
And when I call for grace and peace
Thou answer'st “Here am I.”

Come then, with all Thy wounds confess'd,
My Saviour from above,
And pour into my vanquish'd breast
Thy sweet forgiving love:

Then when I feel Thy Spirit mine,
The mighty change I know,
And can like Thee my life resign,
To save my deadliest foe.

91. [The causeless curse is lost on me]

Bless them that curse you. —v. 44.

The causeless curse is lost on me:
But shall I bless my foes in vain?
I bless them authorized by Thee!
The utmost good ordain'd for man
Be to my persecutors given:
Thy grace on earth, Thy joy in heaven!

92. [My mortal foe, whom for Thy sake]

Pray for them which despitefully use you. —v. 44.

My mortal foe, whom for Thy sake,
Saviour, for Thine alone, I love,
Humbled into Thy favour take,
Prepare him for a place above,
Call him with me Thy throne to share,
And join us in Thy praises there.

93. [How may we resemble God]

That ye may be the children of your Father, &c. —v. 45.

How may we resemble God,
His genuine children prove?

173

Jesus, Thou the way hast show'd
In universal love:
Let Thy love implanted be,
Pure, impartial, unconfined;
Then mankind in us shall see
The Father of mankind.

94. [Evil, or good, Thou lovest us all]

He maketh His sun to rise on the evil, &c. —v. 45.

Evil, or good, Thou lovest us all,
And dost to all Thy blessings give:
Thy sun doth rise, Thy rain doth fall,
On those who will not more receive,
Who might be water'd by Thy grace,
(Incessant showers of love Divine,)
And see that Sun of righteousness,
And bright from Him for ever shine.

95. [Wouldst Thou require what cannot be?]

Be ye . . . perfect.—[Ye shall be perfect. Gr.] —v. 48.

Wouldst Thou require what cannot be?
The thing impossible to me
Is possible with God:
I trust Thy truth to make me just,
The' omnipotence of love I trust,
The virtue of Thy blood.

Perfection is my calling's prize,
To which on duty's scale I rise;
And when my toils are pass'd,
And when I have the battle won,
Thou in Thy precious Self alone
Shalt give the prize at last.

96. [If, taught of Him, I understand]

If, taught of Him, I understand
My Saviour's most benign command,
I shall be fully bless'd;

174

True is the promise of my Lord,
The duty is its own reward,
And crown of all the rest.

“Ye shall be perfect” here below,
He spake it, and it must be so;
But first He said, “Be poor;
Hunger, and thirst, repent, and grieve,
In humble, meek obedience live,
And labour, and endure.”

Thus, thus may I the prize pursue,
And all the' appointed paths pass through
To perfect poverty:
Thus let me, Lord, Thyself attain,
And give Thee up Thine own again,
Absorb'd and lost in Thee.

University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER V.

56.

[I leave a careless world below]

57.

[Jesus, on me the want bestow]

58.

[Turn, into flesh the stony turn]

59.

[Meeken my soul, Thou heavenly Lamb]

60.

[Me with that restless thirst inspire]

61.

[Mercy who show shall mercy find]

62.

[Jesus, the crowning grace impart]

63.

[Lord, give me that pacific mind]

64.

[Not for my fault, or folly's sake]

65.

[Call'd to sustain the hallow'd cross]

66.

[The prophets old, and rough, and true]

67.

[Still may the preachers of Thy word]

68.

[Ah, Lord, with trembling I confess]

69.

[Darkness in ourselves, we shine]

70.

[Can we from the world conceal]

71.

[Not for ourselves the light of grace]

72.

[The light in us must shine]

73.

[Saviour, inspire with unknown awe]

74.

[Can a law from God proceed]

75.

[Yes, the law is like its Giver]

76.

[Whoe'er the' authority impeach]

77.

[No partial, outward righteousness]

78.

[Which of the old prophets dared]

79.

[Lord, Thou forbiddest me in vain]

80.

[In vain with angry hearts we dare]

81.

[Can they discharge the debt in hell]

82.

[Can a true follower of Thine]

83.

[But will not our almighty Lord]

84.

[Forbid it, Lord, that I should strive]

85.

[The world against their Maker cry]

86.

[Heaven's magnificence declares]

87.

[The trodden worm will turn again]

88.

[Whate'er to magistrates belong]

89.

[O could I view them with those eyes]

90.

[Loving my friends I freely pay]

91.

[The causeless curse is lost on me]

92.

[My mortal foe, whom for Thy sake]

93.

[How may we resemble God]

94.

[Evil, or good, Thou lovest us all]