The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

Saviour, and Friend of sinners, see
The most rebellious of Thy foes;
If grace, unbounded grace, from Thee
In streams of endless pity flows,
O let it now my soul embrace,
O'erwhelm me now with pardoning grace.

Hear, Jesu, hear my dying call,
Me in a way of mercy meet;
Self-loathing, self-condemn'd I fall
A sinner at my Saviour's feet;
Unless Thou cast a pitying eye,
The sinner at Thy feet must die.

I own my punishment is just,
If now Thou drive me from Thy face,
Down into outer darkness thrust,
And quite exclude me from Thy grace,
And leave me to my fearful doom;
I now am ripe for wrath to come.

I know my soul is foul as hell;
The hottest hell my deeds require,
There only am I fit to dwell
With fiends in everlasting fire:
But why, Redeemer, didst Thou die?
O let Thy bowels answer why!

Was it to save, or to condemn,
The world that nail'd Thee to the tree?
Say, didst Thou only die for them,
Thy murderers, Lord, and pass by me?
But hast Thou for Thy murderers died?
Then I my God have crucified!

Wherefore, my God hath tasted death
For me and every soul of man,
To pluck us from the lion's teeth,
To save us from infernal pain,
That every soul, from sin set free,
Might witness God hath died for me!

University of Virginia Library

HYMN XII.

[Saviour, and Friend of sinners, see]