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| XIII. |
 | CHAPTER XIII. The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley |  |
267
CHAPTER XIII.
323.
[The heart unoccupied by God]
Some seeds fell by the way-side, and the, &c.
—xiii. 4.
The heart unoccupied by God,
An open, high, frequented road,
Which every passenger may find,
Trampled, and foul'd by all mankind,
Long-harden'd by habitual sin,
Exposed to every spirit unclean,
Down to the gloomy realms it tends,
In bottomless perdition ends.
An open, high, frequented road,
Which every passenger may find,
Trampled, and foul'd by all mankind,
Long-harden'd by habitual sin,
Exposed to every spirit unclean,
Down to the gloomy realms it tends,
In bottomless perdition ends.
Such is the heart of those that hear
The gospel with a careless ear:
Thick-flocking fiends are always nigh
Usurpers of the lower sky,
Distractions, cares fly hovering round,
Pleasures the good desire confound,
Seize on the soul as birds of prey,
And bear the precious seed away.
The gospel with a careless ear:
Thick-flocking fiends are always nigh
Usurpers of the lower sky,
Distractions, cares fly hovering round,
Pleasures the good desire confound,
Seize on the soul as birds of prey,
And bear the precious seed away.
324.
[Lord, give us wisdom to suspect]
Forthwith they sprung up, because they had, &c.
—xiii. 5.
Lord, give us wisdom to suspect
The sudden growths of seeming grace,
To prove them first, and then reject,
Whose haste their shallowness betrays;
Who instantaneously spring up,
Their own great imperfection prove:
They want the toil of patient hope,
They want the root of humble love.
325.
[The heart of man, the ground accursed]
Other fell into good ground, and brought, &c.
—xiii. 8.
The heart of man, the ground accursed
No difference knows of best or worst,
268
Fit fuel of infernal fires:
His only grace can make it good,
Who dearly bought it with His blood;
And if my heart be fertile ground,
The fruit to Jesus' praise is found.
326.
[Man, sinful man, with blind desire]
Why speakest Thou unto them in parables?
—xiii. 10.
Man, sinful man, with blind desire
Doth why and how of God inquire;
But first himself should know
Unworthy the least ray of light,
Darkness profound his only right,
And hell's eternal woe.
327.
[Thou offerest, Lord, to all Thy love]
Whosoever hath, to him shall be given.
—xiii. 12.
Thou offerest, Lord, to all Thy love:
Thy love may we retain,
With faithful diligence improve,
And farther blessings gain:
To us who grasp the things before,
Grace upon grace be given;
And when our souls can hold no more,
Bestow the joys of heaven.
328.
[Why is my heart so dark and void]
Whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken, &c.
—xiii. 12.
Why is my heart so dark and void,
And hardly feels its loss?
I have not what I once enjoy'd,
I am not what I was:
With Christ my suffering Lord one hour
I would not watch and pray,
And therefore He withdrew the power,
And took His gifts away.
269
329.
[Saviour I still to Thee apply]
They seeing see not, and hearing they hear not, &c.
—xiii. 13.
Saviour I still to Thee apply,
Before I read or hear,
Creator of the seeing eye,
And of the hearing ear:
The understanding heart bestow,
The wisdom from above,
So shall I all Thy doctrines know,
And all Thy sayings love.
330.
[The world unknowingly fulfil]
In them is fulfilled the prophecy, &c.
—xiii. 14, 15.
The world unknowingly fulfil
The Scriptures they deny,
Careless they hear and read them still
With unenlighten'd eye:
They see the Way from which they err,
Nor yet the Truth perceive,
Nor will the inward Prophet hear,
Nor will in Christ believe.
The Scriptures they deny,
Careless they hear and read them still
With unenlighten'd eye:
They see the Way from which they err,
Nor yet the Truth perceive,
Nor will the inward Prophet hear,
Nor will in Christ believe.
Their gross unfeeling heart oppose
And with the Saviour fight,
Their ears against His words they close,
Their eyes against His light;
By no decree of His compell'd
They spurn the' incarnate God,
Refuse to let their souls be heal'd
By their Redeemer's blood.
And with the Saviour fight,
Their ears against His words they close,
Their eyes against His light;
By no decree of His compell'd
They spurn the' incarnate God,
Refuse to let their souls be heal'd
By their Redeemer's blood.
They might perceive that Christ is He,
And know the Shepherd's voice,
They might through faith converted be
And in His love rejoice:
But if they still their God defy,
Till mercy's day is pass'd
Unheal'd, unsaved they justly die,
Die in their sins at last.
And know the Shepherd's voice,
They might through faith converted be
And in His love rejoice:
270
Till mercy's day is pass'd
Unheal'd, unsaved they justly die,
Die in their sins at last.
331.
[Happy the man who eyes receives]
Blessed are your eyes, for they see: and, &c.
—xiii. 16.
Happy the man who eyes receives
To see his smiling Lord,
Who hears the voice of God, and lives
By Jesus' quickening word:
This happiness with Christ is ours
Who know our sins forgiven,
Partakers of the Spirit's powers,
Inspired with present heaven.
332.
[The patriarchs and prophets view'd]
Many prophets and righteous men have, &c.
—xiii. 17.
The patriarchs and prophets view'd
From far the gospel grace,
But never heard incarnate God,
Or saw Immanuel's face:
The wishful seers His day foretold,
And dying saints adored;
But we the Saviour come behold,
The glory of the Lord.
From far the gospel grace,
But never heard incarnate God,
Or saw Immanuel's face:
The wishful seers His day foretold,
And dying saints adored;
But we the Saviour come behold,
The glory of the Lord.
To us He doth His love reveal,
To us His Spirit imparts,
And speaks in peace and pardon still
To all believing hearts,
“Superior holiness and bliss
To you My friends is given,
Be perfect as your Father is,
And then come up to heaven.”
To us His Spirit imparts,
And speaks in peace and pardon still
To all believing hearts,
“Superior holiness and bliss
To you My friends is given,
Be perfect as your Father is,
And then come up to heaven.”
271
333.
[Hear ye, to whom your God imparts]
Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
—xiii. 18.
Hear ye, to whom your God imparts
The ear that hears, the eye that sees,
His truth discovers to your hearts,
And all His gospel mysteries:
With means abundantly supplied,
While others still in darkness stray,
The Spirit is your faithful guide,
The Word Himself marks out your way.
The ear that hears, the eye that sees,
His truth discovers to your hearts,
And all His gospel mysteries:
With means abundantly supplied,
While others still in darkness stray,
The Spirit is your faithful guide,
The Word Himself marks out your way.
Conscious from whom your blessings flow,
Your faith's integrity approve,
By practising the truths ye know,
By humble zeal, and fervent love,
By all your God vouchsafes to give
Show forth the heavenly Giver's praise,
Only to spread His kingdom live,
And die to glorify His grace.
Your faith's integrity approve,
By practising the truths ye know,
By humble zeal, and fervent love,
By all your God vouchsafes to give
Show forth the heavenly Giver's praise,
Only to spread His kingdom live,
And die to glorify His grace.
334.
[Who hear, and cast the word behind]
When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, &c.
—xiii. 19.
Who hear, and cast the word behind,
To you the wicked one draws near,
With foreign thoughts to fill your mind,
Or in his whispering messenger
Comes your attention to divert,
And steals the seed out of your heart.
335.
[What crowds in every age receive]
He . . . heareth the word, and . . . with joy, &c.
—xiii. 20, 21.
What crowds in every age receive
The word with joyful forwardness,
Transported for a while believe,
And all the warmth of zeal express,
Yet shrinking in the evil day,
They faint, and fall, and die away.
The word with joyful forwardness,
Transported for a while believe,
And all the warmth of zeal express,
Yet shrinking in the evil day,
They faint, and fall, and die away.
272
The various shapes of worldly woe,
The conflicts dire of inbred sin,
These, only these can surely show
Who has or wants a root within:
And happy they, who always fear,
Till love, the perfect fruit appear.
The conflicts dire of inbred sin,
These, only these can surely show
Who has or wants a root within:
And happy they, who always fear,
Till love, the perfect fruit appear.
O may I hear and taste the word,
And faithfully Thy grace retain,
Devoted to my pardoning Lord,
Stand all the assaults of sin and pain,
Rooted in humble love Divine,
And live, and die, entirely thine!
And faithfully Thy grace retain,
Devoted to my pardoning Lord,
Stand all the assaults of sin and pain,
Rooted in humble love Divine,
And live, and die, entirely thine!
336.
[Worldlings in vain the truth approve]
He . . . that received seed among the thorns is, &c.
—xiii. 22.
Worldlings in vain the truth approve,
Who seek their rest and comforts here,
Who pleasure, praise, or riches love,
They cannot keep the godly fear,
Or faith in gracious acts express,
Or bear the fruits of righteousness.
337.
[Whoe'er for happiness relies]
Whoe'er for happiness reliesOn wealth, will never find it there,
But while the flattering shadow flies,
He sinks into the arms of care,
Reposes on a sleepless bed,
Or rests on thorns his aching head.
338.
[What harm to raise a fortune fair]
The deceitfulness of riches, choke the word.
—xiii. 22.
What harm to raise a fortune fair,
What harm a fortune fair to' increase?
The lust of gold, the thorns of care
Choke every seed of righteousness:
273
We cloke our covetous desire,
We justify our gainful sin,
Till Satan pays his slaves their hire.
339.
[Riches with unsuspected art]
Riches with unsuspected art
Allure, and while they smile, betray,
Put out the eyes, harden the heart,
Steal all our real goods away,
Like Joab false, the sword conceal,
And kiss, and smile us into hell.
Allure, and while they smile, betray,
Put out the eyes, harden the heart,
Steal all our real goods away,
Like Joab false, the sword conceal,
And kiss, and smile us into hell.
With anger, pride, and worldly love
The poor possessor's heart they fill,
They choke his hope of joys above,
The life of piety they kill,
His time, and thoughts and soul engross,
And make him hate the Saviour's cross.
The poor possessor's heart they fill,
They choke his hope of joys above,
The life of piety they kill,
His time, and thoughts and soul engross,
And make him hate the Saviour's cross.
Yet still the worldly fool desires,
And eagerly pursues his bane,
Till God a strict account requires,
Till stripp'd of all his fatal gain,
His soul into the pit descends;
And there the dire delusion ends.
And eagerly pursues his bane,
Till God a strict account requires,
Till stripp'd of all his fatal gain,
His soul into the pit descends;
And there the dire delusion ends.
340.
[Only good proceeds from God]
His enemy . . . sowed tares.
—xiii. 25.
Only good proceeds from God,
Evil from His enemy:
Pride, the seed of sins he sow'd,
All the sins we feel and see,
Cursed the field which God did bless,
Turn'd it to this wilderness!
274
341.
[Rising with Thy chosen race]
Then appeared the tares also.
—xiii. 26.
Rising with Thy chosen race
Token of the harvest near,
Lo, the' abusers of Thy grace,
Lo, the Gnostic tares appear
Yet with them we still grow on,
Mindful of Thy promise past,
Lord, we let the tares alone;
Thou shalt root them out at last.
342.
[His blind exterminating zeal]
Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
—xiii. 28.
His blind exterminating zeal
The eager proselyte employs,
Sends all the tares at once to hell,
Nor sees that he the wheat destroys;
Till meeken'd by the light Divine
He his own hasty spirit perceives,
No more prevents his Lord's design,
But all to that great day he leaves.
343.
[A grain of grace may we not see]
The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain, &c.
—xiii. 31.
A grain of grace may we not see
This moment, and the next a tree?
Or must we patiently attend
To find the precious seed ascend?
Our Lord declares it must be so;
And striking deep our root, we grow,
And lower sink, and higher rise,
Till Christ transplant us to the skies.
344.
[The principle of grace Divine]
The principle of grace DivineSown in this earthly heart of mine,
Is glorious joy, and heavenly peace,
And true implanted righteousness.
Though scarce perceptible the grain
It doth the tree of life contain,
275
And all the powers of perfect love.
345.
[That heavenly principle within]
The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven.
—xiii. 33.
That heavenly principle within,
Doth it at once its power exert,
At once root out the seed of sin,
And spread perfection through the heart?
No; but a gradual life it sends,
Diffusive through the faithful soul,
To actions, words, and thoughts extends,
And slowly sanctifies the whole.
346.
[Yes we joyfully confess]
He that soweth the good seed is the Son of Man.
—xiii. 37.
Yes we joyfully confess,
Thou the Son of God and man
Giv'st the principle of grace,
Sow'st in all that heavenly grain,
Saints through Thy engrafted word
Rise, the planting of the Lord.
Thou the Son of God and man
Giv'st the principle of grace,
Sow'st in all that heavenly grain,
Saints through Thy engrafted word
Rise, the planting of the Lord.
Till the grain becomes a tree
Striking deep the root below
Through Thy Spirit's energy,
Imperceptibly they grow;
Late to full perfection rise,
Sinking, till they reach the skies.
Striking deep the root below
Through Thy Spirit's energy,
Imperceptibly they grow;
Late to full perfection rise,
Sinking, till they reach the skies.
347.
[Lord, we long to see Thy glory]
Then shall the righteous shine forth as, &c.
—xiii. 43.
Lord, we long to see Thy glory
Made eternally our own,
Long with all Thy saints to' adore Thee,
Bright as the meridian sun:
Come, Redeemer,
Rap us to Thy Father's throne!
Made eternally our own,
Long with all Thy saints to' adore Thee,
Bright as the meridian sun:
Come, Redeemer,
Rap us to Thy Father's throne!
276
In Thy Father's presence own us
Faithful witnesses of Thine,
Put Thy majesty upon us,
Let us in Thy lustre shine,
Bear Thine image
All immortal, all Divine.
Faithful witnesses of Thine,
Put Thy majesty upon us,
Let us in Thy lustre shine,
Bear Thine image
All immortal, all Divine.
348.
[Have I not found that pearl Divine]
He . . . sold all that he had, and bought it.
—xiii. 46.
Have I not found that pearl Divine,
That treasure in the field?
Yet still it is not surely mine,
My pardon is not seal'd:
The ascertaining terms I know,
And would with joy approve,
Sell all; myself, my life forego,
To buy Thy perfect love.
349.
[A great net the gospel is]
The kingdom of heaven is like unto a net.
—xiii. 47.
A great net the gospel is,
Which cast into the sea
Sinners draws out of the' abyss
Of sin and misery.
Good and bad promiscuous hear,
The sacraments alike partake,
Till that final day appear,
And Christ the difference make.
Which cast into the sea
Sinners draws out of the' abyss
Of sin and misery.
Good and bad promiscuous hear,
The sacraments alike partake,
Till that final day appear,
And Christ the difference make.
Holy and unholy now
The outward church compose,
But our Lord the heavens shall bow,
And part His friends and foes:
Clothed with boundless power Divine,
We know Thou wilt to judgment come,
Severally to each assign
His just, eternal doom.
The outward church compose,
But our Lord the heavens shall bow,
And part His friends and foes:
Clothed with boundless power Divine,
We know Thou wilt to judgment come,
Severally to each assign
His just, eternal doom.
277
350.
[All these sacred words I read]
Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood, &c.
—xiii. 51.
All these sacred words I read,
But have I understood,
Has my heart received indeed
The precious truths of God?
Let me by my actions say
That Christ I savingly have known,
Still believe, confess, obey,
And love my Lord alone.
351.
[Every gospel-scribe should be]
Every scribe which is instructed unto the, &c.
—xiii. 52.
Every gospel-scribe should be
With sacred knowledge stored,
Witnessing the mystery,
The power of Jesus' word,
Well instructed from above
The salutiferous grace to' impart,
Taught of God to teach His love,
His kingdom in the heart.
With sacred knowledge stored,
Witnessing the mystery,
The power of Jesus' word,
Well instructed from above
The salutiferous grace to' impart,
Taught of God to teach His love,
His kingdom in the heart.
If in him it richly dwells
He doth the word dispense,
Speaks as God's own oracles,
And draws his treasures thence;
Old and new he doth produce,
The talents, gifts, on him bestow'd,
Spends them for the Master's use
And for the church of God.
He doth the word dispense,
Speaks as God's own oracles,
And draws his treasures thence;
Old and new he doth produce,
The talents, gifts, on him bestow'd,
Spends them for the Master's use
And for the church of God.
Furnish'd thus, O Lord, by Thee,
I would employ Thy grace,
Serve Thy sacred family,
And feed the faithful race,
Make Thy great salvation known,
Conduct them to a perfect man,
Nourish'd by Thy word alone,
Till meet with Thee to reign.
I would employ Thy grace,
Serve Thy sacred family,
And feed the faithful race,
278
Conduct them to a perfect man,
Nourish'd by Thy word alone,
Till meet with Thee to reign.
352.
[Let the world my Lord despise]
They were offended in Him.
—xiii. 57.
Let the world my Lord despise,
Let the world offended be,
Jesus, I Thy meanness prize,
Honour Thy humility;
Thee, a Man of low estate
Sole eternal God I own,
For Thy glorious kingdom wait,
Wait to share Thy heavenly throne.
353.
[Only unbelief withstands]
He did not many mighty works there, &c.
—xiii. 58.
Only unbelief withstands,
Binds the gracious Saviour's hands:
Saviour, let Thy power remove
The sole hindrance of Thy love:
Take our unbelief away,
Then Thy mercy's arm display,
Then repeat Thy wonders past,
Or give us the best wine at last.
| CHAPTER XIII. The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley | |