The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

In justice to a sinful race,
Their glorious temple He destroy'd,
In mercy He removed the place
Which kept them from their Saviour-God;
In mystery He the old o'erthrew,
Worship, and priests, and sacrifice,
Himself the House, the Victim new,
The great High-Priest who never dies.

585. [I ask not, Lord, when time shall end]

Tell us, when shall these things be? and what, &c. —xxiv. 3.

I ask not, Lord, when time shall end,
Assured it soon shall end with me:
But lo Thy coming I attend,
To fit me for eternity,
Before my soul and body part,
To fix Thy kingdom in my heart.

Let others, curious to inquire,
The signs of Thy appearing show;
Saviour, 'tis all my heart's desire,
Thy Spirit's reigning grace to know;

367

O could I now my Lord obey,
O could I live for God to-day!

586. [Who slights the warning word]

Jesus . . . said, . . . Take heed that no man deceive you. —xxiv. 4.

Who slights the warning word,
And no deception fears,
Confounds the servants of the Lord
With Satan's messengers:
The prophets old and new,
The saints' and Gnostics' dream,
Apostles false, apostles true
Are all alike to him.

Jesus, Thy wisdom give,
And bid my heart beware
That no false witness may deceive,
Or take me in his snare:
O may I ne'er confide
In spirits unproved, unknown,
But trust in my unerring Guide,
And in Thy word alone.

587. [They call'd the miracles He wrought]

Many shall come in My name, saying, &c. —xxiv. 5.

They call'd the miracles He wrought
Illusions wrought by Satan's aid,
Living, a vile impostor thought,
And styled Him a deceiver, dead:
Their faith was all to Jesus due;
And when they would not Him receive,
Rejecting the Messiah true,
'Twas just they should the false believe.

588. [The grace if men refuse to' improve]

The grace if men refuse to' improve,
Nor will a gospel preacher heed,
Justice which doth the first remove,
Permits an hireling to succeed:

368

Them that despise a pastor good
The Lord to bold seducers leaves,
And then the headlong multitude
Satan instead of Christ receives.

589. [Pretenders to the Spirit rise]

Many false prophets shall rise, and shall, &c. —xxiv. 11.

Pretenders to the Spirit rise
In every age and place,
And prophets false who uttering lies
The Christian cause disgrace:
Many forget the snare foretold
And think their ravings true;
But who believe the prophets old
Will never trust the new.

590. [That universal love sincere]

The love of many shall wax cold. —xxiv. 12.

That universal love sincere
Where is it to be found?
Out of the mouth of most we hear
The word's unmeaning sound:
But O, how few the saints that know
Their Saviour's perfect mind,
Whose hearts with charity o'erflow
To all the ransom'd kind!

If my own party I approve,
And cleave to my own sect,
Holding the few with partial love,
The many I reject;
My nature's narrowness I feel,
Myself I blindly seek,
And still a slave in Babel dwell,
A shackled schismatic.

369

O that the Spirit of our Lord
Might set His prisoners free,
Might speak the sectaries restored
To glorious liberty!
O that the catholic love Divine
Shed in our hearts abroad
Might all our jangling parties join,
And swallow up all in God!

591. [The saving work Thou hast begun]

He that shall endure unto the end, the same, &c. —xxiv. 13.

The saving work Thou hast begun
Thou only, Lord, canst carry on
Unto the perfect day:
In humble hope to persevere
O may I always watch and fear,
O may I always pray.

On Thee I faithfully depend
To bless me with a peaceful end,
When all my griefs are pass'd:
In mercy then my soul require,
Let me be saved out of the fire,
Let me be saved at last.

592. [Good news of sin forgiven]

This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached, &c. —xxiv. 14.

Good news of sin forgiven,
Of justice, joy, and peace,
The kingdom of an inward heaven,
With everlasting bliss,
This every soul may prove
Who hears the gospel call,
Which testifies the Father's love
That gave His Son to all.

370

But O, what numbers turn
The blessing into bane,
The heavenly testimony scorn,
And Christ Himself disdain!
Through wilful malice blind,
The life is death to them,
The word to save their souls design'd
Serves only to condemn.

593. [While God His judgments sure defers]

Let him which is on the housetop not, &c. —xxiv. 17, 18.

While God His judgments sure defers,
Sinner, thy grasp of earth let go,
Nor load thyself with worldly cares,
Nor stop to seek thy good below;
The perishable goods forsake,
While yet thou may'st the mountain find,
Escape for life, nor once look back,
Nor leave one lingering wish behind.

594. [The sinner big with creature love]

Woe unto them that are with child, and to, &c. —xxiv. 19.

The sinner big with creature love,
With worldly hopes, designs, desires,
Will not from earth his heart remove,
Till God his wretched soul requires:
The soft, effeminate soul, employ'd
To nurse and please its body here,
How can it 'scape the wrath of God,
When summon'd at His bar to' appear!

595. [What fatal madness to delay]

Pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, &c. —xxiv. 20.

What fatal madness to delay
Our flight from sin and wrath Divine,
To linger till the winter's day
And age's languishing decline!

371

How shall we then the work begin,
Make ourselves ready to depart,
Or disengage from earth and sin
A barren, cold, inactive heart?

Saviour, Thy weak disciple hear,
Presenting my enjoin'd request:
I feel the chilling winter near,
And seek for shelter in Thy breast:
My soul with active faith supply,
Ere yet the helpless season come,
And let me to Thy bosom fly,
My Sun, my everlasting Home.

596. [The Lord to save His chosen care]

For the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. —xxiv. 22.

The Lord to save His chosen care,
Hasten'd devoted Salem's fate;
Lest press'd above what they could bear,
His church should faint beneath the weight,
He seal'd the bloody city's doom,
And let the sword and fire consume.

When Antichrist erects his throne
And fills the earth with daring crimes,
The Lord, in favour of His own
Exposed to those tremendous times,
Shall shorten the last pontiff's reign,
And chase him back to hell again.

How safe beneath Thy wings we rest,
The people that belong to Thee!
Jesus, with Thy protection bless'd,
The Christian world's apostasy
We see, long since begun, and grieve
And closer to Thy bosom cleave.

372

Our strength shall with our trials last;
Thy word irrevocably sure
Shall keep till every storm is pass'd,
And make us faithful to endure,
Or from the dangerous day remove
The objects of Thy choicest love.

597. [They bear the spurious character]

Lo, here is Christ, or there. —xxiv. 23.

They bear the spurious character,
Who say that Christ is only here!
“We are the church of Christ possess'd;
Heathens and infidels the rest!”
But taught of God His people know
He freely doth Himself bestow,
On every church, to none confined,
Saviour, and Lord of all mankind.

598. [Wonders and signs by Satan's aid]

There shall arise false Christs, and false, &c. —xxiv. 24.

Wonders and signs by Satan's aid
The prophets false may show,
Our faithful souls on Jesus stay'd
They never shall o'erthrow:
They might the' elect themselves deceive,
Had He not spoke the word,
But now the tools of hell we leave
Contending with our Lord.

699. [Yes, Thou hast told Thy church before]

Behold, I have told you before. —xxiv. 25.

Yes, Thou hast told Thy church before,
And didst not warn in vain:
Thy warning brings us gracious power
The trial to sustain:
His agents still let Satan send
To preach or prophesy,

373

We on Thy faithful love depend,
And all his wiles defy.

600. [Slight who ever bid you quit]

If they shall say unto you, Behold, He is in, &c. —xxiv. 26.

Slight who ever bid you quit
The work by God assign'd;
Christ thereby you cannot meet,
Or in the desert find:
Prophets false believe them not;
To gain your Lord ye need not dwell
In the lonely hermit's grot
Or close monastic cell.

Must you wander far and near
To see the lightning shine?
Anxious there inquire, and here,
To know that Christ is thine?
Christ descending from above
Shall find thee out where'er thou art;
Comes the kingdom of His love
To every waiting heart.

601. [The faith opposed by all mankind]

As the lightning cometh out of the east, &c. —xxiv. 27.

The faith opposed by all mankind,
By all the powers of hell,
Did soon a ready passage find
And o'er the earth prevail:
Resistless, swift from east to west
The gospel-lightning flew,
The proselyted world confess'd
The joyful tidings true.

But Christ shall work at His return
A speedier work of grace,
While nations by His Spirit born
Their Lord at once embrace:

374

Heathens and Turks shall both receive
Whom God to both hath given,
And Jews themselves shall then believe
The glorious sign from heaven.

602. [Quick as the darted lightning flies]

Quick as the darted lightning flies,
Flashing at once throughout the skies,
Saviour, Thou wilt on earth appear,
To 'stablish Thy dominion here:

Before the final, general doom,
We know, Thou wilt to judgment come,
Thy foes destroy, Thy friends maintain,
And glorious with Thine ancients reign.

Now, even now Thy saints attend,
To see Thee on the clouds descend!
Now, Lord, assert Thy right Divine,
And challenge all the world for Thine.

603. [Lured by the grateful scent of blood]

Wheresoever the carcase is, there will the, &c. —xxiv. 28.

Lured by the grateful scent of blood,
With instinct from above endued,
The eagles their commission knew,
To death-devoted Salem flew,
And gathering where the carcase lay,
The Roman hosts devour'd their prey.

But lo, a deeper mystery
We in yon sacred Body see!
The bleeding marks of death it bears,
'Tis cover'd still with glorious scars!
His wounded feet, and hands, and side,
And cross proclaim the Crucified!

Thither the saints shall soon repair
When flames His standard in the air,

375

With bodies spiritual remove
From earth, and seek the realms above;
On eagles' wings mount up and fly
To Jesus gather'd in the sky.

604. [When shall the' imperial standard spread]

Then shall appear the sign of the Son of, &c. —xxiv. 30, 31.

When shall the' imperial standard spread
Its crimson through the skies?
To meet their great triumphant Head
When shall the members rise?
Gazing, Thy church, and listening stands:
We long to see Thee crown'd:
Now, Lord, send forth Thine angel-bands,
And bid the trumpet sound.

605. [I know the Judge is always near]

Know that it is near, even at the doors. —xxiv. 33.

I know the Judge is always near,
His summons vibrates in my ear,
While at His feet I bow;
Attentive to the solemn sound,
No more by noisy passions drown'd,
I hear the trumpet now.

O may I ever more advert
To mercy speaking in my heart,
By Jesus' word pursued,
Stirr'd up to never-ceasing prayer,
Warn'd by the voice that cries, Prepare,
Prepare to meet thy God!

Thus would I watch till life is o'er,
Till Jesus standing at the door
The door throws open wide,
A kingdom to His servant gives,
And every ready soul receives
To triumph at His side.

376

606. [Stands the promise of our Lord]

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but &c. —xxiv. 35.

Stands the promise of our Lord
On which our souls are cast,
Every sure prophetic word
Shall earth and heaven outlast:
Pass away the earth and sky,
Nothing shall our hopes confound;
All who trust His word rely
On an eternal ground.

When Thy Spirit we receive,
Thy sayings He reveals,
Truly Lord we then believe
The lively oracles,
Know, that thus the Lord hath said,
And vanquish'd by Thy truth and power,
Reason at Thy feet is laid,
And faith requires no more.

607. [Why hath God conceal'd the day]

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, &c. —xxiv. 36.

Why hath God conceal'd the day
When He will to judgment come?
That we every moment may
Stand prepared to meet our doom,
For the trumpet's sound attend,
Watch to see our Judge descend.

Yet the curious pride of man
Dares into the secret pry,
Listens to predictions vain,
Dreams which give our God the lie,
Prophets who the day foreshow,
Tell what only God can know.

Them Thy wrath, most righteous Lord,
To their own delusions leaves;

377

Every bold impostor's word
Then the' unstable souls deceives,
Doting, blind credulity
Plagues their unbelief of Thee.

Lord from such we turn away,
Trust to be through grace alone
Kept to that uncertain day,
To that awful hour unknown,
Following after righteousness,
Found at last in perfect peace.

608. [The watery flood destroy'd]

As the days of Noe were, so shall also, &c. —xxiv. 37.

The watery flood destroy'd
A world that knew not God:
But an heavier plague to come
Our flagitious crimes require;
Earth shall soon receive her doom,
Deluged with a flood of fire.

Thy judgment is reveal'd,
The time from man conceal'd;
Yet His saints the signs shall know
When their Lord will soon appear,
When the floods of sin o'erflow,
Then they find that Christ is near.

609. [Millions go smoothly on]

As in the days that were before the flood, &c. —xxiv. 38, 39.

Millions go smoothly on
By lawful things undone,
Life's most innocent affairs
Keep them fatally employ'd,
Pleasure, and bewildering cares
Make the world forget their God.

To earthly things they cleave,
The life of nature live,

378

Sleep in sin, till death oppress:
Judged they then lift up their eyes,
Toss'd on ever-flaming seas,
Gnaw'd by guilt that never dies!

O that my life might be
Devoted all to Thee!
Lord I would Thy warning take,
Tremble at Thy vengeful power,
Up to righteousness awake,
Stand in awe and sin no more.

Preserve my conscience pure,
And give me faith to' endure,
Humble hope and love sincere:
Then I cannot dread surprise,
Glad to see Thy judgments near,
Sure to meet Thee in the skies.

610. [The vigilance our Lord demands]

Watch therefore: for ye know not what, &c. —xxiv. 42.

The vigilance our Lord demands
Asks all our time, and hearts, and hands,
Our patient toil, our active zeal,
Our utmost strife to do His will:
By faith, and penitence, and prayer,
We for that unknown hour prepare,
By reaching toward the things above,
By humblest fear and warmest love.

611. [The felon comes our souls to steal]

If the goodman of the house had known, &c. —xxiv. 43.

The felon comes our souls to steal,
The hellish murderer to kill:
O may he find us still prepared
For ever standing on our guard!
Jesus preserve from sloth and sin,
Keep Thy own house by entering in:

379

The sole Proprietor Thou art,
The Lord and Master of my heart.

612. [Know the wise and faithful servant]

Who then is a faithful and wise servant, &c. —xxiv. 45.

Know the wise and faithful servant,
Mark the gospel minister!
Warm in zeal, in spirit fervent,
Watching till his Lord appear,
Fully proving his commission,
Ready at his Master's call,
Feeding souls with Christ's provision,
Ministering the grace to all.

613. [Full of earnest expectation]

Blessed is that servant, whom his lord, &c. —xxiv. 46.

Full of earnest expectation,
Look we for our heavenly Lord,
Working out our own salvation,
Labouring for a full reward:
Happy, in the task assign'd us
If we still our lives employ,
Labouring on if Jesus find us,
We shall share our Master's joy.

614. [The servant faithful once and wise]

But and if that evil servant shall say, &c. —xxiv. 48, 49.

The servant faithful once and wise
Who forfeits all his faith and grace,
A fool in heart, his God denies,
If Christ his punishment delays,
And fearless of the' apostate's doom
The Judge, he cries, will never come.

As lord he o'er his fellows reigns,
With violence and oppressive power,
His proud authority maintains,
(As ravenous wolves the flock devour,)

380

Compels his equals to submit
And treads the weak beneath his feet.

Companion to the world he lives,
The wealthy glutton's constant guest,
His jests profane with smiles receives,
And graces every drunken feast:
And thus for precious souls he cares,
And thus for his account prepares!

615. [To judge the wretch in sin secure]

The lord of that servant shall come, &c. —xxiv. 50, 51.

To judge the wretch in sin secure,
His angry unexpected Lord
Shall come in sudden death and sure,
Shall slay him with His righteous sword,
And send him to his place below,
The mansions of infernal woe.

Cut off from those he once oppress'd
His colleagues in the church of God,
Far from the saints and spirits bless'd,
He finds his suitable abode,
Condemn'd with hypocrites to dwell,
In fiercest flames of deepest hell.

What hypocrite so base as he
The slave of sloth and avarice,
Ambition, pride, and cruelty,
Of every lust and every vice;
Yet still audacious to declare
Himself—a Christian minister!

His life of soft luxurious ease,
Of sports and sensible delights,
Of mirth, and riotous excess,
Revolting days, and frantic nights,

381

In fellowship with torturing fiends,
In endless lamentations ends!

616. [A wicked priest to hell consign'd]

A wicked priest to hell consign'd
Demands the hottest torments there:
But every soul his lot shall find,
Who makes not God and heaven his care:
And thou that evil servant art,
Who wilt not give to Christ thy heart.

Who dost that awful day forget,
As Christ thy Lord would ne'er appear,
Thy brethren wrongfully entreat,
And live in sin and pleasure here,
Surprised by death, expect thy hire,
Thy portion in eternal fire.

So dear thy sinful pleasures cost
Which but for one short moment last;
Thou know'st too late, that all is lost
When into flaming sulphur cast
To gnaw thy tongue, and gnash thy teeth,
And die that everlasting death.

University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER XXIV.

584.

[In justice to a sinful race]

585.

[I ask not, Lord, when time shall end]

586.

[Who slights the warning word]

587.

[They call'd the miracles He wrought]

588.

[The grace if men refuse to' improve]

589.

[Pretenders to the Spirit rise]

590.

[That universal love sincere]

591.

[The saving work Thou hast begun]

592.

[Good news of sin forgiven]

593.

[While God His judgments sure defers]

594.

[The sinner big with creature love]

595.

[What fatal madness to delay]

596.

[The Lord to save His chosen care]

597.

[They bear the spurious character]

598.

[Wonders and signs by Satan's aid]

699.

[Yes, Thou hast told Thy church before]

600.

[Slight who ever bid you quit]

601.

[The faith opposed by all mankind]

602.

[Quick as the darted lightning flies]

603.

[Lured by the grateful scent of blood]

604.

[When shall the' imperial standard spread]

605.

[I know the Judge is always near]

606.

[Stands the promise of our Lord]

607.

[Why hath God conceal'd the day]

608.

[The watery flood destroy'd]

609.

[Millions go smoothly on]

610.

[The vigilance our Lord demands]

611.

[The felon comes our souls to steal]

612.

[Know the wise and faithful servant]

613.

[Full of earnest expectation]

614.

[The servant faithful once and wise]

615.

[To judge the wretch in sin secure]

616.

[A wicked priest to hell consign'd]