The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

Who a bare profession make
Their want of wisdom prove,
Empty lamps alas, they take
Without the oil of love,
Hearts with holiness unstored;
Professors void of purity,
Such can never face their Lord,
Or God in glory see.

619. [Empty the lamp, till Thou impart]

And took no oil with them. —xxv. 3.

Empty the lamp, till Thou impart
Thy Spirit from above;
Now, Saviour, pour into my heart
The oil of joy and love.

620. [Son of God, 'tis Thine alone]

But the wise took oil in their vessels with, &c. —xxv. 4.

Son of God, 'tis Thine alone
The oil of joy to give:
Every soul Thou call'st Thine own
Doth out of Thee receive:
Empty is my vessel still
Till Thou the Comforter impart;
Out of Thine abundance fill
With grace my happy heart.

621. [Lo, the heavenly Bridegroom comes!]

At midnight there was a cry made, Behold, &c. —xxv. 6.

Lo, the heavenly Bridegroom comes!
Roused by the midnight cry,

383

Go ye forth out of your tombs,
And meet Him in the sky:
Sinners tremble at His voice,
Arraign'd before the Judge severe;
Saints with endless joy rejoice
To see your King appear.

622. [All, the awful Judge to see]

Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed, &c. —xxv. 7.

All, the awful Judge to see,
Out of their graves shall rise;
Wise unto salvation he
Whom death cannot surprise:
Wretched souls that sleep in sin,
That unprepared till death remain!
All who then their work begin,
Begin their work in vain.

623. [Desperate is the sinner's case]

And the foolish said unto the wise, Give, &c. —xxv. 8.

Desperate is the sinner's case,
Whose soul and body part,
Then to know his want of grace,
His unbelief of heart.
Token of eternal night
To find within the hellish void,
Quench'd his every ray of light,
His every spark of God!

Fools themselves the just esteem
Whom once they counted mad,
Wish that they had lived like them
Who Jesus' word obey'd:
Fully now convinced they are,
And wisdom with her sons approve,

384

Wish (but ah, too late) to share
Their humble faith and love.

624. [No; the rich in faith who most]

But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest, &c. —xxv. 9.

No; the rich in faith who most
Of Jesus' grace possess,
Chief of saints they dare not boast
Superfluous holiness;
All they can in life obtain
Will barely for themselves suffice,
Meet at last through Christ to gain
A mansion in the skies.

What would dying sinners give
To purchase charity!
Sinners when ye cease to live
On earth it cannot be;
Whither will ye turn at last,
Or which of all the saints implore?
Now your gracious day is pass'd,
And time is now no more.

625. [How dreadful is the sinner's fate]

The door was shut. —xxv. 10.

How dreadful is the sinner's fate,
Who wakes, to sleep no more,
Who knocks and calls, alas, too late,
When death hath shut the door!

626. [But we who now Thy grace implore]

Lord, Lord, open to us. —xxv. 11.

But we who now Thy grace implore
Shall now admitted be,
For if Thy justice shut the door,
Thy mercy keeps the key.

385

627. [God is love and holiness]

He answered and said, Verily I say unto you, &c. —xxv. 12.

God is love and holiness,
And only can approve
Saints who Jesus' mind express,
Who Him in Jesus love:
God doth in His Son delight
And all that His resemblance bear,
Leaves the rest to endless night
And blackness of despair.

628. [Left in dark uncertainty]

Watch therefore, for ye know neither the, &c. —xxv. 13.

Left in dark uncertainty
Of that tremendous day,
This our whole employment be
To watch, expect, and pray;
Son of Man, bestow the power,
And when Thou dost to judgment come,
Find us looking for the hour,
And take Thy servants home.

629. [Jesus the King of earth and heaven]

The kingdom of heaven is as a man, &c. —xxv. 14.

Jesus the King of earth and heaven
Returning from His realms below,
The gifts by His great Father given
Did on His servants here bestow:
He put His goods into their hands,
In trust to be for Him employ'd,
And faithful to their Lord's commands,
Bade all improve the gifts of God.

630. [After His own almighty power]

And unto one he gave five talents, to another, &c. —xxv. 15.

After His own almighty power
His riches He vouchsafed to give,
Distributing or less or more,
As each was able to receive:

386

Talents to some above the rest
The God of grace and nature gave:
But whoso hath obtain'd the least
Hath got a precious soul to save.

On every child of Adam's race
His Spirit He in part conferr'd,
That each might profit by the grace,
And gain an adequate reward:
Leaving the gifts received for men
He then ascended up on high;
“Till I appear on earth again,”
(His parting word was) “Occupy!”

631. [Happy who knows the Master's will]

Then he that had received the five talents, &c. —xxv. 16.

Happy who knows the Master's will,
His talents faithfully improves,
Exerts his utmost strength and skill,
To serve and please the God he loves:
His strength and skill are not his own,
His zeal industrious he receives,
And all the praise to Christ alone
Of talents, and their use he gives.

Who is that servant good and wise
That trades with most assured success?
The man who life and strength employs
To' advance the cause of godliness:
With gifts of nature or of grace
With learning or with wit endow'd
With wealth or power; in every place
He spends them all to serve his God.

632. [Who to the poor and needy gives]

Likewise he that had received two, he also, &c. —xxv. 17.

Who to the poor and needy gives,
Daily augments his sacred store:

387

Who uses well what he receives
From Christ is still receiving more:
Who grows in grace and Jesus' love,
May gladly count his present gain,
And when he sees his Lord above
Shall in that sight his heaven obtain.

633. [He that hath least to do for God]

But he that had received one, went, &c. —xxv. 18.

He that hath least to do for God,
And sunk in sloth will nothing do,
He keeps his talent unemploy'd,
His faith by works neglects to show:
His talent might another gain;
But one of small capacity,
He will not do the good he can:
Reader, is this the case with thee?

634. [God is not slack; if long He stay]

After a long time, the lord of those servants, &c. —xxv. 19.

God is not slack; if long He stay
He surely will return at last,
And call His servants in that day
To reckon for their actions past:
What have we gain'd ourselves, or done
For others, through His gifts enjoy'd,
Or how improved for Him alone
The various graces of our God?

635. [Who walking like their Saviour here]

And so he that had received five talents, came, &c. —xxv. 20.

Who walking like their Saviour here
Rejoiced in active good to live,
Shall boldly at His bar appear
Their joyful sentence to receive:
With more or fewer talents bless'd
Shall thankfully to Christ restore
The glory of His grace increased,
And prostrate at His throne adore.

388

636. [Happy whom God vouchsafes to praise]

His lord said unto him, Well done, &c. —xxv. 21.

Happy whom God vouchsafes to praise
As a wise steward of his Lord!
Faithful and good in more or less,
He wins a full immense reward:
And all the crown of life may gain,
Which freely Christ bestows on His,
And purchased by His mortal pain
Enter into their Master's bliss.

How disproportionate the toil
And recompence by mercy given,
When Christ doth on His servants smile,
And owns before the host of heaven!
Whate'er on earth we do or bear
With patience of unwearied love,
We count not worthy to compare
With all that rapturous joy above.

637. [My faithfulness I cannot see]

My faithfulness I cannot see,
My goodness is unknown to me,
And be it, Lord, unknown,
So Thou the Giver of all grace
In that great day Thy servant praise
For what Thyself hast done.

638. [Transporting word for all that hear!]

His lord said unto him . . . enter thou into, &c. —xxv. 23.

Transporting word for all that hear!
But none can hear it spoke below:
When Jesus bids His saints draw near,
They then His heavenly joy shall know:
The joy of Christ for ever bless'd
Is in His Father's bosom found:

389

And there we one with Christ shall rest,
With everlasting glories crown'd.

The earnest of that joy supreme
He here doth to His saints impart:
A drop of heaven derived from Him,
Enters the true believing heart:
But entering there our happiest state,
We bathe in that unbounded sea,
Immersed in bliss Divinely great,
Implunged through all eternity.

639. [He never knew his Lord aright]

I knew thee that thou art an hard man, &c. —xxv. 24.

He never knew his Lord aright
Who thinks Him rigorous and austere,
Who thinks our God can take delight
In mocking His poor creatures here,
Deny to most His special grace,
Impossibilities require,
And doom the non-performing race,
As Sovereign, to eternal fire.

640. [Nay; but His seed He often sows]

Reaping where thou hast not sown, &c. —xxv. 24.

Nay; but His seed He often sows
In hearts that yield Him no increase,
And gathers where His grace He strows,
No kindly fruits of righteousness:
A power his talent to improve
To every child of man He gave;
And all may serve the God of love,
And yield, that Christ their souls should save.

641. [How base the inconsistent fear]

And I was afraid, and went, and hid thy, &c. —xxv. 25.

How base the inconsistent fear
Of him that doth his talent hide!

390

He dreads a reckoning more severe,
Yet dares in ignorance abide:
Neglectful of his Lord's commands,
He aims at doing good to none,
And not till death he understands
That sloth and wickedness are one.

642. [The harmless inoffensive man]

His lord answered . . . Thou wicked and, &c. —xxv. 26.

The harmless inoffensive man
Is cast before the bar of God,
Cast by his own excuses vain
For not performing what he could:
And, burying that preventing grace,
Who justly perish unforgiven,
Shall mix'd with fiends in groans confess
They might have sung with saints in heaven.

643. [Master, I with shame confess]

Thou wicked and slothful servant. —xxv. 26.

Master, I with shame confess
Sloth is the worst wickedness;
The worst wickedness is mine,
Idle in the work Divine,
Doing neither good, nor ill,
If I hide my talent still,
Till I find the time is pass'd,
Perish in my sins at last.

644. [Why am I stripp'd of all my power?]

From him that hath not shall be taken, &c. —xxv. 29.

Why am I stripp'd of all my power?
My Lord by long neglect I grieved:
I would not use, or strive for more,
And lost by sloth the grace received:
I did not in His knowledge grow,
Or labour after holiness,

391

And thus I let my pardon go,
And thus I forfeited my peace.

645. [Why was he doom'd to endless pain?]

Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer, &c. —xxv. 30.

Why was he doom'd to endless pain?
He did not what he might have done,
Received the grace of God in vain,
As given him for himself alone:
His talent small he did not waste:
He did not use it for his Lord,
But loiter'd on till time was pass'd,
And found in hell his just reward.

The soul is unto Tophet thrust,
Consign'd to everlasting pain,
For that, on which the many trust
Assured salvation to obtain:
And O, what crowds his doom shall feel,
Who keep their talents unemploy'd,
Shut out from heaven, shut up in hell
For doing neither harm nor good!

646. [If God the slothful wretch reject]

If God the slothful wretch reject
That hides a single gift or grace,
What punishment may they expect
Who might do good to half our race!
Who all their time and fortune lose:
Who not contented to conceal,
Their talents manifold abuse;
They claim for theirs the deepest hell.

647. [Awed by the righteous doom of them]

Awed by the righteous doom of them
That perish through neglect of grace,
The time we labour to redeem,
Yet cannot boast our faithfulness:

392

If we Thy talents occupy
Useful to man we here may be;
But still, O God, we live and die
Unprofitable all to Thee.

648. [To fix the universal doom]

Then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory. —xxv. 31.

To fix the universal doom,
The Son of Man shall bow the sky,
With all His holy angels come,
With all His Father's majesty!
All nations in that day shall meet,
Arraign'd at His tremendous bar,
Behold Him on His judgment seat:
And O, my soul, shalt thou be there?

649. [The wicked and the just]

He shall separate them. —xxv. 32.

The wicked and the just
Till then together stay:
But O, the saints and sinners must
Be parted at that day;
Sever'd the tares and wheat,
The goats and sheep shall be,
Never again to mix, or meet
Through all eternity.

650. [They shall be number'd with the sheep]

He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but, &c. —xxv. 33.

They shall be number'd with the sheep,
And found on the right hand,
Who hear the Shepherd's voice, and keep
His every kind command.
Ah, give me now Thy voice to hear,
And mark me with Thy sign,
And when Thou dost as Judge appear,
Acknowledge me for Thine.

393

651. [Here on earth He bids us come]

Come, ye blessed. —xxv. 34.

Here on earth He bids us come
Weary to Himself for rest,
There receives His brethren home,
Makes, whom He pronounces, bless'd,
Crowns with immortality,
Gives the joy prepared for me.

Saviour now to Thee I cry,
Come, and all my heart possess,
Then returning in the sky
Call me to Thy happiness,
Bid me at Thy side sit down
Partner of Thy heavenly throne.

652. [Every charitable deed]

I was an hungred, and ye gave Me meat. —xxv. 35.

Every charitable deed
Is then accounted good,
When it freely doth proceed
From faith in Jesus' blood:
All our works which flow from love
He owns as done unto the Lord,
With His smile vouchsafes to' approve,
And with His heaven reward.

Mercy's outward works who show
Their recompence receive:
Shall they unrewarded go,
Who needy souls relieve?
Those who ministering His grace
Supply the' immortal spirit's wants,
Labour for the sin-sick race,
And sinners turn to saints!

394

This till Christ pronounce me bless'd,
My whole employment be,
Still to succour the distress'd
In whom my Lord I see;
Strangers without clothes or food,
Into my house and heart to take,
Share the sickly prisoner's load
For my Redeemer's sake.

But I more than all would know
Afflicted souls to ease,
Grieved at every shape of woe
And spiritual distress,
Seek with sympathising care,
And kindly tend the sick of sin,
Feed the poor and clothe the bare,
And bring the wanderer in.

Joyful news I would proclaim
To spirits in prison bound,
Tell them, freedom through Thy name
And in Thy blood is found:
Jesus Thy compassion give,
And touch'd with sinners' misery,
All I shall assist, relieve,
By sending all to Thee.

For a moment's labour here
And by Thy Spirit done,
When Thou dost as Judge appear,
Thou wilt Thy servant own,
With the heavenly manna feed,
Bid me on Thy fulness feast,
Drinking at the fountain-head,
And lodging in Thy breast.

395

653. [I want that unreflecting love]

When saw we Thee an hungred? —xxv. 37.

I want that unreflecting love
Which simply Thy command obeys,
(Content, if Thou at last approve,)
Nor fondly on the action stays:
Still would I my own good forget,
Which is not, gracious Lord, my own,
Till Thou Thy servant's works repeat,
And praise me for what grace had done.

654. [To Christ who would not gladly give]

Ye have done it unto Me. —xxv. 40.

To Christ who would not gladly give
Raiment, or food, or ease,
And in His substitutes relieve
His Saviour in distress?
Saviour, where'er conceal'd Thou art,
Thee may I plainly see,
And always bear it on my heart,
“Ye did it unto Me!”

655. [Not for the wretched sons of men]

Prepared for the devil and his angels. —xxv. 41.

Not for the wretched sons of men
Was Tophet first prepared,
Intruders into hellish pain,
They snatch the fiends' reward:
If just, as well as good, Thou art,
Thy vengeance they require,
And force Thee, Lord, to say, “Depart
Into eternal fire!”

656. [Equal and just are all Thy ways!]

Ye did it not to Me. —xxv. 45.

Equal and just are all Thy ways!
For ever banish'd from Thy sight,
The wicked shall at last confess,
The Judge of all the earth doth right:

396

Justly Thine utmost wrath they prove,
Who would not Thy salvation see,
Refused the faith producing love,
And in Thy poor neglected Thee.

657. [Most gracious, most tremendous Lord]

These shall go away into everlasting, &c. —xxv. 46.

Most gracious, most tremendous Lord,
The sentence which proceeds from Thee,
For punishment, or for reward,
Must stand through all eternity:
Our states assign'd by wrath, or love,
Shall neither change, nor period know,
But long as saints rejoice above,
Unhappy souls shall howl below.

University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER XXV.

617.

[Happy they and truly wise]

618.

[Who a bare profession make]

619.

[Empty the lamp, till Thou impart]

620.

[Son of God, 'tis Thine alone]

621.

[Lo, the heavenly Bridegroom comes!]

622.

[All, the awful Judge to see]

623.

[Desperate is the sinner's case]

624.

[No; the rich in faith who most]

625.

[How dreadful is the sinner's fate]

626.

[But we who now Thy grace implore]

627.

[God is love and holiness]

628.

[Left in dark uncertainty]

629.

[Jesus the King of earth and heaven]

630.

[After His own almighty power]

631.

[Happy who knows the Master's will]

632.

[Who to the poor and needy gives]

633.

[He that hath least to do for God]

634.

[God is not slack; if long He stay]

635.

[Who walking like their Saviour here]

636.

[Happy whom God vouchsafes to praise]

637.

[My faithfulness I cannot see]

638.

[Transporting word for all that hear!]

639.

[He never knew his Lord aright]

640.

[Nay; but His seed He often sows]

641.

[How base the inconsistent fear]

642.

[The harmless inoffensive man]

643.

[Master, I with shame confess]

644.

[Why am I stripp'd of all my power?]

645.

[Why was he doom'd to endless pain?]

646.

[If God the slothful wretch reject]

647.

[Awed by the righteous doom of them]

648.

[To fix the universal doom]

649.

[The wicked and the just]

650.

[They shall be number'd with the sheep]

651.

[Here on earth He bids us come]

652.

[Every charitable deed]

653.

[I want that unreflecting love]

654.

[To Christ who would not gladly give]

655.

[Not for the wretched sons of men]