The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

He now had taught the favour'd race,
His final full instructions given,
Convinced by miracles of grace,
Mark'd out the' unerring way to heaven,
An all-complete example shown,
And lived on earth for them alone.

One only proof doth yet remain
His zeal for man to testify,
To crown His life of love and pain,
The Lamb prepares Himself to die,
To ransom sinners by His blood,
And bring them sanctified to God.

397

659. [Truth of the Paschal sacrifice]

Ye know that after two days is . . . the passover, &c. —xxvi. 2.

Truth of the Paschal sacrifice,
Both passovers He joins in one,
That all our offerings may arise
With His united to the throne,
That we may suffer with our Head,
And love the cross where Jesus bled.

660. [He with Divine tranquillity]

He with Divine tranquillity
Foretells His death of pain and shame,
But spares who nail Him to the tree,
Forbears His cruel foes to blame;
The Son of Man hereby confess'd
The Son of God, for ever bless'd.

O could we with His calmness meet
Our destined share of grief and woe,
Meek as our Lord the men entreat
With love, who bitter hatred show,
Only to God their names declare,
And bless them in our dying prayer.

661. [Love as generous as sincere]

There came . . . a woman having an alabaster, &c. —xxvi. 7.

Love as generous as sincere,
Not by words but actions proved,
Doth to Jesus minister,
Pours the oil on its Beloved:
Who the use of riches know,
Who a precious Christ esteem,
They their all on Him bestow,
All too mean a gift for Him.

662. [Men who never care for God]

They had indignation, saying, To what, &c. —xxvi. 8.

Men who never care for God
Never for His worship care,

398

Count as lost the gifts bestow'd
On the' external house of prayer:
Yet our Lord the nard receives
Author of religion pure,
Yet the precedent He leaves
Shall from age to age endure.

663. [The poor supply Thy place]

Ye have the poor always with you. —xxvi. 11.

The poor supply Thy place,
Deputed, Lord, by Thee,
To exercise our grace,
Our faith and charity,
And what to Thee in them is given,
Is laid up for ourselves in heaven.

664. [Let me thus her zeal record]

There shall also this . . . be told for a memorial, &c. —xxvi. 13.

Let me thus her zeal record,
Thus my own for Jesus prove,
Render to my dearest Lord
All I prize, and all I love,
Him embalm with contrite tears,
Him perfume with humble sighs,
Till the rising God appears,
Mounts, and draws me to the skies.

665. [Who would not start from avarice]

What will ye give me, and I will deliver, &c. —xxvi. 15.

Who would not start from avarice
Which paves the way to hell,
Which tempts us at so vile a price
Our Saviour-God to sell?
Thy only love can rescue me:
Jesus, Thy love impart,
And chase the cursed idolatry,
The Judas from my heart.

399

666. [When once we let the tempter in]

From that time he sought opportunity, &c. —xxvi. 16.

When once we let the tempter in
And cast our God behind,
The opportunity to sin
Sure as we seek we find:
Satan the' occasion will present,
Lead to the pleasing snare,
Employ his forward instrument,
And plunge us in despair.

667. [True followers of their Lord]

Where wilt Thou that we prepare for Thee, &c. —xxvi. 17.

True followers of their Lord,
To Christ who closest cleave,
They trust His providential word
For all they here receive:
Unknowing how or where
He will their wants supply,
In faith they cast on Him their care,
In peace they live, and die.

668. [The time of death and pain]

The Master saith, My time is at hand. —xxvi. 18.

The time of death and pain
Our Master calls His own,
Who came our sorrows to sustain,
And groan our mortal groan:
And we who call Him Head
In Jesus' footsteps move,
His suffering life on earth we lead,
His blissful life above.

669. [The root of every ill]

One of you shall betray Me. —xxvi. 21.

The root of every ill
Thine eye discerns in me,
The wandering of my sinful will,
My inbred treachery:

400

Do Thou my will restrain,
Nor suffer it to rove,
But save the feeblest child of man
By pure almighty love.

670. [Saviour, Thou seest the fear]

Lord, is it I? —xxvi. 22.

Saviour, Thou seest the fear
Which haunts me night and day,
My heart so weak, my sin so near,
Shall I not Thee betray?
Ah, do not let me live
To cause the dire offence,
Rather this instant now forgive,
And snatch me spotless hence.

671. [But if the everlasting pain]

It had been good for that man if he had not, &c. —xxvi. 24.

But if the everlasting pain
Were in a course of ages past,
Great good it would be to that man
To perish—and be saved at last.

672. [Tremendous words! they all contain]

Take, eat; this is My body. —xxvi. 26.

Tremendous words! they all contain,
Establishing the worship pure,
Delivering the new law to man
And making the new covenant sure!
They the last testament express
And kindness of our dying Friend,
Bequeath us life, and power and peace,
And endless joys when time shall end.

673. [As many as in Adam died]

This is My blood of the new testament, which, &c. —xxvi. 28.

As many as in Adam died,
In Christ may be restored,
And freely saved in Christ confide,
And love their bleeding Lord:

401

To purge the universal sin
The purple fountain flow'd,
To make our life and nature clean,
And bring us all to God.

His blood and body are the price
By which we all are freed,
The victim of our sacrifice
Which doth our spirits feed;
The bond of union with our Lord,
The seal of sins forgiven,
Our life of paradise restored,
Our antepast of heaven.

674. [Jesus, the true, immortal Vine]

I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the, &c. —xxvi. 29.

Jesus, the true, immortal Vine,
The plenitude of bliss is Thine,
The Father's co-eternal Son,
Sufficient in Thyself alone,
Thyself Thou dost to saints impart,
And heaven is found where'er Thou art.

Thou with Thy own perfection bless'd,
Dost in Thy love for ever rest;
And Thou hast promised, Lord, that we
Shall the new wine partake with Thee,
Shall drink it in Thy courts above
The wine of Thy eternal love.

Hasten the long-expected day
When heaven and earth shall pass away,
When all Thy church complete in one
Shall meet triumphant at Thy throne,
And drink the Spirit of their Head,
And on Thy glorious fulness feed.

402

675. [How can Thine own apostles fall?]

All ye shall be offended because of Me this, &c. —xxvi. 31.

How can Thine own apostles fall?
The' occasion of offence they take
From that Thou dost endure for all,
And basely all their Lord forsake:
And still there are who faith profess
Till call'd to suffer for Thy cause,
In times of trial and distress
They faint and stumble at Thy cross.

676. [The sheep their faithful Shepherd leave]

After I am risen again, I will go before, &c. —xxvi. 32.

The sheep their faithful Shepherd leave,
His life He doth a ransom give,
To bring the wanderers back;
And whom He makes His tenderest care
And whom He in His arms doth bear
He never will forsake.

Before us still, great Shepherd, go,
Cause every sheep Thy voice to know,
And risen from the dead
Thy feeble, scatter'd followers raise,
And cheer'd and fortified by grace
To life eternal lead.

677. [One moment, Lord, if Thou depart]

Though all men shall be offended because, &c. —xxvi. 33.

One moment, Lord, if Thou depart,
With like presumption I
Shall trust my own deceitful heart,
And give my God the lie:
Though all prove faithful to Thy cause,
Without Thy constant power
I only stumbling at Thy cross
Shall fall, and rise no more.

403

678. [Jesus, my desperate helplessness]

Jesus, my desperate helplessness
Forced by ten thousand falls to own,
With fear and trembling I confess
One hour I cannot stand alone;
I surely shall myself betray,
My Lord perfidiously deny,
Left to myself this very day,
And Judas-like despair and die.

679. [Who trust in a supposed decree]

Though I should die with Thee, yet will, &c. —xxvi. 35.

Who trust in a supposed decree,
Or your own perfect purity,
And cannot fall from grace,
Before your Master ye deny,
Before ye curse your God and die,
Remember Peter's case!

680. [The Man of sorrows now]

My soul is exceeding sorrowful. —xxvi. 38.

The Man of sorrows now
Thou dost indeed appear,
Beneath my guilty burden bow,
And tremble with my fear:
Thy pain is my relief,
And doth my load remove,
For O, if all Thy soul is grief,
Yet all Thy heart is love!

681. [What posture should I use, who see]

He . . . fell on His face, and prayed. —xxvi. 39.

What posture should I use, who see
The suffering Son of God
In tears, in mortal agony,
And bathed in His own blood?
A sense of Jesu's grief unknown,
Father, to me impart,

404

And hear His humble Spirit groan
In my poor, broken heart.

682. [A follower of Thy patient Son]

Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me. —xxvi. 39.

A follower of Thy patient Son,
I would the bitter cup decline,
Yet let Thy sovereign will be done,
My own I patiently resign,
And calmly rest, whate'er I feel,
Assured Thou art my Father still.

683. [The pastor good with pious care]

Watch, and pray, that ye enter not into, &c. —xxvi. 41.

The pastor good with pious care
Doth still his flock defend,
Exhorts to watchfulness and prayer,
And warns them to the end:
Thus may I imitate my Lord,
The people's pattern be,
Obey, enforce Thy warning word,
And live and die like Thee.

684. [Captain, God of my salvation]

Captain, God of my salvation,
How shall I Thy word obey,
Press'd, surrounded with temptation,
Wanting power to watch and pray?
Humbly I implore Thy blessing,
Watching, supplicating power;
Fill my heart with prayer unceasing,
Wake my soul to sleep no more.

Set my soul upon the tower,
While the world and sin are nigh,
Through the dark, distressing hour
Hear me in Thy Spirit cry:

405

Satan still desires to have me;
Lord, Thy ransom'd servant take,
Save, and every moment save me,
For Thy truth and mercy sake.

If I have with God found favour
Through Thy cries on Calvary,
Day and night my constant Saviour
Stand betwixt my heart and me;
If on Thee I boldly venture,
Thou my tempted soul restrain
That the snare I may not enter,
May not close with sin again.

Awed by Thy continual presence
Give me still on Thee to' attend,
Kept in faith but acquiescence,
Praying, watching to the end;
Till in life's extreme temptation
Calm I lay my burden down,
Sink a partner of Thy passion,
Rise a sharer of Thy crown.

685. [Thus may I with alternate care]

He went away again the second time, &c. —xxvi. 42.

Thus may I with alternate care
The flock and my own soul attend,
Thus have recourse to God in prayer,
When danger's blackest storms impend,
And urge Him with redoubled cry,
When trouble, pain, and death are nigh!

I now my meek Example see,
The Man of agonizing woe,
With humble importunity
Jesus to Thee my griefs I show,

406

With cries and tears my suit repeat,
Yet to Thy sovereign will submit.

Stand by me in this evil day,
My sorrows to Thy sorrows join;
(Thou hear'st me in Thy Spirit pray;)
With strength and fortitude Divine
Inspire me by that love unknown
Which put my fears and weakness on.

686. [Whole nights we to ambition give]

He came and found them asleep. —xxvi. 43.

Whole nights we to ambition give,
To avarice or diversions vain,
Yet grudge an hour for sin to grieve,
And prayer account a needless pain:
An hour for God we cannot spare,
(Who bids the sleeping soul arise,)
Or for our own salvation care,
Or watch to' ensure our paradise.

687. [O could I thus my wants declare]

He left them, and went away again, and prayed, &c. —xxvi. 44.

O could I thus my wants declare
In humble persevering prayer,
With true simplicity
Repeat my words reduced to one;
Or prostrate in a speechless groan
Present my heart to Thee!

688. [Holiness in sinners' hands]

The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands, &c. —xxvi. 45.

Holiness in sinners' hands
With indignation see!
Bound Himself who bursts our bands,
And sets our spirits free!

407

Who our Lord a prisoner made
Our anger against them be shown:
Sin the Son of Man betray'd
The sin I call my own.

689. [The world with courtesy like his]

He came to Jesus, and said, Hail, Master; &c. —xxvi. 49.

The world with courtesy like his
Doth Jesus' followers treat,
And calmly the perfidious kiss
We would, like Christ, admit;
But full of rancorous despite
They do not Jesus know,
Who cannot bear the speech or sight
Of an ungrateful foe.

690. [So gentle toward my basest foe]

Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore, &c. —xxvi. 50.

So gentle toward my basest foe
O might I always be,
A like return with Jesus show
To hellish treachery!
O might I keep His patient word,
His temper to the end,
Taught by the meekness of my Lord,
Who call'd the traitor Friend!

691. [The self-confiding man]

One of them . . . drew his sword, and struck, &c. —xxvi. 51.

The self-confiding man
Who will his Lord defend,
Exerts his zealous efforts vain,
Which in a moment end:
His hasty sword he draws
Against a troop, and flies,
Deserts the persecuted cause
And then his Lord denies.

408

The humble man of heart
Depends on God alone;
His zeal to take the Saviour's part,
His power is not his own:
With weapons from the word,
With wisdom from above,
He fights the battles of the Lord
In meek and patient love.

692. [Whene'er Thou leav'st me in distress]

But how then shall the scriptures be, &c. —xxvi. 54.

Whene'er Thou leav'st me in distress,
Thy wisdom graciously decrees
The sorrow, loss, or pain,
That I Thy hallowing will may prove,
And perfected in patient love
A crown immortal gain.

Entering into my God's design,
No longer I the cross decline,
With its annex'd reward,
Like Him for no deliverance pray,
But suffering until death obey
To triumph with my Lord.

693. [Thus in temptation I]

All the disciples forsook Him, and fled. —xxvi. 56.

Thus in temptation I
Shall from my Saviour fly;
Trembling, as the foe draws near,
Wavering, ready to desert,
Save me from the sin I fear,
Help mine unbelief of heart.

I cannot faithful be
But by a power from Thee:

409

Thee that I may not disown,
Vilely cast my shield away,
Jesus, leave me not alone,
With my soul for ever stay.

694. [What can feeble nature do?]

Peter followed Him afar off, unto the, &c. —xxvi. 58.

What can feeble nature do?
One who on its strength relies,
Hardly keeps his Lord in view;
Dares not die when Jesus dies;
Closely who to Christ adhere,
Who His humble spirit breathe,
Only they shall persevere
Firm, and faithful unto death.

695. [One that overwhelm'd with fear]

One that overwhelm'd with fear
Dreads his suffering Lord to own,
Jesus' distant worshipper,
Dares he into danger run?
Who perceives his heart like mine,
Who his nature's weakness knows,
He the world will never join,
Never mix with Jesus' foes.

696. [Power doth unto God belong]

Power doth unto God belong:
God's own power, O Christ, Thou art:
Out of weakness make me strong,
By Thy dwelling in my heart:
Then I shall my Lord confess,
Follow on to Calvary,
Close in all Thy footsteps press,
Gladly live and die with Thee.

697. ['Tis thus the world in every age]

The chief priests, and elders, and all the, &c. —xxvi. 59.

'Tis thus the world in every age
Doth Jesus in His members use:

410

To ruin us they first engage,
And then search out whereof to' accuse,
Fit means, howe'er unjust employ,
And seek a colour to destroy.

Jesus, Thou know'st our envious foes,
Before they cite us to their bar,
Thy people criminals suppose,
Thy people criminals declare;
And then our horrid crimes invent
To justify our punishment.

698. [Lord in Thy humanity]

This fellow said, I am able to destroy the, &c. —xxvi. 61.

Lord in Thy humanity,
To mortal eye display'd
We an holy Temple see
For Thy great Father made:
At Thine incarnation built
The house Divine was fill'd with God:
When Thy sacred blood was spilt
The Temple was destroy'd.

When Thou didst to life return,
The' immortal Son of Man,
On that third triumphant morn
The Temple rose again,
Rose rebuilt by hands Divine
And stands to be destroy'd no more,
Glorious everlasting Shrine
Which earth and heaven adore.

Temple of the Deity,
Thou art the Victim too:
Rising by Thy ruins, we
Our smiling Father view:

411

Jesus Thy destruction was
Salvation, life, for all mankind;
All ascending on Thy cross
May God in glory find.

699. [Saviour, at Thy command I speak]

The high priest . . . said unto Him, Answerest, &c. —xxvi. 62.

Saviour, at Thy command I speak,
Or suffering in the truth's defence,
I stand, like Thee, submissive, meek,
Nor plead my injured innocence:
Thy silence teaches me to waive
The vehement, vain apology;
Thy silence the example gave,
And bought the speechless grace for me.

700. [That silence of the' eternal Word]

But Jesus held His peace. —xxvi. 63.

That silence of the' eternal Word
Confounds our eagerness of pride,
Who will not imitate our Lord
Or man's unjust reproach abide:
With warm, self-vindicating zeal,
Impatient we throw off the blame,
Answer, reply, dispute, appeal,
And all, except ourselves, condemn.

701. [Innocence will not descend]

Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said. —xxvi. 64.

Innocence will not descend
Himself to justify,
Yet He doth the truth defend
For which He came to die;
Owns the truth (that I am He
The Christ, the' eternal Son of God)
Truth of His Divinity,
And seals it with His blood.

412

702. [How unlike the Person now]

Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man, &c. —xxvi. 64.

How unlike the Person now
Which He shall soon appear,
When He doth the heavens bow
In awful pomp severe!
Robed with majesty and power,
Seated on His Father's throne!
Hasten, Lord, that happiest hour,
Eternal Judge, come down!

703. [Jesus let all His saints revere]

Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, &c. —xxvi. 65.

Jesus let all His saints revere
Treated as a blasphemer here!
Whom prostrate seraphim adore,
The blasphemous affront He bore,
That we may patiently endure,
May make the crown through sufferings sure,
He heard their charge without reply,
And stoop'd a silent lamb to die.

704. [And shall Thy followers, Lord, complain]

They answered and said, He is guilty of death. —xxvi. 66.

And shall Thy followers, Lord, complain,
Unjustly doom'd by sinful men,
Or patiently Thy cross receive,
Judged by the world “not fit to live”?

705. [Hail, Galilean King]

Then did they spit in His face, and buffeted, &c. —xxvi. 67.

Hail, Galilean King,
Thy humbled state we sing!
Mock'd, and spit upon below,
Smote by sacrilegious hands,
Man would not his Maker know;
Angels fly at Thy commands.

From spitting, shame, and scorn,
Thy face Thou didst not turn:

413

How unlike our Pattern we!
Sacred is our character,
Every trivial injury
Seems too great for life to bear.

Our quick-resenting pride
Henceforth we cast aside,
Lay our honour at Thy feet,
Meeken'd by Thy Spirit's power,
Like the Lamb of God submit,
Jesus on the cross adore.

706. [This dire concupiscence within]

He denied before them all. —xxvi. 70.

This dire concupiscence within
Which tempts me to the treacherous sin,
Saviour I always feel,
The darkness of my carnal mind
Which casts Thy benefits behind,
The weakness of my will.

My memory, Lord, cannot retain
Ten thousand vows renew'd in vain,
Ten thousand promises:
Tempted I shall Thyself deny,
Unless Thou giv'st me to rely
On Thine almighty grace.

But if Thy grace my soul defend,
But if I on Thy grace depend,
With bold fidelity
I shall to all Thy foes maintain,
To all the world, I know the Man
Who lived and died for me.

414

707. [Who weakly once to sin gives place]

And again he denied with an oath. —xxvi. 72.

Who weakly once to sin gives place,
Left to himself, by Jesus' grace
No longer now withheld,
Assail'd by sin's redoubled power,
His abject soul resists no more,
Or only fights to yield.

When rash into the snare we run,
One sin will draw a second on,
And to a third increase:
Fresh guilt chastises for the past
Till quite forsook we rise at last
To blackest perjuries.

708. [Not know the Man (that God below)]

I know not the Man. —xxvi. 74.

Not know the Man (that God below)
With whom so late thou vow'dst to die!
Alas, thyself thou didst not know,
Or wouldst not now thy Lord deny:
Go, Peter, weep thy shameful fall,
And let thy grief o'erwhelm us all.

709. [What end of man's apostasy]

What end of man's apostasy,
If still the' apostate Thou forsake?
But stopp'd, almighty Love, by Thee,
The wandering sinner is brought back:
Thy look the gracious power supplied,
Or Peter had like Judas died.

710. [But He who gave the slighted word]

Peter remembered the word of Jesus. —xxvi. 75.

But He who gave the slighted word,
Brought it again to Peter's mind,
The sinner's sleeping conscience stirr'd,
By shame and deep contrition join'd

415

For him who had his Lord forsook,
Jesus had pray'd before the throne,
And cast the kind upbraiding look
Which smote and broke his heart of stone.

711. [See, the sad fruit of sin appears]

He went out, and wept bitterly. —xxvi. 75.

See, the sad fruit of sin appears,
While Peter weeps a briny flood!
But that which costs the servant tears
Must cost the Lord His richest blood!
The sea of tears which Peter sheds
Can never purge his crimson sin,
But Jesus for the sinner pleads,
And pours His blood to make him clean.

712. [The dire occasion of my fall]

The dire occasion of my fall
O may I still, like Peter, fly,
My Saviour's words to mind recall,
And feel the influence of His eye!
My sins and past unfaithfulness
I would at Jesus' feet deplore,
Till comforted by pardoning grace
I rise, and trust my heart no more.

Jesus, almighty to convert,
On me Thy conquering mercy show,
Strike by Thy love this rocky heart,
And bid the contrite waters flow:
But let me still embrace Thy feet,
Weep on, when graciously forgiven,
Till Thou exalt me to Thy seat,
And dry these gracious tears in heaven.

University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER XXVI.

658.

[He now had taught the favour'd race]

659.

[Truth of the Paschal sacrifice]

660.

[He with Divine tranquillity]

661.

[Love as generous as sincere]

662.

[Men who never care for God]

663.

[The poor supply Thy place]

664.

[Let me thus her zeal record]

665.

[Who would not start from avarice]

666.

[When once we let the tempter in]

667.

[True followers of their Lord]

668.

[The time of death and pain]

669.

[The root of every ill]

670.

[Saviour, Thou seest the fear]

671.

[But if the everlasting pain]

672.

[Tremendous words! they all contain]

673.

[As many as in Adam died]

674.

[Jesus, the true, immortal Vine]

675.

[How can Thine own apostles fall?]

676.

[The sheep their faithful Shepherd leave]

677.

[One moment, Lord, if Thou depart]

678.

[Jesus, my desperate helplessness]

679.

[Who trust in a supposed decree]

680.

[The Man of sorrows now]

681.

[What posture should I use, who see]

682.

[A follower of Thy patient Son]

683.

[The pastor good with pious care]

684.

[Captain, God of my salvation]

685.

[Thus may I with alternate care]

686.

[Whole nights we to ambition give]

687.

[O could I thus my wants declare]

688.

[Holiness in sinners' hands]

689.

[The world with courtesy like his]

690.

[So gentle toward my basest foe]

691.

[The self-confiding man]

692.

[Whene'er Thou leav'st me in distress]

693.

[Thus in temptation I]

694.

[What can feeble nature do?]

695.

[One that overwhelm'd with fear]

696.

[Power doth unto God belong]