 | CHAPTER V. The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley |  |
CHAPTER V.
861.
[A sinner's heart by lust possess'd]
There met Him out of the tombs a man with, &c.
—v. 2.
A sinner's heart by lust possess'd,
Of birds unclean the loathsome nest,
Of fiends the dark abode;
A stinking sepulchre it lies,
While the poor wretch with horror flies
The sight of man and God.
Of birds unclean the loathsome nest,
Of fiends the dark abode;
A stinking sepulchre it lies,
While the poor wretch with horror flies
The sight of man and God.
Shut up within himself he dwells,
Corruption, rottenness, conceals,
Till the Deliverer come:
Tormented then with sudden light
The slave of hell bewrays his fright,
And rushes from his tomb.
Corruption, rottenness, conceals,
Till the Deliverer come:
482
The slave of hell bewrays his fright,
And rushes from his tomb.
Jesus, Thy Spirit drags him thence,
Compell'd by Thine omnipotence
He shows himself to Thee,
His putrid heart, his shameful vice
Exposes to Thy glorious eyes,
Thou God of purity.
Compell'd by Thine omnipotence
He shows himself to Thee,
His putrid heart, his shameful vice
Exposes to Thy glorious eyes,
Thou God of purity.
862.
[The soul o'ercome by vile desires]
Who had his dwelling among the tombs; &c.
—v. 3, 4.
The soul o'ercome by vile desires,
When his last spark of grace expires,
Is number'd with the dead,
Buried in a foul body dwells
And all the rage of passion feels,
By sin and Satan led.
When his last spark of grace expires,
Is number'd with the dead,
Buried in a foul body dwells
And all the rage of passion feels,
By sin and Satan led.
Impatient of control he flies,
Breaks through the strongest sacred ties
And ranges unconfined,
Nor shame nor conscience can restrain,
Nor all the laws of God and man
The fiend incarnate bind.
Breaks through the strongest sacred ties
And ranges unconfined,
Nor shame nor conscience can restrain,
Nor all the laws of God and man
The fiend incarnate bind.
863.
[Where social virtue never comes]
And always, night and day, he was in the, &c.
—v. 5, 6.
Where social virtue never comes,
Among the dead in sin he roams,
Nor finds a moment's rest,
Tortured by contrary desires,
Pride, lust, and rage, he stirs the fires
The Tophet in his breast.
Among the dead in sin he roams,
Nor finds a moment's rest,
Tortured by contrary desires,
Pride, lust, and rage, he stirs the fires
The Tophet in his breast.
483
How shall he 'escape the hell within?
The' intolerable yoke of sin
How can he break or bear?
O, let him run our Lord to meet,
And worship at his Saviour's feet,
And cry for mercy there.
The' intolerable yoke of sin
How can he break or bear?
O, let him run our Lord to meet,
And worship at his Saviour's feet,
And cry for mercy there.
864.
[Yet still the sin to which he cleaves]
He cried with a loud voice, . . . What have I to, &c.
—v. 7, 8.
Yet still the sin to which he cleaves,
Not without violence he leaves
And nature's sorest pain;
As dreading to be dispossess'd,
The fiend he harbours in his breast,
And hugs the tyrant's chain.
Not without violence he leaves
And nature's sorest pain;
As dreading to be dispossess'd,
The fiend he harbours in his breast,
And hugs the tyrant's chain.
But Jesus by a sinner seen
Will never bear the spirit unclean
Should in His presence stay:
The powerful word He speaks alone,
The demon foul He bids begone,
And Legion must obey.
Will never bear the spirit unclean
Should in His presence stay:
The powerful word He speaks alone,
The demon foul He bids begone,
And Legion must obey.
865.
[Legion the true infernal name]
My name is Legion.
—v. 9.
Legion the true infernal name
Of him, who lost to virtuous shame
The slave of passion lives:
A multitude of passions rise,
And fill'd with one, he every vice
Into his heart receives.
866.
[With sin we must entirely break]
He besought Him much that He would not, &c.
—v 10.
With sin we must entirely break,
No truce or composition seek,
But all occasions fly,
No commerce with our lusts maintain,
Or, when the foe's expell'd, remain
With the temptation nigh.
484
867.
[See the soul redeem'd indeed]
And see him that was possessed, sitting, &c.
—v. 15.
See the soul redeem'd indeed,
From his evil habits freed,
See the pardon'd sinner sit
Listening at his Saviour's feet,
Clothed with Jesus' righteousness,
Fill'd with purity and peace,
To a sober mind restored,
One in spirit with his Lord!
868.
[Earthly things who counts his gain]
And they began to pray Him to depart out of, &c.
—v. 17.
Earthly things who counts his gain,
Christ he will not long retain,
If the world is in his heart,
Christ he wishes to depart,
Dreads the grace on sinners shown,
Happy in their God alone,
Lust prefers to love Divine,
Damns his soul to keep his swine.
869.
[Blacker far in my own eyes]
He that had been possessed . . . prayed Him that, &c.
—v. 18.
Blacker far in my own eyes
Than the foulest slaves of vice,
Saviour I have no pretence
To the place of innocence;
Yet, my God, I humbly pray,
Suffer me with Thee to stay,
In Thy loving heart to' abide,
Never leave Thy wounded side.
870.
[Shall I through prudent fear forbear?]
Go . . . tell . . . how great things the Lord hath, &c.
—v. 19.
Shall I through prudent fear forbear?
Or thankfully His grace declare
Who hath my sins forgiven?
His grace I will to all proclaim,
That all may praise my Saviour's name,
And earth be turn'd to heaven.
Or thankfully His grace declare
Who hath my sins forgiven?
485
That all may praise my Saviour's name,
And earth be turn'd to heaven.
Now, Lord, at Thy command I go,
And to my friends the wonders show
Which Thou to me hast shown:
Thou hast Thy pardoning love reveal'd,
The fiend out of my heart expell'd,
And claim'd it for Thine own.
And to my friends the wonders show
Which Thou to me hast shown:
Thou hast Thy pardoning love reveal'd,
The fiend out of my heart expell'd,
And claim'd it for Thine own.
While thus I testify of Thee,
With genuine meek humility
Thy witness, Lord, inspire,
That all my friends may wake, and fear,
And listen, till Thyself they hear,
And catch the heavenly fire.
With genuine meek humility
Thy witness, Lord, inspire,
That all my friends may wake, and fear,
And listen, till Thyself they hear,
And catch the heavenly fire.
Didst Thou in me Thyself reveal,
That I Thy goodness might conceal,
Or boastingly proclaim?
No: but Thou wilt my wisdom be,
And give me true simplicity
To glorify Thy name.
That I Thy goodness might conceal,
Or boastingly proclaim?
No: but Thou wilt my wisdom be,
And give me true simplicity
To glorify Thy name.
Wherefore in confidence of grace,
I tell to all the ransom'd race
What Thou for me hast done,
That all the ransom'd race may find
The present Saviour of mankind,
And praise my God alone.
I tell to all the ransom'd race
What Thou for me hast done,
That all the ransom'd race may find
The present Saviour of mankind,
And praise my God alone.
871.
[A fountain of infectious blood]
And had suffered many things of many, &c.
—v. 26.
A fountain of infectious blood
Hath made my heart and life unclean:
Most loathsome in the sight of God
The dire concupiscence within,
The filthiness of lust and pride,
Of flesh and spirit I bemoan;
And having all physicians tried,
Confess, I can be heal'd by none.
Hath made my heart and life unclean:
486
The dire concupiscence within,
The filthiness of lust and pride,
Of flesh and spirit I bemoan;
And having all physicians tried,
Confess, I can be heal'd by none.
A length of years in sin and pain
Have I not rather died than lived?
Yet no relief from means or men,
Sufferings, or works, have I received:
My strength is spent, my life is gone,
The last faint spark of hope and grace,
And sunk in deep despair I own
I am all sin and wickedness.
Have I not rather died than lived?
Yet no relief from means or men,
Sufferings, or works, have I received:
My strength is spent, my life is gone,
The last faint spark of hope and grace,
And sunk in deep despair I own
I am all sin and wickedness.
872.
[But lo, at last with joy I hear]
When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press, &c.
—v. 27.
But lo, at last with joy I hear
Of Jesus and His wondrous name,
And pressing through the crowd, draw near
In hope to touch His garment's hem:
Clothed with our flesh I Him believe
My spirit with His own to join,
And trust by contact to receive
The virtue of that Man Divine.
873.
[That Man, the surety of our peace]
For she said, If I may touch but His clothes, &c.
—v. 28.
That Man, the surety of our peace,
All power doth in Himself contain,
The cure of every soul-disease,
The balm of every grief and pain:
True faith on me if He bestow,
His Spirit then shall make me clean,
The fountain from His side shall flow,
And drain the spring of inbred sin.
487
874.
[The spring of sin is proud self-love]
And straightway the fountain of her blood, &c.
—v. 29.
The spring of sin is proud self-love;
And if my Lord His blood apply
His blood the evil shall remove,
His blood shall wholly sanctify;
Shall first of sin obstruct the course
In this frail flesh and heart of mine,
And then dry up corruption's source
By perfect charity Divine.
And if my Lord His blood apply
His blood the evil shall remove,
His blood shall wholly sanctify;
Shall first of sin obstruct the course
In this frail flesh and heart of mine,
And then dry up corruption's source
By perfect charity Divine.
The plague which all my soul o'erspreads
Jesus can in a moment heal:
The long delay from me proceeds,
From mine and not my Saviour's will:
O could I touch the' incarnate God,
And boldly my Redeemer praise,
Cured by the virtue of His blood,
The emanation of His grace!
Jesus can in a moment heal:
The long delay from me proceeds,
From mine and not my Saviour's will:
O could I touch the' incarnate God,
And boldly my Redeemer praise,
Cured by the virtue of His blood,
The emanation of His grace!
875.
[Wisdom Himself surprised would be]
Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself, &c.
—v. 30.
Wisdom Himself surprised would be
(If man his Maker could surprise)
At confident humility
Which secretly to Christ applies:
Where'er it apprehends its Lord,
He knows the soul no longer pain'd,
The conscious sinner is restored,
The Saviour by a touch is gain'd.
876.
[What crowds, O Lord, Thy name profess]
His disciples said unto Him, Thou seest, &c.
—v. 31.
What crowds, O Lord, Thy name profess,
Nor know their sinful malady!
On Thee in vain they throng and press,
Who never touch or cleave to Thee:
488
That comes behind, Thy grace to prove,
That seeks abash'd, with speechless fear
And humble faith, Thy healing love.
877.
[Self-diffidence may souls abase]
But the woman fearing and trembling, &c.
—v. 33.
Self-diffidence may souls abase,
And blind to their own virtues make,
The humble trembling sons of grace
Faith for presumption may mistake:
But Christ delights in faith's excess,
He smiles to see the prostrate soul,
To hear the heal'd with awe confess
The confidence which made them whole.
878.
[When Jesus hath a sinner heal'd]
And He said unto her, Daughter, thy faith, &c.
—v. 34.
When Jesus hath a sinner heal'd,
He will the healing word repeat,
Again confirm the pardon seal'd
To all who tremble at His feet:
“Be heal'd,” He every moment saith
In effluxes of gracious power,
And while He speaks, we live by faith,
Go on in peace, and sin no more.
879.
[At first our wisely silent Lord]
As soon as Jesus heard the word, . . . He saith, &c.
—v. 36.
At first our wisely silent Lord
Slighted the' afflicted father's prayer,
Gave him no hopes or cheering word,
As quite excluded from His care,
He seem'd to cast his suit aside,
And to another's cure applied.
Slighted the' afflicted father's prayer,
Gave him no hopes or cheering word,
As quite excluded from His care,
He seem'd to cast his suit aside,
And to another's cure applied.
But when his faith begins to fail
O'erpower'd with trials too severe,
Jesus doth by a word dispel
His sad despondency and fear,
Bids him believe from first to last,
And hold his faith and patience fast.
O'erpower'd with trials too severe,
489
His sad despondency and fear,
Bids him believe from first to last,
And hold his faith and patience fast.
Brought to the point, a sinner still,
When ready to receive his cure,
May greater shocks and conflicts feel,
May sorer agonies endure,
As press'd above what he can bear,
As faith were conquer'd by despair.
When ready to receive his cure,
May greater shocks and conflicts feel,
May sorer agonies endure,
As press'd above what he can bear,
As faith were conquer'd by despair.
But then in his extreme distress
The long entreated God will hear,
The sinner's staggering faith increase,
Reveal His great salvation near,
Make all His power and mercy known,
And save his soul by grace alone.
The long entreated God will hear,
The sinner's staggering faith increase,
Reveal His great salvation near,
Make all His power and mercy known,
And save his soul by grace alone.
880.
[Vainest man affects applause]
He suffered no man to follow Him, save Peter, &c.
—v. 37.
Vainest man affects applause,
All his good to man displays;
Jesus from the world withdraws,
Hides His miracles of grace,
Teaches His disciples true
Noise and pomp, like Him, to shun,
Secretly their works to do,
Praise to seek from God alone.
881.
[Sinners who bewail your dead]
Why make ye this ado, and weep?
—v. 39.
Sinners who bewail your dead,
See from whence your sorrows flow:
If from nature they proceed,
Stop the unavailing woe:
490
Mourn aright ye noisy crowd,
For yourselves, not others, weep,
Foes to Christ, and dead to God.
882.
[Still the faithless world deride]
They laughed Him to scorn.
—v. 40.
Still the faithless world deride
Jesus and His witnesses,
Us who in His power confide
In His love the dead to raise:
Still their mockings we despise,
Daily, Lord, Thy wonders see,
Souls who from their sins arise
Quicken'd by a word from Thee.
883.
[Jesus, I wait the Spirit's power]
Talitha cumi!
—v. 41.
Jesus, I wait the Spirit's power
Which ever doth from Thee proceed,
Which did the breathless maid restore,
To raise my spirit from the dead:
I look continually to prove
The hidden life of holy love.
Which ever doth from Thee proceed,
Which did the breathless maid restore,
To raise my spirit from the dead:
I look continually to prove
The hidden life of holy love.
O bid my dead, dead soul arise,
In real holiness renew'd,
O give me back my paradise,
The image and the life of God,
My life, my resurrection be,
And manifest Thyself in me.
In real holiness renew'd,
O give me back my paradise,
The image and the life of God,
My life, my resurrection be,
And manifest Thyself in me.
By one almighty word begin
Our life of faith and holiness:
And while we daily die to sin,
Thyself, by swift or slow degrees,
Diffuse through all Thy members here,
And then our heavenly Head appear.
Our life of faith and holiness:
And while we daily die to sin,
Thyself, by swift or slow degrees,
491
And then our heavenly Head appear.
884.
[What but Omnipotence can raise]
They were astonished with a great astonishment.
—v. 42.
What but Omnipotence can raise
The dead in trespasses and sins?
Jesus the infidels amaze,
The world by miracles convince,
Thy people call out of their tomb,
And prove, Eternal Life is come.
The dead in trespasses and sins?
Jesus the infidels amaze,
The world by miracles convince,
Thy people call out of their tomb,
And prove, Eternal Life is come.
Who now Thy living church admire
O may they all our blessings share,
And while Thou dost their souls inspire,
The quickening power of faith declare,
The world's astonishment increase
By a new life of righteousness.
O may they all our blessings share,
And while Thou dost their souls inspire,
The quickening power of faith declare,
The world's astonishment increase
By a new life of righteousness.
885.
[The life by miracle restored]
He . . . commanded that something should be, &c.
—v. 43.
The life by miracle restored
Must be by common means sustain'd:
But quicken'd by my loving Lord
The life which through His grace I gain'd
Each moment by His grace is fed,
And nourish'd with immortal bread.
Must be by common means sustain'd:
But quicken'd by my loving Lord
The life which through His grace I gain'd
Each moment by His grace is fed,
And nourish'd with immortal bread.
Whoe'er by Thy command impart
The children's bread, the strengthening grace,
Thou, Lord, both Food and Feeder art;
Thy Spirit to our souls conveys
Perceived and unperceived supplies
Of heavenly life that never dies.
The children's bread, the strengthening grace,
Thou, Lord, both Food and Feeder art;
Thy Spirit to our souls conveys
Perceived and unperceived supplies
Of heavenly life that never dies.
| CHAPTER V. The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley | |