The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

O Rock of our salvation, see
The souls that seek their rest in Thee;
Beneath Thy cooling shadow hide,
And keep us, Saviour, in Thy side;
By water and by blood redeem,
And wash us in the mingled stream.

The sin-atoning blood apply,
And let the water sanctify,

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Pardon and holiness impart,
Sprinkle and purify our heart,
Wash out the last remains of sin,
And make our inmost nature clean.

The double stream in pardons rolls,
And brings Thy love into our souls;
Who dare the truth Divine receive,
And credence to Thy Witness give,
We here Thy utmost power shall prove,
Thy utmost power of perfect love.

HYMN XXXII.

[Jesu, to Thee for help we call]

1

Jesu, to Thee for help we call,
Plunged in the depth of Adam's fall,
Plagued with a carnal heart and mind;
No distance or of time or place
Secures us from the foul disgrace
By him entail'd on all mankind.

Six thousand years are now past by;
Yet still, like him, we sin and die,
As born within his house we were;
As each were that accursed Cain,
We feel the all-polluting stain,
And groan our inbred sin to bear.

2

Thou God of sanctifying love,
Adam descended from above,
The virtue of Thy blood impart;
O let it reach to all below,
As far extend, as freely flow,
To cleanse, as his to' infect our heart.

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Ruin in him complete we have;
And canst not Thou as greatly save,
And fully here our loss repair?
Thou canst, Thou wilt, we dare believe,
We here Thy nature shall retrieve,
And all Thy heavenly image bear.

HYMN XXXIII.

[Jesu, dear, redeeming Lord]

Jesu, dear, redeeming Lord,
Magnify Thy dying word;
In Thy ordinance appear,
Come, and meet Thy followers here.

In the rite Thou hast enjoin'd
Let us now our Saviour find,
Drink Thy blood for sinners shed,
Taste Thee in the broken bread.

Thou our faithful hearts prepare,
Thou Thy pardoning grace declare;
Thou that hast for sinners died,
Show Thyself the Crucified.

All the power of sin remove,
Fill us with Thy perfect love,
Stamp us with the stamp Divine,
Seal our souls for ever Thine.

HYMN XXXIV.

[Lord of life, Thy followers see]

Lord of life, Thy followers see,
Hungering, thirsting after Thee;
At Thy sacred table feed,
Nourish us with living bread.

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Cheer us with immortal wine,
Heavenly sustenance Divine;
Grant us now a fresh supply,
Now relieve us, or we die.

HYMN XXXV.

[O Thou Paschal Lamb of God]

O Thou Paschal Lamb of God,
Feed us with Thy flesh and blood;
Life and strength Thy death supplies,
Feast us on Thy sacrifice.

Quicken our dead souls again,
Then our living souls sustain,
Then in us Thy life keep up,
Then confirm our faith and hope.

Still, O Lord, our strength repair,
Till renew'd in love we are,
Till Thy utmost grace we prove,
All Thy life of perfect love.

HYMN XXXVI.

[Amazing mystery of love!]

Amazing mystery of love!
While posting to eternal pain,
God saw His rebels from above,
And stoop'd into a mortal man.

His mercy cast a pitying look;
By love, unbounded love inclined,
Our guilt and punishment He took,
And died a Victim for mankind.

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His blood procured our life and peace,
And quench'd the wrath of hostile Heaven;
Justice gave way to our release,
And God hath all my sins forgiven.

Jesu, our pardon we receive,
The purchase of that blood of Thine,
And now begin by grace to live,
And breathe the breath of love Divine.

HYMN XXXVII.

[But soon the tender life will die]

But soon the tender life will die,
Though bought by Thy atoning blood,
Unless Thou grant a fresh supply,
And wash us in the watery flood.

The blood removed our guilt in vain,
If sin in us must always stay;
But Thou shalt purge our inbred stain,
And wash its relics all away.

The stream that from Thy wounded side
In blended blood and water flow'd
Shall cleanse whom first it justified,
And fill us with the life of God.

Proceeds from Thee the double grace;
Two effluxes, with life Divine
To quicken all the faithful race,
In one eternal current join.

Saviour, Thou didst not come from heaven,
By water or by blood alone;
Thou diedst that we might live forgiven,
And all be sanctified in One.

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HYMN XXXVIII.

[Worthy the Lamb of endless praise]

Worthy the Lamb of endless praise,
Whose double life we here shall prove,
The pardoning and the hallowing grace,
The dawning and the perfect love.

We here shall gain our calling's prize,
The gift unspeakable receive,
And higher still in death arise,
And all the life of glory live.

To make our right and title sure,
Our dying Lord Himself hath given,
His sacrifice did all procure,
Pardon, and holiness, and heaven.

Our life of grace we here shall feel
Shed in our loving hearts abroad,
Till Christ our glorious life reveal,
Long hidden with Himself in God.

Come, great Redeemer of mankind,
We long Thy open face to see;
Appear, and all who seek shall find
Their bliss consummated in Thee.

Thy presence shall the cloud dispart,
Thy presence shall the life display;
Then, then our all in all Thou art,
Our fulness of eternal day!

HYMN XXXIX.

[Sinner, with awe draw near]

Sinner, with awe draw near,
And find thy Saviour here,

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In His ordinances still,
Touch His sacramental clothes;
Present in His power to heal,
Virtue from His body flows.

His body is the seat
Where all our blessings meet;
Full of unexhausted worth,
Still it makes the sinner whole,
Pours Divine effusions forth,
Life to every dying soul.

Pardon, and power, and peace,
And perfect righteousness
From that sacred Fountain springs;
Wash'd in His all-cleansing blood
Rise, ye worms, to priests and kings,
Rise in Christ, and reign with God.

HYMN XL.

[Author of life Divine]

Author of life Divine,
Who hast a table spread,
Furnish'd with mystic wine
And everlasting bread,
Preserve the life Thyself hast given,
And feed and train us up for heaven.

Our needy souls sustain
With fresh supplies of love,
Till all Thy life we gain,
And all Thy fulness prove,
And, strengthen'd by Thy perfect grace,
Behold without a veil Thy face.

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HYMN XLI.

[Truth of the paschal sacrifice]

Truth of the paschal sacrifice,
Jesu, regard Thy people's cries,
Nor let us in our sins remain:
Surely Thou hear'st the prisoners groan;
Come down to our relief, come down,
And break the dire Accuser's chain.

Humble the proud oppressive king,
Deliverance to Thine Israel bring,
And while the' unsprinkled victims die,
Thy death for us present to God,
Write our protection in Thy blood,
And bid the hellish fiend pass by.

HYMN XLII.

[Glory to Him who freely spent]

Glory to Him who freely spent
His blood, that we might live,
And through this choicest instrument
Doth all His blessings give.

Fasting He doth, and hearing bless,
And prayer can much avail,
Good vessels all to draw the grace
Out of salvation's well.

But none, like this mysterious rite
Which dying mercy gave,
Can draw forth all His promised might
And all His will to save.

This is the richest legacy
Thou hast on man bestow'd:
Here chiefly, Lord, we feed on Thee,
And drink Thy precious blood.

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Here all Thy blessings we receive,
Here all Thy gifts are given,
To those that would in Thee believe,
Pardon, and grace, and heaven.

Thus may we still in Thee be blest,
Till all from earth remove,
And share with Thee the marriage feast,
And drink the wine above.

HYMN XLIII.

[Saviour, and can it be]

Saviour, and can it be
That Thou shouldst dwell with me?
From Thy high and lofty throne,
Throne of everlasting bliss,
Will Thy majesty stoop down
To so mean an house as this?

I am not worthy, Lord,
So foul, so self-abhorr'd,
Thee, my God, to entertain
In this poor polluted heart:
I am a frail sinful man,
All my nature cries, Depart!

Yet come, Thou heavenly Guest,
And purify my breast;
Come, Thou great and glorious King,
While before Thy cross I bow,
With Thyself salvation bring,
Cleanse the house by entering now.

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HYMN XLIV.

[Our Passover for us is slain]

Our Passover for us is slain,
The tokens of His death remain,
On these authentic signs imprest:
By Jesus out of Egypt led,
Still on the Paschal Lamb we feed,
And keep the sacramental feast.

That arm that smote the parting sea
Is still stretch'd out for us, for me;
The Angel-God is still our Guide,
And, lest we in the desert faint,
We find our spirits' every want
By constant miracle supplied.

Thy flesh for our support is given,
Thou art the Bread sent down from heaven,
That all mankind by Thee might live;
O that we evermore may prove
The manna of Thy quickening love,
And all Thy life of grace receive!

Nourish us to that awful day
When types and veils shall pass away,
And perfect grace in glory end;
Us for the marriage feast prepare,
Unfurl Thy banner in the air,
And bid Thy saints to heaven ascend.

HYMN XLV.

[Tremendous love to lost mankind!]

1

Tremendous love to lost mankind!
Could none but Christ the ransom find?
Could none but Christ the pardon buy?

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How great the sin of Adam's race!
How greater still the Saviour's grace,
When God doth for His creature die!

Not heaven so rich a grace can show
As this He did on worms bestow,
Those darlings of the' Incarnate God;
Less favour'd were the angel-powers;
Their crowns are cheaper far than ours,
Nor ever cost the Lamb His blood.

2

Our souls eternally to save,
More than ten thousand worlds He gave;
That we might know our sins forgiven,
That we might in Thy glory shine,
The purchase-price was blood Divine,
And bought the' Aceldama of heaven.

Jesu, we bless Thy saving name,
And trusting in Thy merits claim
Our rich inheritance above;
Thou shalt Thy ransom'd servants own,
And raise and seat us on Thy throne,
Dear objects of Thy dying love.

HYMN XLVI.

[How richly is the table stored]

How richly is the table stored
Of Jesus, our redeeming Lord!
Melchisedec and Aaron join
To furnish out the feast Divine.

Aaron for us the blood hath shed,
Melchisedec bestows the bread,—

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To nourish this, and that to' atone;
And both the priests in Christ are one.

Jesus appears to sacrifice
The flesh and blood Himself supplies;
Enter'd the veil, His death He pleads,
And blesses all our souls, and feeds.

'Tis here He meets the faithful line,
Sustains us with His bread and wine;
We feel the double grace is given,
And gladly urge our way to heaven.

HYMN XLVII.

[Jesu, Thy weakest servants bless]

Jesu, Thy weakest servants bless,
Give what these hallow'd signs express,
And, what Thou givest, secure;
Pardon into my soul convey,
Strength in Thy pardoning love to stay,
And to the end endure.

Raise, and enable me to stand,
Save out of the destroyer's hand
This helpless soul of mine;
Vouchsafe me then Thy strengthening grace,
And with the arms of love embrace,
And keep me ever Thine.

HYMN XLVIII.

[Saviour of my soul from sin]

Saviour of my soul from sin,
Thou my kind Preserver be;
'Stablish what Thou dost begin,
Carry on Thy work in me,

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All Thy faithful mercies show,
Hold, and never let me go.

Never let me lose my peace,
Forfeit what Thy goodness gave;
Give it still, and still increase,
Save me, and persist to save;
Seal the grant conferr'd before,
Give Thy blessing evermore.

HYMN XLIX.

[Son of God, Thy blessing grant]

Son of God, Thy blessing grant,
Still supply my every want;
Tree of Life, Thine influence shed,
With Thy sap my spirit feed.

Tenderest branch, alas! am I,
Wither without Thee and die;
Weak as helpless infancy,
O confirm my soul in Thee.

Unsustain'd by Thee I fall,
Send the strength for which I call;
Weaker than a bruised reed,
Help I every moment need.

All my hopes on Thee depend,
Love me, save me to the end,
Give me the continuing grace,
Take the everlasting praise.

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HYMN L.

[Father of everlasting love]

Father of everlasting love,
Whose bowels of compassion move
To all Thy gracious hands have made,
See, in the howling desert see
A soul from Egypt brought by Thee,
And help me with Thy constant aid.

Ah, do not, Lord, Thine own forsake,
Nor let my feeble soul look back,
Or basely turn to sin again;
No, never let me faint or tire,
But travel on in strong desire,
Till I my heavenly Canaan gain.

HYMN LI.

[Thou very Paschal Lamb]

Thou very Paschal Lamb,
Whose blood for us was shed,
Through whom we out of Egypt came,—
Thy ransom'd people lead.

Angel of gospel grace,
Fulfil Thy character;
To guard and feed the chosen race,
In Israel's camp appear.

Throughout the desert way
Conduct us by Thy light;
Be Thou a cooling cloud by day,
A cheering fire by night.

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Our fainting souls sustain
With blessings from above,
And ever on Thy people rain
The manna of Thy love.

HYMN LII.

[O Thou who, hanging on the cross]

O Thou who, hanging on the cross,
Didst buy our pardon with Thy blood,
Canst Thou not still maintain our cause,
And fill us with the life of God,
Bless with the blessings of Thy throne,
And perfect all our souls in One?

Lo, on Thy bloody sacrifice
For all our graces we depend;
Supported by Thy cross arise,
To finish'd holiness ascend,
And gain on earth the mountain's height,
And then salute our friends in light.

HYMN LIII.

[O God of truth and love]

O God of truth and love,
Let us Thy mercy prove;
Bless Thine ordinance Divine,
Let it now effectual be,
Answer all its great design,
All its gracious ends in me.

O might the sacred word
Set forth our dying Lord,

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Point us to Thy sufferings past,
Present grace and strength impart,
Give our ravish'd souls a taste,
Pledge of glory in our heart.

Come in Thy Spirit down,
Thine institution crown;
Lamb of God, as slain appear,
Life of all believers Thou,
Let us now perceive Thee near,
Come, Thou Hope of glory, now.

HYMN LIV.

[Why did my dying Lord ordain]

Why did my dying Lord ordain
This dear memorial of His love?
Might we not all by faith obtain,
By faith the mountain sin remove,
Enjoy the sense of sins forgiven,
And holiness, the taste of heaven?

It seem'd to my Redeemer good
That faith should here His coming wait,
Should here receive immortal food,
Grow up in Him Divinely great,
And, fill'd with holy violence, seize
The glorious crown of righteousness.

Saviour, Thou didst the mystery give,
That I Thy nature might partake;
Thou bidd'st me outward signs receive,
One with Thyself my soul to make;
My body, soul, and spirit to join
Inseparably one with Thine.

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The prayer, the fast, the word conveys,
When mix'd with faith, Thy life to me;
In all the channels of Thy grace
I still have fellowship with Thee:
But chiefly here my soul is fed
With fulness of immortal bread.

Communion closer far I feel,
And deeper drink the' atoning blood;
The joy is more unspeakable,
And yields me larger draughts of God,
Till nature faints beneath the power,
And faith fill'd up can hold no more.

HYMN LV.

['Tis not a dead external sign]

'Tis not a dead external sign
Which here my hopes require,
The living power of love Divine
In Jesus I desire.

I want the dear Redeemer's grace,
I seek the Crucified,
The Man that suffer'd in my place,
The God that groan'd and died.

Swift, as their rising Lord to find
The two disciples ran,
I seek the Saviour of mankind,
Nor shall I seek in vain.

Come, all who long His face to see
That did our burden bear,
Hasten to Calvary with me,
And we shall find Him there.

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HYMN LVI.

[How dreadful is the mystery]

How dreadful is the mystery
Which, instituted, Lord, by Thee,
Or life or death conveys!
Death to the impious and profane;
Nor shall our faith in Thee be vain,
Who here expect Thy grace.

Who eats unworthily this bread
Pulls down Thy curses on his head,
And eats his deadly bane;
And shall not we who rightly eat
Live by the salutary meat,
And equal blessings gain?

Destruction if Thy body shed,
And strike the soul of sinners dead
Who dare the signs abuse,
Surely the instrument Divine
To all that are, or would be, Thine
Shall saving health diffuse.

Savour of life, and joy, and bliss,
Pardon and power and perfect peace
We shall herewith receive;
The grace implied through faith is given,
And we that eat the Bread of heaven
The life of heaven shall live.

HYMN LVII.

[O the depth of love Divine]

O the depth of love Divine,
The' unfathomable grace!
Who shall say how bread and wine
God into man conveys!

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How the bread His flesh imparts,
How the wine transmits His blood,
Fills His faithful people's hearts
With all the life of God!

Let the wisest mortal show
How we the grace receive,
Feeble elements bestow
A power not theirs to give.
Who explains the wondrous way,
How through these the virtue came?
These the virtue did convey,
Yet still remain the same.

How can heavenly spirits rise,
By earthly matter fed,
Drink herewith Divine supplies,
And eat immortal bread?
Ask the Father's Wisdom how;
Him that did the means ordain!
Angels round our altars bow
To search it out in vain.

Sure and real is the grace,
The manner be unknown;
Only meet us in Thy ways,
And perfect us in one.
Let us taste the heavenly powers;
Lord, we ask for nothing more:
Thine to bless, 'tis only ours
To wonder and adore.

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HYMN LVIII.

[How long, Thou faithful God, shall I]

How long, Thou faithful God, shall I
Here in Thy ways forgotten lie?
When shall the means of healing be
The channels of Thy grace to me?

Sinners on every side step in,
And wash away their pain and sin;
But I, an helpless sin-sick soul,
Still lie expiring at the pool.

In vain I take the broken bread,
I cannot on Thy mercy feed;
In vain I drink the hallow'd wine,
I cannot taste the love Divine.

Angel and Son of God, come down,
Thy sacramental banquet crown,
Thy power into the means infuse,
And give them now their sacred use.

Thou seest me lying at the pool,
I would, Thou know'st I would be whole;
O let the troubled waters move,
And minister Thy healing love.

Break to me now the hallow'd bread,
And bid me on Thy body feed;
Give me the wine, Almighty God,
And let me drink Thy precious blood.

Surely if Thou the symbols bless,
The covenant blood shall seal my peace;
Thy flesh even now shall be my food,
And all my soul be fill'd with God.

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HYMN LIX.

[God incomprehensible]

God incomprehensible
Shall man presume to know;
Fully search Him out, or tell
His wondrous ways below?
Him in all His ways we find;
How the means transmit the power—
Here He leaves our thoughts behind,
And faith inquires no more.

How He did these creatures raise,
And make this bread and wine
Organs to convey His grace
To this poor soul of mine,
I cannot the way descry,
Need not know the mystery;
Only this I know—that I
Was blind, but now I see.

Now mine eyes are open'd wide,
To see His pardoning love,
Here I view the God that died
My ruin to remove;
Clay upon mine eyes He laid,
(I at once my sight received,)
Bless'd, and bid me eat the bread,
And lo! my soul believed.

HYMN LX.

[Come to the feast, for Christ invites]

Come to the feast, for Christ invites,
And promises to feed;
'Tis here His closest love unites
The members to their Head.

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'Tis here He nourishes His own
With living bread from heaven,
Or makes Himself to mourners known,
And shows their sins forgiven.

Still in His instituted ways
He bids us ask the power,
The pardoning or the hallowing grace,
And wait the' appointed hour.

'Tis not for us to set our God
A time His grace to give,
The benefit whene'er bestow'd
We gladly should receive.

Who seek redemption through His love,
His love shall them redeem;
He came self-emptied from above,
That we might live through Him.

Expect we then the quickening word,
Who at His altar bow;
But if it be Thy pleasure, Lord,
O let us find Thee now.

HYMN LXI.

[Thou God of boundless power and grace]

1

Thou God of boundless power and grace,
How wonderful are all Thy ways!
How far above our loftiest thought!
In presence of the meanest things,
(While all from Thee the virtue springs,)
Thy most stupendous works are wrought.

Struck by a stroke of Moses' rod,
The parting sea confess'd its God,
And high in crystal bulwarks rose;

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At Moses' beck it burst the chain,
Return'd to all its strength again,
And swept to hell Thy church's foes.

2

Let but Thy ark the walls surround,
Let but the ram's-horn trumpet sound,
The city boasts its height no more;
Its bulwarks are at once o'erthrown,
Its massy walls by air blown down,
They fall before almighty power.

Jordan at Thy command shall heal
The sore disease incurable,
And wash out all the leper's stains;
Or oil the medicine shall supply,
Or clothes, or shadows passing by,
If so Thy sovereign will ordains.

3

Yet not from these the power proceeds,
Trumpets, or rods, or clothes, or shades;
Thy only arm the work hath done;
If instruments Thy wisdom choose,
Thy grace confers their saving use,
Salvation is from God alone.

Thou in this sacramental bread
Dost now our hungry spirits feed,
And cheer us with the hallow'd wine;
(Communion of Thy flesh and blood,)
We banquet on immortal food,
And drink the streams of life Divine.

HYMN LXII.

[The heavenly ordinances shine]

The heavenly ordinances shine,
And speak their origin Divine:

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The stars diffuse their golden blaze,
And glitter to their Maker's praise;

They each, in different glory bright,
With stronger or with feebler light
Their influence on mortals shed,
And cheer us by their friendly aid.

The gospel ordinances here
As stars in Jesu's church appear;
His power they more or less declare,
But all His heavenly impress bear.

Around our lower orb they burn,
And cheer and bless us in their turn,
Transmit the light by Jesus given,
The faithful witnesses of heaven.

They steer the pilgrim's course aright,
And bounteous of their borrow'd light
Conduct throughout the desert way,
And lead us to eternal day.

But first of the celestial train,
Benignest to the sons of men,
The sacramental glory shines,
And answers all our God's designs.

The heavenly host it passes far,
Illustrious as the morning star,
The light of life Divine imparts,
While Jesus rises in our hearts.

With joy we feel its sacred power,
But neither stars nor means adore;
We take the blessing from above,
And praise the God of truth and love.

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What He did for our use ordain
Shall still from age to age remain;
Whoe'er rejects the kind command,
The word of God shall ever stand.

Go, foolish worms, His word deny;
Go, tear those planets from the sky!
But while the sun and moon endure,
The ordinance on earth is sure.

HYMN LXIII.

[O God, Thy word we claim]

O God, Thy word we claim,
Thou here record'st Thy name:
Visit us in pardoning grace,
Christ, the Crucified, appear,
Come in Thy appointed ways,
Come, and meet, and bless us here.

No local Deity
We worship, Lord, in Thee:
Free Thy grace and unconfined,
Yet it here doth freest move;
In the means Thy love enjoin'd
Look we for Thy richest love.

HYMN LXIV.

[O the grace on man bestow'd!]

O the grace on man bestow'd!
Here my dearest Lord I see
Offering up His death to God,
Giving all His life to me;
God for Jesu's sake forgives,
Man by Jesu's Spirit lives.

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Yes, Thy sacrament extends
All the blessings of Thy death
To the soul that here attends,
Longs to feel Thy quickening breath;
Surely we who wait shall prove
All Thy life of perfect love.

HYMN LXV.

[Blest be the Lord, for ever blest]

Blest be the Lord, for ever blest,
Who bought us with a price,
And bids His ransom'd servants feast
On His great sacrifice.

Thy blood was shed upon the cross,
To wash us white as snow;
Broken for us Thy body was,
To feed our souls below.

Now, on the sacred table laid,
Thy flesh becomes our food,
Thy life is to our souls convey'd
In sacramental blood.

We eat the offering of our peace,
The hidden manna prove,
And only live to' adore and bless
Thine all-sufficient love.

HYMN LXVI.

[Jesu, my Lord and God, bestow]

Jesu, my Lord and God, bestow
All which Thy sacrament doth show,
And make the real sign
A sure effectual means of grace,
Then sanctify my heart, and bless,
And make it all like Thine.

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Great is Thy faithfulness and love,
Thine ordinance can never prove
Of none effect, and vain;
Only do Thou my heart prepare
To find Thy real presence there,
And all Thy fulness gain.

HYMN LXVII.

[Father, I offer Thee Thine own]

Father, I offer Thee Thine own,
This worthless soul, and Thou Thy Son
Dost offer here to me:
Wilt Thou so mean a gift receive,
And will the holy Jesus live
With loathsome leprosy?

Saint of the Lord, my soul is sin;
Yet, O Eternal Priest, come in,
And cleanse Thy mean abode;
Convert into a sacred shrine,
And count this abject soul of mine
A temple meet for God.

HYMN LXVIII.

[Jesu, Son of God, draw near]

Jesu, Son of God, draw near,
Hasten to my sepulchre;
Help, where dead in sin I lie,
Save, or I for ever die.

Let no savour of the grave
Stop Thy power to help and save;
Call me forth to life restored,
Quicken'd by my dying Lord.

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By Thine all-atoning blood
Raise and bring me now to God,
Now pronounce my sins forgiven,
Loose, and let me go to heaven.

HYMN LXIX.

[Sinful, and blind, and poor]

Sinful, and blind, and poor,
And lost without Thy grace,
Thy mercy I implore,
And wait to see Thy face;
Begging I sit by the wayside,
And long to know the Crucified.

Jesu, attend my cry,
Thou Son of David, hear;
If now Thou passest by,
Stand still and call me near,
The darkness from my heart remove,
And show me now Thy pardoning love.

HYMN LXX.

[Happy the man to whom 'tis given]

Happy the man to whom 'tis given
To eat the Bread of life in heaven:
This happiness in Christ we prove,
Who feed on His forgiving love.

HYMN LXXI.

[Draw near, ye blood-besprinkled race]

Draw near, ye blood-besprinkled race,
And take what God vouchsafes to give;
The outward sign of inward grace,
Ordain'd by Christ Himself, receive:

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The sign transmits the signified,
The grace is by the means applied.

Sure pledges of His dying love,
Receive the sacramental meat,
And feel the virtue from above,
The mystic flesh of Jesus eat,
Drink with the wine His healing blood,
And feast on the' Incarnate God.

Gross misconceit be far away!
Through faith we on His body feed;
Faith only doth the Spirit convey,
And fills our souls with living bread,
The' effects of Jesu's death imparts,
And pours His blood into our hearts.

HYMN LXXII.

[Come, Holy Ghost, Thine influence shed]

Come, Holy Ghost, Thine influence shed,
And realize the sign;
Thy life infuse into the bread,
Thy power into the wine.

Effectual let the tokens prove,
And made, by heavenly art,
Fit channels to convey Thy love
To every faithful heart.

HYMN LXXIII.

[Is not the cup of blessing, blest]

Is not the cup of blessing, blest
By us, the sacred means to' impart
Our Saviour's blood, with power imprest
And pardon to the faithful heart?

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Is not the hallow'd broken bread
A sure communicating sign,
An instrument ordain'd to feed
Our souls with mystic flesh Divine?

The' effects of His atoning blood,
His body offer'd on the tree,
Are with the awful types bestow'd
On me, the pardon'd rebel, me;

On all who at His word draw near,
In faith the outward veil look through:
Sinners, believe, and find Him here;
Believe, and feel He died for you.

In memory of your dying God,
The symbols faithfully receive,
And eat the flesh and drink the blood
Of Jesus, and for ever live.

HYMN LXXIV.

[This, this is He that came]

This, this is He that came
By water and by blood;
Jesus is our atoning Lamb,
Our sanctifying God.

See from His wounded side
The mingled current flow!
The water and the blood, applied,
Shall wash us white as snow.

The water cannot cleanse
Before the blood we feel,
To purge the guilt of all our sins,
And our forgiveness seal.

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But both in Jesus join,
Who speaks our sins forgiven,
And gives the purity Divine
That makes us meet for heaven.

HYMN LXXV.

[Father, the grace we claim]

Father, the grace we claim,
The double grace, bestow'd
On all who trust in Him that came
By water and by blood.

Jesu, the blood apply,
The righteousness bring in,
Us by Thy dying justify,
And wash out all our sin.

Spirit of faith, come down,
Thy seal with power set to,
The banquet by Thy presence crown,
And prove the record true:

Pardon and grace impart;
Come quickly from above,
And witness now in every heart
That God is perfect love.

HYMN LXXVI.

[Searcher of hearts, in ours appear]

Searcher of hearts, in ours appear,
And make and keep them all sincere;
Or draw us burden'd to Thy Son,
Or make Him to His mourners known.

Thy promised grace vouchsafe to give,
As each is able to receive;

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The blessed grief to all impart,
Or joy, or purity of heart.

Our helpless unbelief remove,
And melt us by Thy pardoning love;
Work in us faith, or faith's increase,
The dawning, or the perfect peace.

Give each to Thee as seemeth best,
But meet us all at Thy own feast,
Thy blessing in Thy means convey,
Nor empty send one soul away.

HYMN LXXVII.

[How long, O Lord, shall we]

How long, O Lord, shall we
In vain lament for Thee?
Come, and comfort them that mourn,
Come, as in the ancient days,
In Thine ordinance return,
In Thine own appointed ways.

Come to Thy house again,
Nor let us seek in vain;
This the place of meeting be,
To Thy weeping flock repair;
Let us here Thy beauty see,
Find Thee in the house of prayer.

Let us with solemn awe
Nigh to Thine altar draw,
Taste Thee in the broken bread,
Drink Thee in the mystic wine;
Now the gracious Spirit shed,
Fill us now with love Divine.

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Into our minds recall
Thy death, endured for all:
Come in this accepted day,
Come, and all our souls restore,
Come, and take our sins away,
Come, and never leave us more.

HYMN LXXVIII.

[Lamb of God, for whom we languish]

Lamb of God, for whom we languish,
Make Thy grief Our relief,
Ease us by Thine anguish.

O our agonizing Saviour,
By Thy pain Let us gain
God's eternal favour.

Suffer sin no more to' oppress us,
Set us free, (All with me,)
By Thy bonds release us.

Clear us by Thy condemnation;
Slain for all, Let Thy fall
Be our exaltation.

Thy deserts to us make over;
Speak us whole, Every soul
By Thy wounds recover.

Let us through Thy curse inherit
Blessings' store, Love and power,
Fulness of Thy Spirit;

The whole benefit of Thy passion,
Present peace, Future bliss,
All Thy great salvation.

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Power to walk in all well-pleasing
Bid us take, Come and make
This the' accepted season.

In Thine own appointments bless us,
Meet us here, Now appear,
Our Almighty Jesus.

Let the ordinance be sealing,
Enter now, Claim us Thou
For Thy constant dwelling.

Fill the heart of each believer;
We are Thine, Love Divine,
Reign in us for ever.

HYMN LXXIX.

[Jesu, regard the plaintive cry]

Jesu, regard the plaintive cry,
The groaning of Thy prisoners here;
Thy blood to every soul apply,
The heart of every mourner cheer,
The tokens of Thy passion show,
And meet us in Thy ways below.

The' atonement Thou for all hast made,
O that we all might now receive!
Assure us now the debt is paid,
And Thou hast died that all may live,
Thy death for all, for us reveal,
And let Thy blood my pardon seal.

272

HYMN LXXX.

[With pity, Lord, a sinner see]

With pity, Lord, a sinner see,
Weary of Thy ways and Thee;
Forgive my fond despair
A blessing in the means to find,
My struggling to throw off the care,
And cast them all behind.

Long have I groan'd Thy grace to gain,
Suffer'd on, but all in vain:
An age of mournful years
I waited for Thy passing by,
And lost my prayers, my sighs, and tears,
And never found Thee nigh.

Thou wouldst not let me go away;
Still Thou forcest me to stay.
O might the secret power
Which will not with its captive part
Nail to the post of mercy's door
My poor unstable heart.

The nails that fix'd Thee to the tree,
Only they can fasten me:
The death Thou didst endure
For me let it effectual prove:
Thy love alone my soul can cure,
Thy dear expiring love.

Now in the means the grace impart,
Whisper peace into my heart;
Appear the Justifier
Of all who to Thy wounds would fly,
And let me have my one desire,
And see Thy face, and die.

273

HYMN LXXXI.

[Jesu, we thus obey]

Jesu, we thus obey
Thy last and kindest word,
Here in Thine own appointed way
We come to meet our Lord:
The way Thou hast enjoin'd
Thou wilt therein appear;
We come with confidence to find
Thy special presence here.

Our hearts we open wide,
To make the Saviour room;
And lo! the Lamb, the Crucified,
The sinner's Friend, is come!
His presence makes the feast;
And now our bosoms feel
The glory not to be exprest,
The joy unspeakable.

With pure celestial bliss
He doth our spirits cheer,
His house of banqueting is this,
And He hath brought us here:
He doth His servants feed
With manna from above,
His banner over us is spread,
His everlasting love.

He bids us drink and eat
Imperishable food,
He gives His flesh to be our meat,
And bids us drink His blood:

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Whate'er the' Almighty can
To pardon'd sinners give,
The fulness of our God made man
We here with Christ receive.

HYMN LXXXII.

[Jesu, sinner's Friend, receive us]

Jesu, sinner's Friend, receive us,
Feeble, famishing, and faint;
O Thou Bread of Life, relieve us
Now, or now we die for want:
Lest we faint, and die for ever,
Thou our sinking spirits stay;
Give some token of Thy favour,
Empty send us not away.

We have in the desert tarried
Long, and nothing have to eat;
Comfort us, through wandering wearied,
Feed our souls with living meat;
Still with bowels of compassion
See, Thy helpless people see;
Let us taste Thy great salvation,
Let us feed by faith on Thee.

HYMN LXXXIII.

[Lord, if now Thou passest by us]

Lord, if now Thou passest by us,
Stand and call us unto Thee,
Freely, fully justify us,
Give us eyes Thy love to see,

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Love that brought Thee down from heaven,
Made our God a man of grief;
Let it show our sins forgiven;
Help, O help our unbelief.

Long we for Thy love have waited,
Begging sat by the wayside;
Still we are not new-created,
Are not wholly sanctified:
Thou to some in great compassion
Hast in part their sight restored,
Show us all Thy full salvation,
Make the servants as their Lord.

HYMN LXXXIV.

[Christ our Passover for us]

Christ our Passover for us
Is offer'd up and slain!
Let Him be remember'd thus
By every soul of man:
We are bound above the rest
His oblation to proclaim;
Keep we then the solemn feast,
And banquet on the Lamb.

Purge we all our sin away,
That old accursed leaven;
Sin in us no longer stay,
In us, through Christ forgiven:
Let us all with hearts sincere
Eat the new unleaven'd bread,
To our Lord with faith draw near,
And on His promise feed.

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Jesus, Master of the feast,
The feast itself Thou art,
Now receive Thy meanest guest,
And comfort every heart:
Give us living bread to eat,
Manna that from heaven comes down,
Fill us with immortal meat,
And make Thy nature known.

In this barren wilderness
Thou hast a table spread,
Furnish'd out with richest grace
Whate'er our souls can need;
Still sustain us by Thy love,
Still Thy servants' strength repair,
Till we reach the courts above,
And feast for ever there.

[_]

[Hymn LXXXV. will be found in Vol. I., p.169.]

HYMN LXXXVI.

[And shall I let Him go?]

And shall I let Him go?
If now I do not feel
The streams of living water flow,
Shall I forsake the well?

Because He hides His face,
Shall I no longer stay,
But leave the channels of His grace,
And cast the means away?

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Get thee behind me, fiend,
On others try thy skill,
Here let thy hellish whispers end,
To thee I say, Be still!

Jesus hath spoke the word,
His will my reason is;
Do this in memory of thy Lord,
Jesus hath said, Do this!

He bids me eat the bread,
He bids me drink the wine;
No other motive, Lord, I need,
No other word than Thine.

I cheerfully comply
With what my Lord doth say;
Let others ask a reason why,
My glory is to' obey.

His will is good and just:
Shall I His will withstand?
If Jesus bids me lick the dust,
I bow at His command.

Because He saith, Do this,
This I will always do;
Till Jesus come in glorious bliss,
I thus His death will show.

HYMN LXXXVII.

[By the picture of Thy passion]

By the picture of Thy passion
Still in pain I remain,
Waiting for salvation.

278

Jesu, let Thy sufferings ease me;
Saviour, Lord, Speak the word,
By Thy death release me.

At Thy cross behold me lying,
Make my soul Throughly whole
By Thy blood's applying.

Hear me, Lord, my sins confessing;
Now relieve; Saviour, give,
Give me now Thy blessing.

Still my cruel sins oppress me,
Tied and bound Till the sound
Of Thy voice release me.

Call me out of condemnation,
To my grave Come, and save,
Save me by Thy passion.

To Thy foul and helpless creature
Come, and cleanse All my sins;
Come, and change my nature.

Save me now, and still deliver;
Enter in, Cast out sin,
Keep Thine house for ever.

HYMN LXXXVIII.

[Give us this day, all-bounteous Lord]

Give us this day, all-bounteous Lord,
Our sacramental bread,
Who thus His sacrifice record
That suffer'd in our stead.

Reveal in every soul Thy Son,
And let us taste the grace
Which brings assured salvation down
To all who seek Thy face.

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Who here commemorate His death,
To us His life impart,
The loving filial spirit breathe
Into my waiting heart.

My earnest of eternal bliss
Let my Redeemer be;
And if even now He present is,
Now let Him speak in me.

HYMN LXXXIX.

[Ye faithful souls, who thus record]

Ye faithful souls, who thus record
The passion of that Lamb Divine,
Is the memorial of your Lord
An useless form, an empty sign?
Or doth He here His life impart?
What saith the witness in your heart?

Is it the dying Master's will
That we should this persist to do?
Then let Him here Himself reveal,
The tokens of His presence show,
Descend in blessings from above,
And answer by the fire of love.

Who Thee remember in Thy ways,
Come, Lord, and meet and bless us here;
In confidence we ask the grace;
Faithful and True, appear, appear,
Let all perceive Thy blood applied,
Let all discern the Crucified.

'Tis done; the Lord sets to His seal,
The prayer is heard, the grace is given,
With joy unspeakable we feel
The Holy Ghost sent down from heaven;

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The altar streams with sacred blood,
And all the temple flames with God!

HYMN XC.

[Blest be the love, for ever blest]

Blest be the love, for ever blest;
The bleeding love we thus record:
Jesus, we take the dear bequest,
Obedient to Thy kindest word,
Thy word which stands divinely sure,
And shall from age to age endure.

In vain the subtle tempter tries
Thy dying precept to repeal,
To hide the letter from our eyes,
And break the testamental seal,
Refine the solid truth away,
And make us free—to disobey.

In vain he labours to persuade
Thou didst not mean the word should bind;
The feast for Thy first followers made,
For them and us and all mankind,
Mindful of Thee we still attend,
And this we do till time shall end.

Through vain pretence of clearer light,
We do not, Lord, refuse to see,
Or weakly the commandment slight
To show our Christian liberty,
Or seek rebelliously to prove
The pureness of our catholic love.

Our wandering brethren's hearts to gain,
We will not let our Saviour go,
But in Thine ancient paths remain,
But thus persist Thy death to show,

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Till strong with all Thy life we rise,
And met Thee coming in the skies!

HYMN XCI.

[All-loving, all-redeeming Lord]

All-loving, all-redeeming Lord,
Thy wandering sheep with pity see
Who slight Thy dearest dying word,
And will not thus remember Thee:
To all who would perform Thy will
The glorious promised truth reveal.

Can we enjoy Thy richest love,
Nor long that they the grace may share?
Thou from their eyes the scales remove,
Thou the' eternal word declare,
Thy Spirit with Thy word impart,
And speak the precept to their heart.

If chiefly here Thou mayst be found,
If now, even now, we find Thee here,
O let their joys like ours abound,
Invite them to the royal cheer,
Feed with imperishable food,
And fill their raptured souls with God.

Jesu, we will not let Thee go,
But keep herein our fastest hold,
Till Thou to them Thy counsel show,
And call and make us all one fold,
One hallow'd undivided bread,
One body knit to Thee our Head.

282

HYMN XCII.

[Ah, tell us no more]

Ah, tell us no more
The spirit and power
Of Jesus our God
Is not to be found in this life-giving food!

Did Jesus ordain
His supper in vain,
And furnish a feast
For none but His earliest servants to taste?

Nay, but this is His will,
(We know it and feel,)
That we should partake
The banquet for all He so freely did make.

In rapturous bliss
He bids us do this,
The joy it imparts
Hath witness'd His gracious design in our hearts.

'Tis God we believe,
Who cannot deceive,
The witness of God
Is present, and speaks in the mystical blood.

Receiving the bread,
On Jesus we feed:
It doth not appear,
His manner of working; but Jesus is here!

With bread from above,
With comfort and love
Our spirit He fills,
And all His unspeakable goodness reveals.

O that all men would haste
To the spiritual feast,

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At Jesus's word
Do this, and be fed with the love of our Lord!

True Light of mankind,
Shine into their mind,
And clearly reveal
Thy perfect and good and acceptable will.

Bring near the glad day
When all shall obey
Thy dying request,
And eat of Thy supper, and lean on Thy breast.

To all men impart
One way and one heart,
Thy people be shown
All righteous and spotless and perfect in One.

Then, then let us see
Thy glory, and be
Caught up in the air,
This heavenly supper in heaven to share.

University of Virginia Library

II. As it is a Sign and a Means of Grace.

HYMN XXVIII.

[Author of our salvation, Thee]

HYMN XXIX.

[O Thou who this mysterious bread]

HYMN XXX.

[Jesu, at whose supreme command]

HYMN XXXI.

[O Rock of our salvation, see]