The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

O what a life is mine!
Backward I cast mine eye,
And trembling own the truth Divine,
“I must repent, or die!”
But Him, who tells me so,
Highly extoll'd I see,
The godly sorrow to bestow,
The godly love on me.

Saviour, and Prince, appear
To break this stubborn heart,
And then to bid my guilty fear
And unbelief depart;

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While at Thy feet I grieve,
From all my sins release,
The sense of Thy salvation give,
The kingdom of Thy peace.

1402.

[A sinner long possess'd by sin]

And, behold, there was a woman which, &c. —xiii. 11–13.

A sinner long possess'd by sin,
By Satan's power together bow'd,
Is utter impotence within,
Nor can lift up his soul to God;
Carnal his unregenerate mind,
Perverse his will, to evil prone,
His soul is all to earth inclined:
And such alas I find my own!

But surely Thou hast cast on me
The eye of Thy preventing grace,
Hast seen my depth of misery,
And undertook my desperate case.
Even now I hear Thine inward word,
Obedient to Thy sovereign will,
Which draws and brings me to my Lord,
And bids me wait Thy hand to feel.

That hand beneficent, Divine,
In mercy on Thy creature laid,
Shall strengthen this weak soul of mine,
Correct the work itself hath made;
My heart and spirit rectify,
Remove my nature's bent to ill,
And while Thou dost the rule apply,
Conform me to Thy perfect will.

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O that I now my heart could raise
Transferr'd from earth to things above,
And only live to spread Thy praise,
To magnify Thy healing love!
O that in every word and thought
And deed I might Thy glory show,
Who hast on me such wonders wrought,
That all may Thy salvation know.

1403.

[The foes of our Lord, Who multitudes see]

All His adversaries were ashamed: and all, &c. —xiii. 17.

The foes of our Lord, Who multitudes see
Made straight and restored By mercy like me,
With wonders surrounded No credence they give,
And must be confounded Who will not believe.

But we the base throng Our voices may raise,
And sing the new song To Jesus's praise:
With joy we adore Thee, Thy miracles own,
And give Thee the glory Of all Thou hast done.

Bow'd down to the ground, But prisoners of hope,
We heard the glad sound That lifted us up:
The news of Thy passion It set our hearts free,
And call'd to salvation We found it in Thee.

The works of Thy grace Exulting we sing,
Our tribute of praise And thankfulness bring;
Thou Saviour hast bought us, And sprinkled with blood,
Hast ransom'd and brought us Accepted to God.

1404.

[He that hath ears to hear]

He said unto them, Strive to enter in at, &c. —xiii. 23, 24.

He that hath ears to hear
Will fully understand
Thine answer, Lord, express and clear,
Contain'd in Thy command;

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To that celestial port
In safety few arrive,
But multitudes who seek come short
Because they never strive.

Their indolence would shun
The agonizing pain,
Widen the way to bliss unknown,
And make the hill a plain;
As always in their power
The joys of heaven they dream,
And nothing find at death's sad hour
But hell reserved for them.

1405.

[Long did I seek in vain]

Long did I seek in vain,
And could not enter in;
Now, Saviour, every nerve I strain,
But am not saved from sin:
I struggle to get free,
I strive, and pray, and groan;
Yet when admitted into Thee,
Shall live by grace alone.

1406.

[The Jews beheld the Lord most-high]

We have eaten and drunk in Thy presence, &c. —xiii. 26.

The Jews beheld the Lord most-high,
When God on earth appear'd,
His wonders saw with careless eye,
His slighted sayings heard:
They would not own that Christ was He,
The true eternal God,
Held fast their incredulity,
And perish'd in their blood.

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Professors still His name abuse,
His sacraments and word,
Subjection to His will refuse,
And falsely call Him Lord;
But who will not their Master own,
Or His commands obey,
They justly are by Christ unknown
In that decisive day.

1407.

[Earth's remotest countries now]

They shall come from the east, &c. —xiii. 29.

Earth's remotest countries now
The law of Christ receive;
Heathens once, to Him we bow,
And in His name believe,
Hold, of Jesus' Spirit possess'd,
Communion sweet with saints forgiven,
Banquet at the royal feast,
And eat the bread of heaven.

1408.

[Oft a soul that late begins]

There are last which shall be first, and, &c. —xiii. 30.

Oft a soul that late begins
To run the Christian race
Leaves the rest behind, and wins
The crown of righteousness,
Burning with intensest zeal,
Sunk in the lowest depths of love,
First he scales the heavenly hill,
And finds his seat above.

Set on slippery ground is he
Who claims the foremost place,
Conscious of his primacy
He loses all his grace:

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Of himself who highly thinks
He tumbles from perfection's height;
Then the first is last, and sinks
Into eternal night.

1409.

[Thee, Lord, we our Example see]

There came certain of the Pharisees, saying, &c. —xiii. 31.

Thee, Lord, we our Example see,
Hard-threaten'd by the world like Thee
Satan employs his ministers
To' alarm us by a thousand fears,
Weaken our hands, dismay our heart,
And make us from our work depart.

But arm'd with Thy undaunted zeal
We slight who can the body kill,
Their feeble menaces disdain,
Our path pursue, our post maintain,
In dangers, snares, and deaths live on
Immortal till our work is done.

1410.

[Jesus, if Thou Thy Spirit give]

I cast out devils, and I do cures to-day and, &c. —xiii. 32.

Jesus, if Thou Thy Spirit give,
We all the serpent's wiles perceive,
Faithful and true perform Thy will,
Our ministry with joy fulfil,
Give up our all, and win the prize
When death completes the sacrifice.

1411.

[My hunted life belongs to Thee]

Nevertheless I must walk to-day, and, &c. —xiii. 33.

My hunted life belongs to Thee
Subsisting still by Thy decree:
And while Thou wilt its actions use,
My hunted life I cannot lose,
Bound up with Thy designs of love,
And safe with Thee conceal'd above.

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1412.

[Far from the house of God most-high]

It cannot be that a prophet perish out. —xiii. 33.

Far from the house of God most-high
The victim was not to be slain;
The Truth must there the place supply
Of all its types and figures vain,
Jerusalem her sin fill up,
(The bloody, proud Jerusalem,)
And Jesus on Moriah's top
All nations of the earth redeem.

1413.

[Would God decree His creature's pain]

How often would I have gathered, &c. —xiii. 34.

Would God decree His creature's pain,
Would Jesus pass one sinner by,
Of man's obduracy complain,
Or ask who must, Why will ye die?
Could Love Divine their death intend?
And mock with offers insincere?
His messengers to sinners send,
But first resolve they should not hear?

“How oft would I have gather'd you
And ye would not be gather'd in!”
Sinners believe the record true,
The truth itself in Christ is seen,
In pity's softest form appears
And fain would bring you all to God,
He weeps! believe His artless tears:
He bleeds! believe His speaking blood.

University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER XIII.

1401.

[O what a life is mine!]