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| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
 | XIII. |
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 | CHAPTER XIV. The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley |  |
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CHAPTER XIV.
1414.
[Jesus, Thou dost the sinner see]
There was a certain man . . . which had the, &c.
—xiv. 2–4.
Jesus, Thou dost the sinner see,
Thy mercy meets my misery
Preventing my request;
Unask'd Thou dost Thy blessings give,
Thy heart inclines Thee to receive
And succour the distress'd.
Thy mercy meets my misery
Preventing my request;
Unask'd Thou dost Thy blessings give,
Thy heart inclines Thee to receive
And succour the distress'd.
Present before Thy pitying eyes
To Thee my soul for help applies
In nature's sore disease:
This thirst of pleasure, wealth, and fame
Indulgence doth but more inflame,
And make my plague increase.
To Thee my soul for help applies
In nature's sore disease:
This thirst of pleasure, wealth, and fame
Indulgence doth but more inflame,
And make my plague increase.
Swollen with concupiscence and pride,
I cannot heal, I cannot hide
The dropsy of my soul;
Unless Thou all Thy love reveal
The cause out of my heart to' expel,
I never shall be whole.
I cannot heal, I cannot hide
The dropsy of my soul;
Unless Thou all Thy love reveal
The cause out of my heart to' expel,
I never shall be whole.
Thy hand medicinal extend,
To make my sins and sufferings end
Apply Thy sovereign grace:
Dry up in me corruption's flood,
And all my lust of creature good,
And all my thirst of praise.
To make my sins and sufferings end
Apply Thy sovereign grace:
Dry up in me corruption's flood,
And all my lust of creature good,
And all my thirst of praise.
Faith to be heal'd even now I feel,
I trust that balm infallible
Which Thy own Spirit applies:
Thy love omnipotent display,
And send me throughly heal'd away
From earth to paradise.
I trust that balm infallible
Which Thy own Spirit applies:
Thy love omnipotent display,
And send me throughly heal'd away
From earth to paradise.
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1415.
[What meekness, grace, and love Divine]
Which of you shall have an ass or an ox, &c.
—xiv. 5.
What meekness, grace, and love Divine
Through all His words and actions shine!
He teaches, not insults His foes,
Nor publishes the hearts He knows:
He stops the mouth of baffled spite,
Nor brings their secret sins to light,
Nor drags them out for all to see,
But hides His silent victory.
1416.
[How doth he take the lowest place]
Sit down in the lowest room.
—xiv. 10.
How doth he take the lowest place
Who glories in the heights of grace?
And free from self-mistrusting fear
Assumes the perfect character?
If void of true humility,
No place among the saints hath he;
And if his pride he will not feel,
Shall have the lowest place—in hell.
1417.
[Why have I, Lord, so often been]
Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased.
—xiv. 11.
Why have I, Lord, so often been
Baffled, debased by every sin?
With humble shame and grief
One sin I own the cause of all,
Pride always went before my fall,
The pride of unbelief.
1418.
[Give me, O Lord, my soul to' abase]
He that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
—xiv. 11.
Give me, O Lord, my soul to' abase,
To sink o'erwhelm'd with pardoning grace
Lower and lower yet;
But till I mount above the skies,
O may I never, never rise
From weeping at Thy feet!
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1419.
[Shall man exalt himself, or boast]
Shall man exalt himself, or boast
His goodness, forfeited and lost
When his first parent fell?
A dark abyss of sin unknown
Is all he now can call his own,
And all his right is hell.
His goodness, forfeited and lost
When his first parent fell?
A dark abyss of sin unknown
Is all he now can call his own,
And all his right is hell.
The good he doth through grace regain
He may by lowliness retain,
Or forfeit it by pride:
Full of the serpent's treacherous art,
He cannot trust his own weak heart
Or in his gifts confide.
He may by lowliness retain,
Or forfeit it by pride:
Full of the serpent's treacherous art,
He cannot trust his own weak heart
Or in his gifts confide.
Yet bold his neighbour to explore,
He durst prefer himself before
The meanest sons of grace;
No evil in himself can see,
And passing all in purity
He takes the highest place.
He durst prefer himself before
The meanest sons of grace;
No evil in himself can see,
And passing all in purity
He takes the highest place.
But taught of God we wait the end,
A moment patiently attend
Our true estate to find;
Eternity will soon disclose
What none but the Omniscient knows,
The hearts of all mankind.
A moment patiently attend
Our true estate to find;
Eternity will soon disclose
What none but the Omniscient knows,
The hearts of all mankind.
1420.
[Who gladly to his home invites]
When thou makest a feast, call the poor, &c.
—xiv. 13, 14.
Who gladly to his home invites
The poor that keep their Saviour's word,
Relations all at once unites,
Friends, neighbours, brethren in the Lord,
Christ in His members entertains,
And heaven's eternal banquet gains.
The poor that keep their Saviour's word,
Relations all at once unites,
Friends, neighbours, brethren in the Lord,
Christ in His members entertains,
And heaven's eternal banquet gains.
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Their debts to God who paid alone
Jesus their debts to man shall pay:
The future partners of His throne,
Christian, thy royal guests survey!
The princes of His people these
Who sit in heavenly palaces.
Jesus their debts to man shall pay:
The future partners of His throne,
Christian, thy royal guests survey!
The princes of His people these
Who sit in heavenly palaces.
To tend the great Jehovah's heirs,
Persist with joy thy goods to give,
Thy labours, services, and cares;
A ministerial spirit live,
Till Jesus in the clouds come down
And His glad host with glory crown.
Persist with joy thy goods to give,
Thy labours, services, and cares;
A ministerial spirit live,
Till Jesus in the clouds come down
And His glad host with glory crown.
1421.
[Happiness for Adam's race]
A certain man made a great supper, and, &c.
—xiv. 16.
Happiness for Adam's race
Thou hast, O God, prepared;
All may gain Thy pardoning grace,
And heaven their full reward:
Bliss unspeakable, unknown,
Thou hast for every soul design'd,
Freely given Thine only Son
A Feast for all mankind.
1422.
[When the time was now fulfill'd]
And sent his servant at supper time to say, &c.
—xiv. 17.
When the time was now fulfill'd
Thou didst send forth our Lord;
In a servant's form reveal'd
He preach'd the gospel word,
Show'd the heavenly kingdom nigh,
Invited sinners to the feast,
“Weary souls, on Me rely,
And I will give you rest.
Thou didst send forth our Lord;
In a servant's form reveal'd
He preach'd the gospel word,
Show'd the heavenly kingdom nigh,
Invited sinners to the feast,
“Weary souls, on Me rely,
And I will give you rest.
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I will give you drink, and feed
Your hungry souls with love,
To the feast eternal lead,
And be your Life above;
I have there prepared your place
Who to My yoke your spirits bow;
Now receive My word, and grace
And heaven is ready now.”
Your hungry souls with love,
To the feast eternal lead,
And be your Life above;
I have there prepared your place
Who to My yoke your spirits bow;
Now receive My word, and grace
And heaven is ready now.”
1423.
[Men with one consent excuse]
They all with one consent began to make, &c.
—xiv. 18–20.
Men with one consent excuse
Themselves from happiness,
Still in various ways refuse
Their Saviour and His grace;
Some unpolish'd roughness show,
The messengers in haste repel,
Some with courteous smoothness go,
And decently—to hell.
Themselves from happiness,
Still in various ways refuse
Their Saviour and His grace;
Some unpolish'd roughness show,
The messengers in haste repel,
Some with courteous smoothness go,
And decently—to hell.
House to house and field to field
The greedy worldling joins:
Shall he leave his ground untill'd
To serve his God's designs?
Time for heaven he cannot spare,
Or on his precious soul attend,
Earth engrosses all his care
Till life's short moment end.
The greedy worldling joins:
Shall he leave his ground untill'd
To serve his God's designs?
Time for heaven he cannot spare,
Or on his precious soul attend,
Earth engrosses all his care
Till life's short moment end.
All his treasure here he views,
And toils and hurries on,
Eagerly the world pursues
By lawful things undone:
“Business must be minded now:”
Who can for God no leisure find
Sets his hand to Satan's plough,
And never looks behind.
And toils and hurries on,
Eagerly the world pursues
By lawful things undone:
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Who can for God no leisure find
Sets his hand to Satan's plough,
And never looks behind.
Why should that a hindrance prove
Which God a help intends?
Sinner gain in Jesus' love
The bliss that never ends;
Come, thou oft-invited guest
Whom God Himself vouchsafes to woo,
Hasten to the gospel-feast,
And bring thy consort too.
Which God a help intends?
Sinner gain in Jesus' love
The bliss that never ends;
Come, thou oft-invited guest
Whom God Himself vouchsafes to woo,
Hasten to the gospel-feast,
And bring thy consort too.
1424.
[Multitudes of souls distress'd]
Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, &c.
—xiv. 22.
Multitudes of souls distress'd
At Thy command are come,
Now partake the heavenly feast,
Yet, Lord, there still is room:
Room (though millions have obey'd
Thy call, and to Thy arms are brought),
Room for all Thy hands have made,
For all Thy blood hath bought.
At Thy command are come,
Now partake the heavenly feast,
Yet, Lord, there still is room:
Room (though millions have obey'd
Thy call, and to Thy arms are brought),
Room for all Thy hands have made,
For all Thy blood hath bought.
Room in Thy capacious breast
There is for all our kind,
Every soul may gain the rest
For every soul design'd,
Plunge in that unfathom'd sea,
The depth and height of mercy prove,
Feast through all eternity
On my Redeemer's love.
There is for all our kind,
Every soul may gain the rest
For every soul design'd,
Plunge in that unfathom'd sea,
The depth and height of mercy prove,
Feast through all eternity
On my Redeemer's love.
230
1425.
[To the hedges and highways]
Go out . . . and compel them to come in, &c.
—xiv. 23.
To the hedges and highways
Even now Thy servant goes,
All the riches of Thy grace
To wandering sinners shows;
Seeks the vagabonds that fly
The most abandon'd slaves of sin,
Outcasts at the point to die,
And forces to come in.
Even now Thy servant goes,
All the riches of Thy grace
To wandering sinners shows;
Seeks the vagabonds that fly
The most abandon'd slaves of sin,
Outcasts at the point to die,
And forces to come in.
Jesus bleeding on the tree,
Thy death their hearts compels,
Then they feel the joy in Thee
Which all delight excels.
Crowd into Thy house below,
Convinced Thy flesh is meat indeed
Thee their life eternal know,
And on Thy fulness feed.
Thy death their hearts compels,
Then they feel the joy in Thee
Which all delight excels.
Crowd into Thy house below,
Convinced Thy flesh is meat indeed
Thee their life eternal know,
And on Thy fulness feed.
1426.
[O what multitudes at last]
None of those men which were bidden shall taste.
—xiv. 24.
O what multitudes at last
Their own destroyers prove!
Call'd, they might but will not taste
The sweets of Jesus' love:
Those who scorn'd His proffer'd grace,
And would not to His supper come,
Christ shall from His presence chase
To hell's eternal gloom.
1427.
[Who follows Christ with heart sincere]
If any man come to Me, and hate not his, &c.
—xiv. 26.
Who follows Christ with heart sincere,
Sits loose to all relations here,
From every creature free:
The tenderest love which nature knows
Compared with what to Christ he owes
May pass for enmity.
Sits loose to all relations here,
From every creature free:
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Compared with what to Christ he owes
May pass for enmity.
Far above all competitors
Jesus the Saviour he prefers,
Jesus the Good supreme;
His bosom-friend if Christ demands
He renders back into His hands,
Or dies himself for Him.
Jesus the Saviour he prefers,
Jesus the Good supreme;
His bosom-friend if Christ demands
He renders back into His hands,
Or dies himself for Him.
1428.
[Millions the Christian name]
Whosoever doth not bear his cross, &c.
—xiv. 27.
Millions the Christian name
Without the cross receive,
Servants of men and slaves of fame
In ease and pleasures live;
Following the world His foe
They throng the spacious road,
Nor will in Jesu's footsteps go
By Calvary to God.
Without the cross receive,
Servants of men and slaves of fame
In ease and pleasures live;
Following the world His foe
They throng the spacious road,
Nor will in Jesu's footsteps go
By Calvary to God.
But better taught by grace
His doctrines I approve,
Cheerful His daily cross embrace,
And all His sufferings love:
With joy I follow Him
Who once for sinners died,
And nothing know, desire, esteem
But Jesus crucified.
His doctrines I approve,
Cheerful His daily cross embrace,
And all His sufferings love:
With joy I follow Him
Who once for sinners died,
And nothing know, desire, esteem
But Jesus crucified.
1429.
[Lord, I have counted first the cost]
Which of you . . . sitteth not down first, and, &c.
—xiv. 28.
Lord, I have counted first the cost,
My all must for Thy love be lost:
I know, the sure foundation stands
Establish'd by almighty hands;
And Thou who hast Thy work begun,
From faith to faith shalt lead me on,
Till bold I to the summit press,
And rise complete in holiness.
My all must for Thy love be lost:
I know, the sure foundation stands
Establish'd by almighty hands;
232
From faith to faith shalt lead me on,
Till bold I to the summit press,
And rise complete in holiness.
I reckon on Thy Spirit's power
To build me up into a tower,
Thy gracious all-sufficiency
Shall bring forth the head-stone in me:
The more I sink in my own eyes
The higher in my Lord's I rise,
Fall into nothing through Thy love,
And thus I reach Thy throne above.
To build me up into a tower,
Thy gracious all-sufficiency
Shall bring forth the head-stone in me:
The more I sink in my own eyes
The higher in my Lord's I rise,
Fall into nothing through Thy love,
And thus I reach Thy throne above.
1430.
[Shall I the Lord of hosts defy]
Or what king, going to make war, &c.
—xiv. 31, 32.
Shall I the Lord of hosts defy,
As stronger than the' Almighty I?
Or now my impotence confess,
And humbly sue for terms of peace?
The terms He hath already given,
The peace is made 'twixt earth and heaven;
I yield: the war is at an end,
And God in Jesus is my friend.
| CHAPTER XIV. The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley | |