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| XVIII. |
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| XLVIII. |
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 | CHAPTER XVIII. The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley |  |
CHAPTER XVIII.
1477.
[Surely if we ought, we may]
Men ought always to pray, &c.
—xviii. 1.
Surely if we ought, we may
Every moment watch and pray:
Simply I receive Thy word,
Merciful, almighty Lord:
Thou who gavest the command,
Nothing can Thy will withstand;
And if I believe in Thee,
Nothing is too hard for me.
Every moment watch and pray:
Simply I receive Thy word,
Merciful, almighty Lord:
Thou who gavest the command,
Nothing can Thy will withstand;
And if I believe in Thee,
Nothing is too hard for me.
255
O that I my God might find
Always present to my mind,
O that I might Thee desire,
Thee in every wish require.
When my constant aim Thou art,
Master of my longing heart,
All my happiness and care;
Then I pray the ceaseless prayer.
Always present to my mind,
O that I might Thee desire,
Thee in every wish require.
When my constant aim Thou art,
Master of my longing heart,
All my happiness and care;
Then I pray the ceaseless prayer.
1478.
[A widow poor, forlorn, oppress'd]
And shall not God avenge His own elect?
—xviii. 7.
A widow poor, forlorn, oppress'd,
Importunate her suit could gain;
And shall not we our joint request
By persevering prayer obtain?
Importunate her suit could gain;
And shall not we our joint request
By persevering prayer obtain?
A stranger to the judge she was;
But we God's chosen people are,
And wishing us to gain our cause
Himself doth all our burdens bear.
But we God's chosen people are,
And wishing us to gain our cause
Himself doth all our burdens bear.
To an unrighteous judge she came,
But to a righteous Father we,
Who bids us confidently claim
His grace for needy sinners free:
But to a righteous Father we,
Who bids us confidently claim
His grace for needy sinners free:
The widow's and the orphan's Friend
Kindly commands us to draw nigh:
And lo, our hearts to heaven ascend,
And boldly Abba Father cry!
Kindly commands us to draw nigh:
And lo, our hearts to heaven ascend,
And boldly Abba Father cry!
She had no promise to succeed,
And but at times could find access;
Encouraged we, and sure to speed,
Both day and night our suit may press.
And but at times could find access;
Encouraged we, and sure to speed,
Both day and night our suit may press.
256
Her vehemence did the judge provoke;
But God our earnestness approves,
Watches our every sigh and look,
And most the boldest suitor loves.
But God our earnestness approves,
Watches our every sigh and look,
And most the boldest suitor loves.
She had no friend or patron kind,
To' enforce and make her suit his own;
But we a powerful Spokesman find
Before us at the Father's throne;
To' enforce and make her suit his own;
But we a powerful Spokesman find
Before us at the Father's throne;
Our Advocate for ever lives
For us in heaven to intercede,
For us the Comforter receives,
And sends Him in our hearts to plead.
For us in heaven to intercede,
For us the Comforter receives,
And sends Him in our hearts to plead.
1479.
[Lord Thy promise we believe]
I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.
—xviii. 8.
Lord Thy promise we believe,
And confidently pray,
Soon Thou wilt the answer give,
And take our sins away,
Wilt Thy precious Self reveal,
Thine own almighty grace employ,
Satan from our hearts expel,
And all his works destroy.
And confidently pray,
Soon Thou wilt the answer give,
And take our sins away,
Wilt Thy precious Self reveal,
Thine own almighty grace employ,
Satan from our hearts expel,
And all his works destroy.
Wrestling on in ceaseless prayer,
We will not let Thee go;
Saviour, Thy great arm make bare,
Avenge us of our foe;
Us who in Thy name intreat,
Thy church Thou canst not long refuse:
Bruise him now beneath our feet,
The fiend for ever bruise.
We will not let Thee go;
Saviour, Thy great arm make bare,
Avenge us of our foe;
Us who in Thy name intreat,
Thy church Thou canst not long refuse:
Bruise him now beneath our feet,
The fiend for ever bruise.
257
Day and night for this we cry,
And will not let Thee rest:
Cast him out, O Lord most high,
And heal our inbred pest.
Deal the' exterminating blow,
Purge out our nature's deepest stains,
Root and branch destroy our foe,
And slay his last remains.
And will not let Thee rest:
Cast him out, O Lord most high,
And heal our inbred pest.
Deal the' exterminating blow,
Purge out our nature's deepest stains,
Root and branch destroy our foe,
And slay his last remains.
Then our spotless spirits hide,
Till Thou to judgment come,
Claim the widow for Thy bride,
And take Thine exiles home,
Fully vindicate Thine own
Admitted in Thy deed to share,
Seated by Thy righteous throne
To doom the tempter there.
Till Thou to judgment come,
Claim the widow for Thy bride,
And take Thine exiles home,
Fully vindicate Thine own
Admitted in Thy deed to share,
Seated by Thy righteous throne
To doom the tempter there.
1480.
[When to the house of prayer we go]
Two men went up into the temple to pray, &c.
—xviii. 10.
When to the house of prayer we go,
Who can our secret motive tell?
Beneath the same religious show
Our good or evil we conceal;
God only knows our inward parts,
The pride, or hunger of our hearts.
Who can our secret motive tell?
Beneath the same religious show
Our good or evil we conceal;
God only knows our inward parts,
The pride, or hunger of our hearts.
The proud He doth far off behold,
But hears the trembling sinner's prayer,
Pities a soul to Satan sold,
Who from the confines of despair
In Jesus' name for mercy cries;
And lives—because his Saviour dies!
But hears the trembling sinner's prayer,
Pities a soul to Satan sold,
Who from the confines of despair
In Jesus' name for mercy cries;
And lives—because his Saviour dies!
258
1481.
[He comes (pretender vain) to pray]
God, I thank Thee, that I am not as other, &c.
—xviii. 11, 12.
He comes (pretender vain) to pray,
Yet nothing of the Lord desires;
He comes, his virtues to display,
Himself, instead of God, admires;
Or thanks Him with his lips alone,
And thinks his goodness all his own.
Yet nothing of the Lord desires;
He comes, his virtues to display,
Himself, instead of God, admires;
Or thanks Him with his lips alone,
And thinks his goodness all his own.
His goodness in externals lies,
In negatives, and forms of good,
In freedom from disgraceful vice,
In alms by vanity bestow'd,
In fasts for sin to satisfy,
And the first seat above to buy.
In negatives, and forms of good,
In freedom from disgraceful vice,
In alms by vanity bestow'd,
In fasts for sin to satisfy,
And the first seat above to buy.
His thanks abominably vain
The number of his sins increase,
And while he scorns the dregs of men
His inward parts are wickedness;
And while he God his debtor makes
All glory to himself he takes.
The number of his sins increase,
And while he scorns the dregs of men
His inward parts are wickedness;
And while he God his debtor makes
All glory to himself he takes.
Presumption, confidence, and pride,
The prayer of Pharisees compose,
Of all who in themselves confide;
From nature their religion flows,
Nature improved by hellish art,
To hide the demon in their heart.
The prayer of Pharisees compose,
Of all who in themselves confide;
From nature their religion flows,
Nature improved by hellish art,
To hide the demon in their heart.
1482.
[A mere helpless sinner I]
God be merciful to me a sinner.
—xviii. 13.
A mere helpless sinner I
Must without His mercy die;
But when this is all my plea,
God in Christ is love to me.
259
1483.
[Lord, I would be brought to Thee]
They brought unto Him also infants, &c.
—xviii. 15–17.
Lord, I would be brought to Thee,
Passive as an infant be,
Hallow'd by that touch of Thine,
Lodged within the arms Divine.
Passive as an infant be,
Hallow'd by that touch of Thine,
Lodged within the arms Divine.
Longing to be all Thine own,
Let me hang on Thee alone,
Free from trouble and concern
All my manly thoughts unlearn.
Let me hang on Thee alone,
Free from trouble and concern
All my manly thoughts unlearn.
All my worldly wisdom lose,
All my power to will or choose;
Simply in Thy Spirit live,
Everything from God receive.
All my power to will or choose;
Simply in Thy Spirit live,
Everything from God receive.
Let my elder brethren chide,
Push my foolishness aside,
Call'd I am in Thee to rest;
Press me closer to Thy breast.
Push my foolishness aside,
Call'd I am in Thee to rest;
Press me closer to Thy breast.
Me into Thy kingdom take,
Me Thy loyal subject make,
Hide my happy life above,
Safe in unreflecting love.
Me Thy loyal subject make,
Hide my happy life above,
Safe in unreflecting love.
Principled with humble grace
Make me meet to see Thy face,
Then Thy spotless image own,
Then receive me to Thy throne.
Make me meet to see Thy face,
Then Thy spotless image own,
Then receive me to Thy throne.
1484.
[How rich in God's esteem]
There is no man that hath left house, &c.
—xviii. 29.
How rich in God's esteem
Is Jesus' minister,
Who has abandon'd all for Him,
And nothing covets here!
From hopes and fears set free
He labours for the sky,
In apostolic poverty
Resolved to live and die.
Is Jesus' minister,
Who has abandon'd all for Him,
And nothing covets here!
260
He labours for the sky,
In apostolic poverty
Resolved to live and die.
For precious souls he cares,
Their willing servant is,
And glad attends the royal heirs
Of everlasting bliss;
Nothing he hath, below,
And yet of all possess'd
Exults in perfect peace to go
And share that heavenly feast.
Their willing servant is,
And glad attends the royal heirs
Of everlasting bliss;
Nothing he hath, below,
And yet of all possess'd
Exults in perfect peace to go
And share that heavenly feast.
Lord we our seal set to,
Before we hence remove,
And testify that Thou art true,
To those who trust Thy love:
Besprinkled with Thy blood,
In deepest poverty,
Detach'd from every outward good
We all things have in Thee.
Before we hence remove,
And testify that Thou art true,
To those who trust Thy love:
Besprinkled with Thy blood,
In deepest poverty,
Detach'd from every outward good
We all things have in Thee.
In Thy mysterious peace,
Which rules the spotless mind,
We here an hundredfold possess
For what we left behind;
Happy on earth we live
Who know our sins forgiven,
And die exulting to receive
Our full reward in heaven.
Which rules the spotless mind,
We here an hundredfold possess
For what we left behind;
Happy on earth we live
Who know our sins forgiven,
And die exulting to receive
Our full reward in heaven.
1485.
[How ignorant and blind]
A certain blind man sat by the way side, &c.
—xviii. 35–43.
How ignorant and blind
The sinner's heart and mind!
In the shades of death he dwells,
Poor and proud of misery;
When his unbelief he feels,
Then he half begins to see.
The sinner's heart and mind!
261
Poor and proud of misery;
When his unbelief he feels,
Then he half begins to see.
Happy, if then he hear
Of the Physician near,
Jesus, Son of the Most-High,
Met with in the beggar's way!
But He quickly passes by:
Prayer alone can make Him stay.
Of the Physician near,
Jesus, Son of the Most-High,
Met with in the beggar's way!
But He quickly passes by:
Prayer alone can make Him stay.
Stop Him by prayer alone
Address'd to David's Son;
Cry, thou wretched beggar, cry,
Jesus, my Redeemer be,
Save, or in my sins I die,
Show Thy pardoning love to me.
Address'd to David's Son;
Cry, thou wretched beggar, cry,
Jesus, my Redeemer be,
Save, or in my sins I die,
Show Thy pardoning love to me.
Check'd by the worldly throng
I will not hold my tongue,
More importunate I cry
With redoubled energy;
Save, or in my sins I die,
Show Thy pardoning love to me.
I will not hold my tongue,
More importunate I cry
With redoubled energy;
Save, or in my sins I die,
Show Thy pardoning love to me.
Thou dost Thy suppliant hear,
Thy call hath brought me near;
All my heart to Thee is known,
Lord, I would receive my sight:
Shine, Thou uncreated Sun,
Turn my darkness into light.
Thy call hath brought me near;
All my heart to Thee is known,
Lord, I would receive my sight:
Shine, Thou uncreated Sun,
Turn my darkness into light.
This unbelief of heart
Command it to depart:
Pardon with Thy Spirit give;
Speak, and all my sins are gone,
Speak, and I my Lord perceive,
Truly saved by faith alone.
Command it to depart:
262
Speak, and all my sins are gone,
Speak, and I my Lord perceive,
Truly saved by faith alone.
Thou dost my pardon seal,
Thou dost Thyself reveal,
Thee my Saviour from above
Now Thou giv'st me eyes to see,
Tongue to praise, and heart to love,
Feet to follow after Thee.
Thou dost Thyself reveal,
Thee my Saviour from above
Now Thou giv'st me eyes to see,
Tongue to praise, and heart to love,
Feet to follow after Thee.
Happy through life if I
My God may glorify,
Make Thy power and mercy known,
Worthily show forth Thy praise,
Force the heathen world to own
The great miracle of grace.
My God may glorify,
Make Thy power and mercy known,
Worthily show forth Thy praise,
Force the heathen world to own
The great miracle of grace.
| CHAPTER XVIII. The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley | |