 | CHAPTER XX. The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley |  |
CHAPTER XX.
1501.
[The people can a prophet know]
They be persuaded that John was a prophet.
—xx. 6.
The people can a prophet know
Who lives a prophet's life below,
Who witnesses the truths of God,
And seals his mission with his blood.
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Through envious prepossession blind,
Nor should a saint the praise receive
Which Pharisees are forced to give.
1502.
[His miracles had plainly told]
Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you, &c.
—xx. 8.
His miracles had plainly told
The' authority of Christ the Lord,
But who would not the facts behold,
Would never have believed His word:
He justly then to them denies
The light which He on babes bestows,
Hides from the prudent and the wise,
And mysteries to the simple shows.
1503.
[Jesus to heaven is gone]
He went into a far country for a length of time.
—xx. 9.
Jesus to heaven is gone,
That distant land unknown,
Long He from His vineyard stays,
Doth not in His flesh appear;
Yet in His protecting grace
Every day we find Him here.
That distant land unknown,
Long He from His vineyard stays,
Doth not in His flesh appear;
Yet in His protecting grace
Every day we find Him here.
The slothful worldly throng
Suppose He tarries long;
Life appears an age to them,
Till the' important moment's o'er,
Then they wake out of their dream,
See the Judge, and sleep no more.
Suppose He tarries long;
Life appears an age to them,
Till the' important moment's o'er,
Then they wake out of their dream,
See the Judge, and sleep no more.
1504.
[Who in his mean condition here]
Whosoever shall fall upon that stone, &c.
—xx. 18.
Who in his mean condition here
Refused the humbled Son of man,
Induced His righteous wrath severe
And perish'd, without mercy slain;
Who scorn Him on His glorious throne,
More harden'd than rebellious Jews,
His judgments shall on them come down,
His vengeance shall for ever bruise.
Refused the humbled Son of man,
Induced His righteous wrath severe
And perish'd, without mercy slain;
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More harden'd than rebellious Jews,
His judgments shall on them come down,
His vengeance shall for ever bruise.
Who on Thy mystic body fall,
Thy church, O Lord, they cannot shock,
But broken fly, and scatter'd all
Like dashing glass against a rock;
And who their fearful state can tell,
When Christ to' avenge His saints shall come,
His whole almighty wrath reveal,
And fix their everlasting doom!
Thy church, O Lord, they cannot shock,
But broken fly, and scatter'd all
Like dashing glass against a rock;
And who their fearful state can tell,
When Christ to' avenge His saints shall come,
His whole almighty wrath reveal,
And fix their everlasting doom!
1505.
[Who sets not God before his eyes]
They feared the people.
—xx. 19.
Who sets not God before his eyes,
Who His eternal wrath defies,
What keeps him from the last excess,
The utmost height of wickedness?
Only the abject fear of man,
And momentary ills restrain
A sinner, hanging by that hair
O'er the deep gulf of dark despair.
1506.
[Beneath a mask of piety]
They . . . sent forth spies, which should feign, &c.
—xx. 20.
Beneath a mask of piety
Their worst designs the wicked hide:
Yet (for their hearts we cannot see,
Till actions cast the veil aside)
Love all things hopes, and all believes,
Rejecting and suspecting none:
And thus the hypocrite deceives,
And makes us trust in God alone.
Their worst designs the wicked hide:
Yet (for their hearts we cannot see,
Till actions cast the veil aside)
Love all things hopes, and all believes,
Rejecting and suspecting none:
And thus the hypocrite deceives,
And makes us trust in God alone.
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The wisdom from above restrains,
And governs our credulity,
It guards the simple, and explains
How caution may with love agree.
With candour then we all receive,
Yet safe beyond the' impostor's power
We none implicitly believe,
We trust appearances no more.
And governs our credulity,
It guards the simple, and explains
How caution may with love agree.
With candour then we all receive,
Yet safe beyond the' impostor's power
We none implicitly believe,
We trust appearances no more.
1507.
[The wicked, Lord, and they alone]
Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Cæsar, or no?
—xx. 22.
The wicked, Lord, and they alone
Will question Cæsar's right,
Who Thy authority disown
May Thy vicegerent slight;
Who reverence God, their king obey
With constant loyalty,
And while his due to him we pay,
We serve and worship Thee.
1508.
[In Thee, O Lord, is all my trust]
They could not take hold of His words.
—xx. 26.
In Thee, O Lord, is all my trust,
When men by speeches fair
Urge me to speak, and seeming just
Would in my words ensnare;
To turn the tempter's tools aside,
Thou wilt my wisdom be,
Thou wilt direct my tongue, and guide
My heart resign'd to Thee.
1509.
[The Lord unto my Lord hath said]
The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on, &c.
—xx. 42, 43.
The Lord unto my Lord hath said,
The Father to His risen Son,
Sit Thou with all My power array'd,
The Partner of My heavenly throne;
At My right hand exalted sit,
Till all who Thy command withstood
Are subjected beneath Thy feet,
Cast down and vanquish'd by Thy blood.
The Father to His risen Son,
Sit Thou with all My power array'd,
The Partner of My heavenly throne;
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Till all who Thy command withstood
Are subjected beneath Thy feet,
Cast down and vanquish'd by Thy blood.
Jesus, eternally the same,
Enthroned in glorious rest above,
We call on Thine almighty name,
We trust in Thine all-conquering love:
Thy church's foes Thou know'st are Thine,
The foes of our salvation see,
Take to Thyself Thy strength Divine,
And fight against them all in me.
Enthroned in glorious rest above,
We call on Thine almighty name,
We trust in Thine all-conquering love:
Thy church's foes Thou know'st are Thine,
The foes of our salvation see,
Take to Thyself Thy strength Divine,
And fight against them all in me.
Thou hast o'ercome the world and sin,
The work of ancient days repeat,
For us; for us the battle win,
And make Thy victory complete;
Whoe'er oppose Thy righteous reign,
We long to see them all subdued,
And every rebel soul of man
Prostrate before their dying God.
The work of ancient days repeat,
For us; for us the battle win,
And make Thy victory complete;
Whoe'er oppose Thy righteous reign,
We long to see them all subdued,
And every rebel soul of man
Prostrate before their dying God.
Avenge us, Saviour, of our foe,
Whose malice doth Thy saints accuse,
The seat of Antichrist o'erthrow,
Under our feet the tempter bruise;
Him and his works at once destroy,
The fulness of Thy Spirit give,
And crown us with triumphant joy,
And to Thy heavenly throne receive.
Whose malice doth Thy saints accuse,
The seat of Antichrist o'erthrow,
Under our feet the tempter bruise;
Him and his works at once destroy,
The fulness of Thy Spirit give,
And crown us with triumphant joy,
And to Thy heavenly throne receive.
1510.
[Alas for us, who need beware]
Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk, &c.
—xx. 46, 47.
Alas for us, who need beware
Of men that sit in Moses' chair,
And should to heaven the people guide!
Men with the pomp of office clad,
In robes pontifical array'd,
But stain'd with avarice and pride.
Of men that sit in Moses' chair,
And should to heaven the people guide!
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In robes pontifical array'd,
But stain'd with avarice and pride.
The church they call their proper care,
The temple of the Lord they are,
Abusers of their legal power;
Greedy the church's goods to seize,
Their wealth they without end increase,
And the poor widow's house devour.
The temple of the Lord they are,
Abusers of their legal power;
Greedy the church's goods to seize,
Their wealth they without end increase,
And the poor widow's house devour.
| CHAPTER XX. The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley | |