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| XIII. |
 | CHAPTER V. The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley |  |
364
CHAPTER V.
1711.
[O Jesus, I see]
There is at Jerusalem . . . a pool, which is called, &c.
—v. 2.
O Jesus, I see
My Bethesda in Thee;
Thou art full of compassion and mercy for me:
Thy blood is the pool
Both for body and soul,
And whoever steps in is made perfectly whole.
1712.
[Jesus, Thou art the House of Grace]
In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, &c.
—v. 3.
Jesus, Thou art the House of Grace
Where all our sin-distemper'd race
A cure for every ill may find,
Those that in mercy's porch attend,
Till Thy balsamic power descend
To heal the sick and halt and blind:
A time to Thee who dare not set,
But Thy appointed season wait,
And long and pray to be made whole,
Till the good Spirit from the sky
Come down the' atoning blood to' apply,
And plunge us in the crimson pool.
1713.
[Angel, and Porch, and Pool Thou art]
An angel went down at a certain season into the, &c.
—v. 4.
Angel, and Porch, and Pool Thou art,
And when Thou dost Thy zeal exert,
And stir Thine own compassions up,
The lazar-soul that comes to Thee
Is heal'd of his infirmity,
Is made partaker of his hope.
And when Thou dost Thy zeal exert,
And stir Thine own compassions up,
The lazar-soul that comes to Thee
Is heal'd of his infirmity,
Is made partaker of his hope.
365
Soon as Thy yearning bowels move,
Approaching in the time of love,
Whoe'er believes and enters in,
Though wither'd, impotent, and blind,
Is by the Healer of mankind
Saved, in a moment saved from sin.
Approaching in the time of love,
Whoe'er believes and enters in,
Though wither'd, impotent, and blind,
Is by the Healer of mankind
Saved, in a moment saved from sin.
1714.
[An impotent desire I feel]
Wilt thou be made whole?
—v. 6.
An impotent desire I feel
At times to be made whole,
But vain the help of man to heal
My long distemper'd soul:
The Angel-God must from the skies
Come down to cure my pain:
Come, Saviour, now, and bid me rise,
And never sin again.
1715.
[Thou dost my helpless case behold]
When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he, &c.
—v. 6.
Thou dost my helpless case behold
With pity's melting eye,
A soul unsaved, a sinner old,
Attach'd to earth I lie:
Weigh'd down with guilt, o'erwhelm'd, oppress'd,
I feebly mean to pray,
And ere I utter my request,
Thou know'st what I would say.
With pity's melting eye,
A soul unsaved, a sinner old,
Attach'd to earth I lie:
Weigh'd down with guilt, o'erwhelm'd, oppress'd,
I feebly mean to pray,
And ere I utter my request,
Thou know'st what I would say.
The ulcers which I hide from man,
I cannot hide from Thee,
Who know'st my sinfulness and pain,
My life of misery;
Born, altogether born in sin,
In sin I still abide,
And heal'd I never yet have been,
Or felt Thy blood applied.
I cannot hide from Thee,
Who know'st my sinfulness and pain,
My life of misery;
Born, altogether born in sin,
In sin I still abide,
And heal'd I never yet have been,
Or felt Thy blood applied.
366
Such is the desperate wickedness
Of this deceitful heart,
In love alas! with my disease,
From sin I will not part;
My nature doth to sin alone
Continually incline;
Let Thy effectual will be shown,
And that shall conquer mine.
Of this deceitful heart,
In love alas! with my disease,
From sin I will not part;
My nature doth to sin alone
Continually incline;
Let Thy effectual will be shown,
And that shall conquer mine.
1716.
[Thy word enables me to rise]
Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
—v. 8.
Thy word enables me to rise,
Sin and the' occasions to forsake,
Thy word my pardon'd soul supplies
With strength Thy work to undertake;
And lo, I walk, to health restored,
In all the footsteps of my Lord.
1717.
[Why hast Thou, Saviour, by Thy grace]
And immediately the man was made whole, &c.
—v. 9.
Why hast Thou, Saviour, by Thy grace
The miracle of healing shown,
But that I may Thy goodness praise,
The way of Thy commandments run,
With steady zeal my Guide pursue,
And bear Thine utmost will and do?
1718.
[Whene'er Thou dost a sinner heal]
And on the same day was the sabbath.
—v. 9.
Whene'er Thou dost a sinner heal
Languid, and weary, and oppress'd,
His pardon he exults to feel,
Enters into the sacred rest,
And antedates the joy above,
The sabbath of eternal love.
367
1719.
[Saviour who by Thy balmy blood]
He that made me whole, the same said unto, &c.
—v. 11.
Saviour who by Thy balmy blood
Hast all my sins and sorrows heal'd,
My soul Thou hast with strength endued,
Thy mercy and Thine arm reveal'd,
And bless'd me with sufficient grace
To walk in all Thy righteous ways.
Hast all my sins and sorrows heal'd,
My soul Thou hast with strength endued,
Thy mercy and Thine arm reveal'd,
And bless'd me with sufficient grace
To walk in all Thy righteous ways.
If man forbid, and Thou enjoin,
Thy word shall my direction be,
I own the' authority Divine,
Take up my cross and follow Thee,
Till fashion'd like my Head I rise
And find my mansion in the skies.
Thy word shall my direction be,
I own the' authority Divine,
Take up my cross and follow Thee,
Till fashion'd like my Head I rise
And find my mansion in the skies.
1720.
[The Man whose word is life and power]
What man is that which said unto thee, &c.
—v. 12.
The Man whose word is life and power,
Whose word, and will, and act are one,
Who only could to health restore,
And fill my soul with strength unknown,
The Man who hath my sins forgiven
He bids me walk with Him to heaven.
1721.
[But I my good Physician know]
He that was healed wist not who it was.
—v. 13.
But I my good Physician know,
Whose blood was shed to buy my cure,
Whose grace the pardon did bestow
And seal'd it on my conscience sure;
My soul to save from heaven He came,
And heal'd by telling me His name.
1722.
[The Saviour still delights to find]
Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, &c.
—v. 15.
The Saviour still delights to find
His patients in the house of prayer,
Shows Himself good, and doubly kind
To all that humbly seek Him there,
Their souls with grace confirming meets,
Their cure continues and completes.
His patients in the house of prayer,
Shows Himself good, and doubly kind
To all that humbly seek Him there,
368
Their cure continues and completes.
For Thee I in Thy temple stay,
For Thee before Thine altar lie;
Thou Lamb who bear'st my guilt away,
Wilt Thou not further sanctify,
Give always what Thou once didst give,
And in mine inmost essence live?
For Thee before Thine altar lie;
Thou Lamb who bear'st my guilt away,
Wilt Thou not further sanctify,
Give always what Thou once didst give,
And in mine inmost essence live?
Tell me again that Thou hast heal'd
The worst of all the sin-sick race,
Assure me of my pardon seal'd,
Repeat the word of saving grace,
And bid me in Thy Spirit's power
Go conquering on, and sin no more.
The worst of all the sin-sick race,
Assure me of my pardon seal'd,
Repeat the word of saving grace,
And bid me in Thy Spirit's power
Go conquering on, and sin no more.
Continual need of Thee I have
My faith to give, confirm, increase;
I sink, if Thou forbear to save
Relapse into my old disease,
Lose all my power and life and zeal,
And justly claim the fiercest hell.
My faith to give, confirm, increase;
I sink, if Thou forbear to save
Relapse into my old disease,
Lose all my power and life and zeal,
And justly claim the fiercest hell.
But O I never, never need
Thy grace abuse and sin again,
I may from strength to strength proceed;
I shall the promised help obtain,
Retrieve the perfect health of love,
And take my place prepared above.
Thy grace abuse and sin again,
I may from strength to strength proceed;
I shall the promised help obtain,
Retrieve the perfect health of love,
And take my place prepared above.
1723.
[God over all for ever bless'd]
My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
—v. 17.
God over all for ever bless'd,
Jehovah and Jehovah's Son,
From doing good Thou canst not rest,
With Thine eternal Father one:
His works of grace shall never cease,
The property of Love Divine
Is to communicate and bless,
And all His attributes are Thine.
Jehovah and Jehovah's Son,
From doing good Thou canst not rest,
With Thine eternal Father one:
369
The property of Love Divine
Is to communicate and bless,
And all His attributes are Thine.
Thy providence preserves, maintains,
And rules the universe it made,
Thy Spirit moves, and acts, and reigns
In all that hang upon Thine aid:
Thy Father is in Thee employ'd;
Thou dost His works, and Thou alone;
The power and majesty of God,
Essence and will is all Thine own.
And rules the universe it made,
Thy Spirit moves, and acts, and reigns
In all that hang upon Thine aid:
Thy Father is in Thee employ'd;
Thou dost His works, and Thou alone;
The power and majesty of God,
Essence and will is all Thine own.
1724.
[Because Thou sav'st us from our fall]
Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill, &c.
—v. 18.
Because Thou sav'st us from our fall,
Thy foes against Thy life conspire,
Because Thou dost Thy Father call
Thy proper, own, eternal Sire:
Thou dost Thy Godhead testify
Thy power Divine on sinners prove,
An Equal of the Lord Most-High,
A Martyr both of truth and love.
Thy foes against Thy life conspire,
Because Thou dost Thy Father call
Thy proper, own, eternal Sire:
Thou dost Thy Godhead testify
Thy power Divine on sinners prove,
An Equal of the Lord Most-High,
A Martyr both of truth and love.
'Tis thus the world Thy love repays,
Which makes to dying sinners known
The truth that saves our ruin'd race,
Uplifting rebels to a throne;
And all who dare the truth defend
The treatment of their Lord receive,
And all who on their God depend
Are deem'd by men not fit to live.
Which makes to dying sinners known
The truth that saves our ruin'd race,
Uplifting rebels to a throne;
And all who dare the truth defend
The treatment of their Lord receive,
And all who on their God depend
Are deem'd by men not fit to live.
1725.
[O glorious inability]
The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what, &c.
—v. 19.
O glorious inability
Which shows the perfect power supreme!
He cannot work distinct from Thee,
Thou canst not work distinct from Him:
In virtue, mind, and nature one,
Beyond the reach of human thought,
Whate'er is by Thy Father done,
By Thee is in that instant wrought.
Which shows the perfect power supreme!
370
Thou canst not work distinct from Him:
In virtue, mind, and nature one,
Beyond the reach of human thought,
Whate'er is by Thy Father done,
By Thee is in that instant wrought.
He shows and does the work Divine,
At once Thou seest and dost the same:
Thy act is His, and His is Thine:
He is, Thou art, the great I AM!
Incomprehensible we own
The' adorable necessity:
Nor He nor Thou canst act alone,
No more than God can cease to be.
At once Thou seest and dost the same:
Thy act is His, and His is Thine:
He is, Thou art, the great I AM!
Incomprehensible we own
The' adorable necessity:
Nor He nor Thou canst act alone,
No more than God can cease to be.
1726.
[Sole Object of Thy Father's love]
For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth, &c.
—v. 20, 21.
Sole Object of Thy Father's love,
A draught of all His great designs
From Him Thou hast received above,
And dost whate'er His will enjoins;
Equal to His, Thou show'st Thy power
Omnipotent the dead to raise,
Bodies Thou canst, and souls restore
To all the vigorous life of grace.
A draught of all His great designs
From Him Thou hast received above,
And dost whate'er His will enjoins;
Equal to His, Thou show'st Thy power
Omnipotent the dead to raise,
Bodies Thou canst, and souls restore
To all the vigorous life of grace.
Thou dost on whom Thou wilt bestow
The various life derived from Thee;
Thee Thy believing people know
Fountain of immortality,
Thy sovereign Godhead we confess,
By whom the Holy Ghost is given,
And then the plenitude of grace,
And then the' eternal life of heaven.
The various life derived from Thee;
Thee Thy believing people know
Fountain of immortality,
Thy sovereign Godhead we confess,
By whom the Holy Ghost is given,
And then the plenitude of grace,
And then the' eternal life of heaven.
371
1727.
[Eternal Judge of quick and dead]
The Father . . . hath committed all judgment unto, &c.
—v. 22.
Eternal Judge of quick and dead
Thee, Jesus, I my Lord adore,
From whom my sentence must proceed,
And tremble at Thy boundless power!
Judge me not in Thy wrath severe,
But in the mildness of Thy grace
Afflict, rebuke, and chasten here,
But never drive me from Thy face.
1728.
[Thee, Jesus, God supreme, the Son]
That all men should honour the Son, even as, &c.
—v. 23.
Thee, Jesus, God supreme, the Son,
Even as the Father we adore,
Equal to the Most-High we own
The same in majesty and power;
In Thee His character express,
The brightness of His glory see:
And will no other God confess,
No other God adore, but Thee.
1729.
[Bless'd with the faith that works by love]
He that . . . believeth . . . hath everlasting life.
—v. 24.
Bless'd with the faith that works by love,
Bless'd with eternal life Thou art,
Thou hast the life of those above,
The seed of glory in Thy heart:
For God in Christ is love to man,
And when to the believer given,
The soul doth in itself contain
The essence and the bliss of heaven.
1730.
[When Jesus first pronounced the word]
The hour is coming, and now is, when the, &c.
—v. 25.
When Jesus first pronounced the word,
They found the Resurrection come,
Dead bodies heard their quickening Lord,
And Lazarus forsook the tomb;
372
They hear His voice, and faith receive,
And live the sinless life of grace,
And soon the life of heaven shall live.
1731.
[I cannot doubt the power Divine]
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, &c.
—v. 28, 29.
I cannot doubt the power Divine
Dead souls, or bodies dead to save;
Death oft hath heard that voice of Thine,
Heard from the bed, the bier, the grave:
That voice our mouldering dust again
Shall from earth's lowest centre hear,
And ocean pay its debt of man,
And all before Thy throne appear.
1732.
[And shall mere man of men demand]
If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true.
—v. 31.
And shall mere man of men demand,
His saying simply to receive,
Before the proofs we understand,
Before we see the witness live,
And evidence his sins forgiven
By walking like an heir of heaven?
His saying simply to receive,
Before the proofs we understand,
Before we see the witness live,
And evidence his sins forgiven
By walking like an heir of heaven?
We ought not to his word alone
Or confident assertions trust;
The life must join to make it known,
The works to show the doer just,
And all the Spirit's fruits to prove
A Christian perfected in love.
Or confident assertions trust;
The life must join to make it known,
The works to show the doer just,
And all the Spirit's fruits to prove
A Christian perfected in love.
1733.
[He spake that they might hear]
These things I say, that ye might be saved.
—v. 34.
He spake that they might hear,
And faith by hearing come,
He spake with kind intent sincere
To save and not to doom;
373
He wish'd them justified,
Who in their sins continued still
Till in their sins they died.
1734.
[A minister should burn and shine]
He was a burning and a shining light, &c.
—v. 35.
A minister should burn and shine
Inflamed with pure celestial love,
Glad to impart the light Divine
Himself enlighten'd from above
His life should our instruction be,
One exercise of fervent zeal,
That all the light of truth may see,
That all the fire of love may feel.
Inflamed with pure celestial love,
Glad to impart the light Divine
Himself enlighten'd from above
His life should our instruction be,
One exercise of fervent zeal,
That all the light of truth may see,
That all the fire of love may feel.
Joyful to see the light appear,
If Christ His minister ordain,
The world admire, the adders hear,
And dart into the dark again:
They soon against conviction fight,
The unaccepted truth repel,
And quench the burning shining light
Who shows their works the works of hell.
If Christ His minister ordain,
The world admire, the adders hear,
And dart into the dark again:
They soon against conviction fight,
The unaccepted truth repel,
And quench the burning shining light
Who shows their works the works of hell.
1735.
[The judgment blind of erring man]
I have greater witness than that of John: for, &c.
—v. 36.
The judgment blind of erring man,
The verbal testimony's vain,
Unless our actions testify
And more substantial proof supply:
But when our faith by works is show'd,
When all our works are wrought in God,
His record then the world receive;
They must behold how Christians live.
1736.
[Who in the Saviour sent confides]
Ye have not His word abiding in you: for, &c.
—v. 38.
Who in the Saviour sent confides,
In him the' engrafted word abides,
374
And heard the voice of God to man;
By faith the' Unsearchable he knows,
And daily in the knowledge grows,
Till pure from sin his soul ascends,
And faith fill'd up in vision ends.
1737.
[Christ Himself the precept gives]
Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think, &c.
—v. 39.
Christ Himself the precept gives,
(Let who will the word despise,)
Bids me in the sacred leaves
Trace the way to paradise,
All His oracles explore,
Read, and pray them o'er and o'er.
(Let who will the word despise,)
Bids me in the sacred leaves
Trace the way to paradise,
All His oracles explore,
Read, and pray them o'er and o'er.
Who with true humility
Seek Him in the written word,
Christ in every page they see,
See, and apprehend their Lord;
Every scripture makes Him known,
Testifies of Christ alone.
Seek Him in the written word,
Christ in every page they see,
See, and apprehend their Lord;
Every scripture makes Him known,
Testifies of Christ alone.
Here I cannot seek in vain;
Digging deep into the mine,
Hidden treasure I obtain
Pure, eternal Life Divine,
Find Him in His Spirit given,
Christ the Way, the Truth of Heaven.
Digging deep into the mine,
Hidden treasure I obtain
Pure, eternal Life Divine,
Find Him in His Spirit given,
Christ the Way, the Truth of Heaven.
1738.
[Will they not? alas for them]
Ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life.
—v. 40.
Will they not? alas for them,
Dead in sin who Christ refuse!
He did all the world redeem,
All unto salvation choose:
Sinners come, with me receive
All the grace He waits to give.
Dead in sin who Christ refuse!
He did all the world redeem,
All unto salvation choose:
Sinners come, with me receive
All the grace He waits to give.
375
In ourselves the hindrance lies,
Stopp'd by our own stubborn will;
He His love to none denies,
He with love pursues us still:
Sinners come, and find with me
Only heaven in His decree.
Stopp'd by our own stubborn will;
He His love to none denies,
He with love pursues us still:
Sinners come, and find with me
Only heaven in His decree.
1739.
[Coming in Thy great Father's name]
If another shall come in his own name, &c.
—v. 43.
Coming in Thy great Father's name
Who first rejected Thee
Allow'd each bold impostor's claim
With blind credulity:
And still we see the world that can
God and His truth deny,
They greedily assent to man,
They all believe a lie.
1740.
[Ye patient of applause and fame]
How can ye believe, which receive honour, &c.
—v. 44.
Ye patient of applause and fame,
Bold to usurp the Christian name,
No more your souls deceive;
Who seek the praise that comes from men,
Ye boast your hearsay faith in vain;
Ye cannot yet believe.
Bold to usurp the Christian name,
No more your souls deceive;
Who seek the praise that comes from men,
Ye boast your hearsay faith in vain;
Ye cannot yet believe.
By fellow-worms caress'd, beloved,
Ye cannot be by God approved,
Vile favourites of His foe,
Who incense from the world receive,
In fair repute and honour live,
And have your lot below.
Ye cannot be by God approved,
Vile favourites of His foe,
Who incense from the world receive,
In fair repute and honour live,
And have your lot below.
Awake out of your pleasing dream,
Renounce yourselves, the world's esteem,
The world's reproach despise;
As sojourners on earth unknown,
Wish to be praised by God alone,
Your Father in the skies.
Renounce yourselves, the world's esteem,
The world's reproach despise;
As sojourners on earth unknown,
Wish to be praised by God alone,
Your Father in the skies.
376
Your pride and want of faith lament,
And then believe whom God hath sent
To speak your sins forgiven;
Your sinful nature to remove,
And perfected in humble love
To give you thrones in heaven.
And then believe whom God hath sent
To speak your sins forgiven;
Your sinful nature to remove,
And perfected in humble love
To give you thrones in heaven.
| CHAPTER V. The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley | |