The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

Wesley, Charles (1707-1788)

VOLUME I.

II.

III.

IV.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

SHORT HYMNS ON SELECT PASSAGES OF THE Holy Scriptures.

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CHAPTER VI.

1741.

[I the miracles have seen]

And a great multitude followed Him, because, &c. —vi. 2.

I the miracles have seen
Wrought in these Thy Spirit's days
On the sin-sick souls of men,
Miracles of healing grace;
Wherefore with the multitude
Saviour, Lord, I follow Thee,
Let Thine ancient works be show'd,
O repeat them all on me.

1742.

[Jesus here His wisdom shows]

Jesus went up into a mountain. —vi. 3.

Jesus here His wisdom shows
Mix'd with tenderness of love,
Not to urge His envious foes
Doth out of their sight remove;
Silent, He declines applause,
Pious to the mount retreats,
Humbly from the world withdraws,
Meekly with His followers sits.

1743.

[Satan tempts our faith to' o'erthrow]

This He said to prove him. —vi. 6.

Satan tempts our faith to' o'erthrow,
Christ to strengthen and improve,
That we may our weakness know
With the virtue of His love;

377

Gracious souls by want He tries,
Takes upon Himself their cares,
Then abundantly supplies,
Tells them all He has is theirs.

1744.

[Less will in His hands suffice]

There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves. —vi. 9.

Less will in His hands suffice,
Who the corn doth yearly bless,
Grains to harvests multiplies,
Gives the hundred-fold increase:
Careful for all living things,
God, whose providential call
From earth's fruitful bosom brings
Food and nourishment for all.

God omnipotently near
Leaves us first our wants to feel,
Then He doth for us appear,
Then He doth His arm reveal:
Succour'd in our greatest need,
Learn we thus His grace to prize,
At His hands receive the bread
Sent as manna from the skies.

1745.

[God commands the grass to grow]

Now there was much grass in the place. —vi. 10.

God commands the grass to grow,
Fodder to the cattle gives,
Yet His noblest work below,
Man, His goodness disbelieves.
Anxious for thy family,
Doubtful of thy Saviour's power,
Thousands fed by Jesus see,
Fed that thou may'st doubt no more.

378

Countless miracles unseen
Daily are by Jesus done,
That the careful sons of men
May confide in Him alone,
May their gracious Owner know,
God who answers the request,
Feeds His family below,
Leads them to an endless feast.

1746.

[Hungering after heavenly food]

He distributed to the disciples, and the disciples, &c. —vi. 11.

Hungering after heavenly food
If we for the blessing stay,
He that fed the famish'd crowd
Sends us not unbless'd away:
Waiting on our bounteous Lord
Who our faith's obedience prove,
Jesus feasts us by His word,
Fills our hearts with joy and love.

1747.

[Gather we still the fragments up]

Gather up the fragments. —vi. 12.

Gather we still the fragments up
Which from our Master's table fall,
The small remains of faith and hope,
The sacred crumbs, preserve them all:
Let not one gracious thought be lost;
The faintest, least desire of good
More than a thousand worlds it cost,
It cost the Lamb His richest blood.

1748.

[Poor fainting souls our Lord relieves]

They . . . filled twelve baskets with the fragments. —vi. 13.

Poor fainting souls our Lord relieves,
And thus our unbelief confounds,
Above what we can hope He gives,
His grace miraculous abounds,

379

His blessing all our wants exceeds;
And he who ministers the word
Himself enriches, while he feeds
The hungry followers of his Lord.

1749.

[How long hast Thou vouchsafed to feed]

When they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, &c. —vi. 14.

How long hast Thou vouchsafed to feed
Thy followers in the wilderness!
And yet I know Thee not indeed
Nor truly by my life confess;
Prophet Divine, raised up for me,
Thine utmost power of love exert,
Then shall I all Thy wonders see,
And hear my Teacher in my heart.

1750.

[Thou dost all worldly state decline]

When Jesus . . . perceived that they would come, &c. —vi. 15.

Thou dost all worldly state decline,
Thee, I by holy violence take,
Present my heart Thy humble shrine,
And Thee my King by faith I make;
Thou promisest my King to be,
Thou cam'st from heaven, to dwell with man,
And wilt not hide Thyself from me,
But in my ravish'd bosom reign.

Accomplish then Thy love's design,
Set up Thy gracious kingdom here,
And stamp'd with holiness Divine
I bear Thy royal character;
I sink baptized into Thy name,
All earthly dignities despise,
And singly seek with steadfast aim
A crown of glory in the skies.

380

1751.

[He who rules the lower air]

It is I; be not afraid. —vi. 20.

He who rules the lower air
Stirs up the troubled sea,
Tempts and urges to despair,
But cannot conquer me;
Cannot; for my present Lord
(When passion and the world runs high)
Speaks the comfortable word
And tells my heart 'T is I!

1752.

[Hurricanes the ship defies]

Then they willingly received Him into the ship, &c. —vi. 21.

Hurricanes the ship defies,
If Thou art in the ship,
Swiftly toward the haven flies,
And bounds along the deep!
Saviour, in Thy church appear,
Give all our hearts Thy voice to know,
Then redeem'd from sin and fear
We to perfection go.

Borne upon the wings of love,
We in Thy Spirit's might
Swiftly to our centre move
And urge our rapid flight:
Life is in a moment o'er,
While all Thy saints of Thee possess'd
Reach with shouts the happy shore,
And on Thy bosom rest.

1753.

[The world with useless care]

Labour not for the meat which perisheth. —vi. 27.

The world with useless care
Throughout their life's short day,
That perishable meat prepare,
That wealth which cannot stay;
But few their pains bestow
As creatures born to die,

381

And feed by faith on Christ below,
Till to His throne they fly.

1754.

[Thou art that Bread of life]

But for that meat which endureth. —vi. 27.

Thou art that Bread of life,
That meat which shall remain!
Be it our only care and strife
Thy blessed Self to gain:
Give, Lord, and always give
The' immortalising food,
And strengthen us by grace to live
The glorious life of God.

1755.

[Hast thou indeed done well?]

What shall we do, that we might work the, &c. —vi. 28.

Hast thou indeed done well?
The action is not thine;
The Spirit is its principle,
Its rule the will Divine;
To Him from whom it flow'd
It doth directly tend,
Wrought in the power and love of God
His glory is its end.

1756.

[The first great work of God]

This is the work of God, that ye believe on, &c. —vi. 29.

The first great work of God
Is in my heart begun,
Who now believe Thou hast bestow'd
On me Thy darling Son;
Hast sent Him from the sky,
That sinners may receive
The Man who lived for all to die,
Who died in all to live.

Father of all, in me
The heavenly gift increase,
The faith that works by charity
And teems with holiness;

382

That having done Thy will
I the reward may gain,
And meet my Saviour on the hill,
And in His presence reign.

1757.

[Wonders we daily see]

What sign shewest Thou then, that we may see, &c. —vi. 30.

Wonders we daily see
Of power and grace Divine,
Yet blind through infidelity
We still demand a sign:
Thou giv'st the sign required,
Thou dost the veil remove,
And with Thy Spirit's life inspired
We see, believe, and love.

1758.

[Moses could not give the Bread]

Moses gave you not that bread from heaven, &c. —vi. 32.

Moses could not give the Bread
Nor yet the sign bestow,
Jesus doth from God proceed,
His Gift to all below:
Who that precious Gift receives,
Sent from the Father's throne above,
Eats the manna true and lives
The life of sinless love.

1759.

[Bread of God, for Thee I lift]

The bread of God is He which cometh down, &c. —vi. 33.

Bread of God, for Thee I lift
My hungry longing heart,
The true Bread, the Father's Gift
To all the world Thou art;
Thou bestow'd on all mankind,
Dost sinners dead to life restore;
Thee reveal'd by faith we find,
And live for evermore.

383

1760.

[Lord, they ask'd a good unknown]

Then said they unto Him, Lord, evermore give, &c. —vi. 34.

Lord, they ask'd a good unknown
Which Thou wouldst not deny:
Thee, that living Bread we own
That Manna from the sky;
Thee we every moment need,
To' increase the life inspired by Thee,
Feed our spirit still, and feed
Through all eternity.

1761.

[Thee the Principle and Food]

I am the bread of life. —vi. 35.

Thee the Principle and Food
Of life Divine we bless;
Raise in us the life of God,
Of faith and righteousness;
Mix'd, incorporated with man,
Our grace continually improve,
Still with fresh supplies sustain,
And raise to perfect love.

1762.

[End of our enlarged desires]

He that cometh to Me shall never hunger, &c. —vi. 35.

End of our enlarged desires,
Eternal Verity,
Nothing more the soul requires
Which knows and feeds on Thee,
Bless'd, beyond conception bless'd,
Partaker with the saints above,
Here enthroned in heavenly rest,
And satisfied with love.

1763.

[God made man on earth appear'd]

Ye also have seen Me, and believe not. —vi. 36.

God made man on earth appear'd,
And mighty wonders wrought;
Sinners saw their Lord and heard,
And yet believed Him not:

384

Still Thy Spirit, Lord, is near,
Yet still unknown to me Thou art
Till Thou giv'st the hearing ear,
And preachest to my heart.

Now Thy miracles of grace
Repeat O God in me,
Now reveal Thy lovely face
And give me eyes to see;
Present with Thy servant dwell,
Into mine inmost spirit given,
Give me in Thyself to feel
The hidden life of heaven.

1764.

[Thy Father gave Thee all mankind]

All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me, &c. —vi. 37.

Thy Father gave Thee all mankind:
But drawn by unresisted grace
Who follow on their Lord to find,
Their Lord they surely shall embrace;
To those dear wounds for refuge flee,
And full salvation gain in Thee.

The soul that would on Thee rely,
Jesus, Thou never wilt disdain;
Or leave him in his sins to die,
But purged from every guilty stain
With open arms of love receive,
For ever in Thy joy to live.

Saviour, for Thy own promise sake,
Vouchsafe the blessing I implore,
Me, me into Thy favour take,
To perfect holiness restore,
And to Thy Father's house admit,
And give me on Thy throne to sit.

385

1765.

[Be it according to Thy word]

Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out. —vi. 37.

Be it according to Thy word;
To Thee by faith I come:
Receive me to Thy mercy, Lord,
And to Thy heavenly home.

1766.

[Descending from Thy Father's throne]

I came down from heaven . . . to do . . . the will of, &c. —vi. 38.

Descending from Thy Father's throne,
Thou cam'st to execute His will,
The souls peculiarly Thine own
To bless, and sanctify, and seal;
And raise whoe'er His voice obey,
Thy saints triumphant in that day.

1767.

[Wast Thou not sent, my Lord, for me?]

And this is the Father's will which hath sent, &c. —vi. 39.

Wast Thou not sent, my Lord, for me?
And did not the Paternal grace
Give this poor helpless soul to Thee?
Receive me then to Thine embrace,
And place me by Thy side above,
To glorify Thy faithful love.

1768.

[Who can resist the' almighty will]

This is the will of Him that sent Me, &c. —vi. 40.

Who can resist the' almighty will,
Or frustrate what our God ordains?
The practical believer still
Eternal life in Christ obtains,
And faithful unto death shall rise,
To share His kingdom in the skies.

Salvation is of faith alone,
And who by faith my Saviour see,
I have the Life, I have the Son,
The glorious hope reveal'd in me:
And when my Friend the Judge comes down,
I mount, and claim the promised crown.

386

1769.

[Father Thou hast our hearts inclined]

No man can come to Me, except the Father, &c. —vi. 44.

Father Thou hast our hearts inclined,
Or we had never sought Thy Son,
We still Thy powerful drawings find,
And cannot rest in grace begun;
Till Thou Thine own desires fulfil,
And Jesus in our hearts reveal.

To this, O God, Thou hast us wrought,
That now we might Thy Son confess;
Led by preventing grace and taught,
Add us to Jesu's witnesses;
Command the light of faith to shine,
And fear gives place to love Divine.

His Spirit send to seal us His,
As members of His body here,
Joint heirs of everlasting bliss,
That when He doth with clouds appear
We all may to His joy succeed,
And rise triumphant with our Head.

1770.

[Taught of Himself my God to fear]

Every man . . . that hath heard, and hath learned, &c. —vi. 45.

Taught of Himself my God to fear,
Jesus, Thy Father's voice I hear,
The softly whispering grace,
Which bids me come as lost to Thee
For wisdom, peace, and liberty,
For life and righteousness.

1771.

[From His into Thy school receive]

Not that any man hath seen the Father, save, &c. —vi. 46.

From His into Thy school receive,
And help me, Saviour, to believe,
In God with Thee the same;

387

Thou only dost the Father know,
Thou only canst to sinners show
His nature and His name.

Witness of truth, and Channel too,
The' Invisible appears in view,
If Thou Thyself reveal;
I then enjoy the blissful sight,
I see Him by Thy Spirit's light,
And all His goodness feel.

1772.

[Author of faith implant in me]

He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life. —vi. 47.

Author of faith implant in me
That root of immortality,
That never failing root,
Whence every grace and virtue grow,
And then the' eternal life bestow,
The ripe celestial fruit.

But if in me reveal'd Thou art,
I have the earnest in my heart,
The witness and the seal:
Come then mine unbelief remove,
And by the Spirit of life and love
In me for ever dwell.

1773.

[Jesus that Bread of life we own]

I am that bread of life. —vi. 48.

Jesus that Bread of life we own,
(Essential life which ne'er begun
And cannot cease to be,)
The Word of life, display'd above,
Begotten by His Father's love
From all eternity.

388

Jesus we own the angels' Bread
Before these heavens and earth were made,
And since our world began
Reveal'd in mortal flesh below
We all by faith may Jesus know
The Bread of life to man.

Author of faith and Finisher,
We taste His gracious sweetness here,
The manna of His love;
Sure antepast of heavenly bread,
Which shall our ravish'd spirits feed,
With endless life above.

1774.

[Form'd in the region of the air]

Your fathers did eat manna in the, &c. —vi. 49–51.

Form'd in the region of the air,
The figure might their strength repair,
Awhile from death reprieve,
But the true Bread from heaven sent down,
Who taste in God's eternal Son,
We evermore shall live.

While in this wilderness we dwell,
Our living, quickening Principle,
Thou Saviour from above
Dost with Thyself vouchsafe to feed,
And daily through Thy members spread
The life of faith and love.

Long as eternal ages last,
Our food shall neither cloy nor waste,
Our souls with love supplied
Shall on Jehovah's fulness feast,
In Thee alone for ever bless'd,
For ever satisfied.

389

1775.

[The' unfathomable mystery!]

How can this Man give us His flesh to eat? —vi. 52.

The' unfathomable mystery!
Let others ask how can it be:
The' imperishable meat
Which Thou to all wouldst freely give,
With prostrate reverence we receive,
Thy sacred flesh we eat.

The Fountain of my life, and Head,
The Victim dying in my stead,
That I Thy life may know;
Thyself in various ways design'd
To quicken me and all mankind,
Thou dost on all bestow.

1776.

[How blind the misconceiving crowd]

Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, &c. —vi. 53.

How blind the misconceiving crowd,
Who in the literal substance dream
They eat Thy flesh, and drink Thy blood!
Alas there is no life in them:
And who partake the' external sign,
Without the hidden mystery,
They eat the bread, and drink the wine,
But never feed, O Lord, on Thee.

What is it then, Thy flesh to eat?
O give mine inmost soul to know
The nature of that heavenly meat,
Design'd to quicken all below:
What is it, Lord, to drink Thy blood?
Explain it to this heart of mine,
And fill me with the life of God,
The love, the holiness Divine.

390

1777.

[Who now His flesh and blood partake]

Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My, &c. —vi. 54.

Who now His flesh and blood partake,
Partakers of the life Divine,
We soon shall see our Lord come back,
His members all in one to join;
And feeding on this living Bread,
This earnest of my glorious bliss,
I too shall rise to meet my Head;
I too shall see Him as He is.

1778.

[Saviour, Thy flesh is meat indeed!]

My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is, &c. —vi. 55, 56.

Saviour, Thy flesh is meat indeed!
Thy nature to Thy church made known
Doth every saint with manna feed,
Till every saint with Thee is one,
Till blended with its heavenly food
The soul Thy gracious fulness feels,
And all transform'd we dwell in God,
And God in us for ever dwells.

1779.

[Stupendous miracle of love!]

As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live, &c. —vi. 57.

Stupendous miracle of love!
Archangels cannot tell me how
I live by Thee, my life above,
As by the living Father Thou!
But sure as Thee through faith I eat,
Thy Spirit's substance I receive,
And one with my mysterious meat
Through all eternity shall live.

1780.

[Give me on Thee, the living Bread]

This is that bread which came down, &c. —vi. 58.

Give me on Thee, the living Bread,
To live, till here my journey end,
Thou Bread of heaven, a pilgrim lead
To realms from which Thou didst descend:

391

Eternal Bread, the true desire
Of everlasting joys impart,
And my translated soul inspire
With all Thou hast, and all Thou art.

1781.

[Hard to conceive without Thy love]

This is an hard saying; who can bear it? —vi. 60.

Hard to conceive without Thy love,
Impossible without Thy light,
Jesus, mine unbelief remove
That I may know the truth aright.
That Thou shouldst give Thy flesh to man,
Our reasoning pride can never bear;
Make Thy mysterious saying plain,
And teach my heart by dwelling there.

1782.

[Doubts may in true disciples rise]

When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples, &c. —vi. 61.

Doubts may in true disciples rise;
They cannot, Lord, offended be,
Or like the murmuring world, despise
The truths not yet reveal'd by Thee:
By faith their scruples they suppress,
With meek humility submit,
And waiting for the light of grace,
Bewail their blindness at Thy feet.

1783.

[When Jesus in the clouds ye see]

What and if ye shall see the Son of man, &c. —vi. 62.

When Jesus in the clouds ye see
Ascending to His pompous throne,
Enrobed in all His majesty
The Father's co-eternal Son,
Surrounded with His dazzling choir,
Blessing the church He leaves below;
No marvel if ye then inquire,
How can this God His flesh bestow?

392

1784.

[Thy word in the bare literal sense]

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth, &c. —vi. 63.

Thy word in the bare literal sense,
Though heard ten thousand times, and read,
Can never of itself dispense
The saving power which wakes the dead:
The meaning spiritual and true
The learn'd expositor may give,
But cannot give the virtue too,
Or bid his own dead spirit live.

But breathing in the sacred leaves
If on the soul Thy Spirit move,
The re-begotten soul receives
The quickening power of faith and love;
Transmitted through the gospel-word
Whene'er the Holy Ghost is given,
The sinner hears, and feels restored
The life of holiness and heaven.

1785.

[Jesus, descended from the sky]

The words that I speak unto you, they are, &c. —vi. 63.

Jesus, descended from the sky,
The power of God in man Thou art;
Thyself, to whom I now apply,
Speak Thy own words into my heart:
Thy words are more than empty sound,
Inseparably one with Thee;
Spirit in them, and life is found,
And all the depths of Deity.

While feebly gasping at Thy feet
A sinner in my sins I bow,
O might I now my Saviour meet,
And hear and feel Thy sayings now!

393

Speak, and Thy word the dead shall raise,
Shall me with spirit and life inspire;
Speak on, and fill my soul with grace,
And add me to Thy deathless choir.

1786.

[Faith is not on all bestow'd]

No man can come unto Me, except it were given, &c. —vi. 65.

Faith is not on all bestow'd:
Thou who hast the grace received
Fear to lose the gift of God;
Thou who never hast believed
Hope that precious gift to' obtain,
Bought by Jesus on the tree,
Bought for every child of man,
Freely offer'd now to thee.

Drawn by efficacious grace
Toward thine unknown Saviour move,
Taught of God to seek His face,
Wait for His redeeming love:
When Thou dost the Son receive
Made by His great Father known,
Saved by sovereign mercy, give
All the praise to God alone.

1787.

[Souls are by temptation shown]

From that time many of His disciples went, &c. —vi. 66.

Souls are by temptation shown
Jesus who awhile pursue;
Trials make them fully known,
Separate 'twixt the false and true:
Through Thy quick and powerful word,
Lord, Thou soundest every heart:
Then they feel the two-edged sword,
Then the hypocrites depart.

1788.

[Yes, unless Thou hold me fast]

Will ye also go away? —vi. 67.

Yes, unless Thou hold me fast,
After all Thy love to me

394

I shall faithless prove at last,
Treacherously depart from Thee;
But that we may never part,
Hide me, hide me in Thine heart.

1789.

[Master, what a school is Thine!]

Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the, &c. —vi. 68, 69.

Master, what a school is Thine!
Truth and life Thy words impart:
Thou Thyself the Truth Divine,
Thou the Life eternal art:
Both we by Thy teaching know,
Truly here we learn to live;
Here Thyself Thou dost bestow,
Light and love for ever give.

Whither shall we go from Thee,
Lord to whom for life repair?
All besides is misery,
Death, delusion, and despair;
Wherefore to Thyself we cleave,
Thee the living God we own,
Only by Thy Spirit live,
Find our heaven in Thee alone.

1790.

[Jesus, Thee I surely know]

We believe and are sure that Thou art that Christ. —vi. 69.

Jesus, Thee I surely know
Son of God, and God Most-High;
Thou wast manifest below
Whom the angels glorify;
Partner of my flesh and blood,
God's eternal Son Thou art,
Christ, Thyself the' eternal God
Living, reigning in my heart.

395

1791.

[He leaves them all in humble fear]

Have not I chosen you twelve? and one of you, &c. —vi. 70.

He leaves them all in humble fear,
While Judas He forbears to name,
That every faithful soul sincere
May ask if I the traitor am;
That each his helplessness may own,
Suspicious of himself alone.

O may I, Lord, with jealous care
Watch over my own feeble heart,
Mistrust myself, of sin beware,
And lest I should from Thee depart,
My soul into Thy keeping give,
And pray, and tremble, and believe.

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