The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

To' escape Thy persecuting foes
Thy power Thou dost not interpose,
Or call for heaven's vindictive fire,
But yield, and quietly retire:
The death Thou dost at present shun,
Not fearfully from danger run,
But seek Thy Father's will to do,
And in His time to suffer too.

By Thee instructed we suppress
Our rash impatient eagerness,
Nor court the persecutor's sword,
But wait the season of our Lord,

396

Wisely from our destroyers flee,
Till stopp'd by the Divine decree
We suffer in the will of God,
And write our victory in our blood.

1793.

[The feast of tabernacles]

Now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand. —vii. 2.

The feast of tabernacles
With joyful exultation
Thine Israel we
Observe to Thee
The God of our salvation;
From sin's Egyptian bondage
Who didst Thine own deliver,
Jesus we praise
Thy pardoning grace,
And love, that lives for ever.

We travel through this desert
Of trouble and vexation,
In booths remain,
Till we obtain
A lasting habitation;
The near celestial Canaan
To us by promise given,
The better feast,
The' eternal rest,
The inheritance of heaven.

1794.

[Who works the works of God]

If Thou do these things, show Thyself to the, &c. —vii. 4.

Who works the works of God
Must oft expect to hear
The dire advice of flesh and blood,
“Before the world appear,

397

Go show thyself to man,
A champion in the cause,
For all thy piety is vain
Without the world's applause.”

But deaf to nature's voice,
Jesus we follow Thee,
And hidden from mankind, rejoice
In Thy obscurity.
Happy if Thou approve
Our works in secret done,
If by our humble faith and love
We please our God alone.

1795.

[Who love the praise of men]

For neither did His brethren believe in Him. —vii. 5.

Who love the praise of men
Their unbelief confess,
Though walking in a shadow vain
Of formal godliness;
They slight the Saviour's word
Who seek their own renown,
Refuse their self denying Lord,
His sufferings and His crown.

1796.

[Who their own desires pursue]

Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come, &c. —vii. 6.

Who their own desires pursue
Their want of faith declare,
Their own violent will to do,
They always ready are;
God's appointed time outrun,
And full of selfish forwardness
Boldly snatch the gift unknown,
The' anticipated grace.

398

Now, just now, is nature's word
Impatient of delay!
Guided by Thy will, O Lord,
I for Thy leisure stay,
Dare not set a time to Thee,
Or dictate when Thyself to show:
Give whate'er Thou wilt to me,
And as Thou wilt bestow.

1797.

[The world will always love their own]

The world cannot hate you. —vii. 7.

The world will always love their own,
Who countenance their sin,
Or let them quietly sleep on,
Till Tophet takes them in;
But O! their choicest favourites are
The minister and priest,
The guides who prudently forbear
To interrupt their rest.

Who in the worldly spirit live,
And with the many go,
Favour and praise from man receive,
The good they seek below;
Not hated for religion's sake,
In Satan's arms secure
They slumber on, and thus they make
Their own damnation sure.

1798.

[The world with persecuting spite]

But Me it hateth, because I testify of it, &c. —vii. 7.

The world with persecuting spite,
The sons of God blaspheme,
And hate, and shun the' officious light
Which doth their deeds condemn;

399

The witnesses of Jesus' grace
The saints they cannot bear,
Who against all their evil ways
By word and life declare.

Confessing whom our hearts adore,
We feel their enmity:
O might we, Lord, deserve it more
By more resembling Thee!
O might we all Thy Spirit breathe,
The wicked to reprove,
And testify in life and death
Thy purity of love!

1799.

[To that sacramental feast]

Go ye up unto this feast. —vii. 8.

To that sacramental feast
Numbers without Jesus go,
In the outward form they rest,
Care not Him their Lord to know;
Christians leaving Christ behind,
To His house in vain repair,
Never at His table find,
Never wish to find Him there.

1800.

[Jesus I Thy wisdom need]

I go not up yet unto this feast; for My time, &c. —vii. 8, 9.

Jesus I Thy wisdom need
With exact fidelity
Well to time my every deed,
When, and as ordain'd by Thee:
Till Thy counsel is reveal'd
Let me in my calling rest,
Feel at last Thy time fulfill'd,
Then on Thy perfection feast.

400

1801.

[Thyself Thou dost from them conceal]

The Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, &c. —vii. 11.

Thyself Thou dost from them conceal
That seek Thee not aright,
But sinners who their blindness feel
Thou wilt restore to sight:
Thou wilt the seeking mourner cheer,
And give the weary rest:
And when Thou dost, my Lord, appear,
Thy presence makes the feast.

1802.

[The judgment of the world how blind]

Some said, He is a good man: others said, &c. —vii. 12, 13.

The judgment of the world how blind,
Who treat the members like their Head!
As base deceivers of mankind
Whoe'er in Jesu's footsteps tread,
Their Lord to Calvary attend,
And bear His burden to the end.

None dares in their behalf to speak,
Abandon'd and decried by all,
No favour but from God they seek,
On Him they for protection call,
On Him their Advocate rely,
Till meekly on His cross they die.

1803.

[At length the time is quite fulfill'd]

Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went, &c. —vii. 14.

At length the time is quite fulfill'd,
The moment come, when God had will'd
To manifest His Son;
Jehovah in the temple seen,
Begins to' instruct the sons of men,
And make the Godhead known.

The Christ foretold by ancient seers,
The Lord in His own house appears,
To hear and not declaim,

401

To answer all His love's design,
And with authority Divine
Declare His Father's name.

By Thy example, Lord, repress
Our ministerial forwardness,
And teach us when, and where,
And how, our office to fulfil,
And the whole counsel of Thy will
Before the world declare.

1804.

[Jesus, Thy ministers receive]

How knoweth this man letters, having never, &c. —vii. 15.

Jesus, Thy ministers receive
A light which study cannot give;
Divinely taught they are,
To propagate Thy truths below
And teach the doctrines which they know
By diligence in prayer.

Thy law is in their inward parts,
Thy Spirit inspires their faithful hearts
With wisdom from above;
He gives the meaning of Thy word,
And much they know of Thee their Lord,
For much they pray and love.

The scorn of men, the worldling's fool
Commences in Thy Spirit's school
Unto salvation wise;
The heavenly path to sinners shows,
And mighty in the Scripture, goes
Their leader, to the skies.

1805.

[An herald of the grace Divine]

Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine, &c. —vii. 16.

An herald of the grace Divine
Can say, My doctrine is not mine
But His, who sent me forth,

402

Freely what I receive to give
And tell the world they all may live
Through Jesu's dying worth.

The truths he speaks are not his own,
God teaches him, and God alone,
The mystery to explain,
Opens his mouth to preach the word,
And tells our hearts, It is the Lord,
Who gives such power to man.

1806.

[Lord, that I may the doctrine know]

If any man will do His will, he shall know, &c. —vii. 17.

Lord, that I may the doctrine know,
A will to do Thy will bestow,
An humble ready mind,
To follow truth where'er it leads;
And then the light from Thee proceeds,
And then my God I find.

My simple childlike heart inspire
With fervour of intense desire
Thee, only Thee to please;
And make Thy great salvation known,
And bring Thy docile follower on
To perfect holiness.

Thou canst not speak distinct from Him
Who sent Thee, Saviour, to redeem
This longing soul of mine:
Come then my Lord, Thy counsel show,
And give me in Thy love to know
The plenitude Divine.

403

1807.

[A teacher sent from God designs]

He that seeketh His glory that sent Him, the, &c. —vii. 18.

A teacher sent from God designs
Jehovah's glory, and declines
Whate'er might raise his own;
To' exalt his heavenly Lord, he seeks,
In honour of his Master speaks,
And lives for God alone.

O that I thus with upright aim
May magnify my Saviour's name,
And only seek His praise;
My truth and faithfulness approve,
Saved by the power of perfect love
From all unrighteousness!

1808.

[The law Thy servant Moses gave]

Did not Moses give you the law, and yet, &c. —vii. 19.

The law Thy servant Moses gave,
But not the power our souls to save,
But not the' obedient heart:
Jesus, we more and more rebel,
Till Thou the gospel grace reveal,
And tell us who Thou art.

1809.

[Why? Thou Thyself hast told us why]

Why go ye about to kill Me? —vii. 19.

Why? Thou Thyself hast told us why,
Because we Thy commands defy,
Only inclined to ill,
With cruel enmity pursue,
And persecute our Lord anew,
And in Thy members kill.

Because we could not keep Thy laws,
Thy murderers nail'd Thee to the cross;
And there Thou bear'st away

404

The sins of reprobate mankind,
And buy'st the power which all may find
Thy perfect will to' obey.

1810.

[When virtue's advocate replies]

Jesus answered and said unto them, I have, &c. —vii. 21.

When virtue's advocate replies
As far from passion as from fear,
The answer soft and meekly wise
Becomes his Saviour's minister,
Who calmly sensible complains,
And truth, and Jesu's cause maintains.

For wisdom, Lord, on Thee I wait;
Instruct me when to hold my peace,
And when in words to vindicate
The words of genuine righteousness;
And stop the bold impiety
Which blames the good that flow'd from Thee.

1811.

['Tis not, O Lord, the' external part]

Judge not according to the appearance, but, &c. —vii. 24.

'Tis not, O Lord, the' external part
Which pleases or displeases Thee,
The principle, the end, the heart,
Thou dost in every action see,
Thou only know'st the doer's aim,
The will, the temper, and the frame.

But partial, ignorant, and blind
We rashly judge as things appear,
Censorious, hasty, and unkind
Judge by the hearing of the ear,
And often sway'd by hate or love,
The good condemn, the ill approve.

Jesus, send forth Thy truth and light,
That with Thy love of equity

405

Inspired, we may pronounce aright
The sentence which proceeds from Thee;
As partners in Thy judgment join,
And reign in righteousness Divine.

1812.

[The tongues, the hearts, the hands of men]

Is not this He, whom they seek to kill? But, &c. —vii. 25, 26.

The tongues, the hearts, the hands of men
Are subject to Divine control,
God over all doth still restrain
Their rage against the faithful soul,
The faithful soul hath nought to fear
Though Satan and his host are near.

Thoughtless of what the world intends,
A Christian speaks and labours on:
Jesus His instrument defends,
Immortal till his work is done:
Jesus the conquering faith supplies,
And then bestows the heavenly prize.

1813.

[Father in Thy hands we are]

Then they sought to take Him: but no man, &c. —vii. 30.

Father in Thy hands we are
The members of Thy Son,
Trust Thy providential care,
And hang on Thee alone:
Till Thy sovereign goodness please,
And Thou the sacred fence remove,
Neither friends nor men can seize
The objects of Thy love.

When Thy wise permissive will
Shall leave us to their power,
Let the world our bodies kill,
In Thine appointed hour;

406

Safe till then for God we live:
And when our souls from earth are driven,
Trust Thee, Father, to receive,
And give us thrones in heaven.

1814.

[See the heavenly Man of God]

The Pharisees and the chief priests sent, &c. —vii. 32.

See the heavenly Man of God,
How patiently He stands!
Lets the men athirst for blood
Extend their ruffian hands;
Checks the fury of His foes,
But not by judgments from above,
Only signs of meekness shows,
And miracles of love!

1815.

[Those who will not while they may]

Then said Jesus . . . Yet a little while am I, &c. —vii. 33.

Those who will not while they may,
Their Lord and God receive,
Soon outlive their gracious day,
And never can believe:
While I yet can make it sure,
Let me the proffer'd blessing seize,
Seize a moment to secure
Mine everlasting peace.

1816.

[Suffering saints with comfort mourn]

And then I go unto Him that sent Me. —vii. 33.

Suffering saints with comfort mourn
For your discharge is near,
Soon ye shall to God return,
And at His throne appear;
There the wicked vex no more,
There your weary spirits rest
Far beyond the tempter's power,
Reclined on Jesu's breast.

407

1817.

[Those who will not seek Him now]

Ye shall seek Me, and shall not find Me: and, &c. —vii. 34.

Those who will not seek Him now,
While life and strength remain,
When their dying heads they bow,
Would seek their Lord in vain:
Casting now His words behind,
Seized by the hellish messenger
Nothing they in death shall find
But darkness and despair.

Jesus, Lord, to Thee I give
The glory, power, and praise;
Thou hast help'd me to believe,
And half unveil'd Thy face:
O stir up my faithful heart
To seek and still pursue the prize,
Till arriving where Thou art
I grasp Thee in the skies.

1818.

[Yes: He hath the Gentiles sought]

Will He go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, &c. —vii. 35.

Yes: He hath the Gentiles sought,
Dispersed and wandering wide,
Outcasts by His Spirit taught,
And truly justified:
Sinners still He doth receive,
While Pharisees reject His grace,
Teaches us to love and live
The life of righteousness.

1819.

[Ye thirsty for God To Jesus give ear]

Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man, &c. —vii. 37.

Ye thirsty for God To Jesus give ear,
And take through His blood The power to draw near,
His kind invitation, Ye sinners, embrace,
The sense of salvation Accepting through grace.

408

Sent down from above Who governs the skies
In vehement love To sinners He cries,
“Drink into My Spirit, Who happy would be,
And all things inherit By coming to Me.”

O Saviour of all, Thy word we believe,
And come at Thy call, Thy grace to receive;
The blessing is given, Wherever Thou art:
The earnest of heaven Is love in the heart.

To us at Thy feet The Comforter give,
Who gasp to admit Thy Spirit and live:
The weakest believers Acknowledge for Thine,
And fill us with rivers Of water Divine.

1820.

[No; the Spirit's dispensation]

The Holy Ghost was not yet given; because, &c. —vii. 39.

No; the Spirit's dispensation
Was not then on earth begun;
Jesus in His bloody passion
Had not laid the ransom down,
Had not by His dying merit
Bought the universal grace,
Through His prayer obtain'd the Spirit,
Pour'd Him out on all our race.

But we now by faith adore Thee,
Jesus high above all height,
Reinstated in Thy glory,
Repossess'd of all Thy right;
Thou hast with Thy Father pleaded
Thy oblation on the tree,
Thou hast in Thy suit succeeded,
Gain'd the Holy Ghost for me.

409

Now He is sent down from heaven,
Witness of Thy power above,
Is to true believers given,
Source of all our joy and love:
Yes; we now Thy bliss inherit,
Now our Pentecost is come,
Thou hast seal'd us by Thy Spirit,
Mark'd for Thine eternal home.

1821.

[The promise made but not fulfill'd]

When they heard this saying they said, &c. —vii. 40, 41.

The promise made but not fulfill'd
Thy hearers, Lord, with joy received,
Before the precious truth was seal'd
The Prophet Thee, the Christ believed;
And shall not we Thy Godhead own,
And testify Thy Spirit given,
Through seventeen hundred ages known,
And daily still sent down from heaven.

1822.

[I want the faith which reasons not]

Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Hath, &c. —vii. 41, 42.

I want the faith which reasons not,
Though rational, implicit too,
That simply by Thy Spirit taught,
Persuaded all Thy works are true,
No seeming contrariety
May make me stumble, Lord, at Thee.

Useless disputes, reflections vain,
Questions obscure, be cast aside,
The doubts I cannot yet explain
I leave to my unerring Guide;
And He my heavenly path shall show,
And all the truth I need to know.

410

1823.

[The world offended at our Lord]

So there was a division among the people, &c. —vii. 43.

The world offended at our Lord,
Is still in every age the same;
To bring a sharp divisive sword,
Not a deceitful peace He came,
His followers from His foes to part,
And show the ground of every heart.

The truth His confessors defend
His faithless enemies deny:
Those in their Saviour's cause contend,
These still persist and crucify,
Till Jesus His great power assumes,
And the millennial kingdom comes.

1824.

[The world their hands can never lay]

And some of them would have taken Him; &c. —vii. 44.

The world their hands can never lay
On one secured in Thine,
Till Thou permit them, Lord, to' obey
And answer Thy design;
They then with malice blind fulfil
Thine unperceived decree,
The body of Thy witness kill,
And send his soul to Thee.

1825.

[When our God the gospel gives]

The officers answered, Never man spake like, &c. —vii. 46.

When our God the gospel gives
Clothed with His own Spirit's might,
Then the open'd heart believes,
Then our soul's restored to sight.
We its hidden beauty see,
Taste the sweetness of the word,

411

Feel its powerful energy,
Wondering own our heavenly Lord.

He disarms the hostile mind,
He doth all its hate remove;
By His word transform'd we find
Holy power and humble love;
Never mortal spake like Him!
More than man He needs must be:
Is He not the God supreme?
Answer Lord, Thyself in me!

1826.

[When Jesus we presume to praise]

Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye, &c. —vii. 47.

When Jesus we presume to praise,
Struck with His wonder working word,
The world their ancient clamour raise,
Against the' admirers of our Lord,
As weak deluded fools despise,
When Christ begins to make us wise.

Deceived by Truth we cannot be:
But you your wretched selves deceive,
Blind Pharisees, who say ye see,
In a vain formal shadow live,
And mock the power ye will not feel,
Till Satan cheats you into hell.

1827.

[We still the old objection hear]

Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees, &c. —vii. 48.

We still the old objection hear,
Have any of the great, or wise,
The men of name and character
Believed on Him the vulgar prize?
Our Saviour, by the rich unknown,
Is worshipp'd by the poor alone.

412

The poor, we joyfully confess
His followers and disciples still,
His friends, and chosen witnesses,
Who know His name, and do His will,
Who suffer for our Master's cause,
And only glory in His cross.

1828.

[Boasters of a religious show]

This people who knoweth not the law are, &c. —vii. 49.

Boasters of a religious show,
Who the unlearned poor disdain,
Howe'er the literal law ye know,
Its curse doth still on you remain,
Who have not the whole law fulfill'd,
It speaks your condemnation seal'd.

The poor, the death-devoted crowd,
Their Lord with humble faith receive,
They gladly know their pardoning God,
Freed from the legal curse they live,
The spirit of pure obedience prove,
And all the law fulfill'd in love.

1829.

[Who first conversed with Christ by night]

Nicodemus saith unto them (he that came), &c. —vii. 50.

Who first conversed with Christ by night,
Defends Him now in open day,
Arm'd by the word of Jesus' might
The malice of His foes to stay,
He quells them with resistless zeal,
And baffles all the rage of hell.

1830.

[Who suffer in their Saviour's cause]

Doth our law judge any man, before it hear, &c. —vii. 51.

Who suffer in their Saviour's cause,
Must never marvel or complain,
Of violent wrongs and broken laws;
By merciless oppressive man

413

Condemn'd unheard they always were,
And still their Master's portion share.

Witnesses of the' atoning blood
Have ye been once arraign'd and tried?
As outlaws by your foes pursued,
Persist and patiently abide,
Assured your cause shall soon be known,
And the great Judge pronounce, Well done.

1831.

[Who dar'st oppose the popular cry]

Art thou also of Galilee? —vii. 52.

Who dar'st oppose the popular cry,
For blacken'd innocency plead,
Expect the ready world's reply,
No stronger argument they need,
But answer by reproaching thee,
“And art thou too of Galilee?”

Determined then thy lot expect,
Who canst the Christian sect defend
Thou must be of the Christian sect;
Reviled, and patient to the end,
With God's afflicted people rise,
To claim thy kingdom in the skies.

1832.

[One question puts them all to flight]

And every man went unto his own house. —vii. 53.

One question puts them all to flight,
From the bold champion of his Lord;
And when with the same beasts we fight,
And speak in faith the given word,
They cannot stand before our face;
One Christian shall a thousand chase.

University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER VII.

1792.

[To' escape Thy persecuting foes]