The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

For evil in a garden done
Christ in a garden must atone:
Freely He comes by suffering there
Our loss of Eden to repair,
Bears in the memorable place
The sins of our devoted race,
Takes on Himself the wrath of God,
To quench it with His tears and blood.

2205.

[The place apostates know]

And Judas also, which betrayed Him, knew, &c. —xviii. 2.

The place apostates know,
And never can forget,
Where Jesus and His church below
In solemn worship meet:
Yet Him in vain they claim
Who to His foes desert;
Disciples, confessors in name,
But traitors false in heart.

Judas signifies Confessor.

2206.

[With sorrow Lord and fear]

Judas...having received a band of men, &c. —xviii. 3.

With sorrow Lord and fear
We Thine apostle see
Renounce his sacred character,
And hell prefer to Thee:
For we who fiercely blame
The wretch with Satan fraught,
Left to ourselves should do the same,
Should sell our God for nought.

2207.

[When Satan rules and urges on]

Judas...cometh thither with lanterns, &c. —xviii. 3.

When Satan rules and urges on
The blindfold slaves of wickedness,
Lanterns they bring, to seek the Sun,
And arms, the' Omnipotent to seize.

2208.

[Freely He lays the ransom down]

Jesus therefore, knowing all things that, &c. —xviii. 4.

Freely He lays the ransom down,
The life which none could take away,
Goes forth to meet the ills foreknown,
Yields Himself up an easy prey;
His foes by miracle struck blind,
Struck down by one resistless word,
Mild He instructs Himself to find,
And gives them power to seize their Lord.

2209.

[Sinners to seek and save He came]

They answered Him, Jesus of Nazareth. &c. —xviii. 5.

Sinners to seek and save He came,
They seek, that they their God may slay:
And I of the dire number am,
And Jesus with a kiss betray;
But let the season past suffice,
That with the ruffian band I stood;
I see Thee now with open'd eyes,
And prostrate own, my Lord, my God!

2210.

[That irresistible I AM]

As soon then as He had said unto them, I am, &c. —xviii. 6.

That irresistible I AM
Declares the present Deity,
Yet none convinced their God proclaim,
Whose power and love they feel and see;
Who struck their bodies to the ground,
He might have struck their souls to hell,
In chains of penal darkness bound,
And plunged in flames unquenchable.

Ah, what can outward wonders do
To' o'ercome the stubbornness of man?
Unless Thou bind our spirits too,
Thy judgments cast us down in vain;
My hopes, designs, or health o'erthrow,
Yet will I not to Thee submit;
But give my heart Thy love to know,
And then I worship at Thy feet.

2211.

[Jesus the oft repeated call]

Then asked He them again, Whom seek ye? &c. —xviii. 7.

Jesus the oft repeated call
Doth to obdurate sinners give,
Time to recover from their fall,
To weigh their ways, repent and live:
He turns us to our hearts again,
He asks me whom I seek below,
Would I the world or Christ obtain,
The joy of grace or nature know?

Him do I seek by faith to' adore,
Or by my sins to crucify?
Jesus, Thou dost my thoughts explore,
My soul is naked to Thine eye:
I seek, or think I seek my Lord,
That when I find Thy precious grace,
Thy name may be confess'd, adored,
And hallow'd with eternal praise.

2212.

[Anxious Thy followers' lives alone]

If therefore ye seek Me, let these go their way, &c. —xviii. 8.

Anxious Thy followers' lives alone
To save, forgetful of Thine own,
Thou dost by Thy command
Strike down whoe'er their God oppose,
Or secretly restrain Thy foes
And rule the ruffian band.

Thy servants, Lord, they must dismiss,
They cannot Thine apostles seize
Prohibited by Thee,
Who freely dost Thy life resign
A bleeding sacrifice Divine
For all mankind and me.

2213.

[Shepherd of souls, the lambs and sheep]

That the saying might be fulfilled, which, &c. —xviii. 9.

Shepherd of souls, the lambs and sheep
Thy tender love delights to keep
In every dangerous hour,
Thou hid'st us by Thy guardian love
Beyond the reach of sin, above
The world, and Satan's power.

Safety and strength in Thee we have,
Thou wilt our souls and bodies save,
Who on Thine arm depend;
That arm omnipotent, Divine,
Which holds this feeble soul of mine,
Shall keep me to the end.

Me by Thy Father's love bestow'd
Thou wilt preserve, the gift of God,
Nor with Thy purchase part,
(Ready so oft to leave the fold,)
Thou wilt not quit Thy mercy's hold,
Or lose me from Thy heart.

With me Thy Spirit shall abide,
And help, and influence, and guide,
Till all my course is run:
Mine eyes shall then behold Thee near,
Thou wilt my heavenly Life appear,
And take me to Thy throne.

2214.

[Man without grace may courage show]

Peter having a sword drew it, and smote, &c. —xviii. 10.

Man without grace may courage show,
And much for Christ presume to do:
His zeal is all unsanctified,
His efforts are the starts of pride,
The eagerness of nature's haste,
Too fierce too violent to last.

Even the zeal which God bestows,
And as a placid stream it flows,
Returning to its Source above;
Its fervour is the flame of love,
From all the dross of nature pure,
And shall eternally endure.

2215.

[Who furious for the truth contend]

Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup, &c. —xviii. 11.

Who furious for the truth contend,
Christ with an arm of flesh defend,
The world with its own weapons fight,
And oft your fellow-servants smite,
Put up the controversial sword,
Nor stain the meekness of your Lord.

Let heathens force by force repel,
Let bigots boast their fiery zeal,
The cup which God to Christ did give
Ye followers of the Lamb receive,
(The cup to all His members given,)
And die on earth to reign in heaven.

Jesus, I would with joy embrace
Thy portion here, Thy patient grace,
Meekly my nature's will resign,
Accept the precious gift Divine,
Thy sacred cup of grief unknown,
Thy cross, which mounts me to Thy throne.

2216.

[Adorable captivity]

Then the band and the captain and officers, &c. —xviii. 12.

Adorable captivity
Which sets a world of prisoners free
From sin and Satan's iron chain!
Our souls Thou offerest to release;
Pardon and liberty and peace
We all may through Thy bonds obtain.

Jesus, Thy dear redeeming grace
By faith we thankfully embrace,
Enjoy our perfect freedom here,
Servants of righteousness we rise,
As sons of God regain the skies,
As heirs at Thy right hand appear.

2217.

[Happy the highly favour'd man]

Happy the highly favour'd man
Who wears Thine honourable chain,
To inward liberty restored!
Jesus, with Thee in spirit join'd,
He triumphs, for Thy cause confined,
The joyful prisoner of the Lord:
Who Thy captivity partake
And calmly suffer for Thy sake,
Our bonds are sanctified by Thine:
And when we have endured with Thee
Thy death of pain and infamy,
We shall in all Thy glories shine.

2218.

[The world exult to see pursued]

Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel, &c. —xviii. 14.

The world exult to see pursued
Their counsel to destroy the good,
And God permits them to oppress,
And curses with their own success:
When priests against His church conspire,
Accomplishing the fiends' desire,

Their triumph doth their fall portend,
Their joys in endless sorrows end.

2219.

[If men the Sovereign Priest arraign]

The high priest then asked Jesus of His, &c. —xviii. 19.

If men the Sovereign Priest arraign,
If men the' eternal Truth decry,
Shall Thy disciples Lord complain?
Or meekly to the charge reply,
Suspected or accused, like Thee,
Of error and conspiracy?

Still let the world their charge repeat,
As factious innovators brand,
The servants like the Master treat;
At their unrighteous bar we stand,
We stand, their utmost wrath to' abide,
We stand—with Jesus at our side.

2220.

[O might I, like Jesus, be]

In secret have I said nothing. —xviii. 20.

O might I, like Jesus, be
Foe to guile and secrecy,
Walk as always in His sight,
Free and open as the light!
Jesus, Lord, to me impart
The true nobleness of heart,
The unfeign'd simplicity,
The pure mind which was in Thee.

2221.

[Join we, Lord, as taught by Thee]

Why askest thou Me? ask them which, &c. —xviii. 21.

Join we, Lord, as taught by Thee,
Steadfastness and modesty,
Patiently our souls possess,
Resolute the truth confess,
Speak it when accused by men,
Firmly to the last maintain.

Challenge we the world to show
What they of Thy servants know:
Walk we not in open day?
Let the most malicious say,
Real testimony give,
How we speak, and how we live!

2222.

[O'erwhelm'd with grief and shame I see]

One of the officers...struck Jesus with the, &c. —xviii. 22.

O'erwhelm'd with grief and shame I see
My Saviour buffeted for me,
For faults which I have done,
Meekly He doth the' affront sustain
To' abase the loftiness of man,
And for my pride atone.

Confounded in the dust I would
The sufferings of an humbled God
With meekest awe adore,
Insulted as my Pattern be,
And never feel the injury,
And never murmur more.

2223.

[Silent we turn the other cheek]

Jesus answered him, If I have spoken, &c. —xviii. 23.

Silent we turn the other cheek,
The private injury pass by,
Yet when required for God to speak
From crimes ourselves to justify,
Submissive to the powers that be,
We dare not obstinate appear,
But speak with mild sincerity,
Our office, not ourselves to clear.

2224.

[Thou Saviour by Thy sacred bands]

Now Annas had sent Him bound unto, &c. —xviii. 24.

Thou Saviour by Thy sacred bands
Didst expiate man's audaciousness,
Who rashly dared extend his hands
The interdicted fruit to seize:

Thy hands are tied to loosen ours,
The instruments of sin set free,
Redeem our captivated powers,
And give us hearts to die for Thee.

Those voluntary bonds of Thine
Break all the bonds my will has made,
And fill with confidence Divine
My soul on my Redeemer stay'd:
In perfect liberty from sin
I serve Thee as Thy hosts above,
When Thou hast made me free within,
Free to obey, and praise, and love.

2225.

[Thrice he promised to confess]

Peter then denied again: and immediately, &c. —xviii. 27.

Thrice he promised to confess,
Thrice his suffering Lord denies,
Thus performs his promises,
Bonds and death he thus defies!
But let Jesus' look convert,
Then the reed a rock shall prove,
Thrice express his faithful heart,
Thrice protest his humble love.

2226.

[Legal impurity they dread]

They themselves went not into the judgment, &c. —xviii. 28.

Legal impurity they dread
Who innocence oppress,
Nor fear the guiltless blood they shed
Should stain their consciences;
And thus our formalists maintain
Their sanctity's renown,
While gnats out of their cup they strain,
And swallow camels down.

Bitter implacable and proud
They in externals trust,

Abhor the genuine sons of God,
And persecute the just;
Heathens profane far off they see,
At open sinners start,
With eyes full of adultery,
And murder in their heart.

2227.

['Tis thus our fierce unrighteous foes]

If He were not a malefactor, we would, &c. —xviii. 30.

'Tis thus our fierce unrighteous foes
Their enmity declare,
Guilty of blackest crimes suppose,
And drag us to the bar:
The tedious forms of justice vain
They furiously pass by,
Pronounce us impious and profane,
And judge before they try.

2228.

[A criminal they could not doom]

The Jews...said unto him, It is not, &c. —xviii. 31, 32.

A criminal they could not doom,
They might an innocent release,
Permitted by imperious Rome
To hear and try the witnesses;
But lo the rage of Jewish zeal
Conspires with Roman policy,
Thy sure prediction to fulfil,
And nail their Saviour to the tree.

And shall Thy followers complain
Who in Thy steps profess to go,
Condemn'd by rash oppressive man,
Entreated like Thyself below?
Or rather patiently receive
The treatment which confirms us Thine,
And when pronounced unfit to live
Our spirits on Thy cross resign!

2229.

[King of the Jews and Gentiles too]

Art Thou the King of the Jews? —xviii. 33.

King of the Jews and Gentiles too,
Born from above and form'd anew
By Thy creating power,
Thee, Jesus, we with joy confess,
And prostrate at Thy throne of grace
Thy majesty adore.

O wouldst Thou to my heart explain
The nature of Thy Spirit's reign,
The hidden mystery,
That fill'd with peace and love unknown
My pure self-emptied soul may own
Thou art a King in me.

2230.

[Jesus, what hast Thou done?]

What hast Thou done? —xviii. 35.

Jesus, what hast Thou done?
No evil was in Thee,
But Thou hast made my deeds Thine own
A criminal for me.
For Adam's sinful race
Thou art condemn'd to die
That through Thy blood and righteousness
We all may reach the sky.

2231.

[Not by force of arms upheld]

My kingdom is not of this world. —xviii. 36.

Not by force of arms upheld
The kingdom of Thy grace
Stands invisible, conceal'd
In the peculiar race;
Ruling over all it stands
A kingdom that can never move,
Stablish'd by Almighty hands
The Hierarchy of Love!

Not with worldly pomp and power
Thou dost Thy sway maintain,
Righteousness and peace restore
And happiness to man:
All Thy joyful subjects own,
Thy Spirit in Thy kingdom given
Makes our hearts Thy humble throne,
And turns our earth to heaven.

2232.

[Jesus, King of righteousness]

Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end, &c. —xviii. 37.

Jesus, King of righteousness,
Thy people taught by Thee,
Bold before the world confess
Thy royal dignity:
Born for this alone we are,
And in Thy testimony join,
By our words and lives declare
The power of truth Divine.

God descended from the sky
And manifest within,
Thee the Truth we testify
Which makes us free from sin;
Thee our Life in life and death
Our real Holiness we praise,
Publish with our latest breath
The truth of love and grace.

2233.

[All that to the truth belong]

Every one that is of the truth heareth My voice. —xviii. 37.

All that to the truth belong
The Saviour's word believe,
Manna dropping from Thy tongue
With humble joy receive;
Listening to Thy voice fulfil
The law of liberty and love,

Serve Thy good and perfect will
As angels do above.

Be it all my business Lord,
While here on earth I stay
Gladly to attend Thy word
And faithfully obey:
Thou to me Thy Spirit give,
And taught by His anointing, I
Witness of the truth shall live,
And in its service die.

2234.

[The men who human praise desire]

Pilate saith unto Him, What is truth? —xviii. 38.

The men who human praise desire
Who set their heart on things below,
Like Pilate carelessly inquire,
But will not wait the truth to know,
But soon their slighted Lord forsake,
And cast His words behind their back.

Not with a cold or double heart
But faith's sincerity unfeign'd
We ask Thee Saviour to impart
The knowledge in Thyself contain'd,
And give our new-born souls to prove,
The Truth, the Life of perfect Love.

2235.

[His innocence we daily find]

I find in Him no fault at all. —xviii. 38.

His innocence we daily find
Acknowledged and abandon'd too
By men, who favourably inclined
To truth, yet tremble to pursue
The narrow path by Jesus trod,
And suffer with a patient God.

Jesus, the only faultless Man,
Thee would I constantly confess

Thy sovereign Deity maintain,
Stand by Thy hated witnesses,
Undaunted for Thy cause contend,
And Thee in life and death defend.

2236.

[Arm'd with authority the man]

But ye have a custom, that I should release, &c. —xviii. 39.

Arm'd with authority the man
Who for an innocent entreats,
He loses all his efforts vain,
His own high dignity forgets;
He should the clamorous command,
Declare for truth and equity,
The' oppressors to their face withstand,
And set the injured Captive free.

2237.

[By wild impetuous passion led]

Then cried they all again, saying, Not this, &c. —xviii. 40.

By wild impetuous passion led
We still repeat the direful deed,
With one consent we cry
(While to the world our hearts we give)
In us let the first Adam live,
And let the Second die.

But let the season past suffice;
Jesus, we now unite our cries
And ask the death of sin;
Nail this Barabbas to the tree,
These lusts which steal our hearts from Thee;
And spread Thy life within.

The cruel murderers of our God,
Which shed so oft Thy precious blood
No longer Lord reprieve,
But slay them by the Spirit of grace,
And with Thy vital holiness
In all Thy members live.

	CHAPTER XVIII. The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER XVIII.

2203.

[The emblem had in trembling haste]

2204.

[For evil in a garden done]