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.

XI.

XII.

XIII.

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CHAPTER XIX.

2238.

[The Man of griefs by all despised]

Then Pilate therefore took Jesus and scourged, &c. —xix. 1.

The Man of griefs by all despised,
Loaded with pain and infamy,
Like a rebellious slave chastised,
We mourn, but wonder not to see:
He stands in the first Adam's place
Beneath our penalties and pains,
Of all our disobedient race
The sin and chastisement sustains.

2239.

[Enrobed and crown'd in mockery]

And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns. —xix. 2.

Enrobed and crown'd in mockery
Thou dost for Adam's sin atone,
Who fain would independent be,
And live like God supreme alone:
With pride entail'd on all the kind,
We too would reign admired adored;
But here the remedy we find
The meekness of our humbled Lord.

Thou wouldst not from the people take
A crown without reproach or pain,
But scoff'd and wounded for our sake
Thou dost the grief and shame sustain;
Thou dost the crown of thorns receive,
To make Thy patient kingdom known,
And lo, with Thee we die and live,
We suffer and ascend Thy throne.

2240.

[Sinner behold what thou hast done!]

Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown, &c. —xix. 5.

Sinner behold what thou hast done!
Exposed thy King to grief unknown,
To anguish and disgrace:

Thy sins have cover'd Him with scorn,
Thy sins have crown'd His head with thorn,
And marr'd His heavenly face.

Yet in that Man deform'd for Thee
The Fulness of the Godhead see,
That Man of grief and love
The Lord, thy Lord and God confess,
Who, by His blood and righteousness,
Hath bought thy crown above.

2241.

[More precious than the gold and gems]

More precious than the gold and gems
That shine in earthly diadems,
The thorns of Jesu's crown
Stain'd with the blood of God, they pay
The debt of all mankind, and lay
The general ransom down.

A rich inheritance they buy,
Eternal mansions in the sky
For Adam's favour'd race:
And every ransom'd soul with me
By faith Thy mangled form may see,
And then Thy glorious face.

2242.

[Who would not look on Thee]

Behold the Man! —xix. 5.

Who would not look on Thee,
Thou Man of grief and love?
'Tis heaven on earth, Thy face to see,
'Tis all our heaven above.

2243.

[The Son of God Himself He made]

We have a law, and by our law He ought, &c. —xix. 7.

The Son of God Himself He made,
Himself He proved the Son of God,
The law of love Divine obey'd,
Of justice, which required His blood:

His blood must purge our sinful stain,
Jehovah's vengeance satisfy,
Salvation for the world obtain;
And by this law He ought to die.

2244.

[How wretched is the man]

When Pilate therefore heard that saying, &c. —xix. 8.

How wretched is the man,
How sure of ill success,
Who fondly seeks with effort vain
God and the world to please!
He soon through servile fear
Gives up the injured side,
And Jesus in His members here
Again is crucified.

2245.

[When He could Himself defend]

And saith unto Jesus, Whence art Thou? &c. —xix. 9.

When He could Himself defend,
The Saviour holds His peace,
Our apologies to end,
And clamours to suppress:
Hear we then the speechless Lamb
Who doth our eagerness reprove,
Silence and for ever shame
Our self-excusing love.

2246.

[Thee may I ever keep in view]

Thou couldest have no power at all, &c. —xix. 11.

Thee may I ever keep in view
Crush'd by abused authority
The evil instruments look through,
The wisdom of my Father see
Which lets the world Thy church oppress,
Or kill Thy passive witnesses.

Thy power doth now their rage confine,
Fast bound as by a secret chain:

And till Thy hand the warrant sign
Their malice threatens us in vain;
We know our hairs are number'd all,
Nor one without Thy leave can fall.

Wherefore on Thee we fix our eyes,
And wait the counsels of Thy will,
Assured that all in earth and skies
Shall only Thy design fulfil,
To Thine eternal glory tend,
And in our full salvation end.

2247.

[He must the wrath Divine appease]

From thenceforth Pilate sought to release Him. —xix. 12.

He must the wrath Divine appease,
He must a world of sinners buy:
Man cannot rescue or release,
When God hath doom'd His Son to die.

2248.

[When passion in the judge prevails]

If thou let this Man go, thou art not, &c. —xix. 12, 13.

When passion in the judge prevails,
Human respect, or earthly hope,
His feeble love of justice fails,
And loth, he gives the guiltless up:
The slave of fame who would be just
Yet soothe the giddy multitude,
Sooner or late, he surely must
To interest sacrifice his God.

2249.

[Jesus while the world despise Thee]

Behold your King! —xix. 14.

Jesus while the world despise Thee
We our humbled King confess,
By the marks we recognise Thee,
Bleeding Prince of life and peace;
By the tokens of Thy passion
Us Thy faithful subjects know,

Then reveal Thy great salvation,
Then our crowns of life bestow.

Through humility and patience
Here Thou dost Thy sway maintain,
Out of mighty tribulations
Come Thy saints with Thee to reign:
King of griefs, our hearts adore Thee,
Pain'd with Thy afflictions, own
Suffering is Thy people's glory,
Suffering leads us to Thy throne.

2250.

[Who yield their hearts the sordid throne]

But they cried out, Away with Him, &c. —xix. 15.

Who yield their hearts the sordid throne
Of pride or base desire,
Jesus they for their King disown,
And still His death require:
Away with Him! they will not have
This Man of woe to reign,
They will not suffer Him to save,
But crucify again.

Cæsar their only king they know,
The power invisible
The kingdom of Thy grace below
Lord, they refuse to feel:
The throne they might with Thee divide,
The Holy Ghost receive,
But will not suffer at Thy side,
And in Thy glory live.

2251.

[Emblem of our sins, He groans]

And He bearing His cross went forth. —xix. 17.

Emblem of our sins, He groans
Beneath the cross's load,
Thus for all our guilt atones,
And heals us by His blood:

Let us on our Surety gaze,
That lovely piteous spectacle!
Lo, He suffers in our place
What we deserve to feel.

Strength for us His sufferings buy
To imitate our Head:
Let us then ourselves deny,
And in Thy footsteps tread,
Go we forth to Calvary,
And bearing Thy reproach and pain,
Patient of the cross with Thee
Thy crown immortal gain.

2252.

[Bound to the altar see]

They crucified Him. —xix. 18.

Bound to the altar see
The bleeding Sacrifice!
Uplifted on the shameful tree
He hangs 'twixt earth and skies!
Jesus the crucified
Invites our sinful race,
And with those arms extended wide
Would all mankind embrace.

Was ever grief like His
Who bears Jehovah's name!
Of all His glory stripp'd He is,
And cover'd with our shame,
Cover'd with His own blood
Whom earth and heaven desires,
The Father's joy, the' eternal God
In agonies expires.

Number'd with sinners Thee
My Saviour I confess,

Struggling in death to ransom me
And all our dying race:
My Purchaser Divine,
My rightful Lord Thou art,
And lo! I answer Thy design,
And give Thee all my heart!

2253.

[Virtue by few embraced]

They crucified...two other with Him. —xix. 18.

Virtue by few embraced
We find in Christ alone,
Betwixt two opposite vices placed
Essential Virtue own:
And still the truth is seen
With error by its side,
And Christians among sinful men
Are daily crucified.

2254.

[Jesus, by the judge allow'd]

Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews. —xix. 19, 20.

Jesus, by the judge allow'd
Supreme in regal power,
Very and eternal God
Let all Thy saints adore:
All the Israelites indeed
Their bleeding King and Saviour own,
On the cross we plainly read
Thy title to the throne.

King proclaim'd in different tongues,
Is our expiring God;
All mankind to Thee belongs,
The purchase of Thy blood:
Universal Monarch Thou
Command the nations to submit,
Jews and Greeks and Heathens bow
Thy subjects at Thy feet.

2255.

[Conscience and remorse for sin]

Then said the chief priests...to Pilate, &c. —xix. 21, 22.

Conscience and remorse for sin
Remembrancers severe,
After the dire act, begin
To plague the wicked here:
Soon they wish the deed effaced,
Which meets and blasts their guilty eyes,
In their view for ever placed,
And written in the skies.

Written with an iron pen,
My horrid crime I see,
I the Prince of Life have slain,
The Saviour on that tree!
Torn by sin His sacred flesh,
Those nails into His body driven,
Crucified my Lord afresh,
The King of earth and heaven.

Every sinner's King and mine
Thy majesty I own,
Cover'd with the blood Divine
Which did for all atone:
While I at Thy cross remain,
The crimson blood, the gushing tide
Washes out my sinful stain,
And saves the regicide!

2256.

[By His nakedness He owns]

Then the soldiers, when they had crucified, &c. —xix. 23.

By His nakedness He owns
Man's original offence,
For our sinful shame atones,
For our loss of innocence;
Soon as we our sins confess
Hides them from His Father's eyes,

Clothes us with His righteousness,
Gives us back our paradise.

2257.

[All is grace and mystery!]

They...made four parts, to every soldier a part. —xix. 23.

All is grace and mystery!
Lo! His spoils divided are,
(While He hangs on yonder tree,)
Every soul may claim a share:
Jesus, and whate'er is His,
Let the world of sinners find;
Common the salvation is,
Parted out to all mankind.

2258.

[Heathens in every age contend]

The coat was without seam;...they said, &c. —xix. 23, 24.

Heathens in every age contend
For forms of godliness,
And strictly charge us not to rend
Our Lord's external dress:
For Christ Himself they nothing care,
Yet unity maintain,
The seamless coat they will not tear
That they the whole may gain.

Each party calls the coat their own,
As masters of the loom,
Though neither at Geneva spun
Nor Babylonish Rome;
Their feuds and strifes which never cease,
Their fierce divisions, prove
They have not kept the bond of peace,
The unity of love.

2259.

[The coward Peter had denied]

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His, &c. —xix. 25.

The coward Peter had denied,
The judge through fear had crucified,
His followers base themselves betook
To flight, and all their Lord forsook:

The weaker sex, the Marys three,
Patterns of faith and constancy,
By Jesus on the cross remain,
And thence their strength and courage gain.

Arm'd with the power of Jesu's grace,
Surmounting nature's tenderness
The sharp heart-piercing sword they feel,
The horrors of that spectacle;
Unmoved by shame or danger near,
His only dying cries they hear,
Regardless of the' outrageous crowd
They only mark His streaming blood.

The martyrs thus their strength received,
While with the Man of griefs they grieved,
And dared the fiery test abide,
Partakers with the Crucified:
Thus all the followers of the Lamb
Endure the pain, despise the shame,
And power to suffer in His cause
Find at the foot of Jesus' cross.

2260.

[Jacob gather'd up his feet]

He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost. —xix. 30.

Jacob gather'd up his feet,
Expiring in the bed,
Jesus doth to death submit,
And freely bows His head;
Willingly the ransom pays,
Gives Himself a sacrifice,
Pleased to suffer in our place
He bows His head, and dies.

All the sins of all mankind
On Jesu's head were laid;

Now He hath His life resign'd,
And our whole debt is paid.
Now we may our parting breath
Into our Father's hands commend,
Live for ever through the death
Of our expiring Friend.

2261.

[He sleeps! and lo His wounded side]

But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced, &c. —xix. 34.

He sleeps! and lo His wounded side
Gives being to His spotless bride,
Out of His side the church is took,
And while we on our Saviour look
We constitute the second Eve,
And through our Husband's dying live.

2262.

[The Rock is smote by Moses' rod]

And forthwith came there out blood and water. —xix. 34.

The Rock is smote by Moses' rod,
And pours a consecrated flood:
I see the fountain open wide,
I see the' inseparable tide,
Atoning blood and water clean,
To expiate and wash out my sin.

Jesus from Thee I surely know
The streams of full salvation flow,
Confiding in Thy death possess
The pardon and the holiness,
The double life Thy wounds impart,
The peace and purity of heart.

2263.

[I do believe the record true]

He that saw it bare record, and his record, &c. —xix. 35.

I do believe the record true,
Thou camest by blood and water too,
By blood to' atone, by water clean
To wash out all my inbred sin,

To sprinkle and renew my heart,
To make me Saviour as Thou art,
And then take home Thy spotless bride,
And place me glorious at Thy side.

2264.

[Behold Him bleeding on the tree!]

These things were done, that the Scripture, &c. —xix. 36.

Behold Him bleeding on the tree!
The Scripture and Divine decree
His death for sin require;
In weakness crucified and slain,
His strength to save doth still remain
Unbroken and entire.

True Paschal Lamb, to Thee I look;
To set the bones which sin hath broke
Thy Spirit's power exert;
Mighty to save a world from sin,
Thy salutiferous grace bring in,
And heal my contrite heart.

2265.

[My sins have done the deed]

And again another Scripture saith, They, &c. —xix. 37.

My sins have done the deed,
His sacred body torn:
I see Him bow His head,
I look on Him and mourn!
The Man I pierced, 'tis He, 'tis He!
I feel, I feel, He dies for me!

O may I ever gaze
On an expiring God,
On that disfigured face
Deform'd with tears and blood,
Till coming in the clouds I own,
And mount to meet Him on His throne!

2266.

[Through fear of the self-righteous Jews]

Joseph of Arimathæa, being a disciple of, &c. —xix. 38.

Through fear of the self-righteous Jews
Who Jesus secretly pursues,
And lurks awhile unknown,
May out of weakness be made strong
And bold before the worldly throng
His Lord and Saviour own.

Soon as His death confers the grace
Jesus we unashamed confess;
His weakest follower, I
Appear undaunted in His cause,
Live in the spirit of His cross
Or dare for Christ to die.

2267.

[Who all our sin and weakness knows]

There came also Nicodemus, which at the first, &c. —xix. 39.

Who all our sin and weakness knows,
Strength in the' appointed time bestows
To answer His design:
But oft in love our cure delays,
To make the virtue of His grace
With brightest lustre shine.

If first to Christ by night we came,
If still our stronger brethren blame
Our feeble-mindedness,
We trust at that distinguish'd hour
To claim Him boldly, and with power
In life and death confess.

2268.

[Who our mortality put on]

Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound, &c. —xix. 40.

Who our mortality put on,
Our burial clothes vouchsafes to wear;

And when these bodies we lay down,
Dress'd in the wedding robe we are,
As such our burial clothes esteem,
When worn and sanctified by Him.

Of spices all His garments smell,
Aloes and myrrh and cassia breathe:
Our faithful souls perceive and feel
The fragrant virtue of His death;
His death doth dying sinners cheer,
His death perfumes the sepulchre.

2269.

[Death and the grave their baleful power]

Now in the place where He was crucified there, &c. —xix. 41.

Death and the grave their baleful power,
Their dread commission to devour
In Eden's garden first obtain'd,
And since on all mankind have reign'd:
Disarm'd they in a garden are,
O'ercome, their Conqueror's strength declare,
Who doth to us the victory give,
Who died that all mankind may live.

2270.

[The only sinless Man and just]

In the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was, &c. —xix. 41.

The only sinless Man and just
He cannot mix with common dust,
But born of a pure virgin's womb,
Must rise out of a virgin-tomb;
The tomb is new where Christ is laid,
New is the heart for Jesus made,
And all His purity receives,
While God in man for ever lives.

2271.

[Here lies of life the' immortal Prince]

There laid they Jesus. —xix. 42.

Here lies of life the' immortal Prince
Under arrest for all our sins!

Our Surety hath procured our peace,
Discharged we are by His release;
The sun is vanish'd from our sight:
But Conqueror of the shades of night
He rises brighter than before,
He rises soon to set no more.

Prisoner of death, and silent here
He lies, till the third morn appear;
And then returns to life again,
And death is by his Captive slain;
The grave is now for us o'ercome,
Our bodies ransom'd from the tomb
After our Head triumphant rise,
And wear His glories in the skies.

2272.

[My faith with joy and wonder sees]

My faith with joy and wonder sees
Jesus Thy sacred obsequies,
A burial which has power to save
From death, a burial of the grave!
It beautifies the hideous tomb,
It dissipates the frightful gloom,
Smoothly prepares my easiest bed,
The softest pillow for my head.

O that I now my wish might have,
And sink into my Saviour's grave;
O that this flesh no more oppress'd
With pain and sin, in hope might rest!
My soul disburden'd of its clay
On eagle's wings would soar away,
Behold the Sun with eagle's eyes,
And grasp my Lord in paradise.

[The Words Spoken on the Cross.]

[_]

[Seven “Short Hymns” on the words spoken on the Cross were inserted in the First Edition, under certain verses in St. Luke's Gospel, c. xxiii. As they were afterwards much enlarged and improved, it is deemed better, though at the risk of a little repetition, to place them together here in a complete form.]

2273.

[Expiring in the sinner's stead]

HYMN I.

“I thirst.” —John xix. 28.

Expiring in the sinner's stead,
“I thirst,” the Friend of sinners cries,
And feebly lifts His languid head,
And breathes His wishes to the skies.

Not for the vinegar they gave,
For life, or liberty, or ease;
He thirsted all the world to save;
He only thirsted after this.

He thirsted for this soul of mine,
That I might His salvation see,
That I might in His image shine;
Meek Lamb of God,—He long'd for me!

Willing that all His death should know,
And feel the virtue of His blood,
He thirsted to redeem His foe,
And reconcile a world to God.

And shall not we the same require,
And languish to be saved from sin?
Yes, Lord, 'tis all our heart's desire;
O wash, and make us pure within!

Be satisfied! We thirst for Thee,
We add our strong desire to Thine;
See then Thy soul's hard travail, see,
And die to make us all Divine.

2274.

[“Father, forgive the sinful race]

HYMN II.

“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” —Luke xxiii. 34.

“Father, forgive the sinful race,
Who in My blood their hands imbrue;
O let that blood their sins efface;
Alas! they know not what they do.”

Hear the meek Lamb for sinners plead,
For those who nail'd Him to the tree;
He suffers in His murderers' stead;
He prays for all mankind, and me.

Our sins have nail'd Him to the wood;
Our sins the Prince of Life have slain,
Have spill'd His heart's last drop of blood;
Nor can He plead and pray in vain.

We are from all our sins released,
Who trust in that expiring groan;
In Him the Father is well-pleased;
He always hears His favourite Son.

“Forgive them,” gasps the parting breath,
And now the world may be forgiven,
God heard Him intercede beneath,
And seal'd the dying prayer in heaven.

“Forgive them,” still the Saviour cries,
Sprinkling the nations with His blood;
The blood of sprinkling fills the skies,
And speaks believers up to God.

2275.

[While hanging on the shameful cross]

HYMN III.

“Woman, behold thy son!” —John xix. 26.

While hanging on the shameful cross,
His scatter'd flock the Saviour sees,

Their wants His dying thoughts engross,
He marks and pities their distress:

He all their griefs and sorrows shares,
Nor even in death forgets His own,
But kindly for His orphans cares;
“Woman,” He saith, “behold thy son.”

To us the new command He gives,—
O may we all obedient prove,
And take the legacy He leaves,
His richest legacy of love.

Us each to other He commends,
And bids us in one Spirit join;
Unites, and makes us more than friends,
All kinsmen, in a bond Divine.

Then let us each to other give
The honour to a parent due,
And all with tenderest love receive,
A love which nature never knew.

Give, Jesus, give the' uniting grace,
The bond of charity Divine;
And let us all mankind embrace,
And love them with a love like Thine.

2276.

[O joyful sound of pardoning grace]

HYMN IV.

“To-day shalt thou be with Me in paradise.” —Luke xxiii. 43.

O joyful sound of pardoning grace;
All hail, Thou suffering Deity!
I too with Thee would take my place,
I too would gladly be with Thee.

Thy voice that dying sinner cheers,
And saves him at his latest hour,

To dissipate our guilty fears,
And show forth all Thy saving power.

O who can of Thy grace despair,
That sees the thief on yonder tree?
If he could find forgiveness there,
Surely forgiveness is for me.

Remember me, O Lord my God;
Thou art into Thy kingdom come;
Sprinkle my conscience with Thy blood,
And take my gasping spirit home.

Death, everlasting death, I own
The just reward of my offence:
But Thou hast naught of evil done;
Thou art all love, all innocence.

For Thy own sake pronounce the word;
Tell me, in answer to my cries,
“To-day thou shalt be with thy Lord,
And find in Me thy paradise.”

2277.

[Hear, earth and heaven, with wonder hear]

HYMN V.

“My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” —Matt. xxvii. 46.

Hear, earth and heaven, with wonder hear,
That deepest note of grief unknown;
What means that strange mysterious prayer?
Can God desert His only Son?

Who heard Him speaking from the skies,
“I always am well-pleased in Thee,”
“My God, my God,” the Favourite cries,
“O why hast Thou forsaken Me?”

Didst Thou forget, Thou Man of Grief,
For whom Thou didst the death sustain?

Thy sore distress is our relief,
Thy loss is our eternal gain.

Didst Thou forget the kind design,
Which made Thee lay aside Thy crown?
That strange excess of love Divine,
Which brought the' incarnate Godhead down?

For whom didst Thou endure the cross?
For whom didst Thou consent to bleed?
Didst Thou not undertake our cause?
Didst Thou not suffer in our stead?

'Twas not for sin which Thou hadst done,
Thy angry Father hid His face;
But on Thy innocence was shown
The vengeance due to Adam's race.

Man, guilty man, by God abhorr'd,
Deserved His utmost wrath to know,
Driven from the presence of the Lord
To regions of eternal woe.

But Thou our sins and curse didst take,
That we might bless'd and holy be;
And Thee Thy Father did forsake,
That He might ne'er abandon me.

Deserted at Thy greatest need,
Thou know'st to pity what I feel:
My God, my God, Thy face is hid;
I wander on in darkness still.

Gross darkness, such as may be felt,
Egyptian night my soul o'erspreads;
My heart within like wax doth melt,
And on Thy cross my nature bleeds.

I taste the bitter cup, and share
Thine agonies and grief unknown,
Till Thou the' accomplishment declare,
And tell my inmost soul, “'Tis done!”

2278.

[The holy Jesus rests in hope]

HYMN VI.

“Into Thy hands I commend My spirit.” —Luke xxiii. 46.

The holy Jesus rests in hope,
And calm in death on God relies;
His parting spirit He gives up
Into His Father's hands, and dies.

Meek, patient Lamb, for us He gives
The life which none could take away,
And lays it down, and God receives
His soul into eternal day.

O might I thus my warfare end,
Meekly to God my soul resign,
Into my Father's hands commend!
O Jesus, let Thy death be mine!

I long with Thee to bow my head,
Offer'd upon Thy sacrifice;
With Thee to sink among the dead,
And in Thy life triumphant rise.

2279.

['Tis finish'd! The Messias dies]

HYMN VII.

“It is finished.” —John xix. 30.

'Tis finish'd! The Messias dies,
Cut off for sins, but not His own:
Accomplish'd is the sacrifice,
The great redeeming work is done.

100

'Tis finish'd! all the debt is paid;
Justice Divine is satisfied;
The grand and full atonement made;
God for a guilty world hath died.

The veil is rent in Christ alone;
The living way to heaven is seen;
The middle wall is broken down,
And all mankind may enter in.

The types and figures are fulfill'd;
Exacted is the legal pain;
The precious promises are seal'd;
The spotless Lamb of God is slain.

The reign of sin and death is o'er,
And all may live from sin set free;
Satan hath lost his mortal power;
'Tis swallow'd up in victory.

Saved from the legal curse I am,
My Saviour hangs on yonder tree:
See there the meek, expiring Lamb!
'Tis finish'd! He expires for me.

Accepted in the Well-beloved,
And clothed in righteousness Divine,
I see the bar to heaven removed;
And all Thy merits, Lord, are mine.

Death, hell, and sin are now subdued;
All grace is now to sinners given;
And, lo, I plead the' atoning blood,
And in Thy right I claim Thy heaven.

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