The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

[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.

University of Virginia Library

[The Words Spoken on the Cross.]