The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

Father of earth and heaven,
Thy hungry children feed,
Thy grace be to our spirits given,
That true immortal bread!
Grant us and all our race
In Jesus Christ to prove
The sweetness of Thy pardoning grace
The manna of Thy love.

II. [Jesus, to whom alone we live]

[_]

To—“With pity, Lord, a sinner see.”

Jesus, to whom alone we live,
Let us from Thyself receive
Our consecrated food,
In nature's acts Thy will pursue,
And do with faith whate'er we do,
To glorify our God.

358

O let us of the gift partake
Only for the Giver's sake,
And not ourselves to please;
In all our conversation here
Be Thou our joy, our hope, our fear,
Our total happiness.

Our meanest deeds exalt, improve,
On the altar of Thy love
Accept them, Lord, as Thine;
Consume us in that sacred fire,
And let our hallow'd lives expire
A sacrifice Divine.

III. [Lord of all, Thy creatures see]

[_]

To—“Jesus, dear departed Lord.”

Lord of all, Thy creatures see
Waiting for their food on Thee;
That we may with thanks receive
Give, herewith Thy blessing give;
Fill our mouths with food and praise;
Taste we in the gift the grace,
Take it as through Jesus given,
Eat on earth the bread of heaven.

IV. [Father, accept our sacrifice]

[_]

To—“Sinners, obey the gospel word.”

Father, accept our sacrifice,
Through Christ well pleasing in Thine eyes:
Thy glory here we make our aim,
And eat and drink in Jesu's name;

Our food we now with fear receive,
Nor live to eat, but eat to live,

359

To live till all our work is done,
And serve Thy blessed will alone.

V. [Jesu, we Thy promise plead]

[_]

To—“Hearts of stone, relent, relent.”

Jesu, we Thy promise plead,
Grant the things for which we pray;
Give us, Lord, our daily bread
This and every happy day,
Now our bodies' strength renew,
Feed our needy spirits too.

Comfort every longing heart,
Longing Thee alone to know,
Nourishment Divine impart,
Immaterial bread bestow,
Bread by which our souls may live;
Give, Thyself for ever give!

VI. [O Father of all]

[_]

To—“'Tis finish'd, 'tis done!”

O Father of all,
Who fillest with good
The ravens that call
On Thee for their food;
Them ready to perish
Thou lov'st to sustain,
And wilt Thou not cherish
The children of men?

On Thee we depend
Our wants to supply,
Whose goodness shall send
Us bread from the sky:

360

On earth Thou shalt give us
A taste of Thy love,
And shortly receive us
To banquet above.

VII. [O Thou, whose bowels yearn'd to see]

[_]

To—“O Love Divine.”

O Thou, whose bowels yearn'd to see
The hungry crowd that follow'd Thee
And nothing had to eat,
Pity again the famish'd throng,
Who have with Thee continued long,
And faint for want of meat.

Jesus, our outward wants relieve,
But O! the food immortal give
Our empty souls to fill;
Sustain us by Thy pardoning grace,
And bring us through this wilderness
To Thy celestial hill.

VIII. [Life of the World, come down]

[_]

To—“Spirit of Truth, descend.”

Life of the World, come down,
And stir within our breast,
And by Thy presence crown
The sober Christian feast:
Jesus, of life the Bread and Well,
Come at Thy creature's call,
And give our inmost souls to feel
That Thou art all in all.

361

The tender life of God,
By Thee in us begun,
Sustain with heavenly food,
And ever keep Thine own:
Our faith and hope and joy increase,
Till strong in perfect love
We all with holy violence seize
The crown of life above.

For Mourners.

IX. [Waiting for the Comforter]

[_]

To—“Happy Magdalene, to whom.”

Waiting for the Comforter,
Hungering for immortal food,
Can I taste a blessing here
In the absence of my God?
No: till Christ again return,
Christ, whose word the sinner cheers,
Still I obstinately mourn,
Eat my bitter bread with tears.

Love was once my pleasant meat,
Meat that season'd all the rest;
Jesus to my taste was sweet,
Jesus was my constant feast:
But the Comforter is fled,
But the pardoning God is gone,
He who turn'd my stone to bread,
He hath turn'd my bread to stone.

362

Tasteless all the world to me
Till His favour I regain,
Happiness is misery,
Joy is grief, and pleasure pain;
But my Lord, for whom I grieve,
Shall at last my want supply,
Bid me taste His love and live,
Bid me see His face, and die.

X. [Perishing for hunger, I]

[_]

To—“Jesu, dear departed Lord.”

Perishing for hunger, I,
Ever at the point to die,
Languishing for want of God,
Can I taste my outward food?

Yet for Thy commandment sake,
Lord, my outward food I take,
Strength for farther sufferings gain,
Lengthen out a life of pain.

Lo! my necessary meat
Still with bitter herbs I eat,
Till I out of Egypt pass,
Till I know Thy pardoning grace.

Spare, my friends, your vain expense,
Take your tasteless dainties hence,
Give your idle reasonings o'er,
Grieve me with your love no more.

Well I know the promise sure,
“All things to the pure are pure;”
But to me of lips unclean
Good is ill, and pleasure sin.

363

Leave me then, without relief,
Obstinately fix'd in grief,
Steadfastly resolved to know
No enjoyment here below.

Pleasure will I never taste
Till the pain of sin is past,
Never take delight in food
Till I feed upon my God.

XI. [Oh, how can a criminal feast]

[_]

To—“Ah! lovely appearance of death.”

Oh, how can a criminal feast
In chains and appointed to die?
Oh, how can a sinner be blest
With only an outward supply?
Till Him at the table I meet
Who chases my sorrows and fears,
The bread of affliction I eat,
And mingle my drink with my tears.

For mercy I languish and faint,
My only refreshment and food;
Thy mercy, O Jesus, I want,
I hunger and thirst after God:
No blessing or good I desire
On earth or in heaven above,
But grant me the grace I require,
But give me a taste of Thy love!

364

At or After Meat.

XII. [Jesus, life-inspiring Saviour]

[_]

To—“Jesus, show us Thy salvation.”

Jesus, life-inspiring Saviour,
Life's continual Nourisher,
How have we abused Thy favour,
Rashly feeding without fear,
Fondly our own souls ensnaring
By the gifts Thy grace bestow'd,
Nothing for the Giver caring,
Poisoning all our pleasant food.

But Thy love hath taught us better;
Ransom'd now from sensual thrall,
Thee we find in every creature,
Thee we sweetly taste in all;
Pure delight from Thee receiving,
We these outward blessings share,
Still accepted with thanksgiving,
Hallow'd by the word and prayer.

XIII. [Glory, love, and praise, and honour]

[_]

To—“Angels speak, let man,” &c.

Glory, love, and praise, and honour
For our food
Now bestow'd
Render we the Donor.
Bounteous God, we now confess Thee;
God, who thus
Blessest us,
Meet it is to bless Thee.

365

Knows the ox his master's stable,
And shall we
Not know Thee,
Nourish'd at Thy table?
Yes, of all good gifts the Giver
Thee we own,
Thee alone
Magnify for ever.

XIV. [O God of all grace]

[_]

To—“Away with our fears.”

O God of all grace,
Thy bounty we praise,
And joyfully sing,
Poor beggars admitted to feast with a King.
The honour we claim
In Jesus's name,
Even now we receive,
And happy in Jesus's presence we live.

How royal the cheer
When Jesus is here!
The scantiest meal
Is feasting indeed when His favour we feel.
In His pardoning peace
We all things possess,
And richly enjoy
A fulness of pleasures that never can cloy.

Thee, Saviour, to know
Is heaven below,
Thy witnesses we
That heaven is found in the knowledge of Thee:

366

Thee, Jesus, we taste;
But, oh! let it last,
This sense of Thy love,
Till with all the assembly we banquet above.

XV. [Praise Him who by His word]

[_]

To—“Rejoice, the Lord is King.”

Praise Him who by His word
Supplies our every need,
And gives us Christ the Lord,
Our fainting souls to feed:
Thanks be to God, whose Son we feel,
His Gift unknown, unspeakable.

The gospel mystery
Unknown to ages past,
The hidden manna, we
In Jesu's mercy taste:
Thanks be to God, whose Son we feel,
His Gift unknown, unspeakable.

O that the world might prove
Our happiness Divine,
And in the song of love
With all His people join:
Thanks be to God, whose Son we feel,
His Gift unknown, unspeakable.

XVI. [Father, Friend of human race]

[_]

To—“Hail the day that sees Him rise!”

Father, Friend of human race,
Thee let all Thy children praise,
By Thy merciful supplies
Nourish'd till we reach the skies:

367

Thither we with joy repair,
Sings our heart already there,
Fill'd with cheerful melody,
Feasting with Thy saints on Thee.

We that on Thy goodness feast
Antedate our heavenly rest,
On the hidden manna feed,
On the everlasting bread;
Thee by faith in Christ to know,
O 'tis heaven begun below:
Thee to' enjoy by glorious love,
O 'tis heaven complete above!

XVII. [Thankful for our every blessing]

[_]

To—“Angels, speak, let men give ear.”

Thankful for our every blessing,
Let us sing
Christ the Spring,
Never, never ceasing.
Source of all our gifts and graces
Christ we own,
Christ alone
Calls for all our praises.

He dispels our sin and sadness,
Life imparts,
Cheers our hearts,
Fills with food and gladness.
Who Himself for all hath given,
Us He feeds,
Us He leads
To a feast in heaven.

368

XVIII. [Father, through Thy Son receive]

[_]

To—“Lamb of God, whose,” &c.

Father, through Thy Son receive
Our grateful sacrifice,
All the wants of all that live
Thine open hand supplies,
Fills the world with plenteous food;
For the riches of Thy grace,
Take, Thou universal Good,
The' universal praise.

XIX. [Thee, Father, Son, and Spirit, we]

[_]

To—“Hail, holy, holy, holy Lord.”

Thee, Father, Son, and Spirit, we
Our kind Preserver praise,
While in Thy threefold gifts we see
And taste Thy threefold grace.
Thou feed'st the needy sons of men,
Thou dost our strength renew,
With corn, and wine, and oil sustain
Our fainting spirits too.

Father, in Thee we taste the bread
That cheers the church above,
And drink, from sin and sorrow freed,
The wine of Jesu's love.
The oil of joy, the spirit of grace,
To us Himself imparts,
The oil that brightens every face,
And gladdens all our hearts.

369

With awful thanks we now receive
Our emblematic food,
On Father, Son, and Spirit live,
And daily feast on God:
We to Thy glory drink and eat,
Till all from earth remove,
The endless praises to repeat
Of all-sustaining Love.

XX. [Father, we render Thee Thine own]

[_]

To—“Hail, Jesus, hail,” &c.

Father, we render Thee Thine own:
Man doth not live by bread alone,
But every gracious word of Thine;
By Thy continued act he lives,
Thy blessing with his food receives,
That balmy quintessence Divine.

Thy blessing feeds us in the food;
Our utmost strength hereby renew'd
To Thee we cheerfully restore;
Sustain'd by Thy preserving grace
We live to our Preserver's praise,
And bless and love Thee evermore.

XXI. [Blessing to God, for ever blest]

[_]

To—“Sinners, rejoice, your peace is made.”

Blessing to God, for ever blest,
To God the Master of the feast,
Who hath for us a table spread,
And in this howling desert fed,
And doth with all His gifts impart
The crown of all, a thankful heart.

370

XXII. [Thanks be to God, whose truth we prove!]

[_]

To—“Jesus, we hang upon Thy word.”

Thanks be to God, whose truth we prove!
Thou art not, Lord, a wilderness
To those that know Thy pardoning love,
To those who but desire Thy grace;
Thou dost our souls and bodies feed,
And richly grant whate'er we need.

Still, gracious Lord, on us bestow
The meat which earthly minds despise,
And let us all Thy sweetness know,
And sup with Thee in paradise:
Our meat Thy counsel to fulfil,
Our heaven on earth to do Thy will.

XXIII. [When shall we see the day]

[_]

To—“Thanks be to God alone.”

When shall we see the day
That summons us away
To the realms of light and love,
To the beatific place,
To the marriage feast above,
To the sight of Jesu's face?

For this alone we pine,
To see the face Divine,
Him who veil'd His majesty
To restore our paradise,
Stoop'd to earth, to death, for me,
Me to mount above the skies.

371

Jesu, descend again
With all Thy heavenly train;
Our eternal life appear
With Thy robes of glory on,
Manifest Thy kingdom here,
Take us up into Thy throne.

XXIV. [Away with all our trouble]

[_]

To—“Head of Thy Church,” &c.

Away with all our trouble
And caring for the morrow.
The God of love
Shall still remove
Our every want and sorrow.

Still, Lord, with joy we bless Thee
Of all good gifts the Giver,
For Christ our Lord
Hath spoke the word
Which seals Thee ours for ever.

XXV. [And can we forbear, In tasting our food]

[_]

To—“Ye servants of God.”

And can we forbear, In tasting our food,
The grace to declare And goodness of God!
Our Father in heaven, With joy we partake
The gifts Thou hast given For Jesus's sake.

In Thee do we live, Thy daily supplies
As manna receive Dropp'd down from the skies;
In thanks we endeavour Thy gifts to restore,
And praise Thee for ever, When time is no more.

372

XXVI. [And can we forget]

[_]

To—“All ye that pass by.”

And can we forget
In tasting our meat
The' angelical food which ere long we shall eat?
When enroll'd with the blest
In glory we rest,
And for ever sit down at the heavenly feast!

O the infinite height
Of our solemn delight
While we look on the Saviour, and walk in His sight!
The blessing who knows,
The joy He bestows
While we follow the Lamb wheresoever He goes?

What good can we need,
Whom Jesus doth feed,
And to fountains of life beatifical lead?
Lo! He sits on His throne;
Lo! He dwells with His own,
And enlarges our souls with His mercies unknown.

Not a spirit above
To perfection can prove
Or count His unsearchable riches of love;
But we all shall obtain
What none can explain,
And in Jesus's bosom eternally reign.

University of Virginia Library

GRACES.

Before Meat.

I.

[Father of earth and heaven]

II.

[Jesus, to whom alone we live]

III.

[Lord of all, Thy creatures see]

IV.

[Father, accept our sacrifice]

V.

[Jesu, we Thy promise plead]

VI.

[O Father of all]

VII.

[O Thou, whose bowels yearn'd to see]

VIII.

[Life of the World, come down]

For Mourners.

IX.

[Waiting for the Comforter]

X.

[Perishing for hunger, I]

XI.

[Oh, how can a criminal feast]

At or After Meat.

XII.

[Jesus, life-inspiring Saviour]

XIII.

[Glory, love, and praise, and honour]

XIV.

[O God of all grace]

XV.

[Praise Him who by His word]

XVI.

[Father, Friend of human race]

XVII.

[Thankful for our every blessing]

XVIII.

[Father, through Thy Son receive]

XIX.

[Thee, Father, Son, and Spirit, we]

XX.

[Father, we render Thee Thine own]

XXI.

[Blessing to God, for ever blest]

XXII.

[Thanks be to God, whose truth we prove!]

XXIII.

[When shall we see the day]

XXIV.

[Away with all our trouble]

XXV.

[And can we forbear, In tasting our food]

XXVI.

[And can we forget]