The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

Who shall presume to' explore,
Or tell us all His mind,
If God let loose the adverse power
The wicked hands unbind?
By man doth He chastise
In vengeful wrath His own?
Or bid the raging tempest rise
To make His mercy known?

His love and righteousness
May they not both agree?
While God permits the world to' oppress
That all His power may see
While the whole preaching crowd
To different climes are driven
And water'd by the martyrs' blood
The church grows up to heaven.

2529.

[Unmoved the pillars stand]

Except the apostles. —viii. 1.

Unmoved the pillars stand,
For God ordains it so,
Supported by their Saviour's hand
They prop His house below;
Against the furious storm
They turn their steady face:
And we can all things now perform
Through His Almighty grace.

In this degenerate age
If persecution roar,
A few shall stand the utmost rage
Of earthly, hellish power.

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And whom the Lord shall choose
For Satan to disperse
Shall fly, and spread the joyful news
Throughout the universe.

2530.

[Bleeding from their bosom rent]

And devout men...made great lamentation, &c. —viii. 2.

Bleeding from their bosom rent
Might they not a saint lament?
From the flock by violence torn
Might they not a shepherd mourn?

Free from nature's fond excess
Thus we may our grief confess,
Thus a parted friend deplore
Grieved for them that grieve no more.

Chiefly, where the Lord of all
Doth His instruments recall,
Miss we our instructors here,
Mourn a ravish'd minister.

Deeply, justly sensible,
Then the general loss we feel,
Testify our grateful love,
Weep for one who sings above.

2531.

[See the fierce beast, whose rage untamed]

As for Saul, he made havock of the church. —viii. 3.

See the fierce beast, whose rage untamed
Scatters the flock of Christ, and tears!
He rushes on by hell inflamed,
And neither age or sex he spares:
In vain a single victim dies;
More thirsty through a taste of blood
He foams, and vows to sacrifice
The whole exterminated brood.

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Insatiate, fill'd with mad despite
Threatenings he doth and slaughter breathe,
As murder were his soul's delight
Numbers he hales to bonds and death;
But let the Saviour speak with power
“Thy persecuted Lord I am,”
The furious beast is fierce no more,
The wolf himself becomes a lamb!

2532.

[Well the bodily possession]

Unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, &c. —viii. 7.

Well the bodily possession
Doth our inward state explain,
While the fiend, with fierce oppression,
Tears the tortured soul of man;
Then the word alone can ease us,
Gospel of redeeming grace,
Pardon in the name of Jesus
Drives the foe to his own place.

Where the word His blood applying
Seals forgiveness on my heart,
Spirits foul with horror crying
From their old abode depart;
Legion now no more shall enter,
Pride shall vex my soul no more;
Ransom'd from my dire tormentor
I my Lord and God adore.

2533.

[A plain indisputable case!]

There was a certain man, called Simon, &c. —viii. 9.

A plain indisputable case!
Once upon earth there witchcraft was,
A compact with the hellish foe;
“But seventeen hundred years ago,
In Asia not in Europe made;
The fiend hath here forgot his trade.”

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2534.

[Jesus, Thou know'st the nations still]

Of long time he had bewitched them with, &c. —viii. 11.

Jesus, Thou know'st the nations still
Bewitch'd, and slaves to Satan's will
By magical illusions held
Where Thou wast never yet reveal'd,
Visit them, Lord, with gospel light
Dispersing all the shades of night,
The dark Americans set free,
And end the' infernal tyranny.

2535.

[Soon as the Saviour's messenger]

But when they believed Philip preaching, &c. —viii. 12.

Soon as the Saviour's messenger
Did to their hearts proclaim
Glad tidings of a kingdom near
And peace in Jesu's name,
Their souls were suddenly unbound;
A long deluded crowd
The gospel word they felt, and found
The real “power of God.”

Satan must tremble and give place
Before the Spirit's might,
The strength of efficacious grace
Puts all his hosts to flight;
His kingdom falls, his charms and spells
And works are all o'erthrown,
When Jesus in the faithful dwells
And rules their hearts alone.

By divination to prevail
The fiend again may try,
Received within the church's pale
His malice we defy;

224

Baptized into our Saviour's name
And sprinkled with His blood,
The members are with Christ the same,
And all are fill'd with God.

2536.

[Convinced I of the truth may be]

Then Simon himself believed also: &c. —viii. 13.

Convinced I of the truth may be,
To Jesus' faithful servants cleave,
His mighty works with wonder see,
His sacramental rite receive,
But never let my idols go,
Or truly my Redeemer know.

Still in the gall of bitterness
Bound with the chains of sin I am,
Till Jesus by His blood release;
And then accepted in His name
I stand before His Father's sight
And then my sprinkled heart is right.

2537.

[Ye sacrilegious race]

Thy money perish with thee, because thou, &c. —viii. 20.

Ye sacrilegious race
Your genuine father own
Who boldly hope to purchase grace
By what yourselves have done:
Your righteous rags unclean
Who would for pardon sell,
Your works and you are nought but sin
And fit for nought but hell.

Repent, and cast aside
Your fancied righteousness,
Your goodness sin, your virtue pride,
Your faith a lie, confess:

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Even you may then believe
The Lord doth justify,
And freely that to sinners give
Which they can never buy.

Jesus exalted is
Salvation to bestow,
His rest, His Spirit, and His peace
Which all believers know:
And every soul of man
May our Redeemer love,
A pardon without price obtain,
And then a crown above.

2538.

[To the world and Satan sold]

Thou hast neither part nor lot in this, &c. —viii. 21.

To the world and Satan sold,
Sinner, what is Christ to thee?
Pleasure is thy god, or gold;
Bond-slave of iniquity
Panting for the praise of men
Canst thou feel a heavier chain?

Didst thou ever yet intend
God in all thy ways to please?
No; the creature is thy end:
Dost thou not the charge confess?
Naked in its Maker's sight
Ask thy heart if it be right?

No; thy guilty heart must own,
Far from God, and foul as hell:
Feel it now, and deeply groan
All its filthiness to feel;
Struggle in the' infernal snare,
Sink at last in self-despair.

226

Then behold the heavenly Lamb
Pouring out His blood Divine,
On the brink of Tophet claim
Christ the sinner's Friend for thine;
Find with all His saints thy part,
Find thy Saviour in thy heart.

2539.

[Sinners, ye all remain]

Thou art in...the bond of iniquity. —viii. 23.

Sinners, ye all remain
Fetter'd and close confined;
Sin is the iron chain
That doth your spirits bind,
Your conscience is the dungeon foul,
Satan your jailer stands,
And watches lest one guilty soul
Escape out of his hands.

But Jesus Christ is He
That hath a ransom found,
And preaches liberty
To souls in prison bound:
His blood shall make your conscience clean,
Cast down your hellish foe,
Break all the manacles of sin,
And let the captives go.

2540.

[Lo, the thing impossible]

A man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great, &c. —viii 27.

Lo, the thing impossible
Is by the' Almighty done,
God doth to the rich reveal
And make salvation known!
Courtiers, ministers of state,
Resolved to cast the world behind,
Willing in His house to wait,
Shall their Redeemer find.

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2541.

[Statesmen, here your pattern see]

And ..sitting in his chariot read Esaias, &c. —viii. 28.

Statesmen, here your pattern see,
Be found employ'd like him,
Men of power and dignity
Your precious time redeem;
Talk with prophets on the road,
Apostles your companions own,
Search the oracles of God,
And draw His blessing down.

2542.

[The moment we direction need]

Philip ran...to him, and heard him read, &c. —viii. 30.

The moment we direction need
The Lord doth oft direct our way,
Instructs us by His Spirit led,
Both when to speak, and what to say:
We then with ready utterance speak
His unpremeditated word,
And help poor souls who darkly seek,
To know, and apprehend their Lord.

2543.

[A casual unexpected guest]

He desired Philip that he would come up, &c. —viii. 31.

A casual unexpected guest
Who seems at first, may yet be sent
To execute his Lord's behest,
To' interpret the Divine intent;
Wondering we then the Master own,
The messenger with joy embrace,
Design'd to make his Saviour known,
And fill our hearts with heavenly grace.

2544.

[Justice He could not obtain]

In His humiliation His judgment was taken, &c. —viii. 33.

Justice He could not obtain
In His humble state beneath,

228

No humanity from man,
No relief—but pain and death.
Took from earth, He of our sins
Doth the chastisement receive,
Endless life's immortal Prince
Dies, that all mankind may live.

2545.

[Who can count His worshippers]

Who shall declare His generation? —viii. 33.

Who can count His worshippers,
Offspring of the slaughter'd Lamb?
Only He that tells the stars
He that calls them each by name.
Written in Thy book above
All Thy saints are known to Thee;
God of unexhausted love
Find with them a place for me!

2546.

[Jesus I humbly seek]

Of whom speaketh the prophet this? —viii. 34.

Jesus I humbly seek,
And of Himself inquire,
Did not the prophet speak
Of Thee, the world's Desire?
Thou poor, despised, afflicted Man,
His meaning to my heart explain.

Art Thou the Lamb of God
Who didst from heaven come,
Led by the multitude
Before Thy shearers dumb,
The patient, speechless Man of woe,
By sinners crucified below?

Swept from the face of earth
Didst Thou our sorrows bear,
Whose everlasting birth
God only can declare,

229

Whose countless seed shall soon arise,
And shine as stars beyond the skies?

Adopt me by Thy grace
Into Thy family,
My heart shall then confess
The prophet spake of Thee,
Then, to mine inmost soul made known,
I feel he spake of Thee alone.

2547.

[When Thou hast disposed a heart]

Then Philip opened his mouth, and began, &c. —viii. 35.

When Thou hast disposed a heart
Saving truth with joy to hear,
Utterance, Lord, Thou dost impart
To Thy chosen messenger,
Then he finds the Scripture key,
Then he speaks, and preaches Thee.

Jesus, in the sacred book
Thou art everywhere conceal'd:
There for Thee alone we look,
By Thy Spirit's light reveal'd,
Thee set forth before our eyes
Faith in every page descries.

Thee we preach to sinful men,
Urging them their Lord to' embrace,
Pardon in Thy blood to gain,
Hope for all the promised grace,
Glad in all Thy footsteps move,
Grasp the crown of heavenly love.

Thou the Saviour of mankind,
Thou the whole Salvation art;
All summ'd up in Thee I find,
All contain'd within my heart;

230

None but Christ on earth I know,
None but Christ to others show.

O that all mankind were fill'd
With the knowledge of the Lamb,
Conscious all of God reveal'd,
All baptized into His name,
Every soul with love o'erflow'd,
Wash'd and saved through Jesu's blood.

2548.

[He asks an undivided heart]

If thou believest with all thine heart, thou, &c. —viii. 37.

He asks an undivided heart;
And is the whole too much for Him
Who freely did Himself impart
A world of sinners to redeem?
God hath His all on man bestow'd,
Shall man refuse his all to God?

Jesus the Lord I would confess,
My God with full assurance own
Who bought the universal peace,
And cleave by faith to Him alone,
The faith He never can reprove,
The faith that works by perfect love.

2549.

[Thee, Jesus, I believe the Son]

I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. —viii. 37.

Thee, Jesus, I believe the Son,
The' eternal Son of the Most-High,
Jehovah's glorious Fellow own,
Maker of all in earth and sky,
Essential God, to sinners given,
Whose presence fills both earth and heaven.

The sovereign everlasting Lord
Thee by the Holy Ghost I call,

231

Adore, by angel hosts adored,
And who before Thy Father fall,
Him I confess in Thee alone,
And have no other gods but One.

2550.

[Let us without delay]

And he commanded the chariot to stand, &c. —viii. 38.

Let us without delay
Improve the grace bestow'd;
To-day, while it is call'd to-day,
Devote ourselves to God;
With timely wisdom wise;
Nor wait our loss to mourn,
Our opportunity that flies,
And never shall return.

2551.

[Before a man of God we lose]

The eunuch saw him no more: and he, &c. —viii. 39.

Before a man of God we lose,
We wisely profit by his stay,
The messenger of mercy use
Who points us out the heavenly way;
Yet not to him, but Christ, we cleave,
Him for his Master's sake we love,
And neither pine, nor fondly grieve
If God His instrument remove.

His counsels then we bear in mind,
Rejoicing in the truth made known,
Cast all the things of earth behind,
And guided by the Spirit alone
Hold fast the faith and grafted word
Through Jesus' preaching servant given,
And following him as he his Lord
Keep on our way, and meet in heaven.

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2552.

[Jesus instructs His servants here]

But Philip was found at Azotus: and, &c. —viii. 40.

Jesus instructs His servants here
Detach'd from persons and from place,
Their providential course to steer,
And follow Him in all their ways:
To whom they shall dispense the word,
Or when, or where extend their line,
They leave entirely to their Lord,
And still adore the choice Divine.

Thy providence explains Thy will;
And where the pointing hand we see,
We run Thy counsel to fulfil,
And work the work prepared by Thee;
Spreading the odour of Thy love,
In journeys we pursue Thy plan,
Directed by Thy Spirit move,
Nor take a single step in vain.

University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER VIII.

2528.

[Who shall presume to' explore]