The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

The persecuted pair
How bless'd in banishment,
By providential care
To an apostle sent!
Into the arms of mercy driven,
They find a plainer way to heaven.

2790.

[Where are the venerable men]

Because he was of the same craft, &c. —xviii. 3.

Where are the venerable men
Who Paul for an example take,
Their living by their labour gain,
Of none expense the gospel make?

347

Their uncontested right forego,
And freely ministering the word
Nothing desire or seek below
But souls converted to their Lord?

2791.

[He did not his assistants call]

Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified, &c. —xviii. 5.

He did not his assistants call
Himself in Jesus' work to spare,
But labouring still surpass'd them all,
And strove with more unwearied care
Jesus the Christ to testify,
The God supreme, the Lord Most-High.

Our whole delightful task below
Who have His ministry obtain'd,
Is Jesus to declare and show,
In spirit press'd, by love constrain'd,
To tell, Ye all may Jesus find,
King, Priest, and Prophet of mankind.

2792.

[Who dares the gospel truth blaspheme]

When they opposed themselves, and, &c. —xviii. 6.

Who dares the gospel truth blaspheme,
Self-harden'd in his lost estate,
What hope, alas, remains for him,
A seal'd abandon'd reprobate!
Who mock the' inspiring Spirit's grace,
Deride the sense of pardon'd sin,
They challenge hell as their own place,
They force the pit to take them in.

2793.

[When we must our raiment shake]

He departed thence, and entered into a, &c. —xviii. 7.

When we must our raiment shake
Pure from the blasphemer's blood,
Sinners finally forsake;
Surely we depart for good:

348

Good to other souls design'd;
Thankful for the grace transferr'd,
They the gospel-blessing find,
Find salvation in the word.

2794.

[Heathens hear what Jews reject]

Many of the Corinthians hearing believed. —xviii. 8.

Heathens hear what Jews reject,
Cordially the truth embrace,
Reprobates become elect,
Constitute the chosen race:
Whom self-righteous saints deny
Sinful crowds with joy receive,
Outcasts at the point to die
Turn to Christ, believe and live.

2795.

[Jesus, Thou takest Thy servant's part]

For I am with thee, and no man shall set, &c. —xviii. 10.

Jesus, Thou takest Thy servant's part,
Present with us Thou always art,
Who Thee proclaim the Christ of God,
Who publish pardon in Thy blood:
The threatening world assault in vain,
If Thou their violent rage restrain.

2796.

[Ten thousand thousand in our isle]

And he continued there a year and six months. —xviii. 11.

Ten thousand thousand in our isle
Are waiting for their Saviour's smile:
Here let us then with joy remain,
Ten thousand thousand souls to gain,
Assured Thou wilt our labours bless,
The faithful witnesses increase
Raised up Thy Godhead to adore,
Thy church, till time shall be no more.

2797.

[Passion brands religion pure]

This fellow persuadeth men to worship, &c. —xviii. 13.

Passion brands religion pure,
And sinners blind blaspheme,

349

Contrary to law be sure
If contrary to them:
Truth they wilfully mistake,
Abhorrers of the gospel-light,
Zeal for God a cloak they make,
Who 'gainst His servants fight.

Contrary to custom's law
Our doctrine we confess,
Teach, that souls should stand in awe
Of sin and wickedness,
Teach, that wash'd in Jesus' blood
They all may feel His saving power,
All may then the pardoning God
In spirit and truth adore.

2798.

[The wary magistrate we praise]

If it were a matter of wrong or wicked, &c. —xviii. 14, 15.

The wary magistrate we praise,
If wise and humble he decline
To take his great Creator's place,
And judgment pass on things Divine,
If to determine he forbears,
As umpire in religious jars.

But did he not refuse the cause
Through humour, indolence and ease,
Alike for vice, or virtue's laws
A careless unconcern express,
As those who bore the Christian name
Heathens and Jews were all the same?

2799.

[Contempt he justly might express]

But if it be a question of...names,...look, &c. —xviii. 15.

Contempt he justly might express
For his own Heathen deities,
His ear from idle questions turn,
And all their names and fables scorn;

350

But Jesus is the' important Name
In which the world's Salvation came,
The only Name to sinners given,
More worth than all in earth and heaven!

Yet curious man whose reasoning eye
Would into all creation pry,
Hath no innate desire to know
The things of God reveal'd below;
Averse from the inquiring pain,
He counts that only knowledge vain
On which his present peace depends
And bliss supreme which never ends.

2800.

[Ought not the rulers to suppress]

Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes,...and, &c. —xviii. 17.

Ought not the rulers to suppress
The dire effects of blindfold zeal,
Curb the bold sons of wickedness,
Beat down the instruments of ill,
Licentious violence restrain,
And truth defend, and peace maintain?

He made their wickedness his own
Not hindering what he might prevent,
He did the wrong by others done,
The judge oppress'd the innocent;
And thus his false pretence disproved
Who neither truth nor justice loved.

Servants of God, your treatment see,
Such justice from the world expect:
Their boasted love of equity
Always excepts the Christian sect;
And if your lives the rulers spare
They let your foes in pieces tear.

351

Cognizance of your slighted cause
No Gallio is concerned to take:
Unshelter'd by your country's laws,
Hated of all for Jesus' sake,
Fly outlaws, fly to David's Son,
And refuge find in Christ alone.

2801.

[Assaulted, but not hurt, he found]

And Paul after this tarried there yet a, &c. —xviii. 18.

Assaulted, but not hurt, he found
The heavenly vision true,
And stay'd to spread the joyful sound,
The Master's work to do:
By grace invisibly sustain'd
All danger he defied,
And safe amidst the wolves remain'd
With Jesus at his side!

2802.

[Still busy, still for Christ employ'd]

And sailed thence into Syria. —xviii. 18.

Still busy, still for Christ employ'd
In motion or in rest,
The man, the messenger of God,
Is in His service bless'd;
His providence by land he eyes,
His wonders in the deep,
And sails to distant climes, and flies
With Jesus in the ship.

2803.

[Two are better far than one]

With him Priscilla and Aquila. —xviii. 18.

Two are better far than one,
(Jesus sent them forth by pairs,)
Join'd they bring each other on,
Each his fellow's burden bears,
Who can break a threefold cord,
Mutual helpers in the Lord?

352

2804.

[Not through vile hypocrisy]

Having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for, &c. —xviii. 18.

Not through vile hypocrisy,
Not through superstition vain;
With the Jews a Jew is he
Jews in Jesus' cause to gain,
With indifferent things complies,
Wise, for their salvation, wise.

O that I like him could stoop,
By my condescending love
Lift the souls of sinners up,
Turn them to their Friend above,
All things unto all become
Instrument of saving some!

2805.

[Long undesired with foes he stay'd]

When they desired him to tarry longer, &c. —xviii. 20.

Long undesired with foes he stay'd,
Yet could his friends' request withstand,
By no inferior motives sway'd,
A servant at his Lord's command
With messages to sinners sent,
Only where Jesus will'd he went.

2806.

[Festivals observed to God]

I must...keep this feast...in Jerusalem. —xviii. 21.

Festivals observed to God
We by apostles see:
Let who will the deed explode,
We own the' authority;
Mysteries of redeeming love
We celebrate like Paul the bless'd,
Till we keep with saints above
The everlasting feast.

2807.

[Christian piety sincere]

When he had landed at Cæsarea, and, &c. —xviii 22.

Christian piety sincere
Our social love commends:

353

Paul enjoy'd the comfort here
The converse of his friends;
Both his countenance and zeal
He sharpen'd by the pleasing sight,
Travelling on to meet, and dwell
With all the saints in light.

2808.

[An apostolic minister]

He...went over all the country of Galatia, &c. —xviii. 23.

An apostolic minister
His pastoral unwearied care
By restless labours shows,
Travels and flies from place to place,
And precious souls in Jesus' grace
Confirms where'er he goes.

To each he severally applies,
In strengthening all his children tries
Each moment to redeem,
Till life's last hour he labours on,
And grieves that he hath nothing done
For One who died for him.

2809.

[The Lord who sends by whom He will]

A certain Jew named Apollos,...an, &c. —xviii. 24, 25.

The Lord who sends by whom He will
Doth oft out of the people choose
A man of eloquence and zeal
Made ready for the Master's use,
Arm'd with the Spirit's two-edged sword,
'Gainst sin, the world, and fiend to fight,
And mighty to expound the word
And manifest that heavenly light.

Prepared to make their Saviour known,
Earnest to propagate His love,
The call extraordinary we own
Of men instructed from above,

354

Our lack of service to supply
Who minister in sacred things,
While bold to all they testify
The grace that sure salvation brings.

2810.

[Are there not found instructors still]

This man was instructed in the way of, &c. —xviii. 25.

Are there not found instructors still
The gospel way who partly know,
And all inflamed with fervent zeal
The Lamb, the' approaching Saviour show?
Warmly they urge and cry, “Repent,
Jesus the promised Christ believe,
Believe in God, whom God hath sent,
And mercy will—at last forgive.”

2811.

[The man that hath, that still retains]

They...expounded unto him the way of, &c. —xviii. 26.

The man that hath, that still retains,
Improving his inferior light,
A clearer light and knowledge gains
To deal the word of truth aright;
If powerful in the Scriptures now
And rich in talents he submit
With meek humility to bow,
And listen at a layman's feet.

The meanest saint who Jesus knows
Can show a learn'd Apollos more,
The joy that from believing flows,
The life, and purity, and power;
A woman by her Saviour taught
A teacher of good things may prove,
And lead the man with wisdom fraught
Into the way of perfect love.

2812.

[A warm concern for Jesu's name]

And when he was disposed to pass into, &c. —xviii. 27.

A warm concern for Jesu's name
Is not to one estate confined:

355

People and priests may all proclaim
The dying Saviour of mankind:
The ministerial spirit may rest
On men who want the character,
With graces, gifts, and talents bless'd
To preach the heavenly kingdom here.

The' company of faithful men
Should such with willing hearts embrace,
And suffer God Himself to' ordain
The chosen vessels of His grace:
The' apostles' successors below
With glad alacrity should join,
Not to impart, not to bestow,
But recognise their call Divine.

2813.

[All the comfortable aid]

Who, when he was come, helped them, &c. —xviii. 27.

All the comfortable aid
Through a worm to worms convey'd,
All the grace we gladly own,
Lord, it flows from Thee alone:
Yet, if Thou vouchsafe to bless,
Crown their labours with success,
Ministers shall helpers prove,
Much increase our faith and love.

Needful Thee alone we know:
Grace by whom Thou wilt bestow,
Stablishing, confirming grace,
Power to perfect holiness:
We the instruments receive,
Through their word Thy Spirit give;
Cephas use, Apollos, Paul,
Still Thou workest all in all.

	CHAPTER XVIII. The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER XVIII.

2789.

[The persecuted pair]