 | I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
 | VIII. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
 | The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley |  |
27
HYMNS IN TIME OF PERSECUTION.
I.
[Master, we call to mind Thy word]
Master, we call to mind Thy word,
We are not now above our Lord:
Sufficient 'tis for us to be
In sufferings and in griefs like Thee.
We are not now above our Lord:
Sufficient 'tis for us to be
In sufferings and in griefs like Thee.
The world, to prove Thy saying true,
With cruel wrath our souls pursue;
As evil they cast out our name,
And brand us with Thy glorious shame.
With cruel wrath our souls pursue;
As evil they cast out our name,
And brand us with Thy glorious shame.
All kind of ill they falsely say,
Because we will Thy truth obey,
To Thee with steady purpose cleave,
And godly in Thy Spirit live.
Because we will Thy truth obey,
To Thee with steady purpose cleave,
And godly in Thy Spirit live.
Exposed to man's oppressive power,
We stand in danger every hour,
The rage of persecution bear,
And hated as our Lord we are.
We stand in danger every hour,
The rage of persecution bear,
And hated as our Lord we are.
28
O may we in Thy footsteps go,
Thee, only Thee, resolved to know,
To slaughter in Thy Spirit led,
Conform'd in all things to our Head.
Thee, only Thee, resolved to know,
To slaughter in Thy Spirit led,
Conform'd in all things to our Head.
Give us Thy strength, O God of love,
And hide our better life above,
Then on our side at last appear,
And lo, we come to suffer here!
And hide our better life above,
Then on our side at last appear,
And lo, we come to suffer here!
II.
[Ah! woe is me, constrain'd to dwell]
Ah! woe is me, constrain'd to dwell
Among the sons of night,
Poor sinners dropping into hell,
Who hate the gospel light;
Among the sons of night,
Poor sinners dropping into hell,
Who hate the gospel light;
Wild as the untamed Arabs' race
Who from their Saviour fly,
And trample on His pardoning grace,
And all His threats defy.
Who from their Saviour fly,
And trample on His pardoning grace,
And all His threats defy.
Yet here alas! in pain I live,
Where Satan keeps his seat,
And day by day for those I grieve
Who will to sin submit.
Where Satan keeps his seat,
And day by day for those I grieve
Who will to sin submit.
With gushing eyes their deeds I see,
Shut up in Sodom I,
And ask, with Him who ransom'd me,
“Why will ye sin, and die?”
Shut up in Sodom I,
And ask, with Him who ransom'd me,
“Why will ye sin, and die?”
Jesus, Redeemer of mankind,
Display Thy saving power,
Thy mercy let these outcasts find,
And know their gracious hour.
Display Thy saving power,
Thy mercy let these outcasts find,
And know their gracious hour.
29
Ah! give them, Lord, a longer space,
Nor suddenly consume,
But let them take the proffer'd grace,
And flee the wrath to come.
Nor suddenly consume,
But let them take the proffer'd grace,
And flee the wrath to come.
O wouldst Thou cast a pitying look
(All goodness as Thou art)
Like that which faithless Peter's broke,
Or my obdurate heart.
(All goodness as Thou art)
Like that which faithless Peter's broke,
Or my obdurate heart.
Who Thee beneath their feet have trod,
And crucified afresh,
Touch with Thine all-victorious blood,
And turn the stone to flesh.
And crucified afresh,
Touch with Thine all-victorious blood,
And turn the stone to flesh.
Open their eyes and ears, to see
Thy cross, to hear Thy cries:
Sinner, thy Saviour weeps for thee,
For thee He weeps, and dies.
Thy cross, to hear Thy cries:
Sinner, thy Saviour weeps for thee,
For thee He weeps, and dies.
All the day long He meekly stands
His rebels to receive,
And shows His wounds, and spreads His hands,
And bids you turn and live.
His rebels to receive,
And shows His wounds, and spreads His hands,
And bids you turn and live.
Turn, and your sins of deepest dye
He will with blood efface,
Even now He waits His blood to' apply;
Be saved, be saved by grace.
He will with blood efface,
Even now He waits His blood to' apply;
Be saved, be saved by grace.
Be saved from hell, from sin, and fear:
He speaks you now forgiven;
Walk before God, be perfect here,
And then come up to heaven.
He speaks you now forgiven;
Walk before God, be perfect here,
And then come up to heaven.
30
III.
[Jesus, our Help in time of need]
Jesus, our Help in time of need,
Thy suffering servants see,
Who would in all Thy footsteps tread,
And bear the cross with Thee.
Thy suffering servants see,
Who would in all Thy footsteps tread,
And bear the cross with Thee.
Stand by us in this evil hour,
Our feeble souls defend,
And in our weakness show Thy power,
And keep us to the end.
Our feeble souls defend,
And in our weakness show Thy power,
And keep us to the end.
The world and their infernal god
Against Thy people rise,
Because our trust is in Thy blood
They mingle earth and skies.
Against Thy people rise,
Because our trust is in Thy blood
They mingle earth and skies.
Slaughter and cruel threats they breathe,
And endless battles wage,
And gnash upon us with their teeth,
And tear the ground with rage.
And endless battles wage,
And gnash upon us with their teeth,
And tear the ground with rage.
Captain of our salvation, hear;
In all the heathen's sight
Make bare Thine arm; appear, appear,
And for Thy people fight.
In all the heathen's sight
Make bare Thine arm; appear, appear,
And for Thy people fight.
Jesus, Thy righteous cause maintain,
The sons of violence quell,
Take to Thee Thy great power, and reign
O'er heaven and earth and hell.
The sons of violence quell,
Take to Thee Thy great power, and reign
O'er heaven and earth and hell.
As chaff before the whirlwind drive,
And bruise them by Thy rod,
Who madly with their Maker strive,
And fight against their God.
And bruise them by Thy rod,
Who madly with their Maker strive,
And fight against their God.
31
Who kick against the pricks in vain,
Thy foes, in anger blast,
And chasten with judicial pain;
But save their souls at last.
Thy foes, in anger blast,
And chasten with judicial pain;
But save their souls at last.
O that at last by love compell'd
The rebels might submit,
In humble hope of mercy yield,
And tremble at Thy feet!
The rebels might submit,
In humble hope of mercy yield,
And tremble at Thy feet!
The faith they persecute, embrace,
On Thee their Lord rely,
And live the monuments of Thy grace,
And for Thy glory die!
On Thee their Lord rely,
And live the monuments of Thy grace,
And for Thy glory die!
IV.
[See, Lord, the purchase of Thy death]
See, Lord, the purchase of Thy death,
Thy little feeble flock,
Gather, and keep our souls beneath
The shadow of their Rock.
Thy little feeble flock,
Gather, and keep our souls beneath
The shadow of their Rock.
Thy few returning sheep behold,
By wolves encompass'd round;
And let us never leave the fold,
But still in Thee be found.
By wolves encompass'd round;
And let us never leave the fold,
But still in Thee be found.
Regard the number of our foes,
Their subtilty and might;
Arise, and stop the way of those
Who 'gainst Thy people fight.
Their subtilty and might;
Arise, and stop the way of those
Who 'gainst Thy people fight.
Helper of every helpless soul,
Show forth Thy saving grace,
The fierceness of vain man control,
Or turn it to Thy praise.
Show forth Thy saving grace,
The fierceness of vain man control,
Or turn it to Thy praise.
32
Thou know'st for Thy dear sake alone
We daily suffer shame,
Because we dare our Master own,
And triumph in Thy name.
We daily suffer shame,
Because we dare our Master own,
And triumph in Thy name.
Thee, Lord, before Thy foes we dare
In word and deed confess,
Rejoice Thy hallow'd cross to bear,
And live Thy witnesses.
In word and deed confess,
Rejoice Thy hallow'd cross to bear,
And live Thy witnesses.
Witnesses of the' atoning blood
Which did for sinners flow,
And brought a guilty world to God,
And sprinkled all below.
Which did for sinners flow,
And brought a guilty world to God,
And sprinkled all below.
That blood we felt through faith applied,
And know our sins forgiven,
And tell mankind the purple tide
Would waft them all to heaven.
And know our sins forgiven,
And tell mankind the purple tide
Would waft them all to heaven.
For this we reckon all things loss,
Till Christ the Judge comes down,
Honours the followers of His cross,
And bids them wear His crown.
Till Christ the Judge comes down,
Honours the followers of His cross,
And bids them wear His crown.
He tells us He will quickly come,
His saying we receive,
And we shall all be taken home,
And in His kingdom live.
His saying we receive,
And we shall all be taken home,
And in His kingdom live.
Us, who before the sons of men
Were bold our Lord to own,
He will, He will acknowledge then
Before His Father's throne.
Were bold our Lord to own,
He will, He will acknowledge then
Before His Father's throne.
33
He (while the glorious angels stand
Astonish'd at the grace)
Shall place us all at His right hand,
And speak His servants' praise.
Astonish'd at the grace)
Shall place us all at His right hand,
And speak His servants' praise.
These, (if our hearts may now conceive
What God in heaven shall say,)
These were the souls who dared believe,
Who dared My word obey.
What God in heaven shall say,)
These were the souls who dared believe,
Who dared My word obey.
Me for their dear redeeming Lord
They never blush'd to own,
But held My name, and kept My word,
And lived to Me alone.
They never blush'd to own,
But held My name, and kept My word,
And lived to Me alone.
A proverb of reproach below
They suffer'd for My sake,
Rejoiced My daily cross to know,
My portion to partake.
They suffer'd for My sake,
Rejoiced My daily cross to know,
My portion to partake.
On earth they lived My witnesses,
My witnesses they died,
And now I for My own confess
And speak them glorified.
My witnesses they died,
And now I for My own confess
And speak them glorified.
Come then to heaven, your native home,
Be number'd with the blest,
My Father's happy children, come,
And on My bosom rest.
Be number'd with the blest,
My Father's happy children, come,
And on My bosom rest.
The kingdom take, for all prepared
That should in Me abide;
Now, I am now thy great reward
Who in My faith hast died.
That should in Me abide;
Now, I am now thy great reward
Who in My faith hast died.
34
My good and faithful servant thee
I openly approve;
Possess thy lot, enthroned with Me
In all the pomp of love.
I openly approve;
Possess thy lot, enthroned with Me
In all the pomp of love.
The meed of all thy labours this,
This starry diadem wear,
Enter into thy Master's bliss,
And reign for ever there.
This starry diadem wear,
Enter into thy Master's bliss,
And reign for ever there.
V.
[Lamb of God, we follow Thee]
Lamb of God, we follow Thee,
Willing as Thou art to be,
Joyful in Thy steps to go,
Suffering for Thy sake below.
Willing as Thou art to be,
Joyful in Thy steps to go,
Suffering for Thy sake below.
Taking up our daily cross,
Call'd to shame, and pain, and loss,
Well contented to sustain
All the rage of cruel men.
Call'd to shame, and pain, and loss,
Well contented to sustain
All the rage of cruel men.
Who Thy lovely pattern knows
Cannot force with force oppose,
They that to Thy fold belong
Dare not render wrong for wrong.
Cannot force with force oppose,
They that to Thy fold belong
Dare not render wrong for wrong.
Bruised by the oppressor's hand,
Evil they will ne'er withstand,
All that follow Thee are meek,
Taught to turn the other cheek.
Evil they will ne'er withstand,
All that follow Thee are meek,
Taught to turn the other cheek.
Jesu, in Thy gracious power
Lo! we meet the fiery hour,
Calm, dispassionate, resign'd,
Arm'd with all Thy patient mind.
Lo! we meet the fiery hour,
Calm, dispassionate, resign'd,
Arm'd with all Thy patient mind.
35
After Thee with joy we come,
Sheep before our shearers dumb,
Answering not one angry word,
True disciples of our Lord.
Sheep before our shearers dumb,
Answering not one angry word,
True disciples of our Lord.
Suffering here, we threaten not,
Innocent in word and thought,
Harmless as a wounded dove,
Hatred we repay with love.
Innocent in word and thought,
Harmless as a wounded dove,
Hatred we repay with love.
Turn, almighty as Thou art,
Turn our persecutors' heart,
Let them to our faith be given,
Let us meet our foes in heaven.
Turn our persecutors' heart,
Let them to our faith be given,
Let us meet our foes in heaven.
VI.
[Captain, we look to Thee]
Captain, we look to Thee,
Thy promised succours claim,
Humbly assured of victory
Through Thine almighty name:
With furious beasts to fight,
Forth in Thy strength we go,
With all the earth-born sons of night,
With all the fiends below.
Thy promised succours claim,
Humbly assured of victory
Through Thine almighty name:
With furious beasts to fight,
Forth in Thy strength we go,
With all the earth-born sons of night,
With all the fiends below.
Hold of Thine arm we take,
And fearlessly march on,
The world, the realm of Satan, shake,
And turn it upside down;
'Gainst all the powers of hell
Undaunted we proceed,
Resistless and invincible
Through our triumphant Head.
And fearlessly march on,
The world, the realm of Satan, shake,
And turn it upside down;
'Gainst all the powers of hell
Undaunted we proceed,
Resistless and invincible
Through our triumphant Head.
36
A suffering fight we wage
With man's oppressive power,
Endure the persecutor's rage,
Till all the storm is o'er:
Arm'd with the patient mind
Which in our Saviour was,
We bear the hate of all mankind,
And glory in the cross.
With man's oppressive power,
Endure the persecutor's rage,
Till all the storm is o'er:
Arm'd with the patient mind
Which in our Saviour was,
We bear the hate of all mankind,
And glory in the cross.
To gain that heavenly prize
We gladly suffer here,
And languish in yon opening skies
To see His sign appear:
His sign we soon shall see,
The Lord shall quickly come,
And give the final victory,
And take the conquerors home.
We gladly suffer here,
And languish in yon opening skies
To see His sign appear:
His sign we soon shall see,
The Lord shall quickly come,
And give the final victory,
And take the conquerors home.
VII.
[Jesu, Thy weak disciples see]
Jesu, Thy weak disciples see,
Entreated in the world like Thee,
Partakers of Thy shame;
Because we will not let Thee go,
Sweet fellowship with Thee to know,
And suffer for Thy name.
Entreated in the world like Thee,
Partakers of Thy shame;
Because we will not let Thee go,
Sweet fellowship with Thee to know,
And suffer for Thy name.
Thy marks we in our body bear,
Our Master's cross we daily share,
And bless the sacred sign;
Buffeted here for doing well,
We thankfully accept the seal,
And feel that we are Thine.
Our Master's cross we daily share,
And bless the sacred sign;
Buffeted here for doing well,
We thankfully accept the seal,
And feel that we are Thine.
37
Our back we to the smiters give,
Evil for good with joy receive,
Nor meanly strive to hide
From spitting and from shame our face,
But glory in the full disgrace
Of Jesus crucified.
Evil for good with joy receive,
Nor meanly strive to hide
From spitting and from shame our face,
But glory in the full disgrace
Of Jesus crucified.
For Thy dear sake we suffer wrong,
And, persecuted all day long,
We thus the crown ensure;
As sheep appointed to be slain,
Our portion of contempt and pain
We to the end endure.
And, persecuted all day long,
We thus the crown ensure;
As sheep appointed to be slain,
Our portion of contempt and pain
We to the end endure.
We in Thy strength can all things do,
Through Thee can all things suffer too,
When Thou the power shalt give;
We then by faith shall see Thee stand
The great High-Priest at God's right hand,
Our spirits to receive.
Through Thee can all things suffer too,
When Thou the power shalt give;
We then by faith shall see Thee stand
The great High-Priest at God's right hand,
Our spirits to receive.
Wherefore to Thee our souls we trust,
Our Saviour to the uttermost
To Thee we boldly come,
With joy upon our heads return,
High on the wings of angels borne
To our eternal home.
Our Saviour to the uttermost
To Thee we boldly come,
With joy upon our heads return,
High on the wings of angels borne
To our eternal home.
VIII.
[Honour, and praise, O Christ, receive]
Honour, and praise, O Christ, receive,
Through whom Thy saving name we know;
Thou gavest us freely to believe,
And dost a second grace bestow;
Call us to bear the hallow'd cross,
And suffer for Thy glorious cause.
Through whom Thy saving name we know;
Thou gavest us freely to believe,
And dost a second grace bestow;
38
And suffer for Thy glorious cause.
Because from sin we turn away,
And will not from Thy paths depart,
Lo! we have made ourselves a prey:
Spoil'd of our goods, with cheerful heart
We here our little all restore,
And would, but cannot part with more.
And will not from Thy paths depart,
Lo! we have made ourselves a prey:
Spoil'd of our goods, with cheerful heart
We here our little all restore,
And would, but cannot part with more.
Far better goods we have above,
And substance more enduring far;
The earnest in our hearts we prove,
And taste the joys that wait us there;
Riches of grace, so freely given,
And Christ in us, and Christ in heaven.
And substance more enduring far;
The earnest in our hearts we prove,
And taste the joys that wait us there;
Riches of grace, so freely given,
And Christ in us, and Christ in heaven.
Our heavenly wealth shall never fail,
Our fund of everlasting bliss;
Thieves do not there break through and steal,
Nor Belial's sons by violence seize,
They cannot spoil our goods above,
Or rob us of our Saviour's love.
Our fund of everlasting bliss;
Thieves do not there break through and steal,
Nor Belial's sons by violence seize,
They cannot spoil our goods above,
Or rob us of our Saviour's love.
In Him we have immortal food,
Clothing that always shall endure,
A permanent and fix'd abode,
An heavenly house that standeth sure,
Who here are destitute of bread,
And want a place to lay our head.
Clothing that always shall endure,
A permanent and fix'd abode,
An heavenly house that standeth sure,
Who here are destitute of bread,
And want a place to lay our head.
Spoiler, take all! we will not grieve,
We will not of our loss complain:
Of freedom and of life bereave,
Our better lot shall still remain;
Enough for us the part Divine,
The good, which never can be thine.
We will not of our loss complain:
Of freedom and of life bereave,
Our better lot shall still remain;
Enough for us the part Divine,
The good, which never can be thine.
39
IX.
[Come all who love the slaughter'd Lamb]
Come all who love the slaughter'd Lamb,
And suffer for His cause,
Enjoy with us His sacred shame,
And glory in His cross.
And suffer for His cause,
Enjoy with us His sacred shame,
And glory in His cross.
His welcome cross we daily bear,
Hated, reviled, oppress'd,
We only can His truths declare
Who calls the sufferers bless'd.
Hated, reviled, oppress'd,
We only can His truths declare
Who calls the sufferers bless'd.
Our Master's burden we sustain,
Afflicted for His sake,
In loss, reproach, distress, and pain,
A strange delight we take.
Afflicted for His sake,
In loss, reproach, distress, and pain,
A strange delight we take.
We drink the consecrated cup
Our Saviour drank before,
And fill our Lord's afflictions up,
And triumph in His power.
Our Saviour drank before,
And fill our Lord's afflictions up,
And triumph in His power.
His power is in our weakness shown,
And perfectly display'd;
The strength we feel is not our own,
But flows from Christ our Head.
And perfectly display'd;
The strength we feel is not our own,
But flows from Christ our Head.
With consolations from above
He fills our ravish'd breast,
The Spirit of His glorious love
On every soul doth rest.
He fills our ravish'd breast,
The Spirit of His glorious love
On every soul doth rest.
He takes His suffering people's part,
And sheds His love abroad,
And witnesses with every heart,
Thou art a child of God.
And sheds His love abroad,
And witnesses with every heart,
Thou art a child of God.
40
Surely we now believe and feel
Our sins are all forgiven,
The outward and the inward seal
Confirms us heirs of heaven.
Our sins are all forgiven,
The outward and the inward seal
Confirms us heirs of heaven.
Then let us all our burden bear,
To Christ our souls commend,
Joyful His lot on earth to share,
And patient to the end.
To Christ our souls commend,
Joyful His lot on earth to share,
And patient to the end.
Be faithful unto death, He cries,
And I the crown will give:
Amen, the glorious Spirit replies,
We die with Thee to live.
And I the crown will give:
Amen, the glorious Spirit replies,
We die with Thee to live.
X.
[O King of saints, with pitying eye]
O King of saints, with pitying eye
Thy poor afflicted people see,
Who hold Thy word, nor dare deny
Thy name, though suffering loss for Thee.
Thy poor afflicted people see,
Who hold Thy word, nor dare deny
Thy name, though suffering loss for Thee.
Exposed to shame, and want, and pain,
Crush'd by the persecutor's power,
Thou, Lord, their fainting souls sustain,
And keep them in their trying hour.
Crush'd by the persecutor's power,
Thou, Lord, their fainting souls sustain,
And keep them in their trying hour.
From anger and contemptuous pride,
From low revenge and faithless fear,
Preserve, and still their spirits hide,
Till Thou in their behalf appear.
From low revenge and faithless fear,
Preserve, and still their spirits hide,
Till Thou in their behalf appear.
Their feeble hearts confirm, unite,
And fix on their reward above:
Embolden with Thy Spirit's might,
And arm them with Thy patient love.
And fix on their reward above:
Embolden with Thy Spirit's might,
And arm them with Thy patient love.
41
Thee let the witnesses confess
Before the rebel sons of men,
Proclaim Thine all-victorious grace,
And suffer till with Thee they reign:
Before the rebel sons of men,
Proclaim Thine all-victorious grace,
And suffer till with Thee they reign:
To Thee, and to each other cleave,
While midst the ravening wolves they lie,
A pattern to believers live,
A pattern to believers die!
While midst the ravening wolves they lie,
A pattern to believers live,
A pattern to believers die!
XI.
[Jesus, the glory take!]
Jesus, the glory take!
Afflicted and oppress'd,
Reviled and hated for Thy sake,
Thou hast pronounced us bless'd:
The blessing we receive,
We all our seal set to,
Now, Lord, we feelingly believe,
And own that Thou art true.
Afflicted and oppress'd,
Reviled and hated for Thy sake,
Thou hast pronounced us bless'd:
The blessing we receive,
We all our seal set to,
Now, Lord, we feelingly believe,
And own that Thou art true.
Faithful and good Thou art;
We taste the heavenly powers,
The glorious earnest in our heart
Ensures the kingdom ours:
Exceeding glad we are,
Our ravish'd bosoms swell
With ecstasy too strong to bear,
With joy unspeakable.
We taste the heavenly powers,
The glorious earnest in our heart
Ensures the kingdom ours:
Exceeding glad we are,
Our ravish'd bosoms swell
With ecstasy too strong to bear,
With joy unspeakable.
Through persecution bold,
To Thee our songs we raise;
Thee in the furnace we behold,
Thee in the fires we praise:
We now the promise know,
Sufficient is Thy love
To bear us through these storms below,
And land us safe above.
To Thee our songs we raise;
Thee in the furnace we behold,
Thee in the fires we praise:
42
Sufficient is Thy love
To bear us through these storms below,
And land us safe above.
To suffer now is sweet,
For Thou the strength hast given:
And O! how infinitely great
Is our reward in heaven!
We shall be surely there,
The fight will soon be won;
The cross we now with Jesus bear
Shall lift us to the throne.
For Thou the strength hast given:
And O! how infinitely great
Is our reward in heaven!
We shall be surely there,
The fight will soon be won;
The cross we now with Jesus bear
Shall lift us to the throne.
'Twas thus the saints of God,
His messengers and seers,
The narrow path of sufferings trod,
And pass'd the vale of tears;
Through sore afflictions pass'd
To better worlds above,
And more than conquer'd all at last
In our Redeemer's love.
His messengers and seers,
The narrow path of sufferings trod,
And pass'd the vale of tears;
Through sore afflictions pass'd
To better worlds above,
And more than conquer'd all at last
In our Redeemer's love.
Sufferers like them beneath,
Through much distress and pain,
Through all the toils of hell and death
We come with them to reign;
With Christ the glorious King,
Who wipes our tears away,
And calls us up His praise to sing
In everlasting day.
Through much distress and pain,
Through all the toils of hell and death
We come with them to reign;
With Christ the glorious King,
Who wipes our tears away,
And calls us up His praise to sing
In everlasting day.
43
XII.
[Shepherd of souls, Thy sheep behold]
Shepherd of souls, Thy sheep behold
In the dark cloudy day,
The wolf is come into Thy fold,
To scatter, tear, and slay.
In the dark cloudy day,
The wolf is come into Thy fold,
To scatter, tear, and slay.
His bloody hand the' oppressor shakes
Against the faithful seed,
And havoc of Thy church he makes—
He makes us as our Head.
Against the faithful seed,
And havoc of Thy church he makes—
He makes us as our Head.
Thy marks we in our bodies bear;
But arm us with Thy power,
The rage of fiends and men we dare,
And meet the evil hour.
But arm us with Thy power,
The rage of fiends and men we dare,
And meet the evil hour.
They only can our bodies kill,
Our souls can never die;
Our souls exist in Jesus still,
And reign above the sky.
Our souls can never die;
Our souls exist in Jesus still,
And reign above the sky.
Wherefore the utmost sufferings here
Of those who Jesus love,
We count not worthy to compare
With our reward above.
Of those who Jesus love,
We count not worthy to compare
With our reward above.
Light are the pains we now endure,
And quickly over-past;
But O! the pleasures they secure
Eternally shall last.
And quickly over-past;
But O! the pleasures they secure
Eternally shall last.
On all the' affliction we look down,
The joy so far exceeds,
So bright, so weighty is the crown
It sets upon our heads.
The joy so far exceeds,
So bright, so weighty is the crown
It sets upon our heads.
44
O what a glorious life shall be
In us, even us reveal'd,
While face to face our Lord we see,
With all His fulness fill'd!
In us, even us reveal'd,
While face to face our Lord we see,
With all His fulness fill'd!
Who would not then, for such an hope,
The path of sorrow tread,
And take his Master's burden up,
And suffer with his Head?
The path of sorrow tread,
And take his Master's burden up,
And suffer with his Head?
Who would not cheerfully sustain
A cross so light as this,
And bear a momentary pain
For an eternal bliss?
A cross so light as this,
And bear a momentary pain
For an eternal bliss?
XIII.
[And shall we now turn back]
And shall we now turn back,
To Satan's conquest yield,
The holy fellowship forsake,
And quit the well-fought field?
No more with accord sweet
Our Saviour's love adore,
And see each other's face, and meet
In Jesus' name no more?
To Satan's conquest yield,
The holy fellowship forsake,
And quit the well-fought field?
No more with accord sweet
Our Saviour's love adore,
And see each other's face, and meet
In Jesus' name no more?
We who have counted loss
For Christ our greatest gain,
Shall we refuse the crown and cross,
And suffer all in vain?
Caught in the tempter's snare,
Shall we like Demas stop,
The' assembling of ourselves forbear,
And give our brethren up?
For Christ our greatest gain,
Shall we refuse the crown and cross,
And suffer all in vain?
Caught in the tempter's snare,
Shall we like Demas stop,
The' assembling of ourselves forbear,
And give our brethren up?
45
No, never will we part
Or place to Satan give,
But cleave to God with steadfast heart,
And to each other cleave.
Strengthen'd by His command,
We for the faith contend,
In Jesus' name together stand,
And suffer to the end.
Or place to Satan give,
But cleave to God with steadfast heart,
And to each other cleave.
Strengthen'd by His command,
We for the faith contend,
In Jesus' name together stand,
And suffer to the end.
In vain the subtil foe
Allures with proffer'd ease,
We now his false devices know,
And scorn his hellish peace:
Thy faithful servants, Lord,
We never will resign,
Or buy the world's good-will and word
By forfeiture of Thine.
Allures with proffer'd ease,
We now his false devices know,
And scorn his hellish peace:
Thy faithful servants, Lord,
We never will resign,
Or buy the world's good-will and word
By forfeiture of Thine.
No, in Thy strength we say
To sinners and their god,
Ye cannot tear our shield away,
Who trust in Jesus' blood.
Who to each other cleave,
Your malice we defy;
We will in Christ together live,
We will together die.
To sinners and their god,
Ye cannot tear our shield away,
Who trust in Jesus' blood.
Who to each other cleave,
Your malice we defy;
We will in Christ together live,
We will together die.
XIV.
[Get thee behind us, fiend]
Get thee behind us, fiend,
With all thy baffled art!
The sheep we know thou canst not rend,
Unless thou first canst part:
Jesus's ten-fold power
His saints assembled claim:
Tremble, thou fiend, and fly before
Our mighty Captain's name.
With all thy baffled art!
The sheep we know thou canst not rend,
Unless thou first canst part:
46
His saints assembled claim:
Tremble, thou fiend, and fly before
Our mighty Captain's name.
Thy wisdom from below
Full well we understand;
Disperse, and then our souls o'erthrow,
Divide us, and command:
But Jesus still shall hold
And keep us safe from harms,
Together lodged within His fold,
His everlasting arms.
Full well we understand;
Disperse, and then our souls o'erthrow,
Divide us, and command:
But Jesus still shall hold
And keep us safe from harms,
Together lodged within His fold,
His everlasting arms.
While in our Shepherd's breast
Our helpless souls we hide,
Nor devils can disturb our rest,
Nor can the world divide:
To build each other up
We now in Jesus join,
And who shall burst the bond, or stop
The intercourse Divine?
Our helpless souls we hide,
Nor devils can disturb our rest,
Nor can the world divide:
To build each other up
We now in Jesus join,
And who shall burst the bond, or stop
The intercourse Divine?
This God hath bid us do,
And man forbids in vain;
Ye never, never can break through
Love's adamantine chain:
Join'd by the Saviour's will,
The same in mind and heart,
Ye may afflict us here, and kill,
But ye can never part.
And man forbids in vain;
Ye never, never can break through
Love's adamantine chain:
Join'd by the Saviour's will,
The same in mind and heart,
Ye may afflict us here, and kill,
But ye can never part.
Resolved our Lord to' obey,
In spite of man's command,
Together in the ancient way
Through His support we stand:
Nor will we hence remove,
Till all triumphant rise
And meet the first-born church above,
Assembled in the skies.
In spite of man's command,
Together in the ancient way
Through His support we stand:
47
Till all triumphant rise
And meet the first-born church above,
Assembled in the skies.
XV. A PRAYER FOR THE FIRST MARTYR.
Head of Thy suffering church below,
We ask in faith the passive power,
Thy perfect strength in weakness show,
And arm us for the dreadful hour.
We ask in faith the passive power,
Thy perfect strength in weakness show,
And arm us for the dreadful hour.
Prepare the soul Thou first shalt call
To own in death the pardoning God,
To die for Him who died for all,
And seal the record with his blood.
To own in death the pardoning God,
To die for Him who died for all,
And seal the record with his blood.
Thy hardy soldier, Lord, inure,
The daily cross with joy to prove;
Give him an heart resolved, and pure,
And meek, and full of patient love.
The daily cross with joy to prove;
Give him an heart resolved, and pure,
And meek, and full of patient love.
Give him, when now the day draws near,
His utter helplessness to see;
Give him the self-mistrusting fear,
The humble awe that cleaves to Thee.
His utter helplessness to see;
Give him the self-mistrusting fear,
The humble awe that cleaves to Thee.
To Thee let him in faith look up,
And claim the succours from above,
And rise to all the strength of hope,
To all the' omnipotence of love.
And claim the succours from above,
And rise to all the strength of hope,
To all the' omnipotence of love.
O'erwhelm him with the' amazing grace,
That he, so poor, so self-abhorr'd,
Least of the blood-besprinkled race,
That he should suffer for his Lord!
That he, so poor, so self-abhorr'd,
Least of the blood-besprinkled race,
That he should suffer for his Lord!
48
Give him the' indubitable sign
That all his sufferings are for Thee;
Assure his heart the cause is Thine,
And Thou wilt get the victory.
That all his sufferings are for Thee;
Assure his heart the cause is Thine,
And Thou wilt get the victory.
Give him, before he bows his head,
The sight to fervent Stephen given,
The everlasting doors display'd,
The glories of a wide-spread heaven.
The sight to fervent Stephen given,
The everlasting doors display'd,
The glories of a wide-spread heaven.
Show him Thyself at God's right hand:
Thou on the faithful soul look down,
Thou by Thy dying champion stand,
And reach him out the starry crown.
Thou on the faithful soul look down,
Thou by Thy dying champion stand,
And reach him out the starry crown.
Inspire him with Thy tender care
For those who nail'd Thee to the wood,
And give to his expiring prayer
The men that drive his soul to God.
For those who nail'd Thee to the wood,
And give to his expiring prayer
The men that drive his soul to God.
XVI.
[Lord, we have all forsook]
Lord, we have all forsook,
Thy dying love to know,
To bear Thy light and easy yoke,
And in Thy footsteps go;
Pleasure, and goods, and fame,
We gladly have restored,
In pain, and poverty, and shame,
Partakers with our Lord.
Thy dying love to know,
To bear Thy light and easy yoke,
And in Thy footsteps go;
Pleasure, and goods, and fame,
We gladly have restored,
In pain, and poverty, and shame,
Partakers with our Lord.
Arm'd with Thy strength alone,
We still our all resign;
Our lives, which once we call'd our own,
Are not our own, but Thine:
Ready we always stand
In Thine almighty power,
To yield them up at Thy command,
And meet the fiery hour.
We still our all resign;
Our lives, which once we call'd our own,
Are not our own, but Thine:
49
In Thine almighty power,
To yield them up at Thy command,
And meet the fiery hour.
Where is the promise then,
The bliss Thou hast prepared
For us before the sons of men,
Where is our great reward?
The hundred-fold increase
Of goods, and lands, and friends,
The sweet unutterable peace,
The joy that never ends?
The bliss Thou hast prepared
For us before the sons of men,
Where is our great reward?
The hundred-fold increase
Of goods, and lands, and friends,
The sweet unutterable peace,
The joy that never ends?
Surely we are possess'd
Of Thee our recompence,
Ecstasy fills our panting breast,
And pains our aching sense:
What hath the world like this!
The joy which now we know—
'Tis more than joy, or life, or bliss,
'Tis heaven begun below.
Of Thee our recompence,
Ecstasy fills our panting breast,
And pains our aching sense:
What hath the world like this!
The joy which now we know—
'Tis more than joy, or life, or bliss,
'Tis heaven begun below.
Yet O! we look for more
And mightier joys above,
The fulness of Thy heavenly store,
Of Thine eternal love:
Glory shall end the strife,
And in these bodies shine;
Jesu, our everlasting Life,
Our flesh shall be like Thine.
And mightier joys above,
The fulness of Thy heavenly store,
Of Thine eternal love:
Glory shall end the strife,
And in these bodies shine;
Jesu, our everlasting Life,
Our flesh shall be like Thine.
Changed by His mighty love,
We shall be as our Lord,
And sit upon our thrones above,
And bless His just award:
While trembling at the bar
Devils and tyrants stand,
We shall with Him their doom declare,
And shout at His right hand.
We shall be as our Lord,
And sit upon our thrones above,
And bless His just award:
50
Devils and tyrants stand,
We shall with Him their doom declare,
And shout at His right hand.
Then every saint of His
Shall lean upon His breast;
The wicked there from troubling cease,
And there the weary rest:
Our sufferings all are o'er,
Our tears are wiped away,
We only love, rejoice, adore,
Through one eternal day.
Shall lean upon His breast;
The wicked there from troubling cease,
And there the weary rest:
Our sufferings all are o'er,
Our tears are wiped away,
We only love, rejoice, adore,
Through one eternal day.
The rivers of delight
That there our souls embrace,
The glorious beatific sight
That veils the angels' face,
The joys ineffable
That from Thy presence flow,
The fulness here we cannot tell,
But, Lord, we die to know.
That there our souls embrace,
The glorious beatific sight
That veils the angels' face,
The joys ineffable
That from Thy presence flow,
The fulness here we cannot tell,
But, Lord, we die to know.
| The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley | |