 | The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley |  |
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.
| The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley | |