The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

Liberty in Christ we have,
Forgiveness through His blood.
Feel His present power to save,
By sin no more subdued:
When He wash'd us white as snow,
Clothed with righteousness and power,
Jesus loosed, and bade us go,
And yield to sin no more.

3169.

[Jesus, suffering Son of God]

Jesus, suffering Son of God,
Thy nature is to save,

Let me pardon in Thy blood,
And with Thy Spirit have:
Full of mercy as Thou art,
Grant the pardon I implore,
Peace to keep my faithful heart,
And power to sin no more.

Liberty from my own sin,
Thou only canst bestow,
Make my guilty conscience clean,
And loose, and let me go.
If that blood Divine was shed
The general liberty to buy,
Come and make me free indeed,
Or bought by Thee, I die.

Longing in my gracious Lord,
Redemption to obtain,
If I perish unrestored
Thyself hast died in vain:
Saviour, now Thy purchase seize,
Thou hast laid my ransom down;
Now from all my sins release,
And seal me for Thine own.

3170.

[Father, we give Thee all the praise]

By grace are ye saved through faith. —ii. 8.

Father, we give Thee all the praise,
Thy mercy, love, and causeless grace,
The Source of our salvation own;
But that which Jesu's blood applies,
Absolves, and wholly sanctifies,
Is faith, almighty faith alone:

And when our faith in vision ends,
And when the spotless bride ascends,
We shall repeat the song above,

Our Saviour on the throne proclaim,
Saved by the Father, and the Lamb,
For ever happy in Thy love.

3171.

[Thou art gone up on high]

When He ascended up on high, He led, &c. —iv. 8.

Thou art gone up on high
Our Saviour in the sky,
Principalities and powers
Thou hast spoil'd, and captive led,
Conquer'd all Thy foes and ours,
More than conquer'd in our stead.

Mysterious gifts unseen
Thou hast received for men,
Gifts for a rebellious race
Streaming from Thy throne above,
Contrite grief, and pardoning grace,
Humble fear, and purest love.

The Gift unspeakable
The Witness, Pledge, and Seal,
Heavenly Comforter Divine
Spirit of eternity,
Purchased by that blood of Thine
Him Thou hast received for me.

For me obtain'd He is,
For all Thine enemies,
Jesus, Thou the giver art,
Now Thy Father's name reveal,
Now the Holy Ghost impart,
God in man for ever dwell!

3172.

[Can I be angry, and not sin?]

Be ye angry, and sin not. —iv. 26.

Can I be angry, and not sin?
I sin, unless I angry am:

Kindle, almighty Love, within
This frozen breast a sacred flame;
Then on myself my wrath shall turn,
Till Thou mine utmost Saviour come,
With all Thine indignation burn,
And root and branch my sin consume.

3173.

[Ye sordid slaves of avarice]

Nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath, &c. —v. 5.

Ye sordid slaves of avarice,
Who most of earth possess,
Who money love, and riches prize
As certain happiness;
Your bliss ye may a moment hold,
But know, if God be true,
Ye cursed idolaters of gold,
There is no heaven for you.

3174.

[Sinner, that know'st not God]

Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the, &c. —v. 14.

Sinner, that know'st not God,
Lift up thy guilty eyes,
Thou stranger to the' atoning blood,
From nature's sleep arise:
As of salvation sure,
Thy soul insensible
Lies lull'd in Satan's arms, secure
Within the mouth of hell.

Out of thy sins awake,
With deep repentance mourn,
Thyself, and the dead world forsake,
And to the Saviour turn;
The shades of hellish night
So shall thy Lord remove,
And bless thee with His Spirit's light,
The light of faith and love.

The brightness of His face
Jesus to thee shall show,
The knowledge of His pardoning grace,
With perfect peace bestow;
The light shall still increase,
Which shows thy sins forgiven,
And through the paths of righteousness
Conduct Thy soul to heaven.

3175.

[O that to me were given]

Walk...not as fools, but as wise, redeeming, &c. —v. 15, 16.

O that to me were given
The wisdom from above,
A candidate for heaven,
My precious time to' improve.
To buy up every hour,
And every sinew strain,
And use mine utmost power
Eternal life to gain.

My God, most high, most holy,
No more may I offend;
My life of impious folly,
This moment let it end!
This moment, Lord, beginning
To taste Thy pardoning grace,
O bid me cease from sinning,
And start, and win the race.

3176.

[O might I faithfully improve]

O might I faithfully improve,
The little life behind,
Resolved to ask my Saviour's love,
Till I the blessing find:
To wrestle on in mighty prayer,
Nor ever let Thee go,

Till God His secret name declare,
And all His glory show.

I would the precious time redeem,
By counting all things loss,
By offering up my life for Him
Whose blood distain'd the cross.
Thus would I live entirely Thine,
Who gav'st Thyself for me;
And then my spotless soul resign
A sacrifice to Thee.

3177.

[Howe'er untunable the voice]

Making melody in your heart to the Lord. —v. 19.

Howe'er untunable the voice
The heart doth most melodious prove,
When skill'd in Jesus to rejoice,
And glory in His dying love:
Exulting in its Saviour's grace
The Lamb's triumphant song it sings,
Presents the quintessence of praise,
As music to the King of kings.

Hymn'd by the bright angelic choirs,
The King of kings approves their strain,
Hearing amidst their sweetest lyres,
The Spirit of His love in man.
Now, Father, now incline Thine ear,
The music of Thy Spirit own,
And in my heart delight to hear
The voice of Thy acclaiming Son.

3178.

[If others the commandments slight]

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own, &c. —v. 22.

If others the commandments slight,
I own, O God, Thy will is right,

And bowing to an husband's sway,
The Lord of heaven in man obey,
Assured Thy glorious Majesty
Accepts the deed as done to Thee.

3179.

[Then am I bound (if charity]

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ, &c. —v. 25.

Then am I bound (if charity
Divine be made the rule for me)
As my own flesh to love my wife,
And gladly ransom with my life
Her soul from the infernal grave;
For Jesus died, His church to save.

3180.

[Flesh out of His flesh we are]

We are members of His body, out of His flesh [Gr.], &c. —v. 30.

Flesh out of His flesh we are,
And bone out of His bone,
Who the heavenly nature share
Of God's most holy Son;
God doth now our hearts impress,
Made soft, yet firm, like His above,
Fill'd with all the tenderness,
And all the strength of love.

3181.

[Captain, we Thy command obey]

Take unto you the whole armour of God, that, &c. —vi. 13.

Captain, we Thy command obey,
By Thine almighty Spirit led!
To arm us in the evil day,
We all the heavenly armour need,
Armour of proof, which can endure
The' assaults of sin, the world, and hell:
Less than the whole will not secure,
And make Thy host invincible.

But lo, we every grace put on,
Dauntless the alien armies meet,

We tread the powers of darkness down,
And trample death beneath our feet;
And having all our foes o'ercome,
Complete in perfect holiness,
We stand, till Thou receive us home,
To stand before Thy glorious face.

University of Virginia Library

EPHESIANS.

3168.

[Liberty in Christ we have]