 | The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley |  |
PHILIPPIANS.
3182.
[To all, who hallowing grace obtain]
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
—i. 21.
To all, who hallowing grace obtain,
To live is Christ, to die is gain;
And when I reach the prize,
And when the perfect day I see,
The life I live is Christ in me,
And death is paradise.
3183.
[Glory ascribe and endless praise]
Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, &c.
—i. 29.
Glory ascribe and endless praise
To God, the giver of all grace,
Who hath on us a power bestow'd,
To plunge in that all-cleansing blood;
With heart-felt faith to trust in Him
Whose death did every soul redeem.
To God, the giver of all grace,
Who hath on us a power bestow'd,
To plunge in that all-cleansing blood;
With heart-felt faith to trust in Him
Whose death did every soul redeem.
Thanks upon thanks to God we owe,
Who did a second gift bestow,
The grace in Jesus' steps to tread,
And meekly suffer with our Head;
While gladly we our will resign,
And prove our patient faith Divine.
Who did a second gift bestow,
The grace in Jesus' steps to tread,
And meekly suffer with our Head;
While gladly we our will resign,
And prove our patient faith Divine.
78
My double privilege I take,
The trust and pain for Jesu's sake;
By faith I know my pardon sure,
By patience to the end endure;
Happy to live for Jesus, I,
But happier still for Him to die.
The trust and pain for Jesu's sake;
By faith I know my pardon sure,
By patience to the end endure;
Happy to live for Jesus, I,
But happier still for Him to die.
3184.
[Proclaiming my own holiness]
In lowliness of mind let each esteem other, &c.
—ii. 3.
Proclaiming my own holiness,
Myself if perfect I esteem,
And others far beneath in grace,
Myself I must prefer to them.
3185.
[I seem desirous to repent]
It is God which worketh in you both to will, &c.
—ii. 13.
I seem desirous to repent,
But cannot, without Thee,
Soften the stony, or lament
My own obduracy.
Gladly I would Thy word believe,
My dear Redeemer know,
But neither can rejoice, nor grieve,
Till Thou the power bestow.
But cannot, without Thee,
Soften the stony, or lament
My own obduracy.
Gladly I would Thy word believe,
My dear Redeemer know,
But neither can rejoice, nor grieve,
Till Thou the power bestow.
I would, more sensibly distress'd
Throughout this evil day,
Struggle to utter my request,
But cannot, cannot pray,
Until the Spirit from on high
His needful aid impart,
And raise a supplicating cry
Within my broken heart.
Throughout this evil day,
Struggle to utter my request,
But cannot, cannot pray,
Until the Spirit from on high
His needful aid impart,
And raise a supplicating cry
Within my broken heart.
My want of thankfulness, and love,
And every grace I own,
Nor will the mountains e'er remove,
Till Thou, my God, come down;
Till Thou Thine own desires fulfil,
Thyself to sinners join,
And kindly work in me to will,
And do the will Divine.
And every grace I own,
Nor will the mountains e'er remove,
Till Thou, my God, come down;
79
Thyself to sinners join,
And kindly work in me to will,
And do the will Divine.
3186.
[But could the chief apostle grieve]
He was sick nigh unto death: but God had, &c.
—ii. 27.
But could the chief apostle grieve,
That Jesus should a saint receive
To everlasting rest?
Then I may lawfully bemoan
Myself, for her to glory gone
In her Redeemer's breast.
That Jesus should a saint receive
To everlasting rest?
Then I may lawfully bemoan
Myself, for her to glory gone
In her Redeemer's breast.
My friend no more on earth appears;
The tribute of these pious tears
She asks, and justifies:
And weeping, through the vale of woe,
With calm submissive grief I go,
To meet her in the skies.
The tribute of these pious tears
She asks, and justifies:
And weeping, through the vale of woe,
With calm submissive grief I go,
To meet her in the skies.
3187.
[“Then know thy place,” (a novice cries]
Not as though I...were already perfect.
—iii. 12.
“Then know thy place,” (a novice cries,
Whose fancy has attain'd the prize,)
“Stand by thyself, nor rank with me,
For I am holier than thee;
Beyond the chief apostle I!
And you, who dare my grace deny,
The proof of my perfection know,
It is—because I think it so!”
3188.
[Why hast Thou apprehended me]
I follow after, if that I may apprehend that, &c.
—iii. 12.
Why hast Thou apprehended me,
And held my struggling soul so fast?
What is the grace laid up in Thee,
Which I shall apprehend at last,
The gospel-hope to which I press?
Is it not finish'd holiness?
And held my struggling soul so fast?
What is the grace laid up in Thee,
Which I shall apprehend at last,
80
Is it not finish'd holiness?
Jesus, that perfect good unknown,
Restless, resign'd, I wait to gain:
But give me strength to follow on,
And strive, and labour, and sustain;
Nor ever from Thine own depart,
Till Thee I love with all my heart.
Restless, resign'd, I wait to gain:
But give me strength to follow on,
And strive, and labour, and sustain;
Nor ever from Thine own depart,
Till Thee I love with all my heart.
3189.
[No; not after twenty years]
I count not myself to have apprehended.
—iii. 13.
No; not after twenty years
Of labouring in the word!
After all his fights, and fears,
And sufferings for his Lord,
Paul hath not attain'd the prize,
Though caught up to the heavenly hill:
Daily still the' apostle dies,
And lives imperfect still!
Of labouring in the word!
After all his fights, and fears,
And sufferings for his Lord,
Paul hath not attain'd the prize,
Though caught up to the heavenly hill:
Daily still the' apostle dies,
And lives imperfect still!
“But we now, the prize to' attain,
An easier method see,
Save ourselves the toil and pain,
And lingering agony,
Reach at once the ladder's top,
While standing on its lowest round,
Instantaneously spring up,
With pure perfection crown'd.”
An easier method see,
Save ourselves the toil and pain,
And lingering agony,
Reach at once the ladder's top,
While standing on its lowest round,
Instantaneously spring up,
With pure perfection crown'd.”
Such the credulous dotard's dream,
And such his shorter road,
Thus he makes the world blaspheme,
And shames the church of God,
Staggers thus the most sincere,
Till from the gospel-hope they move,
Holiness as error fear,
And start at perfect love.
And such his shorter road,
Thus he makes the world blaspheme,
And shames the church of God,
Staggers thus the most sincere,
Till from the gospel-hope they move,
81
And start at perfect love.
Lord, Thy real work revive,
The counterfeit to end.
That we lawfully may strive,
And truly apprehend,
Humbly still Thy servant trace,
Who least of saints himself did call,
Till we gain the height of grace,
And into nothing fall.
The counterfeit to end.
That we lawfully may strive,
And truly apprehend,
Humbly still Thy servant trace,
Who least of saints himself did call,
Till we gain the height of grace,
And into nothing fall.
3190.
[Most gracious Lord]
Be careful for nothing.
—iv. 6.
Most gracious Lord,
Thy kindest word
I joyfully obey;
Hold fast my confidence restored,
And cast my sins away.
Thy kindest word
I joyfully obey;
Hold fast my confidence restored,
And cast my sins away.
No longer I
Lament and sigh,
With guilty fear oppress'd;
To me who on Thy love rely,
Whatever is, is best.
Lament and sigh,
With guilty fear oppress'd;
To me who on Thy love rely,
Whatever is, is best.
In each event,
The kind intent
Of love Divine I see,
And mix'd with joyful thanks present
My humble prayers to Thee.
The kind intent
Of love Divine I see,
And mix'd with joyful thanks present
My humble prayers to Thee.
Then let Thy peace
My heart possess;
By Thy unspotted mind
Preserve in perfect quietness
A soul to Jesus join'd.
My heart possess;
By Thy unspotted mind
Preserve in perfect quietness
A soul to Jesus join'd.
82
In spirit one
With Christ Thy Son,
Henceforth His life I live,
Till Jesus claim me for His own,
And to His arms receive.
With Christ Thy Son,
Henceforth His life I live,
Till Jesus claim me for His own,
And to His arms receive.
| The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley | |