The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

Thus may I give, when man I praise,
To God the glory of His grace,
Who makes in us His nature known,
And claims our goodness for His own:
And while I thus the saints commend,
O may their hearts with mine ascend,
Ascribing to the Source above
Our all in humble thankful love!

3217.

[No room for glorying in their grace]

We...glory in you,...for your patience and, &c. —i. 4.

No room for glorying in their grace,
No cause of thankfulness have we

For those who faith in words profess,
Till faith's undoubted proofs we see:
But if they see the' Invisible,
With patience they the fire endure,
And thus express the Spirit's seal,
And witness thus, their hearts are pure.

These are the followers of their Lord,
Who suffer in their Master's cause,
And never speak one boasting word,
And only glory in His cross.
A pattern to believers these,
As stars throughout the churches shine,
Partakers of true holiness,
And fill'd with all the life Divine.

3218.

[Jesus the righteous Judge shall come]

To you who are troubled rest with us. —i. 7.

Jesus the righteous Judge shall come,
And all His wicked foes consume
In flaming fire reveal'd from heaven;
Assign their lot with fiends abhorr'd,
Far from the presence of the Lord
To everlasting torments driven.

Then we whose flesh is troubled here,
Shall glorious with our Head appear,
And find our place prepared above;
And spend on our Redeemer's breast
A whole eternity of rest,
A whole eternity of love.

3219.

[Lord, we long to see that day!]

He shall come to be glorified in His saints, &c. —i. 10.

Lord, we long to see that day!
Come, and in Thy saints display

All the wonders of Thy love,
All our life conceal'd above,
Our celestial Head Divine,
Jesus, in Thy members shine.

O that the angelic choir
Might in us our Head admire,
Brighter than those morning stars,
While the church Thy name declares,
Nearest our Redeemer's throne,
With the God of glory one.

3220.

[What is the pleasure of my Lord?]

We pray...that our God would...fulfil all, &c. —i. 11.

What is the pleasure of my Lord?
What is His will concerning me?
That I in holiness restored,
And pure in heart, my God should see;
Changed by the power of faith Divine,
Should put, with Christ, His image on,
And glorious as my Maker shine,
And dying shout—“The work is done!”

Father, behold, I calmly wait
Thine acceptable will to prove,
Raised to my first unsinning state,
In perfect righteousness and love:
Thou shalt in that appointed hour
Appear, my spotless soul to seal,
And by Thine hallowing Spirit's power
The work of faith in me fulfil.

3221.

[Thus only may I trust in man]

We have confidence in the Lord touching you, &c. —iii. 4.

Thus only may I trust in man,
(The man whose grace I most esteem,)

By trusting him to God, who can
Secure what I commit to Him,
Who will preserve my gracious friend,
And keep him gracious to the end.

Saviour, his heart is in Thy hands,
And humbly confident I pray,
That duteous now to Thy commands
He still may Thy commands obey;
And let us both receive above
The crown laid up for righteous love.

3222.

[Father, if mine in Christ Thou art]

The Lord direct your hearts into the love of, &c. —iii. 5.

Father, if mine in Christ Thou art,
Into Thy love direct my heart,
And plant in me the mind
Which in my patient Saviour was,
When meekly suffering on the cross,
He purchased all mankind.

Fain would I the compassion prove,
The strength of persevering love,
Which nail'd Him to the tree:
Then should I every soul embrace,
And feel for all the sin-sick race
As Jesus felt for me.

That sea of love in me be found,
Without a bottom or a bound,
That sea which Jesus is;
And let me lose my raptured soul,
Long as eternal ages roll,
In the Divine Abyss.

University of Virginia Library

II. THESSALONIANS.

3216.

[Thus may I give, when man I praise]