 | The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley |  |
I. JOHN.
3393.
[If we, believing our own hearts]
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves.
—i. 8.
If we, believing our own hearts,
Presume to say, we have no sin,
Truth is not in our inward parts,
The perfect grace is not brought in;
We our own wretched souls deceive,
And still the life of nature live.
Presume to say, we have no sin,
195
The perfect grace is not brought in;
We our own wretched souls deceive,
And still the life of nature live.
But if even we, the least of all,
Our lives' and nature's guilt confess,
The God in Christ, on whom we call,
Will speak in truth and righteousness;
Pardon and purity impart,
And stamp His image on our heart.
Our lives' and nature's guilt confess,
The God in Christ, on whom we call,
Will speak in truth and righteousness;
Pardon and purity impart,
And stamp His image on our heart.
Thine image of true holiness,
When on our hearts impress'd we feel,
Sinners we still ourselves confess,
Dependent, helpless sinners still;
Sinners by Jesus saved we own,
Our Saviour God is good alone.
When on our hearts impress'd we feel,
Sinners we still ourselves confess,
Dependent, helpless sinners still;
Sinners by Jesus saved we own,
Our Saviour God is good alone.
3394.
[Father of Jesus Christ our Lord]
If we confess our sins, He is faithful, &c.
—i. 9.
Father of Jesus Christ our Lord,
Our sins we in His name confess;
Righteous and faithful to Thy word,
From actual guilt our souls release;
And purge out all this filth within,
And make our inward nature clean.
Our sins we in His name confess;
Righteous and faithful to Thy word,
From actual guilt our souls release;
And purge out all this filth within,
And make our inward nature clean.
If still, when justified by grace,
Our general sinfulness we own,
Thou wilt on us Thy name impress,
Reveal the nature of Thy Son;
And write it on our inward parts,
And spread Thine image through our hearts.
Our general sinfulness we own,
Thou wilt on us Thy name impress,
Reveal the nature of Thy Son;
And write it on our inward parts,
And spread Thine image through our hearts.
Wherefore Thy goodness we implore
A deeper sense of sin to give,
That small in our own eyes, and poor,
We may Thy richest grace receive;
May always in Thy Son abide,
May always feel His blood applied.
A deeper sense of sin to give,
196
We may Thy richest grace receive;
May always in Thy Son abide,
May always feel His blood applied.
Soon as we every moment feel
Ourselves vile nothings in Thy sight,
In Christ we every moment dwell,
Blameless we walk with Him in white,
His perfect purity retain,
And never soil our robes again.
Ourselves vile nothings in Thy sight,
In Christ we every moment dwell,
Blameless we walk with Him in white,
His perfect purity retain,
And never soil our robes again.
3395.
[Yet still the chief of saints below]
If we say that we have not sinned, we make, &c.
—i. 10.
Yet still the chief of saints below
Will ne'er his former sins forget;
But while his joyful eyes o'erflow,
Prostrate at his dear Saviour's feet,
The chief of saints will humbly cry,
Will feel “the chief of sinners I.”
Will ne'er his former sins forget;
But while his joyful eyes o'erflow,
Prostrate at his dear Saviour's feet,
The chief of saints will humbly cry,
Will feel “the chief of sinners I.”
Who in their own perfection boast,
“We have not sinn'd,” they proudly say,
Demonstrate that their faith is lost,
Their shield is vilely cast away;
And who their God belie, blaspheme,
His word no longer is in them.
“We have not sinn'd,” they proudly say,
Demonstrate that their faith is lost,
Their shield is vilely cast away;
And who their God belie, blaspheme,
His word no longer is in them.
Himself doth in His word declare
That all have sinn'd, and lost His grace;
And though we truly pardon'd are,
Our pardon'd sins we still confess;
In joy repent, in triumph grieve,
And cease at once to mourn and live.
That all have sinn'd, and lost His grace;
And though we truly pardon'd are,
Our pardon'd sins we still confess;
In joy repent, in triumph grieve,
And cease at once to mourn and live.
3396.
[The' occasion of my every fall]
There is none occasion of stumbling in him.
—ii. 10.
The' occasion of my every fall
I still perceive within,
197
From this indwelling sin:
Thou canst, Thou wilt, (I dare not doubt,)
The stumbling-block remove,
And root my evil nature out
By Thine all-perfect love.
3397.
[Thou God of my salvation]
Thou God of my salvation,
Implant Thy mind in me,
To' uproot the dire occasion
Of strife and enmity.
By Thine own Spirit humbling,
Out of my heart remove
The only ground of stumbling,
The haughty selfish love.
Implant Thy mind in me,
To' uproot the dire occasion
Of strife and enmity.
By Thine own Spirit humbling,
Out of my heart remove
The only ground of stumbling,
The haughty selfish love.
This stubborn bent to evil
Which in my soul I feel,
This nature of the devil,
Here must it always dwell?
The criminal propension
To sin's forbidden joy,
The pride that breeds contention
Thou wilt at last destroy.
Which in my soul I feel,
This nature of the devil,
Here must it always dwell?
The criminal propension
To sin's forbidden joy,
The pride that breeds contention
Thou wilt at last destroy.
Thy kingdom come in power,
And joy, and perfect peace;
To end the hellish hour
Bring in Thy righteousness.
The brightness of Thy presence,
Discover from above;
And cheer mine inmost essence
With the pure light of love.
And joy, and perfect peace;
To end the hellish hour
Bring in Thy righteousness.
The brightness of Thy presence,
Discover from above;
And cheer mine inmost essence
With the pure light of love.
198
To every ransom'd creature,
Like my Redeemer, kind,
I would Thy pitying nature,
Thy yearning bowels find.
That charity fraternal,
On me, my Lord, bestow;
And chase the fiend infernal
To his own place below.
Like my Redeemer, kind,
I would Thy pitying nature,
Thy yearning bowels find.
That charity fraternal,
On me, my Lord, bestow;
And chase the fiend infernal
To his own place below.
Long as Thy love residing
Within my heart I feel,
In Thee, my God, abiding
In purest Light I dwell.
And if I now receive Thee,
My God, my all in all,
Thou wilt not let me leave Thee,
And then I cannot fall.
Within my heart I feel,
In Thee, my God, abiding
In purest Light I dwell.
And if I now receive Thee,
My God, my all in all,
Thou wilt not let me leave Thee,
And then I cannot fall.
3398.
[The babes are weak, the youths are strong]
I write unto you, little children, because your, &c.
—ii. 12.
The babes are weak, the youths are strong,
Yet pardon doth to both belong;
In youth, the' engrafted word abides,
The Witness constantly resides;
The babes, with transient visits blest,
Sometimes enjoy their heavenly Guest.
Yet pardon doth to both belong;
In youth, the' engrafted word abides,
The Witness constantly resides;
The babes, with transient visits blest,
Sometimes enjoy their heavenly Guest.
Young men the victory have won,
And trod, through Christ, the tempter down;
The children the good fight maintain,
And battle after battle gain;
But still they grapple with the foe,
And, conquering, on to conquer go.
And trod, through Christ, the tempter down;
The children the good fight maintain,
And battle after battle gain;
But still they grapple with the foe,
And, conquering, on to conquer go.
The state of fathers, who shall tell,
The depth and height of love reveal?
Nor saint nor angel can explain
The plenitude of God in man,
But God, whom they so long have known,
He only searches out His own.
The depth and height of love reveal?
199
The plenitude of God in man,
But God, whom they so long have known,
He only searches out His own.
Not John himself presumes to trace
The full, unutterable grace,
The lineaments Divine impress'd
On each mature disciple's breast;
But fathers shall the secret see
Explain'd through all eternity.
The full, unutterable grace,
The lineaments Divine impress'd
On each mature disciple's breast;
But fathers shall the secret see
Explain'd through all eternity.
Yet children here partake the prize,
Before they into fathers rise;
They too have known the pardoning God,
They too have felt the cleansing blood;
And different in degree alone,
The first, and perfect love are one.
Before they into fathers rise;
They too have known the pardoning God,
They too have felt the cleansing blood;
And different in degree alone,
The first, and perfect love are one.
3399.
[Children, ye have as truly known]
Children, ye have as truly known
The God and Father of all grace,
As hoary saints who long have run,
And now are finishing their race.
That Spirit, who His Son reveal'd
In them, hath your forgiveness seal'd.
The God and Father of all grace,
As hoary saints who long have run,
And now are finishing their race.
That Spirit, who His Son reveal'd
In them, hath your forgiveness seal'd.
Your humble confidence hold fast
Till strong ye out of weakness rise,
And wholly sanctified at last
Ye too shall gain the glorious prize;
Your zeal for Jesus shall improve,
And ripen into perfect love.
Till strong ye out of weakness rise,
And wholly sanctified at last
Ye too shall gain the glorious prize;
Your zeal for Jesus shall improve,
And ripen into perfect love.
3400.
[We that the Lord have known]
Ye have an unction from the Holy One, &c.
—ii. 20.
We that the Lord have known,
A saved, distinguish'd race,
200
Anointed with His grace,
Who steadfast in His grace abide,
Know all in Jesus crucified.
3401.
[Have I this hope Thy face to see?]
Every man that hath this hope...purifieth, &c.
—iii. 3.
Have I this hope Thy face to see?
Then let me, gracious God, exert
My utmost strength received from Thee,
To gain that purity of heart,
Through Jesu's blood to wash away
My filthiness of wrath and pride;
So shalt Thou give me in that day
A lot among the sanctified.
3402.
[Once Thou didst on earth appear]
He was manifested to take away our sins.
—iii. 5.
Once Thou didst on earth appear,
For all mankind to' atone;
Now be manifested here,
And bid my sin be gone;
Come, and by Thy presence chase
Its nature with its guilt and power,
Jesus, show Thine open face,
And sin shall be no more.
3403.
[Thou who my utmost Saviour art]
Thou who my utmost Saviour art,Reveal Thyself within,
Thine only presence in my heart
Can take away my sin:
But when Thou art discover'd here,
It can no longer stay,
It must give place, and disappear,
And vanish quite away.
201
3404.
[O Son of God, in vain]
O Son of God, in vain
Wast Thou reveal'd below,
Unless Thou by Thy Spirit again
Thyself to sinners show.
Before Thy presence here,
Unless my sins depart,
And Thou the pardoning God appear
To this poor guilty heart.
Wast Thou reveal'd below,
Unless Thou by Thy Spirit again
Thyself to sinners show.
Before Thy presence here,
Unless my sins depart,
And Thou the pardoning God appear
To this poor guilty heart.
Answer the blessed end
Of Thy stupendous grace;
And still in mercy condescend
To our distinguish'd race.
Though by all heaven adored,
Thy flesh with pity see;
And with Thy great salvation, Lord,
Vouchsafe to visit me.
Of Thy stupendous grace;
And still in mercy condescend
To our distinguish'd race.
Though by all heaven adored,
Thy flesh with pity see;
And with Thy great salvation, Lord,
Vouchsafe to visit me.
Didst Thou not leave Thy throne
For a mean house of clay,
And put my feeble nature on
To take my sins away?
Fulfil Thy own design,
The hindering thing remove,
That God and man in Thee may join,
And I my Saviour love.
For a mean house of clay,
And put my feeble nature on
To take my sins away?
Fulfil Thy own design,
The hindering thing remove,
That God and man in Thee may join,
And I my Saviour love.
Come then, Thou very God,
In this accepted hour,
Partaker of my flesh and blood,
Display Thy Spirit's power.
My weaknesses assume,
Who didst the heavens bow,
Be manifest again, and come
To save a sinner now.
In this accepted hour,
Partaker of my flesh and blood,
Display Thy Spirit's power.
My weaknesses assume,
Who didst the heavens bow,
202
To save a sinner now.
Now is salvation's day,
Now is the time of love;
No longer, gracious Lord, delay
Thy coming from above.
The same Thou always art;
Thyself to me make known,
Perform the counsels of Thy heart,
And let Thy will be done.
Now is the time of love;
No longer, gracious Lord, delay
Thy coming from above.
The same Thou always art;
Thyself to me make known,
Perform the counsels of Thy heart,
And let Thy will be done.
It cannot be Thy will
That I unsaved should live,
Wretched in sin, continue still,
And still Thy Spirit grieve.
But till Thyself I know,
From sin I cannot cease;
Jesus, appear, Thy mercy show,
And bid me die in peace.
That I unsaved should live,
Wretched in sin, continue still,
And still Thy Spirit grieve.
But till Thyself I know,
From sin I cannot cease;
Jesus, appear, Thy mercy show,
And bid me die in peace.
3405.
[Love Divine, Thyself impart]
Love Divine, Thyself impart,
Manifested to my heart;
Jesus, show Thyself within,
Enter, and extirpate sin.
Fulness of the Deity,
Sin cannot reside with Thee,
Sin, when Thou art always here,
Must for ever disappear.
Manifested to my heart;
Jesus, show Thyself within,
Enter, and extirpate sin.
Fulness of the Deity,
Sin cannot reside with Thee,
Sin, when Thou art always here,
Must for ever disappear.
Come then, O my Saviour come,
All this unbelief consume,
By the Spirit of Thy grace,
By the brightness of Thy face:
That I may be clean in heart,
That I may be as Thou art,
Live, my spotless Purity,
Live, my perfect Love, in me.
All this unbelief consume,
By the Spirit of Thy grace,
By the brightness of Thy face:
203
That I may be as Thou art,
Live, my spotless Purity,
Live, my perfect Love, in me.
3406.
[What, never, never more to sin!]
Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not.
—iii. 6.
What, never, never more to sin!
When shall I so abide in Thee?
Open Thine heart and take me in,
Plunge in the depths of Deity
A soul that to Thy bosom flies
From sin: possess'd of this high prize,
I ask no other paradise.
3407.
[Lord, unto me the knowledge grant]
Whosoever sinneth hath not...known Him.
—iii. 6.
Lord, unto me the knowledge grant,
Which, incompatible with sin,
Supplies my spirit's every want,
Brings the celestial nature in;
My heart renews and purifies,
And fills with life that never dies.
Which, incompatible with sin,
Supplies my spirit's every want,
Brings the celestial nature in;
My heart renews and purifies,
And fills with life that never dies.
I want the faith in Jesu's blood
Which pardon on my conscience seals,
Imparts the spotless mind of God,
The plague original expels;
Doth all my unbelief remove,
And sweetly work by perfect love.
Which pardon on my conscience seals,
Imparts the spotless mind of God,
The plague original expels;
Doth all my unbelief remove,
And sweetly work by perfect love.
I would be of Thy Spirit born,
And find that I can sin no more;
My soul into Thy likeness turn,
Wisdom of God, and Truth, and Power,
Fulness of the Divinity,
Jesus, appear and dwell in me.
And find that I can sin no more;
My soul into Thy likeness turn,
Wisdom of God, and Truth, and Power,
Fulness of the Divinity,
Jesus, appear and dwell in me.
204
Then, only then my God I know,
Divinely taught, divinely pure:
Yet onward to perfection go,
And happy to the end endure,
Till faith is swallow'd up in sight,
In glorious, full, eternal light.
Divinely taught, divinely pure:
Yet onward to perfection go,
And happy to the end endure,
Till faith is swallow'd up in sight,
In glorious, full, eternal light.
3408.
[Righteous as my God am I?]
He that doeth righteousness is righteous, even, &c.
—iii. 7.
Righteous as my God am I?
No; but His reverse I am,
All pretence to good deny,
Every righteous work disclaim,
One I never yet have done,
Righteous is my God alone.
No; but His reverse I am,
All pretence to good deny,
Every righteous work disclaim,
One I never yet have done,
Righteous is my God alone.
But canst Thou account me just,
And yet never make me so?
Grafted into Christ, I trust
Holy as the Root to grow;
Holy then my works shall be,
Then my fruit is found of Thee.
And yet never make me so?
Grafted into Christ, I trust
Holy as the Root to grow;
Holy then my works shall be,
Then my fruit is found of Thee.
3409.
[Son of God, Thine anger show]
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, &c.
—iii. 8.
Son of God, Thine anger show
Against our foes and Thine,
Manifested here below
Fulfil Thine own design,
Satan's reign and works to end
Thine own almighty grace employ,
Thrust him out, this inbred fiend,
And all our sins destroy.
3410.
[Jehovah's Son, appear]
Jehovah's Son, appear,
Expiring on the tree,
To scatter all my guilty fear,
To' abolish sin in me,
The living faith impart,
My Saviour and my God,
And cleanse this vile, polluted heart,
With Thy atoning blood.
Expiring on the tree,
205
To' abolish sin in me,
The living faith impart,
My Saviour and my God,
And cleanse this vile, polluted heart,
With Thy atoning blood.
O for Thy mercy sake,
Thy dying love reveal;
Compassion on a sinner take,
An helpless sinner still:
Thou camest from heaven in vain,
Unless I find Thee nigh;
Unless Thou show Thyself again,
In unbelief I die.
Thy dying love reveal;
Compassion on a sinner take,
An helpless sinner still:
Thou camest from heaven in vain,
Unless I find Thee nigh;
Unless Thou show Thyself again,
In unbelief I die.
From endless death to save,
Thou didst appear below;
And wilt preserve me from the grave,
Till Thee I truly know:
Thou wilt redeem my soul
From all iniquity,
And make my wounded spirit whole,
Because Thou diedst for me.
Thou didst appear below;
And wilt preserve me from the grave,
Till Thee I truly know:
Thou wilt redeem my soul
From all iniquity,
And make my wounded spirit whole,
Because Thou diedst for me.
Come then, my hope, my rest,
Thy visage marr'd display,
And stand in all Thy wounds confess'd,
To take my sins away;
To fill this boundless void,
Present in me appear;
And sin shall always be destroy'd,
When Thou art always here.
Thy visage marr'd display,
And stand in all Thy wounds confess'd,
To take my sins away;
To fill this boundless void,
Present in me appear;
And sin shall always be destroy'd,
When Thou art always here.
3411.
[But must my heart, to sin inclined]
But must my heart, to sin inclined,
Inclined to sin for ever be?
And can I no redemption find,
No hope of perfect liberty?
Condemn'd the rebel flesh to feel,
Nor ever see my troubles past,
Tormented with this inbred hell,
And saved by fire, if saved at last?
Inclined to sin for ever be?
206
No hope of perfect liberty?
Condemn'd the rebel flesh to feel,
Nor ever see my troubles past,
Tormented with this inbred hell,
And saved by fire, if saved at last?
Most wretched of the fallen race,
I must, O Lord, that life abide,
If all Thy blood cannot efface
The' engrafted filth of self and pride;
And if the dire, original stain,
In purest saints is always found,
Thy hallowing blood was shed in vain,
And sin doth more than grace abound.
I must, O Lord, that life abide,
If all Thy blood cannot efface
The' engrafted filth of self and pride;
And if the dire, original stain,
In purest saints is always found,
Thy hallowing blood was shed in vain,
And sin doth more than grace abound.
But didst Thou not on earth appear,
To save from all iniquity;
To finish the transgression here,
And make an end of sin in me;
Sin to destroy, both branch and root,
By famine's lingering death to kill,
That bringing forth the perfect fruit,
I then may all Thy law fulfil?
To save from all iniquity;
To finish the transgression here,
And make an end of sin in me;
Sin to destroy, both branch and root,
By famine's lingering death to kill,
That bringing forth the perfect fruit,
I then may all Thy law fulfil?
What though the faithless world gainsay,
And mock the hungry soul's desire;
My God, for whom I humbly pray,
Is true, and every man a liar:
E'en those who knew in part Thy love,
But tasting once, expect no more,
They cannot from my hope remove,
Or make me doubt Thy utmost power.
And mock the hungry soul's desire;
My God, for whom I humbly pray,
Is true, and every man a liar:
E'en those who knew in part Thy love,
But tasting once, expect no more,
They cannot from my hope remove,
Or make me doubt Thy utmost power.
What though ten thousand witnesses
Deceiving, and deceived arise,
Suborn'd by Satan to profess
“They have attain'd the glorious prize.”
The faithful saying of my Lord
I with simplicity receive;
And saved in deed, and thought, and word,
Shall soon in all Thy image live.
Deceiving, and deceived arise,
207
“They have attain'd the glorious prize.”
The faithful saying of my Lord
I with simplicity receive;
And saved in deed, and thought, and word,
Shall soon in all Thy image live.
3412.
['Tis this essentially divides]
We know that He abideth in us, by the Spirit, &c.
—iii. 24.
'Tis this essentially divides
The living from the dead,
We know the Lord in us abides,
The Spirit of our Head:
O let us in this knowledge grow,
Hold fast the earnest given,
Till Jesus with Himself bestow
The ripest joys of heaven.
3413.
[Thy hasty servant, Lord, restrain]
Believe not every spirit.
—iv. 1.
Thy hasty servant, Lord, restrain,
Till perfectly renew'd,
As prone alas, to trust in man,
As to mistrust my God!
And lest I every spirit receive
With blind credulity,
Help me each moment to believe
With all my soul in Thee.
3414.
[Are we not plainly here forbid]
Try the spirits.
—iv. 1.
Are we not plainly here forbid
To trust a spirit untried?
But slow and safely we proceed
With a celestial Guide:
We weigh with wisdom from above
The men that call Thee Lord,
And all their lives and tempers prove
By Thine unerring word.
208
3415.
[But should we not believe the men]
Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits.
—iv. 1.
But should we not believe the men,
Who their own graces testify?
No: or ye make the Scriptures vain:
Believe them not—before ye try!
Their sufferings, works, and tempers weigh;
Wait for the fruits their words to prove,
Not in a moment, or a day
Pronounce them perfected in love.
3416.
[There is no fear in love]
There is no fear in love.
—iv. 18.
There is no fear in love,
No base tormenting fear,
But that which thrills the host above,
When Jesu's wounds appear!
The highest joy transcends
To saints triumphant given,
The seraph's loftiest songs suspends,
And makes a silent heaven!
3417.
[I cannot doubt Thy love for me]
We love Him, because He first loved us.
—iv. 19.
I cannot doubt Thy love for me:
Thy love for me doth now constrain
My heart to seek a power from Thee
To love my gracious Lord again:
Thou wilt, for Thine own mercy sake,
To me the power of faith impart,
I then the just return shall make,
And give Thee all my loving heart.
3418.
[The' effect must from the cause proceed]
This is the love of God, that we keep His, &c.
—v. 3.
The' effect must from the cause proceed,
And Thy dear genuine children prove
In truth, reality, and deed,
Obedience is but actual love.
209
3419.
[Obedience to our Lord's commands]
Obedience to our Lord's commands,This, only this can prove
The steadfast ground on which it stands,
The truth of solid love:
By works our loving faith we show,
Our sense of sin forgiven,
And walking in His steps we go
After our Head to heaven.
3420.
[Obedience is the' effect of love]
Obedience is the' effect of love;
We see the fountain from above
In the pellucid stream;
The active principle receive
With Jesus manifest, and live
To serve and honour Him.
We see the fountain from above
In the pellucid stream;
The active principle receive
With Jesus manifest, and live
To serve and honour Him.
But till the love of Christ we gain,
We promise, vow, and strive in vain,
And never can succeed;
Our righteousness as rags unclean,
Our virtue is but splendid sin,
And our best works are dead.
We promise, vow, and strive in vain,
And never can succeed;
Our righteousness as rags unclean,
Our virtue is but splendid sin,
And our best works are dead.
Jesus, Redeemer of mankind,
Give me Thy precious Self to find
In purest love reveal'd;
The love surpassing human thought,
The love which my salvation bought,
And speaks my pardon seal'd.
Give me Thy precious Self to find
In purest love reveal'd;
The love surpassing human thought,
The love which my salvation bought,
And speaks my pardon seal'd.
O might it now my heart o'erflow,
And bring me power in peace to go
Where'er my Pattern trod;
All the commandments to fulfil,
And execute the perfect will
Of a forgiving God.
And bring me power in peace to go
Where'er my Pattern trod;
210
And execute the perfect will
Of a forgiving God.
3421.
[Jesus, the promised grace we claim]
These things have I written unto you that believe, &c.
—v. 13.
Jesus, the promised grace we claim,
The feeblest followers of our Lord
Faintly believing on Thy name,
Confirm, assure us by Thy word,
That conscious of the faith conceal'd,
We now may know the life reveal'd.
The feeblest followers of our Lord
Faintly believing on Thy name,
Confirm, assure us by Thy word,
That conscious of the faith conceal'd,
We now may know the life reveal'd.
Who gently leadest those with young,
Bid every seeking soul rejoice,
Carry us on from weak to strong,
Till govern'd by our Shepherd's voice
In Thee we steadfastly believe,
And all Thy heavenly life receive.
Bid every seeking soul rejoice,
Carry us on from weak to strong,
Till govern'd by our Shepherd's voice
In Thee we steadfastly believe,
And all Thy heavenly life receive.
3422.
[We know, by faith we surely know]
We know that the Son of God is come, &c.
—v. 20.
We know, by faith we surely know,
The Son of God is come;
Is manifested here below,
And makes our hearts His home:
To us He hath, in special love,
An understanding given,
To recognise Him from above,
The Lord of earth and heaven.
The Son of God is come;
Is manifested here below,
And makes our hearts His home:
To us He hath, in special love,
An understanding given,
To recognise Him from above,
The Lord of earth and heaven.
The true and faithful Witness, we
Jehovah's Son confess;
And in the face of Jesus see
Jehovah's smiling face;
In Him we live, and move, and are
United to our Head,
And branches of the Vine, declare
That Christ is God indeed.
Jehovah's Son confess;
And in the face of Jesus see
Jehovah's smiling face;
In Him we live, and move, and are
United to our Head,
And branches of the Vine, declare
That Christ is God indeed.
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The self-existing God supreme,
Our Saviour we adore,
Fountain of life eternal, Him
We worship evermore.
Out of His plenitude receive
Ineffable delight,
And shall through endless ages live,
Triumphant in His sight.
Our Saviour we adore,
Fountain of life eternal, Him
We worship evermore.
Out of His plenitude receive
Ineffable delight,
And shall through endless ages live,
Triumphant in His sight.
3423.
[Father of all, we trust in Thee]
Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
—v. 21.
Father of all, we trust in Thee
Thy children to secure,
From sin to keep our conscience free,
Our heart from idols pure;
While in an evil world we live,
Lest with our God we part,
And basely to the creature give
Our weak unsettled heart.
Thy children to secure,
From sin to keep our conscience free,
Our heart from idols pure;
While in an evil world we live,
Lest with our God we part,
And basely to the creature give
Our weak unsettled heart.
The honours worldly men admire,
No longer we pursue,
The sensual, covetous desire,
With watchful care eschew:
Yet still we seek ourselves to please,
One moment left by Thee,
And sink into our old disease,
Our self-idolatry.
No longer we pursue,
The sensual, covetous desire,
With watchful care eschew:
Yet still we seek ourselves to please,
One moment left by Thee,
And sink into our old disease,
Our self-idolatry.
Ah, do not Thou our souls forsake
Tempted to turn aside,
An idol of Thy grace to make,
And forfeit it by pride;
With vain delight ourselves to' esteem
For that which Thou hast done,
Or of our own perfection dream,
And call Thy good our own.
Tempted to turn aside,
An idol of Thy grace to make,
And forfeit it by pride;
With vain delight ourselves to' esteem
For that which Thou hast done,
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And call Thy good our own.
In pity to Thy children, blast
Our self-exulting joy,
Thrust out our images at last,
And utterly destroy:
Come, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Our nature to remove,
And self shall be for ever lost
In depths of purest love.
Our self-exulting joy,
Thrust out our images at last,
And utterly destroy:
Come, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Our nature to remove,
And self shall be for ever lost
In depths of purest love.
| The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley | |