 | The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley |  |
III. JOHN.
3429.
[How can the brethren testify]
The brethren...testified of the truth that is in, &c.
—3.
How can the brethren testify
That the true faith resides in me?
On Christ if I indeed rely,
The fruits of grace will show the tree,
And all my life and actions prove
The principle of humble love.
That the true faith resides in me?
On Christ if I indeed rely,
The fruits of grace will show the tree,
And all my life and actions prove
The principle of humble love.
If still I in the truth abide,
If Christ is manifest within,
I walk like Him, nor turn aside,
Till by the truth from inbred sin
Redeem'd, I feel His utmost word,
One flesh, one spirit with my Lord.
If Christ is manifest within,
I walk like Him, nor turn aside,
Till by the truth from inbred sin
Redeem'd, I feel His utmost word,
One flesh, one spirit with my Lord.
3430.
[Jesus, to me the joy impart]
I have no greater joy than to hear that my, &c.
—4.
Jesus, to me the joy impart,
Which fills a faithful pastor's heart,
While I my children see
Walk as the heirs to joys above,
Walk in the truth of holy love,
And genuine piety.
Which fills a faithful pastor's heart,
While I my children see
Walk as the heirs to joys above,
Walk in the truth of holy love,
And genuine piety.
215
Then would I cheerfully resign
My soul into the hands Divine,
And sing, at my release,
Now lettest Thou Thy servant, Lord,
Depart, according to Thy word,
In everlasting peace.
My soul into the hands Divine,
And sing, at my release,
Now lettest Thou Thy servant, Lord,
Depart, according to Thy word,
In everlasting peace.
3431.
[Jesus, out of our hearts remove]
Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence.
—9.
Jesus, out of our hearts remove
The bane of self-preferring love,
Which odious in Thy saints appears,
Most odious in Thy ministers:
Let each confess with humble shame,
I nothing have, I nothing am:
The least of saints with pity see,
The chief of sinners save in me!
3432.
[The caution is not vain]
Follow not that which is evil, but that which is good.
—11.
The caution is not vain:
We may unfaithful prove,
And turn from God to sin again,
And fall from pardoning love:
Yet will we boldly press
Toward our high calling's prize,
And follow after holiness,
And to perfection rise.
We may unfaithful prove,
And turn from God to sin again,
And fall from pardoning love:
Yet will we boldly press
Toward our high calling's prize,
And follow after holiness,
And to perfection rise.
Perfection is the good
Which wrestling saints receive,
Worthy of all to be pursued
Who in our Lord believe:
Perfection is the goal
Which terminates our race;
And come to that, the spotless soul
Expires in His embrace.
Which wrestling saints receive,
Worthy of all to be pursued
Who in our Lord believe:
Perfection is the goal
Which terminates our race;
And come to that, the spotless soul
Expires in His embrace.
216
3433.
[What then are they, who dare deride]
He that doeth good is of God: but he that, &c.
—11.
What then are they, who dare deride
Thy saints for doing good?
They never saw the Crucified,
Or felt the sprinkled blood:
They never shall our glorious Lord,
Without repentance, see,
For only doers of Thy word
Are saved at last by Thee.
3434.
[By wilful sin the man who wrongs]
By wilful sin the man who wrongs
Himself, his neighbours, or his God,
To Satan, not to Christ belongs:
He knows not that atoning blood,
Nor sees the great Invisible,
But sleeps within the mouth of hell.
Himself, his neighbours, or his God,
To Satan, not to Christ belongs:
He knows not that atoning blood,
Nor sees the great Invisible,
But sleeps within the mouth of hell.
The man by faith who truly lives,
And strives his faithfulness to' approve,
Employs the talents he receives
In all the toils of humble love,
May cry with confidence Divine,
I am my God's, and He is mine!
And strives his faithfulness to' approve,
Employs the talents he receives
In all the toils of humble love,
May cry with confidence Divine,
I am my God's, and He is mine!
| The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley | |