 | The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley |  |
VIII. THE BEATITUDES.
Matthew v. 3–12.
Who believes the tidings? who
Witnesses that God is true?
Sees his sins and follies more
Than the sands upon the shore;
Sees his works with evil fraught,
All his life a constant blot;
Sees his heart of virtue void,
Alien from the life of God;
Tastes in every tainted breath
Pride, self-will, and sin, and death!
Witnesses that God is true?
Sees his sins and follies more
Than the sands upon the shore;
Sees his works with evil fraught,
All his life a constant blot;
Sees his heart of virtue void,
Alien from the life of God;
Tastes in every tainted breath
Pride, self-will, and sin, and death!
Who, ah, who deserves to feel
Never-ending pains in hell?
Conscious owns the just desert
Of his life, and of his heart?
Trembling views his long sought hire,
Vengeance of eternal fire?
Who hath fruitless toil bestow'd
To appease the wrath of God?
Vain is all thy toil and care,
Vain all nature's treasures are,
More to buy one soul it cost,
More to save a spirit lost.
Never-ending pains in hell?
Conscious owns the just desert
Of his life, and of his heart?
Trembling views his long sought hire,
Vengeance of eternal fire?
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To appease the wrath of God?
Vain is all thy toil and care,
Vain all nature's treasures are,
More to buy one soul it cost,
More to save a spirit lost.
What then wilt thou, canst thou do?
Canst thou form thyself anew?
Canst thou cleanse a filthy heart,
Life to the dead soul impart?
Canst thou thy lost powers restore,
Rise, go forth, and sin no more?
Canst thou form thyself anew?
Canst thou cleanse a filthy heart,
Life to the dead soul impart?
Canst thou thy lost powers restore,
Rise, go forth, and sin no more?
Never, never can it be,
God alone can set thee free!
God alone the work hath done,
Fought the fight, the battle won:
God alone the price hath paid,
All thy sins on Him were laid.
Happy soul, from guilt set free,
Jesus died for thee, for thee!
Jesus does for thee atone,
Points thee to the' eternal crown,
Speaks to thee the kingdom given,
Kingdom of an inward heaven,
Glorious joy, unutter'd peace,
All-victorious righteousness.
God alone can set thee free!
God alone the work hath done,
Fought the fight, the battle won:
God alone the price hath paid,
All thy sins on Him were laid.
Happy soul, from guilt set free,
Jesus died for thee, for thee!
Jesus does for thee atone,
Points thee to the' eternal crown,
Speaks to thee the kingdom given,
Kingdom of an inward heaven,
Glorious joy, unutter'd peace,
All-victorious righteousness.
Why then do thy fears return?
Yet again why dost thou mourn?
Whence the clouds that round thee roll?
Whence the doubts that tear thy soul?
Why are all thy comforts fled?
“Sin revives, and I am dead.”
Dead alas! thou art within,
Still remains the inbred sin,
Dead within thou surely art,
Still unclean remains thy heart;
Pride alas is still behind,
Still the earthly carnal mind,
The untamed rebellious will,
Foe to good, enslaved to ill;
Still the nature unrenew'd,
Alien from the life of God.
Yet again why dost thou mourn?
Whence the clouds that round thee roll?
Whence the doubts that tear thy soul?
Why are all thy comforts fled?
“Sin revives, and I am dead.”
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Still remains the inbred sin,
Dead within thou surely art,
Still unclean remains thy heart;
Pride alas is still behind,
Still the earthly carnal mind,
The untamed rebellious will,
Foe to good, enslaved to ill;
Still the nature unrenew'd,
Alien from the life of God.
Mourn awhile for God thy Rest,
God will soon pronounce thee blest,
Soon the Comforter will come,
Fix in thee His constant home,
With thy heart His witness bear
Strong, and permanent, and clear:
All thy griefs shall then be gone,
Doubt, and fear no more be known,
Holy love thy heart possess,
Silent joy, and steadfast peace,
Peace that never can decay,
Joy that none can take away.
God will soon pronounce thee blest,
Soon the Comforter will come,
Fix in thee His constant home,
With thy heart His witness bear
Strong, and permanent, and clear:
All thy griefs shall then be gone,
Doubt, and fear no more be known,
Holy love thy heart possess,
Silent joy, and steadfast peace,
Peace that never can decay,
Joy that none can take away.
Happy soul, as silver tried,
Silver seven times purified,
Love hath broke the rock of stone,
All thy hardness melted down,
Wrath, and pride, and hatred cease,
All thy heart is gentleness.
Let the waves around thee rise,
Let the tempest threat the skies,
Calm thou ever art within,
All unruffled, all serene:
Thy sure anchor cannot fail,
Enter'd now within the veil;
Glad this earth thou canst resign:
The new heavens and earth are thine.
Silver seven times purified,
Love hath broke the rock of stone,
All thy hardness melted down,
Wrath, and pride, and hatred cease,
All thy heart is gentleness.
Let the waves around thee rise,
Let the tempest threat the skies,
Calm thou ever art within,
All unruffled, all serene:
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Enter'd now within the veil;
Glad this earth thou canst resign:
The new heavens and earth are thine.
Why then heave again thy sighs,
Heir of all in earth and skies?
Still thou feel'st the root within,
Bitter root of inbred sin;
Nature still in thee hath part,
Unrenew'd is still thy heart,
Still thy heart is unrenew'd,
Alien from the life of God:
Hence with secret earnest moans,
Deep unutterable groans,
Day and night thy ceaseless cries
To the mercy-seat arise;
“Come, Thou holy God and true!
Come, and my whole heart renew;
Take me now, possess me whole,
Form the Saviour in my soul,
In my heart Thy name reveal,
Stamp me with Thy Spirit's seal,
Change my nature into Thine,
In me Thy whole image shine:
Bow Thine ear, in mercy bow,
Fill me with Thy fulness now.”
Happy soul, thy suit is won,
As thou wilt it shall be done.
Heir of all in earth and skies?
Still thou feel'st the root within,
Bitter root of inbred sin;
Nature still in thee hath part,
Unrenew'd is still thy heart,
Still thy heart is unrenew'd,
Alien from the life of God:
Hence with secret earnest moans,
Deep unutterable groans,
Day and night thy ceaseless cries
To the mercy-seat arise;
“Come, Thou holy God and true!
Come, and my whole heart renew;
Take me now, possess me whole,
Form the Saviour in my soul,
In my heart Thy name reveal,
Stamp me with Thy Spirit's seal,
Change my nature into Thine,
In me Thy whole image shine:
Bow Thine ear, in mercy bow,
Fill me with Thy fulness now.”
Happy soul, thy suit is won,
As thou wilt it shall be done.
Happy soul, who now renew'd,
God in thee, and thou in God,
Only feel'st within thee move
Tenderness, compassion, love,
Love immense, and unconfined,
Love to all of humankind,
Love, which willeth all should live,
Love, which all to all would give,
Love, that over all prevails,
Love, that never, never fails:
Stand secure, for thou shalt prove
All the' eternity of love.
God in thee, and thou in God,
Only feel'st within thee move
Tenderness, compassion, love,
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Love to all of humankind,
Love, which willeth all should live,
Love, which all to all would give,
Love, that over all prevails,
Love, that never, never fails:
Stand secure, for thou shalt prove
All the' eternity of love.
Happy soul, from every sin
Clean, even as thy Lord is clean,
God hath made thy footsteps sure,
Purified as He is pure.
God thou dost in all things see;
God is all in all to thee;
Heaven above, and earth abroad,
All to thee is full of God.
Clean, even as thy Lord is clean,
God hath made thy footsteps sure,
Purified as He is pure.
God thou dost in all things see;
God is all in all to thee;
Heaven above, and earth abroad,
All to thee is full of God.
Happy soul, whose active love
Emulates the bless'd above,
In thy every action seen,
Sparkling from the soul within:
Thou to every sufferer nigh,
Hearest, not in vain, the cry
Of the widow in distress,
Of the poor and fatherless!
Raiment thou to all that need,
To the hungry deal'st thy bread,
To the sick thou givest relief,
Soothest the hapless prisoner's grief,
The weak hands thou liftest up,
Bidd'st the helpless mourners hope,
Givest to those in darkness light,
Guidest the weary wanderer right,
Break'st the roaring lion's teeth,
Savest the sinner's soul from death;
Happy thou, for God doth own
Thee, His well-beloved son.
Emulates the bless'd above,
In thy every action seen,
Sparkling from the soul within:
Thou to every sufferer nigh,
Hearest, not in vain, the cry
Of the widow in distress,
Of the poor and fatherless!
Raiment thou to all that need,
To the hungry deal'st thy bread,
To the sick thou givest relief,
Soothest the hapless prisoner's grief,
The weak hands thou liftest up,
Bidd'st the helpless mourners hope,
Givest to those in darkness light,
Guidest the weary wanderer right,
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Savest the sinner's soul from death;
Happy thou, for God doth own
Thee, His well-beloved son.
Let the sons of Belial rage,
Let all hell its powers engage,
Brand with infamy thy name,
Put thee to an open shame;
Let earth's comforts be withdrawn,
Parents, kindred, friends be gone;
Naked didst thou hither come?
Naked let them send thee home:
Happy, O thrice happy thou,
Seal'd unto redemption now!
Let thy soul with transport swell
Glorious and unspeakable;
All in earth thou well hast given,
God is thy reward in heaven.
Let all hell its powers engage,
Brand with infamy thy name,
Put thee to an open shame;
Let earth's comforts be withdrawn,
Parents, kindred, friends be gone;
Naked didst thou hither come?
Naked let them send thee home:
Happy, O thrice happy thou,
Seal'd unto redemption now!
Let thy soul with transport swell
Glorious and unspeakable;
All in earth thou well hast given,
God is thy reward in heaven.
| The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley | |