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129

ORIGINAL POEMS, EXTRACTED FROM THE THIRD VOLUME OF A COLLECTION OF MORAL AND SACRED POEMS, PUBLISHED BY JOHN WESLEY, M. A., Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford.

133

THE SIXTH CHAPTER OF ISAIAH.

I saw the Lord in light array'd,
And seated on a lofty throne,
The' Invisible on earth display'd,
The Father's co-eternal Son.
The seraphim, a glittering train,
Around His bright pavilion stood,
Nor could the glorious light sustain,
While all the temple flamed with God.
Six wings each heavenly herald wore;
With twain he veil'd his dazzled sight,
With twain his feet he shadow'd o'er,
With twain he steer'd his even flight.
One angel to another cried,
“Thrice holy is the Lord we own,
His name on earth is glorified,
And all things speak the great Three One.
134

“The earth is of His glory full;
Man in himself his God may see,
In his own body, spirit, soul,
May trace the Triune Deity.”
He spake: and all the temple shook,
Its doors return'd the jarring sign;
The trembling house was fill'd with smoke,
And groan'd beneath the Guest Divine.
Ah woe is me! aghast I said,
What shall I do, or whither run?
Burden'd with guilt, of God afraid,
By sin eternally undone!
A man I am of lips unclean,
With men of lips unclean I dwell;
And I the Lord of Hosts have seen,
The King of heaven, and earth, and hell.
I cannot see His face, and live;
The vision must my death foreshow—
A seraph turn'd, and heard me grieve,
And swift to my relief he flew.
Angel of gospel peace he came,
And signified his Lord's design;
He bore the mighty Jesu's name,
Type of the Messenger Divine.
Upon my mouth he gently laid
A coal that from the altar glow'd;
Lo! this hath touch'd thy lips, he said,
And thou art reconciled to God.
135

His offering did thy guilt remove,
The Lamb who on that altar lay;
A spark of Jesu's flaming love
Hath purged thy world of sin away.
Soon as I found my heart set free,
I heard that all might be forgiven;
The council of the Trinity,
The sovereign Lord of earth and heaven.
I heard Him ask, whom shall I send
Our Royal message to proclaim,
Our grace and truth, which never end?—
Lo! here, Thy messenger I am.
Send me, my answering spirit cried,
Thy herald to the ransom'd race:
Go then, the voice Divine replied,
And preach My free unbounded grace.
Go forth, and speak My word to all,
To every creature under heaven;
They may obey the gospel call,
And freely be by grace forgiven.
They may, but will not all believe:
Yet go, My truth and love to clear;
I know they will not all receive
The grace that brings salvation near.
They Me, I did not them, pass by:
My grace for every soul is free,
I would not have one sinner die:
How dare they charge their death on Me!
136

Go tell the reprobates their doom,
Because they will not Me receive.
Ye will not to your Saviour come,
And therefore ye shall never live.
His grace doth once to all appear,
Through which ye all may pardon'd be;
But having ears ye will not hear,
But having eyes ye will not see.
Ye hear, and will not understand,
And, capable of God in vain,
Rebel against His mild command,
And will not let your Saviour reign.
Ye will not, what ye see, perceive;
Ye will not with your idols part;
Your bosom sins ye will not leave,
Or tear them from your harden'd heart.
Ye fear to use the grace ye have,
Ye dare not with your God comply,
Ye will not suffer Him to save,
But salvable resolve to die.
Against the truth ye stop your ears,
Ye shut your eyes against the light,
And mock your Saviour's cries and tears,
And perish in His love's despite.
Yet O! my God (I said) how long,
How long shall the self-harden'd race
Thy justice dare, Thy mercy wrong,
And trample on Thy patient grace?
137

Until their cities are destroy'd,
Until their palaces lie waste,
Formless the earth, and dark, and void—
The penal power of sin shall last:
Yet all the faithful shall not fail,
Diminish'd from the sons of men;
The gates of hell cannot prevail,
Or make the word of promise vain.
A remnant shall be left behind,
A tenth to hallow all the race;
Faith upon earth I still shall find,
The' election of peculiar grace.
As trees that cast their leaves retain
Their substance in themselves entire,
So shall the holy seed remain,
And flourish, and to heaven aspire.
A tenth shall still return, and grow,
And furnish heaven and earth with food,
Till all mankind to Jesus flow,
And every soul is fill'd with God.

PART OF THE NINTH CHAPTER OF ISAIAH.

VERSE 2, &c.

The people that in nature's night
Walk'd down the broad, destructive way,
Have seen a great and glorious light,
The morning of a gospel day.
Who loved in death's sad shade to dwell,
In trespasses and sins abode,
That gloomy neighbourhood of hell,
On them hath shined the light of God.
138

Thou, Lord, hast made Thy mercies known,
Hast added to the chosen race,
Enlarged, and multiplied Thine own,
And fill'd their hearts with joy and praise.
They joy in their Redeemer's sight
As harvesters to crown their toils,
As warriors from the well-fought fight
Return'd to part their glorious spoils.
For Thou the staff of sin hast broke,
The dire oppressor's iron rod,
The' Egyptian and Assyrian yoke,
And freed them from their guilty load.
Thou, as in Midian's dreadful day,
Hast saved them from their tyrant lord;
And all our sins Thou soon shalt slay
With Gideon's and the Spirit's sword.
No common fight, though fierce, and loud
With all the horrid pomp of war,
Tumult, and garments roll'd in blood,
Can with the fight of faith compare.
The Spirit of burning Love shall come,
Our sins shall then the fuel be,
Thy love shall all our sins consume,
And get itself the victory.
For lo! to us a Royal Heir
Is born, to us a Son is given!
His shoulder shall the burden bear,
The government of earth and heaven.
139

The Wonderful His name shall be,
His new, unutterable name;
The Counsellor, whose powerful plea
Acquits us of all guilt and blame.
The great, supreme, almighty God,
With His eternal Father One,
The Prince of peace, whose precious blood
Doth once for all mankind atone.
It seals the universal peace:
His peace and power to all extend,
His power shall evermore increase,
And never shall His mercies end.
His mercies flow to all mankind,
His arms of love would all embrace,
And every soul of man may find
The power of His all-pardoning grace.
Whoe'er receive His power to' obey,
To them He comes, and reigns alone,
Mildly maintains His righteous sway,
And 'stablishes His peaceful throne.
He will the steadfast mind impart,
The power that never shall remove,
And fix in every sinless heart
His throne of everlasting love.
The zeal of our Almighty Lord
His great redeeming work shall do,
Perform His sanctifying word,
And every waiting soul renew;
140

Bring in the kingdom of His peace,
Fill all our souls with joy unknown,
And 'stablish us in righteousness,
And perfect all His saints in one.

PART OF THE TENTH CHAPTER OF ISAIAH.

VERSE 24, &c.

Thus saith the Lord, the' Almighty Lord,
To those that wait the joyful hour,
Abide, My people, in My word,
Nor tremble at the' Assyrian's power.
The' oppressive foe that dwells within
Shall smite thee with an iron rod,
Lift up his staff of inbred sin,
And force thy soul to groan for God.
Like as in Egypt's evil day,
When Pharaoh would not let thee go,
The fiend shall hold thee fast, and say,
“There's no perfection here below.”
Yet will I all My word fulfil,
I will as in a moment's space
The doom of sin and Satan seal,
And all their last remains erase.
My love shall all your foes control,
Destroy their being with their power;
The poor, backsliding, fearful soul
Shall fear, and fall, and sin no more.
141

The anger shall not always last,
Ye soon shall gain the perfect peace,
The judgment then is all o'erpast,
And wrath and sin for ever cease.
The sin Mine anger shall destroy;
The sinner, whom My mercies spare,
Shall sing the song of endless joy,
And fruit unto perfection bear.
Sinners, for full redemption hope;
Believe, ye prisoners of the Lord,
A scourge He shall for sin stir up,
And slay him with his two-edged sword.
The Lord of Hosts His rod shall raise,
His rod that smote the' Egyptian sea,
Revive the work of ancient days,
And set His captive people free.
The' inbred sin in that great day,
The load, shall from thy soul depart,
The yoke shall all be borne away,
The sinner shall be pure in heart.
Sin shall no more in thee have place,
Freed by the unction from above,
The unction of thy Saviour's grace,
The unction of His perfect love.

THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER OF ISAIAH.

Glory to God, and peace on earth!
A Branch shall spring from Jesse's line,
Of human, yet of heavenly birth,
And fill'd with all the Spirit Divine.
142

The Spirit of wisdom from above
Shall dwell within His peaceful breast;
On Him the Spirit of power, and love,
And counsel, shall for ever rest.
The Spirit of godly, filial fear,
On Him for all mankind shall stay,
And make His senses quick and clear,
And guide Him in the perfect way.
Shall make Him apt to teach and reign,
His heavenly mission to fulfil,
Judgment and justice to maintain,
And execute His Father's will.
Not by the hearing of the ear
He judges, or by reason's light;
The guilty He can never clear,
For all His ways are just and right.
Yet will He plead the sinner's cause,
The poor and self-condemn'd release,
Freed by the sufferings of His cross,
And saved by His own righteousness.
Their sins He shall to death condemn,
(They here shall find their final doom,)
Their sins He shall destroy, not them;
And by His burning Spirit consume.
That Wicked One He shall reprove,
Throughout the earth His power display,
Cast out their sin by perfect love,
And speak, and all its relics slay.
143

Truth is the girdle of His reins,
The sanctifying word is sure,
They shall be saved from sin's remains,
And pure as God Himself is pure.
O what a change will soon ensue,
What sweet tranquillity and peace!
His people shall be creatures new,
And discord shall for ever cease.
They all shall speak and think the same,
Their tempers and their hearts be one;
The wolf shall stable with the lamb,
The leopard with the kid lie down.
The lion with the calf shall dwell,
The fiercest spirits shall grow mild,
Gentle, and meek, and tractable,
And loving as a little child.
The lion like the ox shall graze,
The cow and bear together feed;
The serpent's enmity shall cease,
And universal love succeed.
The sucking child shall safely then
Within the dragon's covert stay,
Or put its hand upon his den,
And with the harmless adder play.
My people shall in dwellings sure
And quiet resting-places dwell,
Dwell in My holy hill, secure
From all the powers of earth and hell.
144

Hidden their life with God above,
The dire destroyer's hour is o'er;
Secure they are in perfect love,
And sin shall never touch them more.
Sin shall no more in them have place;
Their earth in righteousness renew'd
Is fill'd with every heavenly grace,
Immeasurably fill'd with God.
That vast unfathomable sea
Shall swallow up all of Adam's line,
And every soul of man shall be
For ever lost in love Divine.
A Branch shall in that gospel day
Out of the root of Jesse rise,
Stand as an ensign, and display
The cross in all the Gentiles' eyes.
Thither the Gentile world shall flow,
And hide them in their Saviour's breast,
Rejoice His pardoning love to know,
And holiness His glorious rest.
Then shall the Lord His power display,
His ancient people to retrieve,
Gather the hopeless castaway,
And bid the house of Israel live.
Jehovah shall lay to His hand,
Collect His sheep to exile driven,
And bring them to their native land,
And add them to the church in heaven.
145

THE FOURTEENTH CHAPTER OF ISAIAH.

PART I.

Rejoice, rejoice, ye fallen race,
Fallen from God whom once ye knew;
He waits again to show His grace,
The Lord a promise hath for you.
The gracious word of His command
Backsliding Israel shall restore,
And set thee in thy native land,
Whence thou shalt never wander more.
Strangers shall then to thee be join'd,
Shall to the house of Jacob cleave,
Adore the Saviour of mankind
Who died that all mankind might live.
Restored to thine unsinning state,
Thou at thy feet the world shall see
As servants and as handmaids wait,
Glad to receive the law from thee.
The lords to whom thou bow'dst thy neck
Shall bow their neck beneath thy chain,
Thy conquerors thou shalt captive take,
And o'er thy dire oppressors reign.
Surely the gospel day shall come,
The Lord thy spirit shall release,
Satan shall have his final doom,
And thou from sin for ever cease.
From all thy grief, and pain, and fear;
Thy grief to be by sin subdued,
Thy pain the galling yoke to bear,
Thy fear to perish in thy blood.
146

Then, when the Lord hath given thee rest,
And breathed the Spirit of His power,
His princely Spirit, into thy breast,
And made thee more than conqueror;
Thou, the poor slave of Satan, thou
Shalt spurn thy old imperious king,
Vanquish'd, for ever vanquish'd now,
And thus the song triumphal sing:—
How hath the proud oppressor ceased!
Fallen the height of Babel's towers,
Fallen the king who long oppress'd
The earth with all its struggling powers.
The world's fierce ruler, and their god
Who bow'd the nations to his yoke,
And bruised them with an iron rod,
And smote with a continual stroke.
How hath the Lord destroy'd his power,
O'erturn'd his kingdom from within,
Ended the dark, oppressive hour,
And broke his staff of inbred sin!
That Man of Sin is now cast down,
Who held the captive world in chains,
And none the cause of Satan own,
And none contend for sin's remains.
All the new earth is now at rest,
From every thought of sin they cease,
Calm holy joy expands their breast,
Their mouth is fill'd with songs of peace.
147

The trees of righteousness rejoice;
Since thou art down, the cedars cry,
We hear no more the axe's noise,
Nor tremble at the feller nigh.
Tophet is for the king prepared,
The sorest doom thy crimes require,
Hell from beneath, for thy reward,
Stirs up its everlasting fire.
O Lucifer, bright morning star,
Brighter than all with thee who fell,
How art thou fallen from glory far,
From glory to profoundest hell!
Reserved, in dark, substantial chains,
To the tremendous judgment day,
Our God shall then fill up thy pains,
Thy bruiser shall for ever slay.
He now thy nature hath expell'd,
And forced thy malice to submit;
Our sin is gone, our soul is heal'd,
And thou art bruised beneath our feet.
How art thou humbled to the ground,
The feeble world's tyrannic lord!
In us no more thy place is found,
Slain by the Spirit's two-edged sword.
Faded and thunderstruck thy brow,
From all thy hopes of empire driven,
Where is thy glorious vaunting now?
“I, even I will mount to heaven.
148

“Above the stars of God once more
I will exalt my sovereign throne,
And force His sons to own my power,
And cast the earth-born potsherds down.
“I will compel them to submit,
A thorn in all His people's side;
I in His mount will fix my seat,
The' unconquerable strength of pride.
“I in their hearts will still remain,
Will have my party still within,
My throne immovable maintain,
My kingdom of inbeing sin.
“The soul of man shall be my shrine,
And entertain my deity,
That temple built by hands Divine
My everlasting home shall be.
“Above the clouds I will aspire,
I will aspire, and scale the sky,
Higher than men, than angels higher,
And bold to rival the Most High.”
Yet shalt thou be brought down to hell;
O Antichrist, thy day shall come,
In us thou shalt not always dwell,
The Judge shall quickly seal thy doom.
Is this the man of hellish birth
(Thy former vassals then shall say)
Who shook the kingdoms of the earth,
And made the trembling world obey?
149

Who made the world a wilderness,
Laid waste the souls of all mankind,
Nor ever would his slaves release,
To sin's eternal bonds consign'd?

PART II.

Prepare, the slaughtering sword prepare,
For Babylon's devoted sons;
The children from their mother tear,
Dash all your sins against the stones.
No more let Satan's offspring rise,
Or build the heaven-invading tower;
Your sins no more shall threat the skies,
But lose their being with their power.
For I (the Lord of Hosts hath said)
Will against Babylon rise up,
Throughout their towers destruction spread,
And quite cut off their latest hope.
Against them will I set My face,
The serpent's seed, the' accursed kin,
Being, remains, and name erase,
And cut off the whole brood of sin.
Satan his kingdom's fall shall see,
Its final period sin shall feel,
Destruction shall the besom be,
And sweep its last remains to hell.
The Lord of Hosts, the mighty Lord,
Hath sworn His promise to fulfil;
Surely I will perform My word,
The counsel of My sovereign will.
150

It shall be so: My word shall stand,
I will confirm the sure decree,
And break the' Assyrian in My land,
And set My captive people free.
My mountains shall lift up their head,
O'erlook the world and sin below;
My people shall on scorpions tread,
On sin—no more their bosom foe.
This is the purpose of My grace,
My grace which every soul may have;
This is the hand o'er Adam's race
Stretch'd out, and ready all to save.
The Lord of Hosts hath so decreed,
To save the faithful from all sin,
To make them saints and free indeed,
Entirely whole, and throughly clean.
The fix'd, unchangeable decree
What power can break or disannul?
It stood from all eternity
Confirm'd to every faithful soul.
Who can the will Divine withstand?
The will Divine its course shall have.
Who can turn back that outstretch'd hand,
Or teach his God how far to save?
Factors for hell, ye strive in vain
To limit His omnipotence;
Sin shall not in our flesh remain,
His perfect love shall drive it thence.
151

The poor shall on His promise feed,
The needy shall in peace lie down,
And wait to be for ever freed
From sin, and wear the conqueror's crown.
The Saviour's hand is stretch'd out still,
And still to sin we hear Him say,—
With famine I thy root will kill,
I will, I will thy remnant slay.
Howl, ye base advocates for sin,
Your giant chief hath lost his head:
Fallen is the mighty Philistine;
Goliath with his host is dead.
The dear remains of sin are gone,
And all dissolved its system is;
Not one of all the race, not one
Survives to break our perfect peace.
We now their faithful saying feel,
Who preach'd the all-redeeming Lord,
And saved from sin set to our seal,
And answer to the gospel word.
The Lord hath founded on a rock
His church, which never shall remove;
The gates of hell can never shock
His saints, when perfected in love.
This is the state which all may know,
To which His poor shall all attain,
Be as their sinless Lord below,
And glorious then for ever reign.
152

THE TWENTY-FIFTH CHAPTER OF ISAIAH.

O Lord, Thou art my Lord, my God,
Throughout the world I will proclaim
And spread Thy wondrous works abroad,
And magnify Thy glorious name.
Great are Thy miracles of grace;
Thee always faithful to Thy word,
Almighty, and all-wise I praise,
The true, the everlasting Lord.
Thou hast made manifest Thy power,
Thou hast Thy great salvation shown,
And shook the heaven-invading tower,
And cast the mighty Babel down.
The city of confusion now
A nameless heap of ruins lies,
Sin never more shall lift its brow,
It never more shall threat the skies.
The strong shall therefore fear Thy name,
And tremble at Thy glorious might,
Their weakness own, and bear their shame,
And seek salvation in Thy right.
For Thou in his distress hast been
The needy sinner's strength and aid,
A refuge from the storm of sin,
A calm retreat, a cooling shade.
When all the rays of vengeance beat,
And fiercely smote his naked head,
Thy merits cool'd the scorching heat,
And all Thy Father's wrath allay'd.
153

When Satan drove the furious blast,
And urged the law, and death, and hell,
Thou hid'st him, till the storm was past,
And gav'st him in Thy wounds to dwell.
Nigh to Thy wounds whoever draw
In Thee shall sure deliverance find,
A shelter from the fiery law,
A covert from the stormy wind.
Burden'd with guilt and misery,
Lost in a dry and barren place,
The soul that feebly gasps to Thee
Shall feel Thy sweet refreshing grace.
Thy grace, when conscience cries aloud,
Shall bid its guilty clamours cease,
Shall as the shadow of a cloud
Come down, and all the soul is peace.
Satan shall be at last brought low,
Despoil'd of all his dreadful power,
Jesus shall slay the inbred foe,
And sin shall never vex us more.
The Lord shall in this mountain spread
A table for the world His guest,
Accept mankind in Christ their Head,
And bid them to the gospel feast;
A feast prepared for all mankind,
A feast of marrow and fat things,
Of wines from earthy dregs refined,
Ambrosia for the King of kings;
154

A feast where milk and honey flow,
A feast of never-failing meat,
Dainties surpassing all below,
And manna such as angels eat;
A feast of holy joy, and love,
Of pure delight, and perfect peace;
Begun on earth it ends above,
Consummated in heavenly bliss.
The world shall all His call obey;
Though now they lie in deepest night,
They soon shall see the gospel day,
Emerging into glorious light.
That covering o'er the people cast,
That veil o'er all the nations spread,
The Lord Himself shall rent at last,
And quite destroy in Christ their Head.
The Lord His glory shall display,
The veil of unbelief remove
And take it all in Christ away,
And manifest His perfect love.
Jesus again their life shall be,
Shall recompense their Eden's loss,
Swallow up death in victory,
The bleeding victory of His cross.
That living death, that sin which parts
Their souls from God, He shall destroy,
Dry up their tears, and cheer their hearts,
And turn their sorrow into joy.
155

He shall by His renewing grace
Blot out the all-infecting sin,
(That dire reproach of human race,)
And make a world of sinners clean.
The Son shall make them free indeed,
The earth in righteousness renew,
And what His mouth in truth hath said
His own almighty arm shall do.
This is our God, (they then shall say
Who trust to be through Christ made clean,)
This is our God; we see His day,
And He shall save us from all sin.
Our Lord, for whom we long did wait,
Shall purge our every guilty stain,
Restore to our original state,
Nor let one spot of sin remain.
For in this holy mount shall rest
The great Jehovah's sovereign hand,
The power Divine in Christ exprest;
Who can the Power Divine withstand?
Jesus, to whom all power is given,
Shall all His strength for us employ;
Who cast the' accuser out of heaven
Shall him with all his works destroy.
Moab shall first be trodden down,
The child of hell, the serpent's seed,
Sin shall the arm of Jesus own,
And we on all its strength shall tread.
156

Our sins as dunghill straw shall be,
Compell'd by Jesus to submit;
Satan with all his powers shall flee,
And then be bruised beneath our feet.
The Saviour shall spread forth His hands,
To take the weary sinners in,
To' o'erturn whate'er His course withstands,
And pull down the strongholds of sin.
He shall the pride of man abase,
Humble each vain aspiring boast,
Confound the captives of His grace,
And lay their honour in the dust.
The walls of sin shall be laid low,
The lofty citadel o'erthrown;
We all shall then His fulness know,
For ever perfected in One.

AFTER THE DEATH OF A FRIEND.

PART I.

O happy soul, thy work is done,
Thy fight is fought, thy course is run,
And thou art now at rest:
Thou here wast perfected in love,
Thou now art join'd to those above,
And number'd with the blest.
Thy sun no more goes down by night,
Thy moon no more withdraws its light;
Those blessed mansions shine
Bright with an Uncreated Flame,
Full of the glories of the Lamb,
The' eternal light Divine.
157

Our state if parted spirits know,
Thou pitiest now thy friends below
In this dark vale of tears,
Who still beneath our burden groan,
Or, grieved with sorrows not our own,
Are living out our years.
Secure of the celestial prize,
Thou waitest now in paradise
Till we are all convey'd
By angels to our endless rest,
Of thine and Jesu's joy possest,
In Jesu's bosom laid.
O when shall I be taken home!
O that my latest change were come,
For which I wait in pain!
Weary of life through inbred sin!
Speak, Jesu, speak the sinner clean,
Nor let my faith be vain.
O bid me live in Thee and die:
Why, Saviour, let me ask Thee, why
Dost Thou so long delay?
A blessing hast Thou not for me?
O bid me live and die in Thee;
My Jesus, come away.
Another and another goes
Through the dark vale to his repose,
And glad resigns his breath;
But I alas! must still remain,
I cannot break my fleshly chain,
Or overtake my death.
158

I live and suffer all my care,
The bondage of corruption bear,
And groan beneath my load;
Struggles my spirit to get free,
And pants for immortality,
And reaches after God.
But O! my strivings all are vain,
Inevitable is my pain,
Incurable my wound,
Till Jesus ends my inward strife,
And speaks me into second life,
And I in Christ am found.
See then, I all at last resign,
Thy will, O Lord, be done, not mine,
I give my murmurings o'er:
Do with me now as seems Thee meet,
But let me suffer at Thy feet,
And teach my God no more.

PART II.

O death, thou art on every side,
Thy thousand gates stand open wide,
The weary to receive:
Yet I can find no rest for me,
I suffer all my misery,
And still alas I live!
Still my imprison'd spirit waits;
In vain for me thy thousand gates
Stand open day and night,
And other souls their exit make,
On every moment's wings they take
Their everlasting flight.
159

Envious I hear the passing bell
With sweetly-melancholy knell
Their happy change declare:
But I can see no end of strife,
The' intolerable load of life
I still am forced to bear.
Weary of life, in pain I breathe;
With blind desire I covet death,
But cannot find it nigh;
Unsaved and unredeem'd from sin,
Unchanged, unholy, and unclean,
Yet still I long to die.
Wretch that I am, while unrenew'd
Can I appear, O righteous God,
A sinner in Thy sight?
Nay, but I trust Thy blood shall cleanse
My soul, before Thou take it hence,
And wash my garments white.
When Thou hast spoke my nature clean,
When I have Thy salvation seen,
O Lord my righteousness,
And clasp'd Thee in my loving heart,
Pronounce the welcome word, Depart!
And let me die in peace.

PART III.

A wretched slave of sin, to Thee,
Thou sinner's Friend, I ever cry,
Pity, and end my misery,
Forgive, renew, and let me die.
160

Ah! let it not my Lord displease
That I to Thee my wishes breathe;
Hear, Jesus, hear; my soul release,
And let me find an early death.
I groan to be redeem'd from sin;
When shall the dear deliverance come?
Open Thine arms, and take me in,
Receive Thy pardon'd exile home.
Alas for me! constrain'd to dwell
Among the horrid sons of night.
Snatch from this neighbourhood of hell,
Translate me to the realms of light.
Eager I urge my sole request;
Wilt Thou not, Lord, therewith comply?
Take me into Thy people's rest,
And bid me get me up, and die.
Impatient for my change I wait,
For death I sigh, for death I mourn;
Whom Thou hast made, again create,
And let my spirit to God return.
This vale of tears and misery,
This earth, I know, is not my place:
O that I were dissolved in Thee,
O that I might behold Thy face!
My life to Thee I fain would give,
And be where Thou my Saviour art;
Better it is to die than live;
O speak, and bid my soul depart.
161

Receive my soul, which gasps for death,
My soul redeem'd by Thy own blood,
And let me now resign my breath,
And sink into the arms of God!

DESIRING TO BE DISSOLVED.

Welcome, weariness and pain,
Pledges of relief and ease!
Loss of strength to me is gain,
Let my wretched days decrease;
All my days shall soon be past,
Pain and grief shall bring the last.
Tenant of my troubled breast,
Yet a little longer sigh,
Death shall shortly give thee rest;
Fluttering heart, the rest is nigh,
Flutter till the strife is o'er,
Beat awhile, and beat no more.
Wakeful eyes, for your repose
Yet a little longer weep;
Death your weary lids shall close,
Seal them up in lasting sleep:
Haste, your latest sorrows pour,
Weep mine eyes, and weep no more.
Tears, and eyes, and heart shall fail;
This my fainting spirit cheers,
I have well-nigh pass'd the vale,
Travell'd through my mournful years;
Glory to my Lord I give,
Here I have not long to live.
162

Grief hath shook the house of clay,
Grief hath sapp'd the ground of life,
Grief hath hasten'd on the day;
Grief shall quickly end the strife,
Grief shall soul and body part,
Grief for sin shall break my heart.

ANOTHER.

[Soothing, soul-composing thought!]

Soothing, soul-composing thought!
I shall soon my haven gain,
Out of mind, and clean forgot,
Far from trouble, far from pain;
Of my quiet grave possest,
I shall be with those that rest.
Let me on the image dwell,
Glory o'er my mouldering clay:
Feeble limbs, ye soon shall fail,
Life shall shortly pass away,
I shall yield my wretched breath,
Sink into the dust of death.
Swift as air my moments fly,
Less and less the destined store;
Time, like me, makes haste to die,
Time and sin shall be no more;
Sin shall here its period have,
Time be buried in my grave.
Drooping soul, rejoice, rejoice,
Here thou hast not long to stay;
Listen for the Bridegroom's voice,
Rise, my love, and come away;
Hasten to thy Lord above,
Rise, and come away, my love.
163

Lo! I at Thy summons come,
This frail tabernacle leave;
Thou art my eternal home,
Now, O Lord, my soul receive,
Take me to Thy loving breast,
Take me to Thy heavenly rest.

ANOTHER.

[O death, my hope is full of thee]

O death, my hope is full of thee,
Thou art my immortality,
My longing heart's desire;
The mention of thy lovely name
Kindles within my breast a flame,
And sets me all on fire.
Extend thy arms, and take me in,
Weary of life, and self, and sin;
Be thou my balm, my ease:
I languish till thy face appears;
No longer now the king of fears,
Thou art all loveliness.
I gasp to end my wretched days,
To rush into thy cold embrace,
And there securely rest;
Come, O thou friend of sorrows, come,
Lead to the chambers of the tomb,
And lull me on thy breast.
I feel that thou hast lost thy sting;
My dying Saviour and my King
Bore all my sins for me;
He tasted death, and made it sweet,
From thee, the eater, brought forth meat,
Eternal life from thee.
164

This earth, I know, is not my place;
O that I now might end my race,
And leave a world of sin!
Receive, dear Lord, my parting breath:
Thou, Jesus, hast the keys of death;
Open, and take me in!

THE CHRISTIAN.

Who is as the Christian great?
Bought and wash'd with sacred blood,
Crowns he sees beneath his feet,
Soars aloft, and walks with God.
Who is as the Christian wise?
He his nought for all hath given,
Bought the pearl of greatest price,
Nobly barter'd earth for heaven.
Who is as the Christian blest?
He hath found the long-sought stone,
He is join'd to Christ his rest,
He and happiness are one.
Earth and heaven together meet,
Gifts in him and graces join,
Make the character complete,
All immortal, all Divine.
Lo! his clothing is the Sun,
The bright Sun of Righteousness;
He hath put salvation on,
Jesus is his beauteous dress.
165

Lo! he feeds on living Bread,
Drinks the fountain from above,
Leans on Jesu's breast his head,
Feasts for ever on His love.
Angels here his servants are,
Spread for him their golden wings,
To his throne of glory bear,
Seat him by the King of kings.
Who shall gain that heavenly height,
Who his Saviour's face shall see?
I, who claim it in His right;
Christ hath bought it all for me.

THE SAME.

[Happy the soul whom God delights]

Happy the soul whom God delights
To honour with His sealing grace,
On whom His hidden name He writes,
And decks him with the robes of praise,
And bids him calmly wait to prove
The utmost powers of perfect love.
I cannot, dare not now deny
The things my God hath freely given;
That happy favour'd soul am I,
Who find in Christ a constant heaven;
He makes me all His sweetness know,
He makes my cup of joy o'erflow.
His grace to me salvation brings,
His grace hath set me up on high,
He bears me still on eagle's wings,
He makes me ride upon the sky,
166

With Him in heavenly places sit,
And see the moon beneath my feet.
An hidden life in Christ I live,
And exercised in things Divine
My senses all His love receive;
I see the King in beauty shine,
Fairer than all the sons of men;
Thrice happy in His love I reign.
His love is manna to my taste,
His love is music to my ear;
I feel His love, and hold Him fast
In ecstasies too strong to bear;
I smell the odour of His name,
And all wrapp'd up in love I am.
O that the world might taste, and see
How good the Lord my Saviour is!
Take, Jesu, take Thy love from me,
So they may share the glorious bliss:
Thy love (if we awhile should part,)
Would soon flow back into my heart.
O might I feel the utmost power
Of love, and into nothing fall!
Infinite Love, bring near the hour;
Infinite God, be all in all;
Cover the earth, Thou boundless Sea,
And swallow up all our souls in Thee.
167

THE LIFE OF FAITH.

PART I.

O how happy am I here,
How beyond expression blest!
When I feel my Jesus near,
When in Jesu's love I rest,
Peace, and joy, and heaven I prove,
Heaven on earth in Jesu's love.
Nothing else but love I know,
Worldly joys and sorrows end;
Man may rage, my feeble foe;
Thou, O Jesus, art my Friend:
Man may smile; I trust in Thee:
Thou art all in all to me.
Thou, my faithful Friend and true,
Reachest out Thy gracious hand:
What can men or devils do
While by faith in Thee I stand?
Stand immovably secure,
Love hath made my footsteps sure.
Satan stirs a tempest up;
Calm I wait till all is past,
See the anchor of my hope
On the Rock of Ages cast!
Never can that anchor fail,
Enter'd now within the veil.
Shouldst Thou o'er the desert lead,
Will me farther griefs to know,
After Thee with steady tread,
Leaning on Thy love, I'd go,
Drink the fountain from above,
Eat the manna of Thy love.
168

O how wonderful Thy ways!
All in love begin and end:
Whom Thy mercy means to raise
First Thy justice bids descend,
Sink into themselves, and rise
Glorious all above the skies.
There I shall my lot receive,
Soon as from the flesh I fly;
Happy in Thy love I live,
Happier in Thy love I die;
Lo! the prospect opens fair;
I shall soon be harbour'd there.
Light of life, to Thee I haste,
Glad to quit this dark abode,
On Thy truth and mercy cast,
Longing to be lost in God,
Ready at Thy call to say,
Lo! I come, I come away.
Ministerial spirits, come,
Spread your golden wings for me,
Waft me to my heavenly home,
Land me in eternity,
Bear me to my glorious rest,
Take me to my Saviour's breast.

PART II.

Melt, happy soul, in Jesu's blood,
Sink down into the wounds of God,
And there for ever dwell;
169

I now have found my rest again;
The spring of life, the balm of pain,
In Jesu's wounds I feel.
Thirsty so long, and weak, and faint,
I here enjoy whate'er I want,
The sweet refreshing tide
Brings life and peace to dying souls;
And still the gushing comfort rolls
From Jesu's wounded side.
Swift as the panting hart I fly,
I find the fountain always nigh,
And heavenly sweetness prove,
Pardon, and power, and joy, and peace,
And pure delight, and perfect bliss,
And everlasting love.
The world can no refreshment give:
Shall I its deadly draughts receive,
Scoop'd from the hellish lake?
Nay, but I turn to the pure flood
Which issues from the throne of God,
And living water take.
Soon as I taste the liquid life,
Sorrow expires, and pain, and strife,
And suffering is no more;
My inmost soul refresh'd I feel,
And fill'd with joy unspeakable
The bleeding Lamb adore.
I now the broken cisterns leave,
My all of good from God receive,
And drink the crystal stream:
170

The crystal stream doth freely flow
Through hearts which only Jesus know,
And ever pant for Him.
Jesus alone can I require,
No mixture of impure desire
Shall in my bosom move;
I fix on Him my single eye,
His love shall all my wants supply,
His all-sufficient love.
How vast the happiness I feel,
When Jesus doth Himself reveal,
And His pure love impart!
Holy delight, and heavenly hope,
And everlasting joy springs up,
And overflows my heart.
He pours His Spirit into my soul,
The thirsty land becomes a pool,
I taste the unknown peace
Such as the world will not believe;
No carnal heart can e'er conceive
The' unutterable bliss.
Light in Thy only light I see,
Thee and myself I know through Thee,
Myself a sinful clod,
A worthless worm without a name,
A burning brand pluck'd from the flame,
And quench'd in Jesu's blood.
The light of Thy redeeming love,
Like sunbeams darted from above,
Doth all my sins display,
171

Countless as dancing motes, and small;
But O! the love that shows them all
Shall chase them all away.
The Sun of Righteousness shall rise,
Thy glory streaming from the skies
Shall in my soul appear;
I know the cloudless day shall shine,
And then my soul is all Divine,
And I am perfect here.

FOR A DYING FRIEND.

PART I.

Happy soul, depart in peace,
Leave awhile thy friends below;
Jesus speaks the kind release,
Go, to Jesu's bosom go!
Hark, He calls His exile home,
(Joyfully the call obey,)
“Come up hither, quickly come,
Rise, My love, and come away.
“I have thy salvation wrought,
I did for thy guilt atone;
Thou art Mine, so dearly bought,
Thee I challenge for My own.
“I, even I, have purged thy sin,
Have for thee a place prepared;
Heaven is open, enter in,
Find in Me thy great reward.
172

“Thee the purchase of My blood,
Thee My servant, child, and bride,
Thee I claim, thy Lord and God,
Who for thee have lived and died.
“Come, through the dark valley come!
Do not I thy spirit stay?
Fear no evil, hasten home,
Rise, My love, and come away!”

PART II.

Happy soul, from prison freed,
Lay thy earthly burden down;
Bow, with Jesus bow thy head,
Die, and take the starry crown.
Let the dust return to dust;
Thou, on wings of angels borne,
To the spirits of the just
Perfected in love return.
Leave a world of sin and pain,
Happier brother, go before;
We shall quickly meet again,
Quickly meet, and part no more.
Thou art earlier restored,
Minister'd an entrance is
To the kingdom of thy Lord,
To thy Master's endless bliss.
Jesus, Lord, his soul receive,
Open now Thine arms of love,
Now the glorious circlet give,
Bear him now to joys above;
173

Take the ransom'd captive home,
Take the purchase of Thy blood;
Dear Desire of nations, come,
Come, and bring us all to God.

PART III.

Triumphant soul, the hour is come
That calls thee to thy Saviour's breast;
The exile is returning home,
The weary entering into rest,
The angels for their charge attend,
And I must render up my friend.
My friend, how shall I let thee go?
How can I bear with thee to part?
Dearer than life and all below,
Wound in the fibres of my heart,
With thee my mingled spirits join,
My life is all wrapp'd up in thine.
And can I see thee die unmoved,
In death so full of love to me?
Most loving soul, and most beloved,
My sister, and my friend I see,
My first concern, my tend'rest care,
My child—the daughter of my prayer.
Labours for thee my struggling soul,
Thy pangs my bleeding bosom move;
Of complicated passion full,
Pity, and grief, and joy, and love,
I feel thy last great agony,
And gasps my soul to die with thee.
174

Envious I view that faded cheek,
That cheek with deadly pale o'erspread;
Falters thy tongue, and fails to speak,
And heaves thy breast, and droops thy head,
Glimmers the lamp of life, and dies—
And I am here to close thine eyes.
I wait to catch thy parting breath,
And feel the answer of thy prayer;
Bless me, even me, my friend, in death,
And ask that I thy bliss may share,
May soon like thee my life resign;
O let thy latter end be mine!

PART IV.

Away, ye clouds of unbelief;
I cannot sorrow without hope,
My soul enjoys her noble grief,
And fills her Lord's afflictions up,
Touch'd with Divinest sympathy;
For Jesus weeps, and groans in me.
Right precious in His sight the death
Of all His saints and servants is;
Jesus receives their parting breath,
Himself is their eternal bliss:
And now He bids thy warfare end,
He claims the spirit of my friend.
Adieu, dear dying saint, adieu,
The summons of thy Lord obey;
Mighty, and merciful, and true,
He bids thee rise, and come away,
175

With triumph leave this mouldering clod,
And die into the arms of God.
His everlasting arms are spread,
His faithful mercies never fail,
His hand supports thy sinking head,
With thee He walks through the dark vale;
He whispers, “Child, be of good cheer,
Rejoice in death, for I am here.”
Say, are His consolations small?
I read the answer in thine eyes:
Thy smiling looks on sinners call,
And point them to yon opening skies,
From which thy much-loved Lord looks down,
And reaches out a radiant crown.
Thrice happy soul, thy Lord appears;
I feel thou art for ever His,
Weep over thee with joyful tears,
And triumph in thy glorious bliss,
With thee the hidden manna prove,
Thy Lord's unutterable love.
Thy mighty ecstasies I feel,
On thee with eager transport gaze;
Thy forehead bears the Spirit's seal,
And heaven is open'd in thy face;
Thy mounting soul is on the wing,
And hears the choir of angels sing.
Hovering around the new-born heir,
For thee the shining convoy waits,
To God thy spotless soul they bear:
Open, ye everlasting gates,
176

A wide triumphant entrance give,
The glorious new-born heir receive!
Eternal God of truth and grace,
We magnify Thy faithful love,
We all shall soon behold Thy face,
We all shall take our seats above,
And I shall in Thy kingdom share,
And I shall meet my sister there.

EPITAPH.

Stay, thou eternal spirit, stay,
And let the dead point out thy way;
Mark where a Christian's ashes lie,
And learn of her to live and die.
A virtuous maid, for twenty years
She sojourn'd in the vale of tears;
The Father then His love made known,
And in her heart reveal'd His Son.
Join'd to the Lord her Righteousness,
Fill'd with unutterable peace,
She felt on earth her sins forgiven,
That glorious antepast of heaven.
Not long for all her heaven she stayed;
Her soul, through sufferings perfect made,
With joy forsook the earthly clod,
And sprang into the arms of God.
177

Go, sinner, in her footsteps tread,
Follow the living and the dead,
Believe on God's eternal Son,
And heaven is all in Christ thy own.

ON THE DEATH OF MRS. ANNE COWPER.

1

Saviour of all, our thanks receive!
With Thee their righteous spirits live
Who lived and died in Thee below:
Purged while they lived from every stain,
Saved when they died from grief and pain,
And snatch'd out of a world of woe.
178

We bless Thee for Thy tender love,
Which call'd our friend to joys above,
And bade her stormy troubles cease;
She now is harbour'd in Thy breast,
And there the weary are at rest,
And there she reigns in glorious bliss.

2

Long in the mortal toils she lay,
As hell were swallowing up its prey,
Exposed to all the' Accuser's power:
Who can the mystic woe reveal?
Who can conceive, but those that feel,
The darkness of that fiery hour?
Medicine prolong'd and edged her pains,
And tore its way through all her veins,
And shook her reason from its seat;
Held on the rack, she tasted death,
And, ground between the lion's teeth,
Shriek'd as he show'd the yawning pit.

3

Conform'd to an expiring God,
Her spirit sweat His sweat of blood,
And drank distraction's deepest cup;
Higher the anguish rose, and higher,
While, terribly baptized with fire,
She fill'd her Lord's afflictions up.
Did she not to her Father look?
Her Father still His own forsook,
And left her bleeding on the tree;
She sunk beneath her Saviour's load,
And cried His cry, “My God, my God,
Ah! why hast Thou forsaken me?”
179

4

But ended is the grief unknown,
'Tis done, (ye saints, rejoice,) 'tis done!
Her soul is spent in sacrifice!
In life and death to Jesus join'd,
Into her Father's hands resign'd,
She meekly bows her head, and dies.
She dies into the world above,
She lives the heavenly life of love,
And the new song of Moses sings;
She sees the God whom saints adore,
Whom angels hymn, and fall before,
And wrap their faces in their wings.

5

In rapture lost, the heavenly choir
The dear Redeemer's love admire,
Which brought His suffering servant through;
Loudly they sing His sovereign grace,
Wisdom, and power, and thanks, and praise,
And glory are our Jesu's due.
This is the soul, with shouts they cry,
That did in Jesus live and die,
And wash'd her garments in His blood;
Through much distress, and toil, and pain,
Hither she comes with Him to reign,
She stands before the throne of God.

6

With all that loved the bleeding Lamb,
She stands her great reward to claim,
Adorn'd with palm and robed in white;
Shines, with peculiar glories graced,
In God's eternal temple placed
To serve her Maker day and night.
180

Surely the High and Lofty One,
Jehovah sitting on His throne,
Among these faithful souls shall dwell;
Their life of pain and want is o'er,
They hunger here and thirst no more,
Nor heat nor slightest suffering feel.

7

The Lamb that with His Father reigns
Their happy, happy spirits sustains,
With heavenly food delights to fill;
His saints He shall for ever feed,
And by the living waters lead,
The springs of joy ineffable.
He now hath wiped away their tears,
And each bright soul as God appears,
But waits till all are gather'd home;
Till all in one assembly meet,
All earth and heaven the cry repeat,
“Come, glorious God, to judgment come!”
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