S. JOHN.
CHAPTER I.
1612.
[The Word, the uncreated Son]
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word, &c.
—i. 1–3.
The Word, the uncreated Son,
When finite things began to be,
Existing, God with God alone,
Thou wast from all eternity!
There, in Thy Father's bosom laid,
Ineffably begot by Him,
Thou wast, before the worlds were made,
God independent and supreme.
All-wise, all-good, almighty Lord,
God over all Thou always art,
Jehovah's everlasting Word,
Spoken into Thy creature's heart;
With God essentially the same,
Distinct in personality,
Thou art the absolute I AM,
And all things made were made by Thee.
1613.
[Fountain of life to all that live]
In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.
—i. 4.
Fountain of life to all that live,
Thyself, the' essential Life Divine,
Thou didst to our first parents give,
And in their sinless nature shine:
The Life was Light and happiness,
And wisdom pure with Thee bestow'd:
In all Thy works they saw Thy face,
While all Thy works were fill'd with God.
1614.
[Still on the soul of fallen man]
The light shineth in darkness; and the darkness, &c.
—i. 5.
Still on the soul of fallen man
Thou dost a beam of glory shed,
A ray of grace, an hidden grain,
A spark of life, an heavenly seed:
He wakes, and thinks, by slow degrees,
Nor yet the Principle perceives,
Or knows the Light by which he sees,
Or feels the Life by which he lives.
1615.
[True Light of the whole world, appear]
That was the true Light, which lighteth every, &c.
—i. 9.
True Light of the whole world, appear,
Answer in us Thy character,
Thou uncreated Sun;
Jesus, Thy beams on all are shed,
That all may by Thy beams be led
To that eternal throne.
Lighten'd by Thy interior ray
Thee every child of Adam may
His unknown God adore,
And following close Thy secret grace
Emerge into that glorious place
Where darkness is no more.
The universal Light Thou art,
And turn'd to Thee the darkest heart
A glimmering spark may find;
Let man reject it or embrace,
Thou offerest once Thy saving grace
To me, and all mankind.
Light of my soul, I follow Thee,
In humble faith on earth to see
Thy perfect day of love;
And then with all Thy saints in light
To gain the beatific sight
Which makes our heaven above.
1616.
[Thyself Thou wouldst to sinners give]
His own received Him not.
—i. 11.
Thyself Thou wouldst to sinners give,
But Thee Thine own will not receive,
With all Thy proffer'd love,
Thy subjects they refuse to be,
Disdaining to be led by Thee
To endless joys above.
Thee, if they finally deny,
And harden'd unbelievers die,
Yet, by themselves undone,
Thy creatures, and redeem'd they are,
Invited, and design'd to share
Thine everlasting throne.
1617.
[Thee, Jesus, full of truth and grace]
As many as received Him, to them gave He, &c.
—i. 12.
Thee, Jesus, full of truth and grace,
My God, my Saviour, I embrace,
To all Thy creatures given;
My Prophet, Priest, and King receive,
And in Thine only name believe
For pardon, grace, and heaven.
Sole self-existing God, I own
The merit of Thy death alone
Hath ransom'd all mankind,
And every dying slave in Thee
With peace and perfect liberty
May life eternal find.
I use the power by Thee bestow'd,
To' accept Thee as my Lord my God,
The privilege Divine
Assured Thou wilt on me bestow,
That born of God my soul may know
Whate'er Thou art is mine.
Not differing from a servant now,
I wait in humble faith, till Thou
Art in my heart reveal'd:
Then shall I Abba Father cry,
An heir of all in earth and sky,
An heir of glory seal'd.
1618.
[What angel can the grace explain!]
The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among, &c.
—i. 14.
What angel can the grace explain!
The very God is very man,
By love paternal given!
Begins the uncreated Word,
Born is the everlasting Lord,
Who made both earth and heaven!
Behold Him high above all height,
Him, God of God, and Light of Light,
In a mean earthy shrine;
Jehovah's Glory dwelt with men,
The Person in our flesh is seen,
The Character Divine!
Not with these eyes of flesh and blood;
Yet lo, we still behold the God
Replete with truth and grace:
The truth of holiness we see,
The truth of full felicity
In our Redeemer's face.
Transform'd by the ecstatic sight,
Our souls o'erflow with pure delight,
And every moment own
The Lord our whole perfection is,
The Lord is our immortal bliss,
And Christ and heaven are one.
1619.
[Him in whom all fulness dwells]
Of His fulness have all we received, and grace, &c.
—i. 16.
Him in whom all fulness dwells,
Every true believer feels,
Every soul by Christ restored,
Shines a copy of his Lord;
Father of His church and Head,
All the heaven-begotten seed
Cry, We have received from Him,
Grace for grace, as limb for limb.
O that with the faithful I
Could Thy fulness testify!
Jesus, is there not in Thee
Grace, sufficient grace, for me?
Let me now with Thee receive
All Thou dost to sinners give;
All Thou hast, and all Thou art,
Dwell for ever in my heart!
1620.
[The fiery law by Moses given]
The law was given by Moses, but grace and, &c.
—i. 17.
The fiery law by Moses given,
Was thunder'd in a voice from heaven;
In shadowy types and victims slain,
Which could not purge our sinful stain,
It only pointed at the Lamb:
But grace and truth by Jesus came.
He in our mortal flesh reveal'd,
The types substantially fulfill'd,
By one sufficient sacrifice,
For ever smoking through the skies,
He answer'd the demand of God,
And quench'd the wrath with all His blood.
1621.
[Thee, Son of the Most-High]
No man hath seen God at any time, &c.
—i. 18.
Thee, Son of the Most-High,
Jesus we glorify
In Thy Father's bosom laid,
Thou dost all His secrets know,
Partner of our nature made
Dost declare His name below.
With eyes of faith we see
The' Invisible in Thee,
When Thou dost Thy Sire reveal,
Then I know Thee who Thou art,
Find the great Unsearchable,
God residing in my heart.
Thou dost the Spirit confer,
The heavenly Comforter;
Thus the triune God of love
God of glory we receive,
Antedate the joys above,
Here the life eternal live.
1622.
[The saint indeed, the humble man]
He confessed . . . I am not the Christ.
—i. 20.
The saint indeed, the humble man
Such as he is delights to' appear,
In words distinct, and strong, and plain
Disowns his Saviour's character,
Renounces man's misplaced esteem
As what belongs to God, not him.
He doth not in their error leave
The men who foolishly extol,
Too highly of his grace conceive,
Him holy, pure, or perfect call;
But all their fond conceits removes,
And still the lowest place he loves.
1623.
[In unambiguous words and few]
And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? &c.
—i. 21.
In unambiguous words and few,
Which just suffice his mind to' express,
He disavows the praise undue,
The truth they urge him to confess
Simply declares, from falsehood free,
Nor wounds his own humility.
His own advantages of grace
If known yet he regards them not;
The good he truly doth possess
O'erlooks as slighted and forgot:
Yet while he seeks himself to hide
He hates the modest veil of pride.
1624.
[More than a prophet sent by God]
He said, I am the voice of one crying in the, &c.
—i. 23.
More than a prophet sent by God,
Forerunner of the Lord Most-High,
With all Elijah's spirit endued
Himself he doth not magnify,
But while Messiah he proclaims,
Himself a voice, a nothing, names.
Full of the greatness of his Lord,
Himself he studies to abase,
Let Jesus be alone adored,
Object of universal praise,
Proprietor of all esteem,
Bow all in earth and heaven to Him.
1625.
[Did Jesus for the world atone?]
Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away, &c.
—i. 29.
Did Jesus for the world atone?
“Yes; for the world of the elect:”
Love could not die for some alone,
And all the wretched rest reject:
For the whole helpless world that lay
In desperate wickedness, He died,
And all who dare believe it, may
With me be freely justified.
Charged with the universal load,
The sins of every soul, and mine,
By faith I see the Lamb of God,
The bleeding Sacrifice Divine!
My sins, transferr'd from me to Him,
Shall never be by justice found,
All carried down that purple stream,
All in that open fountain drown'd!
1626.
[The heart to creature-love inclined]
The heart to creature-love inclined,
The sin of all our fallen kind,
Cannot the Lamb of God remove,
And cast it out by purer love?
Didst Thou not bear it on the tree,
To bear it far away from me,
And pour the fountain of Thy blood,
To wash out all my inbred load?
The sin that cleaves to Adam's race,
Our burden, plague and dire disgrace,
The beastly, and the devilish sin,
The lust, and pride that works within,
Thou, Lord, on whom in faith I call,
Wilt conquer, and destroy it all,
Wilt take both root and branch away,
And unbelief for ever slay.
Thee I behold with steadfast eye,
And wait till Thou Thy blood apply,
Its purifying power impart,
And throughly wash my sprinkled heart:
Then shall I make Thy mercy known,
And love my loving God alone;
Answer Thy passion's whole design,
And die, and live for ever Thine.
1627.
[Spotless, meek and holy Lamb]
I saw the Spirit descending from heaven, &c.
—i. 32.
Spotless, meek and holy Lamb,
Why didst Thou the Spirit receive?
From Thy throne on Thee He came,
That Thou might'st to sinners give,
Might'st communicate to me
The Divine, pacific Dove,
Fill my heart with purity,
Innocence, and faithful love.
Let Him, Lord, my heart inspire,
All Thy gracious mind reveal,
Kindle the baptismal fire,
Now the heir of glory seal;
Let the Comforter come down,
Take possession of my breast,
Make Thy heavenly nature known,
On my soul for ever rest.
1628.
[By this celestial sign]
Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, &c.
—i. 33.
By this celestial sign
We the Baptizer know,
And all baptized with love Divine
The self-same token show:
On them the Spirit of grace
Descends, and still abides,
And fills with fruits of righteousness,
And to His glory guides.
1629.
[God supreme, who diedst for me]
Behold the Lamb of God!
—i. 36.
God supreme, who diedst for me
In that atoning Lamb,
Weary of not loving Thee
Grieved at my heart, I am:
Thee I never yet beheld
In bleeding majesty Divine,
Never felt Thy love reveal'd,
Or that had kindled mine.
Suffering in the sinner's place,
Transfix'd on Calvary,
Give me eyes Thy mournful face,
Thy mangled form, to see;
Lovely in Thy garments dyed,
Crush'd with the universal load,
Show me now Thy hands and side,
And conquer by Thy blood.
Help, O help my unbelief,
Or Thou hast died in vain;
Come and heal my sin and grief,
And purge my nature's stain;
Saviour of the world, bestow
The precious gift of faith Divine,
Then my Ransomer I know,
I feel that Thou art mine.
1630.
[Naked is my heart to Thee]
They followed Jesus.
—i. 37.
Naked is my heart to Thee:
Would I not Thy follower be?
Tread the path which Thou hast trod,
Track Thee, Saviour, by Thy blood,
Meekly Thine afflictions share,
Every day Thy burden bear,
Drink Thy passion's second cup,
Fill the mournful measure up?
Thou didst once for sin atone,
Tread the winepress quite alone,
Yet I may Thy grief partake,
Suffer for my Master's sake,
Through the strength Thy cross supplies
Mingle with Thy sacrifice,
Bow my head on yonder tree,
Die for One who died for me.
1631.
[The law points out the Victim slain]
Master, where dwellest Thou?
—i. 38.
The law points out the Victim slain,
And toward Him a few steps we go,
But never can to Christ attain
Till He the power of faith bestow,
Turning to us, Himself impart,
And speak in mercy to the heart.
Master, (as such Thyself I own,)
My Master and Director be,
Instruct me in the way unknown,
Which leads to happiness and Thee,
And by the lessons of Thy love
Conduct me to Thy house above.
1632.
[Inspired with faith we come and see]
He saith unto them, Come and see.
—i. 39.
Inspired with faith we come and see,
The place of Thy abode we know,
And tarry in Thy house with Thee;
Where two or three are met below
Thee, Jesus, in the midst we meet,
Whose presence makes the church complete.
Come all, and see our Saviour here!
He still doth in His house abide,
Assembled with His church appear
Diffused through earth, and scatter'd wide:
And here we all with Christ may sup
Till to His throne He takes us up.
1633.
[The man who hath his Saviour found]
He first findeth his own brother, . . . and saith, &c.
—i. 41.
The man who hath his Saviour found,
And knows where He vouchsafes to dwell,
Should never bury in the ground
His treasure, or his faith conceal,
But testify the gospel-word,
And others urge to seek their Lord.
1634.
['Tis not enough to speak for God]
And he brought him to Jesus.
—i. 42.
'Tis not enough to speak for God:
If God our faithful labours speed,
We minister the grace bestow'd,
And precious souls to Jesus lead;
Point them to the Messiah nigh,
And place beneath His pitying eye.
1635.
[O the riches of Thy grace!]
Jesus . . . findeth Philip, and saith unto him, &c.
—i. 43.
O the riches of Thy grace!
Grace surpassing all our thought,
Grace transcending all our praise,
Finding those who sought Thee not!
Grace doth more than sin abound,
For a world of sinners free:
Me, their guilty chief, it found,
Drew my heart to follow Thee.
Master of my heart and will,
Both are in Thy gracious hand,
Seek, and call, and draw me still
Subject to Thy mild command.
Then I after Thee shall run
On the wings of faith and love,
Find Thee, Saviour, on Thy throne,
Glorify Thy grace above.
1636.
[While all His holy angels]
Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto, &c.
—i. 45.
While all His holy angels
With hymns of praise surround Him,
We sing below
Who Jesus know,
And in our hearts have found Him.
Whom Moses and the prophets
Foretold by inspiration,
We now embrace,
Our Lord confess
Our Saviour, and Salvation:
To all our guilty brethren
We the good news discover,
Believe, and you
Shall find Him too,
The universal Lover.
Receive the true Messias
Whom God to man hath given,
And when you see
And know 'tis He,
You know the joys of heaven.
1637.
[An Israelite indeed]
Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?
—i. 46.
An
Israelite indeed,
A foe to worldly art
May be by prejudice misled,
Yet never err in heart:
God will not leave him long
Without distincter light,
Or let a soul continue wrong
Whose life is in the right.
1638.
[Me, I know Thine eye beheld]
When thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
—i. 48.
Me, I know Thine eye beheld
From the eye of man conceal'd,
Where I ignorantly pray'd
In the solitary shade,
Conscious of my nakedness
Cover'd with my leafy dress,
There I heard Thy secret call,
There began to feel my fall.
Drawn I was, and taught by Thee
From my earliest infancy,
In the lessons of Thy grace
I my heavenly Master trace:
Searcher of my simple heart,
God's omniscient Son Thou art,
Israel's King I worship Thee;
Come and fix Thy throne in me.
1639.
[Yes, my gracious God and Lord]
Thou shalt see greater things than these.
—i. 50.
Yes, my gracious God and Lord,
If I believe in Thee,
I shall prove Thine utmost word
And greater wonders see;
I shall in Thy will delight,
And comprehend with saints above
All the length and breadth and height
And depth of perfect love.
1640.
[Greater things Nathanael view'd]
Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the, &c.
—i. 51.
Greater things Nathanael view'd
When heaven he saw thrown wide,
Saw the Son of man and God
On wings of cherubs ride,
Israel's car and steeds of fire
For Israel's glorious King sent down,
Christ with all the' angelic choir
Returning to His throne.
These the greater things which I
Even I expect to see;
Christ descending from the sky
In beauteous majesty,
With His bright angelic train
While all His saints behold Him near,
I shall see my Lord again,
And in His sight appear.
Israel spiritually renew'd
In love, and pure in heart,
We shall meet and clasp our God,
And never never part;
'Midst the' acclaiming hosts ascend,
With all the clarions of the sky,
Rapt to bliss which cannot end,
To life which cannot die.
CHAPTER II.
1641.
[Mother of Purity Divine]
The mother of Jesus was there.
—ii. 1.
Mother of Purity Divine
The Virgin graced a nuptial feast,
But who in Jesus' spirit join
They entertain a nobler Guest.
Who meet and marry in the Lord,
Bless'd as the first unspotted pair,
They find their paradise restored,
And Purity Himself is there.
1642.
[They, only they, the Lord invite]
Both Jesus was called, and His disciples.
—ii. 2.
They, only they, the Lord invite
Their hallow'd nuptials to attend
Who seek in Him their chief delight,
Their Bridegroom and celestial Friend;
Who ask His love their feast to crown,
In wrestling faith their wants declare,
And bring the blissful Spirit down
By all the powers of humble prayer.
They bid the Lord's disciples too,
Who marry as His saints approve,
Expose their hearts to open view,
Set on the' eternal things above.
Who not with flesh and blood confer,
But counsel with the faithful take,
And call the church their bliss to share,
And love them all for Jesus' sake.
How fatal and unlike to these
The world's alliances profane,
Where sinners match themselves to please,
And lust and foul intemperance reign.
By avarice or ambition join'd,
They banish God from all their thought,
And madly cast His fear behind,
While Mammon ties the hellish knot.
1643.
[Our real want of needful food]
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to, &c.
—ii. 4.
Our real want of needful food
We still may represent to God
With true simplicity:
Saviour, Thou dost with smiles approve
Our humble confidence of love
Which all expects from Thee.
Yet must we not presume to know
Or tell Thee when Thy grace to show,
Thy benefits to give;
But trusting in Thy mercy's power,
The manner and appointed hour
Unto Thy wisdom leave.
Then let us urge our meek request,
Nature's anticipating haste
With patient faith forego,
Assured Thou wilt Thy people feed,
And outward and immortal bread
In Thy own time bestow.
1644.
[Reproved she answers not a word]
His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever, &c.
—ii. 5.
Reproved she answers not a word,
But waiting on her heavenly Lord
Her confidence holds fast,
With faith increased the check receives,
He will, she fully now believes,
Do His own work at last.
1645.
[When wine they want the' almighty Lord]
Jesus saith, . . . Fill the waterpots.
—ii. 7.
When wine they want the' almighty Lord
Water instead of wine demands:
He both created by His word,
Nothing His sovereign will withstands:
And every year in every vine
He changes water into wine.
Annex'd to means improbable
Thy blessing, Lord, we oft perceive,
Who, when Thou dost Thy mind reveal
Thy word implicitly believe,
And do what Thou art pleased to' ordain,
And thus a greater blessing gain.
1646.
[Call'd to the marriage of the Lamb]
Thou hast kept the good wine until now.
—ii. 10.
Call'd to the marriage of the Lamb
Jehovah in our flesh we see;
To' espouse His church from heaven He came,
The great stupendous mystery
Made by His incarnation known,
And join'd our nature to His own.
Under Thy shade, O Christ, we sing,
Partakers of Thy nuptial feast;
Thou hast reserved the better thing
To cheer Thy every welcome guest,
To gladden all the faithful race
With the good wine of gospel grace.
Now, in the end of time reveal'd,
Thy choicest, sweetest grace we prove,
And fill'd with Thee our souls are fill'd
With purity of perfect love,
Of love unknown in ages past
Kept in Thy heart to crown the last.
Thou dost in closest bonds unite
Our souls, incorporate with Thee,
We antedate the full delight
The saints' supreme felicity,
Flesh of Thy flesh, bone of Thy bone,
With Thee inseparably one.
Thy saints in holiness complete
Consummated in rapturous love,
Shall at Thy side triumphant sit,
And keep the marriage-feast above,
And when Thy blissful face we view
We drink the wine for ever new.
1647.
[To change the soul's ignoble taste]
This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana, &c.
—ii. 11.
To change the soul's ignoble taste,
To' inspire the hope of things Divine,
Of pleasures pure which always last,
And change our water into wine,
Jesus at first His grace exerts,
And heavenward turns our earthly hearts.
Changed the strong bent of nature's will
With joy and wonder we confess,
New hopes, desires, sensations feel,
Hunger and thirst for righteousness,
And worship that incarnate Word,
And see that Glory of the Lord.
1648.
[Not the desires of men to please]
Not the desires of men to please
Thou dost Thy first of wonders show,
But sent from heaven our earth to bless,
Jehovah manifest below,
Thou dost Thy peerless power display,
And faith's eternal basis lay.
This demonstration of Thy grace,
This proof of Thy Divinity,
Saviour, in every age and place
Convinced Thy true disciples see,
Built on the rock that cannot move,
The truth of Thine almighty love.
Who changes water into wine
Can sinners into saints convert:
Thy grace omnipotent, Divine,
I trust to make me as Thou art,
To form my heart averse from sin,
And bid mine inmost soul be clean.
The virtue of Thy perfect love
This soul shall to the utmost save,
And when my hidden Life above
Appears, my Ransom from the grave,
This body vile shall mount Thy throne,
And shine immortal as Thine own.
1649.
[If all who holy things profane]
He drove them all out of the temple.
—ii. 15.
If all who holy things profane
Out of the Christian church were driven,
Alas, how few would there remain
To' adore the majesty of heaven!
1650.
[More odious than the birds and beasts]
Take these things hence.
—ii. 16.
More odious than the birds and beasts,
Creatures required for sacrifice,
Are careless crowds and worldly priests
Who now provoke Thy glorious eyes,
Profane the temple of the Lord,
And sell the prayer, the psalm, the word.
1651.
[Our fervent zeal for God to show]
The zeal of Thine house hath eaten me up.
—ii. 17.
Our fervent zeal for God to show,
We must not with our meekness part,
Or lukewarm and indifferent grow,
To prove our gentleness of heart:
Meekness and zeal in Jesus join'd,
In saints begotten from above,
Compose, and fill the Christian mind
With purest flames of perfect love.
Saviour, I want that ardent zeal
Which in Thy heavenly bosom glow'd,
That strong desire to do the will,
And serve the family of God:
Into my heart Thy Spirit of grace,
Of love, and true devotion pour,
To fill the consecrated place,
And all my ravish'd soul devour.
1652.
[Jesus' soul and body are]
He spake of the temple of His body.
—ii. 21.
Jesus' soul and body are
The true temple of the Lord,
Come we, then, and worship there
God in the incarnate Word!
There the pure religion lies,
Dwells the Father in the Son,
And who reigns above the skies
God is found in Christ alone.
Very man of very man,
Temple of the Deity,
Whom the heavens cannot contain,
Bow our inmost souls to Thee.
Exiles while on earth we mourn,
Captives in a world of care,
All our thoughts to Thee we turn,
Every wish, and every prayer.
Prostrate now the shrine before
Join we in Thy Spirit's cry,
Our Immanuel adore,
Wait Thy coming from the sky:
Come and fix the temple here,
All Thy majesty reveal,
With Thy glorious scars appear,
Heaven and earth with glory fill.
1653.
[Jesus, Thou know'st what is in man]
Many believed in His name, . . . but Jesus, &c.
—ii. 23, 24.
Jesus, Thou know'st what is in man,
So false, and changeable, and vain:
If now we in Thy name believe,
If Thee this moment we receive,
The next we cast our faith away,
And basely our dear Lord betray.
Thou canst not to our keeping trust
Thy grace, no sooner gain'd than lost:
But that we may in Thee confide,
With us continually abide,
A people for Thyself prepare,
And keep our hearts by reigning there.
CHAPTER III.
1654.
[Shall we discourage or repel]
The same came to Jesus by night.
—iii. 2.
Shall we discourage or repel
The men who their own weakness feel,
And come to Christ by night?
Or cherish the first dawn of grace,
And teach them Jesus to confess
With all the sons of light.
1655.
[A Teacher come from God, and more]
Thou art a Teacher come from God.
—iii. 2.
A Teacher come from God, and more,
In Thee we God Himself adore,
While in our inward parts
Thou dost Thy kind instructions write,
And make them the supreme delight
Of true believing hearts.
Master, instruct us thus to know
The' eternal God reveal'd below,
By miracles of grace
Of Thy Divinity convince,
For only God can cancel sins,
And save a ruin'd race.
God over all unless Thou art,
Thou canst not change the evil heart,
Our soul diseases heal:
But of Thy Spirit born we prove
Thou art the' almighty God of love
By signs infallible.
1656.
[The truth, and blessedness, and need]
Except a man be born again, he cannot see, &c.
—iii. 3.
The truth, and blessedness, and need
Of this great change I know:
But can I witness it indeed,
Can I the tokens show?
Marks of this birth, they all are vain
Without the Spirit's power:
Then only am I born again,
When I can sin no more.
1657.
[I ask no more, how can it be?]
How can a man be born when he is old?
—iii. 4.
I ask no more, how can it be?
But leave the manner now to Thee,
And wait in age to prove
That heavenly birth, by faith restored
To all the image of my Lord,
To all the life of love.
1658.
[The sinful father of mankind]
That which is born of the flesh is flesh.
—iii. 6.
The sinful father of mankind
Could only sinful men beget,
Hence our whole race to ill inclined
The' offence original repeat.
In Adam's fallen likeness born,
We eat the interdicted tree;
Our will from our Creator turn,
And all through pride as gods would be.
Born of the flesh, to flesh alone
Our vile corrupt affections cleave,
Our reason sensualized we own,
To the desires of men we live;
Carnal alike in heart and mind,
Flesh, only flesh, ourselves we know,
And no good thing in us we find,
Till Thou, O Christ, Thy Spirit bestow.
1659.
[Adam descended from above]
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must, &c.
—iii. 7.
Adam descended from above
Thou only canst that Spirit impart,
That principle of heavenly love
Regenerating the sinful heart:
O might He now from Thee proceed,
Fountain of life and purity,
Implant the nature of our Head,
And work the mighty change in me.
The seed infused, the good desire,
Into a tree immortal raise,
With all Thy sanctity inspire,
With all Thy plenitude of grace;
Spotless, and spiritual, and good,
My heart and life shall then be Thine,
And in my Lord's similitude
Renew'd I shall for ever shine.
1660.
[Strangers to nature's mystery]
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou, &c.
—iii. 8.
Strangers to nature's mystery,
We hear its sound, but cannot see
The vague impetuous wind:
The Spirit's course we cannot trace,
The secret motions of that grace
Whose sure effects we find.
The ways of God are dark to man,
In vain we would describe, explain,
Delineate, or define:
The manner still remains unknown,
The sure reality we own,
And feel that birth Divine.
Just as He lists, the Spirit blows,
But whence He comes, and whither goes,
No mortal comprehends;
How He begins His power to' exert,
By what degrees renews the heart,
Or when His progress ends.
The soul in which His work is done,
Alike to worldly minds unknown
To all that know not God;
The spiritual regenerate man
Others discerns, but never can
Himself be understood.
His life a daily death they see,
A riddle of absurdity,
And quite unlike their own;
While, saved from low terrestrial views
He things invisible pursues,
And pants for God alone.
The heavenly principle within
The spring of all his acts, unseen
And unsuspected lies;
His end they cannot understand
Who seeks some undiscover'd land
A kingdom in the skies.
1661.
[The change we all may feel and show]
How can these things be?
—iii. 9.
The change we all may feel and show,
And born of God, His kingdom see;
In vain we would the manner know,
And still inquire, How can it be?
Or, boldly ignorant, explode
The' inexplicable truths of God.
Who first by reason's scanty line
Can the immense Creator mete,
Fathom the depths of love Divine,
Of power and wisdom infinite,
May then the miracle explore
How saints can live and sin no more.
1662.
[Our Maker and redeeming Lord]
We speak that we do know, and testify that, &c.
—iii. 11.
Our Maker and redeeming Lord
Whom all Thy heavens cannot contain,
The real Light, the' eternal Word,
The truth itself Thou speak'st to man;
Who only dost the Father know,
Thou dost His mysteries reveal,
The wisdom of His conduct show,
And teach the ways unsearchable.
Yet none of all our fallen race
By his own proper power receives
The record of Thy heavenly grace,
Or in Thy faithful word believes;
Unless Thou take the bar away,
Our helpless unbelief remove,
Thy life into our souls convey,
And teach our hearts that God is love.
The truth Thy witnesses have known,
And seen, and felt they all confess;
But still the Christian world disown
That second birth to righteousness:
Jesus, the Spirit's power exert,
The stubborn infidels convince,
The humbled infidels convert,
And truly save from all their sins.
1663.
[Who will not now the word believe]
If I have told you earthly things, and ye, &c.
—iii. 12.
Who will not now the word believe,
And feel that wondrous birth below,
How shall their carnal hearts conceive
The joys which in Thy presence flow?
1664.
[Jesus, Son of God and man]
No man hath ascended up to heaven, but, &c.
—iii. 13.
Jesus, Son of God and man,
To the regenerate given,
Thou dost to their hearts explain
The mysteries of heaven;
With Thyself in spirit one
The members in their Head ascend,
Taste the raptures of Thy throne,
The joys which never end.
1665.
[He hath been lifted up for me]
As Moses lifted up the serpent in the, &c.
—iii. 14.
He hath been lifted up for me,
For me, when wallowing in my blood:
I saw Him hanging on the tree,
And virtue from His body flow'd,
The poison of my sins expell'd
And all my wounds that moment heal'd.
1666.
[How hath He loved us? how?]
God so loved the world, that He, &c.
—iii. 16.
How hath He loved us? how?
Can man or angel tell?
While prostrate at that cross we bow,
His love's effects we feel;
The virtue of that sign
Our gasping souls receive,
And ransom'd by the death Divine,
We shall for ever live.
No angel from His throne
He sent the world to save,
But God his own beloved Son
To desperate sinners gave:
Who in His bosom lay
He on His foes bestow'd,
The Lamb that bore our sins away
And wash'd us in His blood.
Jehovah's name is Love,
And love His heart inclined
To send His Fellow from above
A victim for mankind:
'Twas found in Him alone
Salvation's wondrous cause
Who freely gave His only Son
To save us by His cross.
1667.
[Thee, Lord, who on the tree]
Thee, Lord, who on the tree
Didst buy the general peace,
Author of our salvation, we
Author of faith confess:
Thou dost the faith bestow
Thy blessed Self to' embrace,
The faith from which our virtues grow,
And all our fruits of grace.
Our souls are born again
Through faith inspired by Thee,
Through faith Thy nature we obtain,
Thine immortality;
It doth Thy mind reveal,
Thy hallowing blood applies,
And shuts the gates of death and hell,
And opens paradise.
1668.
[Thou didst Thy Son bestow]
God sent not His Son into the world to, &c.
—iii. 17.
Thou didst Thy Son bestow
Thy truth of grace to prove,
And Jesus did by dying show
Sincerity of love:
He suffer'd in our place
By mercy's sole decree:
Know every child of Adam's race
Thy Saviour died for thee!
1669.
[Lord, I believe, and stand secure]
He that believeth on Him is not condemned.
—iii. 18.
Lord, I believe, and stand secure,
In all I speak, and do, and feel;
My conscience finds an answer sure,
To every charge of earth or hell:
Nigh to the Judge I boldly draw,
My Surety all His anger bore,
My Lord fulfill'd the fiery law,
And God the just can ask no more.
1670.
[All in their wretched selves alone]
This is the condemnation, that light is come, &c.
—iii. 19.
All in their wretched selves alone
The cause of their damnation lies,
Lovers of sin, they hate and shun
The light that pains their guilty eyes.
Who the dire deeds of darkness do
Abhorrence of the light they feel,
And the broad dreary path pursue
That leads to the profoundest hell.
1671.
[Happy those who labour on]
John . . . was baptizing . . . not yet cast into prison.
—iii. 23, 24.
Happy those who labour on
For God with all their power,
Labour till their course is run,
And they can work no more:
Happier, when their toils are pass'd,
If liberty they sacrifice,
Offering up their lives at last
To win the martyr's prize.
1672.
[It is mine own infirmity!]
He that was with thee . . . baptizeth, and all, &c.
—iii. 26.
It is mine own infirmity!
I would have all prefer,
And zealously caress, like me,
My favourite minister:
I grudge alas, at their success,
And secretly repine,
If other instruments of grace
Are follow'd more than mine.
Ah, Lord, enlarge my selfish heart,
And I shall gladly own
The Giver of all good Thou art,
And dost the work alone:
To Thee I shall the glory give,
Thine only choice approve,
And all Thy messengers receive
With pure impartial love.
1673.
[Lord, if Thou hast sent forth me]
John . . . said, A man can receive nothing, except, &c.
—iii. 27.
Lord, if Thou hast sent forth me,
Used a sinner's ministry,
All the glory I disclaim,
Feel I worse than nothing am;
For my talents, gifts, or grace
Thee let Thy disciples praise,
God the heavenly Fountain own,
Magnify my God alone.
1674.
[He will not with His purchase part]
He that hath the bride is the bridegroom.
—iii. 29.
He will not with His purchase part,
He holds His consort in His heart:
But is my narrow sect the bride,
And heathens all the church beside?
1675.
[No greater joy the servant knows]
The friend of the bridegroom . . . rejoiceth greatly, &c.
—iii. 29.
No greater joy the servant knows
Than when the Master's voice he hears,
And Jesus on His church bestows
The peace that chases all their fears;
The servant is the Bridegroom's friend,
Delighted with His only praise,
When Christ he doth to souls commend,
And shares with them the gospel-grace.
This happiness, O Lord, is mine,
I taste the bliss Thy word imparts,
The word of righteousness Divine
Spoken into Thy people's hearts:
Thou hast betrothed Thy church to Thee,
United to the faithful soul,
And now the happy day I see,
And now my holy joy is full.
1676.
[I would be less and less]
He must increase, but I must decrease.
—iii. 30.
I would be less and less
That Jesus may increase,
Would myself renounce, despise,
Till on earth no longer seen,
Least of all in my own eyes,
Least of all esteem'd by men.
A voice, and nothing more,
I only go before;
Jesus' poorest instrument,
Jesus' harbinger I am,
Live to spend and to be spent,
Live to glorify His name.
My life is not my own,
Bestow'd for Him alone:
Ready at the Master's call
Every blessing I resign,
Fame, and strength, and life, and all,
Die, to serve the cause Divine.
1677.
[Mere man of earthly origin]
He that is of the earth is earthly, &c.
—iii. 31.
Mere man of earthly origin
Is all infirmity and sin,
The meanness of his native place
His spirit and his speech bewrays:
Jesus, the Lord and God most high,
Reveals the secrets of the sky,
And speaks in blessings from above
The language pure of heavenly love.
1678.
[The everlasting God is He]
What He hath seen and heard, that He, &c.
—iii. 32.
The everlasting God is He,
And was from all eternity,
Who on His Father's bosom lay
And doth on earth His form display;
The things He saw, and heard, and knew,
Of these He bears a record true,
Discovers the redeeming plan,
And shows the heart of God to man.
Freely He left His throne above,
To tell the world that God is love;
Yet few the saving truth receive,
Or dare on Jesu's word believe;
Not one of our unfaithful race
Doth of himself his Lord embrace,
But all reject whom God hath given,
The Witness, and the Man from heaven.
1679.
[Jesus Thy record we receive]
He that hath received His testimony hath, &c.
—iii. 33.
Jesus Thy record we receive,
And by a power from Thee believe;
By faith Divine our seal set to
That Thou art God, that Thou art true,
By faith Thy promises we gain,
Thy strict fidelity maintain,
And saved from sin exult to prove
The truth of Thy redeeming love.
1680.
[The words Thou dost from God declare]
He whom God hath sent speaketh the words.
—iii. 34.
The words Thou dost from God declare
Pure life, and quickening Spirit are,
Their own divinity they prove,
The' eternal Truth, and Power, and Love:
Our penetrated hearts agree
Never was man that spake like Thee,
God over all the Speaker own,
And seat Thee on Thy favourite throne.
1681.
[God made His mind to prophets known]
The Father loveth the Son, and hath given, &c.
—iii. 35.
God made His mind to prophets known,
But Thou art His beloved Son,
Vested with plenitude of power
To teach, and expiate, and restore;
I see Thee full of truth and grace,
My Prophet, Priest, and King confess;
Exert Thy threefold energy,
Instruct, forgive, and reign in me.
Thou workest all the works Divine,
Fulfillest all His love's design:
Thy church's Head, and great High-Priest
In Thee Thy Father stands confess'd,
Dispenser of His every grace,
Saviour of the peculiar race,
The Way, where all may walk forgiven,
The Truth of bliss, the Life of heaven.
Salvation is in Jesus' name,
I every other hope disclaim,
My soul into Thy hands commend,
On Thee my only God depend;
Observant of Thy just commands,
I rest in Thine almighty hands,
And trust Thee for my place above,
So dearly bought by dying love.
1682.
[Jesus, believing on Thy name]
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting, &c.
—iii. 36.
Jesus, believing on Thy name
Raised from the death of sin I am,
My true eternal Life Thou art,
By faith residing in my heart;
Thy nature Lord in love I know,
Imparted to the saints below,
Anticipate the' immortal prize,
And live the life of paradise.
1683.
[But born in sin and misery]
He that believeth not the Son shall not, &c.
—iii. 36.
But born in sin and misery
He still is dead who knows not Thee,
Who still Thy gospel disobeys,
A stranger to the life of grace,
True happiness he cannot prove
Or live the blissful life above;
Under the curse his wretched breath
He yields, and dies the second death.
CHAPTER IV.
1684.
[Teach me, Saviour, by Thy grace]
When . . . the Lord knew how the Pharisees had, &c.
—iv. 1–3.
Teach me, Saviour, by Thy grace
To answer Thy design,
When the threatening world to face,
And when their rage decline;
Far from rashness as from fear
I would not, Lord, myself expose,
Would not shrink from danger near,
Or dare, or dread my foes.
Thou by Thy example guide
And certify my heart
When I shall the storm abide,
And when I should depart:
Let me till Thy time is come,
From place to place Thy follower fly,
Fly, till Thou recall me home,
And then stand still and die.
1685.
[Wandering souls, lift up your eyes]
Jesus . . . being wearied with His journey, &c.
—iv. 6.
Wandering souls, lift up your eyes,
Mark Him fainting on the road,
Him who made both earth and skies,
Wonder at the wearied God!
God descending from above,
Takes your flesh and frailties too,
Wearied in the toil of love,
Wearied in pursuing you.
Jesus, we Thy mercy bless,
Gladly in our service tired,
By Thy toil and weariness
Rest Thou hast for us acquired;
Thy fatigue our souls relieves
Long with Satan's yoke oppress'd,
Rest from sin and fear it gives,
Present, and eternal rest.
1686.
[Weary on the well reclined]
Weary on the well reclined,
Mercy in Thy weariness,
Mercy in Thy rest we find;
Then Thou stay'st to grant Thy peace,
Waitest there to seize Thy stray,
Rest and pardon to bestow,
Wearied with her sinful way
That she may her Saviour know.
Welcome weariness and pain!
Servant of Thy church and Thee,
Saviour shall I not sustain
That Thou didst sustain for me?
Let my toil advance Thy praise,
My repose resemble Thine,
Tend to minister Thy grace,
Serve the blessed cause Divine.
1687.
[He asks that He may give]
Give Me to drink.
—iv. 7.
He asks that He may give,
His creature's wants relieve,
Drink He earnestly desires,
Water He vouchsafes to crave,
Souls, His vehement Spirit requires,
Thirsts expiring souls to save.
1688.
[Contrary sects we see]
The Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
—iv. 9.
Contrary sects we see
In this alone agree,
Sects that bear the Christian name,
Each from each in heart removed,
Mutual intercourse disclaim,
Hate the souls whom God hath loved.
As heretics and foes
Each other they oppose,
Every church the chosen race,
Every party is the bride,
Strangers, enemies to grace,
Heathens all the world beside.
1689.
[Jesus, the gift Divine I know]
If thou knewest the gift of God, . . . thou wouldest, &c.
—iv. 10.
Jesus, the gift Divine I know,
The gift Divine I ask of Thee;
The living water now bestow,
Thy Spirit and Thyself on me:
Thou, Lord, of life the Fountain art:
O could I find Thee in my heart!
Thee let me drink, and thirst no more
For drops of finite happiness:
Spring up, O Well, in heavenly power,
In streams of pure perennial peace,
In joy which none can take away,
In life which shall for ever stay.
1690.
[Joy in our enjoyments here]
Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again.
—iv. 13.
Joy in our enjoyments here
Cannot alas be found,
Tired the gazing eye, the ear
Is glutted with the sound,
Passions with their food increase
And higher by indulgence rise,
Every creature promises,
But nothing satisfies.
Drinking cannot quench or cool
The fever of desire;
Thus inflamed the thirsty soul
Doth more and more require:
Tortured thus by gnawing pains,
And scorch'd with fire unquenchable,
Here the restless sinner gains
An antepast of hell.
1691.
[Thou promisest Thyself to' impart]
But . . . the water that I shall give him shall, &c.
—iv. 14.
Thou promisest Thyself to' impart
To all who ask Thyself of Thee,
Open the fountain in my heart,
Spring up, O Well of life, in me!
The Root and Principle of grace,
In me let Thy good Spirit abide,
Renew in perfect holiness,
And add me to the glorified.
Not like a sudden transient flood,
But fix'd and permanent and sure,
The grace Thou hast on me bestow'd
Deep let it in my soul endure,
Swift to its source celestial move,
Freely fulfil Thy whole design
With all the' activity of love,
With all the powers of life Divine.
1692.
[Religion true to visit earth]
Religion true to visit earth
In pure Divinity descends,
But mindful of its heavenly birth,
To heaven in all its motions tends;
Returning to its bless'd abode,
It mingles with the crystal sea,
It bears my spirit back to God,
My God through all eternity.
1693.
[Prince and Saviour of mankind]
Thou hast had five husbands; and he whom, &c.
—iv. 18.
Prince and Saviour of mankind,
Giver of repentance true,
Bring my secret sins to mind,
Drag them into open view,
Show me what I dread to know,
To himself the sinner show.
What I cannot hide from Thee,
From myself I hide in vain:
Give me, Lord, myself to see,
Break my heart with grief and pain,
Then my guilty load remove,
Then reveal Thy pardoning love.
1694.
[Sprinkled with the' atoning blood]
We know what we worship: for salvation is, &c.
—iv. 22.
Sprinkled with the' atoning blood
By faith Divine applied,
Knowingly we worship God
In Jesus pacified,
Inward Jews our Lord confess,
(Whose temples pure our bodies are,)
In the spirit of fervent praise,
And sacrificial prayer.
1695.
[Ritual services are pass'd]
The hour cometh, and now is, when the true, &c.
—iv. 23
Ritual services are pass'd
The shadows fled away,
God is manifest at last,
And brings the gospel day;
Worship spiritual and true
The God of holiness ordains,
Works in man to will and do;
And pure religion reigns.
God's accepted worshipper
Begotten from above,
Breathes the spirit of grace and prayer,
Of humble faith and love;
All His saints the law fulfil
Engraven on their inward parts,
Sanctified by Jesu's will,
They give Him all their hearts.
Such the Father seeks and owns
His worshippers indeed,
Such He calls His genuine sons,
Who in His footsteps tread:
Such on earth He cannot find,
Unless He forms us by His grace,
Makes us one in heart and mind
With Christ our righteousness.
1696.
[Thou, O God, a spirit art]
God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him, &c.
—iv. 24.
Thou, O God, a spirit art,
Whose glory fills the sky.
Breathe within my childlike heart,
And there “My Father” cry!
Come in Christ and fill the place
With Wisdom and effectual Power,
Thee I then shall truly praise,
And worthily adore.
All my powers shall then be brought
Into captivity,
Every passion, every thought
Shall bow, and worship Thee,
Thee mine inmost soul shall bless,
Like angels worshipping above,
Silent at Thy feet confess
The' o'erwhelming force of love!
1697.
[Jesus, Lord, for Thee I stay]
Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee, &c.
—iv. 26.
Jesus, Lord, for Thee I stay,
Come and take my sins away,
Manifest the Deity,
“I who speak to souls am He”!
Speak eternal God to mine,
Light of life, in darkness shine:
Thou the true Messiah art,
Teach by living in my heart.
1698.
[A wonder of grace To angels and men!]
His disciples . . . marvelled that He talked with, &c.
—iv. 27.
A wonder of grace To angels and men!
The Ancient of days With mortals is seen,
With sinners converses, His Spirit imparts,
His numberless mercies Makes known to our hearts.
No matter how vile The sinner has been;
His word and His smile Redeems us from sin,
With kind conversation He comforts the worst,
And shows His salvation To profligates first.
1699.
[See a soul with pardon bless'd]
The woman then left her waterpot, and went, &c.
—iv. 28.
See a soul with pardon bless'd,
Freely saved by grace alone!
Knowing Christ, she cannot rest,
Till she makes her Saviour known.
Changed by one almighty word,
Earthly things she leaves behind,
This the' Apostle of the Lord,
Lord of her, and all mankind.
1700.
[Jesus keeps the soul in view]
His disciples prayed Him, saying, Master, eat.
—iv. 31.
Jesus keeps the soul in view
His converted messenger,
Doth in mind and heart pursue,
Fills with zeal and acts in her,
Acts on those to whom He sends,
Those He for His Father seeks;
Still upon her tongue attends,
Blesses every word she speaks.
Souls to win is Jesu's meat;
Jesus thus instructs His own
Nature's cravings to forget,
Living not by bread alone:
Preachers by the gospel live,
Feed on that themselves dispense,
Strength and nourishment receive,
More than life derive from thence.
1701.
[But if Thou the Father show]
I have meat to eat that ye know not of.
—iv. 32.
But if Thou the Father show,
Manifest to me His love,
I the hidden meat shall know,
I my Master's joy shall prove,
Feast with Thee on heavenly food:
Heaven on earth is serving God.
1702.
[Jesus, we now with pure delight]
Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, &c.
—iv. 35.
Jesus, we now with pure delight
Lift up our eyes and see
The gospel fields to harvest white,
The crowds that flock to Thee:
Call'd by Thy ministers they run,
With eager haste to find
The promised Christ, the God unknown,
The Saviour of mankind.
1703.
[The reaper of Thy fields receives]
He that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth, &c.
—iv. 36.
The reaper of Thy fields receives
In part his wages here,
Thrice happy in Thy service lives,
Thy Spirit's minister;
His heart Thy peace and blessing glads,
With joy he labours on,
And every added convert adds
A jewel to his crown.
He gathers fruit who sinners wins,
And fruit that shall remain,
While souls redeem'd from all their sins
With him the prize obtain;
Who many turns to righteousness,
To Him the grace is given,
To honour God by his success,
To gain and people heaven.
The earnest of his glorious hire
He humbly holds it fast,
Till bless'd with all his heart's desire,
With joys that ever last,
When all who sow'd the gospel word
With all the reapers meet,
And in the presence of their Lord
Behold their bliss complete.
1704.
[The prophets spake of Jesu's grace]
Herein is that saying true, One soweth, and, &c.
—iv. 37, 38.
The prophets spake of Jesu's grace,
The seed immortal sow'd;
The' apostles reap'd the ransom'd race,
And brought a world to God.
The prophets and apostles too
For us the way prepared,
And if their footsteps we pursue
We share their full reward.
1705.
[Jesus a sinful soul converts]
Many of the Samaritans . . . believed on Him, &c.
—iv. 39.
Jesus a sinful soul converts
And sends her to convert the men,
Master of all His creatures' hearts;
His power is thus in weakness seen,
And thus His counsel to fulfil,
The' Almighty sends by whom He will.
Shall men, the great, the learn'd, and wise
His feeble instrument disdain,
(Whoe'er of Jesus testifies)
Or wisdom from a woman gain?
And gladly at her bidding go
Their Saviour from Himself to know?
1706.
[Call'd by Thy gospel messenger]
Now we believe, not because of thy saying, &c.
—iv. 42.
Call'd by Thy gospel messenger
We gladly his report believe,
But when of Thine own mouth we hear
The truth we savingly receive,
And partners of Thy Spirit know
That God is manifest below.
By that unspoken word of Thine
Thou dost Thy Deity reveal,
The Saviour of the world is mine,
Saved from my sins I surely feel
The real Christ of God Thou art,
Thy unction speaks it in my heart.
1707.
[The father's fondness for his son]
He went unto Him, and besought Him that, &c.
—iv. 47.
The father's fondness for his son,
His forwardness to ask a sign,
False notions of the God unknown
Which would the' Omnipotent confine,
Jesus with kind compassion sees,
His weaknesses with meekness bears,
Relieves a sinner in distress,
And grants his most imperfect prayers.
1708.
[He spake, and Jesus' word alone]
Jesus saith, . . . Go thy way; thy son liveth, &c.
—iv. 50.
He spake, and Jesus' word alone
Effects the double miracle,
The distant body of the son,
The father's heart, a word can heal;
Credence to God the father gives
Heal'd of his incredulity,
His son restored to health believes,
Believes the cure he doth not see.
1709.
[His word, the sign of Jesus' will]
The father knew that it was at the same hour, &c.
—iv. 53.
His word, the sign of Jesus' will,
Performs the thing it signifies,
The power omnipotent to heal
His efficacious word applies;
Say to me, Lord, thy soul is heal'd,
And heal'd it shall this moment be,
And with Thy sinless spirit fill'd,
I live a sacrifice to Thee.
1710.
['Tis not enough for me to know]
Himself believed, and his whole house.
—iv. 53.
'Tis not enough for me to know
The things which God for me hath done,
His works I should to others show,
And make His mighty wonders known,
I cannot hide them in my heart,
I must proclaim His power abroad,
His miracles of grace assert,
And give the glory all to God.
The faith which in my heart I feel,
I humbly with my mouth confess,
That others too His praise may tell,
My Saviour's witnesses increase,
That all His family beneath
May magnify, with those above,
The God who saves our souls from death,
The quickening power of dying Love.
CHAPTER V.
1711.
[O Jesus, I see]
There is at Jerusalem . . . a pool, which is called, &c.
—v. 2.
O Jesus, I see
My Bethesda in Thee;
Thou art full of compassion and mercy for me:
Thy blood is the pool
Both for body and soul,
And whoever steps in is made perfectly whole.
1712.
[Jesus, Thou art the House of Grace]
In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, &c.
—v. 3.
Jesus, Thou art the House of Grace
Where all our sin-distemper'd race
A cure for every ill may find,
Those that in mercy's porch attend,
Till Thy balsamic power descend
To heal the sick and halt and blind:
A time to Thee who dare not set,
But Thy appointed season wait,
And long and pray to be made whole,
Till the good Spirit from the sky
Come down the' atoning blood to' apply,
And plunge us in the crimson pool.
1713.
[Angel, and Porch, and Pool Thou art]
An angel went down at a certain season into the, &c.
—v. 4.
Angel, and Porch, and Pool Thou art,
And when Thou dost Thy zeal exert,
And stir Thine own compassions up,
The lazar-soul that comes to Thee
Is heal'd of his infirmity,
Is made partaker of his hope.
Soon as Thy yearning bowels move,
Approaching in the time of love,
Whoe'er believes and enters in,
Though wither'd, impotent, and blind,
Is by the Healer of mankind
Saved, in a moment saved from sin.
1714.
[An impotent desire I feel]
Wilt thou be made whole?
—v. 6.
An impotent desire I feel
At times to be made whole,
But vain the help of man to heal
My long distemper'd soul:
The Angel-God must from the skies
Come down to cure my pain:
Come, Saviour, now, and bid me rise,
And never sin again.
1715.
[Thou dost my helpless case behold]
When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he, &c.
—v. 6.
Thou dost my helpless case behold
With pity's melting eye,
A soul unsaved, a sinner old,
Attach'd to earth I lie:
Weigh'd down with guilt, o'erwhelm'd, oppress'd,
I feebly mean to pray,
And ere I utter my request,
Thou know'st what I would say.
The ulcers which I hide from man,
I cannot hide from Thee,
Who know'st my sinfulness and pain,
My life of misery;
Born, altogether born in sin,
In sin I still abide,
And heal'd I never yet have been,
Or felt Thy blood applied.
Such is the desperate wickedness
Of this deceitful heart,
In love alas! with my disease,
From sin I will not part;
My nature doth to sin alone
Continually incline;
Let Thy effectual will be shown,
And that shall conquer mine.
1716.
[Thy word enables me to rise]
Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
—v. 8.
Thy word enables me to rise,
Sin and the' occasions to forsake,
Thy word my pardon'd soul supplies
With strength Thy work to undertake;
And lo, I walk, to health restored,
In all the footsteps of my Lord.
1717.
[Why hast Thou, Saviour, by Thy grace]
And immediately the man was made whole, &c.
—v. 9.
Why hast Thou, Saviour, by Thy grace
The miracle of healing shown,
But that I may Thy goodness praise,
The way of Thy commandments run,
With steady zeal my Guide pursue,
And bear Thine utmost will and do?
1718.
[Whene'er Thou dost a sinner heal]
And on the same day was the sabbath.
—v. 9.
Whene'er Thou dost a sinner heal
Languid, and weary, and oppress'd,
His pardon he exults to feel,
Enters into the sacred rest,
And antedates the joy above,
The sabbath of eternal love.
1719.
[Saviour who by Thy balmy blood]
He that made me whole, the same said unto, &c.
—v. 11.
Saviour who by Thy balmy blood
Hast all my sins and sorrows heal'd,
My soul Thou hast with strength endued,
Thy mercy and Thine arm reveal'd,
And bless'd me with sufficient grace
To walk in all Thy righteous ways.
If man forbid, and Thou enjoin,
Thy word shall my direction be,
I own the' authority Divine,
Take up my cross and follow Thee,
Till fashion'd like my Head I rise
And find my mansion in the skies.
1720.
[The Man whose word is life and power]
What man is that which said unto thee, &c.
—v. 12.
The Man whose word is life and power,
Whose word, and will, and act are one,
Who only could to health restore,
And fill my soul with strength unknown,
The Man who hath my sins forgiven
He bids me walk with Him to heaven.
1721.
[But I my good Physician know]
He that was healed wist not who it was.
—v. 13.
But I my good Physician know,
Whose blood was shed to buy my cure,
Whose grace the pardon did bestow
And seal'd it on my conscience sure;
My soul to save from heaven He came,
And heal'd by telling me His name.
1722.
[The Saviour still delights to find]
Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, &c.
—v. 15.
The Saviour still delights to find
His patients in the house of prayer,
Shows Himself good, and doubly kind
To all that humbly seek Him there,
Their souls with grace confirming meets,
Their cure continues and completes.
For Thee I in Thy temple stay,
For Thee before Thine altar lie;
Thou Lamb who bear'st my guilt away,
Wilt Thou not further sanctify,
Give always what Thou once didst give,
And in mine inmost essence live?
Tell me again that Thou hast heal'd
The worst of all the sin-sick race,
Assure me of my pardon seal'd,
Repeat the word of saving grace,
And bid me in Thy Spirit's power
Go conquering on, and sin no more.
Continual need of Thee I have
My faith to give, confirm, increase;
I sink, if Thou forbear to save
Relapse into my old disease,
Lose all my power and life and zeal,
And justly claim the fiercest hell.
But O I never, never need
Thy grace abuse and sin again,
I may from strength to strength proceed;
I shall the promised help obtain,
Retrieve the perfect health of love,
And take my place prepared above.
1723.
[God over all for ever bless'd]
My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
—v. 17.
God over all for ever bless'd,
Jehovah and Jehovah's Son,
From doing good Thou canst not rest,
With Thine eternal Father one:
His works of grace shall never cease,
The property of Love Divine
Is to communicate and bless,
And all His attributes are Thine.
Thy providence preserves, maintains,
And rules the universe it made,
Thy Spirit moves, and acts, and reigns
In all that hang upon Thine aid:
Thy Father is in Thee employ'd;
Thou dost His works, and Thou alone;
The power and majesty of God,
Essence and will is all Thine own.
1724.
[Because Thou sav'st us from our fall]
Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill, &c.
—v. 18.
Because Thou sav'st us from our fall,
Thy foes against Thy life conspire,
Because Thou dost Thy Father call
Thy proper, own, eternal Sire:
Thou dost Thy Godhead testify
Thy power Divine on sinners prove,
An Equal of the Lord Most-High,
A Martyr both of truth and love.
'Tis thus the world Thy love repays,
Which makes to dying sinners known
The truth that saves our ruin'd race,
Uplifting rebels to a throne;
And all who dare the truth defend
The treatment of their Lord receive,
And all who on their God depend
Are deem'd by men not fit to live.
1725.
[O glorious inability]
The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what, &c.
—v. 19.
O glorious inability
Which shows the perfect power supreme!
He cannot work distinct from Thee,
Thou canst not work distinct from Him:
In virtue, mind, and nature one,
Beyond the reach of human thought,
Whate'er is by Thy Father done,
By Thee is in that instant wrought.
He shows and does the work Divine,
At once Thou seest and dost the same:
Thy act is His, and His is Thine:
He is, Thou art, the great I AM!
Incomprehensible we own
The' adorable necessity:
Nor He nor Thou canst act alone,
No more than God can cease to be.
1726.
[Sole Object of Thy Father's love]
For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth, &c.
—v. 20, 21.
Sole Object of Thy Father's love,
A draught of all His great designs
From Him Thou hast received above,
And dost whate'er His will enjoins;
Equal to His, Thou show'st Thy power
Omnipotent the dead to raise,
Bodies Thou canst, and souls restore
To all the vigorous life of grace.
Thou dost on whom Thou wilt bestow
The various life derived from Thee;
Thee Thy believing people know
Fountain of immortality,
Thy sovereign Godhead we confess,
By whom the Holy Ghost is given,
And then the plenitude of grace,
And then the' eternal life of heaven.
1727.
[Eternal Judge of quick and dead]
The Father . . . hath committed all judgment unto, &c.
—v. 22.
Eternal Judge of quick and dead
Thee, Jesus, I my Lord adore,
From whom my sentence must proceed,
And tremble at Thy boundless power!
Judge me not in Thy wrath severe,
But in the mildness of Thy grace
Afflict, rebuke, and chasten here,
But never drive me from Thy face.
1728.
[Thee, Jesus, God supreme, the Son]
That all men should honour the Son, even as, &c.
—v. 23.
Thee, Jesus, God supreme, the Son,
Even as the Father we adore,
Equal to the Most-High we own
The same in majesty and power;
In Thee His character express,
The brightness of His glory see:
And will no other God confess,
No other God adore, but Thee.
1729.
[Bless'd with the faith that works by love]
He that . . . believeth . . . hath everlasting life.
—v. 24.
Bless'd with the faith that works by love,
Bless'd with eternal life Thou art,
Thou hast the life of those above,
The seed of glory in Thy heart:
For God in Christ is love to man,
And when to the believer given,
The soul doth in itself contain
The essence and the bliss of heaven.
1730.
[When Jesus first pronounced the word]
The hour is coming, and now is, when the, &c.
—v. 25.
When Jesus first pronounced the word,
They found the Resurrection come,
Dead bodies heard their quickening Lord,
And Lazarus forsook the tomb;
Dead souls He every day doth raise:
They hear His voice, and faith receive,
And live the sinless life of grace,
And soon the life of heaven shall live.
1731.
[I cannot doubt the power Divine]
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, &c.
—v. 28, 29.
I cannot doubt the power Divine
Dead souls, or bodies dead to save;
Death oft hath heard that voice of Thine,
Heard from the bed, the bier, the grave:
That voice our mouldering dust again
Shall from earth's lowest centre hear,
And ocean pay its debt of man,
And all before Thy throne appear.
1732.
[And shall mere man of men demand]
If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true.
—v. 31.
And shall mere man of men demand,
His saying simply to receive,
Before the proofs we understand,
Before we see the witness live,
And evidence his sins forgiven
By walking like an heir of heaven?
We ought not to his word alone
Or confident assertions trust;
The life must join to make it known,
The works to show the doer just,
And all the Spirit's fruits to prove
A Christian perfected in love.
1733.
[He spake that they might hear]
These things I say, that ye might be saved.
—v. 34.
He spake that they might hear,
And faith by hearing come,
He spake with kind intent sincere
To save and not to doom;
With real serious will
He wish'd them justified,
Who in their sins continued still
Till in their sins they died.
1734.
[A minister should burn and shine]
He was a burning and a shining light, &c.
—v. 35.
A minister should burn and shine
Inflamed with pure celestial love,
Glad to impart the light Divine
Himself enlighten'd from above
His life should our instruction be,
One exercise of fervent zeal,
That all the light of truth may see,
That all the fire of love may feel.
Joyful to see the light appear,
If Christ His minister ordain,
The world admire, the adders hear,
And dart into the dark again:
They soon against conviction fight,
The unaccepted truth repel,
And quench the burning shining light
Who shows their works the works of hell.
1735.
[The judgment blind of erring man]
I have greater witness than that of John: for, &c.
—v. 36.
The judgment blind of erring man,
The verbal testimony's vain,
Unless our actions testify
And more substantial proof supply:
But when our faith by works is show'd,
When all our works are wrought in God,
His record then the world receive;
They must behold how Christians live.
1736.
[Who in the Saviour sent confides]
Ye have not His word abiding in you: for, &c.
—v. 38.
Who in the Saviour sent confides,
In him the' engrafted word abides,
He hath the great Jehovah seen,
And heard the voice of God to man;
By faith the' Unsearchable he knows,
And daily in the knowledge grows,
Till pure from sin his soul ascends,
And faith fill'd up in vision ends.
1737.
[Christ Himself the precept gives]
Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think, &c.
—v. 39.
Christ Himself the precept gives,
(Let who will the word despise,)
Bids me in the sacred leaves
Trace the way to paradise,
All His oracles explore,
Read, and pray them o'er and o'er.
Who with true humility
Seek Him in the written word,
Christ in every page they see,
See, and apprehend their Lord;
Every scripture makes Him known,
Testifies of Christ alone.
Here I cannot seek in vain;
Digging deep into the mine,
Hidden treasure I obtain
Pure, eternal Life Divine,
Find Him in His Spirit given,
Christ the Way, the Truth of Heaven.
1738.
[Will they not? alas for them]
Ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life.
—v. 40.
Will they not? alas for them,
Dead in sin who Christ refuse!
He did all the world redeem,
All unto salvation choose:
Sinners come, with me receive
All the grace He waits to give.
In ourselves the hindrance lies,
Stopp'd by our own stubborn will;
He His love to none denies,
He with love pursues us still:
Sinners come, and find with me
Only heaven in His decree.
1739.
[Coming in Thy great Father's name]
If another shall come in his own name, &c.
—v. 43.
Coming in Thy great Father's name
Who first rejected Thee
Allow'd each bold impostor's claim
With blind credulity:
And still we see the world that can
God and His truth deny,
They greedily assent to man,
They all believe a lie.
1740.
[Ye patient of applause and fame]
How can ye believe, which receive honour, &c.
—v. 44.
Ye patient of applause and fame,
Bold to usurp the Christian name,
No more your souls deceive;
Who seek the praise that comes from men,
Ye boast your hearsay faith in vain;
Ye cannot yet believe.
By fellow-worms caress'd, beloved,
Ye cannot be by God approved,
Vile favourites of His foe,
Who incense from the world receive,
In fair repute and honour live,
And have your lot below.
Awake out of your pleasing dream,
Renounce yourselves, the world's esteem,
The world's reproach despise;
As sojourners on earth unknown,
Wish to be praised by God alone,
Your Father in the skies.
Your pride and want of faith lament,
And then believe whom God hath sent
To speak your sins forgiven;
Your sinful nature to remove,
And perfected in humble love
To give you thrones in heaven.
CHAPTER VI.
1741.
[I the miracles have seen]
And a great multitude followed Him, because, &c.
—vi. 2.
I the miracles have seen
Wrought in these Thy Spirit's days
On the sin-sick souls of men,
Miracles of healing grace;
Wherefore with the multitude
Saviour, Lord, I follow Thee,
Let Thine ancient works be show'd,
O repeat them all on me.
1742.
[Jesus here His wisdom shows]
Jesus went up into a mountain.
—vi. 3.
Jesus here His wisdom shows
Mix'd with tenderness of love,
Not to urge His envious foes
Doth out of their sight remove;
Silent, He declines applause,
Pious to the mount retreats,
Humbly from the world withdraws,
Meekly with His followers sits.
1743.
[Satan tempts our faith to' o'erthrow]
This He said to prove him.
—vi. 6.
Satan tempts our faith to' o'erthrow,
Christ to strengthen and improve,
That we may our weakness know
With the virtue of His love;
Gracious souls by want He tries,
Takes upon Himself their cares,
Then abundantly supplies,
Tells them all He has is theirs.
1744.
[Less will in His hands suffice]
There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves.
—vi. 9.
Less will in His hands suffice,
Who the corn doth yearly bless,
Grains to harvests multiplies,
Gives the hundred-fold increase:
Careful for all living things,
God, whose providential call
From earth's fruitful bosom brings
Food and nourishment for all.
God omnipotently near
Leaves us first our wants to feel,
Then He doth for us appear,
Then He doth His arm reveal:
Succour'd in our greatest need,
Learn we thus His grace to prize,
At His hands receive the bread
Sent as manna from the skies.
1745.
[God commands the grass to grow]
Now there was much grass in the place.
—vi. 10.
God commands the grass to grow,
Fodder to the cattle gives,
Yet His noblest work below,
Man, His goodness disbelieves.
Anxious for thy family,
Doubtful of thy Saviour's power,
Thousands fed by Jesus see,
Fed that thou may'st doubt no more.
Countless miracles unseen
Daily are by Jesus done,
That the careful sons of men
May confide in Him alone,
May their gracious Owner know,
God who answers the request,
Feeds His family below,
Leads them to an endless feast.
1746.
[Hungering after heavenly food]
He distributed to the disciples, and the disciples, &c.
—vi. 11.
Hungering after heavenly food
If we for the blessing stay,
He that fed the famish'd crowd
Sends us not unbless'd away:
Waiting on our bounteous Lord
Who our faith's obedience prove,
Jesus feasts us by His word,
Fills our hearts with joy and love.
1747.
[Gather we still the fragments up]
Gather up the fragments.
—vi. 12.
Gather we still the fragments up
Which from our Master's table fall,
The small remains of faith and hope,
The sacred crumbs, preserve them all:
Let not one gracious thought be lost;
The faintest, least desire of good
More than a thousand worlds it cost,
It cost the Lamb His richest blood.
1748.
[Poor fainting souls our Lord relieves]
They . . . filled twelve baskets with the fragments.
—vi. 13.
Poor fainting souls our Lord relieves,
And thus our unbelief confounds,
Above what we can hope He gives,
His grace miraculous abounds,
His blessing all our wants exceeds;
And he who ministers the word
Himself enriches, while he feeds
The hungry followers of his Lord.
1749.
[How long hast Thou vouchsafed to feed]
When they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, &c.
—vi. 14.
How long hast Thou vouchsafed to feed
Thy followers in the wilderness!
And yet I know Thee not indeed
Nor truly by my life confess;
Prophet Divine, raised up for me,
Thine utmost power of love exert,
Then shall I all Thy wonders see,
And hear my Teacher in my heart.
1750.
[Thou dost all worldly state decline]
When Jesus . . . perceived that they would come, &c.
—vi. 15.
Thou dost all worldly state decline,
Thee, I by holy violence take,
Present my heart Thy humble shrine,
And Thee my King by faith I make;
Thou promisest my King to be,
Thou cam'st from heaven, to dwell with man,
And wilt not hide Thyself from me,
But in my ravish'd bosom reign.
Accomplish then Thy love's design,
Set up Thy gracious kingdom here,
And stamp'd with holiness Divine
I bear Thy royal character;
I sink baptized into Thy name,
All earthly dignities despise,
And singly seek with steadfast aim
A crown of glory in the skies.
1751.
[He who rules the lower air]
It is I; be not afraid.
—vi. 20.
He who rules the lower air
Stirs up the troubled sea,
Tempts and urges to despair,
But cannot conquer me;
Cannot; for my present Lord
(When passion and the world runs high)
Speaks the comfortable word
And tells my heart 'T is I!
1752.
[Hurricanes the ship defies]
Then they willingly received Him into the ship, &c.
—vi. 21.
Hurricanes the ship defies,
If Thou art in the ship,
Swiftly toward the haven flies,
And bounds along the deep!
Saviour, in Thy church appear,
Give all our hearts Thy voice to know,
Then redeem'd from sin and fear
We to perfection go.
Borne upon the wings of love,
We in Thy Spirit's might
Swiftly to our centre move
And urge our rapid flight:
Life is in a moment o'er,
While all Thy saints of Thee possess'd
Reach with shouts the happy shore,
And on Thy bosom rest.
1753.
[The world with useless care]
Labour not for the meat which perisheth.
—vi. 27.
The world with useless care
Throughout their life's short day,
That perishable meat prepare,
That wealth which cannot stay;
But few their pains bestow
As creatures born to die,
And feed by faith on Christ below,
Till to His throne they fly.
1754.
[Thou art that Bread of life]
But for that meat which endureth.
—vi. 27.
Thou art that Bread of life,
That meat which shall remain!
Be it our only care and strife
Thy blessed Self to gain:
Give, Lord, and always give
The' immortalising food,
And strengthen us by grace to live
The glorious life of God.
1755.
[Hast thou indeed done well?]
What shall we do, that we might work the, &c.
—vi. 28.
Hast thou indeed done well?
The action is not thine;
The Spirit is its principle,
Its rule the will Divine;
To Him from whom it flow'd
It doth directly tend,
Wrought in the power and love of God
His glory is its end.
1756.
[The first great work of God]
This is the work of God, that ye believe on, &c.
—vi. 29.
The first great work of God
Is in my heart begun,
Who now believe Thou hast bestow'd
On me Thy darling Son;
Hast sent Him from the sky,
That sinners may receive
The Man who lived for all to die,
Who died in all to live.
Father of all, in me
The heavenly gift increase,
The faith that works by charity
And teems with holiness;
That having done Thy will
I the reward may gain,
And meet my Saviour on the hill,
And in His presence reign.
1757.
[Wonders we daily see]
What sign shewest Thou then, that we may see, &c.
—vi. 30.
Wonders we daily see
Of power and grace Divine,
Yet blind through infidelity
We still demand a sign:
Thou giv'st the sign required,
Thou dost the veil remove,
And with Thy Spirit's life inspired
We see, believe, and love.
1758.
[Moses could not give the Bread]
Moses gave you not that bread from heaven, &c.
—vi. 32.
Moses could not give the Bread
Nor yet the sign bestow,
Jesus doth from God proceed,
His Gift to all below:
Who that precious Gift receives,
Sent from the Father's throne above,
Eats the manna true and lives
The life of sinless love.
1759.
[Bread of God, for Thee I lift]
The bread of God is He which cometh down, &c.
—vi. 33.
Bread of God, for Thee I lift
My hungry longing heart,
The true Bread, the Father's Gift
To all the world Thou art;
Thou bestow'd on all mankind,
Dost sinners dead to life restore;
Thee reveal'd by faith we find,
And live for evermore.
1760.
[Lord, they ask'd a good unknown]
Then said they unto Him, Lord, evermore give, &c.
—vi. 34.
Lord, they ask'd a good unknown
Which Thou wouldst not deny:
Thee, that living Bread we own
That Manna from the sky;
Thee we every moment need,
To' increase the life inspired by Thee,
Feed our spirit still, and feed
Through all eternity.
1761.
[Thee the Principle and Food]
I am the bread of life.
—vi. 35.
Thee the Principle and Food
Of life Divine we bless;
Raise in us the life of God,
Of faith and righteousness;
Mix'd, incorporated with man,
Our grace continually improve,
Still with fresh supplies sustain,
And raise to perfect love.
1762.
[End of our enlarged desires]
He that cometh to Me shall never hunger, &c.
—vi. 35.
End of our enlarged desires,
Eternal Verity,
Nothing more the soul requires
Which knows and feeds on Thee,
Bless'd, beyond conception bless'd,
Partaker with the saints above,
Here enthroned in heavenly rest,
And satisfied with love.
1763.
[God made man on earth appear'd]
Ye also have seen Me, and believe not.
—vi. 36.
God made man on earth appear'd,
And mighty wonders wrought;
Sinners saw their Lord and heard,
And yet believed Him not:
Still Thy Spirit, Lord, is near,
Yet still unknown to me Thou art
Till Thou giv'st the hearing ear,
And preachest to my heart.
Now Thy miracles of grace
Repeat O God in me,
Now reveal Thy lovely face
And give me eyes to see;
Present with Thy servant dwell,
Into mine inmost spirit given,
Give me in Thyself to feel
The hidden life of heaven.
1764.
[Thy Father gave Thee all mankind]
All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me, &c.
—vi. 37.
Thy Father gave Thee all mankind:
But drawn by unresisted grace
Who follow on their Lord to find,
Their Lord they surely shall embrace;
To those dear wounds for refuge flee,
And full salvation gain in Thee.
The soul that would on Thee rely,
Jesus, Thou never wilt disdain;
Or leave him in his sins to die,
But purged from every guilty stain
With open arms of love receive,
For ever in Thy joy to live.
Saviour, for Thy own promise sake,
Vouchsafe the blessing I implore,
Me, me into Thy favour take,
To perfect holiness restore,
And to Thy Father's house admit,
And give me on Thy throne to sit.
1765.
[Be it according to Thy word]
Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.
—vi. 37.
Be it according to Thy word;
To Thee by faith I come:
Receive me to Thy mercy, Lord,
And to Thy heavenly home.
1766.
[Descending from Thy Father's throne]
I came down from heaven . . . to do . . . the will of, &c.
—vi. 38.
Descending from Thy Father's throne,
Thou cam'st to execute His will,
The souls peculiarly Thine own
To bless, and sanctify, and seal;
And raise whoe'er His voice obey,
Thy saints triumphant in that day.
1767.
[Wast Thou not sent, my Lord, for me?]
And this is the Father's will which hath sent, &c.
—vi. 39.
Wast Thou not sent, my Lord, for me?
And did not the Paternal grace
Give this poor helpless soul to Thee?
Receive me then to Thine embrace,
And place me by Thy side above,
To glorify Thy faithful love.
1768.
[Who can resist the' almighty will]
This is the will of Him that sent Me, &c.
—vi. 40.
Who can resist the' almighty will,
Or frustrate what our God ordains?
The practical believer still
Eternal life in Christ obtains,
And faithful unto death shall rise,
To share His kingdom in the skies.
Salvation is of faith alone,
And who by faith my Saviour see,
I have the Life, I have the Son,
The glorious hope reveal'd in me:
And when my Friend the Judge comes down,
I mount, and claim the promised crown.
1769.
[Father Thou hast our hearts inclined]
No man can come to Me, except the Father, &c.
—vi. 44.
Father Thou hast our hearts inclined,
Or we had never sought Thy Son,
We still Thy powerful drawings find,
And cannot rest in grace begun;
Till Thou Thine own desires fulfil,
And Jesus in our hearts reveal.
To this, O God, Thou hast us wrought,
That now we might Thy Son confess;
Led by preventing grace and taught,
Add us to Jesu's witnesses;
Command the light of faith to shine,
And fear gives place to love Divine.
His Spirit send to seal us His,
As members of His body here,
Joint heirs of everlasting bliss,
That when He doth with clouds appear
We all may to His joy succeed,
And rise triumphant with our Head.
1770.
[Taught of Himself my God to fear]
Every man . . . that hath heard, and hath learned, &c.
—vi. 45.
Taught of Himself my God to fear,
Jesus, Thy Father's voice I hear,
The softly whispering grace,
Which bids me come as lost to Thee
For wisdom, peace, and liberty,
For life and righteousness.
1771.
[From His into Thy school receive]
Not that any man hath seen the Father, save, &c.
—vi. 46.
From His into Thy school receive,
And help me, Saviour, to believe,
In God with Thee the same;
Thou only dost the Father know,
Thou only canst to sinners show
His nature and His name.
Witness of truth, and Channel too,
The' Invisible appears in view,
If Thou Thyself reveal;
I then enjoy the blissful sight,
I see Him by Thy Spirit's light,
And all His goodness feel.
1772.
[Author of faith implant in me]
He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life.
—vi. 47.
Author of faith implant in me
That root of immortality,
That never failing root,
Whence every grace and virtue grow,
And then the' eternal life bestow,
The ripe celestial fruit.
But if in me reveal'd Thou art,
I have the earnest in my heart,
The witness and the seal:
Come then mine unbelief remove,
And by the Spirit of life and love
In me for ever dwell.
1773.
[Jesus that Bread of life we own]
I am that bread of life.
—vi. 48.
Jesus that Bread of life we own,
(Essential life which ne'er begun
And cannot cease to be,)
The Word of life, display'd above,
Begotten by His Father's love
From all eternity.
Jesus we own the angels' Bread
Before these heavens and earth were made,
And since our world began
Reveal'd in mortal flesh below
We all by faith may Jesus know
The Bread of life to man.
Author of faith and Finisher,
We taste His gracious sweetness here,
The manna of His love;
Sure antepast of heavenly bread,
Which shall our ravish'd spirits feed,
With endless life above.
1774.
[Form'd in the region of the air]
Your fathers did eat manna in the, &c.
—vi. 49–51.
Form'd in the region of the air,
The figure might their strength repair,
Awhile from death reprieve,
But the true Bread from heaven sent down,
Who taste in God's eternal Son,
We evermore shall live.
While in this wilderness we dwell,
Our living, quickening Principle,
Thou Saviour from above
Dost with Thyself vouchsafe to feed,
And daily through Thy members spread
The life of faith and love.
Long as eternal ages last,
Our food shall neither cloy nor waste,
Our souls with love supplied
Shall on Jehovah's fulness feast,
In Thee alone for ever bless'd,
For ever satisfied.
1775.
[The' unfathomable mystery!]
How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?
—vi. 52.
The' unfathomable mystery!
Let others ask how can it be:
The' imperishable meat
Which Thou to all wouldst freely give,
With prostrate reverence we receive,
Thy sacred flesh we eat.
The Fountain of my life, and Head,
The Victim dying in my stead,
That I Thy life may know;
Thyself in various ways design'd
To quicken me and all mankind,
Thou dost on all bestow.
1776.
[How blind the misconceiving crowd]
Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, &c.
—vi. 53.
How blind the misconceiving crowd,
Who in the literal substance dream
They eat Thy flesh, and drink Thy blood!
Alas there is no life in them:
And who partake the' external sign,
Without the hidden mystery,
They eat the bread, and drink the wine,
But never feed, O Lord, on Thee.
What is it then, Thy flesh to eat?
O give mine inmost soul to know
The nature of that heavenly meat,
Design'd to quicken all below:
What is it, Lord, to drink Thy blood?
Explain it to this heart of mine,
And fill me with the life of God,
The love, the holiness Divine.
1777.
[Who now His flesh and blood partake]
Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My, &c.
—vi. 54.
Who now His flesh and blood partake,
Partakers of the life Divine,
We soon shall see our Lord come back,
His members all in one to join;
And feeding on this living Bread,
This earnest of my glorious bliss,
I too shall rise to meet my Head;
I too shall see Him as He is.
1778.
[Saviour, Thy flesh is meat indeed!]
My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is, &c.
—vi. 55, 56.
Saviour, Thy flesh is meat indeed!
Thy nature to Thy church made known
Doth every saint with manna feed,
Till every saint with Thee is one,
Till blended with its heavenly food
The soul Thy gracious fulness feels,
And all transform'd we dwell in God,
And God in us for ever dwells.
1779.
[Stupendous miracle of love!]
As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live, &c.
—vi. 57.
Stupendous miracle of love!
Archangels cannot tell me how
I live by Thee, my life above,
As by the living Father Thou!
But sure as Thee through faith I eat,
Thy Spirit's substance I receive,
And one with my mysterious meat
Through all eternity shall live.
1780.
[Give me on Thee, the living Bread]
This is that bread which came down, &c.
—vi. 58.
Give me on Thee, the living Bread,
To live, till here my journey end,
Thou Bread of heaven, a pilgrim lead
To realms from which Thou didst descend:
Eternal Bread, the true desire
Of everlasting joys impart,
And my translated soul inspire
With all Thou hast, and all Thou art.
1781.
[Hard to conceive without Thy love]
This is an hard saying; who can bear it?
—vi. 60.
Hard to conceive without Thy love,
Impossible without Thy light,
Jesus, mine unbelief remove
That I may know the truth aright.
That Thou shouldst give Thy flesh to man,
Our reasoning pride can never bear;
Make Thy mysterious saying plain,
And teach my heart by dwelling there.
1782.
[Doubts may in true disciples rise]
When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples, &c.
—vi. 61.
Doubts may in true disciples rise;
They cannot, Lord, offended be,
Or like the murmuring world, despise
The truths not yet reveal'd by Thee:
By faith their scruples they suppress,
With meek humility submit,
And waiting for the light of grace,
Bewail their blindness at Thy feet.
1783.
[When Jesus in the clouds ye see]
What and if ye shall see the Son of man, &c.
—vi. 62.
When Jesus in the clouds ye see
Ascending to His pompous throne,
Enrobed in all His majesty
The Father's co-eternal Son,
Surrounded with His dazzling choir,
Blessing the church He leaves below;
No marvel if ye then inquire,
How can this God His flesh bestow?
1784.
[Thy word in the bare literal sense]
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth, &c.
—vi. 63.
Thy word in the bare literal sense,
Though heard ten thousand times, and read,
Can never of itself dispense
The saving power which wakes the dead:
The meaning spiritual and true
The learn'd expositor may give,
But cannot give the virtue too,
Or bid his own dead spirit live.
But breathing in the sacred leaves
If on the soul Thy Spirit move,
The re-begotten soul receives
The quickening power of faith and love;
Transmitted through the gospel-word
Whene'er the Holy Ghost is given,
The sinner hears, and feels restored
The life of holiness and heaven.
1785.
[Jesus, descended from the sky]
The words that I speak unto you, they are, &c.
—vi. 63.
Jesus, descended from the sky,
The power of God in man Thou art;
Thyself, to whom I now apply,
Speak Thy own words into my heart:
Thy words are more than empty sound,
Inseparably one with Thee;
Spirit in them, and life is found,
And all the depths of Deity.
While feebly gasping at Thy feet
A sinner in my sins I bow,
O might I now my Saviour meet,
And hear and feel Thy sayings now!
Speak, and Thy word the dead shall raise,
Shall me with spirit and life inspire;
Speak on, and fill my soul with grace,
And add me to Thy deathless choir.
1786.
[Faith is not on all bestow'd]
No man can come unto Me, except it were given, &c.
—vi. 65.
Faith is not on all bestow'd:
Thou who hast the grace received
Fear to lose the gift of God;
Thou who never hast believed
Hope that precious gift to' obtain,
Bought by Jesus on the tree,
Bought for every child of man,
Freely offer'd now to thee.
Drawn by efficacious grace
Toward thine unknown Saviour move,
Taught of God to seek His face,
Wait for His redeeming love:
When Thou dost the Son receive
Made by His great Father known,
Saved by sovereign mercy, give
All the praise to God alone.
1787.
[Souls are by temptation shown]
From that time many of His disciples went, &c.
—vi. 66.
Souls are by temptation shown
Jesus who awhile pursue;
Trials make them fully known,
Separate 'twixt the false and true:
Through Thy quick and powerful word,
Lord, Thou soundest every heart:
Then they feel the two-edged sword,
Then the hypocrites depart.
1788.
[Yes, unless Thou hold me fast]
Will ye also go away?
—vi. 67.
Yes, unless Thou hold me fast,
After all Thy love to me
I shall faithless prove at last,
Treacherously depart from Thee;
But that we may never part,
Hide me, hide me in Thine heart.
1789.
[Master, what a school is Thine!]
Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the, &c.
—vi. 68, 69.
Master, what a school is Thine!
Truth and life Thy words impart:
Thou Thyself the Truth Divine,
Thou the Life eternal art:
Both we by Thy teaching know,
Truly here we learn to live;
Here Thyself Thou dost bestow,
Light and love for ever give.
Whither shall we go from Thee,
Lord to whom for life repair?
All besides is misery,
Death, delusion, and despair;
Wherefore to Thyself we cleave,
Thee the living God we own,
Only by Thy Spirit live,
Find our heaven in Thee alone.
1790.
[Jesus, Thee I surely know]
We believe and are sure that Thou art that Christ.
—vi. 69.
Jesus, Thee I surely know
Son of God, and God Most-High;
Thou wast manifest below
Whom the angels glorify;
Partner of my flesh and blood,
God's eternal Son Thou art,
Christ, Thyself the' eternal God
Living, reigning in my heart.
1791.
[He leaves them all in humble fear]
Have not I chosen you twelve? and one of you, &c.
—vi. 70.
He leaves them all in humble fear,
While Judas He forbears to name,
That every faithful soul sincere
May ask if I the traitor am;
That each his helplessness may own,
Suspicious of himself alone.
O may I, Lord, with jealous care
Watch over my own feeble heart,
Mistrust myself, of sin beware,
And lest I should from Thee depart,
My soul into Thy keeping give,
And pray, and tremble, and believe.
CHAPTER VII.
1792.
[To' escape Thy persecuting foes]
Jesus . . . would not walk in Jewry, because the, &c.
—vii. 1.
To' escape Thy persecuting foes
Thy power Thou dost not interpose,
Or call for heaven's vindictive fire,
But yield, and quietly retire:
The death Thou dost at present shun,
Not fearfully from danger run,
But seek Thy Father's will to do,
And in His time to suffer too.
By Thee instructed we suppress
Our rash impatient eagerness,
Nor court the persecutor's sword,
But wait the season of our Lord,
Wisely from our destroyers flee,
Till stopp'd by the Divine decree
We suffer in the will of God,
And write our victory in our blood.
1793.
[The feast of tabernacles]
Now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand.
—vii. 2.
The feast of tabernacles
With joyful exultation
Thine Israel we
Observe to Thee
The God of our salvation;
From sin's Egyptian bondage
Who didst Thine own deliver,
Jesus we praise
Thy pardoning grace,
And love, that lives for ever.
We travel through this desert
Of trouble and vexation,
In booths remain,
Till we obtain
A lasting habitation;
The near celestial Canaan
To us by promise given,
The better feast,
The' eternal rest,
The inheritance of heaven.
1794.
[Who works the works of God]
If Thou do these things, show Thyself to the, &c.
—vii. 4.
Who works the works of God
Must oft expect to hear
The dire advice of flesh and blood,
“Before the world appear,
Go show thyself to man,
A champion in the cause,
For all thy piety is vain
Without the world's applause.”
But deaf to nature's voice,
Jesus we follow Thee,
And hidden from mankind, rejoice
In Thy obscurity.
Happy if Thou approve
Our works in secret done,
If by our humble faith and love
We please our God alone.
1795.
[Who love the praise of men]
For neither did His brethren believe in Him.
—vii. 5.
Who love the praise of men
Their unbelief confess,
Though walking in a shadow vain
Of formal godliness;
They slight the Saviour's word
Who seek their own renown,
Refuse their self denying Lord,
His sufferings and His crown.
1796.
[Who their own desires pursue]
Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come, &c.
—vii. 6.
Who their own desires pursue
Their want of faith declare,
Their own violent will to do,
They always ready are;
God's appointed time outrun,
And full of selfish forwardness
Boldly snatch the gift unknown,
The' anticipated grace.
Now, just now, is nature's word
Impatient of delay!
Guided by Thy will, O Lord,
I for Thy leisure stay,
Dare not set a time to Thee,
Or dictate when Thyself to show:
Give whate'er Thou wilt to me,
And as Thou wilt bestow.
1797.
[The world will always love their own]
The world cannot hate you.
—vii. 7.
The world will always love their own,
Who countenance their sin,
Or let them quietly sleep on,
Till Tophet takes them in;
But O! their choicest favourites are
The minister and priest,
The guides who prudently forbear
To interrupt their rest.
Who in the worldly spirit live,
And with the many go,
Favour and praise from man receive,
The good they seek below;
Not hated for religion's sake,
In Satan's arms secure
They slumber on, and thus they make
Their own damnation sure.
1798.
[The world with persecuting spite]
But Me it hateth, because I testify of it, &c.
—vii. 7.
The world with persecuting spite,
The sons of God blaspheme,
And hate, and shun the' officious light
Which doth their deeds condemn;
The witnesses of Jesus' grace
The saints they cannot bear,
Who against all their evil ways
By word and life declare.
Confessing whom our hearts adore,
We feel their enmity:
O might we, Lord, deserve it more
By more resembling Thee!
O might we all Thy Spirit breathe,
The wicked to reprove,
And testify in life and death
Thy purity of love!
1799.
[To that sacramental feast]
Go ye up unto this feast.
—vii. 8.
To that sacramental feast
Numbers without Jesus go,
In the outward form they rest,
Care not Him their Lord to know;
Christians leaving Christ behind,
To His house in vain repair,
Never at His table find,
Never wish to find Him there.
1800.
[Jesus I Thy wisdom need]
I go not up yet unto this feast; for My time, &c.
—vii. 8, 9.
Jesus I Thy wisdom need
With exact fidelity
Well to time my every deed,
When, and as ordain'd by Thee:
Till Thy counsel is reveal'd
Let me in my calling rest,
Feel at last Thy time fulfill'd,
Then on Thy perfection feast.
1801.
[Thyself Thou dost from them conceal]
The Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, &c.
—vii. 11.
Thyself Thou dost from them conceal
That seek Thee not aright,
But sinners who their blindness feel
Thou wilt restore to sight:
Thou wilt the seeking mourner cheer,
And give the weary rest:
And when Thou dost, my Lord, appear,
Thy presence makes the feast.
1802.
[The judgment of the world how blind]
Some said, He is a good man: others said, &c.
—vii. 12, 13.
The judgment of the world how blind,
Who treat the members like their Head!
As base deceivers of mankind
Whoe'er in Jesu's footsteps tread,
Their Lord to Calvary attend,
And bear His burden to the end.
None dares in their behalf to speak,
Abandon'd and decried by all,
No favour but from God they seek,
On Him they for protection call,
On Him their Advocate rely,
Till meekly on His cross they die.
1803.
[At length the time is quite fulfill'd]
Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went, &c.
—vii. 14.
At length the time is quite fulfill'd,
The moment come, when God had will'd
To manifest His Son;
Jehovah in the temple seen,
Begins to' instruct the sons of men,
And make the Godhead known.
The Christ foretold by ancient seers,
The Lord in His own house appears,
To hear and not declaim,
To answer all His love's design,
And with authority Divine
Declare His Father's name.
By Thy example, Lord, repress
Our ministerial forwardness,
And teach us when, and where,
And how, our office to fulfil,
And the whole counsel of Thy will
Before the world declare.
1804.
[Jesus, Thy ministers receive]
How knoweth this man letters, having never, &c.
—vii. 15.
Jesus, Thy ministers receive
A light which study cannot give;
Divinely taught they are,
To propagate Thy truths below
And teach the doctrines which they know
By diligence in prayer.
Thy law is in their inward parts,
Thy Spirit inspires their faithful hearts
With wisdom from above;
He gives the meaning of Thy word,
And much they know of Thee their Lord,
For much they pray and love.
The scorn of men, the worldling's fool
Commences in Thy Spirit's school
Unto salvation wise;
The heavenly path to sinners shows,
And mighty in the Scripture, goes
Their leader, to the skies.
1805.
[An herald of the grace Divine]
Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine, &c.
—vii. 16.
An herald of the grace Divine
Can say, My doctrine is not mine
But His, who sent me forth,
Freely what I receive to give
And tell the world they all may live
Through Jesu's dying worth.
The truths he speaks are not his own,
God teaches him, and God alone,
The mystery to explain,
Opens his mouth to preach the word,
And tells our hearts, It is the Lord,
Who gives such power to man.
1806.
[Lord, that I may the doctrine know]
If any man will do His will, he shall know, &c.
—vii. 17.
Lord, that I may the doctrine know,
A will to do Thy will bestow,
An humble ready mind,
To follow truth where'er it leads;
And then the light from Thee proceeds,
And then my God I find.
My simple childlike heart inspire
With fervour of intense desire
Thee, only Thee to please;
And make Thy great salvation known,
And bring Thy docile follower on
To perfect holiness.
Thou canst not speak distinct from Him
Who sent Thee, Saviour, to redeem
This longing soul of mine:
Come then my Lord, Thy counsel show,
And give me in Thy love to know
The plenitude Divine.
1807.
[A teacher sent from God designs]
He that seeketh His glory that sent Him, the, &c.
—vii. 18.
A teacher sent from God designs
Jehovah's glory, and declines
Whate'er might raise his own;
To' exalt his heavenly Lord, he seeks,
In honour of his Master speaks,
And lives for God alone.
O that I thus with upright aim
May magnify my Saviour's name,
And only seek His praise;
My truth and faithfulness approve,
Saved by the power of perfect love
From all unrighteousness!
1808.
[The law Thy servant Moses gave]
Did not Moses give you the law, and yet, &c.
—vii. 19.
The law Thy servant Moses gave,
But not the power our souls to save,
But not the' obedient heart:
Jesus, we more and more rebel,
Till Thou the gospel grace reveal,
And tell us who Thou art.
1809.
[Why? Thou Thyself hast told us why]
Why go ye about to kill Me?
—vii. 19.
Why? Thou Thyself hast told us why,
Because we Thy commands defy,
Only inclined to ill,
With cruel enmity pursue,
And persecute our Lord anew,
And in Thy members kill.
Because we could not keep Thy laws,
Thy murderers nail'd Thee to the cross;
And there Thou bear'st away
The sins of reprobate mankind,
And buy'st the power which all may find
Thy perfect will to' obey.
1810.
[When virtue's advocate replies]
Jesus answered and said unto them, I have, &c.
—vii. 21.
When virtue's advocate replies
As far from passion as from fear,
The answer soft and meekly wise
Becomes his Saviour's minister,
Who calmly sensible complains,
And truth, and Jesu's cause maintains.
For wisdom, Lord, on Thee I wait;
Instruct me when to hold my peace,
And when in words to vindicate
The words of genuine righteousness;
And stop the bold impiety
Which blames the good that flow'd from Thee.
1811.
['Tis not, O Lord, the' external part]
Judge not according to the appearance, but, &c.
—vii. 24.
'Tis not, O Lord, the' external part
Which pleases or displeases Thee,
The principle, the end, the heart,
Thou dost in every action see,
Thou only know'st the doer's aim,
The will, the temper, and the frame.
But partial, ignorant, and blind
We rashly judge as things appear,
Censorious, hasty, and unkind
Judge by the hearing of the ear,
And often sway'd by hate or love,
The good condemn, the ill approve.
Jesus, send forth Thy truth and light,
That with Thy love of equity
Inspired, we may pronounce aright
The sentence which proceeds from Thee;
As partners in Thy judgment join,
And reign in righteousness Divine.
1812.
[The tongues, the hearts, the hands of men]
Is not this He, whom they seek to kill? But, &c.
—vii. 25, 26.
The tongues, the hearts, the hands of men
Are subject to Divine control,
God over all doth still restrain
Their rage against the faithful soul,
The faithful soul hath nought to fear
Though Satan and his host are near.
Thoughtless of what the world intends,
A Christian speaks and labours on:
Jesus His instrument defends,
Immortal till his work is done:
Jesus the conquering faith supplies,
And then bestows the heavenly prize.
1813.
[Father in Thy hands we are]
Then they sought to take Him: but no man, &c.
—vii. 30.
Father in Thy hands we are
The members of Thy Son,
Trust Thy providential care,
And hang on Thee alone:
Till Thy sovereign goodness please,
And Thou the sacred fence remove,
Neither friends nor men can seize
The objects of Thy love.
When Thy wise permissive will
Shall leave us to their power,
Let the world our bodies kill,
In Thine appointed hour;
Safe till then for God we live:
And when our souls from earth are driven,
Trust Thee, Father, to receive,
And give us thrones in heaven.
1814.
[See the heavenly Man of God]
The Pharisees and the chief priests sent, &c.
—vii. 32.
See the heavenly Man of God,
How patiently He stands!
Lets the men athirst for blood
Extend their ruffian hands;
Checks the fury of His foes,
But not by judgments from above,
Only signs of meekness shows,
And miracles of love!
1815.
[Those who will not while they may]
Then said Jesus . . . Yet a little while am I, &c.
—vii. 33.
Those who will not while they may,
Their Lord and God receive,
Soon outlive their gracious day,
And never can believe:
While I yet can make it sure,
Let me the proffer'd blessing seize,
Seize a moment to secure
Mine everlasting peace.
1816.
[Suffering saints with comfort mourn]
And then I go unto Him that sent Me.
—vii. 33.
Suffering saints with comfort mourn
For your discharge is near,
Soon ye shall to God return,
And at His throne appear;
There the wicked vex no more,
There your weary spirits rest
Far beyond the tempter's power,
Reclined on Jesu's breast.
1817.
[Those who will not seek Him now]
Ye shall seek Me, and shall not find Me: and, &c.
—vii. 34.
Those who will not seek Him now,
While life and strength remain,
When their dying heads they bow,
Would seek their Lord in vain:
Casting now His words behind,
Seized by the hellish messenger
Nothing they in death shall find
But darkness and despair.
Jesus, Lord, to Thee I give
The glory, power, and praise;
Thou hast help'd me to believe,
And half unveil'd Thy face:
O stir up my faithful heart
To seek and still pursue the prize,
Till arriving where Thou art
I grasp Thee in the skies.
1818.
[Yes: He hath the Gentiles sought]
Will He go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, &c.
—vii. 35.
Yes: He hath the Gentiles sought,
Dispersed and wandering wide,
Outcasts by His Spirit taught,
And truly justified:
Sinners still He doth receive,
While Pharisees reject His grace,
Teaches us to love and live
The life of righteousness.
1819.
[Ye thirsty for God To Jesus give ear]
Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man, &c.
—vii. 37.
Ye thirsty for God To Jesus give ear,
And take through His blood The power to draw near,
His kind invitation, Ye sinners, embrace,
The sense of salvation Accepting through grace.
Sent down from above Who governs the skies
In vehement love To sinners He cries,
“Drink into My Spirit, Who happy would be,
And all things inherit By coming to Me.”
O Saviour of all, Thy word we believe,
And come at Thy call, Thy grace to receive;
The blessing is given, Wherever Thou art:
The earnest of heaven Is love in the heart.
To us at Thy feet The Comforter give,
Who gasp to admit Thy Spirit and live:
The weakest believers Acknowledge for Thine,
And fill us with rivers Of water Divine.
1820.
[No; the Spirit's dispensation]
The Holy Ghost was not yet given; because, &c.
—vii. 39.
No; the Spirit's dispensation
Was not then on earth begun;
Jesus in His bloody passion
Had not laid the ransom down,
Had not by His dying merit
Bought the universal grace,
Through His prayer obtain'd the Spirit,
Pour'd Him out on all our race.
But we now by faith adore Thee,
Jesus high above all height,
Reinstated in Thy glory,
Repossess'd of all Thy right;
Thou hast with Thy Father pleaded
Thy oblation on the tree,
Thou hast in Thy suit succeeded,
Gain'd the Holy Ghost for me.
Now He is sent down from heaven,
Witness of Thy power above,
Is to true believers given,
Source of all our joy and love:
Yes; we now Thy bliss inherit,
Now our Pentecost is come,
Thou hast seal'd us by Thy Spirit,
Mark'd for Thine eternal home.
1821.
[The promise made but not fulfill'd]
When they heard this saying they said, &c.
—vii. 40, 41.
The promise made but not fulfill'd
Thy hearers, Lord, with joy received,
Before the precious truth was seal'd
The Prophet Thee, the Christ believed;
And shall not we Thy Godhead own,
And testify Thy Spirit given,
Through seventeen hundred ages known,
And daily still sent down from heaven.
1822.
[I want the faith which reasons not]
Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Hath, &c.
—vii. 41, 42.
I want the faith which reasons not,
Though rational, implicit too,
That simply by Thy Spirit taught,
Persuaded all Thy works are true,
No seeming contrariety
May make me stumble, Lord, at Thee.
Useless disputes, reflections vain,
Questions obscure, be cast aside,
The doubts I cannot yet explain
I leave to my unerring Guide;
And He my heavenly path shall show,
And all the truth I need to know.
1823.
[The world offended at our Lord]
So there was a division among the people, &c.
—vii. 43.
The world offended at our Lord,
Is still in every age the same;
To bring a sharp divisive sword,
Not a deceitful peace He came,
His followers from His foes to part,
And show the ground of every heart.
The truth His confessors defend
His faithless enemies deny:
Those in their Saviour's cause contend,
These still persist and crucify,
Till Jesus His great power assumes,
And the millennial kingdom comes.
1824.
[The world their hands can never lay]
And some of them would have taken Him; &c.
—vii. 44.
The world their hands can never lay
On one secured in Thine,
Till Thou permit them, Lord, to' obey
And answer Thy design;
They then with malice blind fulfil
Thine unperceived decree,
The body of Thy witness kill,
And send his soul to Thee.
1825.
[When our God the gospel gives]
The officers answered, Never man spake like, &c.
—vii. 46.
When our God the gospel gives
Clothed with His own Spirit's might,
Then the open'd heart believes,
Then our soul's restored to sight.
We its hidden beauty see,
Taste the sweetness of the word,
Feel its powerful energy,
Wondering own our heavenly Lord.
He disarms the hostile mind,
He doth all its hate remove;
By His word transform'd we find
Holy power and humble love;
Never mortal spake like Him!
More than man He needs must be:
Is He not the God supreme?
Answer Lord, Thyself in me!
1826.
[When Jesus we presume to praise]
Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye, &c.
—vii. 47.
When Jesus we presume to praise,
Struck with His wonder working word,
The world their ancient clamour raise,
Against the' admirers of our Lord,
As weak deluded fools despise,
When Christ begins to make us wise.
Deceived by Truth we cannot be:
But you your wretched selves deceive,
Blind Pharisees, who say ye see,
In a vain formal shadow live,
And mock the power ye will not feel,
Till Satan cheats you into hell.
1827.
[We still the old objection hear]
Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees, &c.
—vii. 48.
We still the old objection hear,
Have any of the great, or wise,
The men of name and character
Believed on Him the vulgar prize?
Our Saviour, by the rich unknown,
Is worshipp'd by the poor alone.
The poor, we joyfully confess
His followers and disciples still,
His friends, and chosen witnesses,
Who know His name, and do His will,
Who suffer for our Master's cause,
And only glory in His cross.
1828.
[Boasters of a religious show]
This people who knoweth not the law are, &c.
—vii. 49.
Boasters of a religious show,
Who the unlearned poor disdain,
Howe'er the literal law ye know,
Its curse doth still on you remain,
Who have not the whole law fulfill'd,
It speaks your condemnation seal'd.
The poor, the death-devoted crowd,
Their Lord with humble faith receive,
They gladly know their pardoning God,
Freed from the legal curse they live,
The spirit of pure obedience prove,
And all the law fulfill'd in love.
1829.
[Who first conversed with Christ by night]
Nicodemus saith unto them (he that came), &c.
—vii. 50.
Who first conversed with Christ by night,
Defends Him now in open day,
Arm'd by the word of Jesus' might
The malice of His foes to stay,
He quells them with resistless zeal,
And baffles all the rage of hell.
1830.
[Who suffer in their Saviour's cause]
Doth our law judge any man, before it hear, &c.
—vii. 51.
Who suffer in their Saviour's cause,
Must never marvel or complain,
Of violent wrongs and broken laws;
By merciless oppressive man
Condemn'd unheard they always were,
And still their Master's portion share.
Witnesses of the' atoning blood
Have ye been once arraign'd and tried?
As outlaws by your foes pursued,
Persist and patiently abide,
Assured your cause shall soon be known,
And the great Judge pronounce, Well done.
1831.
[Who dar'st oppose the popular cry]
Art thou also of Galilee?
—vii. 52.
Who dar'st oppose the popular cry,
For blacken'd innocency plead,
Expect the ready world's reply,
No stronger argument they need,
But answer by reproaching thee,
“And art thou too of Galilee?”
Determined then thy lot expect,
Who canst the Christian sect defend
Thou must be of the Christian sect;
Reviled, and patient to the end,
With God's afflicted people rise,
To claim thy kingdom in the skies.
1832.
[One question puts them all to flight]
And every man went unto his own house.
—vii. 53.
One question puts them all to flight,
From the bold champion of his Lord;
And when with the same beasts we fight,
And speak in faith the given word,
They cannot stand before our face;
One Christian shall a thousand chase.
CHAPTER VIII.
1833.
[Let us to the mount retreat]
Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. And, &c.
—viii. 1, 2.
Let us to the mount retreat,
And rest with Christ awhile,
Rest from persecution's heat,
And evangelic toil;
Patient grace by prayer obtain
For labouring on with strength renew'd,
Then go forth to fight again,
And work the works of God.
1834.
[Answering to their pastor's zeal]
And all the people came unto Him; and He, &c.
—viii. 2.
Answering to their pastor's zeal,
The sheep betimes appear,
Eager and impatient still,
They flock the word to hear,
Listen, while the rich despise,
The great neglect, the learn'd dispute,
Priests against the truth arise,
And zealots persecute.
1835.
[Rejoicing in iniquity]
The scribes and Pharisees brought unto Him, &c.
—viii. 3.
Rejoicing in iniquity
The messengers of Satan see,
The servants of his will
Who watches us by day and night,
And seeks with unrelenting spite
To tempt, surprise, and kill.
But Jesus came the world to save,
Poor guilty souls who nothing have
In their defence to plead,
Who wait the sentence to receive,
Outcasts of men, that these may live,
He suffer'd in their stead.
1836.
[They drag her out to public view]
They . . . set her in the midst.
—viii. 3.
They drag her out to public view,
Zealots who mercy never knew,
Who all remorse disown:
Drag her to death with hands unclean,
And fierce against another's sin,
Insult before they stone!
1837.
[Thou say'st, the law is good and just]
But what sayest Thou?
—viii. 5.
Thou say'st, the law is good and just:
Yet if I in Thy mercy trust,
The law condemns in vain:
Thou say'st I to Thy wounds may flee,
And find my life restored in Thee,
And never sin again.
1838.
[He must unjust or cruel seem]
This they said tempting Him, that they, &c.
—viii. 6.
He must unjust or cruel seem,
The sinner or the law condemn,
Mercy or truth offend,
His zeal, or His compassion show:
Absolve her? He is virtue's foe,
And sin's acknowledged friend.
The serpent speaks in guileful men,
He tempts us first to sin, and then
Accuses those that yield:
But Jesus he in vain assay'd,
That Bruiser of the serpent's head
His blunted tools repell'd.
1839.
[Hark how the hellish bloodhounds cry!]
But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger, &c.
—viii. 6.
Hark how the hellish bloodhounds cry!
As Love Himself would doom to die
A speechless criminal!
Their clamour fierce He will not hear
Who still inclines his open ear
To misery's softest call.
1840.
[What wisdom in our heavenly Lord!]
He that is without sin among you, let him, &c.
—viii. 7.
What wisdom in our heavenly Lord!
His power accompanies His word,
And keen conviction darts,
Righteous, and merciful, and meek,
He sends the hypocrites to seek
An answer in their hearts.
He teaches us to cast aside
The cruel zeal of virtuous pride,
And first inquire within,
(Before we dare an harlot stone,)
Impeccable am I alone,
And never born in sin?
1841.
[Content to blast their wicked aim]
And again He stooped down, and wrote on the, &c.
—viii. 8.
Content to blast their wicked aim
He stoops again, and spares their shame,
The secret in their breast
Discover'd by His piercing word,
He leaves; the troubled sea is stirr'd;
Let conscience do the rest!
1842.
[Conscience, thou voice of God in man]
And they which heard it . . . went out.
—viii. 9.
Conscience, thou voice of God in man,
Accused by thee, we strive in vain
Thy clamours to suppress:
A thousand witnesses thou art;
And God is greater than our heart,
And all its evils sees.
Thy voice outspeaks, and strikes us dumb,
When greater sinners we presume
With rigour to condemn,
It makes us hide our guilty head,
Who vilest profligates upbraid,
And judge ourselves in them.
1843.
[The gospel stands in Moses' place]
And Jesus was left alone, and the woman, &c.
—viii. 9.
The gospel stands in Moses' place:
The foes of Jesus and His grace
Are scatter'd by a word,
The' accusers all are fled and gone,
Misery with mercy left alone,
The sinner with her Lord.
If left alone with Thee I am,
Though cover'd o'er with guilt and shame,
I nothing have to fear;
My Saviour in my Judge I meet,
And wait a sinner at Thy feet,
Thy pardoning voice to hear.
1844.
[He rises in the power of love]
When Jesus had lifted up Himself, and, &c.
—viii. 10.
He rises in the power of love,
Lifts Himself up, His grace to prove,
And silent victory!
Be comforted, thou trembling soul,
Thy fears and sorrows to control,
He turns His eyes on thee.
“Where are the men that call'd so loud
For justice and the sinner's blood,
Thy chaste accusers where?”
(Jesus triumphantly demands,
And neither earth nor hell withstands
When mercy means to spare.)
“Not one among them all, not one,
To cast the first vindictive stone!
On thine iniquity.
Can none inflict the judgment due?
Are Pharisees adulterers too,
And Scribes as weak as thee?”
1845.
[And what though every man condemn]
She said, No man, Lord.
—viii. 11.
And what though every man condemn,
And every fiend conspire with them
Hellish with human pride
To doom a sinner in distress,
The Judge (if thou thy guilt confess)
The Judge is on thy side.
1846.
[Thine Advocate in Jesus see!]
And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I, &c.
—viii. 11.
Thine Advocate in Jesus see!
'Tis He that speaks the word, 'tis He,
That takes the prisoner's part:
Not to condemn the world He came;
Believing now in Jesus' name,
Even now absolved thou art.
Who shall accuse the' elect of God,
Protected by the' atoning blood?
'Tis God that justifies,
That bids thee go and sin no more,
Go in thy Saviour's peace and power,
And trace Him to the skies.
1847.
[Me, me command to sin no more]
Go, and sin no more.
—viii. 11.
Me, me command to sin no more;
Saviour from all iniquity,
Thy kingdom in my soul restore,
And bid me then come up to Thee.
1848.
[Jesus, I believe in Thee]
He that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness.
—viii. 12.
Jesus, I believe in Thee,
Yet my way I cannot see,
Yet I cannot see Thy face,
Dark, and dead, and comfortless:
But if blind I follow on,
Trusting in Thy word alone,
I cannot long in darkness stay,
The darkness must be chased away,
And turn'd into the perfect day.
1849.
[O for that cheering light]
He that followeth Me shall . . . have the light, &c.
—viii. 12.
O for that cheering light,
That Light of life within,
Which scatters all the shades of night,
The hellish gloom of sin!
Jesus Thyself impart,
Light of the world, remove
This unbelief, and fill my heart
With all the life of love.
Resolved, I follow Thee,
Till Thou Thy love reveal
In feeble faith's obscurity,
My deadly darkness feel;
Believing against hope,
The promise I embrace,
And I shall soon be lifted up,
And I shall see Thy face.
1850.
[Eternal thanks to Thee]
Though I bear record of Myself, yet My record, &c.
—viii. 14.
Eternal thanks to Thee,
Thou self-discover'd Light,
Through whom we Thy credentials see
And learn to judge aright:
Thee Jesus we receive
Our Saviour from above,
The wonders of Thy life believe,
The wonders of Thy love.
Thou cam'st from God, we know,
And dost with sinners stay,
That we may in Thy footsteps go,
Nor miss the heavenly way:
Thou dost Thy church attend,
Our Comforter and Guide,
To keep us, and, when time shall end
To carry home Thy bride.
1851.
[Thou canst not Lord subsist alone]
And yet if I judge, My judgment is true, &c.
—viii. 16.
Thou canst not Lord subsist alone,
As different or distinct from Him,
With God inseparably one,
The same eternal God supreme:
Thy judgments are Thy Father's too,
His judgments and decrees are Thine,
And therefore all Thy works are true,
And works of righteousness Divine.
1852.
[Jesus by His mere word, alone]
I am one that bear witness of Myself, and, &c.
—viii. 18.
Jesus by His mere word, alone
True witness of Himself could bear;
Yet God did first attest His Son,
And by a voice from heaven declare;
The Father sent His Well-beloved,
By mighty signs His mission seal'd:
And Jesu's heavenly tempers proved,
His soul with all the Godhead fill'd.
'Tis thus a follower of the Lamb
Doth real testimony give,
By works, not words, His grace proclaim,
And show the world how Christians live:
'Tis thus the sons of God evince
Their birth illustrious from above,
From outward and from inward sins
Redeem'd by meek and lowly love.
1853.
[They who never knew the Son]
Ye neither know Me, nor My Father: if ye, &c.
—viii. 19.
They who never knew the Son
Through His own Spirit's light,
Never have the Father known
Or worshipp'd God aright;
Only Jesus can declare
The great eternal Deity:
Atheists, Lord, they surely are,
That disbelieve in Thee.
But Thy true disciples pray
To us the Father show,
Thou His majesty display
Which none besides can know:
Thou His glorious Image art,
Himself descended from above:
Finding Thee within our heart
We know that God is love.
1854.
[Who his mind on God hath stay'd]
No man laid hands on Him; for His hour, &c.
—viii. 20.
Who his mind on God hath stay'd,
Is kept in perfect peace,
Neither troubled nor afraid
He lives his Lord to please;
Careless of approaching ill,
Himself to Jesu's work he gives,
Lives to answer all His will,
In snares and deaths he lives!
1855.
[Woe to the men whom Jesus leaves]
I go My way, and ye shall seek Me, and, &c.
—viii. 21.
Woe to the men whom Jesus leaves,
Who force their Saviour to depart!
Up to their own desires He gives,
Their own obduracy of heart:
They seek Him then, but seek too late,
Who long refused His love to feel,
They sink beneath His judgments' weight,
They sink with all their sins to hell.
Thou didst foretell the fearful doom
Of that self-reprobated race,
That we in this our day may come
And humbly seek, and find Thy grace:
Entering into Thy love's design,
We give Thee Lord, our broken heart:
Us to Thyself so closely join
That neither life nor death may part.
1856.
[As members of that heavenly Man]
Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye, &c.
—viii. 23.
As members of that heavenly Man
Christians indeed are from above,
Not of this world of shadows vain,
We our celestial country love:
Let worldlings love the things below,
A noble good to us is given,
That all our spotless lives may show
The spirit, and the taste of heaven.
1857.
[I would believe that Thou art He]
If ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die, &c.
—viii. 24.
I would believe that Thou art He
Who came from heaven to die for me:
Saviour of men, the power supply,
Nor leave me in my sins to die:
A sinner on Thy mercy cast,
I mourn for my offences past;
O for Thy own dear sake forgive,
And saved by faith my soul shall live.
If now Thy previous grace I feel,
Which melts my stubbornness of will,
If crush'd by unbelief I groan,
And languish for a God unknown,
One ray of light and comfort dart,
One spark of faith into my heart,
And let me feel Thy sprinkled blood,
And see Thee now my Lord, my God!
1858.
[Thee, Jesus, Thee the' eternal Lord]
Then said they unto Him, Who art Thou? &c.
—viii. 25.
Thee, Jesus, Thee the' eternal Lord,
Jehovah's uncreated Son,
Jehovah's unbeginning Word,
The first great Cause of all, we own
Thee by Thy works and doctrines find
The Light and Life of all mankind.
In works, in deeds Thou dost declare
Thy own Divine almighty power,
Yet harden'd infidels forbear
Thy sovereign Deity to' adore,
They will not know Thee who Thou art,
Or feel Thee living in their heart.
A life Thou hast which ne'er begun,
Which no decay or end shall know,
A life Thou didst assume, lay down,
To save this wretched world below:
And through Thy loss the sons of men
May all Thy life eternal gain.
1859.
[Jesus who dost alone contain]
I have many things to say and to judge of, &c.
—viii. 26.
Jesus who dost alone contain
The blessings of eternity,
Thou know'st the ill that is in man,
Thine only eye his heart can see;
Yet wilt Thou not the whole declare,
Or show us more than we can bear.
Instructed by Thy tenderest love
O that Thy ministers may know,
The covering when they must remove
And when Thy moderation show,
Suppress what should not be reveal'd,
And leave the heart with Thee conceal'd.
1860.
[Fountain of truth for ever full]
Fountain of truth for ever full,
Hail Thou great Father of our Lord!
Thy bosom was His heavenly school:
He heard, not yet the' incarnate Word:
From all eternity He knew
That Thou art wise, and good, and true.
With Thee substantially the same,
With Thee inexplicably one,
He only doth declare Thy name,
He makes to man Thy nature known,
And taught by Him, we sweetly prove
Thy truth, Thy wisdom, and Thy love.
1861.
[What multitudes who never know]
When ye have lifted up the Son of Man, &c.
—viii. 28.
What multitudes who never know,
Till they have crucified, their God!
He then doth His compassion show,
And draw, and wash them in His blood,
Into His cross's school receive
And teach them fully to believe.
Thy murderers, now we learn of Thee
That Thou art the supreme I AM,
Equal to God in majesty,
With God eternally the same,
Thy passions and Thy actions shine
With worth and dignity Divine.
Essential Truth, Thy words are His
And following them we cannot stray,
They point us to celestial bliss,
Fresh life into our souls convey;
Till saved and sanctified in one,
They speak us up into Thy throne.
1862.
[The Sender (for it cannot be)]
And He that sent Me is with Me: the Father, &c.
—viii. 29.
The Sender (for it cannot be)
Is never separate from the Sent
Who join'd to His Divinity
Our flesh, His sacred instrument,
The Father leaves Him not alone,
But lives eternal in His Son.
Obedient to His Father's will,
The Son for us obtain'd the grace
All His commandments to fulfil,
To' abide in all His righteous ways;
To walk in all well-pleasing here,
And pure before His face to' appear.
1863.
[Continuing in the outward word]
If ye continue in My word, then are ye My, &c.
—viii. 31.
Continuing in the outward word,
I read, and hear, believe and do:
But give me Thy good Spirit, Lord,
To' approve me Thy disciple true:
Thou art the truth that makes us free,
Abide, eternal Word, in me.
1864.
[O the vanity of man!]
We . . . were never in bondage to any man: how, &c.
—viii. 33.
O the vanity of man!
Fast bound in misery,
Gall'd with Satan's iron chain,
He boasts that he is free;
Still enthrall'd in heart and mind,
He needs not be by Christ restored,
Bold and ignorant and blind
Rejects his pardoning Lord.
Jesus full of truth and grace,
To me my bondage show,
That I gladly may embrace
The gift Thou wouldst bestow,
Find redemption in Thy blood,
The joy of Thy disciples prove,
Live with all the sons of God
The life of perfect love.
1865.
[Slaves we all by nature are]
Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
—viii. 34.
Slaves we all by nature are,
To every vice inclined,
Foil'd and prisoners took in war,
Our conqueror's yoke we find:
We to sin ourselves have sold
And basely bow'd to passion's sway:
By a thousand lusts controll'd,
We dare not disobey.
By the guilt and tyranny
Of cruel sin oppress'd,
Lord, we will not come to Thee
For freedom and for rest:
Break this adamantine chain,
Who only canst the soul release,
Change the stubborn will of man
And bid us go in peace.
1866.
[Soon out of the house of God]
The servant abideth not in the house for ever, &c.
—viii. 35.
Soon out of the house of God
The slave of sin is cast,
Cast into a fiery flood,
And pains that always last;
But the child of faith and love
His full recompence shall gain,
In his Father's house above
Eternally remain.
1867.
[Thee, Redeemer of mankind]
If the Son . . . shall make you free, ye shall be, &c.
—viii. 36.
Thee, Redeemer of mankind,
Jehovah's favourite Son,
Let a wretched captive find,
Who for deliverance groan:
Real liberty from sin,
The true substantial freedom give,
Give Thy Spirit, and within
My heart for ever live.
Then, my God, and not till then,
I shall indeed be free,
Free from the desires of men,
From all iniquity;
Free from every thought of ill,
Free to rejoice and always love,
Free to do Thy perfect will
As angels do above.
1868.
[God and His hellish enemy]
I speak that which I have seen with My Father, &c.
—viii. 38.
God and His hellish enemy
Divide the human throng:
Sinner, thy true condition see,
Thou must to one belong:
God, if His pleasure thou fulfil,
Thee for His child shall own,
But if thou dost the devil's will,
Thou art the devil's son.
1869.
[Not by the Christian name alone]
If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do, &c.
—viii. 39.
Not by the Christian name alone
The Christian man is show'd,
Words cannot evidence a son
Of Abraham and of God;
No confident assertions vain,
No single act can prove
That I am truly born again,
And God sincerely love.
I must in Abraham's footsteps stay,
Pursue him to the skies,
My household teach the heavenly way,
My Isaac sacrifice;
My life must speak the faith within,
In even tenour flow,
Demonstrate I am saved from sin,
And God my Father know.
1870.
[Who in the faith of Abraham tread]
Ye seek to kill Me, a man that hath told you, &c.
—viii. 40.
Who in the faith of Abraham tread,
Obediently receive
The truth that doth from God proceed,
And lovingly believe:
But his pretended children still
Reject the truth abhorr'd,
Malign the witnesses, and kill
And drive them to their Lord.
1871.
[The children of that wicked one]
We have one Father, even God.
—viii. 41.
The children of that wicked one
Conceal their sin and shame,
With daring pride the God unknown
They for their Father claim;
Their guilt disdaining to confess
They make their misery sure,
And while they cherish their disease
Can never find a cure.
Sinner the painful truth admit
By hell no more beguiled,
And prostrate own at Jesu's feet
Thou art the devil's child;
Devilish thy works, and life, and heart;
But ransom'd by His blood
Believe that thou His purchase art,
And thou art born of God.
1872.
[Children of God by faith we owe]
If God were your Father, ye would love Me, &c.
—viii. 42.
Children of God by faith we owe
Our hearts and lips O Christ to Thee:
Thou didst proceed from God we know
His Son from all eternity,
Thou cam'st His heavenly Messenger,
And didst in mortal flesh appear.
Wherefore we thankfully believe,
Enter into Thy strange design,
To Thee Thy praise and glory give,
Thou great Philanthropist Divine:
With warmest gratitude approve,
And our almighty Lover love.
1873.
[Strangers to your redeeming Lord]
Why do ye not understand My speech?
—viii. 43.
Strangers to your redeeming Lord
Self-harden'd from His righteous fear,
Ye cannot understand His word,
For dead in sin ye will not hear:
His knowledge He withholds from none,
The bar is all in you alone.
By blinding passions prepossess'd,
Through grace consent to let them go
And ye may be in Jesus bless'd,
And ye His saving truths shall know,
Taste the good word to sinners given,
And praise your Teacher sent from heaven.
1874.
[A child of hell with Satan joins]
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts, &c.
—viii. 44.
A child of hell with Satan joins,
His ready instrument of ill,
Enters into the fiend's designs;
(Who comes to steal, deceive, and kill;)
Envious against the truth he fights
Which would his direful deeds bewray,
And like his murdering sire, delights
The souls of innocents to slay.
1875.
[The' original of evil see]
He is a liar, and the father of it.
—viii. 44.
The' original of evil see,
Of all deceit and wickedness!
Satan the homicide is he,
Deceiver of our helpless race;
To plunge us in eternal woe
He preaches still his ancient lie,
Sin on; and if to hell ye go,
Ye shall not there for ever die.
1876.
[Corrupt alike in heart and mind]
Because I tell you the truth, ye believe Me not.
—viii. 45.
Corrupt alike in heart and mind,
Till re-begotten from above,
To falsehood as to sin inclined,
We neither truth nor virtue love;
Wisdom Himself averse we hear,
Abhorring good to evil cleave,
To truth Divine, a lie prefer,
And Satan before Christ believe.
1877.
[Convinced of sin I cannot be]
Which of you convinceth Me of sin?
—viii. 46.
Convinced of sin I cannot be,
Thou seest it, Lord, and Thou alone;
Born, wholly born in sin, to Thee
My heart's iniquity I own:
But if Thou bless me with Thy mind,
And safe conceal my life above,
The world no sin in me shall find,
Kept by the power of perfect love.
1878.
[The truth Thou say'st, the Truth Thou art]
If I say the truth, why do ye not believe Me?
—viii. 46.
The truth Thou say'st, the Truth Thou art:
Why do I not believe in Thee?
Do I not, Lord, desire to part
With all my sin and misery?
Some secret ill, some bar unknown,
Some idol must obstruct my will:
O speak and take away the stone,
And pardon on my conscience seal.
1879.
[The sons of God with faith sincere]
He that is of God heareth God's words, &c.
—viii. 47.
The sons of God with faith sincere,
Attend and know their Father's word,
The sheep their heavenly Shepherd hear
And glad confess, It is the Lord!
But ah, the unbelieving crowd
His word, His truth, His doctrine slight,
And deaf to all the calls of God,
Rush blindfold to eternal night.
1880.
[They brand Him whom they will not know]
Say we not well that Thou art a Samaritan, &c.
—viii. 48.
They brand Him whom they will not know
(God in His miracles confess'd)
Their church's and their nation's foe
By a proud lying spirit possess'd!
Blasphemers of the Lord Most-High
They no remorse or scruple feel,
But uttering the infernal lie
Applaud themselves for speaking well.
1881.
[With meekness and majestic grace]
Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I, &c.
—viii. 49.
With meekness and majestic grace
Jesus their hellish charge denies:
His word to the blaspheming race
Becomes the Lord of earth and skies!
Silent so oft He answers here,
His Father's greatness to maintain,
Stamp'd with Jehovah's character,
And God's Ambassador to man!
His minister the world should bear,
Their general calumnies despise:
But when to fix the charge they dare,
Tax'd with the thing his soul defies
The man whom Christ did truly send
Must then throw off the crime abhorr'd,
And while he doth himself defend
He guards the honour of his Lord.
1882.
[A messenger required to speak]
I seek not Mine own glory: there is One, &c.
—viii. 50.
A messenger required to speak,
The bounds of his defence will know,
Nor ever his own glory seek,
Or fiercely judge his bitterest foe;
Content the slanders to repel
He speaks of Jesu's mind possess'd,
With wisdom mild and temper'd zeal,
And leaves his life to do the rest.
1883.
[Justly doth our humble Lord]
Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man, &c.
—viii. 51.
Justly doth our humble Lord
His doctrine magnify:
He that keeps the Saviour's word,
Shall not for ever die:
Life He sets before us here,
The true eternal life above;
Thus through faith we persevere
In pure obedient love.
1884.
[No: with God they greatly live]
Then said the Jews . . . Abraham is dead, and, &c.
—viii. 52.
No: with God they greatly live,
A life on earth unknown,
Now the glorious end receive
Of faith in Abraham's Son;
Prophets, patriarchs fulfill'd
The' anticipated word of grace,
Saw their Lord in part reveal'd,
And now they see His face.
1885.
[If the Son of God forbear]
Jesus answered, If I honour Myself, &c.
—viii. 54.
If the Son of God forbear,
The Lord and God most-high,
Which of us shall ever dare
Himself to glorify?
Prostrate at Thy throne of grace,
Thy creatures, Lord, we humbly own,
Sinful worms of earth to raise
Belongs to Thee alone.
1886.
[In figures, types, and promises]
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see, &c.
—viii. 56.
In figures, types, and promises
Our father Abraham saw His day,
His seed which should the nations bless,
Bear all the curse of sin away,
A universal Saviour rise,
And bring us back our paradise.
O that the joy which then o'erflow'd
The patriarch's heart were fix'd in mine!
While gazing on the' incarnate God,
O'erpower'd with ecstacies Divine,
With all His weight of blessings bless'd,
I sink on my Redeemer's breast.
Thy day is come but never pass'd:
Jesus, I long Thy day to see:
Vouchsafe my favour'd soul a taste
Of that supreme felicity,
That rapture which Thy presence gives,
And every saint through faith receives.
Before mine eyes of faith appear
In all Thy charms of heavenly grace,
Or rather let me view Thee here,
A Lamb expiring in my place,
Pour out my soul in tears of love,
And die to share Thy joy above.
1887.
[Broken the Man of griefs appears]
Thou art not yet fifty years old.
—viii. 57.
Broken the Man of griefs appears,
The Man of griefs He stands confess'd
Not by the weight of numerous years,
But by our numerous sins oppress'd,
Faded in youth, grown old so soon,
He shows His sun must set at noon.
1888.
[“When Abraham was not born, I AM]
Before Abraham was, I am.
—viii. 58.
“When
Abraham was not born, I AM,
I AM from all eternity!”
Jehovah sounds in Jesu's name,
God over all we worship Thee;
Sole, self-existing God Thou art,
Adored in every faithful heart.
Not a new-made dependent God,
But sovereign, absolute, most-high,
Thou cam'st to save us by Thy blood,
Thou cam'st for sinful man to die,
That all mankind might live forgiven
Through Thee, the only God in heaven.
1889.
[Thou dost Thy Godhead testify]
Jesus hid Himself, and went out of the, &c.
—viii. 59.
Thou dost Thy Godhead testify,
Thine own eternal power maintain,
Nor for the truth refuse to die,
But sav'st Thyself for sharper pain,
Waiting to suffer in our stead,
And in Thy Father's time to bleed.
Thou dost out of the temple go,
Not to a single sect confined;
Thy blood in freer streams must flow
A sacrifice for all mankind,
That all mankind by faith may see
The one eternal God in Thee.
CHAPTER IX.
1890.
[How sad our state by nature is]
He saw a man which was blind, &c.
—ix. 1.
How sad our state by nature is,
How dark, disconsolate, forlorn!
We have not known the way of peace,
In unbelief and misery born;
Deprived of that celestial Light,
With stumbling steps we wander on,
And nothing find but grossest night,
And sin, and death, and hell begun.
That heavenly Light appear'd below,
Pass'd through this mortal life for me,
When doubly blind I could not know
My God, or my Redeemer see:
On me He cast a pitying look
Which chased the shades of death away,
And all my chains of darkness broke,
And made my soul a child of day.
1891.
[Let every child of Adam own]
Who did sin, this man, or his parents, &c.
—ix. 2.
Let every child of Adam own
The cause of all his sufferings here:
The cause is sin and sin alone,
And death and hell are in the rear!
My parents' sins engender'd pain,
Entail'd eternal death on me;
Who still in misery bound remain,
Till Christ appears to set me free.
1892.
[God cannot take delight to grieve]
Neither hath this man sinned, &c.
—ix. 3.
God cannot take delight to grieve
The wretched helpless sons of men,
But may awhile in weakness leave,
That all His power may soon be seen:
His work is to restore the blind;
And when He doth the scales remove,
Our Lord by His own light we find
And praise the pardoning God of love.
1893.
[Long as my day of life remains]
I must work the works of Him that sent Me.
—ix. 4.
Long as my day of life remains,
My business is to work for God,
To' employ my utmost strength and pains
For Him who bought me with His blood;
No respite from the toils of love
I ask, till life's short season end:
Suffice for me to rest above,
To rest with my eternal Friend.
1894.
[The Light for a few moments shines]
The night cometh, when no man can work.
—ix. 4.
The Light for a few moments shines,
That every soul his course may run,
And joining in the Lord's designs
Labour till all his work is done:
But when the Sun of Righteousness
Withdraws from man His Spirit's light.
And leaves us wholly void of grace,
His absence is eternal night.
1895.
[Most sensibly, O Lord, I know]
Most sensibly, O Lord, I know,
My night of death approaches fast;
My time for work, my course below,
Is in another moment pass'd;
O then cut short Thy work of grace,
This moment finish it in me,
And let the next conclude my race,
And bring me to my goal and Thee.
1896.
[I know, most gracious Saviour]
I know, most gracious Saviour,
My night approaches fast;
O may I by Thy favour,
Be found in peace at last:
My time of visitation,
My latest hour improve,
And work out my salvation,
And die, renew'd in love.
What can I do but offer
My dregs of life to Thee?
What can I do but suffer
Whate'er Thou lay'st on me?
In manifold temptations,
I at Thy feet attend:
My duty now is patience,
Till pain, with life shall end.
1897.
[The world's bright Day did then appear]
As long as I am in the world, I am the light, &c.
—ix. 5.
The world's bright Day did then appear,
When present in His body here
Our Lord vouchsafed to shine:
His heavenly life and doctrine show'd
The majesty of real God,
The' eternal Light Divine.
But present in Thy Spirit still,
Jesus, Thou dost Thyself reveal
In this Thy church below;
And every soul though wrapp'd in night,
May see Thine all enlivening light,
And Thee his Saviour know.
Light of the world, appear to all,
To raise the nations from their fall
Thy beams of glory dart.
Our sin and ignorance disperse,
And cheer our gladden'd universe,
And shine in every heart.
Come O Thou Day-spring from on high
Forth from Thy chamber in the sky,
To poor benighted man;
That visited and led by Thee,
We all our way to heaven may see,
And life eternal gain.
1898.
[Man made of earth by earth He heals!]
He anointed the eyes of the blind man, &c.
—ix. 6.
Man made of earth by earth He heals!
The creature is whate'er He wills
Who gave it first to be;
Clay in the' Almighty's hands restores
Our bodily or mental powers,
And gives the blind to see.
The weakest instrument Divine,
Water, or earth, or bread and wine,
Can work upon the soul:
Thou giv'st the means their saving use,
And then Thy virtue they transfuse,
And make the sinner whole.
Thy touch medicinal we prove
Our blindness it doth still remove,
The unction of Thy grace
Opens our faith's enlighten'd eyes,
And lo with rapturous surprise
We see Thy lovely face.
1899.
[When Jesus bade me first believe]
Go, wash in the pool of Siloam . . . . He went, &c.
—ix. 7.
When Jesus bade me first believe,
My spirit did its sight receive,
Though long by nature blind;
To Christ at His command I went,
And found Him by His Father sent,
The Saviour of mankind.
His Spirit drew me to the pool
Which makes a world of sinners whole,
The purple fountain show'd,
The balm infallible applied,
And pointed out the Crucified,
And plunged me in His blood.
'Twas there I wash'd my sins away,
I triumph'd in the gospel-day
To paradise restored:
And clearly still I all things see;
But nothing half so fair as Thee,
So heavenly as my Lord.
1900.
[The sinner blind is always poor]
The neighbours . . . said, Is not this he that, &c.
—ix. 8.
The sinner blind is always poor,
And begging waits at mercy's door:
He waits when now restored to sight
A suppliant still for farther light,
Humbly resolved through life to sit
A beggar at his Saviour's feet.
1901.
[Enlighten'd by his God alone]
Some said, This is he: others said, He is like, &c.
—ix. 9.
Enlighten'd by his God alone
A sinner saved is hardly known,
No more the slave of hell and sin
But humble, meek, and pure within,
In love renew'd and born again,
The Christian is another man!
Yet well he knows himself the same,
And owns “the beggar blind I am”;
With open'd eyes he always sees
His pardon'd sin and past disease,
Different through grace in heart and will,
But of himself a sinner still.
1902.
[We ask a soul no longer blind]
Therefore said they unto him, How were thine, &c.
—ix. 10.
We ask a soul no longer blind,
Who chased the darkness of thy mind,
Open'd thine inward eyes to see
That all on earth is vanity,
To see the true celestial road,
And fix thy faithful heart on God?
1903.
[Through vanity I will not tell]
He answered and said, A Man that is called, &c.
—ix. 11.
Through vanity I will not tell,
Nor yet through fear the truth conceal,
But own in love's simplicity
The things my God hath done for me;
He of His own accord pass'd by
And saw the blind with pitying eye.
The Man, the God, they Jesus call,
My Saviour, and the Friend of all,
Anointed with His grace my soul,
And said, Go wash in Siloam's pool:
Obedient to His Spirit's word
I went; I wash'd, and saw my Lord.
1904.
[Jesus! where is He to be found]
Then said they unto him, Where is He?
—ix. 12.
Jesus! where is He to be found,
Whose mercy doth to all abound?
O that the blind would all inquire,
Impatient for the world's Desire,
Till Christ His healing light imparts,
And shows His presence to their hearts!
1905.
[A sinner once to sight restored]
He said, I know not.
—ix. 12.
A sinner once to sight restored
Need never miss his pardoning Lord:
Nor shall he of his loss complain,
Who strives the Saviour to retain,
And only seeks the things above
With humble fear and grateful love.
1906.
[Jesus, the sabbath's Lord we praise]
It was the sabbath day when Jesus made the, &c.
—ix. 14.
Jesus, the sabbath's Lord we praise,
Who carrying on His great designs,
His miracles of power and grace,
Redemption to creation joins,
He bids the soul with pardon bless'd
From its own works for ever cease,
Receives into His people's rest,
And keeps with Him in perfect peace.
1907.
[Pharisees inquire in vain]
The Pharisees . . . asked him how he had received, &c.
—ix. 15.
Pharisees inquire in vain
How we received our sight,
Will not bow to God made man
Believing in the Light:
God in human clay reveal'd,
Who heal'd us by His blood applied,
Rests with all His works conceal'd
From all the sons of pride.
Jesus hides Himself from those,
Who with an evil heart
Seek the truth, the truth to' oppose,
And spitefully pervert:
When their Saviour they repel,
The Light their pride disdains to' adore,
Leaves them inexcusable,
And blinder than before.
1908.
[From the man, outrageous spite]
Said some, . . . This Man is not of God, &c.
—ix. 16.
From the man, outrageous spite
To judgment false proceeds,
Equity pronounces right
Of persons from their deeds:
They appearances look through
Who darkness hate, and light approve,
They believe the Saviour true
Who truth and goodness love.
1909.
[Jesus, Thy disciples here]
And there was a division among them.
—ix. 16.
Jesus, Thy disciples here
The judging world divide,
Praised by some as men sincere,
By others vilified:
Various as their passions, Lord,
The thoughts of men will ever be;
Thus they verify Thy word,
And treat Thy church like Thee.
1910.
[Strange malignity of men!]
They say unto the blind man . . . What sayest, &c.
—ix. 17.
Strange malignity of men!
Who credulous of ill
All the proofs of good disdain
Which court their stubborn will!
Light from heaven if we receive,
They only question to disprove,
Good they never can believe
Of those they will not love.
1911.
[Jesus' upright confessor]
He said, He is a prophet.
—ix. 17.
Jesus' upright confessor
Discharging what he owes,
Speaks without reserve or fear
The truth before its foes;
Vindicates the instrument
Who open'd a blind sinner's eyes,
Witnesses the Prophet sent,
His Saviour from the skies.
1912.
[Who the work of God oppose]
The Jews did not believe . . . that he had been, &c.
—ix. 18, 19.
Who the work of God oppose,
Through obstinate despite,
Every avenue they close
Against the hateful light;
Pharisees the truth to shun
Unwearied pains and trouble take;
Doubting if the thing were done,
They it undoubted make.
1913.
[Few will risk the consequence]
He is of age, ask him.
—ix. 21.
Few will risk the consequence,
And dare the truth confess,
Standing bold in the defence
Of Jesu's witnesses;
Prudently themselves to clear,
The burden they on others lay;
But they must to God appear,
And answer in that day!
1914.
[And have they not agreed it now]
The Jews had agreed already that if any man, &c.
—ix. 22.
And have they not agreed it now,
While us who dare acknowledge Him,
To the one God in Jesus bow,
God self-existent and supreme,
Out of the Church they still reject,
And force into a separate sect?
But O most gracious God and true,
Defeat their dire malicious aim,
Who hate the Lord they never knew,
Abhor the followers of the Lamb,
And would as schismatics oppress,
And slay Thy patient witnesses.
Sole all-sufficient God most-high,
Exalted on Thy throne above,
The flock who on Thy blood rely
For peace and purity of love,
Kept in the British fold defend,
Kept in the Church till time shall end.
1915.
[Hear what the wise and learned say!]
Give God the praise: we know that this man, &c.
—ix. 24.
Hear what the wise and learned say!
“This Man pretending to do good,
To show the blind their heavenly way,
And teach the' illiterate multitude,
The sabbath He profanely breaks,
And contrary to order speaks.”
We hear, but cannot think with them,
Or to their bold assertions trust,
Or from appearances condemn
Blindly implicitly unjust,
But Jesu's ministers receive;
And thus the praise to God we give.
1916.
[We still among the poor may find]
Whether He be a sinner I know not: one thing, &c.
—ix. 25.
We still among the poor may find,
A soul to sudden sight restored,
A sinner now no longer blind
A generous witness for his Lord,
Who speaks and simply perseveres,
And neither man nor devil fears.
Born blind I was, and bred in sin,
Bound like the fiends in chains of night:
But Thou hast shone my heart within,
Surrounded with stupendous light;
And clearly, Lord, my way I see,
My end, my present heaven in Thee.
1917.
[Envious and proud in every age]
Then said they to him again, What did He, &c.
—ix. 26.
Envious and proud in every age
The world against our Lord conspire
With restless unrelenting rage
Into His gracious work inquire,
With stubborn infidelity
They ask, they urge, how can it be!
The wonders wrought in this our day,
Which Thy experienced people know,
Saviour, they study to gainsay,
Our faith by cavilling to' o'erthrow,
The Spirit mock, the inward Light,
And rob Thee of Thy gracious right.
Yet will we still the truth maintain,
Born and enlighten'd from above,
And tell the faithless world again
Thy miracles of power and love;
We know what Thou to us hast done,
But how appears to Thee alone.
1918.
[An answer plain and full we give]
Wherefore would ye hear it again? Will ye, &c.
—ix. 27.
An answer plain and full we give
When friends or candid foes demand,
Willing our witness to receive,
The truth to know and understand:
The truth we then with joy impart,
And speak to Thy disciples' heart.
Weary of publishing Thy grace
To listening souls, we cannot be:
But if they proud objections raise,
Resist the light, and will not see,
And judges of Thy work appear,
They are not worthy, Lord, to hear.
1919.
[And let the railing world exclaim]
Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art, &c.
—ix. 28.
And let the railing world exclaim:
I wish them all to follow Thee:
I glory in the sacred shame
Pour'd by their blindfold rage on me;
Thy poor reviled disciple I,
As such rejoice to live and die.
1920.
[Ye know not, for ye will not know]
We know that God spake unto Moses: &c.
—ix. 29.
Ye know not, for ye will not know,
Jesus descended from the sky,
The Substance whom your shadows show,
The Prophet great, the Lord most-high,
The Light, the Life, the Truth, the Way,
Which leads to everlasting day.
Strangers to His converting grace,
Opposers of His Spirit's power,
Ye scorn our Saviour to confess,
The Opener of our eyes to' adore,
Who Christ undauntedly proclaim,
Our God eternally the same.
1921.
[The poor wayfaring man]
The man answered, . . . Why herein is a, &c.
—ix. 30.
The poor wayfaring man,
Enlighten'd from above,
Doth valiantly the truth maintain,
And more than conqueror prove;
The man who nothing knows
But Jesus on his side
Withstands an host of learned foes,
And baffles all their pride.
Learning and power contend
Against the truth in vain,
Whoe'er the cause of Christ defend
The victory must obtain;
For still the truth of God
Doth in its witness fight,
Confounds the unbelieving crowd,
And puts the world to flight.
1922.
[His understanding's eyes]
Ye know not from whence He is, and yet He, &c.
—ix. 30.
His understanding's eyes,
His mouth is open'd too,
The blind is brought divinely wise
A way he never knew;
With reasons strong and clear,
With wisdom not his own,
He proves the hand of God is here,
And God the work hath done.
1923.
[Even we, the vulgar know]
We know that God heareth not sinners: but, &c.
—ix. 31.
Even we, the vulgar know
Who God disdains to fear,
And on in sin presumes to go,
His prayer He will not hear:
But if with contrite sighs
The wretch for mercy groan,
A sinner vile in his own eyes
In God's account is none.
1924.
[Who God in truth adore]
But if any man be a worshipper of God, &c.
—ix. 31.
Who God in truth adore
And walk in all His ways,
He makes the channels of His power,
The vessels of His grace
Sends to declare His will,
And sinful souls convert;
And daily through His word they heal
The blindness of the heart.
1925.
[Conviction is from God]
Since the world began was it not heard, &c.
—ix. 32.
Conviction is from God:
Since first the world began,
Was never man who knew or show'd
The sinfulness of man:
The Spirit of truth alone
Of unbelief reproves,
He makes the human darkness known,
And by His light removes.
1926.
[Ye scribes with learning fraught]
If this Man were not of God, He could do nothing.
—ix. 33.
Ye scribes with learning fraught,
Ye doctors of the law,
By an illiterate beggar taught,
The just conclusion draw:
A man can nothing do
Of God uncall'd, unsent,
But saving souls in him we view
Our Saviour's instrument.
1927.
[The marks of wicked pastors see!]
Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost, &c.
—ix. 34.
The marks of wicked pastors see!
Fierce war against the sheep they wage,
Treat them with scornful cruelty,
And minded of their duty rage;
Pleaders for rules, and union too,
The sheep out of the fold they drive,
And then as schismatics pursue,
And count them then not fit to live.
Yet will we not their sentence fear,
The' unjust themselves, not us, condemn;
Cast out we find our Saviour near,
Cut off not from our Head, but them;
Without the pale we cannot be,
Whose life is hid with Christ above,
Who cleave, dear Lord, to Thine and Thee
With steadfast faith, and humble love.
1928.
[The furious world rejecting those]
Jesus heard that they had cast him out, &c.
—ix. 35.
The furious world rejecting those
Who seek in holiness to' excel,
Foes to themselves, eternal foes,
Themselves they from the church expel;
They separate from the saints indeed,
(The saints by formalists abhorr'd,)
And make the members like their Head,
And drive them closer to their Lord.
Our loving Lord the outcasts seeks
Whom Satan's synagogue expels,
He finds, and words of comfort speaks,
And to our hearts Himself reveals:
He gives us faith and faith's increase,
And while on us His Spirit rests,
Our souls o'erflow with joyous peace,
And heaven is open'd in our breasts.
1929.
[Happy the self-mistrusting man]
He answered and said, Who is He, Lord, that, &c.
—ix. 36.
Happy the self-mistrusting man
Who for Thyself of Thee inquires,
Thou wilt not let him ask in vain,
But grant in his Thine own desires:
For faith Divine the sinner's heart
Is open'd by docility,
But Thou of both the Giver art,
And all our good proceeds from Thee.
The man whom God to this hath wrought,
Instruction readily receives,
And found by Him who came unsought,
He first inquires, and then believes.
Enlighten'd by his Saviour's grace,
Convinced of His converting power,
His soul shall soon with joy embrace,
And Christ in spirit and truth adore.
1930.
[What comfortable words are Thine]
Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen Him, &c.
—ix. 37.
What comfortable words are Thine,
Physician of the helpless poor!
They speak our Comforter Divine,
They speak our heart-felt pardon sure:
Thy words are words of truth and grace,
Spirit, and light, and life they give;
We hear, we see the Speaker's face,
We see the face of God, and live!
1931.
[The sudden faith Thou hast bestow'd]
And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped Him.
—ix. 38.
The sudden faith Thou hast bestow'd,
Saviour, I must in words express,
Adore the true eternal God,
And Thee my God, my Lord confess:
For this alone I Thee entreat,
This only good on earth desire,
To live adoring at Thy feet,
And meekly at Thy feet expire.
1932.
[Righteous Lord Thy judgments are!]
For judgment I am come into this world, &c.
—ix. 39.
Righteous Lord Thy judgments are!
When men their misery own,
Thou Thy mercy dost declare,
And make Thy Godhead known:
Foolish, ignorant, and blind,
We first our unbelief confess,
Then the light from heaven we find,
The Lord our Righteousness.
But the wise, and learn'd, and proud
Refuse themselves to' abase,
Scorn to' admit their fall from God,
And total want of grace;
Justly are they left by Thee,
Who still against Thy Spirit fight;
Left in their obscurity,
Or blinded by the light.
1933.
[Of their ignorance they show]
Some of the Pharisees . . . said, . . . Are we blind also?
—ix. 40.
Of their ignorance they show
The most undoubted sign,
Dark as hell who will not know
Their need of light Divine;
Pharisees, untaught by grace,
Yet learned in their own esteem;
None of all our blindfold race
Is half so blind as them.
1934.
[Ignorance in which ye dwell]
If ye were blind, ye should have no sin, &c.
—ix. 41.
Ignorance in which ye dwell
Excusable had been
Were it quite invincible,
It is not wilful sin.
But your knowledge ye assert,
And cast your helps and means aside,
Hence the veil is on your heart,
And all your faith is pride.
Would you own with humble grief
Your want of light and love,
Christ would help your unbelief,
And all your guilt remove:
But with arrogant disdain
Your blindness if ye still deny,
Infidels ye must remain
Till in your sins ye die.
CHAPTER X.
1935.
[A pastor good in God's esteem]
He that entereth in by the door is the shepherd, &c.
—x. 2.
A pastor good in God's esteem,
Who enters in by Christ the Door,
Inwardly call'd and moved by Him,
Obeys the Spirit's secret power,
And for his awful charge design'd
By Heaven, he casts the world behind.
He only at God's glory aims,
And lives to serve the Saviour's will;
The love of souls his heart inflames,
He tends the sheep with fervent zeal;
Himself to this one thing applies,
And gives his life in sacrifice.
1936.
[To him the Doorkeeper above]
To him the porter openeth.
—x. 3.
To him the Doorkeeper above,
The Father manifests His Son,
Opens the treasures of His love,
Makes His mysterious wisdom known,
The pastor into Christ receives,
And the true Door of utterance gives.
God only can His Son reveal,
And Jesu's ministers ordain,
Jehovah must their mission seal,
Or man lays on his hands in vain,
Thou, Father, Thou that Porter art;
Display my Saviour in my heart.
1937.
[His voice the sheep rejoice to hear]
And the sheep hear his voice.
—x. 3.
His voice the sheep rejoice to hear,
Nor fear in following that, to stray,
They know their Saviour's minister,
And man for Jesu's sake obey,
His word as God's, not his, receive,
The gospel hear, the gospel live.
1938.
[Inspired with goodness from above]
And he calleth his own sheep by name, &c.
—x. 3.
Inspired with goodness from above
His sheep he doth for Jesus claim,
He visits all with tenderest love,
He knows, and calls them all by name;
Each precious soul he counts his own,
His friend, his brother, and his son.
His own, and not another's sheep,
Watchful by day and night he tends,
Entrusted by his Lord to keep
From ravening wolves, and roaring fiends,
He knows their wants, their burdens bears,
And all their griefs and sorrows shares.
Out of an evil world of woe,
Out of its pomps and pleasures vain,
Out of their fond pursuits below,
Out of the base desires of men,
Out of themselves to Christ he leads,
And Christ supplies his people's needs.
1939.
[In all the paths of righteousness]
When he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth, &c.
—x. 4.
In all the paths of righteousness,
Of silent peace and joy unknown,
The first to practise what he sees,
A faithful guide he leads them on,
A shining light before them goes,
In every point their duty shows.
The wisdom and the power of God
In hearing him, they hear and feel,
Admire the grace on man bestow'd,
(A man who speaks and lives so well,)
And while his life confirms his word
Pursue the follower of their Lord.
1940.
[A stranger to the truth of grace]
A stranger will they not follow, but will flee, &c.
—x. 5.
A stranger to the truth of grace
They from their genuine shepherd know,
Abhor his doctrines and his ways,
After his life refuse to go,
And trembling at delusion nigh,
As from a thief and robber fly.
1941.
[Strangers both to themselves and Thee]
This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they, &c.
—x. 6.
Strangers both to themselves and Thee,
The robbers of Thy church remain,
They will not understand and see
The difference so severely plain,
Themselves the thieves they will not own,
Or at Thy feet for mercy groan.
Open, O Lord, their blinded eyes,
Blinded by the infernal god,
Or in Thy people's cause arise,
Whom Thou hast purchased with Thy blood,
Redeem the sheep to hirelings sold,
And chase the thief out of Thy fold.
1942.
[Thee Jesus, Thee I fall before]
Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door, &c.
—x. 7.
Thee Jesus, Thee I fall before
Who only art the church's Door,
With importunity;
I knock, and never will depart,
Open, O Lord, Thy loving heart,
And take me into Thee.
If Thou the grace of faith bestow,
Thyself I by Thy Spirit know
My true eternal rest,
Entrance into Thy church I find,
Through Thee to all Thy people join'd,
And shelter'd in Thy breast.
1943.
[Invaders of the ministry]
All that ever came before Me are thieves and, &c.
—x. 8.
Invaders of the ministry
Who ran before, unsent by Thee,
The God they never knew,
Who profit and preferments gain;
They spoil the helpless souls of men,
They rob and murder too.
But them the flock will never hear,
Will never follow or revere
The covetous and proud
As pastors after Thine own heart,
Who take the dire destroyer's part,
And slay the saints of God.
1944.
[Lord, I believe, and enter in]
I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he, &c.
—x. 9.
Lord, I believe, and enter in,
Saved, in a moment saved from sin,
Its guilt and tyranny;
Beyond the murdering shepherd's power,
Where neither men nor fiends devour,
I dwell secure in Thee.
Through Thee and Thine atoning blood
I come with free access to God,
His dear adopted son:
Thy blood shall all my wants supply,
And bear me up beyond the sky
To that eternal throne.
Pasture I find in every place,
I feed upon the word of grace
To all believers given;
And fill'd with love shall soon confess
Thou art the Gate of holiness,
Thou art the Gate of heaven.
1945.
[That the doubly dead might live]
I am come that they might have life, and that, &c.
—x. 10.
That the doubly dead might live,
Lord Thou wast on earth reveal'd,
That we might Thy mind retrieve,
By Thy promised Spirit seal'd,
Pardon'd, perfectly renew'd,
Saved with all the life of God.
Answer then Thy bless'd design,
Bring to me the life of grace,
Bring me larger life Divine,
Fill my soul with holiness,
Fit me for the life above,
All Thy life of heavenly love.
1946.
[The Shepherd good indeed Thou art]
I am the good Shepherd.
—x. 11.
The Shepherd good indeed Thou art,
I feel Thy goodness at my heart;
No goodness out of Christ I see;
Goodness itself has died for me!
1947.
[The man whom covetous desire]
But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, &c.
—x. 12.
The man whom covetous desire
Impels to minister for hire
We mercenary call:
But oh what title shall we give
A wretch who dares the hire receive,
And never works at all?
1948.
[The Shepherd good, Thou dost approve]
I am the good Shepherd, and know My, &c.
—x. 14, 15.
The Shepherd good, Thou dost approve
With kind regard, and cordial love,
The sheep redeem'd below,
The sheep with firm fidelity
Cleave to their Shepherd good, and Thee
With pure affection know.
Jehovah, with Jehovah one,
Thou know'st Him, Lord, as Thou art known,
And (O! how can it be?)
That union inexpressible
Thou dost with Thy great Father feel
Thy members feel with Thee.
For this Thou dost Thy life lay down,
That gather'd by Thy death alone
The sheep no more may rove,
But all Thy heavenly nature find,
To Thee inexplicably join'd,
And simplified by love.
1949.
[Millions of sheep so dearly bought]
And other sheep I have, which are not of this, &c.
—x. 16.
Millions of sheep so dearly bought,
Immortal souls redeem'd of old,
Jesus, Thou hast already brought,
And added to the Christian fold:
Whole nations have Thy call obey'd,
Gentiles and Jews Thy gospel known,
And join'd to Thee their common Head,
Thy church throughout the earth is one.
One God the children all confess,
One Head the members all adore,
One Spirit of faith and holiness,
Who fills them with His love and power;
One flock, one body, and one bride,
So closely join'd in mind and heart,
That neither earth nor hell divide,
That neither life nor death can part.
Yet millions still uncall'd remain
Wide wandering in the wilderness,
Thee, Saviour, let Thy love constrain
To bring in every sheep that strays:
O let them hear and flock to Thee
From north and south and east and west,
Together all Thy glory see,
And in their Shepherd's bosom rest.
The secret whisper of Thy love,
The small still voice shall bring them home,
Though far as hell from heaven they rove
From God, they to Thy church shall come.
For Thy own gracious promise sake
Thou wilt incline their hearts to' obey,
One undivided people make,
And give us all one perfect way.
Then jarring sentiments shall cease,
And discord's voice be heard no more,
While in the truth of holiness
Thy church with one consent adore,
Flesh of Thy flesh, bone of Thy bone,
The members each to each shall join,
Cemented by Thy blood alone,
And one with unity Divine.
1950.
[Submissive to Thy Father's will]
Therefore doth My Father love Me, because, &c.
—x. 17, 18.
Submissive to Thy Father's will,
Jesus Thou didst Thy life lay down,
Didst of Thine own accord fulfil
The strange design of love unknown;
Obedient to His love's decree
Thou didst the general ransom pay:
Thy deed was absolute and free,
And yet Thou couldst not disobey.
Love only did my Lord constrain
Thy life so freely to resign,
A sacrifice for guilty man,
A grateful sacrifice Divine:
Love would not let my Saviour rest,
Sole cause of the stupendous deed,
It drew Thee from Thy Father's breast,
It made the Man of sorrows bleed.
Deserving in Thy proper right
Thou hence obtain'st Thy Father's love,
And raised by Thy own Spirit's might,
Appear'st our Advocate above;
Great Patron of the ransom'd race,
Well-pleased He always is with Thee:
And Thou hast merited His grace,
And Thou hast bought His love for me.
1951.
[The wisdom of our God made man]
Many of them said, He hath a devil, and is, &c.
—x. 20.
The wisdom of our God made man,
Jesus was vilified, blasphemed,
Heard with aversion and disdain,
A madman and demoniac deem'd!
Thou zealous follower of thy Lord
The crown of all thy labours see,
Expect from man the same reward,
And bow thy head on Calvary.
1952.
[Nature impatient of delay]
How long dost Thou make us to doubt? &c.
—x. 24.
Nature impatient of delay,
Would force the Lord to show His power:
“Now, now, we cry, Thyself display,
Now, now, for we can wait no more,
Thy mysteries all at once explain,
For God is bound to wait on man!”
But a believing child of grace
Tarries the leisure of his Lord,
Waits upon Him who hides His face,
Continues patient in the word,
Manner and time to Jesus leaves,
And what his Saviour wills receives.
1953.
[Who in the steps of Jesus treads]
The works that I do in My Father's name, &c.
—x. 25.
Who in the steps of Jesus treads
The surest testimony gives,
He speaks less by his words than deeds,
The truth's authentic witness lives:
And lo! throughout his life is show'd
The wisdom and the power of God!
1954.
[The sheep with meek docility]
Ye believe not, because ye are not of My sheep, &c.
—x. 26.
The sheep with meek docility
Expect the Shepherd's voice to hear,
Jesus by faith they cleave to Thee;
Obedience is their character,
Obedience doth their faith approve,
And tender fear, and humble love.
Saviour, on me the faith bestow
Which joins a sinner to the sheep:
And when Thy pardoning voice I know,
To Thee and Thine united keep,
Till in that awful day I stand,
Among the sheep at Thy right hand.
1955.
[The sheep with true simplicity]
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, &c.
—x. 27.
The sheep with true simplicity
Attend, and taste and keep Thy word,
They lead the life approved by Thee,
Follow their active suffering Lord,
Copy Thy life of love and pain,
And labour all Thy mind to gain.
They prove Thine acceptable will,
Thine image more and more put on,
Their vileness more and more they feel,
Their race assign'd with patience run,
Thy followers to the end endure,
And make their own election sure.
1956.
[The faith Thou dost even now bestow]
I give unto them eternal life; and they shall, &c.
—x. 28.
The faith Thou dost even now bestow,
Even now the life eternal give,
And Thee their Lord who truly know
The hidden life of glory live;
Their souls are in those hands of Thine,
Kept by the power of love Divine.
Obsequious to Thy dear commands
With Thee alone who safely dwell,
Sin shall not pluck out of Thy hands,
Nor all the force of earth or hell;
And if the Truth can never lie,
Believing souls can never die.
1957.
[Jesus answer'd them, to show]
Jesus answered them, Many good works have, &c.
—x. 32.
Jesus answer'd them, to show
We should at times reply
To the persecuting foe,
Our actions justify;
Bold before the world confess
The crime of publishing the word,
Advocates for truth express
The tempers of our Lord.
1958.
[Will the foes of Jesus own]
For a good work we stone Thee not; but for, &c.
—x. 33.
Will the foes of Jesus own
They hate us for His sake?
Us they as blasphemers stone,
And righteous vengeance take;
“Wretches who the Spirit feel
Pretend to know their sins forgiven,
Say that now in God they dwell
And live the life of heaven!”
1959.
[Christ the character express]
Say ye of Him, whom the Father hath sanctified, &c.
—x. 36.
Christ the character express
Of God's substantial power,
Image of His holiness
Jehovah we adore!
Him His Father sanctified
Before the worlds or time begun,
Placed for ever at His side
His co-eternal Son.
Fulness of His sanctity
The only God supreme,
Being's Source, I AM is He
Who did our world redeem;
When in Christ the Father came
To consecrate this human shrine,
Dwelt in that corporeal frame
The plenitude Divine.
One, I and My Father are!
One God in persons three
By the Spirit we declare
The triune Deity:
Blasphemy denies in vain,
The glories of Jehovah's Son:
One with God Thou must remain
Through endless ages One.
1960.
[Re-begotten from above]
Though ye believe not Me, believe the works.
—x. 38.
Re-begotten from above
In Christ, and creatures new,
Sinners, by our works we prove
That our report is true,
Witness what we surely know,
That men may still the Spirit receive;
Let our words for nothing go,
Ye must our lives believe.
1961.
[Jesu's real witnesses]
That ye may know, and believe, that the Father, &c.
—x. 38.
Jesu's real witnesses
We live for this alone,
That ye may with us confess
The Father in the Son,
That ye may believe aright,
And fill'd with God rejoice to prove
All the length, and breadth, and height,
And depth of Jesus' love.
1962.
[Voice of all the prophets old]
John did no miracle: but all things that, &c.
—x. 41, 42.
Voice of all the prophets old,
Their End the Baptist show'd,
Pointing out whom they foretold
The heavenly Lamb of God:
Jesus His forerunner's word
By words, by wonders, verified,
Lived our gracious faithful Lord,
Confirm'd the truth, and died.
Searching Lord, if Thou art He
Who should our souls restore,
Clearly we Thy Godhead see,
And Thine eternal power;
Ancient prophecies compare
With those stupendous works of Thine,
Thus convinced to all declare
Thou art that Man Divine!
1963.
[Still in spite of earth and hell]
And many believed on Him there.
—x. 42.
Still in spite of earth and hell,
Sinners their Lord embrace;
In their inmost souls they feel
The miracle of grace;
End of every outward sign,
Jesus, Thou dost the faith impart;
Then I know that Thou art mine,
Jehovah in my heart!
CHAPTER XI.
1964.
[The prayer which God delights to hear]
Lord, behold, he whom Thou lovest is sick.
—xi. 3.
The prayer which God delights to hear,
With steadfast faith and humble fear
The sinner's wants before Him lays,
And meekly for an answer stays,
Nothing prescribes to the Most-High
Whose pity hears the softest sigh,
But waits the blessing from above,
And minds the Saviour of His love.
Saviour, with kind compassion see
Thy ransom'd creature's misery,
The sinner whom Thou lov'st am I,
But sick and at the point to die;
Tempted and weak in sin and pain,
Here at Thy feet I still remain:
Thou know'st my case, Thou hear'st me groan
In death, Thine only will be done!
1965.
[His own great glory He intends]
This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory, &c.
—xi. 4.
His own great glory He intends,
When God the pain or trouble sends:
Out of the earth it doth not rise,
But comes in mercy from the skies;
It comes our grovelling souls to raise,
And quicken'd with the life of grace,
We seek the solid joys above,
And bless our Saviour's chastening love.
1966.
[Jesus, my soul's infirmity]
Jesus, my soul's infirmity
Is known, is suffer'd still by Thee,
Yet wilt Thou not Thy help deny,
Or leave me in my sins to die;
Surely Thou shalt my sickness heal,
Thy love in season due reveal,
That saved I may proclaim Thy grace,
And live to Thine eternal praise.
1967.
[And me—may every soul subjoin]
Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
—xi. 5.
And me—may every soul subjoin,
The Friend of Lazarus is mine;
My Friend from all eternity,
He loved, He died Himself for me!
1968.
[He waits; to manifest His grace]
When He had heard therefore that he was sick, &c.
—xi. 6.
He waits; to manifest His grace,
To help His dying friend, delays,
The sickness lingers to remove,
But not through want of power or love.
Thus our Physician from the sky
Lets a beloved patient die,
And then exerts His power to save
And lifts the sinner from the grave.
1969.
[He shuns His murderers no more]
Let us go into Judea again.
—xi. 7.
He shuns His murderers no more,
But goes at God's appointed hour
To lay the ransom down;
He goes to suffer in our stead,
And, life restoring to the dead,
Surrenders up His own.
1970.
[For this into their hands He goes]
Master, the Jews of late sought to stone Thee, &c.
—xi. 8.
For this into their hands He goes,
Gives Himself up, to save His foes,
By dying in their place;
The voluntary Victim dies,
And through one bloody sacrifice
Atones for all our race.
1971.
[The faithful in their Saviour's sight]
Are there not twelve hours in the day? &c.
—xi. 9, 10.
The faithful in their Saviour's sight
Walk on, as children of the light,
In calm security,
Nor earth nor hell their steps o'erthrow,
Who in the ways of duty go,
And Christ their Pattern see.
Light of the world they Him confess;
The glorious Sun of righteousness
On all their paths He shines;
And labouring with intrepid zeal,
They their appointed work fulfil,
And answer His designs.
On Christ while humbly they rely,
His only will and glory eye,
They cannot fall or sin:
Himself into their hearts He gives,
Irradiates all their powers, and leaves
No stumbling block within.
But strangers to His saving grace,
Sinners pursue their dreary ways,
Without His Spirit's light
Blindfold, in sin they stumble on,
And sink at last despairing down
Into eternal night.
1972.
[Period of my griefs and woes]
Our friend Lazarus sleepeth.
—xi. 11.
Period of my griefs and woes,
Welcome death's desired repose!
Death my day of labour ends;
Death is sleep to Jesus' friends:
Weary, weary, and oppress'd,
Faint and languishing for rest,
Fain I would forget to weep,
Close my eyes in lasting sleep;
Free from pain recline my head,
Mouldering in its earthen bed,
Till the sinner's constant Friend
Judge of quick and dead descend.
Then my dust His voice shall hear,
Springing from the sepulchre,
Join its mate, and soar away,
Mingle in the blaze of day!
1973.
[Thy mercy grants the sinner's prayer]
And I am glad for your sakes that I was, &c.
—xi. 15.
Thy mercy grants the sinner's prayer:
Thy greater love doth oft defer,
The promised good to give;
That help'd in the most desperate case,
We Thy transcendent power may praise,
And perfectly believe.
Thy presence bids our troubles cease;
Thy absence makes our faith increase,
While patient and resign'd
We humbly for Thy coming stay,
Till fitted through our Lord's delay
Thine utmost love we find.
1974.
[Not through a sad desponding fear]
Then said Thomas . . . unto his fellow-disciples, &c.
—xi. 16.
Not through a sad desponding fear,
When danger, pain, and death are near,
We would with Christ abide;
But with Divine conformity
Partake His passion on the tree,
And languish by His side.
Made willing in the strength of grace,
Saviour, Thy portion we embrace;
Thou know'st Thy people's heart,
Who come to suffer for Thy name,
Resolved that neither grief nor shame,
Nor pain, nor death shall part.
1975.
[Parted from God the soul is dead]
When Jesus came, He found that he had lain, &c.
—xi. 17.
Parted from God the soul is dead,
Buried alive the graceless soul,
His conscience as with worms o'erspread,
No sepulchre is half so foul!
The poor habitual sinner lies,
Long dead in trespasses and sins;
And cannot wake and cannot rise,
Till call'd by life's immortal Prince.
1976.
[We kindly share a mourner's woe]
Many . . . came to Martha and Mary, to comfort, &c.
—xi. 19.
We kindly share a mourner's woe,
Stripp'd of the friend awhile bestow'd;
No pity for a soul we show,
Who long by sin has lost its God;
No comfort can that soul receive
But with the hope of Jesus' grace,
Who helps poor sinners to believe,
And still delights the dead to raise.
1977.
[Forth by our good desires we go]
Then Martha as soon as she heard that Jesus, &c.
—xi. 20.
Forth by our good desires we go,
Our dear approaching Lord to meet,
Or wait His secret will to know,
And in the house expecting sit:
With forward zeal like Martha run,
To Jesus of our loss complain;
Or calmly sad like Mary moan,
Till He returns and ends our pain.
1978.
[Hadst Thou, O Lord, been always here]
But I know, that even now, whatsoever Thou, &c.
—xi. 22.
Hadst Thou, O Lord, been always here,
My soul through sin had never died;
But now in my behalf appear,
My Spokesman at Thy Father's side:
He cannot turn away from Thee,
Thou must prevail I surely know;
Whate'er Thou dost request for me
He will for Thy dear sake bestow.
1979.
[The good we eagerly require]
Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
—xi. 23.
The good we eagerly require
Thou still withholdest from Thine own,
To cool the' impatience of desire,
And make us ask in faith alone;
To stop our unbelieving haste
Dispose and teach us to receive;
And then Thou show'st Thy power at last,
And then Thou dost Thy Spirit give.
1980.
[With faith Thy saying we receive]
I am the Resurrection, and the Life: he, &c.
—xi. 25, 26.
With faith Thy saying we receive,
Thee, Lord, the Resurrection own,
The' essential Life of all that live
Surrounding, or beneath Thy throne:
Life of the world to come Thou art,
Life of the saints in flesh confined,
And wouldst Thy quickening Spirit impart,
To raise the souls of all mankind.
The faith Thou dost on us bestow
Restores our souls to life again,
The' eternal Life in Thee we know,
The gracious glorious life obtain,
The antepast in perfect peace
In Thy unsinning mind we prove,
And feel the real holiness
The life infused of heavenly love.
Our souls raised up to die no more,
Jesus, Thou dost persist to save;
And Thou whom all Thy saints adore,
Shalt call our bodies from the grave;
We all who live by faith in Thee,
Who on Thine only love rely,
Possess'd of immortality
The second death shall never die.
1981.
[Yes, Lord: I steadfastly believe]
Yea, Lord: I believe that Thou art the Christ, &c.
—xi. 27.
Yes, Lord: I steadfastly believe
Thou the desired Messias art,
Thee, Prophet, Priest, and King, receive
With joy into my loving heart;
Son of the living God Most-High,
His fulness all resides in Thee,
Yet didst Thou live on earth, and die
To live eternally in me.
The Saviour-God so long foretold,
The Ransomer of Jacob's race,
Of all mankind to Satan sold
My God, My Saviour, I confess:
Come in the flesh Thou art I know;
Thou wilt fulfil Thine own design,
Destroy the devil's works below,
And fill our souls with life Divine.
1982.
[Happy is the family]
The Master is come, and calleth for thee.
—xi. 28.
Happy is the family
Strong in faith and much in prayer!
Jesus, they belong to Thee,
Thou art Lord and Master there,
Thou art worshipp'd and revered,
Thou art glorified alone;
Nothing but Thy word is heard,
Nothing but Thy will is done.
1983.
[Man in ministering relief]
As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, &c.
—xi. 29.
Man in ministering relief,
Miserable comforter,
Aggravates the mourner's grief,
Burdens whom he means to cheer:
Mary turns from such away,
Her immortal Friend to meet,
Goes to Christ without delay,
Seeks her comfort at His feet.
1984.
[Passion's turbulent excess]
Jesus troubled Himself (Gr.)
—xi. 33.
Passion's turbulent excess,
Pure from sin He could not feel;
Rational was the distress,
Wholly subject to His will:
He who did our nature take,
Would its sinless frailties know,
Freely suffer'd for our sake,
Made Himself the Man of woe.
1985.
[Jesus weeps, our tears to see!]
Jesus weeps, our tears to see!
Feels the soft infirmity;
Feels, whene'er a friend we mourn,
From our bleeding bosom torn:
Let Him still in spirit groan,
Make our every grief His own,
Till we all triumphant rise,
Call'd to meet Him in the skies.
Jesus weeps for sinners blind,
Mourns the death of all mankind;
Blesses us with sacred showers,
Sheds His tears to hallow ours:
Weeps to make our case His own,
For our guilty joys to' atone,
Wipes at last the mourner's eyes,
Sorrow's source for ever dries!
1986.
[When with eyes of faith we see]
Then said the Jews, Behold how He loved him!
—xi. 36.
When with eyes of faith we see
Jesus fasten'd to the tree,
Very man, and very God,
Pouring, not His tears, but blood,
Grateful on the sight we gaze,
Cry in passionate amaze,
See, His tender mercy proved!
See how well the world He loved!
1987.
[Presumptuous men through malice blind]
Could not this Man, which opened the eyes, &c.
—xi. 37.
Presumptuous men through malice blind,
Would fain the times and seasons know,
Fault with eternal Wisdom find,
And teach Him when His power to show,
Insult Him for His kind delay,
And when He works, the Saviour stay.
1988.
[Their sin extorts the' indignant groan]
Jesus therefore again groaning in Himself, &c.
—xi. 38.
Their sin extorts the' indignant groan,
Their proud obduracy of heart,
Which scorns His benefits to own,
Which will His saving grace pervert,
Though God Himself in person come
To call their souls from nature's tomb.
He curbs the struggling grief within,
That thus we may our zeal suppress,
Urged to resent our neighbour's sin,
Shock'd by a world of wickedness,
And silently the anguish bear,
Or vent our burden'd souls in prayer.
1989.
[Who lives in unbelief confined]
It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
—xi. 38.
Who lives in unbelief confined,
His heart is as a loathsome grave,
Loathsome and dark, corrupt and blind,
While grace in vain attends to save,
Harden'd by habitudes of sin,
It will not let salvation in.
Habitual sin shuts up the tomb,
And stops the avenues of grace,
Till shining in the dungeon's gloom
Glory supreme Himself displays,
And Holiness corruption seeks,
And Light Divine to darkness speaks.
Jesus, Thou hast the hindrance shown,
The sin that doth my soul beset,
I feel the hard and ponderous stone,
I pant beneath the' enormous weight,
Till pity brings redemption near,
And Love unbars the sepulchre.
1990.
[Thou bidd'st us take away the stone]
Jesus said, Take ye away the stone.
—xi. 39.
Thou bidd'st us take away the stone,
Thou bidd'st us put our sins away:
But Lord the power is Thine alone
Through which we can Thy word obey,
From every act of sinning cease,
And gain the gift of righteousness.
The power which Thy command conveys,
The previous penitential power,
Workers together with Thy grace
We all may use and wait for more,
May outward obstacles remove,
And gasp for the pure life of love.
1991.
[Reason and faith together strive]
Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath, &c.
—xi. 39.
Reason and faith together strive
Just as the mighty work is wrought:
How can a putrid carcase live?
Or how out of corruption brought
My soul in holiness arise,
And live the life of paradise!
1992.
[The slave of fashionable sin]
The slave of fashionable sin,
Who spends his life in pleasures vain,
Specious without, but foul within,
Offensive both to God and man
The pestilent example gives,
Is dead, and stinks, while yet he lives.
1993.
[Lord Thy saying I receive]
Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, &c.
—xi. 40.
Lord Thy saying I receive,
As spoken now to me,
If the promise I believe
I shall Thy glory see,
Shall from mine offences freed
Both see and feel Thy saving power,
Rise triumphant from the dead,
And die and sin no more.
Gladly I believe the word,
And wait the truth to prove,
To Thine image here restored,
The life of spotless love:
Walking in my Saviour's sight
I here shall find Thine utmost grace,
Then with all the sons of light
Behold Thy open face.
1994.
[Ready to conclude Thy race]
Jesus lifted up His eyes, and said, Father, &c.
—xi. 41, 42.
Ready to conclude Thy race
With this great miracle,
Lord Thou dost Thy Father praise,
Thou dost Thyself reveal;
Heard in this, in every hour,
Thou all Thy wondrous works hast done,
By Thine own essential power,
With God for ever one.
Sovereign Lord of life and death
Thy right Divine receive,
All who by Thy mercy breathe
Should to Thy glory live:
God supreme in majesty
Thee, Jesus, I with joy confess,
Sent from God to quicken me,
And all our ransom'd race.
1995.
[When the' almighty Jesus cries]
He cried with a loud voice.
—xi. 43.
When the' almighty Jesus cries,
Hears the soul in paradise,
Hastes the summons to obey,
Reassumes his mortal clay,
To our dying life restored,
Lives again to serve his Lord.
All that voice of God shall hear,
All forsake the sepulchre,
Put again their bodies on,
Stand arraign'd before the throne;
Then the awful Judge we see,
Now, my God, He pleads for me.
1996.
[Jesus, quickening Spirit, come]
Lazarus, come forth!
—xi. 43.
Jesus, quickening Spirit, come,
Call my soul out of its tomb,
Dead in sin to life restore,
Raise me up to die no more;
Perfect liberty bestow,
Speak again, and bid me go,
Thou who hast my sins forgiven,
Loose, and lift me up to heaven.
1997.
[Senseless no more in sin I dwell]
He that was dead came forth, bound hand, &c.
—xi. 44.
Senseless no more in sin I dwell,
But leave my guilty nature's tomb,
Thy Spirit's quickening virtue feel,
And forth at Thy command I come;
Yet bound I in Thy sight appear,
Of death the fatal tokens have,
And recent from the sepulchre,
Expect Thy farther power to save.
I wait till Thou my Lord repeat
And seal the word of pardoning love,
Loose by Thy word my hands and feet,
The bandage from my sight remove:
My God I then shall clearly see,
Perform the works of righteousness,
And walk in glorious liberty,
And run with joy the heavenly race.
If ministers Thy grace ordain
And use their instrumental power,
Yet Thee great Ransomer of men,
Thee only shall my soul adore:
Thy truth that makes me free indeed,
Thy word it is that sanctifies,
And faithful in Thy steps I tread,
To find my Life beyond the skies.
1998.
[Jesus, we testify Thy power]
He that was dead came forth.
—xi. 44.
Jesus, we testify Thy power
From all degrees of death to save,
Thee, Lord of life, our souls adore,
Raised from the bed, the bier, the grave!
1999.
[How good to visit Jesus' friends]
Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, &c.
—xi. 45.
How good to visit Jesus' friends,
How happily the visit ends!
A mourner sad they come to cheer,
And find the heavenly Comforter;
His gracious miracles they see,
Proofs of the' incarnate Deity;
The precious gift of faith receive,
And raised themselves to God they live.
2000.
[Self-righteous Pharisees]
If we let Him thus alone, all men will believe, &c.
—xi. 48.
Self-righteous
Pharisees
The sinner's Friend oppose,
And priests in every age increase
The number of His foes;
While yet they might receive
The' eternal Son of God,
They neither will themselves believe,
Nor suffer us that would.
Ye venerable men
Who 'gainst your Saviour fight,
Imaginary ills ye feign,
And real dangers slight:
Lest Rome your church o'erthrow
Affectedly ye fear,
And thoughtless of your hellish foe
Ye dread his successor.
Strangers to Jesu's blood
Ye no conviction have,
Rejecting Him by God bestow'd,
Your sinful souls to save;
But tremble at the day
Which shall His wrath reveal,
When Satan takes your souls away,
And shuts them up in hell.
2001.
[As patriots wise and good]
It is expedient for us, that one man should die, &c.
—xi. 50.
As patriots wise and good
Fired for the nation's weal,
The' ambitious, covetous, and proud
Their base designs conceal:
Their credit wealth and power,
To' ensure is all their aim,
And when the wolves the flock devour,
They use religion's name.
Religion is their care,
Yet still themselves they seek,
The temple of the Lord they are,
Yet thus their actions speak,
“Let truth and justice die
With every righteous one;
So we may live install'd on high,
And rule the church alone.”
2002.
[Wisdom and power to God belong!]
This spake he not of himself: but being, &c.
—xi. 51, 52.
Wisdom and power to God belong!
Thou dost o'errule the pontiff's tongue,
Beyond himself to prophesy:
The year of Thy redeem'd is come,
Thy outcasts must be gather'd home,
And One for all the people die.
Such Thy unchangeable decree,
Thy Son the sacrifice shall be,
And bleed in a whole nation's place;
He dies, but not for Jews alone,
His blood shall ransom and atone
For every child of Adam's race.
He hath for all been offer'd up,
The world's Desire, the nation's Hope,
Partition's wall hath broken down;
His death's effects we all partake,
Gentiles and Jews His body make,
Gather'd and sanctified in one.
Thou dost to every longing heart
The Spirit of Thy Son impart
Through which we Abba Father cry,
While in the power of simple love
The fellowship of saints we prove,
And join Thy church beyond the sky.
CHAPTER XII.
2003.
[Life to a soul if Jesus give]
Then Jesus . . . came to Bethany, where Lazarus, &c.
—xii. 1.
Life to a soul if Jesus give
He will not then neglect and leave
His Lazarus restored,
But visits and confirms the grace,
The tender life of righteousness,
And feeds him with the word.
The sinner saved is Jesu's guest,
(Whose presence makes the' angelic feast,
Whose glory fills the skies,)
He banquets on redeeming love,
Nor envies those he left above,
The saints in paradise.
2004.
[Money with God of no esteem]
He was a thief, and had the bag.
—xii. 6.
Money with God of no esteem
He doth to thieves and traitors trust,
But precious souls are kept by Him,
Are safe with Jesus Christ the just:
Judas the church's goods may steal,
He cannot make our souls his prey,
Though help'd by him who comes from hell
The sheep to spoil, and kill, and slay.
2005.
[The world who only seek their own]
Then said Jesus, Let her alone (Gr. Forgive her).
—xii. 7.
The world who only seek their own,
Compassion for the poor pretend,
But judge who live for God alone,
And all on their Redeemer spend:
They may external works approve
Whene'er the needy we relieve,
But our excess of zealous love
To Christ, they never can forgive.
2006.
[The things we most affect and prize]
Against the day of My burying hath she kept this.
—xii. 7.
The things we most affect and prize
We offer Christ in sacrifice,
His costliest gifts to Him restore,
And wish our utmost all were more.
2007.
[We bless Thee Saviour for the grace]
The poor always ye have with you.
—xii. 8.
We bless Thee Saviour for the grace
Which left Thy deputies behind:
The poor on earth supply Thy place
That man may still to God be kind:
Our alms expecting to receive
The Head we in the members see;
And what to them we do or give,
We give, or do it, Lord to Thee.
2008.
[Ye who curiously desire]
They came not for Jesus' sake only, &c.
—xii. 9.
Ye who curiously desire
The works of Christ to see,
Come; but farther grace require,
And His disciples be:
Him who raised us from the dead,
Expect your sinful souls to raise;
Feel the Spirit of our Head,
And live to Jesu's praise.
2009.
[The people still go forth to meet]
Much people . . . took branches of palm-trees, &c.
—xii. 12, 13.
The people still go forth to meet,
And Jesus with Hosannahs greet,
The King of saints, the God supreme,
His Sender comes reveal'd in Him.
Receive Him in Jehovah's name,
Jehovah is with Christ the same,
Receive Him in His Spirit bestow'd,
The fulness of the triune God!
He comes, He comes, on earth to reign,
He brings us back our power again,
The sovereignty which Adam lost,
With Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
In us who Christ our God adore,
He doth His kingdom here restore,
And in our faithful hearts we prove
The reigning power of Jesu's love.
The Author of our joy we bless,
The King of peace and righteousness,
Triumphant in the earnest given,
For present love is present heaven.
We soon shall meet Him in the sky,
And ceaseless Hallelujah cry,
Palms in our hands, as conquerors, bear,
And glory on our foreheads wear.
2010.
[Pomp and magnificence He leaves]
Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King, &c.
—xii. 15.
Pomp and magnificence He leaves
To kings who need their weakness hide,
No dignity from man receives,
Who comes but to encounter pride,
To make the world and sin submit,
And trample death beneath His feet.
Meekness and love compose His train,
Sion, rejoice thy King to see;
He comes o'er willing hearts to reign,
By patience and humility;
Ye need not fear the sinner's Friend
Who comes your sins and fears to end.
Sinners by gentleness He wins,
And sweetly bends them to His sway;
Receive your mild pacific Prince,
Enjoy the happiness to' obey,
Delight His easy yoke to prove,
And bless His law of life and love.
2011.
[Ah, Lord, my ignorance I own]
These things understood not His disciples, &c.
—xii. 16.
Ah, Lord, my ignorance I own,
Thy mind I cannot yet conceive,
But wait till Thou, to make it known
Thy own revealing Spirit give,
Thy lively oracles to' explain,
And plant Thy reigning power in man.
I read, but cannot comprehend
The depth of Thy mysterious word;
But when Thou dost Thy Spirit send,
I there shall find my pardoning Lord,
By Thy own light discover Thee,
And born of God, Thy kingdom see.
Enthroned again above the skies,
Thou hast obtain'd the Comforter,
Who opens our enlighten'd eyes,
By humble faith, and childlike fear,
Brings to our mind Thy words of grace,
And all Thy depths of love displays.
The veil removed we then perceive,
The' inexplicable book unseal'd,
Thy sovereign Deity believe,
In whom the Scriptures are fulfill'd,
Who dost Thy gracious sway maintain,
And in our hearts triumphant reign.
2012.
[Fain would I my Redeemer see]
We would see Jesus.
—xii. 21.
Fain would I my Redeemer see,
As when extended on the tree
He groan'd beneath my sinful load,
He pour'd out all His sacred blood:
Above, I want this only sight,
To view the Lamb by His own light,
To' admire the lustre of those scars,
Which brightens all the morning stars!
2013.
['Tis all my longing soul's desire]
'Tis all my longing soul's desire
To see whom earth and heaven admire,
Whom saints and angels love,
On Him with eyes of faith to gaze,
And then behold His blissful face
With all His saints above.
Thee, King of kings, I pant to see,
Array'd with power and majesty,
The Father's and Thy own,
To see transported at the sight,
And fall with all the sons of light
Before Thy azure throne.
Some token, gracious Lord, impart,
And now let my believing heart
The earnest sure receive;
Myself that I may loathe and hate,
In me the seeing eye create,
The life eternal give.
That plainly in the gospel-glass
Beholding Thee with open face,
I in Thy light may shine;
Transform'd into Thine image here,
And then before my God appear,
My God for ever mine!
2014.
[How pleasing is the harmony]
Philip . . . telleth Andrew . . . Andrew and Philip, &c.
—xii. 22.
How pleasing is the harmony
When Jesu's ministers agree,
In bringing souls to Him conspire,
And point them to the world's Desire;
His followers true, no envious zeal,
No vain self-preference they feel;
His glory seek, and not their own,
And live to' exalt their Lord alone.
2015.
[Son of man, the hour is come]
The hour is come, that the Son of man should, &c.
—xii 23.
Son of man, the hour is come
To glorify Thy name,
Call the world of sinners home,
Thy goodness to proclaim:
Is not this Thy proper praise
The dead to' awake, the lost to find?
Jesus, glorify Thy grace
By saving all mankind.
2016.
[The Father's Fellow, and His Son]
Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground, &c.
—xii. 24.
The Father's Fellow, and His Son
On His everlasting throne
Did long alone abide;
But fell when God became a man,
Into our earth, a heavenly grain,
And here the Saviour died.
The church's Principle and Seed,
Jesus for a season dead
Sprung up out of the grave;
He did through His own virtue rise
And re-ascended to the skies,
Our sinful world to save.
He yields the infinite increase,
Millions of His witnesses
Out of His passion shoot,
Through Jesu's quickening power believe,
Life from their Saviour's death receive,
And fill the world with fruit.
In them the' immortal seed remains,
Them the Bread of life sustains
And feeds, and multiplies,
Till that eternal harvest come,
And raise their bodies from the tomb,
And store them in the skies.
2017.
[Jesus, while yet a Man of woe]
Where I am, there shall also My servant be, &c.
—xii. 26.
Jesus, while yet a Man of woe
On earth Thou saidst “In heaven I am!”
And all who in Thy footsteps go
Thy place above by promise claim,
Feeble and faint, yet following on,
Thy servant shall ascend Thy throne.
The least of Thy disciples I
Of all that ever knew Thy love,
On Thy most faithful word rely,
And wait till Thou my soul remove,
To see the house Thou hast prepared,
To win through grace Thy own reward.
2018.
[Jesus, how great Thy servants are!]
If any man serve Me, him will My Father honour.
—xii. 26.
Jesus, how great Thy servants are!
What dignity on man bestow'd!
We, who rejoice Thy yoke to bear,
Are honour'd with the' esteem of God,
Thy praise, Thy glory we obtain,
And kings we in Thy kingdom reign.
2019.
[In trouble I dare not complain]
Now is My soul troubled; and what shall I, &c.
—xii. 27.
In trouble I dare not complain,
When Jesus Himself is distress'd,
O'erwhelm'd by a sight of His pain,
With grief above measure oppress'd!
He seems at a loss what to say:
But rescue He will not desire,
Consumed by the wrath of that day,
Baptized with a torrent of fire!
Who all our infirmities knows
Doth all our infirmities feel,
And when the dread cup overflows,
Submitting His innocent will,
The cup from His Father receives
That I my vocation may see:
To me an ensample He leaves,
He leaves of His patience to me.
Supernally strengthen'd to bear
The sight of the terrible hour,
My weakness I humbly declare,
My Lord in the furnace adore;
Thy cross I accept and embrace,
Thy death I no longer decline,
So Thou, who hast died in my place,
Preserve me eternally Thine.
2020.
[The lasting peace of mind]
Father, glorify Thy name.
—xii. 28.
The lasting peace of mind,
The true tranquillity,
In trouble's lowest deep I find
By leaving all to Thee:
Father, Thy will be done,
In Thy bless'd hands I am,
And live and die for this alone,
To glorify Thy name.
2021.
[Thou hast in me display'd]
I have both glorified it, and will, &c.
—xii. 28.
Thou hast in me display'd
The glory of Thy power,
And wilt again reveal Thine aid
In Thine appointed hour;
Returning from the sky
My fears and sins remove,
And save my soul, to magnify
Thine own almighty love.
2022.
[Amidst the worldly noise]
The people . . . said that it thundered: others, &c.
—xii. 29.
Amidst the worldly noise
And hurrying strife below,
How few the comfortable voice
Of their Creator know!
But all His voice may hear
Who still His Son imparts,
And sends the heavenly Comforter
To teach within our hearts.
2023.
[For me the answer came]
This voice came . . . for your sakes.
—xii. 30.
For me the answer came,
Thou wilt to me make known
Thy nature, attributes, and name,
Through Thine incarnate Son;
Wilt for His sake forgive,
In honour of Thy grace,
And bid a pardon'd sinner live
To Thine eternal praise.
2024.
[Now that the world our God arraign]
Now is the judgement of this world: now shall, &c.
—xii. 31.
Now that the world our God arraign,
The world are tried themselves and cast,
Now that the Lord of life is slain,
The tyranny of hell is pass'd:
Jesus by His expiring breath
Doth Satan's earthly throne o'erthrow,
Destroys who had the power of death,
And drives him to the realms below.
2025.
[The promise made our fallen race]
I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw, &c.
—xii. 32.
The promise made our fallen race,
And by the blood of Jesus seal'd,
The word of all-attracting grace,
I find ten thousand times fulfill'd:
But, Lord, I want the sight above,
The grace to saints triumphant given;
Draw by the cords of perfect love,
And draw me to Thyself in heaven.
2026.
[From the tribunal of Thy cross]
This He said, signifying what death He, &c.
—xii. 33.
From the tribunal of Thy cross
Satan and sin Thou dost condemn,
But vindicate Thy people's cause,
And merit saving grace for them:
Thy cross to us a gracious throne,
The instrument of good we find,
The source of every blessing own,
And life procured for all mankind.
2027.
[Seeming contrarieties]
And how sayest thou, The Son of Man must, &c.
—xii. 34.
Seeming contrarieties
Faith with readiness receives:
Lifted up from earth He is,
Dies, and yet for ever lives!
Thus His suffering saints beneath
Shame their way to glory see,
Find in the cold arms of death
Death is immortality.
2028.
[Traveller, see thy gracious day]
Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness, &c.
—xii 35.
Traveller, see thy gracious day
Swiftly drawing to an end!
Mend thy pace, pursue thy way,
Ere the shades of night descend;
Fear to lose a moment's space,
Walk, advance, and hasten on,
And when death concludes thy race,
Dying shout “The work is done.”
2029.
[Who Himself to babes reveals]
These things spake Jesus, and departed, &c.
—xii. 36.
Who Himself to babes reveals,
Justly from the proud departs,
Leaves the stubborn infidels
To the blindness of their hearts,
Quite withdraws His light and power,
Since they neither would receive:
Then their gracious day is o'er,
Then they never can believe.
Jesus, Light of life Divine,
Do not hide Thyself from me,
Me who would be wholly Thine,
Would be always led by Thee,
Me who trust Thy only love,
Who Thy Spirit's law obey,
In Thy face unveil'd above,
Show me that eternal day.
2030.
[The messengers rejected]
Who hath believed our report? and to whom, &c.
—xii. 38.
The messengers rejected
May cry in every nation
How few embrace
The word of grace,
The gospel of salvation!
Not all His outward wonders
Can force us to believe Him,
Till Jesus' love
The veil remove;
And then our hearts receive Him.
The arm of the Almighty
We plainly then discover,
And Christ the Power
Of God adore,
Our souls' eternal Lover;
Who manifests the Father,
Restores us to His favour,
To end our sin
His mind brings in
And lives in man for ever.
2031.
[He offer'd them sufficient light]
He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened, &c.
—xii. 40.
He offer'd them sufficient light
Which when they could but would not see,
He left them in their nature's night,
Their unbelief's obscurity:
He offer'd them His softening grace,
And when its power they scorn'd to feel,
Forsook the sick self-harden'd race
Who would not suffer Him to heal.
2032.
[Are there not still who would receive]
Among the chief rulers also many believed, &c.
—xii. 42.
Are there not still who would receive
Thy truth and witnesses,
Who Thee their pardoning Lord believe,
But tremble to confess?
Rulers themselves with faith and fear
Thy works of wonder see,
But dare not in Thy cause appear,
Or give up all for Thee.
Their horror of assured disgrace
Of man's forbidding frown,
Their love of wealth, and pomp, and praise,
Detains and keeps them down;
So much to sell for Thee they have,
They will not quit their sins,
What but Thine utmost power can save
A prelate, or a prince?
2033.
[His public ministry to close]
Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on, &c.
—xii. 44.
His public ministry to close
He lifts His voice amidst His foes,
By neither earth nor hell dismay'd;
Virtue, He with His voice exerts
To reach His weak disciples' hearts,
And thus their cowardice upbraid.
Sent from Jehovah in the skies,
Jesus His office magnifies:
The dignity of faith displays,
Which makes the depths of Godhead known,
Discerns the Father in the Son
With all His majesty and grace.
2034.
[Inseparably one with Thee]
He that seeth Me seeth Him that sent Me.
—xii. 45.
Inseparably one with Thee
The Sender in the Sent we see,
The' express Similitude Divine,
His power and wisdom from above,
His truth and holiness and love,
Throughout Thy life and doctrine shine.
Beholding as with open face
In Thee we on Thy Father gaze
Transform'd by the transporting sight,
We praise the Godhead visible,
Come down with sinful men to dwell
And triumph in Thy glorious light.
2035.
[The Light into the world is come]
I am come a Light into the world, &c.
—xii. 46.
The Light into the world is come,
And darts into our nature's gloom
The first Divine enlivening ray;
Happy who in the Light believes,
And with that glimmering ray receives
The promise of eternal day.
He shall not long in sin abide,
The Light will bring him forth and guide
His feet into the way of peace,
With still increasing lustre shine
And fill his soul with love Divine,
With all the life of heavenly grace.
2036.
[What profits it alas, to hear]
If any man hear My words, and believe not, &c.
—xii. 47, 48.
What profits it alas, to hear
Thy sayings with a careless ear
Unless Thy sayings I obey,
In vain I call Thee God or Lord;
Neglecting to perform Thy word,
Thy word shall judge me in that day:
Thy gospel which I now despise,
Against me shall in judgment rise
And aggravate my fearful doom:
Unless I feel my guilty load,
A sinner dying in my blood,
And to the Friend of sinners come.
A sinner now I come to Thee,
For pardon life and liberty
Thy reconciling word receive:
Thou cam'st at first to show Thy grace,
Not to condemn our sinful race,
And diedst that all mankind might live.
In Thee an Advocate I have,
And answering Thy design to save
My humble confidence hold fast;
Bless'd with the faith that works by love,
Henceforth in all Thy paths I move,
And reach my Father's house at last.
2037.
[Thy great commission to fulfil]
For I have not spoken of Myself; but the, &c.
—xii. 49.
Thy great commission to fulfil
And answer all Thy Father's will
His word Thou hast declared to man,
His word is not distinct from Thine,
But Father, Son, and Spirit join
To make the hidden mystery plain:
The whole Divine economy
Appointed and prescribed to Thee
Saviour, Thou hast display'd below;
And still Thou dost Thy grace impart,
And still in every faithful heart
The way to heavenly glory show.
2038.
[Thou in the gospel hast made known]
And I know that His commandment is life, &c.
—xii. 50.
Thou in the gospel hast made known
The way by Thy great Father shown,
And thither Thy commandments tend,
The sum of all Thy teachings this,
Obedience leads to perfect bliss,
Obedience shall in glory end.
Jesus, Thy promise I embrace,
Fulness of evangelic grace,
Sufficient strength derive from Thee;
My soul upon Thy word is stay'd;
Thy word believed, beloved, obey'd,
Is life, eternal life to me.
CHAPTER XIII.
2039.
[Objects of His constant care]
Having loved His own which were in, &c.
—xiii. 1.
Objects of His constant care,
The Shepherd of the sheep
Them as in His arms did bear,
And in His bosom keep;
Them with persevering love
He died from suffering to redeem,
Then resumed His place above,
And claim'd their thrones for them.
2040.
[Saviour, am not I Thine own?]
Saviour, am not I Thine own?
Throughout my evil days,
Surely Thou on me hast shown
The riches of Thy grace:
Thee, the sinner's constant Friend,
In life, and death I trust on Thee;
Love me, Lord, when time shall end,
Through all eternity.
2041.
[My God, my God was ever love]
Jesus knowing that the Father had given, &c.
—xiii. 3.
My God, my God was ever love
Was ever lowliness like Thine!
Conscious of what Thou art above
Supreme in majesty Divine,
Thy Father ere the world began
Into Thy hands had all things given,
And sanctified the Son of man,
The sovereign Lord of earth and heaven.
Who didst from Him Thy mission know,
Returning to Thy Father's breast,
How could Thy greatness stoop so low,
God over all, by all confess'd!
Contemplating Thy glorious state
Which mortal eye had never seen
Thou didst on Thy own creatures wait,
And serve the sinful sons of men.
See then ye haughty worms of earth,
The strange humility unknown,
Who boast your power, or pomp, or birth,
Behold Jehovah's only Son!
The sight might kings themselves convert,
God only could so far submit:
Satan is in the traitor's heart,
The Lord most high is at his feet.
2042.
[But stranger far, and more profound]
He . . . laid aside His garments; and took, &c.
—xiii. 4, 5.
But stranger far, and more profound
That first abasement of our God,
When with eternal glory crown'd
A man to men Himself He show'd!
He laid His dazzling robes aside,
His greatness and majestic grace,
And pleased with sinners to abide,
Put on our nature's sordid dress.
Jehovah in our form appears
With frail humanity endued,
Washes His servants in His tears
And purifies us by His blood:
Our souls immersed in guilt and clay
And by His sacred flesh made clean,
He wipes our earthly minds away,
And all the filth of inbred sin.
2043.
[Incomprehensible to man]
Peter . . . said unto Him, Lord, dost Thou, &c.
—xiii. 6.
Incomprehensible to man
The strange humility Divine
Till Jesus doth Himself explain
His own mysterious love's design:
Wondering we ask how can it be,
That God should wait on man below,
That the Most-High should stoop to me,
And wash the sinner white as snow!
When Jesus at his feet he saw,
Peter might well repeat the word
“From a vile sinful man withdraw,
Holy and just and heavenly Lord!”
But therefore will the Saviour stay
For this in human likeness born,
To purge our guilty stains away,
And to a saint a sinner turn.
2044.
[Do what Thou wilt; it should be so]
What I do thou knowest not now, &c.
—xiii. 7.
Do what Thou wilt; it should be so;
If now I cannot sound Thy mind,
Thy work I shall hereafter know,
The meaning of Thy conduct find:
Death shall ere long unwind the maze,
The' impenetrable cloud remove,
And then I see that all Thy ways
Were wisdom, faithfulness, and love.
2045.
[We have no benefit from Thee]
If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with Me.
—xiii. 8.
We have no benefit from Thee,
Unless Thy blood by faith applied
Redeem from all iniquity,
And throughly cleanse Thy ransom'd bride:
But if Thy blood to flesh convert
This unbelieving heart of stone,
Mine own assuredly Thou art,
Thou art eternally mine own.
2046.
[Fountain of purity Divine]
Peter saith unto Him, Lord, not my feet only, &c.
—xiii. 9.
Fountain of purity Divine,
No longer I refuse Thy grace
But give up my own will to Thine,
But waive my own unworthiness;
Since Thou so freely dost forgive,
And wash and seal me for Thine own,
My pardon I with joy receive,
And share the blessings of Thy throne.
2047.
[If bathed in Thine atoning blood]
He that is washed needeth not save to wash, &c.
—xiii. 10.
If bathed in Thine atoning blood
Am I not every whit made clean,
Completely justified with God,
Redeem'd from all the guilt of sin?
My conscience is no more defiled,
Sprinkled and purified my heart,
I know my Father reconciled,
I know that Thou my Saviour art.
Thy Spirit, Lord, the water pure
Together with Thy blood applied,
Hath made my peace and pardon sure,
Hath plunged me in the mingled tide:
My care is now to wash my feet,
And if I humbly walk in Thee
Sin I need never more repeat,
Or lose my faith and purity.
2048.
[Didst Thou not leave Thy Father's throne]
And ye are clean.
—xiii. 10.
Didst Thou not leave Thy Father's throne
To save Thy people from their sin?
Assure our hearts, the work is done,
And tell us Lord, we now are clean;
Cleansed by the Spirit and the word
Give us in all Thy steps to tread,
As followers of our holy Lord,
As members of our sinless Head.
2049.
[Not all who saving faith profess]
Not all who saving faith profess,
Are wash'd in Thy all-cleansing blood;
There lurks among Thy witnesses
Some Judas false to man and God!
Searcher of hearts, Thou seest alone
Our unperceived hypocrisy:
Make the perfidious traitor known,
And show me Lord, if I am he!
2050.
[No: without Thy farther light]
Know ye what I have done to you?
—xiii. 12.
No: without Thy farther light,
My ignorance I own;
Cannot understand aright
The things which Thou hast done:
Give mine inmost soul to know
The depth of Thy humility,
What Thy love hath wrought below,
And daily doth for me.
2051.
[Master Thee we call, and Lord]
Ye call Me Master and Lord: and ye say, &c.
—xiii. 13
Master Thee we call, and Lord,
Performing what we say
When our lives fulfil Thy word,
And when our hearts obey;
O that thus we always might
Ourselves Thy true disciples prove,
Find like Thee our whole delight
In works of humble love.
2052.
[No; the letter profits nought]
If I then, your Lord and Master, have, &c.
—xiii. 14.
No; the letter profits nought
And few could that fulfil;
But we all by Jesus taught
May know and do His will;
All to all may helpful prove
To meanest offices submit:
Thus we humbly serve in love,
And wash each other's feet.
2053.
[Jesus, Lord, I fain would stoop]
I have given you an example, that ye should, &c.
—xiii. 15.
Jesus, Lord, I fain would stoop
With Thy humility,
Take Thy sacred burden up
And meekly follow Thee:
Lowly both in mind and deed
Thou hast a perfect pattern given;
Give me in Thy steps to tread,
And bear Thy cross to heaven.
2054.
[What avails it, Lord, to know]
If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
—xiii. 17.
What avails it, Lord, to know,
And not to do Thy will?
This is all my joy below,
Thy pleasure to fulfil,
This my pure delight above;
This happiness to me be given,
To do the will of Him I love,
I ask no other heaven.
2055.
[A pastor should his flock prepare]
Now I tell you before it come, that, when, &c.
—xiii. 19.
A pastor should his flock prepare,
And arm against the trying hour;
Forewarn'd the rude assault they bear,
Their Lord's Divinity and power
With stronger confidence confess,
With fuller joy their Saviour bless.
2056.
[The body and the Head are one]
He that receiveth whomsoever I send, &c.
—xiii. 20.
The body and the Head are one,
One Spirit in all the members lives,
And whatsoe'er to them is done
Jesus as done to Him receives,
Strangely partakes of their distress,
And suffers with His witnesses
But stricter still the union is
'Twixt Christ and those He doth ordain;
Their mission is a part of His,
His place and office they sustain,
With His authority endued,
As envoys from the living God!
2057.
[Troubled at heart and grieved within]
Jesus . . . was troubled in spirit, &c.
—xiii. 21.
Troubled at heart and grieved within
The Lord of all vouchsafes to be,
He mourns His own disciple's sin,
His own disciple's perfidy,
And feels with voluntary pain
The misery of ungrateful man.
Pastors and priests to avarice sold
Who Jesus and His truth betray,
Basely intrude into the fold
To make immortal souls their prey,
They to the fiend admittance give
And still the soul of Jesus grieve.
2058.
[Sinners redeem'd, yet still inclined]
Then the disciples looked one on another, &c.
—xiii. 22.
Sinners redeem'd, yet still inclined
To sin, should tremble at the name;
The evils we in others find
Ourselves may soon commit the same;
And I shall act the traitor's part,
If e'er I trust my treacherous heart.
2059.
[On his Redeemer's breast reclined]
Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom, &c.
—xiii. 23.
On his Redeemer's breast reclined,
And taken up with Christ alone,
No more he calls himself to mind,
By nought but Jesus' kindness known;
Regardless of reproach and praise,
If blamed by mortals or approved;
His name, his talents, and his grace,
Lost in—the man by Jesus loved!
The modest man, the meek in heart
May still be dignified and bless'd
With the beloved disciple's part,
May with his dear Redeemer rest:
And those that their own name forget,
Cast their ambitious pride away,
And lay themselves at Jesus' feet,
Jesus will in His bosom lay.
2060.
[The secret of the Lord is known]
Peter . . . beckoned to him, that he should ask, &c.
—xiii. 24.
The secret of the Lord is known
To saints whose hearts are kept above,
Who cleave by faith to Christ alone,
And humbly fear, because they love;
Jesus, on whom their souls rely,
Their every prayer and sigh receives;
Nothing He can to such deny,
And more than all they ask He gives.
2061.
[My most indulgent Saviour]
He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto, &c.
—xiii. 25.
My most indulgent Saviour,
I long Thy love to find,
To triumph in Thy favour,
And know Thy Spirit's mind:
This grace to me be given,
I nothing more request,
I want no other heaven
Than leaning on Thy breast.
The place of John I covet
More than a seraph's throne,
To rest in my Beloved,
And breathe my final groan;
On Thee alone relying
To lose my sin and pain,
And on Thy bosom dying,
My life eternal gain.
2062.
[Jesus His benefits bestows]
He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, &c.
—xiii. 26.
Jesus His benefits bestows
On open friends and secret foes,
Or these to those prefers;
The sop, the outward gift He gives
To traitors, hypocrites, and thieves,
To Satan's ministers.
Gifts will not evidence our grace,
Or riches in their shining face
The marks of goodness show;
We can by no external sign
Discern the favourites Divine,
Or John from Judas know.
2063.
[How hopeless is a sinner's case]
Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, &c.
—xiii. 27.
How hopeless is a sinner's case,
No more restrain'd by Jesus' grace
Left to the fiend alone,
The reprobate by God abhorr'd,
The slave with his indwelling lord
Is now for ever one!
Lest this my dreadful end should be,
My Saviour go not far from me;
Who hast my rescue been,
Still with Thy tempted servant stay,
And hedge about with thorns my way,
And hold me back from sin.
2064.
[Doth Jesus still the traitor spare]
Now no man at the table knew for what, &c.
—xiii. 28.
Doth Jesus still the traitor spare,
And patient to the end forbear
To' expose His basest foe?
O may I thus behave to mine,
And all the tenderness Divine
To harden'd sinners show.
O that like His disciples, I
Might to myself His word apply:
With candid charity
The traitor undisclosed receive,
Nor evil of the worst believe
Till forced by what I see!
2065.
[Christ and His friends the poor relieve]
Some of them thought, . . . Jesus had said, &c.
—xiii. 29.
Christ and His friends the poor relieve,
Alms from their little stock they give,
And shall not I afford
My love in poverty to show,
And gladly the last mite bestow
To feed my hungry Lord.
2066.
[Who hears His warnings with disdain]
He then having received the sop went, &c.
—xiii. 30.
Who hears His warnings with disdain,
And Jesus' gifts receives in vain,
Must fall from sin to sin:
No time in Satan's service lose,
No hellish drudgery refuse,
Till Tophet takes him in.
2067.
[Horrible night for murder made!]
And it was night.
—xiii. 30.
Horrible night for murder made!
Beneath whose execrable shade
Demons their treason hide!
Betray'd was God's eternal Son,
The darkest deed that e'er was done,
The blackest parricide!
Most lovely night with blessings crown'd!
When Jesus sold, the ransom found,
Consenting to be slain!
The brightest deed that e'er was done!
He made our foulest sins His own,
He gave His life for man!
He left on this auspicious night
The death-commemorating rite
Which life Divine imparts,
The feast which all our wants relieves,
And Christ with all His fulness gives
Into our longing hearts.
2068.
[Enter'd upon His final scene]
Now is the Son of Man glorified, &c.
—xiii. 31.
Enter'd upon His final scene
He sees the joy before Him set,
O'erlooks the shame and pain between,
And hastes His great reward to meet;
The victory is already won,
Already of the prize possess'd
He reigns as on His Father's throne,
He triumphs in His Father's breast.
Redemption's wondrous work is wrought,
(The Lamb from earth's foundation died,)
The debt is paid, the pardon bought,
The righteous God is satisfied:
His wrongs repaid, His law fulfill'd,
His power and wisdom from above,
His truth shines forth in Christ reveal'd,
His perfect holiness and love.
2069.
[That strange excess of love unknown]
A new commandment I give unto you, &c.
—xiii. 34.
That strange excess of love unknown
Bestow'd on those Thou call'st Thine own,
Bestow it now on me,
And rendering back what I receive,
My life a sacrifice I give
For all Thy saints and Thee.
2070.
[O put it in our inward parts]
O put it in our inward parts,
Write Thy new precept on our hearts
In characters Divine,
Inspire us with Thy Spirit's love;
Stronger than death it then shall prove,
A copy, Lord, of Thine.
2071.
[The love impartial and sincere]
By this shall all men know that ye are, &c.
—xiii. 35.
The love impartial and sincere
The' inimitable character
On genuine saints impress'd
O that I in myself could find,
Endued with my Redeemer's mind,
With His affection bless'd!
Enlarged beyond the narrow space
Of those that their own sect embrace,
And none besides approve,
I would to liberty restored
Love all the lovers of my Lord,
And all who seek His love.
Jesus the gospel-grace impart
To mine and every longing heart!
Take us into Thy fold,
The truth of pure religion give,
That all who bear Thy name may live,
And love like those of old.
The mark on every face impress,
That like Thy first-born witnesses
We hand in hand may move:
And ready each for each to die,
Constrain the world for each to cry,
“See how these Christians live!”
2072.
[Jesus must first for Peter die]
Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down, &c.
—xiii. 38.
Jesus must first for Peter die,
And purchase the courageous grace,
Must His own Godhead testify
That Peter may his Lord confess:
The Son of God, the martyrs' Head
Doth power for His disciples claim,
And gives us, dying in our stead,
The strength to suffer for His name.
2073.
[How deep and unperceived in man]
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock, &c.
—xiii. 38.
How deep and unperceived in man
The wound of self-presuming pride!
Only the great Physician can
Reveal what nature strives to hide;
Righteous, and wise, and gracious too,
He lets His loved apostle fall,
Lays the wound open to our view,
And thus provides a cure for all.
