381

HO is as the Christian great!
Bought and washed with sacred blood,
Crowns he sees beneath his feet,
Soars aloft, and walks with God.
2 Who is as the Christian wise !

He his nought for all hath given;
Bought the pearl of greatest price,
Nobly bartered earth for heaven.
3 Who is as the Christian blest!

He hath found the long-sought stone,
He is joined to Christ his rest,
He and happiness are one.
4 Lo! his clothing is the Sun,

The bright Sun of Righteousness;
He hath put salvation on,

Jesus is his beauteous dress.
5 Lo! he feeds on Living Bread,

Drinks the Fountain from above,
Leans on Jesus' breast his head,
Feasts for ever on His love.

6 Angels here his servants are,
Spread for him their golden wings,
To his throne of glory bear,

Seat him by the King of kings.
7 Who shall gain that heavenly height,
Who his Saviour's face shall see?
I, who claim it in His right,

382

CHRIST hath bought it all for me.

COM

5,5,11. or 10s & 11s. C. WESLEY. 1747.

OME, Lord, from above, the mountains remove; Overturn all that hinders the course of Thy My bosom inspire, inkindle the fire,

[love;

And wrap my whole soul in the flames of desire. 2 I languish and pine for the comfort divine; O when shall I say, my Beloved is mine!

I have chosen the good part; my portion Thou art, O Love; let me find Thee, O God, in my heart. 3 For this my heart sighs, nothing else can suffice; How, Lord, can I purchase the pearl of great price? It cannot be bought, and Thou knowest I have nought,

Not an action, a word, or a truly good thought. 4 But I hear a voice say, "Without money ye may Receive it, whoever have nothing to pay : Who on Jesus relies, without money or price, The pearl of forgiveness and holiness buys: 5 The blessing is free :"-So, Lord, let it be; I yield that Thy love should be given to me. I freely receive what Thou freely dost give, And consent in Thy love, in Thy Eden, to live. 6 The gift I embrace; the Giver I praise; And ascribe my salvation to Jesus's grace: It comes from above, the foretaste I prove, And I soon shall receive all the fulness of love.

383

(549)

Describing Inward Religion.

L.M.

C. WESLEY. 1740.

UTHOR of faith, Eternal Word,

Whose Spirit breathes the active flame;

Faith, like its Finisher and Lord,

To-day, as yesterday, the same :
2 To Thee our humble hearts aspire,
And ask the gift unspeakable :
Increase in us the kindled fire,

In us the work of faith fulfil.
3. By faith we know Thee strong to save :
(Save us, a present Saviour Thou !)
Whate'er we hope, by faith we have,
Future and past subsisting now.

4 To him that in Thy Name believes,
Eternal life with Thee is given;
Into himself he all receives,
Pardon, and holiness, and heaven.

5 The things unknown to feeble sense,
Unseen by reason's glimmering ray,
With strong, commanding evidence,
Their heavenly origin display.

6 Faith lends its realising light,
The clouds disperse, the shadows fly,
The' Invisible appears in sight,
And God is seen by mortal eye.

384

2

3

HOW

C. WESLEY. 1749.

His sins on earth forgiven?
How can my gracious Saviour show
My name inscribed in heaven?
What we have felt and seen,
With confidence we tell ;

And publish to the sons of men,

The signs infallible.

We who in Christ believe

That He for us hath died,

We all His unknown peace receive,
And feel His blood applied;
Exults our rising soul,
Disburdened of her load,
And swells unutterably full

Of glory and of God.

His love, surpassing far

The love of all beneath,

We find within our hearts, and dare
The pointless darts of death.
Stronger than death and hell,
The mystic power we prove;
And, conquerors of the world, we dwell
In heaven, who dwell in love.

4 We by His Spirit prove,

And know the things of God,
The things which freely of His love
He hath on us bestowed;

5

6

385

His Spirit to us He gave,
And dwells in us, we know:
The witness in ourselves we have,
And all its fruits we show.

The meek and lowly heart,
That in our Saviour was,
To us His Spirit doth impart,
And signs us with His cross:
Our nature's turned, our mind
Transformed in all its powers;
And both the witnesses are joined,
The Spirit of God with ours.
Whate'er our pardoning Lord
Commands, we gladly do;
And, guided by His sacred word,
We all His steps pursue;
His glory our design,

We live our God to please;
And rise, with filial fear divine,
To perfect holiness.

TH

HOU great mysterious God unknown,
Whose love hath gently led me on,
Even from my infant days;

Mine inmost soul expose to view,
And tell me, if I ever knew
Thy justifying grace.

2 If I have only known Thy fear,
And followed, with a heart sincere,
Thy drawings from above;
Now, now the further grace bestow,
And let my sprinkled conscience know
Thy sweet forgiving love.

3 Short of Thy love I would not stop,
A stranger to the gospel hope,
The sense of sin forgiven;

I would not, Lord, my soul deceive,
Without Thy inward Witness live,
That antepast of heaven.

4 If now the Witness were in me,
Would He not testify of Thee
In Jesus reconciled?

And should I not with faith draw nigh,
And boldly, Abba, Father, cry,
And know myself Thy child?

5 Whate'er obstructs Thy pardoning love,-
Or sin, or righteousness,-remove,
Thy glory to display ;

Mine heart of unbelief convince,
And now absolve me from my sins,
And take them all away.

6 Father, in me reveal Thy Son,
And to my inmost soul make known
How merciful Thou art :

The secret of Thy love reveal,
And by Thine hallowing Spirit dwell
For ever in my heart!

386

Describing the Love of God to Man.

L.M.

C. WESLEY. 1741.

ATHER, whose everlasting Love
Thy only Son for sinners gave ;

Whose grace to all did freely move,

And sent Him down the world to save.

2 Help us Thy mercy to extol,

Immense, unfathomed, unconfined;
To praise the Lamb who died for all,
The general Saviour of mankind.

3 Thy undistinguishing regard

Was cast on Adam's fallen race :
For all Thou hast in Christ prepared
Sufficient, sovereign, saving grace,