Jesu! all hail. Who for my sin
Didst die, and by that death didst win
Eternal life for me;
Send me Thy grace, good Lord! that I
Unto the world and flesh may die,
And hide my life with Thee.
Jesu! who on that fatal wood
Poured forth Thy life’s last drop of blood,
Nailed to a shameful cross;
O may we bless Thy love, and be
Ready, dear Lord, to bear for Thee
All grief, all pain, all loss.
Jesu! who by Thine own love slain,
By Thine own power took’st life again,
And from the grave didst rise;
O may Thy death our souls revive,
And at our death a new life give,
The life that never dies.
Jesu! who to Thy heaven again
Returned in triumph, there to reign
Of men and angels King;
O may our parting souls take flight
Up to that land of joy and light,
And there for ever sing.[77]
In this hymn the first verse is from Faber’s series on ‘The Life of
our Lord,’[78] and the rest from Austin’s ‘Vespers for our Blessed
Saviour.’ Wesley’s selection from the same hymn began with the verse—
Jesu! behold three kings from far,
Led to Thy cradle by a star,
Bring gifts to Thee their King:
O guide us by Thy light, that we
May find Thy favour and to Thee
Ourselves for tribute bring.[79]
Of another hymn which Faber might have written, I give the first two
verses—
Sweet Jesu! why, why dost Thou love
Such worthless things as we?
Why is Thy heart still towards us
Who seldom think on Thee?
Thy bounty gives us all we have,
And we Thy gifts abuse:
Thy bounty gives us even Thyself,
And we Thyself refuse.
Austin’s best hymns, however, are, I think, one for Monday morning,
which Wesley entitled ‘Universal Praise,’ and the evening hymn, of
which some verses will be familiar to most readers.