I have just recently become interested in the connection between John Wesley (18th century Church of England priest and founder of Methodism) and George Herbert (17th century Church of England priest and famed poet). In my own studies, I tend to focus on the Germanic influences upon John Wesley, especially as they play out in Methodist hymn and tune books. But as I was investigating the sources of texts for early Methodist hymn books, I was surprised to learn just how much Wesley relied on Herbert's poetry. As many of Herbert's poem's were written in poetic meters unsuitable for singing, John Wesley tweaked the text to make them fit within standard hymn meters. Wesley also used the opportunity to inject his own preferred theological flavor. Below is a comparison of Herbert's "Dialogue" from The Temple (1633) with Wesley's revision.
Herbert original:
Sweetest Savior, if my soul
Were but worth the having,
Quickly should I then control
Any thought of waving.
But when all my care and pains
Cannot give the name of gains
To thy wretch so full of stains;
What delights or hope remains?
What (child) is the balance thine,
Thine the poise and measure?
If I say, Thou shalt be mine;
Finger not my treasure.
What the gains in having thee
Do amount to, only be,
Who for man was sold, can see;
That transferr’d th’accounts to me.
But as I can see no merit,
Leading to this favor:
So the way to fit me for it,
Is beyond my savor.
As the reason then is thine;
So the way is none of mine;
I disclaim the whole design:
Sin disclaims and I resign.
That is all, if that I could
Get without repining;
Any my clay my creature would
Follow my resigning.
That as I did freely part
With my glory and desert,
Left all joys to feel all smart-
Ah! no more: thou break’st my heart.
Wesley revision:
1. Saviour, if thy precious Love
Could be merited by mine,
Faith these Mountains would remove;
Faith would make me ever Thine
But when all my Care and Pains
Worth can ne’er create in Me,
Nought by me thy Fulness gains;
Vain the Hope to purchase Thee.
2. (C.) Cease, my Child, thy Worth to weigh,
Give the needless Contest o’er:
Mine Thou art! While thus I say,
Yield Thee up, and ask no more.
What thy Estimate may be,
Only can by Him be told,
Who to ransom Wretched Thee,
Thee to gain, Himself was sold.
3. (S.) But when All in Me is Sin,
How can I thy Grace obtain?
How presume Thyself to win?
God of Love, the Doubt explain—
Or if Thou the Means supply,
Lo! To Thee I All resign!
Make me, Lord, (I ask not why,
How, I ask not) ever thine!
4. (C.) This I would—That humbly still
Thou submit to my Decree,
Gladly subjecting thy Will,
Meekly copying after Me:
That as I did leave my Throne;
Freely from my Glory part;
Die, to make thy Heart my own---
(S.) Ah! No more—Thou break’st my Heart!
Mine Thou art! While thus I say,
Yield Thee up, and ask no more.
What thy Estimate may be,
Only can by Him be told,
Who to ransom Wretched Thee,
Thee to gain, Himself was sold.
3. (S.) But when All in Me is Sin,
How can I thy Grace obtain?
How presume Thyself to win?
God of Love, the Doubt explain—
Or if Thou the Means supply,
Lo! To Thee I All resign!
Make me, Lord, (I ask not why,
How, I ask not) ever thine!
4. (C.) This I would—That humbly still
Thou submit to my Decree,
Gladly subjecting thy Will,
Meekly copying after Me:
That as I did leave my Throne;
Freely from my Glory part;
Die, to make thy Heart my own---
(S.) Ah! No more—Thou break’st my Heart!
If you are interested in exploring more of Herbert's poetry, the CCEL website provides a daily Lenten devotional based on Herbert's texts. Some of the language has been modernized, but each devotion includes a link to the original.
