A Wesley Hymn on the Eucharist as a Means of Grace

As regular readers of this blog know, I have been incorporating the singing of Wesley hymns during my praying of the Daily Office. Most recently, I have been singing The Eucharistic Hymns of John and Charles Wesley. This week, during Morning Prayer, I came to one of my very favorite Wesley hymns focusing on the sacrament of the Lord's Supper as a means of grace.

This hymn expresses how wonderful the gift of this sacrament is. Of course, we are reminded that the grace poured out is poured from God. That is, the sacrament is not the object of worship. It certainly is not magical. Rather, it is the "mysterious rite which dying mercy gave." It is the gift to the Church through which God has promised to pour out to us His abundant grace.

The hymn is listed as #42 in The Eucharistic Hymns of John and Charles Wesley, by J. Ernest Rattenbury. - This hymn is well worth having any and all Wesleyan/Methodist congregations learn, and it can be sung to the same tune as O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing. - May God grant that this song would be a blessing to all.

1. Glory to Him who freely spent

His blood, that we might live,

And through this choicest instrument

Doth all His blessings give.

2. Fasting He doth, and hearing bless,

And prayer can much avail,

Good vessels all to draw the grace

Out of salvation's well.

3. But none, like this mysterious rite

Which dying mercy gave,

Can draw forth all His promised might

And all His will to save.

4. This is the richest legacy

Thou hast on man bestow'd:

Here chiefly, Lord, we feed on Thee,

And drink Thy precious blood.

5. Here all Thy blessings we receive,

Here all Thy gifts are given,

To those that would in Thee believe,

Pardon, and grace, and heaven.

6. Thus may we still in Thee be blest,

Till all from earth remove,

And share with Thee the marriage feast,

And drink the wine above.