Nearer the destined time and place

Verse 1
Nearer the destin’d time and place
As Jesus’ res’lute servant draws,
The Spirit of sure prophetic grace
His sufferings in his Master’s cause
With clearer evidence foreshows,
And arms him for the coming woes.

Verse 2
What honour for the follower poor,
Intreated as his Lord to be!
Jesus did more for him endure,
To buy his creature’s liberty:
(Giv’n up into the heathens hands
He bought our peace, and burst our bands.)

Verse 3
Thrice happy prisoner of the Lord
Thy gospel still unbound remains;
And nations thro’ the joyful word
Redeem’d shall bless thy sacred chains,
Th’ Apostle of the Gentiles own;
But give the praise to Christ alone.

Hymnal/Album: Originally titled: “‘He took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet &c.’—[Acts 21,] v. 11." This hymn appears in the 1764 manuscript “MS Acts.” This manuscript is part of the collection of the Methodist Archive and Research Centre in The John Rylands Library, The University of Manchester (accession number MA 1977/555, Charles Wesley Notebooks Box 1). Accessed through the website of The Center for Studies in the Wesleyan Tradition, Duke Divinity School. Published in The Poetical Works of John and Charles Wesley, Collected and Arranged by G. Osborn, Vol. 12 (London: Wesleyan-Methodist Conference Office, 1871), page 384.
Publishing: Public Domain