Wesley Corpus

How did her generous bounty deal The widow's scanty oil and meal, A treasure for the poor? A treasure spent without decrease, As miracle reviv'd to bless The consecrated store. But who can paint the strong desire, The holy heav'n-inkindled fire That glow'd within her breast, To insure the bliss of friends and foes, To save the precious souls of those She ever lov'd the best! Witness ye children of her prayers, Ye objects of her tenderest cares, Into her bosom given, Did not her yearning bowels move With more than a maternal love To train you up for heaven? Page 26 Can you her artless warmth forget, Her eager hast21e to turn your feet Into the narrow road, Her counsels kind, her warning fears, Her loud protests, or silent tears, Whene'er ye stray'd from God! She took your guardian angel's part, She watch'd the motions of your heart To pride and pleasure prone; For you she spent her latest breath, And urg'd you both in life and death To love the Lord alone. Hymn XIV. On the Death of Mrs. Grace Bowen, January 2, 1755. Part II.22 O let me on the image dwell, The soul-transporting spectacle On which ev'n angels gaze! An hoary saint mature for God, And shaking off the earthy23 clod, To see his open face. The happiest hour is come at last, When, all her toils and conflicts past, She shall to God ascend, Worn out and spent for Jesus' cause, She now takes up her latest cross, And bears it to the end. Summon'd before the throne t' appear, She meets the welcome messenger, Array'd in mortal pain; Her only fear lest flesh and blood Should sink beneath the sacred load, Or weakly once complain. 21MARC, MA 1977/157, JW III.8 has "pains" instead of "haste." 22A manuscript copy of a draft of this hymn, in John Wesley's hand, survives at MARC (MA 1977/157, JW III.8); variant readings are noted in footnotes. 23MARC, MA 1977/157, JW III.8 has "earthly" instead of "earthy." Page 27 But Christ the object of her love, Doth with peculiar smiles approve, And all her fears controul, With glory gilds her final scene, And not a cloud can rise between24 To hide him from her soul.