Wesley Corpus

Give me back my innocence, Give me back my filial fears, Humble, loving confidence, Praying sighs, and speaking tears. Weak and helpless may I be, To thy only will resign'd, Ever hanging upon thee, Simple, ignorant, and blind. Abba Father! Hear my cry, Look upon thy weeping child, Weeping at thy feet I ly, Kiss me, and be reconcil'd:66 66John Wesley marks this verse for omission in his personal copy of the 5th edn. (1756). Page 149 Take me up into thine arms, Let me hang upon thy breast, Hide me there secure from harms, Lull my sorrowing soul to rest. At the Approach of Temptation. God of my life, whose gracious power Thro' various deaths my soul hath led, Or turn'd aside the fatal hour, Or lifted up my sinking head; In all my ways thy hand I own, Thy ruling providence I see: O help me still my course to run, And still direct my paths to thee. On thee my helpless soul is cast, And looks again thy grace to prove: I call to mind the wonders past, The countless wonders of thy love. Thou, Lord, my spirit oft hast staid, Hast snatch'd me from the gaping tomb, A monument of mercy made, And rescu'd me from wrath to come. Page 150 Oft hath the sea confess'd thy power, And gave me back to thy command: It could not, Lord, my life devour, Safe in the hollow of thy hand. Oft from the margin of the grave Thou, Lord, hast lifted up my head: Sudden I found thee near to save; The fever own'd thy touch, and fled. But O! The mightier work of grace, That still the life of faith I live, That still I pant to sing thy praise, That still my all I gasp to give! Pluck'd from the roaring lion's teeth, Caught up from the eternal fire, Snatch'd from the gates of hell I breathe, And lo! To heaven I still aspire! Whither, O whither should I fly, But to my loving Saviour's breast; Secure within thy arms to lie, And safe beneath thy wings to rest. I see the fiery trial near, But thou, my God, art still the same; Hell, earth, and sin I scorn to fear, Divinely arm'd with Jesu's name. Page 151