Wesley Corpus

Now I seem to taste thy love As for a moment's space, But I cannot faithful prove To thy restoring grace; Cannot in temptation stand, My own frail53 soul I cannot keep, If thou once withdraw thy54 hand, I sink into the deep. 50"Thy" changed to "thine" in 2nd edn. (1745) and following. 51"Thy" changed to "thine" in 2nd edn. (1745) and following. 52"My" changed to "mine" in 2nd edn. (1745) and following. 53"Frail" is omitted in original; a misprint, corrected in all later editions. 54"Thy" changed to "thine" in 2nd edn. (1745) only. Page 73 Now, this instant now, if sin Were knocking at my heart, I should let the tempter in, And bid my Lord depart; But thou wilt not let me fall, Thou wilt not from my weakness move, Till I more than conquer all Thro' thy redeeming love. Another After a Recovery. Son of God, if thy free grace Again hath rais'd me up, Call'd me still to seek thy face, And gave me back my hope; Still thy gracious help afford, And all thy loving-kindness shew; Keep me, keep me, dearest Lord, And never let me go. Feebly if I now begin After my fall to rise, Save me from my bosom-sin, My worst of enemies; Let me fully be restor'd, And cause me all thy power to know; Keep me, keep me, dearest Lord, And never let me go.55 By me, O my Saviour, stand In sore temptation's hour, Save me with thine out-stretch'd hand, And shew forth all thy power: O be mindful of thy word, Thine all-sufficient grace bestow; Keep me, keep me, dearest Lord, And never let me go. Give me, Lord, an holy fear, And fix it in my heart, That I may from evil near With timely care depart, 55Ori., ends this and next three stanzas: "Keep me, keep me, c." Page 74 Sin be more than hell, abhor'd, Till thou destroy the tyrant-foe: Keep me, keep me, dearest Lord, And never let me go. Never let me leave thy breast, From thee my Saviour stray; Thou art my support, and rest, My true and living way, My exceeding great reward, In heaven above, and earth below: Keep me, keep me, dearest Lord, And never let me go.