Wesley Corpus

Foolish vanity, farewel, More inconstant than the wave! Where thy soothing fancies dwell, Purest tempers they deprave: He, to whom I fly from thee, Jesus Christ shall set me free. Never shall my wand'ring mind Follow after fleeting toys, Since in God alone I find Solid and substantial joys; Joys that never over-past, Thro' eternity shall last. Lord, how happy is a heart, After thee while it aspires! True and faithful as thou art, Thou shalt answer its desires: It shall see the glorious scene Of thy everlasting reign. Page 8 5Source: George Herbert. First appeared in CPH (1737), 45-46. Appears here via HSP (1739), 77-78. Discipline.5 O throw away thy rod, O throw away thy wrath! My gracious Saviour and my God, O take the gentle path. Thou seest my heart's desire Still unto thee is bent: Still does my longing soul aspire To an entire consent. Not ev'n a word or look Do I approve or own, But by the model of thy book, Thy sacred book alone. Altho' I fail, I weep; Altho' I halt in pace, Yet still with trembling steps I creep Unto the throne of grace. O then let wrath remove: For love will do the deed! Love will the conquest gain; with love Ev'n stony hearts will bleed. For love is swift of foot, Love is a man of war; Love can resistless arrows shoot, And hit the mark from far. Page 9 6First appeared in HSP (1739), 85-86. 7Ori., "e'er"; but clearly used in sense of "before." Who can escape his bow? That which hath wrought on thee, Which brought the King of Glory low, Must surely work on me. O throw away thy rod; What tho' man frailties hath! Thou art my Saviour and my God! O throw away thy wrath! A Prayer Under Convictions.6 Father of light, from whom proceeds Whate'er thy ev'ry creature needs, Whose goodness providently nigh Feeds the young ravens when they cry; To thee I look; my heart prepare, Suggest, and hearken to my pray'r. Since by thy light myself I see Naked, and poor, and void of thee, Thine eyes must all my thoughts survey, Preventing what my lips would say: Thou seest my wants! For help they call, And ere7 I speak, thou know'st them all.