Wesley Corpus

Or if thy wiser will ordain The trial I would die to shun, Welcome the strife, the grief, the pain, Thy name be prais'd, thy will be done! I from thy hand the cup receive, Meekly submit to thy decree, Gladly for thee consent to live! Thou, Lord, hast liv'd, hast dy'd for me! Isaiah xliii. 1, 2, 3.43 Peace, doubting heart my God's I am! Who form'd me man forbids my fear: The Lord hath call'd me by my name, Page 57 The Lord protects for ever near: His blood for me did once attone, And still he loves, and guards his own. When passing thro' the watry deep, I ask in faith his promis'd aid, The waves an awful distance keep, And shrink from my devoted head: Fearless their violence I dare, They cannot harm, for God is there! To him my eye of faith I turn, And thro' the fire pursue my way; The fire forgets its pow'r to burn, The lambent flames around me play: I own his pow'r, accept the sign, And shout to prove the Saviour mine. Still nigh me, O my Saviour, stand, And guard in fierce temptation's hour; Hide in the hollow of thy hand, Shew forth in me thy saving pow'r: Still be thy arm my sure defence, Nor earth nor hell shall pluck me thence. Since thou hast bid me come to thee, (Good as thou art, and strong to save) I'll walk o'er life's tempest'ous sea, Up-born by the unyielding wave; Dauntless, tho' rocks of pride be near, And yawning whirlpools of despair. When darkness intercepts the skies, And sorrow's waves around me roll; Page 58 44First appeared in HSP (1742), 172-73. 45HSP (1742) read: "ye heavenly choir." 46HSP (1742) read "His earth-born sons." When high the storms of passion rise, And half o'erwhelm my sinking soul; My soul a sudden calm shall feel, And hear a whisper, "Peace, be still." Tho' in affliction's furnace try'd, Unhurt, on snares and deaths I'll tread; Tho' sin assail, and hell thrown wide Pour all its flames upon my head, Like Moses' bush I'll mount the higher, And flourish unconsum'd in fire. Dialogue of Angels and Men.44 Angels: Ye worms of earth our God admire, The God of angels praise; Men: Praise him for us ye angels choir,45 The earth born sons of grace.46