Wesley Corpus

Why should the Lord a worm pursue With endless offers of his love? Not all thy mercies can subdue, Not all thy benefits can move Page 157 The wretch from evil to depart, Or melt my adamantine heart. If now the stricken rock relents, And waters of contrition flow, My heart again to sin consents, And closes with the tempting foe; Open I tear my wounds, with pain I sin, repent, and sin again. I cannot persevere in good, I cannot persevere in ill: Oft to repentance vain renew'd, Constrain'd a short-liv'd power to feel, I neither can despair, nor hope, Nor keep my Lord, nor give him up. Ev'n now the momentary grace Inclines my vileness to return: Unworthy to behold thy face, Low at thy feet I fain would mourn, In chains of penal darkness stay, And weep a thousand lives away. If thou canst pardon me once more, Once more so great compassion shew, My tears of love I still will pour; And spend my life in sacred woe, I never, Lord, will cease to grieve, I never can myself forgive. Gladness and joy far off remove To weep be all my calm relief, T' indulge in honour of thy love, Mine utmost avarice of grief, To vindicate thine injur'd grace, And die to see thy smiling face. Page 158 O might I as the harlot lie At those dear feet transfixt for me, Afraid to meet his pitying eye, Asham'd the pardning God to see! The God, beneath whose love I fall, Forgives my sin, yet knows it all. His pardning love my heart constrains, He lets me kiss his bleeding feet; (That blood hath wash'd away my stains) Still will I the dear task repeat, His feet by sin no longer tear, But wash, and wipe them with my hair. This only labour shall employ My every moment here below; To weep for him be all my joy, For him whose blood for me did flow: And he, who hath my sins forgiven, Shall wipe away these tears in heaven. After a Recovery. Hymn II.85 Weary of wandring from my God, And now made willing to return, I hear, and bow me to the rod, For him, not without hope, I mourn: I have an Advocate above, A friend before the throne of love.