Wesley Corpus

Why didst thou in my youthful age Rescue me from passion's rage, And ev'ry dire offence? Why didst thou hide from worldly cares, And keep in twice ten thousand snares My heedless innocence? Page 190 Why didst thou gently draw me on, 'Till I sunk despairing down In legal misery? And cried, by the commandment slain, Ah! Woe is me, a wretched man, What hope of heaven for me! Why didst thou, Lord, my load remove, Shew me thy forgiving love, And speak me justified? If thou hast pleasure in my death, I had long since resign'd my breath; I had in Egypt died. When I had forfeited my peace, Why in my extreme distress Was I so often heard? Thou brought'st the timely succours in, And sav'dst my tempted soul from sin, The sin I lov'd, and fear'd. Why hast thou to thy people join'd Me, the vilest of mankind, In cordial charity? Why hast thou heard thy Spirit's groans Intreating in thy chosen ones For me, O God, for me? Wouldst thou have stir'd them up to pray For an hopeless castaway, If such, alas! I am? If I must perish in my blood, Wrestle for me they never could, Or ask in Jesu's name. A drop of love's eternal sea Is their kind concern for me; Page 191 As such I must receive This token of my Father's grace, His heart o'erflows with tenderness, And God would have me live. Me, Lord, thou never wilt forsake, Never let my soul turn back, To live the life of sense; To bring dishonour on thy name, But save me first from all my shame, And snatch my spirit hence. I feel, I now divinely feel, Thou, O Lord, art with me still, And with me wilt abide: 'Till life's extreamest ills are past, And I obtain a lot at last With all the glorified. In Temptation. Hymn IX. Ah! Tell me, Lord, for whom I pine, And mourn in deep distress, How long shall this weak heart incline To its own wickedness? How long shall I my nature fear, Yet what I loath desire, And melt at the temptation near As wax before the fire? Thou knowst the undissembled pain The real grief I feel, While dark and trembling I remain As on the verge of hell.