Wesley Corpus

His welcome cross with joy she bore, And trod the path he trod before, And close pursu'd the Lamb: His faithful confessor she stood, And simply own'd the dying God, And gloried in his shame. Regardless of their smile, and frown, She calmly on the world look'd down, With grief, and wonder mov'd That every tongue should not confess, And every heart her Lord embrace, Whom more than life she lov'd. With all her heart she clave to God, Her love by her obedience shew'd, In all his statutes found, In all the channels of his grace, Page 284 Her soul rever'd the hallow'd place, And kiss'd the sacred ground. The new-born babe desir'd the word, She flew with joy to meet her Lord, Assembled with his own: In vain the feeble body fail'd, The soul its tottering clay upheld, And liv'd by faith alone. Before the morning watch her cry Prevail'd with God, and from the sky Brought showers of blessings down: Her treasure, heart, and life was there, And all her toil and all her care, T' ensure the starry crown. For this she counted all things loss, And still took up her Master's cross, Her Master's joy to know: Above the reach of sense and pride, With Jesus fully crucified, And dead to all below. Her meat his counsel to fulfil, Her whole delight to do his will, The task of love sincere With daily transport to repeat, And wash his dear disciples' feet, And serve his members here. Her fervent zeal what tongue can tell? Her wise, and meek, tho' fervent zeal Poor precious souls to win: Her artless eloquence constrain'd, Her simple charity unfeign'd Compell'd them to come in. Page 285 Resolv'd, her house should serve the Lord, The parent unto him restor'd The children he had given, Her care, and them, on God she cast: The wife her husband sav'd at last, And follow'd him to heaven. Awhile she lay detain'd beneath, To triumph in the toils of death, The truth to testify, To aid the church with mighty prayers, And deal her blessings to her heirs, And teach us how to die. More than resign'd in mortal pain, How joyfully did she sustain, And bless the welcome load! "Do what ye will with this weak clay, Yet, O! The soul ye cannot stay, Or keep me from my God.