Wesley Corpus

The scriptures they in vain deny, The world unknowingly fulfil, Bursting thro' nature's closest tie, The brother shall the brother kill, The son shall stop his father's breath, The parent drag his child to death. No pity, or humane8 regard We in our savage foes shall find, For all their cruelties prepar'd; From those who cast thy words behind Justice, alas! We look for none; Our help is all in Christ alone. Holpen by him to suffer more, From strength to strength we meekly go; And when we gain the perfect power, The world their utmost rage shall shew, And when we all thy life retrieve, Shall count us then not fit to live. The Trial of Faith. Hymn IX. Jesu, thy legacy I take, The pattern thou hast left behind, To suffer all things for thy sake, Thy patient, meek, submissive mind I long throughout my life t' express, And copy all thy righteousness. I will not point thee out the way, Or rashly this, or that require, I dare not for affliction pray; But, Lord, thou knowst my heart's desire, 8Ori., "human"; corrected in errata and 2nd edn. (1756). Page 15 Which pants for full conformity, And struggles to be all like thee. I thirst to drink my Master's cup, Thy fiery baptism to know, To take thy hallow'd burthen up, Companion of the Man of Woe, To tread where'er the Lamb hath trod, One with the suffering Son of God. My soul, with just ambition fir'd, Hath languish'd to be great in thee, Hath oft to Calvary aspir'd, Honour'd the ignominious tree, And envied those, who earliest bear Thy cross, and longest suffer there. Who now to every ill submit, Foremost of all thy saints they stand, Who suffer most, with Jesus sit, Exalted at their Lord's right-hand, While here on earth, they reign above, Triumphant on a throne of love. The Trial of Faith. Hymn X. How long thou suffering Son of God, Shall sinners take thy name in vain, Start from the thorny narrow road Of sacred salutary pain, Fondly presume to call thee, Lord, But tremble to obey thy word? The man that will thy follower be, Thou bidst him still himself deny, Take up his daily cross with thee, Thy shameful death rejoice to die, Page 16 And chuse a momentary pain, A crown of endless life to gain.