Wesley Corpus

Long the wily soothing foe Thy steady virtue tried, Vainly urg'd thee to forego, And cast the means aside, Worship more refin'd and pure, Still the silent tempter shew'd, Still thy foot stood fast and sure In the old paths of God. Never once wast thou betray'd Into the serpent's snare, While he labour'd to dissuade So much of praise and prayer: "Friend be still (he softly cried) Outward praise your God offends:" "Friends sing on (thy zeal replied) The song that never ends." 51Ori., "Spirit Spirit led"; corrected in 2nd edn. (1756). Page 218 Such thy fair example was, The same in life and death, Love's sweet task, and prayer, and praise Imploy'd thy latest breath, Prompt to succour the distrest, Glad the tempted soul to chear, Pity mov'd thy dying breast, And dropp'd thy latest tear. Thou in Jesu's words and ways Exhortedst us t' abide, Witness of the perfect grace, And wholly sanctified: All his promises fulfill'd, All his gifts to thee were given, Pardon'd here, renew'd, and seal'd, And fully ripe for heaven. Pure into the hands of God Thou didst thy soul resign, Fitted for that high abode, And fellowship divine: Oh! How sweet thy parting word, Last of all thou spak'st below, "Keep me, keep me, dearest Lord, And never let me go!" Hymns for Widows. Hymn XXI. Ye happy souls, no longer tost, Like us on life's tempestuous sea, Who cannot now be shipwreck'd, lost, Safe-landed in eternity, Are mortals banish'd from your mind, Or think ye of your friends behind? Page 219 Releas'd from all your wants and cares, What commerce can ye have with men? Ye need not now our useless prayers; Nor will we ask your succour vain, One only Advocate we own, And trust in Jesu's help alone. Yet (for he bids us keep in view Your active faith, and patient hope) As ye your Lord, we follow you, And wait for him to take us up, Our closest fellowship t' improve, Our fellowship with saints above. 'Till then we hold your memory dear, Which now relieves our drooping heart: Like us ye mourn'd and suffer'd here, Like us ye languish'd to depart, And labour'd on with painful strife, And drag'd the heavy load of life.