Wesley Corpus

The world cast out your name like ours, And counted you not fit to live: Expos'd to all th' infernal powers, Ye dar'd your Master's lot receive, Beneath his cross rejoic'd to bow, And drank the cup we drink of now. Tempted, detain'd in sore distress, With all our fiery trials tried, Lost in this howling wilderness, Troubled, perplex'd on every side, Ye pray'd in groans at Jesu's stay, And still complain'd ye could not pray. Ye felt the cruel tortu'ring fear Which now our soul asunder saws, The doubt ye should not persevere, But scandalize the Saviour's cause, Page 220 Disgrace, and shame the friends of God, And fall, and perish in your blood. Men of like passions once ye were With us, who still ourselves bemoan; This inbred sin ye groan'd to bear, And hop'd relief from death alone, As death alone could purge the stain, And Christ had shed his blood in vain. But, oh! Your evil day is past, Accomplish'd is your warfare here, And more than conquerors at last Our sad desponding hearts ye chear, Ye bid us still your steps pursue, And we shall more than conquer too. Encompast with so great a cloud Of witnesses, who speak tho' dead, We cast aside our every load, And follow where our Lord hath led, With patience run th' appointed race, And die to see his glorious face. The Marks of Faith. Hymn I. How can a sinner know His sins on earth forgiven? How can my Saviour, shew My name inscrib'd in heaven? What we ourselves have felt, and seen, With confidence we tell, And publish to the sons of men The signs infallible. Page 221 We who in Christ believe That he for us hath died, His unknown peace receive, And feel his blood applied: Exults for joy our rising soul, Disburthen'd of her load, And swells, unutterably full Of glory, and of God. His love, surpassing far The love of all beneath We find within, and dare The pointless darts of death: Stronger than death, or sin, or hell The mystic power we prove, And conquerors of the world we dwell In heaven, who dwell in love.