Wesley Corpus

Yes, Lord, I now perceive, And bless thee for the grace, Thro' which redeem'd I live To see thy smiling face: Alive I am, who once was dead, And freely justified; I know thy blood for me was shed, I feel it now applied. By sin no longer bound, The prisoner is set free, The lost again is found In paradise, in thee: 52John Wesley crossed out this stanza in his personal copy of the 2nd edn. (1756). Page 224 In darkness, chains, and death I was, But lo! To life restor'd, Into thy wondrous light I pass, The freeman of the Lord. In comfort, power, and peace Thy favour, Lord, I prove, In faith, and joy's increase, And self-abasing love: Thou dost my pardon'd sin reveal, My life, and heart renew; The pledge, the witness, and the seal Confirm the record true. The Spirit of my God Hath certified him mine, And all the tokens shew'd Infallible, divine: Hereby the pardon'd sinner knows His sins on earth forgiven, And thus my faithful Saviour shews My name inscrib'd in heaven. The Marks of Faith. Hymn III. Ah! Foolish world, forbear Thine unavailing pain, Nor needlessly declare Our hope, and labour vain: Tell us no more, we cannot know On earth the heavenly powers, Or taste the glorious bliss below, Or feel, that God is ours. So ignorant of God, In sin brought up, and born, Page 225 Ye fools, be not so proud, Suspend your idle scorn: For us who have receiv'd our sight Ye fain would judges be, And make us think, there is no light, Because you cannot see. The same in your esteem, Falshood and truth ye join, The wild pretender's dream, And real work divine: Between the substance, and the shew No difference you can find, For colours all, full well we know, Are equal to the blind. Wherefore from us depart, And to each other tell "We cannot on our heart The written pardon feel:" A stranger to the living bread Ye may beguile, and cheat, But us you never can persuade, That honey is not sweet. The Marks of Faith. Hymn IV. Who of the great, or wise Hath our report believ'd! Alas! They close their eyes, Nor will be undeceiv'd: The world cry out, in needless fright, "Your rash attempt forbear To lift us to presumption's height Or plunge us in despair.