Wesley Corpus

We fear'd to wait thy leisure, Lord, Or make the crown thro' sufferings sure, Nature the dreadful cross16 abhorr'd, Nor would we to the end endure,17 But snatch a cheap fallacious peace, And rest in fancied18 holiness. Ah, do not let thy sheep19 depart Wide-scatter'd in the cloudy day, But cross th' angelic tempter's art, But spoil the lion of his prey, Nor let us from our hope remove, Our gospel-hope of perfect love. Us, and our brethren in distress Patient within thy kingdom keep, Sure all thy fulness to possess Our harvest in the end to reap, Thy sinless nature to retrieve, And glorious in thine image live. Page 23 20This hymn later included in HSP (1749), 2:102-3. 21Line changed to "Stript of their fancied righteousness" in HSP (1749). For Those that are Turned out of the Way.20 Saviour, to thee we humbly cry: The brethren we have lost restore, Recall them by thy pitying eye, Retrieve them from the tempter's power, By thy victorious blood cast down, Nor suffer him to take their crown. Beguil'd alas! By Satan's art We see them now far off remov'd, The burthen of our bleeding heart, The souls whom once in thee we lov'd, Whom still we love with grief and pain, And weep for their return in vain. In vain, till thou the power bestow, The double power of quick'ning grace, And make the happy sinners know Their tempter with his angel face, Who leads them captive at his will, Captive but happy sinners still. O would'st thou break the fatal snare, Of carnal self-security, And let them feel the wrath they bear, And let them groan their want of thee, Robb'd of their false pernicious peace, Their self-(imputed) righteousness.21 The men of careless lives, who deem Thy righteousness accounted theirs, Awake out of the soothing dream, Alarm their souls with humble fears, Thou jealous God, stir up thy power, And let them sleep in sin no more. Page 24 Long as the guilt of sin shall last Them in its misery detain, Hold their licentious spirits fast, Bind them with their own nature's chain, Nor ever let the wanderers rest Till lodg'd again in Jesus' breast.