Wesley Corpus

Page 162 "David said unto Nathan I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, the Lord also hath put away thy sin, thou shalt not die." II. Sam. xii. 13. I too have sinn'd against the Lord, And struck, and sentenc'd by thy word, To thee for mercy cry; The dreadful penalty remit, And tell a mourner at thy feet Thou wilt not let me die. "Howbeit ... the child shall die." II. Sam. xii. 14. Vouchsafe the grace for which I pray, In mercy put my sin away, I nothing ask beside, But chasten'd by a pard'ning God, Adore thy hand, and kiss the rod, And49 pain 'till death abide. "By this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme." II. Sam. xii. 14. Haters of God, who still blaspheme His glorious name for David's fall, As ye have sinn'd, repent like him, Or judgment shall o'erwhelm you all: From David's fall occasion take For mercy in faint hope to cry, Or deeper plunging in the lake, And doubly damn'd, forever die! "While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept." II. Sam. xii. 22. For a departing friend I grieve, Or pray, my stricken child may live; But when thy mind is known, I yield, I patiently submit, And cry, adoring at thy feet, Father, thy will be done! 49John Wesley substituted "Though" for "And" in manuscript in his personal copy.