Wesley Corpus

All in ourselves the straitness lies, Our faith, and not his promise, fails, He blesses us with fresh supplies Of joy out of salvation's wells; And when our heart with joy runs o'er, Inlarges, and still gives us more. "When the vessels were full, the oil stayed." II. Kings iv. 6. Above what we can ask or hope, The God of grace delights to give, To fill the empty vessels up: And when we grace for grace receive, Enough in Christ remains behind, To fill the souls of all mankind. 53John Wesley corrected the spelling to "concert" in manuscript in his personal copy. Page 182 Long as our faith's capacity Is stretch'd t' admit the blessing given, We drink the streaming deity, And gasp for larger draughts of heaven! But when we lose our emptiness, The oil, the joy, the Spirit stays! Empty us then, most gracious Lord, And keep us always empty here, 'Till thee, according to thy word, We see upon the clouds appear, Thy glorious fulness to reveal, And all thy saints for ever fill. "He said unto his father, My head, my head!" II. Kings iv. 19. To whom with my complaints should I, But to my heavenly Father, go? Father, to thee in pain I cry, My heart, my heart to thee I shew! It breaks, if thou thy help delay, The soul which thou hast made expires, My spirit faints, and sinks away, Implung'd in everlasting fire. "He laid the staff upon the face of the child, but there was neither voice nor hearing." II. Kings iv. 31. Souls from the death of sin to raise What can a servant of the Lord? The staff we lay before their face, We minister the gospel-word, Wait for the Saviour-God, from whom Proceeds the animating power; And Jesus to the dead doth come, And by the Spirit of life restore. "He prayed unto the Lord." II. Kings iv. 33. Type of Christ, the servant gains Power from heaven to raise the dead, Power the Son himself ordains, Lord of life, and fountain-head!