Wesley Corpus

Father of the fatherless, Husband of the widow prove; Me and mine persist13 to bless, Tell me, we shall meet above, Seal the promise on my heart, Bid me then in peace depart. "Come, and let us join ourselves to the Lord, in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten." Jer. l. 5. Come, let us use the grace divine, And all with one accord In a perpetual covenant join Ourselves to Christ our Lord, 13Ori., "persists"; a mistake corrected by John Wesley in manuscript in his personal copy. Page 37 Give ourselves up thro' Jesu's power His name to glorify, And promise in this sacred hour For God to live, and die. The covenant we this moment make Be ever kept in mind! We will no more our God forsake, Or cast his words behind; We never will throw off his fear, Who hears our solemn vow: And if thou art well-pleas'd to hear, Come down, and meet us now! Thee, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Let all our hearts receive, Present with thy celestial host The peaceful answer give; To each the covenant-blood apply Which takes our sins away, And register our names on high, And keep us to that day! "I will pardon them whom I reserve." Jer. l. 20. Then thou wilt pardon me, Reserv'd for this alone That I may thy salvation see, And know the God unknown; Thou wilt thy blood apply, I shall be soon forgiven, Kept out of hell so long, that I May reign with thee in heaven. "The children of Israel ... were oppressed ... and all that took them captives held them fast.... Their Redeemer is strong, c." Jer. l. 33, 34. Saviour-God, thine Israel here For ages hath remain'd Bound in chains of guilty fear, In Babylon detain'd, Page 38 Slaves to serve our lords compell'd: The world, and our infernal foe, Fast in sin's dark dungeon held, And would not let us go. But, O Lord of hosts, in thee We a Redeemer have, Strong to set thy people free, Omnipotent to save: Rise, and throughly plead our cause, From all iniquity release, Claim the purchase of thy cross, And bid us go in peace.