Wesley Corpus

Then, then to their immortal state The doers of thy word translate, Bright as the stars to shine; With all thy saints on earth renew'd, Wash'd in thy sanctifying blood, And seal'd forever thine. "Arise, and wash away thy sins." Acts xxii. 16. Call'd from above, I rise And wash away my sin, The stream, to which my spirit flies, Can make the foulest clean: It runs divinely clear, A fountain deep and wide; 'Twas open'd by the soldier's spear, In my Redeemer's side! "After the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers." Acts xxiv. 14. So worship I my fathers' God, Who bought us with his precious blood, Who died for all, in all to live: His presence in my heart I feel In holy joy unspeakable, Joy, which the world can never give. Fill'd with his purity and power, In truth and spirit I adore, Page 276 A way by formalists unknown, A way which Rome can never see, But calls it Northern heresy, A way to heaven thro' Christ alone. "Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad." Acts xxvi. 24. More of this madness, more Of this true learning give, Jesus, whom I confess before The world that disbelieve! My faith let men mistake For mere insanity, Beside myself for thy dear sake, I live and die to thee. "They changed their minds, and said that he was a god." Acts xxviii. 6. To opposite extreams so prone, The giddy multitude Judge, in an hour, the saint unknown A murtherer, and a god! "As concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against." Acts xxviii. 22. Religion undefil'd and true Was always by the world decried; The wisdom, which they never knew, They still as foolishness deride, God's children scornfully reject, And brand them as an impious sect. But followers of the Nazarene, Our Lord's reproach we gladly share, Rejected, and despis'd of men, 'Till bold appearing at his bar, His confessors with smiles he owns, Commends, and seats us on our thrones. Page 277 Hymn 517. "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth." Rom. i. 16.