Wesley Corpus

Ye full, of confidence unsound, Ye rich, in gifts and faith untried, Whose joys which42 nature mixt abound, Self-prais'd, self-pleas'd, self-satisfied, Slight not your aged fathers poor, Nor boast your own salvation sure. Ye talkers of your perfect love, Who kings, without your teachers, reign, As pillars in the church above, That never can go out again, Be warn'd; or pride will cast you down, And Satan rob you of your crown. See Mr. J. W.'s Notes. 42John Wesley substituted "with" for "which" in manuscript in his personal copy. Page 290 We wish your full perfection here, We wish your soothing dreams were true, That faith's Almighty Finisher Had form'd your sinless souls anew, Stablish'd, inthron'd in lasting peace, In all the heights of holiness. O were the fiend expel'd indeed From all who fancy him expel'd! Extirpated the sinful seed, Th' original wound compleatly heal'd, The kingdom in your hearts restor'd, And every servant as his Lord! Then would your guides their charge attend With joy, and not with grief and pain, Your meek and lowly love commend, And sharers of your triumph reign, See all their flock o'er Jordan past, And enter into rest the last. "Being defamed, we entreat." 1 Cor. iv. 13. Lamb of God, we would submit To our cruel treatment here, Humbly, when defam'd, entreat; Modest at the bar appear; If the world, our answer seek, Lamb-like let our answer be; Or let patient silence speak, Tell them, we belong to thee. "I will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power." 1 Cor. iv. 19. Jesus, the wise discerning mind On all thy ministers bestow, The truth of grace in souls to find, The power, and not the speech, to know, Not the bold empty words to heed Of zealots blind, or boasters vain, But how in Jesu's steps they tread, And what of living power they gain. Page 291 "The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power." 1 Cor. iv. 20. If Jesus doth reign, and saves us from sin, No words can explain his kingdom within, No boastful reflection on what we possess, No talk of perfection, or flourish of grace.43 Wherever our Lord his Spirit imparts, The kingdom restor'd is power in our hearts, The power of his passion, and rising we prove, The strength of salvation, the virtue of love.