Wesley Corpus

We that are Christ's, have crucified The flesh, the rebel man within, Passion, and appetite, and pride, And all the brood of inbred sin; The Adam old (the selfish love) By faith we nail'd him to the tree, From whence he never shall remove, But bleed to death, O Lord, with thee. In vain for a reprieve he cries, And groans, and struggles to be freed, In vain his subtlest art he tries, And feigns himself already dead: Page 310 To make us boast the conflict o'er, He seems to gasp his latest breath, And stirs in novices no more, And dies at once a sudden death. 351 But taught of God, we surely know, The man of desperate wickedness Shall weaker still and weaker grow, And lingring die by slow degrees; The Adam old, we dare believe, Shall hang with Christ transfixt and fast, A thousand mortal wounds receive, 'Till perfect grace inflict the last. "In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation." Gal. vi. 15. For names the Christian world contend, For modes and forms, in vain, Who do not, Lord, on thee depend, Who are not born again: 'Till thou redeem us from our fall, 'Till thou thy Spirit impart, Baptiz'd, or unbaptiz'd, we all Are heathens still in heart. To save my soul from endless woe No outward things avail, Unless thy pard'ning love I know, I sink unchang'd to hell: O might I feel th' atoning blood, And call the Saviour mine, Created after God, renew'd In holiness divine. True believers have nailed the flesh with all its evil passions, appetites and inclinations, as it were, to a cross, whence it has no power to break loose, but is continually weaker and weaker. Mr. W.'s Notes. 51Ori., "4"; an error. Page 311 Now, Saviour, now the work begin Of thy creating grace, Forgive, and make the sinner clean From all unrighteousness; Pronounce us perfected in love, Compleatly sanctified, And to our place prepar'd above Receive thy happy bride. "As many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them and mercy, and upon the Israel of God." Gal. vi. 16.