Wesley Corpus

But did the saints of God, the dead With Christ, the partners of his rise, The Spirit's strongest cautions need 'Gainst every sin, and every vice? O what are men (if God remove) The best, the perfected in love? 64John Wesley drew a pointing finger (7) in the margin after this line in his personal copy. 65John Wesley underlined "o'er the flesh" in line 6, "with a continual" in line 7, and "'Till death" in line 8 in his personal copy, drawing an exclamation point in the margin after line 7. 66John Wesley underlined "oracles gainsay" in line 5 and "a shorter" in line 6 in his personal copy, drawing an exclamation point in the margin after line 6. 67John Wesley underlined "to the end" in line 3, "perfectly restor'd" in line 5, and "silent" in line 6 in his personal copy, drawing an exclamation point in the margin after line 3. Page 323 The holiest, who their watch remit, May sink into the tempter's snare,68 Will fall into the hellish pit, Unless with humble ceaseless prayer They to the last themselves deny, And conquerors in the harness die. Hymn 630. "Remembring your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope." 1 Thess. i. 3. The work of faith with heaven begun, With Christ discover'd from above, By just degrees is carried on, By patient hope, and labouring love, Nor ends the moment it begins, Nor glory in an instant wins. That work of faith the novice blind Would fain, on fancy's horse, leap o'er, A shorter way to Sion find,69 And fight with sin when sin's no more, Labour, when of the prize possest, And toil, when entred into rest. That patience of unwearied hope Fond nature would escape in vain, To full-grown grace at once spring up, Perfection in a moment gain, Evade the fight, yet take the spoil, The sweets of love, without the toil.70 68John Wesley underlined "The holiest" in line 1 and "May sink" in line 2 in his personal copy, drawing a pointing finger (7) in the margin. 69John Wesley underlined "novice blind" in line 1, "fancy's horse" in line 2, and "shorter way" in line 3 in his personal copy. 70John Wesley underlined "at once" in line 3, "a moment" in line 4, and "without the toil" in line 6 in his personal copy. Page 324