Wesley Corpus

Page 349 "We have not an high priest, which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Heb. iv. 15. We have not an high-priest above Unmov'd at what we suffer here: In tenderest sympathy of love He shares our pain, and grief, and fear, Wounded with every wounded soul, He bleeds the balm that makes us whole. Hearing our feeble flesh complain, He calls his days of flesh to mind, The meek, afflicted Son of man, To all his patient brethren join'd, Adopts, and makes our woes his own, With tear for tear, and groan for groan. Tempted like us our Saviour was, Divinely to the desart led, Like us he languish'd on the cross, Deserted at his greatest need,81 Left to sustain our utmost load, Abandon'd by his angry God. Our sorrows, pure from sin, he bore, Our tempted souls from sin to save: And passing where he pass'd before, Sad fellowship with him I have, And gasping on his cross depend, 'Till pain and life together end. No sooner was I call'd a son, Than, lur'd into the wilderness, I rov'd disconsolate, alone, In want, temptation, and distress, And long with the wild-beasts remain'd, And all th' assaults of hell sustain'd. 81John Wesley underlined "Like us" in line 3 and "Deserted" in line 4 in his personal copy, drawing a "Q" (for Question) in the margin after line 3. Page 350 The desart to the garden brought, And fainting in mine evil day, My heavenly Father I besought To take the dreadful cup away, In horrors, tears, and anguish found With Jesus bleeding on the ground. Jesus, with thee thy cross I share, 'Till thou repeat the word, 'Tis done, The wrath of hell and heaven I bear, Th' unutterable grief unknown; Ready to bow my head I cry, And left of God in darkness die.82 Yet now I feel a gleam of hope (A pledge of glory) in my heart, That when I yield my spirit up, My spirit shall like thine depart, Into my Father's hands restor'd, To reign triumphant with my Lord. "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Heb. iv. 16.