Wesley Corpus

Vanishes hence whate'er is seen, The breath of life shall all expire, The earth, and all that dwell therein Shall perish in that fatal fire. My righteousness shall stand alone, My saving grace shall never move, The basis cannot be o'erthrown, The truth of my eternal love. Page 20 Hearken to me, ye souls who know The righteousness which faith imparts, And lovingly obedient shew The law engraven on your hearts. Fear not the taunts of short-liv'd man, His feeble calumnies despise, Impotent all his rage, and vain, The threatner, while he threatens, dies. Perishing as the garb they wear, Your enemies shall fade away, Their breath shall vanish into air, The worm shall on their carcass prey. God only is unchangeable, My righteousness remaineth sure, My great salvation cannot fail, But shall from age to age endure. Part II.15 Arm of the Lord, awake, awake! Thine own immortal strength put on, With terror cloath'd the nations shake, And cast thy foes in fury down. As in the antient days appear, The sacred annals speak thy fame, Be now omnipotently near, Thro' endless ages still the same. Thy tenfold vengeance knew to quell, And humble haughty Rahab's pride, Groan'd her pale sons thy stroke to feel, The first-born victims groan'd, and died. 15Part II published previously in HSP (1739), 222-23. Page 21 The wounded dragon rag'd in vain, While bold thine utmost plague to brave, Madly he dar'd the parted main, And sunk beneath th' o'erwhelming wave. He sunk; while Israel's chosen race Triumphant urge their wondrous way; Divinely led, the fav'rites pass Th' unwatry deep, and emptied sea. At distance heap'd on either hand, Yielding a strange unbeaten road, In chrystal walls the waters stand, And own the arm of Israel's God. That arm which is not shorten'd now, Which wants not now the power to save; Still present with thy people thou Bear'st them thro' life's disparted wave. By earth and hell pursued in vain, To thee the ransom'd seed shall come, Shouting their heavenly Sion gain, And pass thro' death triumphant home. The pain of life shall there be o'er, The anguish, and distracting care, There sighing grief shall weep no more, And sin shall never enter there. Where pure essential joy is found, The Lord's redeem'd their heads shall raise, With everlasting gladness crown'd, And fill'd with love, and lost in praise. Page 22 Part III.