Wesley Corpus

Page 40 Thus if the blessing thou restrain, The earth is harden'd by the rain With-held: and thus, if God depart, Jehovah hardens Pharaoh's heart! "I will send all my plagues upon thine heart." Exod. ix. 14. If punish'd after my desert, Inflicted on my senseless heart I shall thy judgments bear, (The sorest plagues thou hast to send) Presumption now, and at my end The blackness of despair. "As yet exaltest thou thyself?" Exod. ix. 17. Such is the stubbornness of man! So deep in me the evil lies! Chastis'd a thousand times in vain, I still against thy judgments rise: Not all thy judgments can convert This sinner, or this sin remove, Unless thou find it in thy heart To soften mine by pard'ning love. "How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me?" Exod. x. 3. 'Till Tophet takes me in, I shall rebellious prove, Unless I feel a power within Of self-abasing love; Unless my Saviour's grace Constrain me to submit, Griev'd that by sin I marr'd his face, And pierc'd his hands and feet! "Forgive my sin only this once." Exod. x. 17. Times without number have I pray'd This only once forgive, Relapsing, when thy hand was stay'd, And suffer'd me to live: