Wesley Corpus

The men that know not God May cry, It cannot be, That heart-felt pardon in his blood, That sinless liberty: The world blaspheme in vain, I still my point pursue, Assur'd, tho' every child of man Be false, yet God is true. False-witnesses may rise, Me from my hope to move, Pretenders to the glorious prize, The pure, consummate love: Tho' crouds believe a lie, Nor reach the perfect day, I set the self-deceivers by, And still hold on my way.60 I trust in thee alone, Who never canst deceive, (After I have thy pleasure done) The promis'd grace to give, The holiness compleat, The spotless purity, The perfect love, which makes me meet To share a throne with thee. "I fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ." Col. i. 24. The sufferings which the body bears, Are still the sufferings of the head, While every true disciple shares The cross on which his Saviour bled, The members all his cup partake,61 And daily die for Jesu's sake. 60John Wesley underlined "Pretenders" in line 3 and "self-deceivers" in line 7 in his personal copy, drawing an exclamation point in the margin after both lines. 61John Wesley underlined "all" in this line in his personal copy, drawing a "Q" (for Question) in the margin. Page 320 My calling now I clearly see, And from the stock of sacred pains Accept th' allotted misery,62 The blessing which for me remains, Hated, revil'd, afflicted live, And with the Man of Sorrows grieve. Whate'er the members must endure,63 Resign'd thro' life I undergo, Not grace or pardon to procure, But Jesu's patient mind to shew, And, all his saving virtue prove, Thro' sufferings perfected in love.