Wesley Corpus

Page 355 "It is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and been made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, and have fallen away, to renew them again unto repentance, seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." (Gr.) Heb. vi. 4, 5, 6. Who see the light of Jesu's face, Injoy the sense of sin forgiven, Partake that witness of his grace The Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, Who feed on your redeeming Lord, Anticipate the bliss to come, And taste the sweetness of his word; Rejoice; but never dare presume! Your humble confidence hold fast, For daily grace on Jesus call, But never boast your conflicts past, But never dream. Ye cannot fall:87 Ye may receive the faith in vain, And forfeiting your peace and power, May crucify your God again, And fall from grace, to rise no more. Ye will, unless ye watch and pray, Wander out of the narrow road, Rush blindfold down the spacious way, And trample on your Saviour's blood; Beyond the reach of pard'ning grace, Ye will your own damnation seal, Intrude into th' apostates' place, And fall at last from heaven to hell. "Be followers of them, who through faith and patience, inherit the promises." Heb. vi. 12. Nature would the crown receive The first moment we believe, 87John Wesley underlined "never" and "cannot" in this line in his personal copy, writing in the margin "See 330 etc.!" (referring to 649, stanza 3, which seems to affirm the opposite). Page 356 But we vainly think to seize Instantaneous holiness:88 Faith alone cannot suffice, Patience too must earn the prize, Both insure the promise given, Lead thro' perfect love to heaven. "And so after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise." Heb. vi. 15. Abraham did for the promise stay, He had not learnt the shorter way,89 But walking on before his God In all the paths of duty trod, Careful by works his faith to prove, And waiting thus for perfect love. After he had been tempted, tried, By faith, by actions justified, After a thousand conflicts past, And Isaac sacrific'd at last, The image of his Lord he found, And rose with late perfection crown'd.90