Wesley Corpus

Jesus, the promis'd grace we claim, The feeblest followers of our Lord Faintly believing on thy name, Confirm, assure us by thy word, That conscious of the faith conceal'd,125 We now may know the life reveal'd. Who gently leadest those with young, Bid every seeking soul rejoice, Carry us on from weak to strong, 'Till govern'd by our shepherd's voice In thee we stedfastly believe, And all thy heavenly life receive. "Little children, keep yourselves from idols." 1 John v. 21. Father of all, we trust in thee Thy children to secure, From sin to keep our conscience free, Our heart from idols pure; 125John Wesley underlined this line in his personal copy, drawing a "Q" (for Question) in the margin. Page 404 While in an evil world we live, Lest with our God we part, And basely to the creature give Our weak unsettled heart. The honours worldly men admire No longer we pursue, The sensual, covetous desire, With watchful care eschew: Yet still we seek ourselves to please One moment left by thee, And sink into our old disease Our self-idolatry. Ah, do not thou our souls forsake Tempted to turn aside, An idol of thy grace to make, And forfeit it by pride, With vain delight ourselves t' esteem For that which thou hast done, Or of our own perfection dream, And call thy good our own.126 In pity to thy children, blast Our self-exulting joy, Thrust out our images at last, And utterly destroy: Come, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Our nature to remove, And self shall be forever lost In depths of purest love. 126John Wesley underlined "our own perfection" in line 7 and "thy good" in line 8 in his personal copy, drawing a "Q" (for Question) in the margin after line 7. Page 405 Hymn 805. "The truth dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever." 2 John 2. The living principle of grace, The faith producing holiness, Now in our hearts doth dwell; And still it shall in us abide, 'Till sav'd, and wholly sanctified, We all thy fulness feel.