The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

Master, Thy promised help I claim,
Sent forth to testify Thy name,
Which speaks a world forgiven,
Sent forth Thy mercy to display,
And teach, as taught of Thee, the way,
The living way to heaven.

Thy servant in the gospel, I
For all my fellow-servants cry,
In never ceasing prayer:
By us in each hard trial stand,
Support us with Thine outstretch'd hand,
And all our burdens bear.

Thou seest the threatening of our foes;
A world with restless rage oppose
Thy messengers, and Thee:
Beneath Thy wings our weakness hide,
And turn the furious blast aside,
And end the tyranny.

102

Thou seest the dire malicious fiend
Doth closely all our steps attend,
And watches all our ways:
And lo! the powers of darkness join,
Through us to frustrate the design
Of Thy redeeming grace.

But worse than all Thou seest within
The cruel misbelieving sin,
Which tempts us to depart,
Staggers our faith, and shakes our hope,
And drinks our fainting spirits up,
And tears our aching heart.

Thou know'st the black desponding fear,
The doubt we should not persevere
Till all our course is run,
The conflict in ourselves we have,
Lest we the souls of others save,
And sadly lose our own.

We tremble in our evil day,
Lest we ourselves should fall away,
And perish in our blood:
It is mine own infirmity!
There's none hath felt it more than me,
And still I bear my load.

But O Thou faithful God of love,
The cause of our distress remove,
The heart to evil prone:
Our doubts, and fears, and sins destroy,
And fill with everlasting joy,
And perfect us in one.

University of Virginia Library

CLXXXV. THE SAME.

Hymn 9.

[Master, Thy promised help I claim]