The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

Shepherd Divine, at whose command
I seek the wandering souls of men,
Supported by Thy chastening hand,
To Thee I groan mine inmost pain,
To Thee pour out my sad complaint,
And sweetly on Thy bosom faint.

Thou only know'st the load I bear,
For every weak and wavering sheep:
For them I in Thy bowels care,
For them in secret places weep,
And tremble at their danger nigh,
And daily mourn, and daily die.

I mourn for those that did run well,
But now have left the narrow way;
Have lost their former love, and zeal,
And fainted in their evil day,
And weakly given to Satan place,
To Satan with his angel face.

Beguiled, alas, of their reward,
And baffled by his soothing lie,
Poor blinded souls, they call Thee Lord,
But all Thy kingly power deny,
Thy perfect power to root out sin,
And bring the heavenly nature in.

246

Removed from the sure gospel hope,
They vilely cast their shield away,
Their calling's glorious prize give up,
Down the smooth path of pleasure stray,
Blaspheme the grace they will not prove,
And spurn the pearl of perfect love.

Lull'd in imaginary peace,
Rich in a fancied faith they reign,
And fold their arms, and take their ease,
And settled on their lees again
All inward holiness disclaim,
Since Christ was meek, and chaste for them.

Thy righteousness to cloak their sin
They claim with lips and hearts impure,
Unchanged, unhallow'd, and unclean,
They fancy their salvation sure,
Wrapp'd up in fleshly liberty,
Happy in sin, but not in Thee.

Ah! wouldst Thou, Lord, once more awake
Their souls out of the dead repose,
Their Babel schemes in pieces shake,
And give them back the Spirit's throes,
The labour for substantial peace,
The strife for real righteousness.

My heart's desire, and prayer to Thee
Is, that they may be saved at last,
Though toss'd on error's stormy sea,
Late on the Rock of Ages cast,
In pieces let them dash their pride,
And sink—into the Crucified!

247

Who will not be by love constrain'd,
O bring them by Thy judgments back,
Regard the prayer of faith unfeign'd,
And save them for Thy mercy's sake;
Answer our labouring heart's desire,
And save them by affliction's fire.

University of Virginia Library

LXXIII. THE SAME.

Hymn 13.

[Shepherd Divine, at whose command]