The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley :: :: University of Virginia Library

123

AFTER A RECOVERY.

Lord, and is Thine anger gone,
And art Thou pacified?
After all that I have done,
Dost Thou no longer chide?
Infinite Thy mercies are;
Beneath the weight I cannot move:
O! 'tis more than I can bear,
The sense of pardoning love!

Let it still my heart constrain,
And all my passions sway;
Keep me, lest I turn again
Out of the narrow way;
Force my violence to be still,
Captivate my every thought;
Charm, and melt, and change my will,
And bring me down to nought.

If I have begun once more
Thy sweet return to feel,
If even now I find Thy power
Present my soul to heal,—
Still and quiet may I lie,
Nor struggle out of Thine embrace,
Never more resist or fly
From Thy pursuing grace.

To Thy cross, Thine altar, bind
Me with the cords of love;
Freedom let me never find
From my dear Lord to move:

124

That I never, never more
May with my much-loved Master part,
To the posts of mercy's door,
O, nail my willing heart.

See my utter helplessness,
And leave me not alone;
O, preserve in perfect peace,
And seal me for Thine own;
More and more Thyself reveal,
Thy presence let me always find;
Comfort, and confirm, and heal
My feeble, sin-sick mind.

As the apple of an eye
Thy weakest servant keep;
Help me at Thy feet to lie,
And there for ever weep:
Tears of joy mine eyes o'erflow,
That I have any hope of heaven;
Much of love I ought to know,
For I have much forgiven.

Now I seem to taste Thy love
As for a moment's space;
But I cannot faithful prove
To Thy restoring grace;
Cannot in temptation stand,
My own frail soul I cannot keep,
If Thou once withdraw Thine hand
I sink into the deep.

Now, this instant now, if sin
Were knocking at my heart,
I should let the tempter in,
And bid my Lord depart;

125

But Thou wilt not let me fall,
Thou wilt not from my weakness move,
Till I more than conquer all
Through Thy redeeming love.