Religion

For the Brotherhood, 20

by Charles Wesley 1707–1788

From Hymns and Sacred Poems (1749) · Osborn ed., vol. 5 (1869)

Religion

Thou God of love, and truth, and power,
Guard us in the evil hour,
By sore temptation tried;
Shelter Thy poor, afflicted flock,
And in the clefts of Israel's Rock
Our trembling spirits hide.

Long as the war subsists within,
Save, O save us, Lord, from sin,
The lusting flesh subdue;
The Spirit's stronger lust exert,
And watch o'er every helpless heart,
Till Thou hast made it new.

For this we strive, for this we pray,
Take the stumbling-block away,
The cursed thing remove;
Uphold, and make our footsteps sure,
And let us stand, and walk secure
In humble faith, and love.

Sin, only sin we deprecate,
Fill us with a perfect hate
Of that Thy soul abhors;
O let us every sin eschew
Till all are brought victorious through,
And more than conquerors.

MLA

Wesley, Charles. “For the Brotherhood, 20.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/wesley_c/1056/.

Chicago

Wesley, Charles. “For the Brotherhood, 20.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/wesley_c/1056/.

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