John & Charles Wesley · 37 of 258

Grieve not the Holy Spirit

From the same.

And art Thou grieved, O sacred Dove, When I despise or cross Thy love? Grieved for a worm; when every tread Crushes, and leaves the reptile dead!

Then mirth be ever banish’d hence, Since Thou art pain’d by my offence: I sin not to my grief alone, The Comforter within doth groan.

Then weep, my eyes, for God doth grieve! Weep, foolish heart, and weeping live: Tears for the living mourner plead, But ne’er avail the hopeless dead.

Lord, I adjudge myself to grief, To endless tears without relief: Yet O! to exact Thy due forbear, And spare a feeble creature, spare!

Still if I wail not, (still to wail Nature denies, and flesh would fail,) Lord, pardon; for Thy Son makes good My want of tears, with store of blood.