Ah, who the ways of Providence can know
Distributing or good, or ill below?
M—d consents that murtherers shoud live,
And Sodom’s sons the Royal grace receive:
Mercy the merciful cannot obtain,
And contrite Dodd for pity sues in vain!
But lo, the righteous Judge shall quickly come,
And every soul receive his equal doom:
Who mercy now to Penitents deny,
Guilty yourselves, and soon condemn’d to die,
(Yourselves to felons if ye dare prefer),
Judgment unmixt ye for yourselves prepare,
And death eternal at the last great Bar!
Ah, who the ways of Providence can know
Hymnal/Album: Originally titled: “Written After the Execution.” Introduced in a hymnal jointly credited to John and Charles Wesley; it is more likely than not that Charles wrote it but not certain. Introduced in "Miscellaneous Hymns and Poems." Published in The Poetical Works of John and Charles Wesley, Collected and Arranged by G. Osborn, Vol. 8 (London: Wesleyan-Methodist Conference Office, 1870), page 444.
Publishing: Public Domain