Verse 1
O where are the men with virtue indow’d
To live, as did then the servants of God!
The ancient example, who shews us again,
Courageous to trample ore[1] pleasure and pain?
Verse 2
O Jesus, on us the blessing bestow,
Our infancy chuse, thy glory to shew,
In this generation thy witnesses raise,
The heirs of salvation, the vessels of grace.
Verse 3
Accept our desire, and give us thy love,
Thy children inspire with faith from above:
Purge out the old leaven, and early convert,
And open an heaven of grace in our heart.
Verse 4
Begotten again, and principled right,
Good works to maintain, and walk in thy sight,
We then shall recover that vigour of grace,
And gladly live over those primitive days.
Verse 5
Our moments below shall pleasantly glide,
While nothing we know but Christ crucified,
Our whole conversation in songs shall approve,
Thy wonderful passion, thy ransoming love.
Verse 6
And if we must win the crown, like our God,
And strive against sin, resisting to blood,
We more than victorious o’er death shall arise,
All happy and glorious with Christ in the skies.
[1] Wesley changed “ore” to “on” in 1768.