Category: Samuel Wesley

“How curious are their wits and vain, Their erring zeal how bold, Who durst with meaner dross profane His purity of gold!”

Thanks to Sean McDonald for posting this on Facebook!

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“Apparently, Samuel Wesley (brother of John and Charles) had some thoughts on Isaac Watts’ “Psalms of David Imitated.”

Upon altering the Psalms, to apply them to a Christian State.

Has David Christ to come foreshowed?
Can Christians then aspire,
To mend the harmony that flowed
From his prophetic lyre?

How curious are their wits and vain,
Their erring zeal how bold,
Who durst with meaner dross profane
His purity of gold!

His Psalms unchanged the saints employ,
Unchanged our God applies;
They suit th’ Apostles in their joy,
The Saviour when He dies.

Let David’s pure unaltered lays
Transmit through ages down,
To Thee, O David’s Lord, our praise,
To Thee, O David’s Son!

Till judgment calls the seraph throng
To join the human choir,
And God, who gave the ancient song,
The new one shall inspire.

—“Poems on Several Occasions” (1736), pp. 242-243

The original can be found here : http://books.google.com/books?id=mfdIAAAAMAAJ