Scripture Verse

A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Matthew 7:18

Introduction

Words: Charles Wes­ley, Short Hymns (Bris­tol, Eng­land: E. Far­ley, 1762), Vol­ume 2, num­ber 93.

Music: Göt­ting­en, in The Pri­mi­tive Me­tho­dist Hym­nal, ed­it­ed by George Booth (Lon­don: Pri­mi­tive Me­tho­dist Pub­lish­ing House, 1889), num­ber 1007 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Charles Wesley (1707–1788)

Lyrics

Evil I then must be
Who bring forth ev­il fruit:
Corrupt the fruit, cor­rupt the tree,
And most cor­rupt the root;
Whatever gift or grace
Thou hast on me be­stowed,
Lord, I with all my soul con­fess,
That yet I am not good.