Wesley Corpus

Written in the Beginning of a Recovery from Sickness Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739), Part I Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- Recovery from Sickness. 1 Peace, flutt’ring soul! The storm is o’er, Ended at last the doubtful9 strife: Respiring now, the cause explore That bound thee to a wretched life. 2 When on the margin of the grave, Why did I doubt my Saviour’s art? Ah! Why mistrust his will to save? What meant that fault’ring of my heart? 3 ’Twas not the searching pain within That fill’d my coward flesh with fear; Nor conscience of uncancel’d sin;10 Nor sense of dissolution near. 9Ori., “doubtless”; corrected 3rd edn. (1739) by ms. insert; and in 4th edn. (1743) and 5th edn. (1756). 10Changed to read “Nor consciousness of outward sin” in 4th edn. (1743) and 5th edn. (1756). 4 Of hope I felt no joyful ground, The fruit of righteousness alone; Naked of Christ my soul I found, And started from a God unknown. 5 Corrupt my will, nor half subdu’d, Could I his purer presence bear? Unchang’d, unhallow’d, unrenew’d Could I before his face appear? 6 Father of mercies, hear my call! Ere yet returns the fatal hour, Repair my loss, retrieve my fall, And raise me by thy quick’ning pow’r. 7 My nature re-exchange for thine; Be thou my life, my hope, my gain; Arm me in panoply divine, And death shall shake his dart in vain. 8 When I thy promis’d Christ have seen, And clasp’d him in my soul’s embrace, Possest of my salvation, then-- Then, let me, Lord, depart in peace!