Wesley Corpus

Give me the faith which can remove, And sink the mountain to a plain, Give me the child-like praying love, That longs to build thine house again; The love which once my heart o'erpower'd, And all my simple soul devour'd. I want an even strong desire, I want a calmly fervent zeal, To save poor souls out of the fire, To snatch them from the verge of hell, And turn them to the pard'ning God, And quench the brands in Jesu's blood. 128This is an extract from HSP (1749), 1:300-301; stanzas 3-8. Page 100 I would the precious time redeem, And longer live for this alone To spend, and to be spent for them Who have not yet my Saviour known, Fully on these my mission prove, And only breathe, to breathe thy love. My talents, gifts, and graces, Lord, Into thy blessed hands receive, And let me live to preach thy word, And let me for thy glory live, My every sacred moment spend In publishing the sinner's friend. Inlarge, inflame, and fill my heart With boundless charity divine, So shall I all my strength exert, And love them with a zeal like thine, And lead them to thine open side, The sheep, for whom their shepherd died. Or if to serve thy church and thee Myself be offer'd up at last, My soul brought thro' the purple sea With those beneath the altar cast, Shall claim the palm to martyrs given, And mount the highest throne in heaven. Hymn XCVIII.129 See how great a flame aspires, Kindled by a spark of grace! Jesu's love the nations fires Sets the kingdoms on a blaze. To bring fire on earth he came; Kindled in some hearts it is; O that all might catch the flame All partake the glorious bliss! 129First appeared in HSP (1749), 1:315-16. Page 101 When he first the work begun, Small and feeble was his day, Now the word doth swiftly run, Now it wins its widening way, More and more it130 spreads, and grows, Ever mighty to prevail, Sin's strong-holds it now o'erthrows, Shakes the trembling gates of hell. Sons of God your Saviour praise He the door hath open'd wide, He hath giv'n the word of grace, Jesu's word is glorify'd: Jesus mighty to redeem, He alone the work hath wrought, Worthy is the work of him, Him who spake a world from nought.