Wesley Corpus

Hear, Jesu, hear my helpless cry, O save a wretch condemn'd to die! The sentence in myself I feel, And all my nature teems with hell. Page 93 When shall concupiscence and pride No more my tortur'd heart divide! When shall this agony be o'er, And the old Adam rage no more! Awake, the woman's conqu'ring seed, Awake, and bruise the serpent's head, Tread down thy foes, with power controul The beast and devil in my soul. The mansion for thyself prepare, Dispose my heart by entring there! 'Tis this alone can make me clean, 'Tis this alone can cast out sin. Long have I vainly hop'd and strove To force my hardness into love, To give thee all thy laws require; And labour'd in the purging fire. A thousand specious arts essay'd, Call'd the deep Mystic to my aid: His boasted skill the brute refin'd, But left the subtler fiend behind. Frail, dark, impure, I still remain, Nor hope to break my nature's chain: The fond self-emptying scheme is past, And lo! Constrain'd I yield at last. Page 94 At last I own it cannot be That I should fit myself for thee: Here then to thee, I all resign, Thine is the work, and only thine. No more to lift my eyes I dare Abandon'd to a just despair; I have my punishment in view. I feel a thousand hells my due. What shall I say thy grace to move? Lord I am sin but thou art love: I give up every plea beside "Lord I am damn'd but thou hast died!" While groaning at thy feet I fall Spurn me away, refuse my call, If love permit, contract thy brow, And, if thou canst, destroy me now! Page 97 Matthew v. 3. "Blessed are they that mourn."16 Jesu! My great high-priest above, My friend before the throne of love! If now for me prevails thy prayer, If now I find thee pleading there; If thou the secret wish convey, And sweetly prompt my heart to pray, Hear; and my weak petitions join, Almighty advocate, to thine! 16In 2nd edn. (1739) and following this is titled: "Psalm CXXXIX. 23 BCP. 'Try me, O God, and seek the ground of my heart.'" Page 98