Wesley Corpus

More hard than marble is my heart, And foul with sins of deepest stain; But thou the mighty Saviour art, Nor flow'd thy cleansing blood in vain. Ah! Soften, melt this rock, and may Thy blood wash all these stains away. O that my heart, which open stands, May catch each drop, that tort'ring pain Arm'd by my sins, wrung from thy hands, Thy feet, thy head, thy ev'ry vein: That still my breast may heave with sighs, Still tears of love o'erflow my eyes. O that I, as a little child, May follow thee, nor ever rest, Till sweetly thou hast pour'd thy mild And lowly mind into my breast: Nor may we ever parted be Till I become one sp'rit with thee. O draw me, Saviour, after thee, So shall I run and never tire: With gracious words still comfort me; Be thou my hope, my sole desire. Page 21 17Ori., "E'er"; but clearly used in sense of "before." Free me from ev'ry weight; nor fear, Nor sin can come, if thou art here. My health, my light, my life, my crown, My portion and my treasure thou! O take me, seal me for thine own; To thee alone my soul I bow. Without thee all is pain; my mind Repose in nought but thee can find. Howe'er I rove, where'er I turn, In thee alone is all my rest: Be thou my flame, within me burn, Jesu, and I in thee am blest. Thou art the balm of life: my soul Is faint; O save, O make it whole! What in thy love possess I not? My star by night, my sun by day; My spring of life, when parch'd with drought; My wine to chear, my bread to stay, My strength, my shield, my safe abode, My robe before the throne of God! Ah love! Thy influence withdrawn, What profits me that I am born? All my delight, my joy is gone, Nor know I peace, till thou return. Thee may I seek till I attain; And never may we part again. From all eternity with love Unchangeable thou hast me view'd; Ere17 knew this beating heart to move, Thy tender mercies me pursu'd: Page 22 18First appeared in HSP (1739), 168-69. Ever with me may they abide, And close me in on ev'ry side.