Wesley Corpus

Author, and end of my desires, Whom my imprison'd soul aspires As I am known to know, Come, and dissolve this fleshly chain, And take me to thine arms again, And all thy glory show. Hymn XXXV. Tell me, affrighted reason, tell What is that death I soon shall feel? "The foul original disgrace Involving our devoted race, The sad effect of Adam's fall, The direful curse intail'd on all." His oracles the answer give, Who wills that all mankind should live, Who liv'd himself in grief and woe, On me his blessing to bestow, To purchase immortality, Who died for all mankind and me. Saviour and Prince of life and peace, Thy passion bids my horrors cease: Thro' thy atoning sacrifice, The light doth out of darkness rise, And scatters all my guilty gloom, And gilds the horrors of the tomb. The death thou didst for me sustain, Shall mitigate my mortal pain, Page 38 While leaning on thy bloody cross, I trust with thee my desp'rate cause, My sufferings to thy sufferings join, And mix my parting soul with thine. Hymn XXXVI. Weary of all below, And drawing toward my end, My only want I show To thee, the sinner's friend, Who hast thro' life my Saviour been; Open thy arms to take me in. Yet here my soul detain, God of almighty love, Till, join'd to thee again, The life of faith I prove, The utmost power of godliness, The plenitude of gospel-grace. I want a pardon seal'd In peace and humble joy, The deity reveal'd, My evils to destroy, The Spirit purchas'd by thy blood, The fulness of indwelling God. Thy absence from my heart Forbids my soul t' aspire, And longing to depart, I check the rash desire, Bewail my want of purity, My painful want of love and thee. Page 39 O let my mournful cry Thy kind compassion move, Nor suffer me to die A stranger to thy love: Thy word the weeping sinner chears; O keep not silence at my tears. I wait the quick'ning word, Which bids my soul awake, In holiness restor'd, Thy nature to partake; That life which time and death defies, That charity which never dies. Then let this body drop Into its earthen bed; This flesh shall rest in hope, While number'd with the dead: Sweet fellowship with thee I have, And share my dear Redeemer's grave.