Wesley Corpus

Blessed be thy love for all the temporal benefits which thou hast with a liberal hand poured out upon me; for my health and strength, food and raiment, and all other necessaries with which thou hast provided thy sinful servant. I also bless thee that, after all my refusals of thy grace, thou still hast patience with me, hast preserved me this night, (--)* and given me yet another day to renew and perfect my repent ance. Pardon, good Lord, all my former sins, and make me every day more zealous and diligent to improve every oppor tunity of building up my soul in thy faith, and love, and obedience. Make thyself always present to my mind, and let thy love fill and rule my soul, in all those places, and companies, and employments to which thou callest me this day. In all my passage through this world, suffer not my heart to be set upon it; but always fix my single eye and my undivided affections on “the prize of my high calling.” This one thing let me do; let me so press toward this, as to make all things else minister unto it; and be careful so to use them, as thereby to fit my soul for that pure bliss which thou hast prepared for those that love thee. O thou, who art good and doest good, who extendest thy lovingkindness to all mankind, the work of thine hands, thine image, capable of knowing and loving thee eternally: Suffer me to exclude none, O Lord, from my charity, who are the objects of thy mercy; but let me treat all my neighbours with that tender love which is due to thy servants and to thy children. Thou hast required this mark of my love to thee: O let no temptation expose me to ingratitude, or make me forfeit thy lovingkindness, which is better than life itself. But grant that I may assist all my brethren with my prayers, where I cannot reach them with actual services. Make me zealous to embrace all occasions that may administer to their happiness, by assisting the needy, protecting the oppressed, instructing the ignorant, confirming the wavering, exhorting the good, and reproving the wicked.