Wesley Corpus

“Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness, and after the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences.” Let thy unspeakable mercy free me from the sins I have committed, and deliver me from the punishment I have deserved ( ). O save me from every work of darkness, and cleanse me “from all filthiness of flesh and spirit,” that, for the time to come, I may, with a pure heart and mind, follow thee, the only true God. O Lamb of God, who, both by thy example and precept, didst instruct us to be meek and humble, give me grace throughout my whole life, in every thought, and word, and work, to imitate thy meekness and humility. O mortify in me the whole body of pride; grant me to feel that I am nothing and have nothing, and that I deserve nothing but shame and contempt, but misery and punishment. Grant, O Lord, that I may look for nothing, claim nothing; and that I may go through all the scenes of life, not seeking my own glory, but looking wholly unto thee, and acting wholly for thee. Let me never speak any word that may tend to my own praise, unless the good of my neighbour require it; and even then let me beware, lest, to heal another, I wound my own soul. Let my ears and my heart be ever shut to the praise that cometh of men, and let me “refuse to hear the voice of the charmer, charm he never so sweetly.” Give me a dread of applause, in whatsoever form, and from whatsoever tongue, it cometh. I know that “many stronger men have been slain by it,” and that it “leadeth to the chambers of death.” O deliver my soul from this snare of hell; neither let me spread it for the feet of others. Whosoever perish thereby, be their blood upon their own head, and let not my hand be upon them. O thou Giver of every good and perfect gift, if at any time thou pleasest to work by my hand, teach me to discern what is my own from what is another's, and to render unto thee the things that are thine. As all the good that is done on earth thou doest it thyself, let me ever return to thee all the glory.