Wesley Corpus

Thou whose mercy is without measure, whose goodness is unspeakable, despise not thy returning servant, who earnestly begs for pardon and reconciliation. Grant me the forgive ness of what is past, and a perfect repentance of all my sins; that for the time to come I may with a pure spirit do thy 222 FOItMS OF PRAY Elt. will, O God, walking humbly with thee, conversing charitably with men, possessing my soul in resignation and holiness, and my body in sanctification and honour. “My Lord and my God,” I know that unless I am planted together with thee in the likeness of thy death, I cannot in the likeness of thy resurrection. O strengthen me, that by “denying myself and taking up my cross daily,” I may crucify the old man, and utterly destroy the whole body of sin. Give me grace to “mortify all my members which are upon earth,” all my works and affections which are according to corrupt nature. Let me be dead unto sin, unto every transgression of thy law, which is holy, merciful, and perfect. Let me be dead unto the world, and all that is in the world, “the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eye, and the pride of life.” Let me be dead unto pleasure, so far as it tendeth not to thee and to those pleasures which are at thy right hand for evermore. Let me be dead unto my own will, and alive only unto thine. I am not my own; thou hast “bought me with a price,” with the price of thine own blood. And thou didst therefore die for all, “that we should not henceforth live unto ourselves, but unto Him that died for us.” Arm thou me with this mind; circumcise my heart, and make me a new creature. Let me no longer live to the desires of men, but to the will of God. Let thy Holy Spirit enable me to say with thy blessed Apostle, “I am crucified with Christ: Nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” O thou Great Shepherd of souls, bring home unto thy fold all that are gone astray. Preserve thy Church from all heresy and schism, from all that persecute or oppose the truth; and give unto thy Ministers wisdom and holiness, and the powerful aid of thy blessed Spirit.