Wesley Corpus

To thee my earnest soul aspires, To thee I offer all my vows, 15"Panting" is Charles Wesley's replacement for "frozen" in HSP (1739). 16Charles Wesley has changed HSP (1739), which began "May I too thy ..." 17"Doth" is Charles Wesley's replacement for "shall" in HSP (1739). 18"Is" is Charles Wesley's replacement for "be" in HSP (1739). 19Source: Antoinette Bourignon. This is an extract from HSP (1739), 123-24; stanzas 2-9. Page 13 Keep me from false and vain desires, My God, my Saviour, and my spouse. Henceforth may no prophane delight Divide this consecrated soul; Possess it thou, who hast the right, As Lord and master of the whole. Wealth, honour, pleasure, or what else This short-enduring world can give, Tempt as you will, my heart repels, To Christ alone resolv'd to live. Thee I can love, and thee alone With holy peace and inward bliss; To find thou tak'st me for thine own, O what a happiness is this! Nothing on earth do I desire,20 But thy pure love within my breast, This, this I always will require, And freely give up all the rest. Hymn XIII.21 Thy everlasting truth, Father, thy ceaseless love Sees all thy children's wants, and knows, What best for each will prove: And whatsoe'er thou will'st, Thou dost, O King of kings; What thy unerring wisdom chose, Thy power to being brings. Thou every where hast way, And all things serve thy might; Thy every act pure blessing is, Thy path unsullied light. 20Charles Wesley has changed HSP (1739), which began "Nor heav'n, nor earth ..." 21Source: Paul Gerhardt. This is an extract from HSP (1739), 142-44; stanzas 5-8, 13-16. Page 14 When thou arisest, Lord, What shall thy work withstand? When all thy children want thou giv'st, Who, who shall stay thine hand? Leave to his sovereign sway To chuse and to command; So shalt thou wond'ring own, his way, How wise, how strong his hand. Far, far above thy thought His counsel shall appear, When fully he the work hath wrought, That caus'd thy needless fear. Thou seest our weakness, Lord, Our hearts are known to thee; O lift thou up the sinking hand, Confirm the feeble knee! Let us in life, and death,22 Thy stedfast truth declare, And publish with our latest breath Thy love and guardian care. Hymn XIV.23