Wesley Corpus

Volume 2 (1779): 659-60 For a Dying Friend. Mr. Abraham Brown.10 Stricken with the stroke of death, Jesus, save my gasping friend, Kindly catch his parting breath, Bless him with a peaceful end; Death be endless life begun, Bliss attain'd, and glory won! One is as a thousand days, As a thousand years to thee: O cut short thy work of grace, Ripe for full felicity. Ready with thyself to live, Now his spotless soul receive. Now cut short thy work in mine, Mine, most gracious Lord, prepare, Deck'd with righteousness divine, Let me all thine impress bear, All thy great salvation see: Send the chariot now for me. Dying once, to die no more, Might I, like my friend, aspire, On the wings of angels soar, Added to the tuneful choir, Mingled with the saints above, Lost in harmony, and love. 10Appears in MS Funeral Hymns, 83-84. Volume 3 (1780): 55-57 On the Church of England.11 Jesus our true and faithful Lord, May we not on thy word depend, Thy sure, irrevocable word, "Lo, I am with you to the end!" Thy promise with the church to abide For ours may we not justly claim, For ours who in thy blood confide, And truly bear thy hallow'd name! The gates of hell cannot o'erthrow Thy church immoveably secure: Built on the Rock, we surely know It must from age to age endure. Yet Satan hath too oft prevail'd; And Antichrist victorious prov'd: Churches particular have fail'd; Have seen their candlestick remov'd. Nations that walk'd in gospel-light Thy presence doth no longer chear; Africk again is wrapt in night, And Asia's ruins scarce appear. The man of sin that reigns at Rome Compels adoring crouds t' obey, Honours divine he dares assume, And poisons all who own his sway. And may not we to Satan yield, And sink before th' infernal host, The measure of our sin fulfill'd, Our lamp extinct, our gospel lost! Humbly we hope for better things, Since thou our offering dost receive, And grace to us salvation brings, And unconsum'd, by faith we live. Thy blessings with the remnant stays, 11Appears in MS Miscellaneous Hymns, 136-39.