Wesley Corpus

Volume 4 (1781): 228 An Old Man's Prayer.22 Father of all, whose bowels move To ev'ry object of thy love, Regard my advocate and friend, And bless me with a peaceful end. Weary of life, with guilt opprest, I want the pledge of endless rest, I want thy grace to testify, And then to lay me down and die. The pardon grant for which I pray, Because I nothing have to pay; Because I a mere sinner am, And ask the grace in Jesu's name. Ten thousand talents, Lord, remit, Whose mercies are more infinite, The sins of seventy years forgive, And then my spotless soul receive. Thou know'st, I wait for this alone, Till thou shalt manifest thy Son, The fulness of the deity; Reveal, in Christ, thyself to me. Then, O my God, and Father, then, When I have thy salvation seen, In peace permitted to depart, I soar, and see thee as thou art! 22Appears in MS Preparation for Death, 19-20. Volume 4 (1781): 229-30 For the Church.23 Head of thy church, attend Our long-continu'd pray'r, And our Jerusalem defend, And in thy bosom bear, The sheep of England's fold, Mark'd with their shepherd's sign, Bought with a price, redeem'd of old, And wash'd in blood divine. Call'd out of Babylon, At thy command we came, Our ancestors their lives laid down, And triumph'd in the flame: The church's seed arose Out of the martyr's blood, And saw their antichristian foes Before thy cross subdu'd. Again thy Spirit of grace Doth with our Israel strive, And ev'n in our degen'rate days His ancient work revive: Ten thousand witnesses Stand forth on ev'ry side, And bold in life and death confess Jehovah crucifi'd. O that the faithful seed Might never, never fail, Victorious, through their conqu'ring head, O'er all the powers of hell! Still with thy people stay, By England's church ador'd, Till every island flee away Before our glorious Lord. 23Appears in MS Miscellaneous Hymns, 135-36.