Wesley Corpus

Fain would I leave this earth below, Of pain and sin the dark abode; Where shadowy joy, or solid woe Allures, or tears me from my God: Doubtful and insecure of bliss, Since death alone confirms me his.7 Till then, to sorrow born I sigh, And gasp, and languish after home; Upward I send my streaming eye, Expecting till the Bridegroom come: Come quickly, Lord! Thy own receive, Now let me see thy face, and live. Absent from thee, my exil'd soul Deep in a fleshly dungeon groans; Around me clouds of darkness roll, And lab'ring silence speaks my moans: Come quickly, Lord! Thy face display, And look my midnight into day. Error8 and sin, and death are o'er If thou reverse the creature's doom; Sad, Rachel weeps her loss no more, If thou the God, the Saviour come: 7John Wesley inserted a manuscript "NO" at the end of this line in his personal copy of the 5th edn. (1756). He changed the line to begin "Since faith alone ..." in Hymns (1780), 148. 8John Wesley changed "Error" to "Sorrow" in Hymns (1780), 148. Page 57 Of thee possest, in thee we prove The light, the life, the heav'n of love. Page 80 Written in the Beginning of a Recovery from Sickness. Peace, flutt'ring soul! The storm is o'er, Ended at last the doubtful9 strife: Respiring now, the cause explore That bound thee to a wretched life. When on the margin of the grave, Why did I doubt my Saviour's art? Ah! Why mistrust his will to save? What meant that fault'ring of my heart? 'Twas not the searching pain within That fill'd my coward flesh with fear; Nor conscience of uncancel'd sin;10 Nor sense of dissolution near. 9Ori., "doubtless"; corrected 3rd edn. (1739) by ms. insert; and in 4th edn. (1743) and 5th edn. (1756). 10Changed to read "Nor consciousness of outward sin" in 4th edn. (1743) and 5th edn. (1756). Page 81 Of hope I felt no joyful ground, The fruit of righteousness alone; Naked of Christ my soul I found, And started from a God unknown. Corrupt my will, nor half subdu'd, Could I his purer presence bear? Unchang'd, unhallow'd, unrenew'd Could I before his face appear? Father of mercies, hear my call! Ere yet returns the fatal hour, Repair my loss, retrieve my fall, And raise me by thy quick'ning pow'r.