Wesley Corpus

Let earth no more my heart divide, With Christ may I be crucified, To thee with my whole soul aspire; Dead to the world, and all its toys, Its idle pomp, and fading joys, Be thou alone my one desire. Be thou my joy; be thou my dread; In battle cover thou my head, Nor earth, nor hell so shall I fear: So shall I turn my steady face; Want, pain defy, enjoy disgrace, Glory in dissolution near. My will be swallow'd up in thee: Light in thy light still may I see, Beholding thee with open face; Call'd the full power of faith to prove, Let all my hallow'd heart be love, And all my sinless life be praise. Come, Holy Ghost, all-quick'ning fire, My consecrated heart inspire, Sprinkled with the atoning blood: Still to my soul thyself reveal; Thy mighty working may I feel, And know that I am one with God! 24Ori., "7"; a misprint. Page 47 Written in Sickness. While sickness shakes the house of clay, And sap'd by pain's continued course, My nature hastens to decay, And waits the fever's friendly force: Whither should my glad soul aspire, But heav'nward to my Saviour's breast? Wafted on wings of warm desire, To gain her everlasting rest. O when shall I no longer call This earthly tabernacle mine? When shall the shatter'd mansion fall, And rise rebuilt by hands divine? Burthen'd beneath this fleshly load, Earnestly here for ease I groan, Athirst for thee the living God, And ever struggling to be gone. Where thou, and only thou art lov'd, Far from the world's insidious art, Beyond the range of fiends remov'd, And safe from my deceitful heart; Page 48 There let me rest, and sin no more: Come quickly, Lord, and end the strife, Hasten my last, my mortal hour, Swallow me up in endless life. Ah! Let it not my Lord displease, That eager thus for death I sue, T' ward the high prize impatient press, And snatch the crown to conquest due. Master, thy greatness wants not me: O how should I thy cause defend! Captain, release, and set me free; Here let my useless warfare end. 'Tis not the pain I seek to shun, The destin'd cross, and purging fire; Sin do I fear, and sin alone, Thee, only thee do I desire.