Wesley Corpus

Long my reluctant folly held, Nor gave them to my God's command; Hardly at length constrain'd to yield; For Oh! The angel seiz'd my hand, Broke off my grasp, forbad my stay, And forc'd my ling'ring soul away. Page 53 Yes; the divorce at last is made, My soul is crush'd beneath the blow; The judgment falls, so long delay'd, And lays my stubborn spirit low, My hope expires, my comfort ends, Oh! I have lost my friends, my friends! Part IV. How shall I lift my guilty eyes, Or dare appear before thy face? When deaf to mercy's loudest cries, I long have wearied out thy grace, Withstood thy power, and cross'd thy art, Nor heard, "My son, give me thy heart?" How could I, Lord, hold out so long, So long thy striving Spirit grieve! Forgive me the despiteful wrong: Behold, my all for thee I leave, The whole, the whole I here restore, And fondly keep back part no more. Lo! I cut off the dear right hand, Asham'd I should so late obey, Pluck out my eye at thy command, And cast the bleeding orb away; Lo, with my last reserve I part, I give, I give thee all my heart. My heart, my will I here resign, My life, my more than life for thee: Take back my friends, no longer mine; Bless'd be the love that lent them me: Bless'd be the kind, revoking word, Thy will be done, thy name ador'd! Page 54 Henceforth thy only will I chuse, To Christ I die, to Christ I live; Had I a thousand lives to lose, Had I a thousand friends to give, All, all I would to thee restore, And grieve that I could give no more. Part V.25 Jesus, in whom the weary find Their late and26 permanent repose; Physician of the sin-sick mind, Relieve my wants, assuage my woes; And let my soul on thee be cast, 'Till life's fierce tyranny be27 past. Loosed from my God, and far remov'd, Long have I wander'd to and fro, O'er earth in endless circles rov'd, Nor found whereon to rest below; Back to my God at last I fly, For O! The waters still are high.