Wesley Corpus

O love divine, how sweet thou art! When shall I find my willing heart All taken up by thee! I thirst, and faint, and die to prove, The greatness of redeeming love, The love of Christ to me. Stronger his love than death or hell; Its riches are unsearchable; The first born sons of light Desire in vain its depth to see, They cannot reach the mystery, The length, and breadth, and height. God only knows the love of God; O that it now were shed abroad In this poor stony heart! For love I sigh, for love I pine: This only portion, Lord, be mine, Be mine this better part. 35Published previously in Festival Hymns (1746), 47-49. Manuscript precursors appear in MS Shent, 129a-129b; and MS Thirty, 6-7. Page 59 O that I could forever sit, With Mary at the Master's feet! Be this my happy choice, My only care, delight, and bliss, My joy, my heaven on earth be this To hear the Bridegroom's voice. O that with humbled Peter I Could weep, believe, and thrice reply My faithfulness to prove, Thou knowst (for all to thee is known) Thou knowst, O Lord, and thou alone, Thou knowst that thee I love. O that I could with favour'd John Recline my weary head upon The dear Redeemer's breast! From care, and sin, and sorrow free Give me, O Lord, to find in thee My everlasting rest. Thy only love do I require, Nothing in earth beneath desire, Nothing in heaven above; Let earth, and heaven, and all things go, Give me thy only love to know, Give me thy only love. Desiring to Love. Hymn VI.37 O thou, who hast redeem'd of old, And bidst me of thy strength take hold, And be at peace with thee, Help me thy benefits to own, And hear me tell what thou hast done, O dying Lamb, for me. 36John Wesley crossed out this stanza in his personal copy of the 2nd edn. (1755). 37Manuscript precursors of this hymn appear in MS Shent, 130a-130b; and MS Thirty, 17-19. Page 60 Out of myself for help I go, Thy only love resolv'd to know, Thy love my plea I make: Give me thy love; 'tis all I claim: Give for the honour of thy name, Give for thy mercy's sake.