Wesley Corpus

These cruel buffetings of sin I can no longer bear, I sink beneath this war within, And perish in despair. 104John Wesley substituted "great" for "dear" in manuscript in his personal copy of the 2nd edn. (1755). 105Manuscript precursors of this hymn appear in MS Cheshunt, 151-53; and MS Shent, 78a-78b. 106Ori., "Lord"; corrected in errata and 2nd edn. (1755). Page 184 O save me, save me from this hour, The dying sinner save, Nor let the greedy pit devour, Nor let me see the grave. The grave of hell stands open wide To swallow up its prey; Jesu, preserve my soul, and hide, Throughout the evil day. O send me from thy holy place The help laid up on thee, Assure me that thy saving grace Sufficient is for me. Sufficient to restrain from sin, While fierce temptations last, To save me from the storm within, 'Till all the storm is past. Is not thy power divinely shewn In man's infirmity? Make all thy great salvation known, Perfect thy strength in me. A weaker worm did never yet Thy promis'd aid implore, O hide me from the storm and heat, 'Till sin subsists no more.107 Safe in the lyon's den I lie, If thou their rage restrain; I pass thro' floods, if thou art nigh, And in the flames remain. Unhurt I bear the fiery test, And in the furnace shine, That upon me the power may rest, The power of love divine. 107John Wesley underlined this line in his personal copy of the 2nd edn. (1755). Page 185 Surely I shall as gold come forth, When thou my faith hast tried, Transform'd into my Saviour's worth, And seven times purified. A sinner now undone and lost My misery I confess; I own it all, yet gladly boast Of my own helplessness. The God who doth from sin restrain Shall soon his arm display; His presence shall with me remain, The glorious Shechinah. Jesus shall pitch his tent in me, And never more remove, And I shall as my Master be, Renew'd in sinless108 love. Sure as I now his cross sustain, I soon his crown shall wear, The glory of my Lord obtain, And reign for ever there. In Temptation. Hymn VI.109