Wesley Corpus

Jesus, thy sovereign name I bless! Sorrow is joy, and pain is ease 48Manuscript precursors of this hymn appear in MS Cheshunt, 173-74; MS Clarke, 163; and MS Shent, 149b-150a. 49Manuscript precursors of this hymn appear in MS Cheshunt, 174-76; MS Clarke, 164-65; and MS Shent, 150a-150b. Page 266 To those that trust in thee: All things together work for good, To me, the purchase of thy blood, The much-lov'd sinner me. A feeble helpless child of man I suffer, and enjoy my pain, And hidden sweetness prove; With pitying eyes, and outstretch'd hands, Before me still the Saviour stands, In majesty of love. Gladly I drink thy mercy's cup, I fill my Lord's afflictions up, I now am truly great; Exalted by thy kind command, By sufferings plac'd at thy right-hand, I in thy kingdom sit. With thee, O Christ, on earth I reign, In all the awful pomp of pain; But send my piercing eyes Th' eternal things unseen to see, The crown of life reserv'd for me, And glittering thro' the skies. As sure as now thy cross I bear, I shall thy heavenly kingdom share, And take my seat above; Celestial joy is in this pain, It tells me, I with thee shall reign, In everlasting love. The more my sufferings here increase, The greater is my future bliss; And thou my griefs dost tell: They in thy book are noted down; A jewel added to my crown Is every pain I feel. Page 267 So be it then, if thou ordain, Crowd all my happy life with pain, And let me daily die: I bow, and bless the sacred sign, And bear the cross, by grace divine, Which lifts me to the sky. For One in a Declining State of Health. Hymn I.50 God of my life, for thee I pine, For thee I chearfully decline, And hasten to decay, Summon'd to take my place above, I hear the call, "Arise, my love, My fair-one come away!" Obedient to the voice of God, I soon shall quit this earthly clod, Shall lay my body down; Th' immortal principle aspires, And swells my soul with strong desires To grasp the starry crown.