Wesley Corpus

The more the outward man decays, The inner feels thy strengthning grace, And knows that thou art mine: Partaker of my glorious hope, I here shall after thee wake up, Shall in thine image shine. Thou wilt not leave thy work undone, But finish what thou hast begun, Before I hence remove; I shall be, Master, as thou art, Holy, and meek, and pure in heart, And perfected in love. 50Manuscript precursors of this hymn appear in MS Shent, 147a-147b; and MS Thirty, 96-97. 51Ori., "4". Next three stanzas: ori., "5", "6" and "7", respectively (error appears in both editions). Page 268 Thou wilt cut short thy work of grace, And perfect in a babe thy praise, And strength for me ordain, Thy blood shall make me throughly clean, And not one spot of inbred sin Shall in my flesh remain. Thy love shall wholly sanctify, Thy love shall seal me thine; Thou wilt from me no more depart, My all in life and death thou art, Thou art forever mine. For One in a Declining State of Health. Hymn II.52 Lamb, lovely Lamb, for sinners slain, In weakness, weariness, and pain Thy tender care I prove: Continue still thy tender care, My spirit for thyself prepare, And perfect me in love. In stedfast faith on thee I call, Saviour, and sovereign Lord of all, My brother, and my friend; Lead me my few remaining days, And finish thy great work of grace, And love me to the end. Till I from all my sins am freed, O may I lean my languid head On thy dear, loving breast: Thou, Jesu, catch my parting breath, And let me smoothly glide thro' death To my eternal rest. 52Manuscript precursors of this hymn appear in MS Shent, 147b-148a; and MS Thirty, 97-98. Page 269 Saviour, bring near the joyful hour, The fulness of thy Spirit pour, And while I here remain, Christ let it be that lives, not I: Or now, permit me now to die; To die is greatest gain. Come then, my health, my hope, my home, My love, my life eternal, come, Me to thyself receive; Soul, flesh, and spirit sanctify, And bid me live in thee to die, And die in thee to live. For One in a Declining State of Health. Hymn III.53