Wesley Corpus

Page 299 To make thy goodness known; Thy Son in sinners' hearts reveal, By gracious signs my mission seal, And prove the word thine own. O for thy only Jesu's sake, Into those arms of mercy take Thy meanest messenger, And ever in thy keeping have, And grant me, Lord, at last to save Myself with all that hear. Hymns for a Preacher of the Gospel. Hymn XI. O thou whose gracious word I to the world proclaim, Be mindful of thy promise, Lord, Be jealous for thy name; From what I always fear My tempted soul defend, And keep thy meanest messenger, And keep me to the end. Thou seest this feeble heart, Which trembles every day, Lest I myself from thee depart, And die a cast-away, Lest I the occasion give To all who hate thy cross, And to reproach thy people live, And to disserve thy cause. Thou knowst the ten-fold rage Wherewith thy foe pursues, The men in our adulterous age Whom thou art pleas'd to use, Page 300 But never, never leave A soul employ'd by thee, Nor let the subtle fiend deceive, Or serve himself on me. Rather my spirit take To rest with thee above, For thy own name and glory's sake, For thy own truth and love, Let me from Satan fly Into the arms divine, And all-renew'd this moment die, To live forever thine. Hymns for a Preacher of the Gospel. Hymn XII. O that I was as heretofore When first sent forth in Jesu's name I rush'd thro' every open door, And cried to all, "Behold the Lamb!" Seiz'd the poor trembling slaves of sin, And forc'd the outcasts to come in. The God who kills, and makes alive, To me the quickning power impart, Thy grace restore, thy work revive, Retouch my lips, renew my heart, Forth with a fresh commission send, And all thy servants steps attend. Give me the faith which can remove, And sink the mountain to a plain, Give me the child-like praying love, That longs to build thine house again; The love which once my heart o'erpower'd, And all my simple soul devour'd. Page 301