Wesley Corpus

I want an even strong desire, I want a calmly-fervent zeal, To save poor souls out of the fire, To snatch them from the verge of hell, And turn them to the pardning God, And quench the brands in Jesu's blood. I would the pretious time redeem, And longer live for this alone To spend, and to be spent for them Who have not yet my Saviour known, Fully on these my mission prove, And only breathe, to breathe thy love. My talents, gifts, and graces, Lord, Into thy blessed hands receive, And let me live to preach thy word, And let me for thy glory live, My every sacred moment spend In publishing the sinner's friend. Inlarge, inflame, and fill my heart With boundless charity divine, So shall I all my strength exert, And love them with a zeal like thine, And lead them to thine open side, The sheep, for whom their shepherd died. Or if, to serve thy church and thee Myself be offer'd up at last, My soul brought thro' the purple sea With those beneath the altar cast Shall claim the palm to martyrs given, And mount the highest throne in heaven. Page 302 For a Minister at His Coming to a Place.70 Glory, Lord, to thee we give, Who hearst thy people's prayer, Thankful at thy hands receive Thy welcome messenger: Thee we praise, on thee we71 call, Jesus, with thy servant come, Fix in him, in us, in all Thy everlasting home. For the Same, at His Departure.72 Forth in thy name, O Jesus, send The man we to thy grace commend, Our faithful minister secure, And make him to the day endure, When all thy flock shall meet in one Triumphant round thy glorious throne. For a Minister, Going Forth to Preach. Jesus, the truth, and power divine, Send forth this messenger of thine, His hands confirm, his heart inspire, And touch his lips with hallow'd fire. 70A manuscript precursor of this hymn appears in MS Occasional Hymns, 76. 71Ori., "on thee call"; corrected in 2nd edn. (1755). 72A manuscript precursor of this hymn appears in MS Occasional Hymns, 76-77. Page 303 Be thou his mouth and wisdom, Lord, Thou by the hammer of thy word The rocky hearts in pieces break, And bid the son of thunder speak.