Wesley Corpus

The vale I look thro' To the glory in view, That eternal reward For all, who endure to the end with their Lord. 59John Wesley underlined "neither remove, nor dimish" in his personal copy of the 2nd edn. (1756). Page 62 For that heavenly prize The cross I despise, 'Till with life I lay down60 The burthen, thro' which I inherit the crown. Desiring Death. Hymn III.61 Great author of my being, Who seest mine inward care, The ills of thy decreeing62 Enable me to bear, The justice of thy sentence With meekest awe to own, And spend in deep repentance My last expiring groan. The grief beyond expressing To me, to me impart, I ask this only blessing An humble broken heart: The spirit of contrition O might I now receive, For all my soul's ambition Is worthily to grieve. In sacred melancholy63 I would thro' life64 abide, And wail my days of folly, My years of sin, and pride, Far from the paths of pleasure, Disdaining all relief, Would count my mournful treasure, And hug my hoard of grief.65 60John Wesley underlined "with life" in his personal copy of the 2nd edn. (1756), adding an "!" at the end of the line. 61Manuscript precursors of this hymn appear in MS Deliberative, 29-31; and MS Occasional Hymns, 62John Wesley underlined "ills of thy decreeing" in his personal copy of the 2nd edn. (1756). 63John Wesley underlined this line in his personal copy of the 2nd edn. (1756). 64John Wesley underlined "thro' life" in his personal copy of the 2nd edn. (1756). 65John Wesley underlined the last three lines in this stanza in his personal copy of the 2nd edn. (1756). Page 63 Be this my constant care From all delight to flee, And suffer none to share My sacred misery;66 No succour, or compassion Of feeble man I crave, No earthly consolation, Or refuge but the grave.67 The friend, whom once I wanted To mitigate my woe, Revok'd as soon as granted, I calmly now forego, My latest strife is over, The fleeting good to stay, Nor would I, Lord, recover, Whom thou hast snatch'd away. Thou knowst my heart's desire Is only to be gone, And silently retire, And live, and die alone: No sweet companion near To catch my latest sighs, My dying words to hear, Or close these weary eyes.