Wesley Corpus

Giver of life, and strength renew'd, I bless thy balmy name, Heal'd by the virtue of thy blood My healer I proclaim. Jesus, thou canst with equal ease Pronounce my sins forgiven, And bid me rise, and go in peace, And bear my cross to heaven. Thrown, as an useless vessel, by, A lump of pain I lay, My Saviour cast a pitying eye, And mov'd his saints to pray: The prayer of faith hath chas'd the pain, Put all my grief to flight, And rais'd my feeble flesh again, And cloath'd my soul with might. I now with all my brethren join To double health restor'd, I glory in the strength divine, I glory in the Lord. The strength thou dost thyself impart I for thyself employ, And give thee back a thankful heart Which tastes thy gifts with joy. Take all my heart, my thanks, my love; But O! My friends repay, Who brought the blessing from above, And save them at that day. Ten thousand, thousand blessings shower On my companions dear, And keep them by thy mercy's power, 'Till thou, our life, appear. Page 235 Happy, might I obtain the grace My happier friends to see, Adorn'd with robes of righteousness, And palms of victory! Happy might I with them be found, The meanest of the throng, And sing the glorious throne around Thine own eternal song! Thanksgiving for a Deliverance from Shipwreck.54 All praise to the Lord, Who rules with a word The untractable sea, And limits its rage by his stedfast decree: Whose providence binds, Or releases the winds, And compels them again At his beck to put on the invisible chain. Even now he hath heard Our cry, and appear'd On the face of the deep, And commanded the tempest its distance to keep: His piloting hand Hath brought us to land, And no longer distrest, We are joyful again in the haven to rest. O that all men would raise His tribute of praise, His goodness declare, And thankfully sing of his fatherly care! With rapture approve His dealings of love, And the wonders proclaim Perform'd by the virtue of Jesus's name! 54Charles records the deliverance reflected in this hymn in his MS Journal (October 10, 1748). The initial manuscript version of the hymn was included in his journal letter covering September 26-October 27, 1748. Page 236