Wesley Corpus

Thro' thy death and righteous merit Pardon still I hope t' obtain, Thro' thy pure indwelling Spirit Perfect holiness to gain: Partner of thy sinless nature, All thy spotless mind to show, Fashion'd after my Creator, God as I am known to know. Whence the earnest expectation, Struggling now within my breast? Pants my soul with boundless passion After its eternal rest. O that now the grace were given, Taste of immortality! Ere I can ascend to heaven, Heaven must descend to me. If thou hast in mercy caught me, Thee that I may apprehend, Page 33 If to this thyself hast wrought me, That I may to heaven ascend, Draw me now into my centre; Into thy ambitious shrine, Father, Son, and Spirit enter, Seal my soul for ever thine! Hymn XXXI. I come, but tremble to draw near, Before the righteous God t' appear, The God of purer eyes Than to behold iniquity: Or smile upon a wretch like me, Who unconverted dies. I want the faith my God to please, The true essential holiness, The kingdom from above, The rest for Christ-like souls design'd, The humble, meek, and heavenly mind, The fear-excluding love. I want thy laws engrav'd within, Thy chaste antipathy to sin, Thy love of purity: Unless I here thy nature share, I know, my soul can never bear A holy God to see. How shall I, Lord, the meetness gain? Thy only blood from every stain Can make my nature pure: And shed for all the sinful race, It bought the pardon and the grace That makes salvation sure. Page 34 Thee let thy bleeding love compel Its saving virtue to reveal In this poor heart of mine: A glad partaker of my hope, I then shall after God wake up To righteousness divine. To my primeval state restor'd, Found in the image of my Lord, The perfect character, I then, with thee in spirit one, Boldly approach th' eternal throne, And in thy sight appear! Hymn XXXII. Jesus, come! (The mortal sentence I receive) come and give Faith, and true repentance. All my hope and consolation Is in thee; visit me With thy full salvation. Shew thyself the Lord of glory, Lamb of God, bath'd in blood, Crucified before me! By the dreadful exhibition Make me groan, melt the stone Into deep contrition.