Wesley Corpus

When shall this shadowy sabbath end, This tedious length of legal woe? O would my Lord the substance send! O might I now his rising know! Come, Lord, and chase the clouds away, And bring thine own auspicious day. Give me to bow with thee my head, And sink into thy silent grave, To rest among thy49 quiet dead, Till thou display thy power to save, Thy resurrection's power exert, And rise triumphant in my heart. Hymn XXIX.50 To: "Saviour, the world's and mine." Out of the deep I cry Just at the point to die, Hast'ning to infernal51 pain, Jesus, Lord, I cry to thee, Help a feeble child of man, Shew forth all thy power in me. On thee I ever call, Saviour and friend of all: Well thou know'st my desp'rate case, Thou my curse of sin remove, Save me by thy richest grace, Save me by thy pard'ning love. 48"Sleep" substituted for "weep" in 2nd edn. (1747), a misprint. 49"Thy" changed to "the" in 7th edn. (1765) and following. 50Manuscript precursors of this hymn appear in MS Shent, 119a-119b; and MS Thirty, 216-17. 51"Infernal" changed to "eternal" in 1788 edn. only. Page 40 How shall a sinner find The Saviour of mankind! Canst thou not accept my prayer, Not bestow the grace I claim? Where are thy old mercies, where All the powers of Jesus' name? What shall I say to move The bowels of thy love? Are they not already stirr'd? Have I in thy death no part? Ask thy own compassions, Lord, Ask the yearnings of thy heart! I will not let thee go, Till I thy mercy know: Let me hear the welcome sound, Speak, if still thou canst forgive, Speak, and let the lost be found, Speak, and let the dying live. Thy love is all my plea, Thy passion speaks for me: By thy pangs and bloody sweat, By thy depth52 of grief unknown, Save me gasping at thy feet, Save, O save thy ransom'd one! What hast thou done for me, O think on Calvary! By thy mortal groans, and sighs, By thy precious death I pray, Hear my dying spirit's cries, Take, O take my sins away! 52"Depth" changed to "depths" in 1788 edn. only. Page 41 Hymn XXX. To: "Ministerial spirits, come."