Wesley Corpus

Page 306 "Be perfect." 2 Cor. xiii. 11. Press to the mark (the Spirit cries, And cannot cry to saints in vain) Ambitious of your calling's prize, The height of holiness attain: Let down from heaven the ladder see, And mount, till all the steps are past: Perfection is the last degree, Perfection is attain'd the last.50 "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all, Amen." 2 Cor. xiii. 14. The merit of Jehovah's Son Be on his church bestow'd: Jesus, thro' thy free grace alone We have access to God: To favour now thro' thee restor'd, O may we still retain The mercy of our pard'ning Lord, And never sin again. Father, thy love in Christ reveal, Which spake us justified, And let the gift unspeakable In all our hearts abide: Humbly we trust thy faithful love Thy children to defend, And hide our life with Christ above, And keep us to the end. Come, Holy Ghost, supply the want Of all thy saints and me, In all thy gifts and graces grant Us fellowship with thee: The pledge, the witness, and the seal, We look for thee again, In us eternally to dwell, Eternally to reign. Be perfect; i.e., aspire to the highest degree of holiness. Mr. W.'s Notes. 50John Wesley underlined "last degree" in line 7 and "the last" in line 8 in his personal copy. Page 307 Hymn 595. "Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." Gal. ii. 20. When shall I be crucified, When shall I no longer live, Lose my selfishness and pride, All the life of God receive, All the Spirit of his Son, Actuated by Christ alone! "Who loved me, and gave himself for me." Gal. ii. 20. Holy Ghost, remove the grief And burthen of my sins, Me, convinc'd of unbelief, Of righteousness convince: Comforter, on thee I call, Apply the blood that sets me free, Tell my heart, who died for all Hath lov'd, and died for me. Faith's appropriating power With thee I long to feel; Come in this accepted hour My Saviour-Lord reveal, By thine energy constrain My soul to cry with joy unknown, Very God was very man, And Christ is all my own.