Wesley Corpus

O might our every work and word Express the tempers of our Lord, The nature of our head above! His Spirit send into our hearts, Ingraving on our inward parts The living law of holiest love: Then shall we do with pure delight Whate'er is pleasing in thy sight, As vessels of thy richest grace; And having thy whole counsel done, To thee, and thy co-equal Son Ascribe the everlasting praise. Page 378 Hymn 735. "Let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." James i. 4. I would be pure, compleat, entire, Adorn'd with every Christian grace, And answering all thy laws require, Glad to fulfil all righteousness, In nothing short, with Jesus find The lowly, meek, and perfect mind. But how shall I my wish obtain, Who shrink, and tremble to be tried, Decline the cup of grief and pain, Communion with the crucified, And think, I need not first indure, Or die, to make the blessing sure. I cannot rise, before I sink, Before I feel the pain of thirst, Cannot into thy Spirit drink, Or reign, unless I suffer first;108 Patience its full effect must have, And hide me, Saviour, in thy grave. 108John Wesley drew an exclamation point in the margin of his personal copy after line 1, then underlined "pain" in line 2, "Spirit drink" in line 3, and "suffer first" in line 4. Page 379 Jesus, the passive grace bestow, Me for thy true disciple seal, And trusting all thy life to know, I come to suffer all thy will, I yield my soul and body up; Let patience have its utmost scope. Thy cross on soul and body lay, Thy cross I in thy strength abide, But let me, in my evil day, Tempted and seven times purified, The ripest fruit of patience prove, The purest joy of perfect love. "Let patience have its perfect work." James i. 4. Have we suffer'd much for thee? Call'd we are to suffer more, 'Till we all our weakness see, All the wonders of thy power, 'Till like gold out of the fire, Forth we in thine image come Sinless, sanctified, entire, Meet for our celestial home. "If any man seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain." James i. 26.