The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

God of my life, for Thee I pine,
For Thee I cheerfully decline,
And hasten to decay,
Summon'd to take my place above,
I hear the call, “Arise, My love,
My fair one, come away!”

Obedient to the voice of God,
I soon shall quit this earthly clod,
Shall lay my body down;
The' immortal principle aspires,
And swells my soul with strong desires
To grasp the starry crown.

The more the outward man decays,
The inner feels Thy strengthening grace,
And knows that Thou art mine:
Partaker of my glorious hope,
I here shall after Thee wake up,
Shall in Thine image shine.

Thou wilt not leave Thy work undone,
But finish what Thou hast begun,
Before I hence remove;
I shall be, Master, as Thou art,
Holy, and meek, and pure in heart,
And perfected in love.

Thou wilt cut short Thy work of grace,
And perfect in a babe Thy praise,
And strength for me ordain:
Thy blood shall make me throughly clean,
And not one spot of inbred sin
Shall in my flesh remain.

Dear Lamb, if Thou for me couldst die,
Thy love shall wholly sanctify,
Thy love shall seal me Thine;
Thou wilt from me no more depart,
My all in life and death Thou art,
Thou art for ever mine.

CLXIII. THE SAME.

Hymn 2.

[Lamb, lovely Lamb, for sinners slain]

Lamb, lovely Lamb, for sinners slain,
In weakness, weariness, and pain
Thy tender care I prove;
Continue still Thy tender care,
My spirit for Thyself prepare,
And perfect me in love.

In steadfast faith on Thee I call,
Saviour, and sovereign Lord of all,
My Brother, and my Friend;
Lead me my few remaining days,
And finish Thy great work of grace,
And love me to the end.

Till I from all my sins am freed,
O may I lean my languid head
On Thy dear, loving breast:
Thou, Jesu, catch my parting breath,
And let me smoothly glide through death
To my eternal rest.

Saviour, bring near the joyful hour,
The fulness of Thy Spirit pour,
And while I here remain,
Christ let it be that lives, not I:
Or now, permit me now to die;
To die is greatest gain.

Come then, my Health, my Hope, my Home,
My Love, my Life eternal, come,
Me to Thyself receive;
Soul, flesh, and spirit sanctify,
And bid me live in Thee to die,
And die in Thee to live.

CLXIV. THE SAME.

Hymn 3.

[Jesu, my hope in life and death]

Jesu, my hope in life and death,
For Thee I spend my latest breath,
Till join'd to those above;
Thy faithful mercies I proclaim,
I sing the glories of the Lamb,
And gasp Thy dying love.

Thy dying love hath seal'd my peace,
Hath made my sins and sorrows cease,
And sweeten'd all my pain:
Thy dying love supports me now;
And lo! with Thee my head I bow,
And die with Thee to reign.

Out of the dust of death I rise,
I feel a life that never dies,
An hidden life Divine,
The earnest of my glorious bliss;
And this is heaven, and only this,
To know my Jesus mine.

Thou art my own, I know Thou art,
I feel Thee, Saviour, in my heart,
My utmost Saviour Thou
Hast seal'd me to redemption's day;
And now I cannot fall away,
I cannot leave Thee now.

Divinely confident I am,
And more than conquer in Thy name
Whate'er my hope withstands;
Upheld by Thee I all break through;
For who can loose Thy grasp? for who
Can pluck me from Thy hands?

Nor death, nor life can now disjoin,
Nor fiends shall tear my spirit from Thine,
Nor height, nor depth shall move,
Nor this, nor any future hour,
Nor all the creature's utmost power
Can part me from Thy love.

University of Virginia Library

[FOR ONE IN A DECLINING STATE OF HEALTH]

CLXII. FOR ONE IN A DECLINING STATE OF HEALTH.