2 I wait till he shall touch me clean,
Shall life and power impart,

Give me the faith that casts out sin,
And purifies the heart.

3 When Jesus makes my heart his home,
My sin shall all depart;
And, lo! he saith, "I quickly come,
To fill and rule thy heart."

4 Be it according to thy word;

Redeem me from all sin;

My heart would now receive thee, Lord; Come in, my Lord, come in!

540

Panting for fullness of love.

Charles Wesley.

C. P. M.

LOVE divine, how sweet thou art!
When shall I find my willing heart
All taken up by thee?

I thirst, I faint, I die to prove
The greatness of redeeming love,
The love of Christ to me.

2 Stronger his love than death or hell; Its riches are unsearchable;

The first-born sons of light
Desire in vain its depths to see;
They cannot reach the mystery,

The length, the breadth, the height.
3 God only knows the love of God;
O that it now were shed abroad
In this poor stony heart!
For love I sigh, for love I pine;
This only portion, Lord, be mine;
Be mine this better part.

4 O that I could forever sit
With Mary at the Master's feet!
Be this my happy choice;

My only care, delight, and bliss,
My joy, my heaven on earth, be this,
To hear the Bridegroom's voice.

5 O that I could, with favored John,
Recline my weary head upon

The dear Redeemer's breast!
From care, and sin, and sorrow free,
Give me, O Lord, to find in thee
My everlasting rest.

541

BUT

The blessed hope.

Charles Wesley.

C. P. M.

OUT can it be that I should prove
Forever faithful to thy love,
From sin forever cease?

I thank thee for the blessed hope;
It lifts my drooping spirits up;
It gives me back my peace.

2 In thee, O Lord, I put my trust,
Mighty, and merciful, and just;
Thy sacred word is passed;
And I, who dare thy word believe,
Without committing sin shall live,
Shall live to God at last.

3 I rest in thine almighty power;
The name of Jesus is my tower
That hides my life above:
Thou canst, thou wilt, my helper be;
My confidence is all in thee,

The faithful God of love.

4 Wherefore, in never-ceasing prayer, My soul to thy continual care

I faithfully commend ;

Assured that thou through life wilt save,
And show thyself beyond the grave
My everlasting Friend.

Charles Wesley.

542

The glorious hope.

C. P. M.

GLORIOUS hope of perfect love! It lifts me up to things above; It bears on eagles' wings; It gives my ravished soul a taste, And makes me for some moments feast With Jesus' priests and kings. 2 Rejoicing now in earnest hope, I stand, and from the mountain top See all the land below: Rivers of milk and honey rise, And all the fruits of paradise In endless plenty grow.

3 A land of corn, and wine, and oil,
Favored with God's peculiar smile,
With every blessing blest;

There dwells the Lord our Righteousness,
And keeps his own in perfect peace,
And everlasting rest.

4 O that I might at once go up;
No more on this side Jordan stop,
But now the land possess;
This moment end my legal years,
Sorrows and sins, and doubts and fears,
A howling wilderness!

543

HE

Power over temptation.

Charles Wesley.

C. P. M.

ELP, Lord, to whom for help I fly,
And still my tempted soul stand by
Throughout the evil day;

The sacred watchfulness impart,
And keep the issues of my heart,

And stir me up to pray.

2 My soul with thy whole armor arm; In each approach of sin alarm,

And show the danger near:

Surround, sustain, and strengthen me,
And fill with godly jealousy
And sanctifying fear.

3 Whene'er my careless hands hang down,
O let me see thy gathering frown,
And feel thy warning eye;

And, starting, cry from ruin's brink,
"Save, Jesus, or I yield, I sink;
O save me, or I die."

4 If near the pit I rashly stray,
Before I wholly fall away,

The keen conviction dart; Recall me by that pitying look, That kind, upbraiding glance, which broke Unfaithful Peter's heart.

5 In me thine utmost mercy show,
And make me like thyself below,
Unblamable in grace;

Ready prepared and fitted here,
By perfect holiness, to appear
Before thy glorious face.

Charles Wesley.

544

A present help in trouble.

C. P. M.

GOD, thy faithfulness I plead,
My present help in time of need,
My great Deliverer thou!

Haste to mine aid, thine ear incline,
And rescue this poor soul of mine:
I claim the promise now.

2 One only way the erring mind
Of man, short-sighted man, can find,
From inbred sin to fly:

Stronger than love, I fondly thought
Death, only death, can cut the knot,
Which love cannot untie.

3 But thou, O Lord, art full of grace;
Thy love can find a thousand ways
To foolish man unknown:
My soul upon thy love I cast;
I rest me, till the storm be past,
Upon thy love alone.

4 Thy faithful, wise, almighty love
Shall every stumbling-block remove,
And make an open way:

Thy love shall burst the shades of death,
And bear me from the gulf beneath,
To everlasting day.

Charles Wesley.

545 The pure in heart shall see God.

C. P. M.

AVIOUR, on me the grace bestow,

I

My sins on earth forgiven;

Give me to prove the kingdom mine,
And taste, in holiness divine,
The happiness of heaven.

2 Me with that restless thirst inspire,
That sacred, infinite desire,

And feast my hungry heart;
Less than thyself cannot suffice;
My soul for all thy fullness cries,
For all thou hast and art.

3 Jesus, the crowning grace impart;
Bless me with purity of heart,
That, now beholding thee,

I soon may view thy open face,
On all thy glorious beauties gaze,
And God forever see.

332

Charles Wesley.