Preparation for Death (1772)1 - Duke University

Preparation for Death (1772)1

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Modernized text

Editorial Introduction:

In eighteenth-century English spirituality the life of a Christian in this world was generally seen as a pilgrimage, with death bringing release from our probationary state into the reward of the afterlife. Charles Wesley was deeply shaped by this perspective, often commenting at funerals about how he envied the dead, who had reached their peace. Of course, this assumed that they had died in a state of saving relationship to God. A genre of literature had developed to give guidance on how to prepare for such a "good death"--an example Wesley would have known well is Jeremy Taylor's Rule and Exercises of Holy Living and Holy Dying (1651).

Reflection on the "good death" is woven throughout Charles Wesley's verse, reaching some prominence in his two published collections of Funeral Hymns (1746 / 1759). It found its strongest focus in his later years. In 1772 Charles published forty hymns on the theme of Preparation for Death. And additional forty-one manuscript hymns on this theme, composed over the last decade or so of his life, appear in MS Preparation for death.

The general theme of the hymns in this published collection is captured well in the first stanza of hymn 4: "I want the preparation / Before I hence depart, / The knowledge of salvation, / The purity of heart." The hymns stress the desire for assurance of justification and for actual spiritual transformation (sanctification) as prerequisites to greeting death with peace. One of the debates among scholars of Charles's verse is whether the plaintive plea in many of these hymns should be read as autobiographical (suggesting his negative assessment of his own state) or as the skillful crafting of poetic conversion narratives for others.

Edition:

[Charles Wesley.] Preparation for Death, in Several Hymns. London, 1772.

1This document was produced by the Duke Center for Studies in the Wesleyan Tradition under the editorial direction of Randy L. Maddox, with the diligent assistance of Aileen F. Maddox. Last updated: June 19, 2012.

Hymn 1 Hymn 2 Hymn 3 Hymn 4 Hymn 5 Hymn 6. Isaiah 46:4 Hymn 7 Hymn 8 Hymn 9. Hymn 10 Hymn 11 Hymn 12 Hymn 13 Hymn [14] Hymn 15 Hymn 16 Hymn 17 Hymn 18 Hymn 19 Hymn 20 Hymn 21 Hymn 22 Hymn 23 Hymn 24 Hymn 25 Hymn 26 Hymn 27 Hymn 28 Hymn 29 Hymn 30 Hymn 31 Hymn 32 Hymn 33 Hymn 34 Hymn 35 Hymn 36 Hymn 37 Hymn 38 Hymn 39 Hymn 40

Table of Contents

3?4 4?5 5?7 7?8 8?9 10?11 11?12

12 13 14 15?16 16 16?17 17?18 18?19 19 20 21 21?22 22?23 23?24 24?25 25?26 26?27 27?28 28?29 29?30 30?31 31?32 32?33 33?34 34?35 35?36 36?37 37?38 38?39 40?41 42 43?45 45?46

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PREPARATION FOR

DEATH.

Hymn 1.

1 Jesus, to thee distressed I cry, A sinner at the point to die, Before I yield my breath; Thy mercy in my heart reveal, And save a soul thou loved'st so well From everlasting death.

2 Thy heart-felt love alone can save My soul from that infernal grave, That worm which never dies; Can ascertain my sins forgiven, Bless with an antepast of heaven, And fit me for the skies.

3 What shall I say thy love to gain? Remind thee of the mortal pain Which bought the grace for me? Thy pain thou never canst forget, Thine agony and bloody sweat, Thy prayer on Calvary.

4 Why wast thou there of God forsook, Why didst thou to thy Father look, And gasp for help in vain? Why did thy blood so kindly flow, But that I might the blessing know Of loving thee again?

5 By all thou didst on earth endure, To make our peace and pardon sure, My instant suit allow, The grace for which alone I pray; Streaming afresh thy wounds display, And grant the blessing now.

6 Behold me with thy closing eye, Revive by thy expiring cry, And let me hence depart, Exclaiming with my latest breath, Thou know'st I love thee, Lord, in death, I give thee all my heart!

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Hymn 2.

1 Saviour, lavish of thy blood, My poor stony heart to win,

Must I faint beneath the load Of this base ungrateful sin?

Thou who didst my burdens bear, All my burdens to remove,

Wilt thou leave me in despair, Let me die without thy love?

2 No: thy passion answers no: Since thou could'st expire for me,

I shall thy salvation know, Thy indulgent goodness see;

Apprehended of my Lord, I my Lord shall apprehend:

True and gracious is the word, Hope and love are in my end.

3 On thy bleeding passion staid, On thy faithful mercy cast,

By my sin so long delayed, Thee I shall receive at last;

In my loving heart receive, Which thou didst so dearly buy;

Here an happy moment live, Sure of life eternal die.

4 Grant me this, I ask no more: Then the balmy grace exert,

Then bestow the loving power, When my soul and body part;

In the bond of perfectness Knit my loving soul to thee,

Then indulged to die in peace, God I shall forever see.

Hymn 3.

1 How foolish was my hope and vain, That age would conquer sin,

My nature's enmity restrain, And end the war within;

Would tame my passion's wild excess, The slighted world o'erthrow,

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The fiend's malicious rage repress, And weary out the foe!

2 Because his time to tempt and try Is short, he tempts the more,

And hunts me on the wing to fly Beyond his baleful power;

His utmost rage and strength exerts, Before I 'scape away,

And strives by all his hellish arts My parting soul to slay.

3 My heart he turns to earthly things, From which I soon shall go,

And closer to the world it clings, And seeks its rest below:

By base mistrust impelled to spare, I cloak the sordid vice,

And, in the garb of prudent care, Applaud my avarice.

4 My stiff-necked stubbornness of will By time is not subdued,

My carnal mind is carnal still, And enmity to God:

With years infirmities increase, While strength and patience fails,

And countless ills my spirit oppress, And peevish flesh prevails.

5 The sin which long beset my soul, Would re-usurp the sway,

Reason's enfeebled powers control, And force me still t' obey:

With shame indignantly I groan, With lifted heart and eyes,

I smite my aged breast, and own That anger never dies.

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6 What must a dying sinner do, From sin to be set free?

Merciful God, and strong, and true, I gasp for help to thee:

O let my utter helplessness Thy kind compassion move!

I cannot, Lord, from sinning cease, Till I begin to love.

7 O might thy love on me bestowed The love of sin expel,

O'ercome the world, cast down their god, With all the powers of hell!

The works of Satan to destroy, Jesus, in me appear;

In peace, and righteousness, and joy, Restore thy kingdom here.

8 Peace, righteousness, and joy divine, Thou dost with love impart,

That thou art love, that thou art mine, Assure my happy heart:

Then am I meet for my reward, Renewed in holiness,

And live the image of my Lord, And die to see thy face.

Hymn 4.

1 Warned of my dissolution, Unfit to die or live,

With horror and confusion The summons I receive.

I want the preparation Before I hence depart,

The knowledge of salvation, The purity of heart.

2 O that the blood which cleanses From all iniquity,

To blot out my offences, Were sprinkled now on me!

What but that blood's applying Can purge this inbred stain,

Can save a sinner dying, And make me love again?

3 With cries and tears unceasing I ask thee to bestow

On me the long-sought blessing, And let my spirit go.

Thy love to me discover While on the brink I stand,

And waft in safety over To that celestial land.

4 'Tis all my soul's desire, 'Tis all my business here,

That precious love t' acquire, And then to disappear,

With those in heavenly places The Saviour to commend,

And hymn in endless praises My soul's eternal friend.

Hymn 5.

1 Saviour, all my wretchedness In thy bosom I confess, Let it thy compassion move, O relieve my want of love.

2 Hear me, Lord, myself bemoan, Burdened with an heart of stone;

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