"True Witness of my Sonship Thou, / Engraving Pardon on my Heart: / Seal of my Sins in CHRIST forgiven, / Earnest of Love, and Pledge of Heav'n."
— Wesley, John and Charles
Author
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed by William Strahan
Date
1739
Metaphor
"True Witness of my Sonship Thou, / Engraving Pardon on my Heart: / Seal of my Sins in CHRIST forgiven, / Earnest of Love, and Pledge of Heav'n."
Metaphor in Context
I.
COME HOLY GHOST, all-quickning Fire,
Come, and in Me delight to rest!
Drawn by the Lure of strong Desire,
O come, and consecrate my Breast:
The Temple of my Soul prepare,
And six thy Sacred Presence there!
II.
If now thy Influence I feel,
If now in Thee begin to live;
Still to my Heart Thyself reveal,
Give me Thyself, for ever give.
A Point my Good, a Drop my Store:
Eager I ask, and pant for more.
III.
Eager for Thee I ask and pant,
So strong the Principle Divine
Carries me out with sweet Constraint,
Till all my hallow'd Soul be Thine:
Plung'd in the Godhead's deepest Sea,
And lost in thy Immensity.
IV.
My Peace, my Life, my Comfort now,
My Treasure, and my All Thou art!
True Witness of my Sonship Thou,
Engraving Pardon on my Heart:
Seal of my Sins in CHRIST forgiv'n,
Earnest of Love, and Pledge of Heav'n.
V.
Come then, my GOD, mark out thy Heir,
Of Heav'n a larger Earnest give,
With clearer Light thy Witness bear;
More sensibly within me live:
Let all my Pow'rs thy Entrance feel,
And deeper stamp Thyself the Seal.
VI.
Come, HOLY GHOST, all quick'ning Fire,
Come, and in me delight to rest!
Drawn by the Lure of strong Desire,
O come, and consecrate my Breast:
The Temple of my Soul prepare,
And fix thy sacred Presence there!
(pp. 184-5)
COME HOLY GHOST, all-quickning Fire,
Come, and in Me delight to rest!
Drawn by the Lure of strong Desire,
O come, and consecrate my Breast:
The Temple of my Soul prepare,
And six thy Sacred Presence there!
II.
If now thy Influence I feel,
If now in Thee begin to live;
Still to my Heart Thyself reveal,
Give me Thyself, for ever give.
A Point my Good, a Drop my Store:
Eager I ask, and pant for more.
III.
Eager for Thee I ask and pant,
So strong the Principle Divine
Carries me out with sweet Constraint,
Till all my hallow'd Soul be Thine:
Plung'd in the Godhead's deepest Sea,
And lost in thy Immensity.
IV.
My Peace, my Life, my Comfort now,
My Treasure, and my All Thou art!
True Witness of my Sonship Thou,
Engraving Pardon on my Heart:
Seal of my Sins in CHRIST forgiv'n,
Earnest of Love, and Pledge of Heav'n.
V.
Come then, my GOD, mark out thy Heir,
Of Heav'n a larger Earnest give,
With clearer Light thy Witness bear;
More sensibly within me live:
Let all my Pow'rs thy Entrance feel,
And deeper stamp Thyself the Seal.
VI.
Come, HOLY GHOST, all quick'ning Fire,
Come, and in me delight to rest!
Drawn by the Lure of strong Desire,
O come, and consecrate my Breast:
The Temple of my Soul prepare,
And fix thy sacred Presence there!
(pp. 184-5)
Categories
Provenance
Searching "engrav" and "heart" in HDIS (Poetry); found again searching "seal"; text from ECCO-TCP
Citation
More than 7 entries in ECCO and ESTC (1739, 1740, 1761, 1765, 1793). See also the many other collections of hymns which select from or incorporate hymns from the original.
3 editions in 1739. See John and Charles Wesley, Hymns and Sacred Poems. Published by John Wesley, M. A. Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford; and Charles Wesley, M. A. Student of Christ-Church, Oxford. (London: Printed by William Strahan, 1739). <Link to first edition in ESTC><Link to ECCO><Link to ECCO-TCP>
Found searching in The Poetical Works of John and Charles Wesley, ed. G. Osborn, 13 vols. (London: The Wesleyan-Methodist Conference Office, 1868). <Link to Hathi Trust>
3 editions in 1739. See John and Charles Wesley, Hymns and Sacred Poems. Published by John Wesley, M. A. Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford; and Charles Wesley, M. A. Student of Christ-Church, Oxford. (London: Printed by William Strahan, 1739). <Link to first edition in ESTC><Link to ECCO><Link to ECCO-TCP>
Found searching in The Poetical Works of John and Charles Wesley, ed. G. Osborn, 13 vols. (London: The Wesleyan-Methodist Conference Office, 1868). <Link to Hathi Trust>
Date of Entry
03/08/2005
Date of Review
02/09/2014
