How long, how often shall I pray, take all iniquity away, and give

Verse 1
How long, how often shall I pray,
Take all iniquity away, (Hosea 14:2, Ps. 51:2, Tit. 2:14)
And give the comprehensive good,
Purchas’d by my Redeemer’s blood, (I Pet. 1:18-19)
Concupiscence and pride remove, (Col. 3:5)
And fill my soul with humble love.

Verse 2
I take the words prescrib’d to me (Matt. 6:9, Luke 11:1-2)
And offer thy own prayer to Thee,
Thy kingdom come to root out sin, (Matt. 6:10, Luke 11:2)
And perfect holiness bring in, (Eph. 4:22-24)
And swallow up my will in Thine, (Matt. 6:10, Matt. 26:39)
And human change into Divine.

Verse 3
So shall I render Thee thine own, (Ps. 116:12)
And tell the wonders Thou hast done, (Hosea 14:2, Ps. 40:5)
The power and faithfulness declare
Of God who hears and answers prayer, (Ps. 66:19)
And sing the riches of thy grace (Eph. 2:7)
And spend my latest breath in praise. (Hosea 14:2, Ps. 104:33)

Verse 4
O that the joyful hour were come
Which calls Thy ransomn’d Servant home,
Unites me to the Church above,
Where angels chant the song of Love,
And saints eternally proclaim
The glories of the heavenly Lamb! (Rev. 5:12-13)

Hymnal/Album: Originally titled: “‘Take away all iniquity, and give good’ Hosea 14[:2].” This loose-leaf manuscript is held by the Methodist Archive and Research Centre, The John Rylands Library, The University of Manchester (accession number 1977/583/32). Accessed through the website of The Center for Studies in the Wesleyan Tradition, Duke Divinity School. Published in The Poetical Works of John and Charles Wesley, Collected and Arranged by G. Osborn, Vol. 8 (London: Wesleyan-Methodist Conference Office, 1870), page 431.
Publishing: Public Domain