Where has my slumbering spirit been

Verse 1
Where has my slumb’ring spirit been,
So late emerging into light?
So imperceptible, within,
The weight of this Egyptian night!

Verse 2
Where have they hid the WORLD so long,
So late presented to my view?
Wretch! Tho’ myself increas’d the throng,
Myself a part I never knew.

Verse 3
Secure beneath its shade I sat,
To me were all its favours shown:
I could not taste its scorn or hate;
Alas, it ever lov’d its own!

Verse 4
Jesus, if half discerning now,
From thee I gain this glimm’ring light,
Retouch my eyes, anoint them thou,
And grant me to receive my sight.

Verse 5
O may I of thy grace obtain
The world with other eyes to see:
Its judgments false, its pleasures vain,
Its friendship enmity with thee.

Verse 6
Delusive world, thy hour is past,
The folly of thy wisdom shew!
It cannot now retard my haste,
I leave thee for the holy few.

Verse 7
No! Thou blind leader of the blind,
I bow my neck to thee no more;
I cast thy glories all behind,
And slight thy smiles, and dare thy pow’r.

Verse 8
Excluded from my Saviour’s pray’r,
Stain’d, yet not hallow’d, with his blood,
Shalt thou my fond affection share,
Shalt thou divide my heart with God?

Verse 9
No! Tho’ it rouze thy utmost rage,
Eternal enmity I vow:
Tho’ hell with thine its pow’rs engage,
Prepar’d I meet your onset now.

Verse 10
Load me with scorn, reproach and shame;
My patient Master’s portion give;
As evil still cast out my name,
Nor suffer such a wretch to live.

Verse 11
Set to thy seal that I am his;
Vile as my Lord I long to be:
My hope, my crown, my glory this,
Dying to conquer sin and thee!

Hymnal/Album: Originally titled: "John xv. 18, 19." This is the original version of this hymn, as first published in "Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739)," published by John and Charles Wesley (London: William Strahan, 1739). Published in The Poetical Works of John and Charles Wesley, Collected and Arranged by G. Osborn, Vol. 1 (London: Wesleyan-Methodist Conference Office, 1868), page 23.
Publishing: Public Domain