O Love divine, how sweet Thou art. C. Wesley. [Desiring to Love.] Appeared in Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1749, vol. i., in 7 stanzas of 6 lines as No. 5 of six hymns on "Desiring to Love" (Poetical Works, 1868-72, vol. iv. p. 341). Three leading centos are in common use:—
1. Composed of stanzas i., iii., iv. and vii. This was given in G. Whitefield's Hymns, &c, 1753, No. 86, as the second of two hymns on "Longing for Christ.” This cento was repeated by Madan, Toplady, and others in the older collections, and is that usually found in the Church of England hymn-books.
2. Composed of stanzas i.-iv. This was given in the Wesleyan Hymn Book, 1780, No. 141, and is in very extensive use in all English-speaking countries. In the revised edition of the Wesleyan Hymn Book, 1875, stanzas v., vi., of the original were added to the hymn.
3. Composed of stanza iv., vi., and iii., in the order named. This cento, beginning "0 that I could for ever sit," is in the American Songs for the Sanctuary, N. Y., 1865.
In addition to these other forms of the text beginning with stanza i. are in limited use. G. J. Stevenson's associations in his Methodist Hymn Book Notes, 1883, are most interesting.
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
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