The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

I come, but tremble to draw near,
Before the righteous God to' appear,
The God of purer eyes
Than to behold iniquity:
Or smile upon a wretch like me,
Who unconverted dies.

I want the faith my God to please,
The true essential holiness,
The kingdom from above,
The rest for Christ-like souls design'd,
The humble, meek, and heavenly mind,
The fear-excluding love.

I want Thy laws engraved within,
Thy chaste antipathy to sin,
Thy love of purity:
Unless I here Thy nature share,
I know, my soul can never bear
A holy God to see.

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How shall I, Lord, the meetness gain?
Thy only blood from every stain
Can make my nature pure:
And shed for all the sinful race,
It bought the pardon and the grace
That makes salvation sure.

Thee let Thy bleeding love compel
Its saving virtue to reveal
In this poor heart of mine:
A glad partaker of my hope,
I then shall after God wake up
To righteousness Divine.

To my primeval state restored,
Found in the image of my Lord,
The perfect character,
I then, with Thee in spirit one,
Boldly approach the' eternal throne,
And in Thy sight appear!

University of Virginia Library

HYMN XXXI.

[I come, but tremble to draw near]