The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

The knowledge of Thy love
O how shall I attain?
Its excellence is far above
The reach of fallen man:
For more than seventy years
I for the bliss have pined,
And sought, with ceaseless prayers and tears,
What I could never find.

Tremendous God unknown,
Hath Thy severe decree
Rejected as perdition's son,
And sternly pass'd by me;

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The saving grace withheld,
That left to Satan, I,
By Thy resistless will compell'd,
Might sin, despair, and die?

Blasphemous thought, away,
As hell itself abhorr'd!
Thy attributes the lie gainsay,
Thy nature and Thy word;
Thy oath forbids my fears,
And comforts all that grieve,
Thy bloody sweat, Thy cries and tears,
Thy death, would have me live;

Would have me love my God,
Who loved the world so well;
Surely I then, the grace bestow'd,
The purchased bliss shall feel!
Thou wilt the bliss confer
Before I hence depart,
And the abiding Comforter
Shall take up all my heart.

University of Virginia Library

XXVI.

[The knowledge of Thy love]