The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

O Thou of whom I oft have heard,
Heard with the hearing of the ear,
But never truly loved, or fear'd,
But never found Thee present here,
Come to my poor, my faithless heart,
And kindly tell me who Thou art.

A spirit dark, and damn'd I am,
Sorrow and sin and I are one,
Weigh'd down with grief, and guilt and shame,
Out of the deep I cry and groan,
Nor know I where relief to find:
Show me, Thou Saviour of mankind.

No smallest motion can I make,
Toward heaven, and happiness, and Thee;
But save me for Thy mercy's sake,
Thy mercy most divinely free

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Be on this harden'd rebel show'd,
In honour of the dying God.

The cause is all in Thee alone,
It lies within Thy tender breast;
To hell in anger send me down,
Or give my labouring spirit rest,
Redeem me from the' infernal grave,
And show forth all Thy power to save.

Look not on me, a beast, a fiend,
All wrath, all passion, and all pride;
But see Thyself, the sinner's Friend,
The Son of Man, the Crucified,
The God that left His throne above,
The bleeding Prince of peace, and love.

Why did Thy love submit to die,
If not to save apostate man!
Ah! let Thy bowels answer, Why
Made capable of mortal pain,
Did God His precious life resign,
If not from death to ransom mine!

Thy only dying love I plead,
Stronger than death Thy love to me:
If Thou couldst suffer in my stead,
Thou canst from sin and misery
My poor expiring soul lift up,
And bid the chief of sinners hope.

Even now Thou bidd'st my fears depart,
I hope to know my sins forgiven,
I hope to find Thee in my heart,
And taste that antepast of heaven,

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I hope to feel Thy blood applied,
Since Thou for me, for me hast died.

University of Virginia Library

XVII. THE SAME.

Hymn 9.

[O Thou of whom I oft have heard]