Wesley Corpus

Page 41 A God that hides himself he is, Far off from mortal sight, An inaccessible abyss Of uncreated light. Far off he is, yet always near, He fills both earth and heaven, But doth not to my soul appear, My soul from Eden driven. O'er earth a banish'd man I rove, But cannot feel him nigh; Where is the pardning God of love, Who stoop'd for me to die? I sought him in the secret cell, With unavailing care, Long did I in the desart dwell, Nor could I find him there. Still every means in vain I try, I seek him far and near, Where'er I come, constrain'd to cry My Saviour is not here. God is in this, in every place: Yet O! How dark and void To me! 'Tis one great wilderness, This earth without my God! Empty of him, who all things fills, 'Till he his light impart! 'Till he his glorious self reveals, The veil is on my heart. O thou who seest and knowst my grief, Thyself unseen unknown, Pity my helpless unbelief, And take away the stone. Page 42 Regard me with a gracious eye, The long-sought blessing give, And bid me, at the point to die, Behold thy face and live. A darker soul did never yet Thy promis'd help implore: O that I now my Lord might meet, And never lose him more! Now, Jesus, now the Father's love Shed in my heart abroad, The middle-wall of sin remove, And let me into God. Hymns for One Convinc'd of Unbelief. Hymn II.26 Author of faith, to thee I cry, To thee who wouldst not have me die, But know the truth and live: Open mine eyes to see thy face, Work in my heart the saving grace, The life eternal give. Shut up in unbelief I groan, And blindly serve a God unknown, 'Till thou the veil remove, The gift unspeakable impart, And write thy name upon my heart, And manifest thy love.