Wesley Corpus

And told thee all the mind of God. Ye are my witnesses, to you My name and nature are made known ; Ye only can your seal set to, That I am God, and God alone." Describing Formal Religion HYMN 91. c. m. LONG have I seem'd to serve thee, Lord, With unavailing pain : Fasted, and pray'd, and read thy Word, And heard it preach 'd in vain. Describing Formal Religion. ^1 2 Oft did I with the' assembly join, And near thine altar drew ; A form of godliness was mine, The power I never knew. 3 I rested in the outward law ; Nor knew its deep design : The length and breadth I never saw, And height, of love divine. 4 To please thee thus, at length I see, Vainly I hoped and strove : For what are outward things to thee, Unless they spring from love ? _ 5 I see the perfect law requires Truth in the inward parts ; Our full consent, our whole desires, Our undivided hearts. 6 But I of means have made my boast, Of means an idol made ; The spirit in the letter lost, The substance in the shade. 7 Where am I now, or what my hope ? What can my weakness do ? Jesus, to thee my soul looks up : 'Tis thou must make it new. 1 OTILL for thy lovingkindness, Lord, ^ I in thy temple wait ; I look to find thee in thy word, Or at thy table meet 2 Here, in thine own appointed ways, I wait to learn thy will : Silent I stand before thy face, And hear thee say, " Be still ! " *)<£ Describing Formal Religion. 3 " Be still ! and know that I am God ! "-- 'Tis all I live to know ; To feel the virtue of thy blood, And spread its praise below ! 4 I wait my vigour to renew, Thine image to retrieve, The veil of outward things pass through, And gasp in thee to live. 5 I work, and own the labour vain, And thus from works I eease : I strive, and see my fruitless pain, Till God create my peace. 6 Fruitless, till thou thyself impart, Must all my efforts prove : They cannot change a sinful heart ; They cannot purchase love.