Religion
Hymns on God's Everlasting Love, 5
From Hymns on God's Everlasting Love (1741) · Osborn ed., vol. 3 (1869)
To the meek and gentle Lamb
I pour out my complaint;
Will not hide f- jm Thee my shame,
But tell Tuee what I want:
I am full of sin and pride;
I am all unclean, unclean;
Till Thy Spirit here abide,
I cannot cease from sin.
Clearly do I see the way,
: My foot is on the path;
Now, this instant, now I may
Draw near by simple faith:
Thou art not a distant God,
Thou art still to sinners near;
Every moment, if I would,
My heart might feel Thee near.
Free as air Thy mercy streams,
Thy universal grace
Shines with undistinguish'd beams
On all the fallen race:
All from Thee a power receive
To reject, or hear, Thy call;
All may choose to die, or live;
Thy grace is free for all.
Inserted in the third number of the " Arminian Maga/ine."
All the hindrance is in me:
Thou ready art to save;
But I will not come to Thee,
That I Thy life may have.
Stubborn and rebellious still,
From Thy arms of love I fly:
Yes, I will be lost; I will,
In spite of mercy, die.
Holy, meek, and gentle Lamb,
With me what canst Thou do?
Though Thou leav'st me as I am,
I own Thee good and true.
Thou wouldst have me life embrace,
Thou for me and all wast slain,
Thou hast offer'd me Thy grace;
Twas I that made it vain.
O that I might yield at last,
By dying love subdued!
Lord, on Thee my soul is cast,
The purchase of Thy blood:
If Thou wilt the sinner have,
Thou canst work to will in me;
When, and as Thou pleasest, save;
I leave it all to Thee.
Codex Note
Attributed to Charles Wesley; Osborn's edition does not distinguish the brothers
Cite this poem
MLA
Wesley, Charles. “Hymns on God's Everlasting Love, 5.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/wesley_c/352/.
Chicago
Wesley, Charles. “Hymns on God's Everlasting Love, 5.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/wesley_c/352/.
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