Wesley Corpus

Page 63 Light in thy light O may I see, Thy grace and mercy prove, Reviv'd, and chear'd, and blest by thee, The God of pard'ning love. "The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace." Num. vi. 26. Lift up thy countenance serene, And let thy happy child Behold without a cloud between The Godhead reconcil'd: That all-comprizing peace bestow On me thro' grace forgiven, The joys of holiness below, And then the joys of heaven. "So it was always: the cloud covered the tabernacle by day, and the appearance of fire by night." Num. ix. 16. Where is the Hebrews' God, Who kept them night and day, Where is the heavenly fire and cloud, Which shew'd thy church their way? No symbol visible We of thy presence find, Yet all who would obey thy will, Shall know their Father's mind. Father, thou still dost lead The children of thy grace, The spiritual, believing seed Throughout this wilderness: Our chart thy written word, Thy Spirit is our guide, And Christ, the glory of the Lord, Doth in our hearts reside. Thy providential care, Lord, we with joy confess, Assur'd thou wilt our paths prepare, And order all our ways; Page 64 Thy presence shall direct Our journeys here beneath, And convoy home thine own elect Thro' a triumphant death. "As long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle, they rested in the tents." Num. ix. 18. Who in thy word confide From nature's haste set free, Our patient souls by faith abide, And fix their eyes on thee: Till thou would'st have us go, We wait thy Spirit's sign; And cannot lose our time, we know, By tarrying, Lord, for thine. To work for God is good, If God our work ordain; But stay'd by the incumbent cloud, We in our place remain: To cease from work is best, If after Jesu's will; For when at his command we rest, We please our Saviour still. Saviour, we wait the day, The awful day unknown, To quit our house, this tent of clay, To lay our bodies down; Expecting from above The certain sign we stand, As ready always to remove, And die at thy command. "At the commandment of the Lord they rested, and at the commandment of the Lord they journeyed." Num. ix. 23.