Verse 1
Father of Jesus Christ, my Lord,
I humbly seek thy face,
Incourag’d by the Saviour’s word
To ask thy pard’ning grace.
Verse 2
Entring into my closet I
The busy world exclude,
In secret prayer for mercy cry,
And groan to be renew’d.
Verse 3
Far from the paths of men to thee
I solemnly retire,
See, thou who dost in secret see,
And grant my heart’s desire.
Verse 4
Thy grace I languish to receive,
The Spirit of love and power,
Blameless before thy face to live,
To live and sin no more.
Verse 5
Fain would I all thy goodness feel,
And know my sins forgiven,
And do on earth thy perfect will
As angels do in heaven.
Verse 6
O Father, glorify thy Son,
And grant what I require,
For Jesus’[1] sake the gift send down,
And answer me by fire.
Verse 7
Kindle the flame of love within
That[2] may to heaven ascend,
And now in grace the work[3] begin
Which shall in glory end.
[1] Wesley changed “Jesus’” to “Jesu’s” in 1747.
[2] Wesley changed “That” to “Which” in 1747.
[3] Wesley changed “in grace the work” to “the work in grace” in 1747, and changed “in grace” to “of grace” in 1755.