For I, the righteous Lord, and true

Verse 1
For I the righteous Lord, and true,
Can only righteousness approve;
My people all are creatures new,
And I in them my image love.

Verse 2
I hate the souls that preach a lie,
And stumble the believing race,
My truth and holiness deny,
T’ exalt my justifying grace.

Verse 3
That rob me of my utmost power,
Which would their bosom-sin remove,
And hug it to their latest hour,
In honour of my pard’ning love.

Verse 4
But will I not confirm my word,
The purpose of my soul fulfil?
The servant shall be as his lord,
For who can cross my sovereign will?

Verse 5
I will, that they should holy be,
Myself will lead them by the hand,
Into the truth, the liberty,
The glorious rest, the promis’d land.

Verse 6
Patience its perfect work shall have,
They shall be all entire and whole,
I will to all perfection save,
And fill their body, spirit, soul.

Verse 7
Thus will I make the covenant sure,
From them it never shall depart,
Who feel, while pure as God is pure,
My love, my nature in their heart.

Verse 8
Their seed by characters divine
Shall be among the Gentiles known,
And in a land of darkness shine,
When all are perfected in one.

Verse 9
Whoe’er behold their heavenly grace,
Their glory shining from within,
Shall own them the peculiar race,
Whom God hath blest from all their sin.

Verse 10
My soul doth magnify the Lord,
(Then every chosen one shall cry)
Wash’d by the water and the word,
I triumph in the Lord most high.

Verse 11
My God hath sav’d me from all sin,
His everlasting righteousness
Into my new-born soul brought in,
And fill’d with heavenly joy and peace.

Verse 12
The righteousness of saints I wear,
Which he the King of saints hath wrought,
Salvation from all guilt, and fear,
From pride, and every evil thought.

Verse 13
Jesus my garments hath put on,
Hath cloath’d me with the milk-white vest,
And sanctified thro’ faith alone,
And in his glorious image drest.

Verse 14
He now mine inmost soul hath turn’d,
And bid me in his nature shine,
With every perfect gift adorn’d,
And all my graces are divine.

Verse 15
With faith, and every grace beside
He hath endow’d me from above,
My Lamb hath deck’d me like a bride,
And my best jewel is his love.

Verse 16
For as the plants in gardens grow,
Or cultur’d lands their product yield,
The Lord his righteousness shall shew,
The treasure in the gospel-field.

Verse 17
Surely th’ incorruptible seed
Shall in our earthly hearts take root,
Spring up in works, its branches spread,
And holiness its golden fruit.

Verse 18
The Lord our God shall give th’ increase,
Shall matter for his glory find,
And lo! The perfect righteousness
Springs forth to gladden all mankind.

Hymnal/Album: Originally titled: "The Sixty-First Chap. of Isaiah Part II." Introduced in Hymns and Sacred Poems Vol. 1, published by Charles Wesley (Bristol: Felix Farley, 1749). Published in The Poetical Works of John and Charles Wesley, Collected and Arranged by G. Osborn, Vol. 4 (London: Wesleyan-Methodist Conference Office, 1869), page 310.
Publishing: Public Domain