The Work of Faith

Representative Text

1 Author of faith, eternal Word,
whose Spirit breathes the active flame;
faith, like its finisher and Lord,
today as yesterday the same:

2 To thee our humble hearts aspire,
and ask the gift unspeakable;
increase in us the kindled fire,
in us the work of faith fulfil.

3 By faith we know thee strong to save –
save us, a present Saviour thou!
Whate'er we hope, by faith we have,
future and past subsisting now.

4 The things unknown to feeble sense,
unseen by reason's glimmering ray,
with strong, commanding evidence,
their heav'nly origin display.

5 Faith lends its realizing light,
the clouds disperse, the shadows fly;
the Invisible appears in sight,
and God is seen by mortal eye.

Source: Common Praise: A new edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern #381

Author: Charles Wesley

Charles Wesley, M.A. was the great hymn-writer of the Wesley family, perhaps, taking quantity and quality into consideration, the great hymn-writer of all ages. Charles Wesley was the youngest son and 18th child of Samuel and Susanna Wesley, and was born at Epworth Rectory, Dec. 18, 1707. In 1716 he went to Westminster School, being provided with a home and board by his elder brother Samuel, then usher at the school, until 1721, when he was elected King's Scholar, and as such received his board and education free. In 1726 Charles Wesley was elected to a Westminster studentship at Christ Church, Oxford, where he took his degree in 1729, and became a college tutor. In the early part of the same year his religious impressions were much deepene… Go to person page >

Notes

Author of faith, Eternal Word. C. Wesley. [Faith.] This poem is a paraphrase of Heb. xi. It appeared in 88 stanzas of 4 lines in Hymns & Sacred Poems, 1740, with the title "The Life of Faith." In 1780 J. Wesley gave stanzas i.-vi. as No. 92 in the Wesleyan Hymn Book, (ed. 1875, No. 95). From the Wesleyan Hymn Book it has passed into most of the collections of the Methodist denominations in Great Britain and America, and also into other hymnals. Full original text in Poetical Works, 1868-72, vol. i. pp. 209-221. The poem as a whole, is criticised in the Wesleyan Magazine, 1839, p. 381.

-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Timeline

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #306
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Instances

Instances (1 - 93 of 93)

A Collection of Hymns Adapted to the Use of the Methodist Episcopal Church #d38

A Collection of Hymns for Public, Social and Domestic Worship #d56

A Collection of Hymns for Public, Social and Domestic Worship #d56

A Collection of Hymns for Public, Social, and Domestic Worship #d56

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A Collection of Hymns for Public, Social, and Domestic Worship #461

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A Collection of Hymns for the use of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in America #435

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A Collection of Hymns for the Use of the Methodist Episcopal Church #176

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A Collection of Hymns for the Use of the Methodist Episcopal Church #176

A Collection of Hymns for the use of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Rev. with a Supplement #d41

A Collection of Hymns for the Use of the United Brethren in Christ #d27

A Collection of Hymns for the use of the Wesleyan Methodist Connection of America #d40

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A Collection of Hymns, for the Use of the People Called Methodists, with a Supplement #95

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A Collection of Hymns, for the use of the United Brethren in Christ #275

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A Collection of Hymns, for the use of the Wesleyan Methodist Connection of America. #130

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A Collection of Hymns #L94

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A Collection of Hymns #176

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A Collection of Hymns #95

A Selection of Hymns ... Supplement to the Methodist Pocket Hymn Book. 1st ed #d14

Australian Hymn Book #473

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Choral Echoes from the Church of God in All Ages #119

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Common Praise #381

Compilation of Hymns for the Use of the Churches of the Christian Union #d53

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Free Methodist Hymnal #267

Full Salvation Hymnal #d12

General Baptist Hymn Book #d36

Gospel Tent Hymns #d8

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Gospel Tent Hymns #48

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Hymn and Tune Book of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South (Round Note Ed.) #377

Hymn Book of the Colored M.E. Church in America #d38

Hymn Book of the Holiness Movement Church #d31

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Hymn Book of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South #377

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Hymn Book of the Methodist Protestant Church #342

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Hymn Book of the Methodist Protestant Church. (11th ed.) #342

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Hymn Book of the Methodist Protestant Church. (2nd ed.) #578

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Hymn book of the Methodist Protestant Church. (4th ed.) #578

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Hymnal of the Methodist Episcopal Church #445

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Hymnal of the Methodist Episcopal Church #445

Hymns and Psalms #662

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Hymns for All Christians #H8

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Hymns for all Christians #8

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Hymns for the Use of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Rev. ed. #435

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Hymns selected from various authors #171

Hymns, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints #228

Latter-Day Saint Hymns #d22

Methodist Hymn and Tune Book #d48

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Methodist Hymn and Tune Book #13

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Methodist Hymn-Book #81

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New Hymn and Tune book #151c

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New Hymn and Tune Book #151c

Sacred Hymns and Spiritual Songs for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints. 25th ed. #d23

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Sacred Hymns and Spiritual Songs #45

Singing the Faith #457

The Advent Christian Hymnal #d60

The American Hymn and Tune Book #d44

The Australian Hymn Book with Catholic Supplement #473

The Book of Hymns #d40

The Canadian Youth Hymnal #17

The Chapel Hymn Book #d26

The Chilton Music for Standard Hymns #d7

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The Clifton Chapel Collection of "Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs" #386

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The Cyber Hymnal #306

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The Devotional Chimes #142c

The Gospel Praise Book #d32

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The Heart and Voice #35b

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The Hymn Book of the African Methodist Episcopal Church #544

The Hymn Book of the Anglican Church of Canada and the United Church of Canada #194

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The Hymn Book of the Free Methodist Church #389

The Hymnary of the United Church of Canada #275

The Lesser Hymnal #d20

The Methodist Hymn-Book with Tunes #362

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The Methodist Hymnal (Text only edition) #298

The Methodist Hymnal #d40

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The Methodist Hymnal #298

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The New Hymn Book #162

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The Presbyterian Hymnal #507

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The Presbyterian Hymnal #507

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The Reformed Methodist Pocket Hymnal #I.76

The Sacred Lyre #d26

The Saints' Harp #d90

The Select Hymn and Song Book #d24

The Songs of Zion, a Collection of Choice Songs #d12

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The Songs of Zion #191

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The Tribute of Praise and Methodist Protestant Hymn Book #96

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The Tribute of Praise #96

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The Tribute of Praise #96

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The Wesleyan Methodist Hymnal #267

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Together in Song #565

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Vestry Chimes #127c

Exclude 88 pre-1979 instances
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