"Whom having not seen ye love." 1 Pet. i. 8.
WE have not seen the Saviour yet:
Nor shall we until life shall end;
But yet we love him for his grace:
We love an unseen absent friend.
The glorious work he wrought, endears
The Saviour to his people's hearts:
In hope they wait till he appears;
And hope a present joy imparts.
They hope to see their Lord that day,
Descend with all the hosts of heav'n;
The Lord, who bore their sins away:
The Lord, through whom they stand forgiv'n.
They hope, that what they now believe,
They then with joyful eyes shall see:
No more to doubt, no more to grieve;
But with their Lord himself to be.
'Till that bright day we'll think of him;
And may our love with fervour glow:
An unseen Lord be all our theme,
'Till with him hence to Heav'n we go.
—Thomas Kelly (1769-1855)
