Wesley Corpus

Is this the soul so late weigh'd down By cares and sins, by griefs and pains! Whither are all thy terrors gone? Jesus for thee the vict'ry gains; And death, and sin and Satan yield To faith's unconquerable shield. Blest be the God, that calls thee home; Faithful to thee his mercies prove: Thro' death's dark vale he bids thee come, And more than conquer in64 his love; Robes thee in righteousness divine, And makes the crown of glory thine! Hymn for Christmas-Day.65 Hark how all the welkin rings "Glory to the King of kings,66 Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconcil'd!" Joyful all ye nations rise, Join the triumph of the skies, Universal nature say "Christ the Lord is born to day!" 64"In" changed to "thro'" in 5th edn. (1756). 65Charles included a manuscript copy of this hymn in MS Richmond Tracts, 20-21. 66Opening lines changed by George Whitefield in Hymns for Social Worship (1753), p. 24, to: Hark! The herald angels sing "Glory to the new-born King!" Whitefield introduced several other small changes throughout the hymn. Page 207 Christ, by highest heav'n ador'd, Christ, the everlasting Lord, Late in time behold him come, Offspring of a virgin's womb. Veil'd in flesh, the Godhead see, Hail th' incarnate deity! Pleas'd as man with men t' appear Jesus, our Immanuel here! Hail the heav'nly67 Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of righteousness! Light and life to all he brings, Ris'n with healing in his wings. Mild he lays his glory by, Born that man no more may die, Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth. Come, desire of nations, come, Fix in us thy humble home, Rise, the woman's conqu'ring seed, Bruise in us the serpent's head. Now display thy saving pow'r, Ruin'd nature now restore, Now in mystic union join Thine to ours, and ours to thine. 67"Heav'nly" changed to "heaven-born" in 2nd edn. (1739) and following. Page 208 Adam's likeness, Lord, efface, Stamp thy image in its place, Second Adam from above, Reinstate us in thy love. Let us thee, tho' lost, regain, Thee, the life, the inner68 man: O! To all thyself impart, Form'd in each believing heart. Hymn for the Epiphany.69 Sons of men, behold from far,70 Hail the long-expected star! Jacob's star that gilds the night, Guides bewilder'd nature right.