Wesley Corpus

Lover of little children, thee, O Jesus, we adore; Our kind, and loving Saviour be Both now and evermore. O take us up into thine arms, And we are truly blest; Thy new-born babes are safe from harms When lying on82 thy breast. There let us ever, ever sleep, Strangers to guilt and care, Free from the world of evil keep Our tender spirits there. 81"They wait on us" changed to "On us they wait" in Hymns for Children (1763). 82"When lying on" changed to "While harbour'd in" in Hymns for Children (1763). Page 202 Still as we grow in years, in grace And wisdom let us grow, But never leave thy dear embrace, But never evil know. Strong let us in thy grace abide, But ignorant of ill; In malice, subtlety, and pride Let us be children still. Lover of little children, thee, O Jesus, we adore: Our kind, and loving Saviour be Both now, and evermore. "Avenge me of83 mine adversary." Luke xviii. 3. Jesu, thou hast bid us pray, Pray always, and not faint, With the word a power convey To utter our complaint, Quiet will we84 never know Till we from sin are fully freed: O avenge us of our foe, And bruise the serpent's head. We have now begun to cry, And we will never end Till we find salvation nigh, And grasp the sinner's friend: Day and night we'll speak our woe, With thee importunately plead: O avenge us of our foe, And bruise the serpent's head.85 Speak the word, and we shall be From all our bands releas'd, Only thou canst set us free, By Satan long opprest; 83Ori., "on"; corrected to AV text in 2nd edn. (1745). 84"Will we" changed to "shalt thou" in 2nd edn. (1745); and to "thou shalt" in 3rd edn. (1756). 85Ori., ends this and next seven stanzas: "O avenge us, c." Page 203 Now thy power Almighty shew, Arise, the woman's conquering seed: O avenge us of our foe, And bruise the serpent's head. To destroy his work of sin Thyself in us reveal, Manifest thyself within Our flesh, and fully dwell With us, in us here below; Enter, and make us free indeed: O avenge us of our foe, And bruise the serpent's head.