Wesley Corpus

Yea, let man rage! Since thou wilt spread Thy shadowing wing around my head: Since in all pain thy tender love Will still my sweet refreshment prove. Saviour of men! Thy searching eye Does all my inmost thoughts descry: Doth ought on earth my wishes raise; Or the world's favour, or its praise? The love of Christ does me constrain To seek the wand'ring souls of men: With cries, intreaties, tears, to save, To snatch them from the gaping grave. Page 34 28First appeared in HSP (1739), 206-8. For this let men revile my name, No cross I shun, I fear no shame: All hail, reproach, and welcome pain! Only thy terrors, Lord, restrain. My life, my blood, I here present; If for thy truth they may be spent, Fulfil thy sov'reign counsel, Lord! Thy will be done! Thy name ador'd! Give me thy strength, O God of pow'r! Then let winds blow, or thunders roar, Thy faithful witness will I be 'Tis fix'd! I can do all thro' thee! Hymn for Christmas-Day.28 Hark how all the welkin rings "Glory to the King of kings, 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!" Christ, by highest heav'n ador'd, Christ, the everlasting Lord, Late in time behold him come, Offspring of a virgin's womb. Page 35 29HSP (1739) read "to all he brings." 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'n born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of righteousness! Light, and life, and all he brings,29 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. 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 inner man: O! To all thyself impart, Form'd in each believing heart.