Wesley Corpus

Poor is the man by slaves ador'd, Of kneeling worlds the friendless lord: A thousand barter'd worlds t' obtain The blessing of a friend, were gain; Yet none the blessing can bestow, But he who died to save his foe. That happy man whom Jesus loves, And with peculiar smiles approves, On him the angel shall descend, And God shall bless him with a friend, To none but chosen vessels given, Those highest favourites of heaven. Hymns for Christian Friends. Hymn II.66 Foolish world, who canst not find Friendship in a Christian mind! 66A manuscript precursor of this hymn appears in MS Clarke, 172-74 (corresponding pages are torn from MS Cheshunt). Page 262 "Where the heart so many share, No peculiar love is there:" Idly doth thy malice rage, Baffled by the sacred page, Vainly would thy maxims prove God incapable of love. God of all-redeeming grace, Hath he not his chosen race? Dare ye hence his love deny, Feign he pass'd one sinner by? Some if he hath doubly blest, Hath he therefore curs'd the rest? No, like rain his blessings fall, Loving is our God to all. Taught of God, like him we love All to whom his bowels move; Pity, and good-will we find To the whole of human kind: But the saints, who walk in white, These are all our soul's delight, These we seek, in these we rest, Most desire, and love the best. Yet of these if God's decree Single out a soul for me, Give me to his tenderest care, Bid him all my burthens bear, Each for each if Jesus use, Shall we dare the grace refuse? Shall we not the blessing own, Glad that all his will is done? Is it not his will to join Spirits in a bond divine, Knit in friendship's closest tie, Each with each to live and die? Page 263 Did he not inspire, approve Jonathan and David's love? Had not God his fav'rite one, Jesus his beloved John? Happy soul, above the rest! Leaning on thy Saviour's breast, Thou the dear disciple art, Ever closest to his heart, Thou dost all his secrets know, Choicest of his friends below, Call'd peculiarly to prove Christ is God, and God is love!