Wesley Corpus

Page 267 Hymns for Christian Friends. Hymn V. Father of lights, to thee I lift My humbly thankful heart and eyes, Giver of every perfect gift, Accept my grateful sacrifice; I own thy mercies never end: O God, I bless thee for my friend. Thou only didst the gift bestow, Thou knowst it came unsought from thee: Thy will appointed him to go, And comfort one in misery, In all my griefs to claim his part, And bear me on his faithful heart. Thou only didst our spirits join In bonds of everlasting love: I own, and bless the work divine, The work of thy descending Dove; From heaven he suddenly came down, And made our souls for ever one. Hovering o'er both his wings he spread, And breath'd his love into our breast, The ground of heavenly friendship laid, And each to each he sweetly blest, He knit th' indissoluble tie, And with that soul I live, and die. My first of comforts here below, My chief of all created good, Thro' him the grace I surely know On me, for Jesus' sake, bestow'd, Receive the blessing from above, And see my Lord's reflected love. Page 268 The God of love hath touch'd his breast, And fill'd with softest sympathy, With pity not to be exprest, Pity for such a worm as me: He loves me by myself abhor'd, Loves in the bowels of my Lord. Present in spirit, howe'er disjoin'd In flesh, he carries me to God, Supports my feebleness of mind, And more than shares my nature's load, He mentions me in all his prayers, In faith's almighty arms he bears. When weary oft I faint, and droop, And Amalek prevails in fight, My hands he, under God, lifts up, And prays me strong in Jesu's might; His prayer my sinking spirit stays, And arms the minister of grace. Snatch'd from ten thousand snares I prove The power divine that set me free: The channel of thy grace I love, But give the glory all to thee: Thou, Father, thou the work hast done; Ador'd be thy great name alone. I dare not, Lord, the gift refuse, The gift, howe'er transfer'd, is thine: If thou vouchsafe a worm to use, I bless the ordinance divine, And at thy hand the grace receive, Which God, and only God, can give. Page 269 Hymns for Christian Friends. Hymn VI.73