Wesley Corpus

Didst thou not in thy person join The natures human and divine, That God and man might be Henceforth inseparably one? Haste then, and make thy nature known Incarnated in me. In my weak sinful flesh appear, O God, be manifested here, Peace, righteousness, and joy, Thy kingdom, Lord, set up within My faithful heart, and all my sin, The devil's works47 destroy. Page 20 48"Sins" changed to "sin" in 2nd edn. (1745) through 6th edn. (1761); then back to "sins." 49"In" changed to "to" in 1774 edn. and following. 50In John's letter to Charles (26 Dec. 1761) he says of the Nativity Hymns: "Omit one or two of them, and I will thank you. They are namby-pambical." In his personal copy of the 1750 edn. John marks for such omission stanzas 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 13 and 14 of this hymn. I long thy coming to confess The mystic power of godliness, The life divine to prove, The fulness of thy life to know, Redeem'd from all my sins48 below, And perfected in love. O Christ, my hope, make known in49 me The great, the glorious mystery, The hidden life impart: Come, thou desire of nations, come, Form'd in a spotless virgin's womb, A pure believing heart. Come quickly, dearest Lord, that I May own, tho' antichrist deny, Thy incarnation's power, May cry, a witness to my Lord, "Come in my flesh is Christ, the Word, And I can sin no more!" Hymn XVI.50 O mercy divine How couldst thou incline My God to become such an infant as mine! What a wonder of grace! The Antient of Days Is found in the likeness of Adam's frail race. Page 21 51"His" changed to "is" in most editions after London 1750. 52"Pleasure" changed to "pleasures" in 1764 edn. and following. 53"Cheribim" changed to "cheribims" in 1762 edn. and following. 54Original jumps in numbering from stanza 7 to stanza 9; renumbered above as in later edns. He comes from on high, Who fashion'd the sky, And meekly vouchsafes in a manger to lie. Our God ever blest With oxen doth rest, Is nurst by his creature and hangs at the breast. So heavenly-mild His innocence smil'd, No wonder the mother should worship the child. The angels she knew Had worshipp'd him too, And still they confess adoration his51 due.