Wesley Corpus

Sinners my witnesses shall see Produc'd by a celestial birth, And own, the ancient piety The gracious work reviv'd on earth; And while their willing hearts receive The proofs of my transforming power, The world shall all at once believe, And every soul my Son adore. "Behold my servant whom I uphold, mine elect in whom my soul delighteth: I have put my Spirit upon him, he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles." Isa. xlii. 1. Servant of God, and Son of man, Eternal Son of God most-high, Fulfil the great redeeming plan Which brought thee, Saviour, from the sky, Anointed by his Spirit, and seal'd, With all his glorious fulness fill'd. His soul's delight, his best-belov'd Give us thyself and him to know, The righteousness by God approv'd To us poor sinful Gentiles shew: The righteousness which faith imparts, Impute, implant it in our hearts. "He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street." Isa. xlii. 2. Not with a loud up-lifted voice Dost thou compel mankind to hear, With strife, and violence, and noise! But when a soul inclines its ear, Page 340 Thou dost the prostrate sinner raise By the soft whisper of thy grace. "A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoaking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth." Isa. xlii. 3. Thou wilt not crush the poor and weak, Thy tender heart can never bear A reed already bruis'd to break, To plunge the fearful in despair, Or aggravate a sinner's load, Or quench his faintest spark of good. Rather thy loving Spirit divine Shall raise the smoak into a flame, Support this trembling soul of mine, 'Till strong I out of weakness am, And as a spreading cedar rise, Meet for the garden of the skies. Bear with me then, most patient Lord, (This smoaking flax, this bruised reed) Accomplishing thy faithful word, The heavenly light, the hidden seed Bring forth, throughout my life to shine, And prove thy righteousness divine. "He shall not fail, nor be discouraged, 'till he hath set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law." Isa. xlii. 4.