Wesley Corpus

A voice of shrieking fear Doth from the city sound, A voice ye from the temple hear While tumbling to the ground! A voice from heaven proclaims The vengeful wrath of God! The bloody city sinks in flames, The temple is destroy'd! Yet Sion stands secure, And ever shall abide, She must from age to age endure By Jesus multiplied: Out of Jerusalem The Lord a church shall raise, To magnify the Christian name And spread the founder's praise. Let all mankind adore The miracle unknown: Sion brought forth her child, before Her bearing throes111 begun: Who can the birth explain? The birth to God she ow'd, Without a sharp or ling'ring pain Deliver'd of her load: Shall teeming earth at once Autumnal fruits display, The church produce her countless sons, A nation in a day? 110Ori., "travelled"; a misprint. 111Ori., "throws"; corrected in manuscript by John Wesley in his personal copy. Page 387 Yes, when the word applied Begat the faithful race, Nations at once were justified By instantaneous grace. "Shall I bring to the birth and not cause to bring forth, saith the Lord? Shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb, saith thy God." Isa. lxvi. 9. Thy faithful God, shall I Bring to the birth in vain, And leave my helpless church to die In unavailing pain? Who brought her thro' her throes112 Shall I restrain my power, The fruitful womb in anger close, And bid it bear no more? Nay, but I surely will Perform the work begun, The counsel of my grace fulfil, And make my mercy known, Thro' all the nations spread Good news of sin forgiven, And multiply the chosen seed Beyond the stars of heaven. "Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her." Isa. lxvi. 10, 11.113 All ye that Sion love Rejoice in her increase, Yourselves begotten from above To taste her happiness; Who wept her state decay'd, Let every mournful soul In her prosperity be glad With joy forever full: 112Ori., "throws"; corrected in manuscript by John Wesley in his personal copy. 113Ori., "lx. 10, 11"; a misprint. Page 388