Wesley Corpus

Thee the first-born sons of light In choral symphonies, Praise by day (day without night) And never, never cease: Angels, and archangels all, Sing the mystic Three in One; Sing, and stop, and gaze and fall O'erwhelm'd before thy throne. Vying with that happy quire Who chaunt thy praise above, We on eagles' wings aspire, The wings of faith and love: Thee they sing with glory crown'd, We extol the slaughter'd Lamb; Lower if our voices sound, Our subject is the same. Father, God, thy love we praise, Which gave thy Son to die; Jesus, full of truth and grace, Alike we glorify. Spirit, Comforter divine, Praise by all to thee be given, 'Till we in full chorus join, And earth is turn'd to heaven. Page 9 11Appeared first in HSP (1749), 2:140-41. Hymn IX.11 Come, let us anew Our pleasures pursue; For Christian delight The day is too short; let us borrow the night: In sanctify'd joy Each moment employ To Jesus's praise, And spend, and be spent in the triumph of grace. The slaves of excess, Their senses to please, Whole nights can bestow, And on in a circle of riot they go: Poor prodigals, they The night into day By revellings turn, And all the restraints of sobriety scorn. The drunkards proclaim At midnight their shame, Their sacrifice bring, And loud to the praise of their master they sing: The hellish desires Which Satan inspires, In sonnets they breathe, And shouting descend to the regions of death. The civiller crowd In theatres proud Acknowledge his power, And Satan in nightly assemblies adore: To the masque and the ball They fly at his call; Or in pleasures excel, And chant in a grove to the harpers of hell. And shall we not sing Our Master and King, While men are at rest, With Jesus admitted at midnight to feast! Ranelagh's Gardens, Vaux-Hall, c. Page 10 12Appeared first in HSP (1749), 2:142-43. Here only we may With innocence stay, Th' enjoyment improve, And abide at the banquet of Jesus's love. In him is bestow'd The spiritual food, The manna divine, And Jesus's love is far better than wine: With joy we receive The blessing, and give By day and by night, All thanks to the source of our endless delight.