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 | XIII. |
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 | The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley |  |
HYMN FOR A NEW-BORN CHILD.
LX.
[Father, Son, and Spirit come]
Father, Son, and Spirit come,
Enter now Thy human shrine,
Take my offspring from the womb;
Mine he is not, Lord, but Thine:
Thine this moment let him be,
Thine to all eternity!
Enter now Thy human shrine,
Take my offspring from the womb;
Mine he is not, Lord, but Thine:
Thine this moment let him be,
Thine to all eternity!
Seize, O seize his tender heart,
Beating to the vital war;
Everlasting life impart,
Sow the seed of glory there:
Grace be to my infant given,
Grace the principle of heaven.
Beating to the vital war;
Everlasting life impart,
Sow the seed of glory there:
Grace be to my infant given,
Grace the principle of heaven.
Soon as reason's glimmering ray
Feebly faint begins to shine,
Let the spark of grace display
Stronger influence Divine,
All the life of sin control,
Spread throughout his new-born soul.
Feebly faint begins to shine,
Let the spark of grace display
Stronger influence Divine,
All the life of sin control,
Spread throughout his new-born soul.
Father, draw him from his birth
With the cords of heavenly love,
From the trivial joys of earth
Raise his mind to joys above,
Gently lead Thy favourite on,
Till Thou giv'st him to Thy Son.
With the cords of heavenly love,
From the trivial joys of earth
Raise his mind to joys above,
Gently lead Thy favourite on,
Till Thou giv'st him to Thy Son.
69
Rise the woman's conquering Seed,
In his ransom'd nature rise,
Bruiser of the serpent's head,
Give him back his paradise,
Nature into grace convert,
Grave Thine image on his heart.
In his ransom'd nature rise,
Bruiser of the serpent's head,
Give him back his paradise,
Nature into grace convert,
Grave Thine image on his heart.
Spirit of life, and love, and power,
The deep things of God reveal,
Seal him from his natal hour,
Him the heir of glory seal,
Strong with sevenfold energy
Stamp, and fit him for the sky.
The deep things of God reveal,
Seal him from his natal hour,
Him the heir of glory seal,
Strong with sevenfold energy
Stamp, and fit him for the sky.
Father, Son, and Spirit come,
Enter now Thy human shrine,
Take my offspring from the womb;
Mine he is not, Lord, but Thine:
Thine this moment let him be,
Thine to all eternity!
Enter now Thy human shrine,
Take my offspring from the womb;
Mine he is not, Lord, but Thine:
Thine this moment let him be,
Thine to all eternity!
LXI.
[Helpless babe, who from the womb]
Helpless babe, who from the womb
Dost this hour thy course begin,
Hasty traveller to the tomb,
Born in misery and sin,
Born into a vale of tears,
To a world of trouble born,
Subject of our hopes and fears,
Shall thy friends rejoice, or mourn?
Dost this hour thy course begin,
Hasty traveller to the tomb,
Born in misery and sin,
Born into a vale of tears,
To a world of trouble born,
Subject of our hopes and fears,
Shall thy friends rejoice, or mourn?
Thee a heritage from God,
Thee whom God vouchsafes to give,
Not in wrath but love bestow'd,
Thankfully we should receive;
But when all thy dangers rise,
Passions, pains, and sins, and snares,
Fear rebukes our forward joys,
Turns our praises into prayers.
Thee whom God vouchsafes to give,
Not in wrath but love bestow'd,
Thankfully we should receive;
70
Passions, pains, and sins, and snares,
Fear rebukes our forward joys,
Turns our praises into prayers.
God, whose eye doth all things see,
Hidden from short-sighted man,
All Thy works are known to Thee,
All our springs of joy and pain:
Knows Thy wise omniscient mind
What the new-born child shall prove;
Whether mine his God will find,
Will ensure Thy hate, or love.
Hidden from short-sighted man,
All Thy works are known to Thee,
All our springs of joy and pain:
Knows Thy wise omniscient mind
What the new-born child shall prove;
Whether mine his God will find,
Will ensure Thy hate, or love.
But if now Thy prescience sees
Scenes of misery and vice,
If his future wickedness
Now offends Thy glorious eyes,
Ere the dire decree bring forth,
Ere he turn from Thee his will,
Crush the viper in the birth,
Save him from a world of ill.
Scenes of misery and vice,
If his future wickedness
Now offends Thy glorious eyes,
Ere the dire decree bring forth,
Ere he turn from Thee his will,
Crush the viper in the birth,
Save him from a world of ill.
Do not suffer him to live
A transgressor from the womb,
Thy good Spirit by sin to grieve,
Rather now prevent his doom;
Hear Thy Spirit's cry within
A poor earthly parent's breast,
Save my helpless child from sin,
Snatch him now to endless rest.
A transgressor from the womb,
Thy good Spirit by sin to grieve,
Rather now prevent his doom;
Hear Thy Spirit's cry within
A poor earthly parent's breast,
Save my helpless child from sin,
Snatch him now to endless rest.
| The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley | |