Wesley Corpus

To the Same [Revd. Mr. Whitefield], Before His Voyage Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1740), Part I Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- Tear the bright idol from his shrine, Nor suffer him on earth to dwell; T’ usurp the place of blood divine, But chase him to his native hell. Be all into subjection brought, The pride of man let faith abase; And captivate his every thought, And force him to be sav’d by grace. To the Same [Revd. Mr. Whitefield], Before His Voyage.15 Servant of God, the summons hear, Thy Master calls, arise, obey! The tokens of his will appear, His providence points out thy16 way. Lo! We commend thee to his grace! In confidence go forth! Be strong! Thy meat his will, thy boast his praise, His righteousness be all thy song. Strong in the Lord’s almighty power, And arm’d in panoply divine, Firm may’st thou stand in danger’s hour, And prove the strength of Jesus thine. 15First published in George Whitefield’s Continuation of the Reverend Mr. Whitefield’s Journal, During the Time he was Detained in England by the Embargo (London: James Hutton, 1739), iii-iv. 16Ori. “the”, a misprint; restored to “thy” in 4th edn. (1743) and following, as it had appeared in Whitefield’s Journal. Thy breast-plate be his righteousness, His sacred truth thy loins surround; Shod be thy beauteous feet with peace, Spring forth, and spread the gospel sound. Fight the good fight, and stand secure In faith’s impenetrable shield; Hell’s prince shall tremble at its power, With all his fiery darts repel’d. Prevent thy foes, nor wait their charge, But call their ling’ring battle on. But strongly grasp thy seven-fold targe, And bear the world, and Satan down. The helmet of salvation take, The Lord’s, the Spirit’s conqu’ring sword, Speak from the word--in lightning speak, Cry out, and thunder--from the word. Champion of God, thy Lord proclaim, Jesus alone resolv’d to know; Tread down thy foes in Jesu’s name: Go--conqu’ring, and to conquer go. Thro’ racks and fires pursue thy way, Be mindful of a dying God; Finish thy course, and win the day: Look up--and seal the truth with blood.