Wesley Corpus

Hymn to Christ the Prophet Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1740), Part I Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- Thee every tongue shall then confess, And every knee shall bow; Come quickly, Lord, we wait thy grace, We long to meet thee now. Hymn to Christ the Prophet. Prophet, on earth bestow’d, A Teacher, sent from God, Thee we welcome from above, Sent the Father to reveal, Sent to manifest his love, Sent to teach his perfect will. Thee all the seers of old Prefigur’d and foretold; Moses thee the Prophet shew’d, Meek and lowly as thou art, Abraham, the friend of God, David, after his own heart. The lesser stars that shone, Till thy great course begun, With imparted lustre bright, Render’d back their borrow’d ray, Pointing to thy perfect light, Ushering in thy glorious day. 65Ori., “35”; a misprint. Light of the world below, Thee all mankind may know; Thou, the universal friend, Into every soul hast shone: O that all would comprehend, All adore the rising Sun. Thy chearing beams we bless, Bright Sun of righteousness: Life and immortality Thou alone to light hast brought, Bid the new creation be, Call’d the world of grace from nought. Image of God most high Display’d to mortal eye, Thee the patriarchs beheld, Thee the angel they ador’d, Oft in diverse ways reveal’d Christ the everlasting Lord. Thy Godhead we revere, Wonderful Counsellor! Thou the Father’s wisdom art, Great Apostle, thee we praise, Chose thy people to convert, Jacob’s fallen tribes to raise. The Gentiles too may see Their covenant in thee, Opener of their blinded eyes, Thee the gracious Father gave: Rise on all, in glory rise, Save a world thou cam’st to save. For this the heavenly Dove Descended from above, He, immeasurably shed, Christ the Prophet mark’d and seal’d, Pour’d upon thy sacred head, Thee th’ anointing Spirit fill’d. Ah give us, Lord, to know Thy office here below; Preach deliverance to the poor, Sent for this, O Christ, thou art, Jesu, all our sickness cure; Bind thou up the broken heart. Publish the joyful year Of God’s acceptance near, Preach glad tidings to the meek, Liberty to spirits bound, General, free redemption speak, Spread thro’ earth the gospel-sound. Humbly behold we sit, And listen at thy feet; Never will we hence remove; Lo! To thee our souls we bow, Tell us of the Father’s love; Speak; for, Lord, we hear thee now. Master, to us reveal His acceptable will; Ever for thy law we wait, Write it in our inward parts, Our dark minds illuminate, Grave thy kindness on our hearts. Thine be the choicest store Of blessings evermore! Thee we hear, on thee we gaze, Fairer than the sons of men, Who can see that lovely face, Who can hear those words in vain? Spirit they are, and life, They end the sinner’s strife: God they shew benign and mild; Glory be to God on high! Now we know him reconcil’d, Now we “Abba Father” cry! Thou art the truth, the way, O teach us how to pray; Worship spiritual and true Still instruct us how to give, Let us pay the service due, Let us to God’s glory live. Holy and true, the key Of David rests on thee. Come, Messias, all things tell, Make us to salvation wise, Shut the gates of death and hell, Open, open paradise. Servant of God, confess His truth and faithfulness; God, the gracious God proclaim, Publish him thro’ earth abroad; Let the Gentiles know thy name, Let us all be taught of God. Witness, within us place The Spirit of his grace; Teach us inwardly, and guide By an unction from above, Let it in our hearts abide, Source of light, and life, and love. Pronounce our happy doom, And shew us things to come: All the depths of love display, All the mystery unfold, Speak us seal’d to thy great day, In the book of life inroll’d. Shepherd, securely keep Thy little flock of sheep; Call’d and gather’d into one, Feed us, in green pastures feed, Make us quietly lie down, By the streams of comfort lead. Thou, even thou art he, Whom pain and sorrow flee: Comforter of all that mourn, Let us by thy guidance come, Crown’d with endless joy return To our everlasting home.