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Discussion Forum : Devotional Thoughts : a 'Wesley' a day keeps the trivia away

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philologos
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Joined: 2003/7/18
Posts: 6566
Reading, UK

 Re:

This is part 2 of the same hymn as yesterday. It develops the theme of the Church and looks to its glorious consummation.

King of Saints, to whom are given
All in earth, and all in heaven,
Reconciled through Thee alone,
Joined and gathered into one:
Heirs of glory, sons of grace,
Lo! to Thee our hopes we raise,
Raise and fix our hopes on Thee,
Full of immortality!

We with them to God are come,
God who speaks the general doom:
Jesus Christ, who stand between
Angry heaven, and guilty men,
Undertakes to buy our peace,
Gives the covenant of grace;
Ratifies and makes it good,
Signs and seals it in His blood.

Life His healing blood imparts,
Sprinkled on our peaceful hearts:
Abel’s blood for vengeance cried,
Jesu’s speaks us justified;
Speaks, and calls for better things,
Makes us prophets, priests, and kings;
Asks that we with Him may reign:
Earth and heaven say, Amen!

Be it unto angels known,
By the church, what God hath done:
Depths of love and wisdom see
In a dying Deity!
Gaze, ye first-born seraphs, gaze!
Never can ye sound His grace:
Lost in wonder, look no more;
Fall, and silently adore.

Jesu, hear, and bow the skies;
Hark! We all unite our cries:
“Take us to our heavenly home;
Quickly let Thy kingdom come!”
“Jesu, come,” the Spirit cries;
“Jesu, come,” the bride replies;
One triumphant church above,
Join us all in perfect love.

with a lovely Welsh tune to go with it; Aberystwyth (Parry)

If you're using Mozilla, right click 'Aberystwyth' above and choose 'open link in new tab' then you can see the words and hear the tune.


_________________
Ron Bailey

 2004/12/11 4:10Profile









 Re:

YES! Keep these coming brother. I own an old methodist hymnal myself. Someone wrote in it the date 1862! Oh I wish more Christians had a love for these precious treasures! Keep them coming, keep them coming.

 2004/12/11 6:15
philologos
Member



Joined: 2003/7/18
Posts: 6566
Reading, UK

 Re:

We've had a thread on Sabbath for a few days. Here's little contribution from Charles Wesley; the remainder tomorrow...

part one

Lord, I believe a rest remains,
To all Thy people known;
A rest where pure enjoyment reigns,
And Thou art loved alone:

A rest where all our soul’s desire
Is fixed on things above;
Where doubt, and pain, and fear expire;
Cast out by perfect love:

A rest of lasting joy and peace,
Where all is calm within:
‘Tis then from our own works we cease,
From pride, self-will, and sin.

Our life is hid with Christ in God;
The agony is o’er,
We wrestle not with flesh and blood,
We strive with sin no more.

From every evil motion freed,
(The Son hath made us free,)
On all the powers of hell we tread,
In glorious liberty.

Safe in the way of life, above
Death, earth, and hell we rise;
We find, when perfected in love,
Our long-sought paradise.

Within that Eden we retire,
We rest in Jesu’s name:
It guards us, as a wall of fire,
And as a sword of flame.

O that I now the rest might know,
Believe, and enter in!
Now, Saviour, now the power bestow,
And let me cease from sin.

Remove this hardness from my heart,
This unbelief remove;
To me the rest of faith import,
The Sabbath of Thy love.

and a tune for those who like to sing...


_________________
Ron Bailey

 2004/12/12 4:06Profile
philologos
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Joined: 2003/7/18
Posts: 6566
Reading, UK

 Re:

Here's the other half of that Wesley hymn of prayer for the Rest of God.

Part Two

I groan from pride to be set free,
From wrath to be released:
Take me, O take me into Thee,
My everlasting Rest.

I would be Thine, Thou knowest I would,
And have Thee all my own;
Thee, O my all-sufficient Good,
I want, and Thee alone.

Thy Name to me, Thy Nature grant;
This, only this be given:
Nothing beside my God I want,
Nothing in earth or heaven.

Come. O my Saviour, come away,
Into my soul descend;
No longer from Thy creature stay,
My Author and my End.

The bliss Thou hast for me prepared
No longer be delayed;
Come, my exceeding Great Reward,
For whom I first was made.

Come, Father, Son and Holy Ghost,
And seal me Thine abode;
Let all I am in Thee be lost,
Let all I am be God!


and a tune for those who like to sing...


_________________
Ron Bailey

 2004/12/13 2:37Profile
philologos
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Joined: 2003/7/18
Posts: 6566
Reading, UK

 Re:

Here's my favourite example of a particular kind of Wesley hymn; exposition. In order to understand this hymn you will need read Isaiah 35; it's a relatively short chapter. Read it and then see how Wesley opens up this chapter by means of 10 glorious verses in personal application of its images and truths.

Heavenly Father, Sovereign Lord,
Ever faithful to Thy word,
Humbly we our seal set to,
Testify that Thou are true.
Lo! for us the wilds are glad,
All in cheerful green arrayed;
Opening sweets they all disclose,
Bud and blossom as the rose.

Hark, the wastes have found a voice,
Lonely deserts now rejoice,
Gladsome hallelujahs sing,
All around with praises ring.
Lo! abundantly they bloom,
Lebanon is hither come,
Carmel’s stores the heavens dispence,
Sharon fertile excellence.

See these barren souls of ours
Bloom, and put forth fruits and flowers,
Flowers of Eden, fruits of grace,
Peace, and joy, and righteousness.
We behold (the abjects we)
Christ the incarnate Deity,
Christ in Whom Thy glories shine,
Excellence of strength Divine.

Ye that tremble at His frown,
He shall lift your hands cast down;
Christ who all your weakness sees,
He shall prop your feeble knees.
Ye of fearful hearts, be strong,
Jesus will not tarry long;
Fear not, lest His truth, should fail,
Jesus is unchangeable.

God, your God, shall surely come,
Quell your foes, and seal their doom;
He shall come, and save you too:
We, O Lord, have found Thee true.
Blind we were, not now we see,
Deaf, we hearken now to Thee,
Dumb, for Thee our tongues employ,
Lame, and, lo! we leap for joy!

Faint we were, and parched with drought,
Water at Thy word gushed out;
Streams of grace ours souls refresh,
Starting from the wilderness.
Still we gasp Thy grace to know;
Here for ever let it flow,
Make the thirst land a pool,
Fix the Spirit in our soul.

Were the ancient dragon lay,
Open for Thyself a way;
There let holy tempers rise,
All the fruits of paradise.
Lead us in the way of peace,
In the paths of righteousness,
Never by the sinner trod,
Till he feels the cleansing blood.

There the simple cannot stray;
Babes, though blind, may find their way,
Find, nor ever thence depart,
Safe in lowliness of hear.
Far from fear, from danger far,
No devouring beast is there;
There the humble walk secure,
God hath made their footsteps sure.

Jesu, mighty to redeem,
Let our lot be cast with them;
Far from earth our souls remove,
Ransomed by Thy dying love.
Leave us not below to mourn;
Fain we would to thee return,
Crowned with righteousness arise
Far above these nether skies.

Come, and all our sorrows chase,
Wipe the tears from every face;
Gladness let us now obtain,
Partners of Thy endless reign.
Death the latest foe, destroy;
Sorrow then shall yield to joy,
Gloomy grief shall flee away,
Swallowed up in endless day.


We sing this to the tune called Maidstone


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Ron Bailey

 2004/12/14 3:11Profile
philologos
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Joined: 2003/7/18
Posts: 6566
Reading, UK

 Re:oops double posted

sorry posted this twice.


_________________
Ron Bailey

 2004/12/15 2:53Profile
philologos
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Joined: 2003/7/18
Posts: 6566
Reading, UK

 Re:

I think it was Leonard Ravenhill who told the story of Isaac Watt's feelings about today's hymn. "I would gladly have foregone the privilege of writing all of my hymns" said Watts "to have written 'Come, O Thou Traveller Unknown'. It is another expositional hymn, taking the account of the Angel's wrestling with Jacob, Wesley pours into it his own experience and that of many. Many believe this to have been the greatest of Wesley's hymns. I think they may be right.

Charles Wesley’s bro­ther John quot­ed Isaac Watts as say­ing of this hymn, “that sin­gle po­em, Wrest­ling Ja­cob, was worth all the vers­es he him­self had writ­ten.” Short­ly after Charles’ death, John tried to teach this hymn, but broke into tears when he reached the line, “my com­pa­ny be­fore is gone, and I am left alone with Thee.”

Come, O thou Traveller unknown,
Whom still I hold, but cannot see!
My company before is gone,
And I am left alone with Thee;
With Thee all night I mean to stay,
And wrestle till the break of day.

I need not tell Thee who I am,
My misery and sin declare;
Thyself hast called me by my name,
Look on Thy hands, and read it there;
But who, I ask Thee, who art Thou?
Tell me Thy name, and tell me now.

In vain Thou strugglest to get free,
I never will unloose my hold!
Art Thou the Man that died for me?
The secret of Thy love unfold;
Wrestling, I will not let Thee go,
Till I Thy name, Thy nature know.

Wilt Thou not yet to me reveal
Thy new, unutterable Name?
Tell me, I still beseech Thee, tell;
To know it now resolved I am;
Wrestling, I will not let Thee go,
Till I Thy Name, Thy nature know.

’Tis all in vain to hold Thy tongue
Or touch the hollow of my thigh;
Though every sinew be unstrung,
Out of my arms Thou shalt not fly;
Wrestling I will not let Thee go
Till I Thy name, Thy nature know.

What though my shrinking flesh complain,
And murmur to contend so long?
I rise superior to my pain,
When I am weak, then I am strong
And when my all of strength shall fail,
I shall with the God-man prevail.

Contented now upon my thigh
I halt, till life’s short journey end;
All helplessness, all weakness I
On Thee alone for strength depend;
Nor have I power from Thee to move:
Thy nature, and Thy name is Love.

My strength is gone, my nature dies,
I sink beneath Thy weighty hand,
Faint to revive, and fall to rise;
I fall, and yet by faith I stand;
I stand and will not let Thee go
Till I Thy Name, Thy nature know.

Yield to me now, for I am weak,
But confident in self-despair;
Speak to my heart, in blessings speak,
Be conquered by my instant prayer;
Speak, or Thou never hence shalt move,
And tell me if Thy Name is Love.

’Tis Love! ’tis Love! Thou diedst for me!
I hear Thy whisper in my heart;
The morning breaks, the shadows flee,
Pure, universal love Thou art;
To me, to all, Thy bowels move;
Thy nature and Thy Name is Love.

My prayer hath power with God; the grace
Unspeakable I now receive;
Through faith I see Thee face to face,
I see Thee face to face, and live!
In vain I have not wept and strove;
Thy nature and Thy Name is Love.

I know Thee, Savior, who Thou art.
Jesus, the feeble sinner’s friend;
Nor wilt Thou with the night depart.
But stay and love me to the end,
Thy mercies never shall remove;
Thy nature and Thy Name is Love.

The Sun of righteousness on me
Hath rose with healing in His wings,
Withered my nature’s strength; from Thee
My soul its life and succor brings;
My help is all laid up above;
Thy nature and Thy Name is Love.

Lame as I am, I take the prey,
Hell, earth, and sin, with ease o’ercome;
I leap for joy, pursue my way,
And as a bounding hart fly home,
Through all eternity to prove
Thy nature and Thy Name is Love.


We have our own tune to this hymn but 'Eisenach' fits it well.


_________________
Ron Bailey

 2004/12/15 2:58Profile
philologos
Member



Joined: 2003/7/18
Posts: 6566
Reading, UK

 Re:

Psalm 45 is entitled "a song of loves". The first half is a love song to the Bridegroom and the second half is a love song to the Bride. Charles Wesley expounded the psalm in a wonderful two-part hymn; My heart is full of Christ...

Part One

My heart is full of Christ, and longs
Its glorious matter to declare!
Of Him I make my loftiest songs,
I cannot from His praise forbear;
My ready tongue makes haste to sing
The beauties of my heavenly King.

Fairer than all the earth-born race,
Perfect in comeliness Thou art;
Replenished are Thy lips with grace,
And full of love Thy tender heart:
God ever blessed, we bow the knee,
And own all fullness dwells in Thee.

Gird on Thy thigh the Spirit’s sword,
And take to Thee Thy power divine;
Stir up Thy strength, almighty Lord,
All power and majesty are Thine:
Assert Thy worship and renown;
O all redeeming God, come down!

Come, and maintain Thy righteous cause,
And let Thy glorious toil succeed;
Dispread the victory of Thy cross,
Ride on, and prosper in Thy deed;
Through earth triumphantly ride on,
And reign in every heart alone.

Sharp are the arrows of Thy love,
And pierce the most obdurate heart:
Their point Thine enemies shall prove,
And strangely filled with pleasing smart,
Fall down before the cross subdued,
And feel Thine arrows dipped in blood.

Lover Thou art of purity,
And hatest every spot of sin;
Nothing profane can dwell with Thee,
Nothing unholy or unclean:
And therefore doth Thy Father own
His glorious likeness in His Son.

Therefore He hath His Spirit shed,
Spirit of joy, and power, and grace,
Immeasurably on Thy head;
First-born of all the chosen race,
From Thee the sacred unction springs
That makes Thy fellows priests and kings.


We usually sing this to the tune Carey


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Ron Bailey

 2004/12/16 2:41Profile
philologos
Member



Joined: 2003/7/18
Posts: 6566
Reading, UK

 Re:

This is [b]Part Two[/b] pf Wesley's exposition of Psalm 45. His subject is the Bride; the Glorious Church. Be sure to read Psalm 45 before you sing the hymn.

Part Two
Thy heavenly charms the virgins move,
And bow them to Thy pleasing sway;
They triumph in Thy princely love,
Thy will with all their hearts obey;
Revere Thine honourable word,
The glorious handmaids of the Lord.

High above all, at Thy right hand,
Adorned with each diviner grace,
Thy favourite queen exults to stand,
Thy church her heavenly charms displays,
Clothed with the sun, for glory meet,
She sees the moon beneath her feet.

Daughter of heaven, though born on earth,
Incline thy willing heart and ear;
Forget thy first ignoble birth,
Thy people, and thy kinsfolk here;
So shall the King delight to see
His beauties copied out on thee.

Are not His servants kings? And rule
They not o’er hell, and earth, and sin?
His daughter is divinely full
Of Christ, and “glorious all within”;
All glorious inwardly she reigns,
And not one spot of sin remains.

Clothed with humility and love,
With every dazzling virtue bright,
With faith which God vouchsafes to approve,
Precious in her great Father’s sight,
The royal maid with joy shall come,
Triumphant, to her heavenly home.

Brought by His sweet attracting grace,
She first shall in His sight appear
In holiness before His face,
Made perfect with her fellows here:
Spotless and pure, a virgin train,
They all shall in His palace reign.

In lieu of seers and patriarchs old,
Of whom she once did make her boast,
The virgin-mother shall behold
Her numerous sons a princely host,
Installed o’er all the earth abroad,
Anointed kings and priests to God.


We usually sing this to the tune Carey


_________________
Ron Bailey

 2004/12/17 3:12Profile
philologos
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Joined: 2003/7/18
Posts: 6566
Reading, UK

 Re:

During the last two days we read Wesley's exposition of Solomon's Marriage Song, now we can turn to earthly marriages. Wesley wrote many hymns for specific occasions. Today's is a marriage hymn. Opportunities for singing this might be thought to be rare, but we sing it often as a prayer for the fellowship of the saints in the church below.

[i]How about that 5th verse as a motto for the SermonIndex family?[/i]


Thou God of truth and love,
We seek Thy perfect way,
Ready Thy choice to approve,
Thy providence to obey,
Enter into Thy wise design,
And sweetly lose our will in Thine.

Why hast Thou cast our lot
In the same age and place,
Or why together brought
To see each other’s face,
To join with softest sympathy,
And mix our friendly souls in Thee?

Dids’t Thou not make us one
That both might one remain,
Together travel on,
And bear each other’s pain,
Till both Thine utmost goodness prove
And rise renewed in perfect love?

Surely Thou dids’t unite
Our kindred spirits here
That both hereafter might
Before Thy throne appear,
Meet at the marriage of the Lamb,
And all Thy glorious love proclaim.

[i]Then let us ever bear
The blessed end in view,
And join with mutual care
To fight our passage through,
And kindly help each other on
Till both receive the starry crown.[/i]

O might Thy Spirit seal
Our souls unto that day,
With all Thy fulness fill,
And then transport away,
Away to our eternal rest,
Away to our Redeemer’s breast.

We sing this to our own tune but it goes well with Christ Church


_________________
Ron Bailey

 2004/12/18 4:50Profile





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