Page:The Methodist Hymn-Book Illustrated.djvu/280

 268 THE METHODIST HYMN-BOOK ILLUSTRATED

Hymn 426. Love divine, all loves excelling. CHARLES WESLEY (i).

Hymns for those that seek and those that have Redemption in tJie Blood of fesus Christ, 1747; Works, iv. 219. Ver. 2 is omitted

Breathe, O breathe Thy loving Spirit,

Into every troubled breast, Let us all in Thee inherit,

Let us find that second rest ; Take away our power of sinning,

Alpha and Omega be, End of faith as its Beginning,

Set our hearts at liberty.

In ver. 2 of the original Charles Wesley wrote, Let us all Thy life receive.

The gain by the omission of ver. 2 is almost incon ceivable. John Fletcher touches on its theology. Mr. Wesley says second rest, because an imperfect believer enjoys a first inferior rest ; if he did not, he would be no believer. 5 Take away the power of sinning ? he asks. Is not this expression too strong ? Would it not be better to soften it by saying, Take away the love of sinning ? [or the bent of the mind towards sin]. Can God take away from us our power of sinning without taking away our power of free obedience ?

Hymn 427. Being of beings, God of love.

CHARLES WESLEY (i).

Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1739; Works, i. 34. Grace after Meat.

In ver. 2 the original reads, Thine, wholly Thine, we pant to be.

Hymn 428. Save me, O God ; for Tliou alone.

BENJAMIN HALL KENNEDY, D.D. Psalm xvi., from The Psalter in English Verse t 1860.

Dr. Kennedy was born at Summer Hill, near Birmingham, 1804; head master of Shrewsbury School, 1836-66; Regius

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