Wesley's great skill is in taking an important theological truth and expressing it pithily, accurately and imaginatively. Some of his lines are well known
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail the incarnate Deity.
Pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Our God contracted to a span, Incomprehensibly made Man.
Another obvious example would be (in Glory be to God on high)
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail the incarnate Deity.
Pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Our God contracted to a span, Incomprehensibly made Man.
Another obvious example would be (in Glory be to God on high)
See the eternal Son of God A mortal Son of Man,
Now dwelling in an earthly clod Whom Heaven cannot contain!
What Wesley does there is to take the facts of God's eternity and immensity and man's mortality and locality and highlight how both are true of Jesus. He does a similar thing with the fact that God is invisible and man visible. In To us a child of royal birth he says 'The invisible appears on earth'. Father, our hearts we lift similarly refers to
Now dwelling in an earthly clod Whom Heaven cannot contain!
What Wesley does there is to take the facts of God's eternity and immensity and man's mortality and locality and highlight how both are true of Jesus. He does a similar thing with the fact that God is invisible and man visible. In To us a child of royal birth he says 'The invisible appears on earth'. Father, our hearts we lift similarly refers to
The everlasting Son of God, The mortal Son of man.
Glory be to God on High repeats the idea 'God the invisible appears'. It also says
Our being’s Source begins to be, And God Himself is born!
In Let Angels and Archangels we have again 'The great Invisible is seen'. This use of paradoxical language is very powerful. See O mercy divine
Glory be to God on High repeats the idea 'God the invisible appears'. It also says
Our being’s Source begins to be, And God Himself is born!
In Let Angels and Archangels we have again 'The great Invisible is seen'. This use of paradoxical language is very powerful. See O mercy divine
What a wonder of grace! The ancient of days 
Is found in the likeness of Adam's frail race.
He comes from on high, Who fashioned the sky,
And meekly vouchsafes in a manger to lie.
Our God ever blest, With oxen doth rest,
Is nursed by his creature and hangs at the breast.
It is also in Let angels and archangels again, where he addresses the angels and says
Is found in the likeness of Adam's frail race.
He comes from on high, Who fashioned the sky,
And meekly vouchsafes in a manger to lie.
Our God ever blest, With oxen doth rest,
Is nursed by his creature and hangs at the breast.
It is also in Let angels and archangels again, where he addresses the angels and says
Though now he on his footstool lies, Ye know he built both earth and skies.
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