A Charles Wesley Christmas 5

One final post on this.

Wesley also likes the idea of a sojourn - staying in a place for a while as on a journey. See Glory be to God on high and Let Angels and Archangels.
Now God comes down, He bows the sky,
And shows Himself our Friend!
God the invisible appears,
God the Blest, the Great I AM,
He sojourns in this vale of tears,
And Jesus is His Name.

The everlasting God comes down To sojourn with the sons of men;

Other notable expressions include
Away with our fears! The Godhead appears
(Away with our fears!)

Abject earth, Sees his birth,
Whom the heavens adore.
(Angels speak, let man give ear)

See in that Infant’s face The depths of deity,
Suffice for us that God, we know, Our God, is manifest below.
(Let earth and heaven combine)

And where he plays on God’s title ‘Ancient of Days’
Infant of days He here became, And bore the mild Immanuel’s Name.

Also
In Christ reconciled, The Father of Mercies in Jesus the Child.
He comes from above, …
(Let earth and heaven combine)

Finally, in O mercy divine we have
So heavenly-mild His innocence smiled,
No wonder the mother should worship the child.

That hymn includes a reference to the shepherds and wise men and the notable observation that 'The rich are permitted to follow the poor'. The hymn ends with the immortal
Like him would I be, my Master I see
In a stable; a stable shall satisfy me.

With him I reside: the manger shall hide
Mine honour; the manger shall bury my pride.

And here will I lie, 'til raised up on high
With him on the cross I recover the sky.