136 THE METHODIST HYMN-BOOK ILLUSTRATED
which owes much in turn to Paradise Lost, v. 157
Who sitt st above these heavens, To us invisible or dimly seen.
In the Proceedings of the Wesley Historical Society, the Rev. W. F. Moulton, D.D., writes: The character of the hymn what we should now call its solidarity might of itself account for the sparing use of the hymn in public. It is of one piece. We cannot remove a verse without disturbing the flow and marring the cohesion of the whole poem. Probably, how ever, the real obstacle to frequent use has lain in certain expressions in verses 5, 6, which offend modern taste. Verse 5 John Wesley himself " scrupled singing " ; to him the words, " That dear disfigured face," savoured of " too much familiarity," seemed to speak of " our blessed Lord ... as a mere man." To us probably verse 6 presents still greater difficulty, in the words, " wrap me in Thy crimson vest." To this figure I do not remember any exact parallel, either in the volumes of the Wesley poetry or elsewhere. Were it found in some ancient writer, or in some well-known Latin or Moravian hymn, we could more easily understand its sudden appearance here. I shall be glad to know if any parallel has been found by others.
I suppose that we shall all agree as to the meaning. He whose name is "the Word of God (Rev. xix. 13) is seen " arrayed in a garment sprinkled with," or " dipped in, blood." In Wesley s Notes this is rightly explained of " the blood of the enemies He hath already conquered " (Isa. Ixiii. i, &c.) ; but at least one ancient writer (Hippolytus) interpreted the words "as referring to Christ s own blood, by which the incarnate Word cleansed the world." In verse 12 we read that " He hath a name which no one knoweth but He Himself." With his characteristic tendency to combine allusions and unite symbols, Charles Wesley seizes on the cognate thought of Gen. xxxii. 29, so exquisitely rendered in Hymns 140, 141 [now 449, 450]. In consonance with this he pleads, " O Saviour, take me to Thy heart, enfold me in Thy vesture dipped in Thine own atoning blood. Only when sprinkled with, encompassed with, the blood of atonement can I understand Thy name. When I am thu enabled to receive the revelation, tell me all Thy name."
The whole hymn well illustrates the extent to which the words of Scripture are embedded in the Wesley hymns. If we would trace up the thoughts and phraseology of the hymn to
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