1 The eagle fond her charge awakes
Where in the nest they doze;
And while her flutt'ring plumes she shakes
The way to fly she shows;
She spreads her wings, her young to bear,
Before their own thy try;
And takes them up, and cleaves the air;
And soars above the sky.
2 'Twas thus in nature's sleep I lay,
When Christ the Spirit shed,
His Spirit stirr'd me up to pray,
And hover'd o'er my head,
Infusing the first gracious hope
He spread his wings abroad,
And train'd his infant pupil up
To seek the face of God.
3 The object of his kindest care
He never yet forsook,
But did himself my weakness bear,
And all my burthen took;
He bore me up, from earth he bore
On wings of heav'nly love,
And taught my unfledg'd soul to soar
To those bright realms above.
4 The Spirit of redeeming grace
Hath been my sure defence,
And through the pathless wilderness
Led on my innocence:
When simple as a little child
All idols I abhorr'd,
And saw as my Redeemer smil'd,
My Paradise restor'd.
Source: Hymns, Selected and Original: for public and private worship (1st ed.) #85
Charles Wesley, M.A. was the great hymn-writer of the Wesley family, perhaps, taking quantity and quality into consideration, the great hymn-writer of all ages. Charles Wesley was the youngest son and 18th child of Samuel and Susanna Wesley, and was born at Epworth Rectory, Dec. 18, 1707. In 1716 he went to Westminster School, being provided with a home and board by his elder brother Samuel, then usher at the school, until 1721, when he was elected King's Scholar, and as such received his board and education free. In 1726 Charles Wesley was elected to a Westminster studentship at Christ Church, Oxford, where he took his degree in 1729, and became a college tutor. In the early part of the same year his religious impressions were much deepene… Go to person page >
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