The love impartial and sincere

Verse 1
The love impartial and sincere
Th’ inimitable character
On genuine saints imprest,
O that I in myself could find,
Indow’d with my Redeemer’s mind,
With his affection blest!

Verse 2
Inlarg’d beyond the narrow space
Of those that their own sect embrace,
And none besides approve,
I would, to liberty restor’d
Love all the lovers of my Lord,
And all who seek his love.

Verse 3
Jesus, the gospel-grace impart
To mine, and every longing heart,
Take us into thy fold,
The truth of pure religion give,
That all who bear thy name may live,
And love like those of old.

Verse 4
The mark on every face impress,
That like thy first-born witnesses
We hand in hand may move,
And ready each for each to die,
Constrain the world again to cry
“See, how these Christians love![”]

Hymnal/Album: Originally titled: “‘By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.’’—[John 13,] v. 35." This hymn appears in the 1763-64 manuscript “MS John.” This manuscript is part of the collection of the Methodist Archive and Research Centre in The John Rylands Library, The University of Manchester (accession number MA 1977/573, Charles Wesley Notebooks Box 3). Accessed through the website of The Center for Studies in the Wesleyan Tradition, Duke Divinity School. Published in The Poetical Works of John and Charles Wesley, Collected and Arranged by G. Osborn, Vol. 11 (London: Wesleyan-Methodist Conference Office, 1871), page 511.
Publishing: Public Domain