Cennick is often spoken of as the author of Lo! He comes with clouds descending; but there is very little trace of Cennick’s hymn in Charles Wesley’s. Canon Ellerton calls the hymn ‘a recast by Charles Wesley,’ and adds, ‘Cennick’s hymn is poor stuff compared to that into which Wesley recast it, putting into it at once fire and tunefulness.’ This, however, is an inaccurate statement of the facts. Probably Cennick’s hymn suggested Wesley’s, but this is the only share Cennick had in it. Cennick’s hymn was published in 1752, Wesley’s in 1758. In 1760 Martin Madan pieced together six verses, five (with some alterations) from these two hymns, and one from another of Wesley’s. Neither Cennick’s original nor Madan’s can be compared with Wesley’s fine verses, which are best left as he wrote them.[166] The following is Cennick’s original— Lo! He cometh, countless trumpets Blow before His bloody sign! ’Midst ten thousand saints and angels, See the Crucifièd shine. Allelujah! Welcome, welcome, bleeding Lamb! Now His merits by the harpers, Through the eternal deeps resounds! Now resplendent shine His nail-prints, Every eye shall see His wounds! They who pierced Him Shall at His appearing wail. Every island, sea, and mountain, Heaven and earth shall flee away! All who hate Him must, ashamèd, Hear the trump proclaim His day: Come to judgement! Stand before the Son of Man! All who love Him view His glory, Shining in His bruisèd Face: His dear Person on the rainbow, Now His people’s heads shall raise: Happy mourners! Now on clouds He comes! He comes! Now redemption, long expected, See, in solemn pomp appear: All His people, once despisèd, Now shall meet Him in the air: Allelujah! Now the promised kingdom’s come! View Him smiling, now determined Every evil to destroy! All the nations now shall sing Him Songs of everlasting joy! O come quickly! Allelujah! come, Lord, come! Augustus Montague Toplady (1740-78) was a devout clergyman, converted through the preaching of a Methodist in Ireland. His ‘Arminian prejudices’ received an ‘effectual shock’ in 1758. His ministry at Broad Hembury, and in the French Reformed Church, Leicester Fields, was greatly valued, and his sincere piety impressed all who knew him.