After this the battle became fast and furious. The two pamphlets of _Hymns on God’s Everlasting Love_[130] were issued in 1741, and Whitefield was in despair. He writes: ‘Dear brother Charles is more and more rash. He has lately printed some very bad hymns.’[131] From Whitefield’s point of view they were undoubtedly very bad, and even justify his charge that the Wesleys ‘dressed up’ the doctrine of election in ‘horrible colours.’ On the other hand, these hymns contain some of the finest specimens of evangelic hymn-writing to be found in the Wesley poetry. They may be readily divided into two classes, the one vigorous and often bitterly satirical onslaughts upon the Calvinistic position, which are more in the style of ‘Holy Willie’s Prayer’ than in that of ‘Jesu, Lover of my soul,’ the other containing the proclamation of the glad tidings of universal redemption. Both elements are often found in the same composition. This is true of the first of the hymns, a portion of which has been used in Methodist congregations for more than a century and a half, and retains its place in the new hymn-book. I print some verses with the original italics, indicating its polemic purpose. Father, _whose everlasting love_ Thy only Son for sinners gave; Whose grace to _all_ did _freely_ move, And sent Him down a _world to save_. Help us Thy mercy to extol Immense, unfathomed, unconfined; To praise the Lamb who _died for all_, The _general Saviour of mankind_. Thy _undistinguishing regard_ Was cast on _Adam’s_ fallen race: For all Thou hast in Christ prepared, _Sufficient, sovereign, saving_ grace. Jesus hath said, we _all_ shall hope, Preventing grace for all is free: And I, if I be lifted up, I will _draw all men_ unto Me. Arise, O God, maintain Thy cause! The fulness of the _Gentiles_ call: Lift up the standard of Thy cross And _all_ shall own Thou diedst for all.[132]