The Poetical Works of John and Charles Wesley 255Part 6
Open in the readerCome , ye kindred souls above,
Man provokes you unto love;
Saints and angels, hear the call,
Praise the common Lord of all:
Him let earth and heaven proclaim,
Earth and heaven record His name;
Let us both in this agree,
Both His one great family.
Hosts of heaven, begin the song,
Praise Him with a tuneful tongue:
(Sounds like yours we cannot raise, We can only lisp His praise:)
Us repenting sinners see,
Jesus died to set us free;
Sing ye over us forgiven;
Shout for joy, ye hosts of heaven.
Be it unto angels known,
By the church, what God hath done:
Depths of love and wisdom see
In a dying Deity!
Gaze, ye first-born seraphs, gaze!
Never can ye sound His grace:
Lost in wonder, look no more;
Fall, and silently adore.
Ministerial spirits, know,
Execute your charge below.
You our Father hath prepared,
Fenced us with a flaming guard:
Bid you all our ways attend,
Safe convoy us to the end,
On your wings our souls remove,
Waft us to the realms of love.
Happy souls, whose course is run,
Who the fight of faith have won,
Parted by an earlier death,
Think ye of your friends beneath.
Have ye your own flesh forgot,
By a common ransom bought?
Can death's interposing tide
Spirits one in Christ divide?
No: for us you ever wait,
Till we make your bliss complete,
Till your fellow-servants come,
Till your brethren hasten home:
You in paradise remain,
For your testimony slain,
Nobly who for Jesus stood,
Bold to seal the truth with blood.
Ever now your speaking cries
From beneath the altar rise,
Loudly call for vengeance due:
"Come, Thou holy God, and true!
Lord, how long dost Thou delay?
Come to judgment, come away!
Hasten, Lord, the general doom;
Come away, to judgment come!"
Wait, ye righteous spirits, wait,
Soon arrives your perfect state;
Robed in white a season rest,
Blest, if not completely blest.
When the number is fulfill'd,
When the witnesses are kill'd,
When we all from earth are driven,
Then with us ye mount to heaven.
Jesu, hear, and bow the skies;
Hark! we all unite our cries:
"Take us to our heavenly home;
Quickly let Thy kingdom come!"
"Jesu, come," the Spirit cries;
"Jesu, come," the bride replies;
One triumphant church above,
Join us all in perfect love.