The Poetical Works of John and Charles Wesley 85The Banquet

Welcome , delicious sacred cheer;

Welcome, my God, my Saviour dear;

O, with me, in me live and dwell!

Thine, earthly joy surpasses quite,

The depths of Thy supreme delight

Not angel tongues can taste or tell.

What streams of sweetness from the bowl

Surprise and deluge all my soul,

Sweetness that is, and makes Divine!

Surely from God's right hand they flow,

From thence derived to earth below

To cheer us with immortal wine.

Soon as I taste the heavenly bread,

What manna o'er my soul is shed,

Manna that angels never knew!

Victorious sweetness fills my heart,

Such as my God delights to impart,

Mighty to save, and sin subdue.

I had forgot my heavenly birth,

My soul degenerate clave to earth,

In sense and sin's base pleasures drown'd:

When God assumed humanity,

And spilt His sacred blood for me,

To find me grovelling on the ground.

Soon as His love has raised me up,

He mingles blessings in a cup,

And sweetly meets my ravish'd taste;

Joyous, I now throw off my load,

I cast my sins and care on God,

And Wine becomes a Wing at last.

Upborne on this, I mount, I fly;

Regaining swift my native sky,--

I wipe my streaming eyes and see

Him, whom I seek, for whom I sue,

My God, my Saviour there I view,

Him, who has done so much for me!

O, let Thy wondrous mercy's praise

Inspire and consecrate my lays,

And take up all my lines and life;

Thy praise my every breath employ:

Be all my business, all my joy

To strive in this, and love the strife!