Wesley Corpus

Do not begin to make excuse, Ah! Do not you his grace refuse; Your worldly cares and pleasures leave, And take what Jesus hath to give. Your grounds forsake, your oxen quit, Your every earthly thought forget, Seek not the comforts of this life, Nor sell your Saviour for a wife. "Have me excus'd" why will ye say? Why will ye for damnation pray? Have you excus'd from joy and peace! Have you excus'd from happiness! Excus'd from coming to a feast! Excus'd from being Jesu's guest! From knowing now your sins forgiven, From tasting here the joys of heaven! Excus'd, alas! Why should ye80 be From health, and life, and liberty, From entring into glorious rest, From leaning on your Saviour's breast. Yet must I, Lord, to thee complain, The world hath made thy offers vain, Too busy, or too happy they, They will not, Lord, thy call obey. Go then, my angry Master said, Since these on all my mercies tread, Invite the rich and great no more, But preach my gospel to the poor. Confer not thou with flesh and blood, Go quickly forth, invite the croud, Search every lane, and every street, And bring in all the souls you meet. 80"Ye" changed to "you" in 4th edn. (1755) and following. Page 65 Come then ye souls, by sin opprest, Ye restless wanderers after rest, Ye poor, and maim'd, and halt, and blind, In Christ an81 hearty welcome find. Sinners my gracious Lord receives, Harlots, and publicans, and thieves, Drunkards, and all the82 hellish crew, I have a message now to you. Come, and partake the gospel-feast, Be sav'd from sin, in Jesus rest: O taste the goodness of our God, And eat his flesh, and drink his blood. 'Tis done; my all-redeeming Lord, I have gone forth, and preach'd thy83 word, The sinners to thy feast are come, And yet, O Saviour, there is room. Go then, my Lord, again injoin'd, And other wand'ring sinners find, Go to the hedges, and highways, And offer all my pard'ning grace. The worst unto my supper press, Monsters of daring wickedness, Tell them, my grace for all is free, They cannot be too bad for me. Tell them, their sins are all forgiven, Tell every creature under heaven, I died to save them from all sin, And force the vagrants to come in.