Wesley Corpus

Caught by th' almighty hand, That Spirit of the Lord, Carried beyond myself I stand, A witness of his word; I see the book unseal'd, Least of the prophets' sons, I mark Ezekiel's valley fill'd With visionary bones! Many they are and dry, Spread thro' the open vale, Millions of lifeless souls they lie Within the Christian pale: I pass the churches thro', The scatter'd bones I see, And Christendom appears in view An hideous CALVARY. Page 51 "And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? c." Ezek. xxxvii. 3, 4. Can these dry bones perceive The quick'ning power of grace, Or Christian infidels retrieve The life of righteousness? All-good, Almighty Lord, Thou know'st thine own design, The virtue of thine own great word, The energy divine. Now for thy mercy's sake Let thy great word proceed, Dispens'd by whom thou wilt, to wake The spiritually dead; Send forth to prophesy Thy chosen messenger, And thou the gospel-word apply, And force the world to hear. "O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, c." Ezek. xxxvii. 4, 5. Hear ye dry bones, and feel The word of truth and grace: I will in you myself reveal, I will your spirits raise; (Jehovah speaks the word) The promise is for you, Ye shall be gradually restor'd, And fashion'd all anew: Cover'd with flesh and skin Ye shall your Saviour know, And find the breath of life within, Which I on all bestow: Page 52 The joyful news receive, The grace to sinners given, The knowledge of your Lord, and live The sinless life of heaven. "As I prophesied there was a noise, and behold a shaking, c." Ezek. xxxvii. 7, 8. Lord, while at thy command Thy servants prophesy, O let it spread thro' every land, The sound of Jesus nigh! The dead professors shake, Before thy life they breathe, Dispose their senseless souls to wake Out of the sleep of death: Let every answering bone By secret instinct move, With sinews cloath'd, the flesh put on, And then the skin above! The form of godliness, And then the virtue give, Inspire them with thy Spirit of grace, And bid the body live. "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live, c." Ezek. xxxvii. 9, 10.