I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh.
Ezekiel 11:19
Words: Charles Wesley, Hymns and Sacred Poems, Volume 1, 1749, number 200. Before preaching to the colliers in Leicestershire.
Music: Prescott (Lutkin) Peter C. Lutkin (1858–1931) (🔊 pdf nwc).
Jesu, Thou all redeeming Lord,
Thy blessing we implore;
Open the door to preach Thy Word,
The great, effectual door.
Gather the outcasts in, and save
From sin, and Satan’s power;
And let them now acceptance have,
And know their gracious hour.
O that to these poor Gentiles now
The door were opened wide,
O that their stiff-necked souls might bow
To Jesus crucified!
Lover of souls, Thou knowest to prize
What Thou hast bought so dear:
Come then, and in Thy people’s eyes
With all Thy wounds appear.
Appear, as when of old confessed
The suffering Son of God,
And let them see Thee in Thy vest:
But newly dipped in blood.
The hardness of their hearts remove,
Thou who for all hast died;
Show them the tokens of Thy love,
Thy feet, Thy hands, Thy side.
Thy feet were nailed to yonder tree
To trample down their sin;
Thy hands they all stretched out may see,
To take the murderers in.
Thy side an open fountain is,
Where all may freely go,
And drink the living streams of bliss,
And wash them white as snow.
Ready Thou art the blood to apply,
And prove the record true;
And all Thy wounds to sinners cry,
I suffered this for you!
Swearers, and whoremongers, and thieves,
Before your Savior fall,
Receive the Man who all receives,
And paid the debt for all.
Lovers of pleasure more than God,
For you He suffered pain:
Railers, for you He spilt His blood;
And shall He bleed in vain?
Misers, His life for you He paid,
Your basest crime He bore;
Drunkards, your sins on Him were laid,
That ye might sin no more.
Ye liars, and blasphemers too,
Who speak the phrase of hell,
Ye murderers all, He died for you,
He loved your souls so well.
Ye monsters of unnatural vice
Too horrible to name,
To ransom you He paid the price,
To pluck you from the flame.
Vilest of all th’apostate race,
Who dare your God deny,
Arians, your God died in your place,
In yours, ye Deists, die.
Haters of God, your madness mourn,
And God will yet forgive;
To Jesus, friend of sinners, turn,
Who died that ye might live.
The God of love, to earth He came;
That you might come to Heaven;
Believe, believe in Jesu’s name,
And all your sins forgiven.
Believe, that Jesus died for Thee;
And sure as He hath died,
Thy debt is paid, thy soul is free,
And thou art justified.