The Universal Invitation

Representative Text

1. See, sinners, in the Gospel glass,
The friend and Savior of mankind!
Not one of all the apostate race
But may in Him salvation find!
His thoughts, and words, and actions prove,
His life and death, that God is love!

2. Behold the Lamb of God, who bears
The sins of all the world away!
A servant’s form He meekly wears,
He sojourns in a house of clay,
His glory is no longer seen,
But God with God is man with men.

3. See where the God incarnate stands,
And calls His wandering creatures home,
He all day long spreads out His hands,
“Come, weary souls, to Jesus come!
Ye all may hide you in My breast,
Believe, and I will give you rest.

4. Ah! do not of My goodness doubt;
My saving grace for all is free;
I will in no wise cast him out
That comes a sinner unto Me;
I can to none Myself deny,
Why, sinners, will ye perish, why?

Source: The Cyber Hymnal #5988

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Author: Charles Wesley

Charles Wesley, M.A. was the great hymn-writer of the Wesley family, perhaps, taking quantity and quality into consideration, the great hymn-writer of all ages. Charles Wesley was the youngest son and 18th child of Samuel and Susanna Wesley, and was born at Epworth Rectory, Dec. 18, 1707. In 1716 he went to Westminster School, being provided with a home and board by his elder brother Samuel, then usher at the school, until 1721, when he was elected King's Scholar, and as such received his board and education free. In 1726 Charles Wesley was elected to a Westminster studentship at Christ Church, Oxford, where he took his degree in 1729, and became a college tutor. In the early part of the same year his religious impressions were much deepene… Go to person page >

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Text Information

First Line: See, sinners, in the Gospel glass
Title: The Universal Invitation
Author: Charles Wesley
Meter: 8.8.8.8.8.8
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain
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Notes

See, sinners, in the gospel glass. C. Wesley. [Invitation.] Published in Hymns on God's Everlasting Love, 1741, No. 10, in 18 st. of 6 1., and again in the Poetical Works, 1868-72, vol. iii. p. 20. In the Wesleyan Hymn Book, 1780, it was broken up thus:—
1. See, sinners, in the gospel glass, st. i.-iv.
2. Sinners, believe the gospel word, st. vi.-ix.
3. Would Jesus have the sinner die? st. xii., xiv., xvi., xviii.
These hymns have been repeated in several collections. The centos, "Behold the Lamb of God, Who bears The sins of all," &c, in Mercer's Church Psalter & Hymn Book, 1855; and "See where the lame, the halt, the blind," in Dr. Alexander's Augustine Hymn Book, 1849 and 1865, are also from the original hymn.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

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The Cyber Hymnal #5988
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The Cyber Hymnal #5988

The Cyber Hymnal #5988
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