The Marriage Hymn

1 Let Christ the glorious Lover,
Have everlasting praise,
He comes for to discover,
The riches of his grace.

2 He courts a wretched sinner,
To be his loving bride;
Resolving for to win her,
And will not be deny'd.

3 When first he calls upon her,
Herself for to deny,
To cast away her honor,
And lay her pleasures by.

4 To part with ev'ry notion,
That puffs her up with pride,
To take him for her portion
And be his loving bride.

5 The offers he makes to her,
Is what she can't endure,
She thinks it will undo her
To part with all her store.

6 She wilfully refuses,
To yield unto his will,
And in her heart she chooses,
Her former lover still.

7 She bolts the door upon her,
And bids her Lord depart;
No more will serve his honor,
Nor give to him her heart.

8 But Jesus loves the sinner,
And will not leave the door;
But cries, O charming creature,
Reject my suit no more.

9 My love, my dove, my jewel,
Arise and let me in;
How can you be so cruel,
To bar your heart with sin.

10 If calls and invitation,
Will not excite your love;
Prepare for condemnation,
For I will not remove.

11 He then displays his pow'r,
By an almighty word:
And threatens to devour,
And shews his flaming sword.

12 She now begins to tremble
At what she sees and hears:
And feign she would be humble,
And wash her crimes with tears.

13 She does not yet discover,
The filth of her inside;
But hopes the Lord will love her,
And taker her for his bride.

14 But like refiner's fire,
That searches ev'ry part;
Conviction's rising higher,
She feels a wretched heart.

15 She now begins to languish,
And none can her relieve;
Her heart is full of anguish,
To find she can't believe.

16 Her Savior has departed,
And left her full of woe;
And being broken hearted,
She cries, what shall I do?

17 But Jesus has compassion,
Still moving in his breast;
Intends to give salvation,
And ease the soul distress'd.

18 One glimpse of love and power
Makes her forget her pain;
She cries, O happy hour,
Is Jesus come again.

19 Is he whom I rejected,
Stoop'd down to me so low;
Good news, but unexpected,
It hardly can be true.

20 And still she cries more fervent,
Lord don't thy mercy hide;
May I become a servant,
And fit to be a bride.

21 The marriage is made ready,
The parties are agreed;
The holy son of David,
And Adam's wicked seed.

22 The sinner is adorned
With raiment clean and white;
Her sins are freely pardon'd,
And she's her love's delight.

23 They eat and drink together,
And mutually embrace;
Both saints and angels wonder,
At this surprising grace.

24 This union shall continue,
For evermore the same;
And nothing part asunder,
The Christian and the Lamb.

Source: Divine Hymns or Spiritual Songs, for the use of religious assemblies and private Christians: being a collection #LXXX