Ye neighbours, and friends Of Jesus, draw near

Verse 1
Ye neighbours, and friends of Jesus, draw near;
His love condescends, by titles so dear
To call, and invite you his triumph to prove,
And freely delight you in Jesus his love.

Verse 2
The shepherd who died his sheep to redeem,
On every side are gather’d to him,
The weary and burthen’d, the reprobate race,
And wait to be pardon’d thro’ Jesus his grace.

Verse 3
The publicans all, and sinners draw near,
They come at his call their Saviour to hear,
Lamenting and mourning, their sin is so great,
And daily returning, they fall at his feet.

Verse 4
The poor, and the blind, the halt, and the lame,
Are willing to find in Jesus his name
Their help and salvation; which still they retrieve:
There’s no condemnation for them that believe.

Verse 5
The drunkards, and thieves, and harlots return;
For him, that receives poor sinners, they mourn:
The common blasphemer on Jesus doth call,
His loving Redeemer who suffered for all.

Verse 6
The outcasts of men their Saviour pursue;
In horror, and pain the profligate crew
Cry out for a Saviour, a Saviour unknown,
And look to find favour thro’ mercy alone.

Verse 7
They seek him, and find, they ask, and receive
The friend of mankind, who bids them believe:
On Jesus they venture, his gift they embrace,
And forcibly enter his kingdom of grace.

Verse 8
The blind are restor’d thro’ Jesus his name,
They see their dear Lord, and follow the Lamb;
The halt they are walking, and running their race;
The dumb they are talking of Jesus’s praise.

Verse 9
The deaf hear his voice, and comforting word,
It bids them rejoice in Jesus their Lord,
“Thy sins are forgiven, accepted thou art,”
They listen, and heaven springs up in their heart.

Verse 10
The lepers from all their spots are made clean,
The dead by his call are rais’d from their sin,
In Jesu’s compassion the sick find a cure,
And gospel salvation is preach’d to the poor.

Verse 11
To us, and to them, is publish’d the word;
Then let us proclaim our life-giving Lord,
Who now is reviving his work in our days,
And mightily striving to save us by grace.

Verse 12
O Jesus, ride on ’till all are subdued,
Thy mercy make known, and sprinkle thy blood,
Display thy salvation, and teach the new song
To every nation, and people, and tongue.

Hymnal/Album: Originally titled: "After Preaching to the Newcastle Colliers." Introduced in Hymns and Sacred Poems Vol. 1, published by Charles Wesley (Bristol: Felix Farley, 1749).Published in The Poetical Works of John and Charles Wesley, Collected and Arranged by G. Osborn, Vol. 5 (London: Wesleyan-Methodist Conference Office, 1869), page 115.
Publishing: Public Domain