"Roused from the sleep of death, a countless crowd / ("Whose hearts like trees before the wind are bow'd ... ) / Press to the hallow'd courts, with eager strife, / Catch the convincing word, and hear for life"
— Wesley, John and Charles
Author
Date
1771
Metaphor
"Roused from the sleep of death, a countless crowd / ("Whose hearts like trees before the wind are bow'd ... ) / Press to the hallow'd courts, with eager strife, / Catch the convincing word, and hear for life"
Metaphor in Context
"Sound an alarm, the gospel-trumpet blow,
Let all their time of visitation know:
'The Saviour comes!' you hear His herald cry;
'Go forth and meet the Friend of sinners nigh!'"
Roused from the sleep of death, a countless crowd
(Whose hearts like trees before the wind are bow'd,
As a thick cloud that darkens all the sky,
As flocking doves that to their windows fly)
Press to the hallow'd courts, with eager strife,
Catch the convincing word, and hear for life.
Parties and sects their endless feuds forget,
And fall and tremble at the preacher's feet;
Prick'd at the heart, with one consent inquire,
"What must we do to' escape the never-dying fire?"
Let all their time of visitation know:
'The Saviour comes!' you hear His herald cry;
'Go forth and meet the Friend of sinners nigh!'"
Roused from the sleep of death, a countless crowd
(Whose hearts like trees before the wind are bow'd,
As a thick cloud that darkens all the sky,
As flocking doves that to their windows fly)
Press to the hallow'd courts, with eager strife,
Catch the convincing word, and hear for life.
Parties and sects their endless feuds forget,
And fall and tremble at the preacher's feet;
Prick'd at the heart, with one consent inquire,
"What must we do to' escape the never-dying fire?"
Categories
Provenance
Searching in HDIS (Poetry)
Citation
Wesley, John and Wesley, Charles. The Poetical Works of John and Charles Wesley. Ed. G. Osborn. Vol. VII. London: R. Needham, 1870.
Date of Entry
03/07/2006
Date of Review
12/12/2009
