The Love-Feast, Part 1

Come, and let us sweetly join
Christ to praise in hymns divine;
Give we all with one accord
Glory to our common Lord:
Hands, and hearts, and voices raise,
Sing as in the ancient days,
Antedate the joys above,
Celebrate the Feast of Love.

Strive we, in affection strive:
Let the purer flame revive,
Such as in the martyrs glow'd,
Dying champions for their God.
We, like them, may live and love;
Call'd we are their joys to prove;
Saved with them from future wrath,
Partners of like precious faith.

Sing we then in Jesu's name,
Now as yesterday the same,
One in every age and place,
Full for all of truth and grace.
We, for Christ, our Master, stand.
Lights in a benighted land;
We our dying Lord confess,
We are Jesu's witnesses.

Witnesses that Christ hath died,
We with Him are crucified:
Christ hath burst the bands of death,
We His quickening Spirit breathe.
Christ is now gone up on high;
(Thither all our wishes fly;)
Sits at God's right hand above,
There with Him we reign in love!