Come, sinners, to the gospel feast, Let every soul, &c. C. Wesley. [Invitation.] First published in his Hymns for those who seek and those who have Redemption, &c, 1747, in 24 stanzas of 4 lines, and entitled "The Great Supper " (Poetical Works, 1868-72, vol. iv. p. 274). Two centos, both beginning with stanza i., are in common use:—(1) that which was included in M. Madan's Collection, 1760, No. 22, in 8 stanzas, and is the source of the text as given in the Church of England hymnals; and (2) the Wesleyan Hymn Book cento given in that Selection, 1780, and repeated in various Nonconformist collections. A cento for Holy Communion is also in the earliest editions of the Lady Huntingdon Collection beginning:—
"Come, sinners, to the gospel feast;
Jesus invites you for His guest."
In late editions of the same Collection it begins "Come, sinner," &c. It is compiled from stanzas i., xii., xxii., xxiii. A hymn beginning:—
"Come, sinners, to the gospel feast;
0 come without delay,"
is included in many American collections, as Dr. Hatfield's Church Hymn Book, 1872; the Baptist Praise Book 1871, &c. It has been traced to the Baptist Psalmist of Stow & Smith, 1843, No. 418. In some of those collections it is taken for granted that it is the same cento as lhat in the Lady Huntingdon Collection. It has, however, nothing in common with that cento, nor with Wesley's original, except the first line. In stanza i., line 3 reads, "or there is room in Jesus' breast," and through the remaining four stanzas the changes are rung on the expression, “There's room," a style of composition altogether foreign to C. Wesley's usual method. It is Anon., 1843.
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
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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