Ye Christian men, pray notice well

Verse 1

Ye Christian men pray notice well! Our Saviour in the Parable Does clearly prove and plainly show, What Satan in the Church can do.

Verse 2

The Church is to a field compar'd, Well cultivated and prepar'd: And where the Gospel truth is b'liev'd, There is the Gospel seed receiv'd.

Verse 3

But when the watchmen fall to sleep, And they neglect their guard to keep, The enemy soon interfer's, And sows the field with seeds of tares.

Verse 4

Such ever was the Churches case, The formal Christian void of grace: Is like the tares among the wheat, When rightly prov'd is but a cheat.

Verse 5

But lest the wheat be pluck'd up too, The tares among the wheat must grow: There to remain till harvest day, Till they are search'd and cast away.

Verse 6

This Parable will shew us plain, That Saints and Sinners will remain: As members of his Church and State, Till Jesus comes to separate.

Verse 7

How careful then ought we attend! To watch and pray unto the end; Till all our trials shall be past, Lest we should prove but tares at last.