Wesley Corpus

That we the promise might receive, Might soon with thee in glory live, Thou stand'st before thy Father now! For us thou dost in heaven appear, Our surety, head, and harbinger, Our Saviour to the utmost thou. Not without blood thou pray'st above: The marks of thy expiring love God on thy hands engraven sees! He hears thy blood for mercy cry, And sends his Spirit from the sky, And seals our everlasting peace. Page 31 40First appeared in Ascension Hymns (1746), 10-11 (6) 41Ascension Hymns ori., "thro' him." Thankful we now the earnest take, The pledge thou wilt at last come back And openly thy servants own: To us, who long to see thee here, Thou shalt a second time appear, And bear us to thy glorious throne. Hymn XIII. On the Ascension.40 Sinners, rejoice; your peace is made Your Saviour on the cross hath bled: Your God, in Jesus reconcil'd, On all his works again hath smil'd, Hath grace thro' Christ41 and blessing giv'n To all in earth, and all in heaven. () Page 32 Angels rejoice in Jesus' grace, And vie with man's more favour'd race: The blood that did for us atone, Confer'd on you some gift unknown; Your joys thro' Jesu's pains abound, Ye triumph by his glorious wound. Or 'stablisht and confirm'd by him Who did our lower world redeem, Secure ye keep your blest estate, Firm on an everlasting seat; Or rais'd above yourselves, aspire In bliss improv'd, in glory higher. Him ye beheld, our conqu'ring God, Return with garments roll'd in blood! Ye saw, and kindled at the sight, And fill'd with shouts the realms of light, With loudest hallelujahs met, And fell, and kiss'd his bleeding feet. Page 33 42Ascension Hymns ori., "the courts." 43Ascension Hymns ori., "that better." 44Ascension Hymns ori., "glorious powers." Ye saw him in your courts42 above, With all his recent prints of love: The wounds! The blood! Ye heard its voice, That heightned all your highest joys; Ye felt it sprinkled thro' the skies, And shar'd the better43 sacrifice. But who of all your hosts can tell The mystic bliss unspeakable, The joy that issued from his side, And how the pure it purify'd, The grace supreme by Jesus giv'n, When heav'n itself was double heav'n!