Wesley Corpus

By faith we already behold That lovely Jerusalem here! Her walls are of jasper and gold, As chrystal her buildings are clear: 7"Abodes" changed to "abode" in 4th edn. (1765) and following. 8"Gods" changed to "God" in 2nd edn. (1746) and following. Page 12 Immoveably founded in grace She stands, as she ever hath stood, And brightly her builder displays, And flames with the glory of God. No need of the sun in that day Which never is follow'd by night, Where Jesus's beauties display A pure and a permanent light: The Lamb is their light and their sun, And lo! By reflexion they shine, With Jesus ineffably one, And bright in effulgence divine. The saints in his presence receive Their great and eternal reward, In Jesus, in heaven, they live, They reign in the smile of their Lord: The flame of angelical love Is kindled at Jesus's face, And all the enjoyment above Consists in the RAPTUROUS GAZE. Hymn IX. On the Death of Robert Jones, Esq.9 Thanks be to God, whose faithful love Hath call'd another to his breast, Translated him to joys above, To mansions of eternal rest. Ripe for the glorious harvest made, He first was sav'd from inbred sin; The angel then his charge obey'd, And thrust the mortal sickle in. He the good fight of faith hath won, He heard with joy the welcome word; "Hither come up (thy work is done) And reign for ever with thy Lord." 9Manuscript precursors of this hymn appear in MS Shent, 161a-161b; and MS Thirty, 77-79. The identification of Robert Jones is in MS Shent. For background on Jones, see Elegy on Robert Jones Page 13 By ministerial sp'rits convey'd, Lodg'd in the garner of the sky, He rests, in Abraham's bosom laid, He lives with God, no more to die. Thanks be to God, thro' Christ alone, Who gave our friend the victory: O Master, say to me, Well done! May I rejoice to die in thee. Thus may we all our warfare end, In strugglings10 to the upper skies Our last triumphant moments spend And grasp in death th' immortal prize. O that we all may thus break thro', The crown with holy violence seize, The starry crown to conquest due, The crown of life and righteousness.