Wesley Corpus

Hail the Lord of earth and heav'n! Praise to thee by both be giv'n: Thee we greet triumphant now; Hail the resurrection thou! King of Glory, soul of bliss, Everlasting life is this, Thee to know, thy pow'r to prove, Thus to sing, and thus to love! Hymn for Ascension-Day.73 Hail the day that sees him rise, Ravish'd from our wishful eyes; Christ awhile to mortals giv'n, Re-ascends his native heav'n! There the pompous triumph waits, "Lift your heads, eternal gates, Wide unfold the radiant scene, Take the King of Glory in!" 73Manuscript copies of this hymn appear in MS Acts, 5-6; and MS Richmond Tracts, 28-29. Page 212 Circled round with angel powers, Their triumphant Lord, and ours, Conqueror over death and sin, Take the King of Glory in! Him tho' highest heaven receives, Still he loves the earth he leaves; Tho' returning to his throne, Still he calls mankind his own. See! He lifts his hands above! See! He shews the prints of love! Hark! His gracious lips bestow Blessings on his church below! Still for us his death he pleads; Prevalent, he intercedes; Near himself prepares our place, Harbinger of human race. Master, (will we ever say) Taken from our head to-day; See thy faithful servants, see! Ever gazing up to thee. Grant, tho' parted from our sight, High above yon azure height, Grant our hearts may thither rise, Following thee beyond the skies. Page 213 Ever upward let us move, Wafted on the wings of love, Looking when our Lord shall come, Longing, gasping after home. There we shall with thee remain, Partners of thy endless reign, There thy face unclouded see, Find our heav'n of heav'ns in thee! Hymn for Whitsunday.74 Granted is the Saviour's prayer, Sent the gracious Comforter; Promise of our parting Lord, Jesus to his heav'n restor'd: Christ; who now gone up on high, Captive leads captivity, While his foes from him receive Grace, that God with man may live. God, the everlasting God, Makes with mortals his abode, Whom the heavens cannot contain, He vouchsafes to dwell in75 man. 74Charles records singing this hymn in his MS Journal as early as May 24, 1738. He included a manuscript copy in MS Richmond Tracts, 31-32. 75"In" changed to "with" in 4th edn. (1743) and 5th edn. (1756). Page 214