Wesley Corpus

The pledge of future bliss He now to us imparts, His gracious Spirit is The earnest in our hearts: We antedate the joys above, We taste th' eternal powers, And know that all those heights of love, And all those heavens are ours. 'Till he our life reveal, We rest in Christ secure: His Spirit is the seal, Which made our pardon sure: Our sins his blood hath blotted out, And sign'd our soul's release: And can we of his favour doubt, Whose blood declares us his? We by his Spirit prove, And know the things of God, Page 222 The things which of his love He hath on us bestow'd: Our God to us his Spirit gave, And dwells in us, we know, The witness in ourselves we have, And all his fruits we shew. The meek and lowly heart, Which in our Saviour was, He doth to us impart, And signs us with his cross: Our nature's course is turn'd, our mind Transform'd in all its powers, And both the witnesses are join'd, The Spirit of God with ours. Whate'er our pardning Lord Commands, we gladly do, And guided by his word, We all his steps pursue: His glory is our sole design, We live our God to please, And rise with filial fear divine To perfect holiness. The Marks of Faith. Hymn II. How shall a slave releast From his oppressive chain Distinguish ease, and rest From weariness, and pain? Can he his burthen borne away Infallibly perceive? Or I before the judgment-day My pardon'd sin believe? Page 223 Redeem'd from all his woes, Out of his dungeon freed, Ask, how the prisoner knows That he is free indeed! How can he tell the gloom of night From the meridian blaze? Or I discern the glorious light, That streams from Jesu's face? The gasping patient lies In agony of pain! But see him light arise, Restor'd to health again! And doth he certainly receive, The knowledge of his cure! And am I conscious that I live? And is my pardon sure? A wretch for years consign'd To hopeless misery, The happy change must find, From all his pain set free: And must not I the difference know Of joy, and anxious grief, Of grace, and sin, of weal, and woe, Of faith, and unbelief?