Wesley Corpus

The Prince of life and peace, By heav'n's supreme decree Deliver'd up, ye dar'd to seize, And nail31 him to the tree: Taken by wicked hands, And crucify'd and slain; But God hath loos'd the mortal bands, And rais'd him up again. It was not possible That death should keep his32 prey; God would not leave his soul in hell, Or let his flesh decay: His flesh repos'd in hope Of the third joyful morn, And then the Father rais'd him up, And God again was born. This Jesus is restor'd To life by33 power divine; We all proclaim our living Lord, And in his praises join: We are his witnesses, He is gone up on high, Exalted to his native place, He lives no more to die. Again at God's right-hand Our Lord is call'd to sit, Till all who now his sway withstand Are crush'd beneath his feet: Be it to Israel's seed, To every sinner known, God hath perform'd his oath indeed, Hath glorify'd his Son. Sinners, believe he died, And rose to buy your peace; Jesus the Christ, the crucified, The Lord of life confess: Repent in Jesus' name, Believe and be forgiven, And take the Holy Ghost ye claim, And rise with us to heaven. 31"Nail" changed to "nail'd" in 1754 edn. and following. 32"His" changed to "its" in 1754 edn. only. 33"By" changed to "and" in 1764 edn. and following. Page 19 Hymn XV. Christ, our living head draw near, At our call, quicken all Thy true members here. Fill'd with faith's eternal Spirit, Grant that we, dead with thee, May thy life inherit. All thy resurrection's power, All thy love, from above, On thy servants shower. Perfect love! We long t' attain it, Following fast, if at last We, ev'n we may gain it. Partners of thy death and passion, O that we all might see All thy great salvation. Sav'd beyond the dread of falling, Let us rise to the prize Of our glorious calling. Children of the resurrection, Lead us on to the crown Of our full perfection. There, where thou art gone before us, Christ, our hope, take us up, To thy heaven restore us. Hymn XVI. For Ascension-Day.