Wesley Corpus

My grain of faith, my buried grain He shall bring to life again, Who did the blessing give: Then shall I live to God alone, And taken up to share his throne, With Christ triumphant live. "It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption." 1 Cor. xv. 42. O blessed hope of life to come, Life which beyond the grave I see! This body tottering o'er a tomb, Committed to the ground shall be: 'Tis sown a corruptible seed, A lump of putrefying clay; 'Tis rais'd immortal from the dead, No more to moulder, or decay. 47John Wesley underlined "joy" in line 1 and "comforts all" in line 3 in his personal copy, placing a manuscript question mark after line 1. Page 296 "It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory." 1 Cor. xv. 43. Soon as I render up the ghost, The worm on this vile body preys, Shocking to those who lov'd it most, 'Tis sown in ruinous disgrace, Loathsome, remov'd from human sight, It heavenly dignity receives, And cloath'd with robes of purest light, And glorious as its Maker lives. "It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power." 1 Cor. xv. 43. This flesh at the last gasp restores The feeble strength it once enjoy'd, Depriv'd of all its active force, It lies of sense and motion void; But rais'd in power to reach the skies, Inspir'd with vigorous life unknown, With lightning wing'd, it mounts, it flies, It stands before the Saviour's throne! "It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body." 1 Cor. xv. 44. A body natural, by food And sleep sustain'd, to death I give, A body spiritual, endued With nobler qualities, receive, A permanent, etherial frame, From all material dregs refin'd, Compos'd of pure angelic flame, And meet for mine eternal mind. "We shall all be changed, in a moment." 1 Cor. xv. 51, 52. Stupendous word of power divine! "And cannot the Almighty raise Into a saint this soul of mine, Transform'd by instantaneous grace?" Page 297 He can the general guilt remove, This moment speak our sins forgiven, And perfect all mankind in love, And snatch us up at once to heaven.