The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

We know, by faith we know,
If this vile house of clay,
This tabernacle sink below
In ruinous decay:
We have a house above
Not made with mortal hands,
And firm as our Redeemer's love
That heavenly fabric stands.

It stands securely high,
Indissolubly sure,
Our glorious mansion in the sky
Shall evermore endure.
O were we enter'd there,
To perfect heaven restored,
O were we all caught up to share
The triumph of our Lord!

Beneath our earthly load
We labour now and groan,
And hasten toward that house of God,
And struggle to be gone:
We would not, Lord, desire
An end of misery,
But Thee our earnest souls require,
We long to die for Thee.

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For this in faith we call,
For this we weep and pray;
O might the tabernacle fall,
O might we 'scape away!
Full of immortal hope,
We urge the restless strife,
And hasten to be swallow'd up
Of everlasting life.

Absent, alas! from God,
We in the body mourn,
And pine to quit this mean abode,
And languish to return:
Jesus, regard our vows,
And change our faith to sight,
And clothe us with our nobler house
Of empyrean light.

O let us put on Thee
In perfect holiness,
And rise prepared Thy face to see,
Thy bright unclouded face;
Thy grace with glory crown
Who hast the earnest given,
And now triumphantly come down
And take our souls to heaven.

University of Virginia Library

HYMN XIII.

[We know, by faith we know]