The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley :: :: University of Virginia Library

XI. [Jesus, the glory take!]

Jesus, the glory take!
Afflicted and oppress'd,
Reviled and hated for Thy sake,
Thou hast pronounced us bless'd:
The blessing we receive,
We all our seal set to,
Now, Lord, we feelingly believe,
And own that Thou art true.

Faithful and good Thou art;
We taste the heavenly powers,
The glorious earnest in our heart
Ensures the kingdom ours:
Exceeding glad we are,
Our ravish'd bosoms swell
With ecstasy too strong to bear,
With joy unspeakable.

Through persecution bold,
To Thee our songs we raise;
Thee in the furnace we behold,
Thee in the fires we praise:

We now the promise know,
Sufficient is Thy love
To bear us through these storms below,
And land us safe above.

To suffer now is sweet,
For Thou the strength hast given:
And O! how infinitely great
Is our reward in heaven!
We shall be surely there,
The fight will soon be won;
The cross we now with Jesus bear
Shall lift us to the throne.

'Twas thus the saints of God,
His messengers and seers,
The narrow path of sufferings trod,
And pass'd the vale of tears;
Through sore afflictions pass'd
To better worlds above,
And more than conquer'd all at last
In our Redeemer's love.

Sufferers like them beneath,
Through much distress and pain,
Through all the toils of hell and death
We come with them to reign;
With Christ the glorious King,
Who wipes our tears away,
And calls us up His praise to sing
In everlasting day.