115: HEAD of the Church, Thy body

115: HEAD of the Church, Thy body

by G. Gilpin

1 HEAD of the Church, Thy body,
O Christ, the great salvation,
Sweet to the saints
It is to think
Of all Thine exaltation;
All power's to Thee committed,
All power on earth, in heaven;
To Thee a name
Of widest fame
Above all glory's given.

2 With Thee believers raised
In Thee on high are seated;
All guilty once,
But cleared by Thee;
Redemption-toil completed.
And when Thou, Lord and Saviour,
Shalt come again in glory,
There by Thy side
Thy spotless bride
Shall crown the wondrous story.

3 At length, the final kingdom
No bound, no end possessing,
When heaven and earth
God all in all
Shall fill with largest blessing:
All root of evil banished;
No breath of sin to wither;
On earth, on high,
Nought else but joy
And blissful peace for ever.