Christ returning to the skies

Verse 1
Christ returning to the skies
Drops his mantle in his rise,
Marks of temporary death
Leaves the linnet clothes beneath,
Puts his robes of glory on,
Re-ascends his Father’s throne.

Verse 2
We the linnen-garments need,
Left to sheet our softest bed,
Left in Jesus grave they are,
Ours to hallow and prepare;
There the separate napkin lies,
Left to dry the mourner’s eyes.

Hymnal/Album: Originally titled: “‘He seeth the linnet clothes lie, and the napkin by itself.’—[John 20,] v. 6, 7." This hymn appears in the 1763-64 manuscript “MS John.” This manuscript is part of the collection of the Methodist Archive and Research Centre in The John Rylands Library, The University of Manchester (accession number MA 1977/573, Charles Wesley Notebooks Box 3). Accessed through the website of The Center for Studies in the Wesleyan Tradition, Duke Divinity School. Published in The Poetical Works of John and Charles Wesley, Collected and Arranged by G. Osborn, Vol. 12 (London: Wesleyan-Methodist Conference Office, 1871), page 103.
Publishing: Public Domain