Wesley Corpus

Urge on your rapid course, Ye blood-besprinkled bands, The heavenly kingdom suffers force, 'Tis seiz'd by violent hands; See there the starry crown, That glitters thro' the skies, Satan, the world, and sin tread down, And take the glorious prize. Thro' much distress, and pain, Thro' many a conflict here, Thro' blood ye must the entrance gain; Yet O! Disdain to fear: Courage, your Captain cries, Who all your toil fore-knew, Toil ye shall have, yet all despise, I have o'ercome for you. The world cannot withstand Its antient Conqueror; The world must sink beneath that hand, Which arms us for the war: This is the victory, Before our faith they fall; Jesus hath died for you, and me! Believe, and conquer all. Satan shall be repell'd; The world's imperious god Shall fly before our sacred shield, Our trust in Jesu's blood: Jesus hath cleft his crown, Of old from glory driven, And cast the bold aspirer down, As lightning out of heaven. Page 234 Him, and his powers below He bound, and captive led, Our rising Lord in open shew His hellish spoils display'd; O'er all th' infernal host He more than conqueror was, And dragg'd them at his wheels, the boast, And triumph of his cross. 'Twas there our peace he bought; Tho' nail'd to yonder tree, His hands have our salvation wrought, And got the victory: He felt the mortal dart, The horror-breathing king Shot all our sin into his heart, And death hath lost his sting. Death is all swallow'd down, Our sins are wash'd away, The guilt, the guilt of sin is gone, The power can never stay. Our worst, our inbred foe By Jesus is subdued, Our mountain-sins melt down, and flow And sink into his blood. We now shall more than win The fight thro' Jesu's name, Conquerors o'er hell, and earth, and sin In the victorious Lamb; The Lamb a lion is, And all his foes shall slay, And fly upon the spoil, and seize, And take his lawful prey. The Spirit of his power Into our souls shall come, And all our foes destroy, devour, And all our sins consume: Page 235 The jealous Lord of hosts Shall full dominion have, Shall all, who in his merits trust, Ev'n to the utmost save.