The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

Hark, how the watchmen cry!
Attend the trumpet's sound,
Stand to your arms; the foe is nigh,
The powers of hell surround:
Who bow to Christ's command
Your arms and hearts prepare;
The day of battle is at hand,
Go forth to glorious war.

See on the mountain's top
The ensign of your God,
In Jesu's name I lift it up,
All stain'd with hallow'd blood:
His standard-bearer I
To all the nations call,
Let all to Jesu's cross draw nigh;
He bore the cross for all.

Ye who His call obey,
Behold the banner spread
To cover in the evil day
His faithful soldier's head:
Be strong in Jesu's might;
The panoply Divine
Put on, beneath this standard fight,
And conquer in this sign.

Go up, with Christ, your Head,
Your Captain's footsteps see,
Follow your Captain, and be led
To certain victory:

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All power to Him is given,
He ever reigns the same,
Salvation, happiness, and heaven
Are all in Jesu's name.

Ye now have took the field,
And fearlessly march on,
Fight the good fight, hold fast your shield,
Till Satan is cast down.
Cast down he soon shall be,
He shall, he shall submit,
Compell'd with all his host to flee
Or bruised beneath your feet.

Only have faith in God,
In faith your foes assail,
Not wrestling against flesh and blood,
But all the powers of hell:
From thrones of glory driven,
By flaming vengeance hurl'd,
They throng the air, and darken heaven,
And rule the lower world.

Angels your march oppose,
Who still in strength excel,
Your secret, sworn, eternal foes,
Countless, invisible;
With rage that never ends,
Their hellish arts they try,
Legions of dire malicious fiends,
And spirits enthroned on high.

On earth the' usurpers reign,
Exert their baleful power,
O'er the poor fallen sons of men
They tyrannize their hour.

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But shall believers fear?
But shall believers fly?
Or see the bloody cross appear,
And all their powers defy?

Jesu's tremendous name,
Puts all our foes to flight!
Jesus the meek, the angry Lamb
A lion is in fight:
By all hell's host withstood,
We all hell's host o'erthrow,
And conquering them through Jesu's blood,
We still to conquer go.

Our Captain leads us on,
He beckons from the skies,
He reaches out a starry crown,
And bids us take the prize;
“Be faithful unto death,
Partake My victory,
And thou shalt wear this glorious wreath,
And thou shalt reign with Me.”

'Tis thus the righteous Lord
To every soldier saith,
Eternal life is the reward
Of all-victorious faith:
Who conquer in His might
The victor's meed receive,
And claim a kingdom in His right,
Which God is bound to give.

But let us all abide
Throughout the glorious war,
Till every soul is sanctified,
And more than conqueror;

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Till every perfect one
To heavenly joys remove,
And sit with Jesus on His throne
Of everlasting love.

University of Virginia Library

XCI. THE SAME.

Hymn 8.

[Hark, how the watchmen cry!]