3 Let us sing, though fierce temptation
Threaten hard to bear us down;
For the Lord, our strong salvation,
Holds in view the conq'ror's crown;
He who washed us with His blood,
Soon will bring us home to God.

4 Let us praise, and join the chorus
Of His saints enthroned on high;
Here, they trusted Him before us,
Now their praises fill the sky:
"Thou hast washed us with Thy blood;
Thou art worthy, Lamb of God!"

NEWTON.

VIII. CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE.

WARFARE, TRIALS, HOPES.

142.

[RGE on your rapid course,

Ye blood-besprinkled bands;
The heavenly kingdom suffers force;
'Tis seized by violent hands:
See there the starry crown

S. M.

That glitters through the skies;
Satan, the world, and sin, tread down,
And take the glorious prize.

2 Through much distress and pain,
Through many a conflict here,
Through blood, ye must the entrance gain,
Yet oh! disdain to fear:

Courage, your Captain cries,

(Who all your toil foreknew,) Toil ye shall have, yet all despise ;

I have o'ercome for you.

3 The world can not withstand Its ancient Conqueror;

The world must sink beneath the 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.

143.

NGELS

your march

oppose

WESLEY.

S. M.

Who still in strength excel,

Your secret, sworn, eternal foes,

Countless, invisible;

From thrones of glory driven,

By flaming vengeance hurled,

They throng the air, and darken heaven, And rule this lower world.

2 But shall believers fear?
But shall believers fly?
Or see the bloody cross appear,
And all their powers defy?
By all hell's host withstood,

We all hell's host o'erthrow;

And conquering them through Jesus' blood,

We on to conquer go.

144.

OHI may Thy powerful word

Inspire a feeble worm

To rush into Thy kingdom, Lord,
And take it as by storm.

WESLEY.

S. M.

2 Oh! may we all improve

The grace already given,

To seize the crown of perfect love,
And scale the mount of heaven.

WESLEY.

145.

not too arduous an essay,

L. M.

"TIS not read, resolved, the Gospel way;

The sensual nature to control,
And warm with purer fire the soul.

2 Nature will raise up all her strife,
Reluctant to the heavenly life;
Loth in a Saviour's death to share,
Her daily cross compelled to bear.

3 But grace omnipotent at length
Shall arm the saint with saving strength;
Through the sharp war with aids attend,
And his long conflict sweetly end.

4 Act but the infant's gentle part;
Give up to love thy willing heart;
No fondest parent's tender breast
Yearns like thy God's to make thee blest.

5 Thy sovereign Father, good and kind, Wants but to have His child resigned; Wants but thy yielded heart-no moreThee with His richest grace to store.

LUTHER

146.

AMI a soldier of the cross,

A follower of the Lamb?

And shall I fear to own His cause,
Or blush to speak His name?

2 Shall I be carried to the skies
On flow'ry beds of ease,

While others fought to win the prize,
And sailed through bloody seas?

3 Are there no foes for me to face,
Must I not stem the flood?

Is this vain world a friend to grace,
To help me on to God?

4 Sure I must fight if I would reign:
Increase my courage, Lord,

To bear the cross, endure the shame,
Supported by Thy word.

5 The saints, in all this glorious war,
Shall conquer, though they die;
They see the triumph from afar,
With faith's discerning eye.

6 When that illustrious day shall rise,
And all Thine armies shine

In robes of victory through the skies,
The glory shall be thine.

C. M.

WATTS.