Religion

To the Angel of the Church in Pergamos: Verses 12, 13, &c

by Charles Wesley 1707–1788

From Hymns and Sacred Poems (1742) · Osborn ed., vol. 2 (1869)

Religion

O Thou that hast the two-edged sword,
Let us Thy warning voice receive;
Give us an ear to hear Thy word,
Give us to tremble and believe.

We dwell where Satan keeps his seat;
Our fathers would not Thee disclaim,
They would not to Thy foes submit,
But kept the faith, and held Thy name.

They held it fast in evil days;
Faithful to Thee the martyrs stood,
And turn'd against the storm their face,
And strove, resisting unto blood.

But we, alas! deserve Thy blame
For tamely bearing with Thy foes,
Who dare deny the Saviour's name,
And all Thy gospel truths oppose.

The devil's factors still we hear,
The sinful advocates for sin,
Who cause the little ones to err,
And teach they never can be clean.

We suffer them for sin to plead;
Still they promote the devil's cause,
Deny that Thou for all hast bled,
And stain the glory of Thy cross.

Before Thy people's face they cast
The stumbling-block of creature-love;
"The power of sin must always last,
The power thou never canst remove."

They speak; and we, to ill inclined,
Have gladly drank the poison in,
And gratified the carnal mind,
The idol of indwelling sin.

But let us plead for sin no more,
But let the stumbling-block depart,
Our vile idolatries be o'er,
Thine, only Thine, be all our heart.

Lord, we renounce whoe'er oppose
And fight against Thy saving power;
Consume not us among Thy foes,
Nor let Thy two-edged sword devour.

u O let us of Thy strength take hold,
Thine utmost promises embrace,
The Finisher of faith behold,
The God of all- victorious grace.

To him that conquers in Thy might
Thou wilt the hidden manna give;
Thou hast obtain'd it as Thy right,
And he shall Thy deserts receive.

Thou, Lord, wilt give him a white stone,
A new mysterious name impart,
To none but the receiver known,
CHRIST IN A PURE AND SINLESS HEART.

✦ ✦ ✦

Attributed to Charles Wesley; Osborn's edition does not distinguish the brothers

MLA

Wesley, Charles. “To the Angel of the Church in Pergamos: Verses 12, 13, &c.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/wesley_c/340/.

Chicago

Wesley, Charles. “To the Angel of the Church in Pergamos: Verses 12, 13, &c.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/wesley_c/340/.

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