The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

Teacher Divine, with melting eye
Our ruin'd seats of learning see,
Whose ruling scribes Thy truth deny,
And persecute Thy saints, and Thee,
As hired by Satan to suppress,
And root up every seed of grace.

As heretics and Lollards still
Thy faithful confessors they brand,
With all their strength and knowing skill
Thy Spirit and His work withstand,
In league with hell Thy throne to' o'erthrow,
And raise the kingdom of Thy foe.

Where knowledge vain, unsanctified
Fills every synagogue and chair,
Where pride and unbelief preside,
And wage with heaven immortal war,
The prophets' nursing-schools are these,
Or sinks of desperate wickedness!

True prophets once they surely bred,
And champions for the' Incarnate God,
Who lived Thy dying love to spread,
Who seal'd the record with their blood.

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The truth, the way, the life of grace,
Blasphemed by their degenerate race.

But wilt Thou let the fountains fail,
Or flow through earth with streams impure?
Thy gospel must at last prevail,
Thy word from age to age endure,
And learning fasten'd to the Cross
For ever serve Thy glorious cause.

HYMN XXII. FOR THE SAME.

[Now, Lord, in answer to our prayer]

Now, Lord, in answer to our prayer,
Let learning and religion meet,
Pleasant the city stands and fair,
Of piety the ancient seat,
But O! the streams that murmur round
Are naught, and barren is the ground.

Jesus, our true Elisha, Lord,
And God the Saviour-God most high,
Thyself give out the healing word,
The gospel cruse with salt supply,
And charge the prophets' sons to bring,
And cast the salt into the spring.

Out of themselves apostles raise,
And pastors after Thy own will,
Whose word may minister the grace,
Whose gospel may the waters heal,
To earth its fruitfulness restore,
Till curse, and death shall be no more.

University of Virginia Library

FOR THE UNIVERSITIES.

HYMN XXI.

[Teacher Divine, with melting eye]

HYMN XXII. FOR THE SAME.

[Now, Lord, in answer to our prayer]