The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

Father of everlasting love,
The only Refuge of despair,
Thy bowels toward the' afflicted move,
And now Thou hear'st the mournful prayer
We for our helpless brethren breathe,
Who pant within the jaws of death.

The men who dared their king revere,
And faithful to their oaths abide,
Midst perjured hypocrites sincere,
Harass'd, oppress'd on every side;
Gaul'd by the tyrant's iron yoke,
By Britain's faithless sons forsook.

285

Our patriot chiefs betray'd their trust,
To serve their own infernal ends,
The slaves of avarice and lust,
Sparing their foes, they spoil'd their friends;
Basely repaid their loyal zeal,
And left them to the murderer's will.

As sheep appointed to be slain,
The victims of fidelity,
To man they look for help in vain;
But shall they look in vain to Thee,
God over all, who canst subdue
The hearts which mercy never knew?

Even now Thou canst disarm their rage,
(If so Thy gracious will intends,)
The wrath implacable assuage,
The malice of remorseless fiends;
Mercy at last compell'd to show,
And let the hopeless captives go.

Yet if our brethren's doom be seal'd,
And for superior joys design'd,
They have their glorious course fulfill'd;
To souls beneath the altar join'd,
Their guiltless blood hath found a tongue,
And every drop exclaims “How long?”

O earth, conceal not thou their blood
Which loud as Zechariah's cries!
O God, Thou just, avenging God,
Behold them with Thy flaming eyes,
And blast, and utterly consume
Those murderers of fanatic Rome.

286

Till then, Thou bidd'st Thy servants rest,
Who suffer'd death for conscience sake,
And wait to rise completely bless'd,
The general triumph to partake,
To see the righteous Judge come down,
And boldly claim the martyr's crown.

University of Virginia Library

HYMN II. FOR THE LOYAL AMERICANS.