The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

At this most alarming crisis,
Shall we not from sin awake,
While the great Jehovah rises,
Terribly the earth to shake?
While He doth a moment spare,
Shall we not attend the rod,
Hear His thunder's voice, “Prepare,
O prepare, to meet your God!”

Compass'd round with hostile nations,
All to our destruction sworn,
God of unexhausted patience,
Still we may to Thee return;
Though Thy peremptory sentence
Absolute perdition sound,
Place there is for true repentance,
Mercy sought may yet be found.

292

Still Thou hear'st the mourners sighing
For our wickedness abhorr'd,
Thousands in our Israel crying
Stop, O stop the slaughtering sword!
Drop Thy dreadful controversy,
While we at Thy footstool groan;
Lord, in wrath remember mercy,
Give us to Thy pleading Son!

By His bloody cross and passion,
By His precious death, we pray,
Turn aside Thine indignation,
Take Thy heaviest plague away;
Sin, the cause of our distresses,
Sin, the bitter root remove,
Then appeased, Thine anger ceases,
Then redeem'd, we praise and love.

University of Virginia Library

HYMN VI.

[At this most alarming crisis]