The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

Turn us again, our Saviour God,
And let Thy righteous anger cease;
Be satisfied with seas of blood,
Spill'd for our nation's wickedness;
But seas of blood cannot atone
For sins which cost Thee all Thine own.

Thine own, Thine own, for respite cries
When smote a sinner turns to Thee,
And dares not lift his guilty eyes,
But sighs, “Be merciful to me!”
O that with hearts, not garments, rent,
We all might, as one man, repent!

In vain alas, Thy patience spares
Unless Thy grace our hearts convince,
In vain are all our fasts and prayers
Unless we cast away our sins,
(Of all our woes the bitter root,)
And bear the penitential fruit.

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O that at last the faithful seed,
Who day and night besiege Thy throne,
The just who for our Sodom plead,
Might pray the contrite Spirit down,
On those, who harden'd from Thy fear,
Defy eternal judgments near!

Behold them with that pitying eye,
Which wept the bloody city's doom;
Who wouldst not let Thy murderers die;
Who wouldst not let the flames consume,
When urged by fiends implacable,
We hung as o'er the mouth of hell.

Hence, by a glimmering ray of hope,
Cheer'd, we presume to sue for grace;
That sin which fills the measure up,
That sin which saints and prophets slays,
That only sin, through grace alone
Restrain'd, Thou know'st, we have not done.

Then let Thy people's suit succeed,
For those that have Thy people spared,
And save them at their greatest need,
By general penitence prepared,
The humbled prodigals receive,
And for Thy own dear sake forgive.

Cut short Thy work in righteousness,
That all Thy gracious work may see;
Born in a day our nation bless,
With pure, primeval piety;
Born in a day, from heaven above,
The day of Thine almighty love.

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HYMN XI.

[Saviour, whom our hearts adore]

Saviour, whom our hearts adore,
To bless our earth again,
Now assume Thy royal power
And o'er the nations reign:
Christ, the world's Desire and Hope,
Power complete to Thee is given,
Set the last great empire up,
Eternal God of heaven.

When Thy foes are swept away,
And meet their righteous doom,
Then Thy Deity display,
And let Thy kingdom come:
Then in the New World appear,
In lands where Thou wast never known,
There the' Imperial standard rear,
And fix Thy favourite throne.

Where they all Thy laws have spurn'd,
Thy holiest name profaned,
Where the ruin'd earth hath mourn'd,
With blood of millions slain:
Open there the' ethereal scene,
Claim the savage race for Thine,
There Thy endless reign begin
With majesty Divine.

Universal Saviour, Thou
Wilt all Thy creatures bless,
Every knee to Thee shall bow,
And every tongue confess;

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None shall in Thy mount destroy;
War shall then be learn'd no more,
Saints shall their great King enjoy,
And all mankind adore.

Then, according to Thy word,
Salvation is reveal'd;
With Thy glorious knowledge, Lord,
The new-made earth is fill'd;
Then we sound the mystery,
The depths and heights of Godhead prove,
Swallow'd up in mercy's sea,
For ever lost in love.

HYMN XII. FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE FRENCH.

Supreme, immortal Potentate,
Whose will omnipotent is fate,
Who on Thy lofty throne
Dost with unrivall'd glory sit,
Till earth, and heaven, and hell submit,
And bow to Thee alone:

Hear us, in this our evil day,
Against the treacherous nation pray,
Which by pernicious wiles
Conspires our country to o'erthrow,
And with the wisdom from below
The Christian world embroils.

A nation whom no oaths can bind,
The false corrupters of mankind,
The slaves of every lust,

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Despiteful, insolent, and proud,
Haters of the Redeeming God,
And murderers of the just.

Fraught with the policy of Rome,
By the old felon led, they come
To scatter, steal, and slay;
Brethren and countrymen divide,
While with gigantic steps they stride
To universal sway.

Arise, O Lord of hosts, arise,
Open the drowsy nation's eyes,
To see the threaten'd blow;
Europe's unconscious states alarm,
In strict confederacy to arm
Against the common foe.

O let Thy jealousy awake,
Into Thy hand the matter take,
That all Thy hand may see;
Which casts the proud and mighty down,
Which doth the weak and humble crown
With more than victory.

Compel triumphant Gallia's pride
To own that God is on our side,
Who nothing fear but God:
Nor can their plots or arms succeed,
While in our Saviour's steps we tread,
And glory in His blood.

The wretches, Lord, who Thee blaspheme,
O let Thy blood be heard for them,
Into the furnace cast;

302

So shall the infidels return,
Look upon Thee they pierced, and mourn,
And 'scape the fire at last.

HYMN XIII. FOR HER MAJESTY.

Jesus, with complacence see
Her our faith presents to Thee:
Her the choicest gift of heaven,
To our favour'd monarch given.

Given, his joys and griefs to share,
Every toil and every care;
Born to soften his distress,
Born to' ensure his happiness.

Her Thou hast on all bestow'd,
Lovely minister of good;
Her in our flagitious days,
Beautified with every grace.

Virtuous, wise, without pretence,
Meek as lamb-like innocence;
Rival of the saints above,
Object of a nation's love.

Malice ventures not to blame,
Envy sickens at her name;
General praise is Charlotte's right,
Parties all in this unite.

Neither man, nor God they spare,
Yet they all are friends to her;
Strangest sight that earth can show,
Goodness lives—without a foe!

303

Happy that she long may live,
Jesus, all Thy blessings give;
Partner of the British throne,
Count her worthy of Thine own.

Let her then triumphant stand,
With the bless'd at Thy right hand;
She, and all her children given,
All ordain'd to reign in heaven.

HYMN XIV. FOR THE ROYAL FAMILY.

Father, to Thee we bring
In faithful, fervent prayer,
The offspring of our gracious king,
Thy own peculiar care.
Acknowledging for Thine,
Into Thy arms receive,
And let them in Thy service join,
And to Thy glory live.

From every secret foe,
From every flattering friend,
Who all Thy creatures' hearts dost know,
Their innocence defend:
To make them truly great,
Thy grace to them be given,
And with Thy people's princes seat
The' anointed heirs of heaven.

O may they still approve
Their gratitude to Thee,
And recompense their parents' love
With duteous piety.

304

Still bow to Thy command,
Till the great King comes down,
And each receives from Jesu's hand
An everlasting crown.

HYMN XV. THANKSGIVING FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE GOSPEL IN AMERICA.

Glory to our redeeming Lord,
Whose kingdom over all presides,
While in the chariot of the word,
And on the whirlwind's wings He rides.

Nothing His rapid course can stay,
Or stop His government's increase;
Earthquakes and plagues prepare His way,
Wars usher in the Prince of peace.

Rebellions, massacres, and blood
On every side as water shed,
Are suffer'd by a righteous God,
That happier days may then succeed.

Even now His word doth swiftly run,
And saving knowledge multiplies,
And still His gracious work goes on,
And still His temple's walls arise.

The church is built in troublous times,
(Jehovah the commission gave,)
And God from all their sins and crimes
Would all the sons of Adam save.

305

Loving to the whole ransom'd race
He fits His creatures for His use,
In every age and every place
One uniform design pursues.

In love He doth His sons chastise,
His desolating judgments send!
Judgments are mercies in disguise,
And all in man's salvation end.

Wherefore beneath Thy hand we bow,
And bless each salutary blow;
If what Thou dost we know not now,
We shall, O Lord, hereafter know.

Shall see Thy footsteps in the' abyss,
Unwind the providential maze,
And own, amidst the general bliss,
Mercy, and truth are all Thy ways.

With grateful joy we comprehend
The meaning of the' eternal Mind;
Accept, Thou universal Friend,
The ceaseless praise of all mankind.

HYMN XVI.

[God, who wouldst a world forgive]

God, who wouldst a world forgive,
Offerest all sufficient grace;
All may in Thy Son believe,
Numbers do Thy Son embrace;
Numbers saved, from every sect,
Form the church of Thy elect.

306

Scatter'd o'er the earth they lie,
Sheep with wolves encompass'd round,
Guided by their Shepherd's eye,
Safe they in the fold are found:
Angels all their steps attend,
Serve, and keep them to the end.

When Thy judgments are abroad,
Them Thou kindly dost conceal,
Hidden in the ark of God,
Shelter'd, they in Zoar dwell;
Find a sanctuary prepared,
Find Omnipotence their guard.

Poor, and mean, whom all reject,
Persecute or else despise,
They their enemies protect,
Stay the vengeance of the skies:
Till Thou hast secured Thine own,
Stands the world for them alone.

States and empires rise, or fall,
Stands the church till time shall end,
Waiting for the Bridegroom's call,
Listening, longing to ascend,
Fair, and spotless, and complete,
Jesus in the clouds to meet.

When the number is fulfill'd,
When the righteous are brought home,
When the mystery is seal'd,
Then the world shall meet its doom,
Earth burn'd up in smoke expire,
Sinners in eternal fire.

307

HYMN XVII.

[Let earth be glad, the Lord is king]

Let earth be glad, the Lord is king,
The multitude of isles may sing,
Britain may still rejoice in Him,
The Lord almighty to redeem,
Who o'er the' impatient heathen reigns,
And holds our furious foes in chains.

Frowning on us, He seems awhile
On perjured parricides to smile,
Our foes with much long-suffering spares,
A bundle of devoted tares;
But bids us patiently attend
His time, and calmly mark the end!

Escaping for their wickedness,
Triumphant in their sure success,
Off from their necks the yoke they shake,
And as meek saints the kingdom take,
And 'stablish, both by land and sea,
The fifth, the final monarchy.

Yet instruments of Thy design,
The kingdom is not theirs, but Thine,
Who dost with wisdom deep employ
Thy foes each other to destroy,
And use, beyond their own intent,
To shock, and purge the Continent.

Extirpating the' ungodly race,
With whom wilt Thou supply their place?
With Israel's tribes so long conceal'd?
Just Jews, and real Christians fill'd?
With savages through Jesu's blood
Redeem'd, and seal'd the sons of God?

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America, we trust shall show
Thy glorious kingdom fix'd below,
A kingdom of perennial peace,
Pure joy, and perfect righteousness,
Not of this world, but that above,
Where all is harmony and love.

Then shall Thy whole design be seen,
How far beyond the thoughts of men!
When all authority put down,
All powers are swallow'd up in one,
And challenging Thy right Divine,
Thou claim'st the universe for Thine.

Then shall we Hallelujah sing,
Angels and saints, to Christ our King,
Loud as the mighty waters' noise,
Loud as the rattling thunder's voice,
“The' Omnipotent His sway maintains,
The Lord, our God, for ever reigns!”

University of Virginia Library

II. PART II.

HYMN X.

[Turn us again, our Saviour God]