The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

God of tremendous power,
Our evils we confess,
And prostrate in the dust, adore
Thy sovereign righteousness,
Which cuts our Israel short,
Which lays our nation low,
And gives us up the scorn and sport
Of every taunting foe.

Stricken so oft, we mourn,
But fear to ask Thy aid,
By vile, intestine vipers torn,
By faithless friends betray'd,
By factions fierce and bold,
Rebellion's sworn allies,
Traitors, who have their country sold,
And on its ruins rise.

'Gainst our anointed Lord
The parricides conspire,
With lies and calumnies abhorr'd
The' unthinking people fire,

314

From all restraint set free,
Fit instruments of ill,
And mad with rage of liberty
To do whate'er they will.

Of sense Thou dost bereave
The slaves of every vice,
And to our own confusions leave,
And sin by sin chastise,
While from one wickedness
We to another fall,
Till the dark, bottomless abyss
Yawns, and receives us all.

Alas, what shall we do
To' escape our instant doom?
If Thou art just, if Thou art true,
The threaten'd curse must come:
On such a land as this
Thy soul must vengeance take,
Nor can Thy plagues and judgments cease,
Till we our sins forsake.

O were the work begun,
O were our hearts inclined
The dire destroyer's paths to shun,
The way of peace to find!
Casting our sins away,
Might all our nation grieve,
To-day, while it is call'd to-day,
Return, repent, and live!

Father, if still we have
An Advocate with Thee,
Who can, even to the utmost, save
From sin and misery,

315

Let justice strike, or spare,
We leave it to Thy Son,
And only offer up His prayer,
Father, Thy will be done!

University of Virginia Library

HYMN II.

[God of tremendous power]