2968.
[Saviour, whose manifested love]
Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?
—xxvi. 14.
Saviour, whose manifested love
A persecuting Saul o'ercame,
Appear, illustrious from above,
To them who now resist Thy name,
With mad despite Thy flock pursue,
For O, they know not what they do.
Send forth a kind convincing ray
Thou glorious Effluence Divine,
To chase the clouds of sin away
In nature's deepest darkness shine,
With dreadful light Thy foes surround,
In mercy smite them to the ground.
Give them to feel the irksome pain
Of men who dare their God oppose,
Who kick against the pricks in vain,
Pierce themselves through with various woes,
But never can successful be,
Or triumph o'er Thy church and Thee.
Their unsuspected guilt reveal,
The sudden keen conviction dart,
And show the men in league with hell
They take Thine ancient murderers' part,
And all who on the members tread
Insult and persecute the Head.
Then, Lord, Thy fallen murderers raise
After Thyself to ask of Thee:
Saviour of all our prostrate race,
Open their eyes Thy love to see,
And in their inmost souls make known
Our God and Thee for ever one.
