University of Virginia Library


97

HYMN III.

[Still let us in our rising song]

Still let us in our rising song
Pursue the wild rebellious throng,
With tenfold rage and fury fired,
With all the zeal of hell inspired,
The sons of Rome and Satan see,
And trace them to their destiny.
Bold they return to sure success,
Whom all the saints conspire to bless,
Supported by their friends beneath,
In covenant with hell and death;
And Spanish gold, and Gallic pride,
And Holy Church is on their side.
See how they fly to set us free
From all our northern heresy,
Our feuds and grievances to heal,
And purge the land with northern steel,
Bring back to their infernal god,
And re-baptize us in our blood.
Bent to devour the total prey,
They leave our troops an open way,
An uncontested passage yield,
And draw their conquerors to the field,
And, sworn our ruin to secure,
They make their own destruction sure.
Lo! the audacious hopes of Rome
Rush headlong to their instant doom,
Slaughter and threats the aliens breathe,
Nor see the Lord of life and death,
Till struck with lightning from His eye,
They fear, they turn, they fall, they die!

98

How are the mighty fallen! dead!
Who fill'd our conscious land with dread;
Perish'd the keenest tools of war,
The crafty caught in their own snare,
And Antichrist robb'd of his plea,
His blind infallibility!
'T was not the number of our hosts,
That baffled all their furious boasts,
Our wisdom did not cast them down,
Our courage, Lord, was not our own;
From Thee the sacred ardour came,
And William breathed an heavenly flame!
O let him thankfully submit
To lay his laurels at Thy feet,
By faith a Christian hero stand,
And hang on Thine all-ruling hand,
Supporter of his father's throne,
Upheld himself by Thee alone!
Give him, and us, and all to see
Our strength and life secured in Thee,
By whom Thy dread vicegerents reign,
And righteous kings their sway maintain,
Assured, who on Thy love depend,
Their God and Maker is their friend.
O that we all may seek and find
The Saviour, Friend of human kind,
People and prince be still employ'd
To' ensure the lasting peace of God,
And strive, till all obtain above
Eternal rest in Jesus' love!