Last updated: 5 February 2010. Intercession Hymns (1759)1 Baker list, 231 Editorial Introduction: The Seven Year's War (1756-63) engulfed most of Europe, with Prussia joining Britain as allies against France, Russia, Austria, Sweden and others. While the British and Prussian forces enjoyed some initial encouraging victories, things took a negative turn in the first half of 1759. Frederick the Great and the Prussian forces suffered some severe defeats and there was growing fear of a French invasion of England. In this context Charles Wesley published just before midyear a small pamphlet of four Hymns of Intercession for the Kingdom of England. Unlike the earlier Intercession Hymns (1758), which covered a wide range of concerns, these hymns all pleaded for God's intervention and protection of Britain in this dangerous hour. The hymns were clearly rushed into print, because when Charles incorporated them into a larger set of Invasion Hymns in July 1759, he revised them much more than was typical of his other collections. Edition: Charles Wesley. Hymns of Intercession for the Kingdom of England. np 1759. Table of Contents Part I Part II Part III Part IV Page 2 2A manuscript copy of this first hymn is present in the Methodist Archives and Research Centre of The John Ryland University Library (MA 1977/583/32, 6). It contains only one variant, that is noted below. Part I.2 Let God, the mighty God, The Lord of hosts arise, With terror clad, with strength endu'd, And rent, and bow the skies! Call'd down by faithful prayer, Saviour, appear below, Thy hand lift up, thine arm make bare, And quell thy church's foe. Our refuge in distress, In danger's darkest hour, Appear as in the antient days With full redeeming power; That thy redeem'd may sing In glad triumphant strains, The Lord is God, the Lord is King, The Lord for ever reigns. We with our ears have heard, Our fathers us have told The work that in their days appear'd, And in the times of old; The mighty wonders wrought By heaven in their defence, When Jacob's God for Britain fought, And chas'd th' invaders hence. Vainly invincible, Their fleets the seas did hide,

Page 3 3"Every Briton" changed to "we, and Europe" in Invasion Hymns (1759). The manuscript copy MA 1977/583/32, 6 reads "That Brittain's sons." 4"Unfathom'd" changed to "unwearied" in Invasion Hymns (1759). 5"The" changed to "Our" in Invasion Hymns (1759). 6"This" changed to "our" in Invasion Hymns (1759). And doom'd our sires to death and hell, And Israel's God defied: But with his wind he blew, But with his waves he rose, And dash'd, and scatter'd, and o'erthrew, And swallow'd up his foes. Jesus, Jehovah, Lord, Thy wonted aid we claim; Not trusting in our bow or sword, But in thy saving name: Thy name the mighty tower, From whence our foes we see Ready our country to devour, Without a nod from thee. Thou wilt not give us up A prey unto their teeth, But blast their aim, confound their hope, Their league with hell and death; With such deliverance bless Whom thou hast chose for thine, That every Briton3 may confess "The work is all divine!" Part II. God of unbounded power, God of unfathom'd4 love, Be present in our dangerous hour, The5 danger to remove; To guard this6 fav'rite land, So oft preserv'd by thee, Page 4 7"A battlement" changed to "As battlements" in Invasion Hymns (1759). 8"Crimes" changed to "sins" in Invasion Hymns (1759). Come, Lord, and in the channel stand, Come, and block up the sea. Refuse them leave to pass, Forbid them to draw nigher; Surround us as a wall of brass, A battlement7 of fire: Our lives, our threaten'd coast Beneath thy shadow take, And turn aside the alien host, And drive the ruffians back. Or if thine awful will Admit our Romish foe, And force the sleeping crowd to feel The long-suspended blow; If justice stern hath past Th' irrevocable doom, And arm'd with Britain's crimes8 at last The ravagers must come. Come first, thou Man in white, Thy Father's love reveal, His name on every mourner write, And every servant seal; Let their deliverance prove Thou canst preserve thine own, And all who trust thy guardian love Are safe in thee alone. Come then, ye hostile bands, For one short moment come!

Page 5 9"Him" changed to "God" in Invasion Hymns (1759). 10"The" changed to "His" in Invasion Hymns (1759). 11"Unthinking" changed to "obdurate" in Invasion Hymns (1759). 12"Wolves" changed to "wolf" in Invasion Hymns (1759). The Man in white shall bind your hands, Ye murtherers of Rome: If suffered from on high To reach our threatned shore, With bridles in your mouths draw nigh, And shew your bounded power. Your power to him9 submits; He keeps our faithful souls; Above the water floods he sits, And earth and hell controuls: In dangers, deaths, and snares He lays the sacred line; Nor can ye touch a man that bears The10 Saviour's bloody sign. Part III. But will the gracious Lord, Who hides us in his breast, Redeem his servants from the sword, And give up all the rest? Wilt thou thy fury pour On the unthinking11 crowd, And let the Romish wolves12 devour The men that know not God? Bowels divine, forbid! Forbid it heavenly grace! And let the mourning praying seed Protect the sinful race: To Abraham's son and God With Abraham's faith we cry, Page 6 13"Suffer them to" changed to "let the wicked" in Invasion Hymns (1759). 14"Forc'd by the" changed to "Drawn down by" in Invasion Hymns (1759). 15"Justice" changed to "vengeance" in Invasion Hymns (1759). 16"The" changed to "a" in Invasion Hymns (1759). 17"Unconcern'd" changed to "dead in sins" in Invasion Hymns (1759). 18"And" changed to "Who" in Invasion Hymns (1759). O spare a nation in their blood, Nor suffer them to13 die. Forc'd by the14 public crimes, If justice15 must take place, Why, Lord, in our degenerate times Hast thou remembred grace? Thy kingdom why restor'd? What means thy Spirit's strife, While thousands by his powerful word Are pass'd from death to life? The tokens of thy love On every side we see, And crowds begotten from above Stretch out their hands to thee: Against this evil day Ready prepar'd they stand, To turn thy vengeful wrath away, And save a guilty land. Ev'n now with them we meet Around thy gracious throne, And mercy for the16 land intreat Where thou art truly known: We wrestle for the throng Who unconcern'd17 abide, (Because the judgment lingers long,) And18 all thy threats deride. What canst thou do to save The souls insensible,

Page 7 19Line changed to "They ask the scourge to see" in Invasion Hymns (1759). 20"Number'd" changed to "numbred" in Invasion Hymns (1759). Who madly their destruction brave, And laugh at death and hell? They claim thy scourge from thee,19 They bid thy day make haste, But public ill, o'erul'd by thee, Shall turn to good at last. Part IV. Here then we calmly rest, Whate'er thy will intend, It must be for thy people best, It must in blessings end: To those that love the Lord, And feel thy sprinkled blood, Famine, and pestilence, and sword, Shall jointly work for good. Our lives are hid with thine, Our hairs are number'd20 all, Nor can without the nod divine One worthless sparrow fall: And shall a nation bleed, And shall a kingdom fail, While thou, O Christ, art Lord and Head O'er heaven and earth and hell! Beneath thy wings secure, In patience we possess Our souls, and quietly endure Whatever our God decrees: Yet still (we cry) delay The careless sinner's doom, Page 8 21"Their" changed to "Our" in Invasion Hymns (1759). 22"Cast down" changed to "o'erturn" in Invasion Hymns (1759). 23"Their" changed to "our" in Invasion Hymns (1759). 24"Them" changed to "us" in Invasion Hymns (1759). 25"Their" changed to "our" in Invasion Hymns (1759). 26"Them" changed to "us" in Invasion Hymns (1759). 27"Them" changed to "us" in Invasion Hymns (1759). 28"And" changed to "the" in Invasion Hymns (1759). 29"They" changed to "we" in Invasion Hymns (1759). 30"Their" changed to "Our" in Invasion Hymns (1759). 31"Their" changed to "Our" in Invasion Hymns (1759). 32"Them" changed to "us" in Invasion Hymns (1759). And, till the judgment comes, we pray That it may never come: May never come alone, But guided by thy grace Their21 vain self confidence cast down,22 And all their23 pride abase: Who will not see thy hand, Thy truth and love adore, Compel them,24 Lord, to understand The thunder of thy power.

Out of their25 slumber woke, Bid all our nation rise, And bless the providential stroke, That turn'd them26 to the skies: Who walk'd in darkest night, In death's dread shadow lay, Shew them27 the great and28 glorious light, The dawn of gospel-day. Escap'd the hostile sword, O may they29 fly to thee, And find in our redeeming Lord Their30 life and liberty; Their31 strength and righteousness, O let them32 hold thee fast, With confidence divine, and peace That shall for ever last.