Last updated: Dec. 19, 2008. Tumult Hymns (1780)1 Baker list, 410 Editorial Introduction: While Roman Catholics were officially tolerated, or allowed to hold their own worship, after the Elizabethan settlement, they suffered under a number of economic and political restrictions. These restrictions were based on the fear that Catholics were bound to follow the direction of the Pope in civil matters, as well as the connection of Catholicism to the deposed Stuart line and to France and Spain, long-time enemies of England. The Catholic Relief Act of 1778 was one of the first moves to set aside these restrictions. It allowed Roman Catholics to purchase and inherit land. It also allowed them to join the army, if they swore an oath against the Stuart claim to the throne and the papal claim to civil jurisdiction. This move came as Britain was enmeshed in battle with their colonists in North America, who were supported by the French. There were also growing strains with Spain. The British army was stretched thin and one purpose of the act was to provide a new source for recruits. Many Protestants had misgivings about the Catholic Relief Act, which were heightened when Spain declared war on Britain in June 1779 and began to plan a naval invasion. Lord George Gordon (1751-93) took the lead in organizing this concern, forming the "Protestant Association" in late 1779, with the explicit purpose of repealing the Relief Act. On June 2, 1780, he led nearly 60,000 persons to petition Parliament against the Act. As Gordon was presenting their petition, the crowd outside became riotous. Over the course of a week they burned many Roman Catholic chapels and homes in London. They attacked several prisons and freed the inmates. They stormed the Bank of England and burned the house of Lord Chief Justice Mansfield (an old school friend of Charles Wesley), destroying his vast library. Order was restored by the army only after arresting 450 persons and hanging at least another 25. Lord Gordon was tried for high treason, but gained an acquittal through the efforts of his lawyer, Thomas Erskine. While Charles Wesley was an ardent Protestant and shared concern about the loyalty of Roman Catholics in Britain to the Hanoverian throne, he was even more committed to the rule of law and respect for public property.

While Charles Wesley was an ardent Protestant and shared concern about the loyalty of Roman Catholics in Britain to the Hanoverian throne, he was even more committed to the rule of law and respect for public property. His outrage against the mob and its leaders, as well as his gratitude when peace was restored, were captured in a set of thirteen Hymns Written in the Time of the Tumults that were published within months of the riots. See also Protestant Association (1781). Edition: Charles Wesley. Hymns Written in the Time of the Tumults, June 1780. Bristol, 1780. Table of Contents Hymn I Hymn II Hymn III Hymn IV Hymn V Hymn VI Hymn VII. Upon Notice Sent One that His House was Marked Hymn VIII Hymn IX Hymn X Hymn XI Hymn XII. For the Magistrates Hymn XIII. Thanksgiving Page 3 Hymn I. The floods, O Lord, lift up their voice, And ocean's waves with angry noise, With din tremendous roar; Convulsive pangs our nation seize, And discord's horrible abyss Wide opens to devour. Blaspheming multitudes we hear, By wild astonishment and fear Beset on every side: How shall we the destruction shun, Or to what place of safety run, Our trembling souls to hide? Jesus, our sanctuary thou art: And if thou take thy people's part, Elisha's flaming bands, Their high commission to fulfil, Secure from every threaten'd ill, Shall bear us in their hands. Page 4 2Republished in Arminian Magazine 4 (1781): 674-75, under the title "A Prayer written at the time of the Insurrection, June 1780." We now with thy protection blest, Beneath thy wings of mercy rest, Till all this tyranny Is, like a sudden flood, o'repast, And peace, which evermore shall last, And love returns with thee. Hymn II.2 Thou most compassionate high-priest, In answer to our joint request United to thy own, With pity's softest eye behold The sheep which are not of this fold, The church in Babylon. The ignorant who miss their way, Not wilfully, but weakly stray; O let thy bowels move To these by furious hate pursued, And from the frantic multitude Conceal their lives above. As sheep appointed to be slain, By cruel, persecuting men, By fierce fanatic zeal; By Christian wolves, reform'd in name, Whose dire atrocious deeds proclaim The synagogue of hell.

Thy help to the distress'd afford, The men that tremble at thy word, The quiet of the land; Thy worshippers, if blind, sincere, Who honour thy vicegerent here, And bless his mild command. King George III. Page 5 3This hymn is included in a letter of Charles to his daughter Sally, June 12, 1780, and is identified as written on June 8. And O! Beneath thy mercy's wings, Hide and preserve the best of kings, Our king by right divine: His consort in thy bosom bear, His children make thy darling care, And seal them ever thine. The father of his people bless With outward and internal peace; And when his work is done, Our hoary patriot king receive, Redeem'd from earth, with thee to live, And wear an heavenly crown. Hymn III.3 Saviour, thou dost their threatnings see Who rage against our king and thee, Nor know, thy bridle in their jaws Restrains the friends of Satan's cause. As in religion's cause they join, And blasphemously call it thine, The cause of persecuting zeal, Of treason, anarchy, and hell. See, where th' impetuous waster comes, Like legion rushing from the tombs; Like stormy seas, that toss and roar, And foam, and lash the trembling shore! Havock, th' infernal leader cries! Havock, th' associate host replies! The rabble shouts the torrent pours The city sinks the flame devours! Page 6 4Republished in Arminian Magazine 4 (1781): 455, under the title "A Prayer, written at the time of the Insurrection." A general consternation spreads, While furious crouds ride o're our heads; Tremble the powers thou didst ordain, And rulers bear the sword in vain! Our arm of flesh entirely fails, The many-headed beast prevails; Conspiracy the state o'returns, Gallia exults and London burns! Arm of the Lord, awake, put on Thy strength, and cast Apollyon down, Jesus, against the murtherers rise, And blast them with thy flaming eyes: Forbid the flood our land t' o'erflow, Tell it thou shalt no farther go; My will be done, my word obey'd, And here let thy proud waves be stay'd! Hymn IV.4 God omnipotent, arise, To scatter all thy foes, Blast the rebels with thine eyes, Who thee and thine oppose; Let the tools of anarchy The daring sons of wickedness, Driven as by a whirlwind flee, Before thine angry face.

Lord of hosts, and King of kings, Thine outstretch'd arm make bare, Thine alone salvation brings, And stops the waste of war: Page 7 Earth and hell, to thee submit; Avenge us quickly of the fiend, Chase him back to his own pit, The hour of darkness end. Arm the man of thy right hand, And make him strong for thee, Confident th' angelic band His constant guard shall be; Him with wisdom from above, With calm intrepid zeal inspire, All our evils to remove, And snatch us from the fire. Britain then thy hand shall own, And bless thine instrument; Thou thro' him the work hast done, The great deliverance sent: All the praise to thee we give The God supreme, the Lord most high, Thankful to thy glory live, And to thy glory die. Hymn V. Omniscient God, to whom alone, The thoughts of every heart are known, Whose piercing eye the counsels sees Of Britain's subtlest enemies; The dark conspirators display, And force them into open day. Their hell without a covering lies, Thou knowst them thro' their close disguise, Page 8 Who laid the well-concerted plan, Who sprung the mine, and fir'd the train, As sure to lay our cities low, And end a nation at a blow. But vain, without a nod of thine, The most infallible design: They bring us down to ruin's brink, They reach their chain's extremest link; And when their fiery darts they shoot, Thy wrath destroys them branch and root. Thou hast, O God, thy work begun; But make their utmost evil known, Drag out the whole assassin band, Distinguish'd by the villain's brand, And let impartial justice find Those pests and outcasts of mankind. But chiefly them, who dar'd employ, And taught the wasters to destroy; Make all the principals appear, With all their black associates here, Nor longer let the fiend conceal, Those choicest instruments of hell. Strengthen the powers thou didst ordain, Nor let them bear the sword in vain, But turn its sharpest edge on them, Who patient majesty blaspheme, And for their country's fall conspire, And doom Britannia to the fire. Then as the rivers of the sea, Turn back the people, Lord, to thee, To thee, and to their king convert, And plant thy fear in every heart, Page 9 That every heart may faithful prove, His God, his king, and country love.

Thy heavenly kingdom then restore, Command that war be learnt no more, Pronounce the sacred number seal'd, The mystery of God fulfil'd; And Jesus shall his sway maintain, And GLORY shall for ever reign. Hymn VI. 'Tis of thy mercy Lord, That we are not consum'd, By hostile fire and sword, To sure destruction doom'd; But snatch'd as brands out of the flame, To magnify our Saviour's name. Jesus, thy name alone To us salvation brought, Thy outstretch'd arm, we own, The great deliverance wrought, Whoe'er accomplish'd thy decree, The praise entire belongs to thee. Thy power was on our side, When fiends against us rose, And stem'd the furious tide, And baffled all our foes; Crush'd the design which could not fail, And quench'd the fiery darts of hell. Our cities in a blaze Extinguish'd by thy word, The providence confess Of an Almighty Lord; Page 10 'Scaped as a bird from Satan's snare, We live thy glory to declare. O that our lives may tell The virtues of thy name, And every Briton feel From whence his safety came, And find redemption in that blood Which quench'd the fiery wrath of God! Saved from the burning pit, The death that never dies, We then our God shall meet Above the flaming skies, In everlasting songs to praise The wonders of redeeming grace. Hymn VII. Upon Notice Sent One that His House was Marked. In vain doth the assassin dark, This house for desolation mark, Protected by the scarlet sign, Already mark'd with blood divine; His idle threatnings we defy, For the destroyer must pass by. The Lord most high is our defence, Our trust is in omnipotence; His name our adamantine tower; Jehovah's wisdom, truth and power, Jesus, beneath thy shade, we dwell, And laugh at all the leagues of hell. Page 11 Hymn VIII. Thou God who hearst the prayer Presented thro' thy Son, The man that bears thy character, And fills the British throne, Into thine arms receive, And fashion'd to thy mind Our nation's joy, long may he live A blessing to mankind. Thou dost the malice know, And causeless enmity, Which all the sons of Belial show To one set up by thee: Thou seest what they intend, Who traiterously presume To stile our blacken'd king the friend Of antichristian Rome.

Confound their devilish art, Who leagued together rise, The poor unwary croud pervert, And poison with their lies: Redeem them from the foe, The dire Ahithophel, And all th' associate host o'rethrow, And chase them back to hell. But turn their hearts again, Back to their king and thee, Who ignorant of Satan's plan Swerv'd from their loyalty: Let them thy subjects live, Submit to Caesar's power, And never place to Satan give, And trust his slaves no more. Page 12 Hymn IX. Arm of the Lord, awake, awake, Thy own resistless strength put on, Us into thy protection take, And cast our foes, in vengeance, down: Our fathers unto us have told, What thou in their defence hast wrought, Thy wondrous works in times of old, When Israel's God for Britain fought. Our God the hostile powers destroy'd, Armies and fleets invincible, Render'd their cruel counsels void, And baffled all the plots of hell. Again, great God, thou dost defeat Their sure extirminating aim: Again thy praises we repeat, And London sav'd defies the flame. By an almighty arm we own The dire conspiracy supprest, Thou only, Lord, the work hast done, And safe beneath thy wings we rest: Thou hast appear'd the Lord most high, A token to thy servants given, And lo! We see the aliens fly, As chaff before the whirlwind driven! Dispers'd th' assassinating band, (Soon as they miss'd their fatal blow) Incendiaries throughout the land They carry death where'er they go; They carry their own hell within, Rebels and traitors in disguise; But all their hearts by thee are seen, And hell is naked to thine eyes. Page 13 Thou knowst the depth of their design, To slander thine anointed here, And in the holy league to join Full many a simple soul sincere; The arts, and daring lies accurst, The parricides' successful pains To blast, and make him odious first, And then but God for ever reigns! Thy wrath on these shall soon be shew'd: But let thy grace extended be To the misguided multitude, Who speak against their king and thee: Let pity the distinction make, The merciful deliverance bring, And touch their hearts, and turn them back To God, their country, and their king.

So will we sing and praise thy name, And sweetly in thy service join'd, The grace miraculous proclaim, Which makes us of one heart and mind; Which hath to us salvation brought, A desperate, death-devoted croud, The brands out of the burning caught, And quench'd a nation in thy blood! Hymn X. Most righteous God of boundless power, Thy works of judgment and of grace With awe and wonder we adore, Redeem'd, but trembling while we praise: Thy patience and long-suffering love Hath granted us a fresh reprieve: Page 14 5Ori., "perpetuate"; almost certainly a misprint, as it does not fit the metre. Thy goodness, not thy wrath, we prove, And unconsum'd in Sodom live. Hadst thou not left thyself a seed, We all had now as Sodom been, And felt the punishment decreed, And justly perish'd in our sin; Our cities had in heaps become Sad mon'ments of thy righteous ire, And every soul received its doom The vengeance of eternal fire. But rich in grace, thou hast not yet, Abandon'd us to Satan's power, Or suffer'd the wide gaping pit Our sinful nation to devour: Our lives are giv'n us for a prey; Yet O, with conscious hearts we feel Thine anger is not turn'd away, Thy dreadful arm is stretch'd out still! The people still to evil sold Fear not thy utmost wrath to meet, While treason, and rebellion bold Lift up their voice in every street: Quell'd for a season and represt, But not extirpated, they strive To rouse the many-headed beast, And all the work of hell revive. America her felons pours, Her savages, a chosen band, Assassins, skill'd at midnight hours, To spread destruction thro' the land, Deeds which humanity disowns, To perpetrate,5 the villains come, Page 15 And Britain's most apostate sons Conspire to seal their country's doom. Wherefore should we be stricken more, When all thy strokes our guilt increase? O that the evil day were o're! O that our sins and plagues might cease! Vanquish'd by thy own people's prayer, Who day and night for mercy sue, Spare the devoted nation, spare, And give the many to the few. The people of thy wrath abase, The proud metropolis confound, A murmuring, vile, rebellious race, Where Satan's darkest works abound; Where emulous of blackest times, They glory in the martyr's blood, Accumulate their foulest crimes, And crown them with INGRATITUDE.

Jesus, our injur'd king incline His foes to pity and forgive, And turn their hearts by grace divine, And bid them for thy glory live: Obedient to their king and thee, Let all the loyal nation bow: And tell our hearts the thing shall be, And seal it on our conscience now! Hymn XI. God of love, thy gracious token, We with thankful hearts receive, Thou the fowler's snare hast broken, Sav'd from death by thee we live. Page 16 Hitherto thou hast defended Us who on thy love are cast, Keep, till all the storm is ended, All the hour of darkness past. Still beset with various evils, Secret foes implacable, Brethren false, and human devils, We beneath thy shadow dwell; Place on thee our whole reliance, Every other help disclaim, Bid our enemies defiance, From the tower of Jesus' name. In each hellish insurrection Thou shalt still thy people hide, Safe in the divine protection All thy faithful ones abide: Here we find thy presence chearing, Happy in beholding thee; Happier at thy last appearing, Glorious as the God we SEE! Hymn XII. For the Magistrates. Thou, Lord of lords, and King of kings, Th' eternal potentate we own; From thee its source dominion springs A stream that issues from thy throne: Thou hast ordain'd the powers that be, Who govern by a grant from thee. The man who o'er Britannia reigns As thy vicegerent we receive; Page 17 Thy providence his right maintains, And bids him for his people live, And bless us by his gentle sway, And teach our hearts with joy t' obey. To George in majesty supreme We bow, as sitting on thy seat, To every ruler sent by him, To every magistrate submit, Whose delegated power is thine, Whose whole authority, divine. Strengthen their hands, Almighty Lord, Their sacred office to fulfil, And let them use thy vengeful sword On those who daringly do ill, Haters of government and peace, Workers of all unrighteousness. With terror arm, and virtuous zeal, Against our king's and country's foes Impartial punishments to deal, Our desp'rate, sworn, intestine foes, Assassins from the land to chase, And root out all th' accursed race. Thy ministers to us for good, Long may they in thy service live, By special grace on all bestow'd, Our nation's dignity retrieve, Our past prosperity restore, And peace, till time shall be no more.

Page 18 Hymn XIII. Thanksgiving. All glory to God! Pluck'd out of the flame, We publish abroad His wonderful name, With glad exultation And heartiest praise, Ascribing salvation To Jesus's grace. When devils and men Against us arose, And traitors unseen, And legions of foes Together conspired The state to o'erturn, And profligates hired Our cities to burn; Thou wouldst not restrain The wicked from sin, But slackning their chain, Didst let them begin: Beyond thy permission Our land to o'erthrow, The sons of perdition No farther could go. The remnant that pray'd Thou couldst not disown: They brought to our aid Omnipotence down: Omnipotence hasted Our foes to expel, Page 19 And suddenly blasted The project of hell. The tumult so loud No farther proceeds, No longer the croud Ride over our heads, The ravaging fires Are quench'd by thy word, Rebellion expires, And peace is restor'd. Thro' mercy set free, The grace we receive, And ransom'd by thee Thy servants we live, Thy power to deliver, Thy love we proclaim, And triumph for ever In Jesus his name.