Wesley Corpus

Fountain of power and dignity, Thy delegates preserve and bless, Ordain'd, not by the crowd, but thee, To curb the floods of wickedness, Commission'd ministers of thine, Cloath'd with authority divine. Strengthen them in the gap to stand, To bear the sword, and not in vain, To spread thy terror thro' the land, And truth and righteousness maintain, And antient piety restore In all its purity and power. The guardians of religion true, Its witnesses vouchsafe to make: And when thee in the clouds we view, And when thou dost the kingdom take, The good they did thy church reward As done unto her heavenly Lord. Hymn XVII. For the Nobility. Great builder of thy church below, Who dost e'en now the wall repair, Shall none of all our nobles shew His zeal, the happy toil to share, Shall none his lofty neck incline, Or in thy glorious service join? Ah! Would'st thou in their hearts begin The work of thy redeeming grace! The lords of earth, the slaves of sin Out of their chains of darkness raise, Page 18 Of pleasure, ignorance, and vice, And turn their passions to the skies. Endue with wisdom from above Their souls, when precious in thy sight Their honour be thy pard'ning love, Thy service their supreme delight, Their inconceivable reward, Their heav'n, contemplating the Lord! Hymn XVIII. For the Parliament. Spirit of heavenly counsel, come, To teach our senators thy will, (To stay a sinking nation's doom, The wisdom from above reveal) Nor let them join the impious crowd, Nor let them scorn to fear their God. The wisdom that departs from sin, The gracious principle infuse, To keep their hands and conscience clean, To fit them for their Saviour's use; Now, Saviour, now to each impart A single eye and upright heart. Now let the generous patriots rise The burthen of our land to share, With pleasure, luxury, and vice To wage an everlasting war, Bold to defend religion's cause, And glory in thy slighted cross. Their first concern, their foremost aim, Thy kingdom to advance below, While all united in thy name Their zeal for thy vicegerent shew, Upon their hearts their country take, And love, and save her for thy sake. Page 19 Hymn XIX. For the Fleet.