The Trial of Faith, Hymn 8

It must be so; Thou say'st it must:
True is Thine acceptable word,
They will from their communions thrust
The faithful followers of their Lord;
Buffet, and vex, and scourge, and bind
The friends, and patrons of mankind.

Full of the wicked one, and born
After the flesh, they will pursue
With restless hate, and cruel scorn,
The souls whom Thou hast formed anew.
The saints begotten from above,
Born of the Spirit of Thy love.

Who would the life of God regain,
And Thee for their example take,
They too the honour shall obtain,
And persecuted for Thy sake,
Thy confessors their seal set to,
True witnesses that God is true.

Who only seek in Thee our rest,
Are we not now a proverb made,
Reviled, rejected, and oppress'd,
By brethren and by friends betray'd,
By bitterest household foes pursued,
Hated of all that love not God?

Since first we heavenward turn'd our face,
Exposed, and outraged all day long
An helpless, poor, afflicted race,
For doing good we suffer wrong.
We suffer shame, distress, and loss,
And wait for all Thy glorious cross.

The Scriptures they in vain deny,
The world unknowingly fulfil;
Bursting through nature's closest tie,
The brother shall the brother kill,
The son shall stop his father's breath,
The parent drag his child to death.

No pity or humane regard
We in our savage foes shall find,
For all their cruelties prepared:
From those who cast Thy words behind
Justice, alas! we look for none;
Our help is all in Christ alone.

Holpen by Him to suffer more,
From strength to strength we meekly go;
And when we gain the perfect power,
The world their utmost rage shall show,
And when we all Thy life retrieve
Shall count us then not fit to live.