History & Politics
For the Magistrates
From Hymns of Intercession for All Mankind (1758) · Osborn ed., vol. 6 (1870)
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,
Clothed with authority Divine.
Strengthen them in the gap to stand,
To bear the sword, and not in vain,
To spread Thy terror through tl-ie land,
And trudi and righteousness maintain,
And ancient 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.
Cite this poem
MLA
Wesley, Charles. “For the Magistrates.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/wesley_c/1366/.
Chicago
Wesley, Charles. “For the Magistrates.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/wesley_c/1366/.
Read this poem with the Codex →