Hymns for the Thanksgiving-Day, 1759, 11

See, Lord, a nation at Thy feet!
Do with us now as seems Thee meet,
Preserve alive, or slay;
Whate'er we may to-morrow feel.
Spared hitherto, Thy grace we tell.

We sing Thy love to-day.
Thy love hath our protection been
Thy love, and not the sea between.

Forbade our foes to pass;
Our watery walls had nought avail'd.
Our wooden walls themselves had fail'd
Without our wall of brass.
The leopard fierce, who watches o'er
Our cities, on the adverse shore
Thy secret will detains;
Howe'er impatient to get free.
Till suffer'd by a beck from Thee,
He cannot burst his chains.
But if, to scourge our nation's sin,
The foe should as a flood come in.
Or a devouring flame.

We'll praise our God, reprieved so long,
Sing in the fires a gospel-song,
And shout Immanuel's name.
That Spirit of faith and power Divine
Shall then lift up the Christian sign
Against our enemy;
And O! might all the aliens prove
The virtue of Thy dying love,
And yield themselves to Thee.
Saviour, Desire of all mankind,
Come, and the ancient dragon bind,
Command these wars to cease;
Let every soul Thy kingdom prove,
In holy joy, and perfect love,
And everlasting peace.