Hymns for the National Fast, 1

Let every prophet cry aloud,
Lift jjp the voice, the trumpet blow,
Show their transgressions to the crowd,
The nation's sin to Britons show,
That sin which marks the worst of times.
Which Heaven with most displeasure sees,
Which fills the measure of our crimes,
Profane, extreme ungodliness.
Through every rank and order spread
The poor and rich, the low and high,
Alike disdain their God to dread,
And Him throughout their lives deny;
His laws, through ignorance of Him,
His providence they dare disown,
Neglect, despise, insult, blaspheme,
And all defy the God unknown.
ol2 Hymns for

Their oaths have caused the land to mourn,
The land to its foundations shook,
And still the profligates forsworn
Are blind to the impending stroke;
His outstretch'd arm they will not see,
His thunder's voice they will not hear,
But mock at their calamity,
And triumph in destruction near.

God is not in their thoughts, or ways;
As Atheists in the world they live,
A cursing, cursed, abandon'd race,
To Satan's will themselves they give,
Daily devote themselves to hell;
And when they in their sins expire.
Convinced, alas, too late, they feel
The real, true, eternal fire.

The pit of bottomless despair
Hath oped its mouth to take them in:
Yet still our nation doth not bear
The utmost penalty of sin.
Some unknown Friend before the throne
To God the just for mercy prays,
And will not let His wrath alone.
To swallow up our impious race.

A few at this tremendous hour,
Whose faithful prayer doth heaven assail,
One with their Head exert their power.
And wresthng on with God prevail;
Their prayer a longer space supplies.
Their prayer hath power with God, we know,
Who are not lifting up our eyes
With fiends and infidels below.
God of all grace and patience, hear
The prayer presented through Thy Son,
Who doth our Advocate appear.
Who made our every sin His own:
Justice and us He stands between;
His blood hath quench'd the wrath of heaven,
His blood, which cleanses from all sin,
And speaks a guilty world forgiven.
HYMN n.
God of tremendous power,
Our evils we confess,
And prostrate in the dust, adore
Thy sovereign righteousness.
Which cuts our Israel short.
Which lays our nation low,
And gives us up the scorn and sport
Of every taunting foe.
Stricken so oft, we mourn.
But fear to ask Thy aid,
By vile, intestine vipers torn,
By faithless friends betray'd,
By factions fierce and bold,
Rebellion's sworn allies,
Traitors, who have their country sold,
And on its ruins rise.
Gainst our anointed Lord
The parricides conspire,
With lies and calumnies abhorr'd
The' unthinking people fire,
From all restraint set free.
Fit instruments of ill,
And mad with rage of liberty'
To do whate'er they will.

Of sense Thou dost bereave
The slaves of every vice,
And to our own confusions leave,
And sin by sin chastise,
While from one wickedness
We to another fall.
Till the dark, bottomless abyss
Yawns, and receives us all.

Alas, what shall we do
To' escape our instant doom?
If Thou art just, if Thou art true.
The threaten'd curse must come:
On such a land as this
Thy soul must vengeance take,
Nor can Thy plagues and judgments cease,
Till we our sins forsake.

O were the work begun,
O were our hearts inclined
The dire destroyer's paths to shun.
The way of peace to find!
Casting our sins away.
Might all our nation grieve,
To-day, while it is call'd to-day.
Return, repent, and live!

Father, if still we have
An Advocate with Thee,
Who can, even to the utmost, save
From sin and misery,
Let justice strike, or spare,
We leave it to Thy Son,
And only offer up His prayer,
Father, Thy will be done!