THE PATRIOT SOLDIERS' PRAYER. A HYMN. O LORD of Hosts! Almighty King! Wake in our breasts the living fires, Be thou a pillared flame to show God of all nations! Sovereign Lord! From treason's rent, from murder's stain Till fort and field, till shore and sea Join our loud anthem, Praise to Thee! SOLDIERS OF CHRIST. SOLDIERS OF CHRIST INVITED TO PUT ON ARMOR. SOLDIERS of Christ, arise, And put your armor on ; Engage your enemies; Let every fear be gone: Now take the field, the fight renew, And never yield; "though faint, pursue." Come feed on heavenly bread, "Twill make you strong to fight; God will supply your need, And put your foes to flight: His arm is strong, his word is true; Wage war with every foe, For God is on your side ; That you in God confide: Gird on your sword, the fight renew; Though sin and death and hell Fear not, it shall be well; God will confound your foes: Go on, ye saints, the fight renew, And Gideon like, "though faint, pursue." Ne'er lay your weapons down Till death shall close the strife Till you receive a crown Of everlasting life : On God depend, the fight renew; 93 THANKSGIVING FOR THE RESTORATION OF PEACE. O GOD OF PEACE, who makest wars to cease unto the ends of the earth; who breakest the bow and cuttest the spear asunder, and burnest the chariot in the fire; Thou hast in mercy put a stop to the effusion of blood, and made peace in our borders: Thou hast rebuked the nations; and will cause them to beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; that every man may sit under his own vine and fig-tree, none daring to hinder or make him afraid. O how sweet is thy mercy, and reviving, even as life from the dead! And now, O Lord, Thou who hast given us peace, give us also grace to use it to Thy glory; and to walk the more freely and devotedly in all Thy holy ways. That we may not only have peace with men, but also peace with God; even that peace which passeth all understanding, which shall keep our hearts and minds, through Jesus Christ our Lord. O that we may be duly sensible of all the great kindness and love of God our Saviour, and ever give Thee thanks with all our souls! And, do Thou, blessed Lord and Father of Mercies, rather take away from us all our good things, than suffer us to be left in a state of base ingratitude and stupid indifference. THANKSGIVING FOR PEACE. 95 O let our hearts be enlarged in Thy love, and be lifted up in the celebration of Thy praise! That we, with all Thy servants, as well as all Thy works, may bless Thee, and praise Thy holy name for ever and ever. Amen. A HYMN. THANKSGIVING FOR THE RESTORATION OF PEACE. Now let our songs address the God of peace, Let us adore the guardian of our state; Our coast secured from every dire invasion, Of fire and sword, and spreading desolation. When rebel hands with desperate madness joined, Drove back the tide that deluged half our land, And curbed their fury with his mightier hand: Till dreadful slaughter, and the last confusion, Taught those audacious sinners their delusion. He gave our fleets to triumph o'er the main, Nor found their safety in the attempted flight: Taught by their bonds, how vainly they pretended Those to distress, whom Israel's God defended. Fierce storms were summoned up our cause to aid, And meagre famine hostile lands o'erspread; By sufferings bowed, their conquests they release, Nor scorn the overtures of equal peace : Contending powers congratulate the blessing, Joint hymns of gratitude to heaven addressing. While we beneath our vines and fig-trees sit, Then spread thy peaceful word thro' every nation, THE END. |