Wesley Corpus

And kindly their despondence cheer'd: Too brave to take them by surprise, He saw their straits with pitying eyes; And put them out of all their pain, And gave them back their towns again. Such gen'rals never can aspire Rebels to quell with sword or fire; But without fire, another can Accomplish it an honest man Who truth and public faith approves, And more than life his country loves. A man for this great end design'd, Our nation now expects to find, By providential love bestow'd, Whose object is Britannia's good, Britannia's peace his only aim: And Carlton39 is the patriot's name. 39Sir Guy Carlton, who replaced Sir Henry Clinton as Commander-in-Chief of British forces as the war neared its end. Volume 6 (1783): 49-51 On the Death of Mr. Thomas Lewis: who Died at Bristol, April 1782.40 Thee, Lord, in all events we praise: With wisdom, faithfulness, and grace Thou dost thy gifts dispense; Thou dost thy benefits revoke, And by an unexpected stroke, Transport our brother hence. How many whom thy judgments call, As sudden, not as safely fall! He falls, again to rise, By instantan'ous grace remov'd, He falls asleep in his belov'd, And wakes in paradise. For this habitually prepar'd, Death could not find him off his guard, A man who daily di'd:41 A stranger in the vale of tears, Whose life for more than forty years, Confess'd the crucifi'd. His life the proof substantial gave, And witness'd Jesus' pow'r to save, The sinner here forgiv'n; While firm in the old paths he stood, Redeem'd the time by doing good, And laid up wealth in heav'n. Rugged howe'er his manners seem'd, His manners were by all esteem'd, Who truth preferr'd to art: His hands for Esau's hands were known, His voice bewray'd the favourite son, And Jacob's honest heart. His heart, as tender as sincere, Melted for ev'ry sufferer, And bled for the distrest, Whene'er he heard the griev'd complain; 40Appears in MS Funeral Hymns, 99-102. 41I.e., "died."