Wesley Corpus

Page 42 "The blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are." Exod. xii. 13. Let the angel of the Lord His awful charge fulfil, Let his pestilential sword The first-born victims kill; Safe in snares and deaths we dwell, Protected by that crimson sign, From the rage of earth and hell, And from the wrath divine. "When I see the blood, I will pass over you." Exod. xii. 13. Wilt thou not a difference make Betwixt thy friend and foe, Vengeance on th' Egyptians take, And grace to Israel shew? Know'st thou not, most righteous God, We on the Paschal Lamb rely? See us cover'd with the blood, And pass thy people by. "Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt." Exod. xiii. 17. How wisely, Saviour, doth thy love In our behalf appear, Unequal enemies remove, And trials too severe! Thou dost thy feeble people hide, While unprepar'd for war, Nor e'er permit us to be tried Above what we can bear. "The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light: to go by day and night." Exod. xiii. 21. Captain of Israel's host, and guide Of all who seek that land above, Beneath thy shadow we abide, The cloud of thy protecting love, Page 43 Our strength thy grace, our rule thy word, Our end, the glory of the Lord. By thine unerring Spirit led, We shall not in the desart stray, The light of man's direction3 need, Or miss our providential way, As far from danger as from fear, While love, almighty love, is near. "He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people." Exod. xiii. 22. Enter'd on the vast wilderness, Jesus, thy helpless people see, With comfort and protection bless Thy gospel-church redeem'd by thee, A cloud by day, a fire by night, Defend us with thy heavenly light. Take not the sacred signs away, The tokens of thy guardian power: Preserv'd by night, refresh'd by day, Baptiz'd in many a gracious shower, Cover us with thy cloudy shrine, And in thy fiery column shine.