The Saviour comes ! by ancient bards foretold :
Hear him, ye deaf! and all ye blind, behold!
No sigh, no murmur, the wide world shall hear ;
From ev'ry face he wipes off ev'ry tear.
In adamantine chains shall death be bound,
And hell's grim tyrant feel th' eternal wound.
No more shall nation against nation rise,
Nor ardent warriors meet with hateful eyes.
Rise, crown'd with light, imperial Salem, rise!
Exalt thy tow'ry head, and lift thine eyes!
See heav'n its sparkling portals wide display,
And break upon thee in a flood of day.
No more the rising sun shall gild the morn,
Nor ev❜ning Cynthia fill her silver horn;
But lost, dissolv'd in thy superior rays,
One tide of glory, one unclouded blaze
O'erflow thy courts: the light himself shall shine
Reveal'd, and God's eternal day be thine!
The seas shall waste, the skies in smoke decay,
Rocks fall to dust, and mountains melt away;
But fix'd his word, his saving power remains :
Thy realm forever lasts, thine own Messiah reigns!
HYMN 411. P. M.
How great are thy works, thou power divine ! How various thy ways, how sweet they combine ; No angel can measure thine infinite love, Surpassing conception, eternal 'twill prove.
Ere chaos was moulded, or planets were fram'd; Ere earth, sea and rivers, or mortals were nam'd; Love dwelt in thy bosom, love mov'd thee to bring A race into being, thy praises to sing.
In Adam we stood, in Adam we fell;
Were born in corruption, and still in it dwell;
But though we are guilty, unworthy thy care, Thy promise assures us of glory a share.
In Adam we died,-in Christ, thy dear Son,
Life, pardon and comfort, we claim as our own ;
Oh love, how amazing! Oh mercy, how great!
Redemption through Jesus is wholly complete.
VITAL spark of heav'nly flame,
Quit, O quit, this mortal frame !
Trembling, hoping, ling'ring, flying,
O the pain, the bliss of dying!
Cease, fond nature, cease thy strife,
And let me languish into life!
Hark! they whisper! Angels say,
Sister spirit, come away.
What is this absorbs me quite,
Steals my senses, shuts my sight,
Drowns my spirits, draws my breath?
Tell me, my soul, can this be death?
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The world recedes it disappears !→
Heaven opens to mine eyes! mine ears
With sounds seraphic ring;
Lend, lend your wings! I mount ! I fly !
O grave! where is thy victory?
O death! where is thy sting?
A MARRIAGE HYMN.
CELESTIAL Father! Sire of man,
From whom our circling race began,
Form'd by thy plastic hand :
Low at thy feet we prostrate bow,
Receive and bless the ardent vow,
Made by thy high command.
Give each soft spirit, friend to love,
In walks of paradise who rove,
To bless the happy pair,
Propitious let them hither fly,
From bowers of bliss in yonder sky.
And banish pale-ey'd care.
Be witness heav'n, and every pow'r,
Who deign to mark the hallow'd hour,
Record the plighted faith ;-
Soft vigils keep, auspicious bend,
On every devious walk attend,
And strew with flow'rs their path.
May smiling pleasures, blooming joys,
Fair hope sublim'd, which never cloys,
Gild every added day;
No dark suspicion rise between,
With blighting infl'ence cloud the scene, Chasing sweet peace away.
May mellowing love with friendship blend,
Esteem with lighted torch ascend
And fan the sacred fire:
May young complacency improve,
Graft reason on the stock of love,
And joys serene inspire.
May chastity, with garland crown'd,
And honour's sacred charms be found,
To guard the gentle pair.
May love unfeign'd their bosoms shield, And conscious duty, pleasure yield, Truth, spotless and sincere.
May sense and temper still preside,
Discretion all their actions guide,
Bright virtue still the base;
Fair candour spread a mutual veil,
As human errors shall assail,
With silent tears erase.
May each domestic joy arise,
And home felt blessings may they prize,
Budding on peace serene.
May she each matron grace assume
Around connubial life which bloom,
To gild the opening scene.
May he the lover still confess,
Still live to honour, shield and bless
The fair whom he receives;
For when the ills of life surround,
In the torn breast inflict the wound,
Sweet amity relieves.
When gloomy pangs assault the soul,
When evil fills her poison'd bowl,
⚫ And passion swells the breast,
Then may soft reason brighter glow,
The balm of sapient pity flow,
And smile the storm to rest.
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As they the path of life shall tread,
May confidence her banners spread,
And well taught judgment sway.
May friendship's sweetest joys abound,
And fair religion still be found,
To point the better way.
HYMN 414. P. M.
To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Be praise amidst the heav'nly host,
And in the church below;
From whom all creatures drew their breath,
By whom redemption bless'd the earth,
From whom all comforts flow !
HYMN 415. L. M.
PRAISE God, from whom all blessings flow!
Praise him all creatures here below!
Praise him above, ye heav'nly host!
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!
FUNERAL ANTHEM.
I HEARD a great voice from Heav'n, saying unto me, Write from henceforth, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord! Yea, saith the Spirit, for they rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.
HALLELUIA! The Lord is risen indeed! Halleluia! Now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. Halleluia! And did he rise?. Hear, O ye nations! Hear it, O ye dead! He rose! He burst the bars of death, and triumph'd o'er the grave. Then I rose! Then first humanity triumphant pass'd the crystal ports of light, and seiz'd eternal youth. Man, all-immortal, Hail! Heaven, all lavish of strange gifts to man, thine all the glory! man's the boundless bliss!
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