While Hope prolongs our happier hour;
Or deepest shades, that dimly lower
And blacken round our weary way,
Gilds with a gleam of distant day.
Still, where rosy Pleasure leads,
See a kindred Grief pursue;
Behind the steps that Misery treads
Approaching Comfort view:
The hues of bliss more brightly glow,
Chastis'd by sabler tints of woe,
And blended form, with artful strife,
The strength and harmony of life.
See the Wretch, that long has tost
On the thorny bed of pain,
At length repair his vigour lost,
And breathe, and walk again :
The meanest floweret of the vale,
The simplest note that swells the gale,
The common sun, the air, the skies,
To Him are opening Paradise.
CHRISTMAS DAY. FOR DOLLY. 1750
CHRISTIANS, awake, Salute the happy Morn,
Whereon the Saviour of the World was born;
Rise, to adore the Mystery of Love,
Which Hosts of Angels chanted from above :
With them the joyful Tidings first begun
Of God incarnate, and the Virgin's Son :
Then to the watchful Shepherds it was told,
Who heard th' Angelic Herald's voice-Behold!
I bring good Tidings of a Saviour's Birth
To you, and all the Nations upon Earth ;
This Day hath God fulfill'd his promis'd Word;
This day is born a Saviour, Christ, the Lord.
In David's City, Shepherds, ye shall find
The long foretold Redeemer of Mankind;
Wrapt up in swaddling Cloaths, the Babe divine
Lies in a Manger; this shall be your Sign.
He spake, and straightway the Celestial Choir,
In Hymns of Joy, unknown before, conspire:
The Praises of redeeming Love they sung,
And Heav'ns whole Orb with Hallelujahs rung:
God's highest Glory was their Anthem still;
Peace upon Earth, and mutual Good-will.
To Bethlehem straight th' enlightened Shepherds ran
To see the Wonder God had wrought for Man;
And found, with Joseph and the blessed Maid,
Her Son, the Saviour, in a Manger laid.
Amaz'd, the wondrous Story they proclaim;
The first Apostles of his Infant Fame :
While Mary keeps, and ponders in her Heart
The heav'nly Vision, which the Swains impart ;
They to their Flocks, still praising God, return,
And their glad Hearts within their Bosoms burn.
Let us, like these good Shepherds then, employ
Our grateful Voices to proclaim the Joy:
Like Mary, let us ponder in our Mind
God's wondrous Love in saving lost Mankind ;
Artless, and watchful, as these favour'd Swains,
While Virgin Meekness in the Heart remains:
Trace we the Babe, who has retriev'd our Loss,
From his poor Manger to his bitter Cross;
Treading his Steps, assisted by his Grace,
Till Man's first heav'nly State again takes Place:
Then may we hope, th' Angelic Thrones among,
To sing, redeem'd, a glad triumphal Song :
He that was born, upon this joyful Day,
Around us all, his Glory shall display;
Sav'd by his Love, incessant we shall sing
Of Angels, and of Angel-Men, the King.
THE WANDERING SHEEP RECOVERED
LORD, we have wander'd from thy Way;
Like foolish Sheep, have gone astray;
Our pleasant Pastures we have left,
And of their Guard our Souls bereft.
Expos'd to Want, expos'd to Harm ;
Far from our gentle Shepherd's Arm;
Nor will these fatal Wand'rings cease,
Till thou reveal the Paths of Peace.
O seek thy thoughtless Servants, Lord,
Nor let us quite forget thy Word;
Our erring Souls do thou restore,
And keep us, that we stray no more.
PHILIP DODDRIDGE.
GOD THE EVERLASTING LIGHT OF THE
SAINTS ABOVE
YE golden Lamps of Heav'n, farewel,
With all your feeble Light:
Farewel, thou ever-changing Moon,
Pale Empress of the Night.
And thou refulgent Orb of Day
In brighter Flames array'd,
My Soul, that springs beyond thy Sphere,
No more demands thine Aid.
Ye Stars are but the shining Dust
Of my divine Abode,
The Pavement of those heav'nly Courts,
Where I shall reign with God.
The Father of eternal Light
Shall there his Beams display;
Nor shall one Moment's Darkness mix
With that unvaried Day.
No more the Drops of piercing Grief
Shall swell into mine Eyes;
Nor the Meridian Sun decline
Amidst those brighter Skies.
There all the Millions of his Saints
Shall in one Song unite,
And Each the Bliss of all shall view
With infinite Delight.
LOVE Divine, all Loves excelling,
Joy of Heav'n to Earth come down,
Fix in us thy humble Dwelling,
All thy faithful Mercies crown;
Jesu, Thou art all Compassion,
Pure unbounded Love thou art,
Visit us with thy Salvation,
Enter every trembling Heart.
Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit
Into every troubled Breast;
Let us all in Thee inherit,
Let us find that Second Rest:
Take away the Power of sinning,
Alpha and Omega be,
End of Faith as it's Beginning,
Set our Hearts at Liberty.
Come, Almighty to deliver,
Let us all thy Grace receive, Suddenly return, and never,
Never more thy Temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
Serve thee as thy Hosts above,
Pray, and praise Thee without ceasing,
Glory in thy perfect Love.
Finish then thy New Creation,
Pure and sinless let us be,
Let us see thy great Salvation,
Perfectly restored in Thee;
Chang'd from Glory into Glory,
Till in Heav'n we take our Place,
Till we cast our Crowns before Thee,
Lost in Wonder, Love, and Praise !
FILL me a Bowl, a mighty Bowl,
Large as my capacious Soul,
Vast as my Thirst is.
Let it have Depth enough to be my Grave; I mean the Grave of all my Care,
For I design to bury't there.
Let it of Silver fashion'd be,
Worthy of Wine, worthy of me;
Worthy to adorn the Spheres,
As that bright Cup amongst the Stars.
Fill me a Bowl, a mighty Bowl,
Large as my capacious Soul.
TELL me, lovely Shepherd, where,
Thou feed'st at Noon thy fleecy Care
Direct me to the sweet Retreat
That guards thee from the Mid-day Heat.
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