LYRIC POEMS. 247 f Seraphs with elevated strains Circle the throne around, ' And move, and charm the starry plains With an immortal sound. S Jesus the Lord their harps employs, Jesus my love they sing, Jesus the name of both our ,toys. Sounds sweet from ev'ry string. 6 Hark, how beyond the narrowbounds Of time and space they run, And speak in most majestic sounds, The Godhead of the Son. 7 How on the Father's breast he lay, The Darling of his soul. Infinite years before the day Or heav'ns began to roll. . 6 And now they sink the lofty tone, And gentler, notes they play, And bring th' eternal Godhead down To dwell in humble clay. O sacred beauties of the man ! (The God resides within) His flesh all pure without a stain, His soul without a sin. 10 Then how he look'd, and how he smil'd ! What wondrous things he said ! Sweet cherubs, stay, dwell here awhile, And tell what Jesus did. 11 At his command the blind awake, And feel the gladsome rays ; He bids the dumb attempt to speak, They try their tongues in praise. 12 He shed a thousand blessings round Where'er he turn'd his eye; He spoke, and at the sov'reign sound The hellish legions fly. 13 Thus white with unambitious strife Th' ethereal minstrels rove Thro' all the labours of his life, And wonders of his love, 14 In the full choir a broken string Groans with estrange surprise ; The rest in silence mourn their King, That bleeds, and loves, and dies. 15 Seraph and saint, with drooping wings, Cease their harmonious breath : No blooming trees, nor bubbling springs, While Jesus sleeps in death. 16 Then all at once to living strains They summon everychord, [chains, Break up the tomb, and burst his And skew their rising Lord. 17 Around the flaming army throngs To guard him to the skies, With and Hosannas on their tongues, Andtriumph in their eyes. 18 In awful state the conqu'ring God Ascends his shining throne, While tuneful angels sound abroad The vict'ries he has won. 19 Now let me rise, and join their song, And be an angel too ; My heart, my hand,my ear, mytongue, Here's joyful work for you. 20 I would begin the music here, And so my soul should rise : O for some heav'nly notes to bear My spirit to the skies ! 21 There, ye that love my Saviour, sit, There I would fain have place, Amongst your thrones, or at your feet, So 1 might see his face. 22 I am confin'd to earth-no more, But mount in haste above, To bless the God that I adore, And sing the Man I love. Fire, Air, Earth and Sea, praise ye the Lord. I EARTH, thou great footstool of our God [source Who reigns on high ; thou fruitful Of all our raiment, life and food , Our house, our parent, and our nurse; Mighty stage of mortal scenes, Drest with strong and gay machines, Hung with golden lamps around : (And flow'ry carpets spread the ground) Thou bulky globe, prodigious mass, That hangs unpillar'd in an empty space ! While thy unwieldy weight rests on the feeble air, Bless that almighty Word that fiz'd and holds thee there. 2 Fire, thou swift herald of his face, Whosegloriousrage, at his command Levels a palace with the sand, Blending the lofty spires in ruin with the base : [air, Ye heav'nly fianies that singe the Artillery of a jealous God, [bear Brightarrowsthat his sounding quivers To scatter death abroad ; Lightnings, adore the sov'reign arm that flings His vengedhnce, and your fires, upon the heads of kings. 3 Thou vital element, the Air, Whose boundless magazines of breath Our fainting flame of life repair, And save the bubble man from the cold arms of death: And ye, whose vital moisture yields Life's purple stream a fresh supply; Sweet Waters, wand'ring thro the; flow'ry fields, Or dropping from the sky, [name Confess the pow'r whose all- sufficient Nor heeds your aid to build, or to sup- port our frame. 4 Now the rude air, with noisy force, Beats sip and swells the angry sea; They join to make our lives a prey, And sweep-the sailor's hopes away.
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