As long-worn garments fret, grow old, wear out,
So earth, and man, shall fade and hence depart;
But His salvation ever firmly stand,
Redeeming love endure, and never end;
His pow'r shall last, His kingdom shall remain,
And HE, MESSIAH, everlasting reign.
For such celestial sweet solace,
Amazing goodness, cheering grace,
Thou earth, aloud thy voice attune,
And greet thy God with grateful song !
Thy trumpets blow, sound sweet the lute,
To hymns and psalms their notes unite,
Ye wavy floods, rocks, hills and plains,*
And join to praise in thankful strains!
He reigns, He reigns, the Prince of Peace,
To Him let anthems never cease;
But praise, O praise, that blessed God,
Who has on man such gifts bestow'd !
All you who thirst, to life's sweet fountain come,t
And drink there freely, God refuses none,
The waters rise, and gently glide for all,
Who will regard His kind and loving call!
+ See Isaiah, chap. xxxv.
The fruit grown on the tree of life, O taste,
You give no money for the sweet repast!
Come, take the balmy milk, and cheering wine,
These your Redeemer does to you consign.
Why spend your money, and your daily toil,
For that which yields no profit to the soul?
Attentive then, to what, with truth, I say,
Take the food which ne'er shall pass away,
But give you health, and life indefinite,
Afford you comfort,-joy insatiate!
Hear! Thus Jehovah speaks, "I've sent My Son, "To ratify my contract made with man, "To be the leader of My faithful band,
"O'er straying flocks, to take the chief command,
"To nations call, who knew Me not before,
"His standard plant on, yet, the hidden shore,
"To Me proclaim, bid all of wisdom learn,
"And to gross darkness, give a lucid morn.”
Then, hear Me! hear Me! Seek your God while
Delay it not from day, from year to year;
Let not repentance be deferr'd till late,
Lest to destruction you may hence depart!
Ho, all ye wicked! leave your evil way,
Turn to your God, His pressing calls obey!
O, ye unrighteous, quit your wicked thoughts,
Make pure your souls, and clean your corrupt hearts;
Come to your God, you evil minded, come,
And rest assur'd you will have mercy shewn!
Sing, sing, O heavens! and thou, earth, rejoice,*
Ye mountains raise, in choral song the voice!
To the afflicted consolation's sung;
In distant lands God's saving truth is known.†
"Tis but a little Jacob to restore,
Cause stubborn Israel to rebel no more;
Among the Gentiles truth effulgent shines,
God's love and mercy o'er the earth extends,
His great salvation's radiances appear,
In realms of darkness light is bright and clear:
See, see, His flaming ensigns blaze unfurl'd!--
To whom will hear His holy word's reveal'd!
Come, come, enlarge the bound'ries of His camp,‡ Stretch wide the curtains of the victor's tent,
Abroad His bold and conq'ring forces spread,
These sow, those reap, the fruits of heaven-grown seed!
Then, sing ye barren, lonely deserts sing,
Among you is the Great Deliv❜rer come,
On cities, mantl'd once with sable night,
In glory, shines the holy gospel's light,
Illumin❜d are the lost, the desolate,
And God is known, His name's stamp'd on the heart!
This part of the prophecy refers to the calling of the Gentiles; and the Prophet's description of that important period is truly magnificent. See chap. liv.
How beautiful the flow'ry paths of Him,*
Who rich salvation gives to fallen man !
Who seals, Who ratifies eternal peace,
So well accomplish'd through His love and grace!
Now Zion, gloriously thy Sov'reign reigns,
Who willing thee such precious treasure sends !-
Lo, how His heralds spread the blessed news!-
Hear, how they sing, and give Him all the praise !—
See, mothers bring Him daughters in their arms,t
And on their shoulders bear believing sons!-
True guardian fathers, Lord, kings prove to thee,
And nursing mothers princesses shall be;
Lo! at Thy feet, they prostrate willing fall,
Obedience pay to their Redeemer's will!
But, Israel! where's the bill which thee divorc❜d? Or where's the contract which thy sale enforc'd?‡ Has thy Redeemer sold thee for His debt,
Or He capricious, evil doth abet?
Thou'st sold thyself to work iniquity,
And God disowns thee for impiety.
Thy Saviour, mid thee why could'st thou not see ?
And when He call'd why would'st not thou obey?
Is His hand shorten'd that He can't redeem?
Has pass'd His power to deliver man ?
Behold, at His rebuke the seas recede,
And rivers dry at his almighty word!
He clothes the low'ring skies, He sends the storm, The mountains tremble at His sov'reign frown;
And God's endow'd Him with the learned's tongue,
To call the weary to a resting home!
When to thy scourge He quiet gave his back,
Turn'd not His cheek thou might'st the hairs not pluck,
And from foul spitting cover'd not His face,
To Him, thus treated; thou gav'st no solace;
But His good Father justifies His deeds,
And no confusion from His love proceeds;
By heaven protected He and His shall stand
As rocks of flint, they ne'er shall be asham'd;
And thou may yet his saving goodness know
When turn'd thy heart from dark iniquity!
But some turn watchmen who will yet be blind,
Be busy meddlers, ignorant, unkind,
Be like the dog that's dumb when danger's near,
Give no alarm, but leave to thieves their care,
Be idle sluggards, sleeping on the watch,
Nor taught themselves, nor others guide nor teach;
But always greedy of obtaining hire,
Of grasping riches though they starve the poor;
Of wealth so keen they never have enough*
Till sound asleep beneath a green-clad turf.
Their Master's work, they'll nor attend nor do;
Good living is the object first in view :
"Give us," they'll say, "high flavor'd food, and wine, "Let's eat well, drink well, so employ our time,
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