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There thou wilt ever, ever reign, and we shall ever bless thy

name;

With clarions sweet, and lutes and lyres, angelic choirs responsive sing,

And angels ever "bright and fair," recount the triumphs of their King! *

Aloud the watchmen now do cry that they the heav'nly Elim spy, One pealing shout rends through the sky, all is love, transport,

ecstasy,

For God in glory Zion brings,† augmented rapture speeds their

wings,

Lighted by glory's splendid torch, they fly into the heavenly

porch;

Th' eternal gates lift high their heads, the everlasting doors un

fold,

The King of glory enters in, the great etherial trumpets sound The entrance of the royal Priest into his blest, celestial fold, Cherubic chor'sters usher in the mighty Lord of hosts on high, With loud hossannas, rapturous cheers, and heaven's harmonious symphonies.

Angels waft galbanum, cassia, nard and odours sweet perfume the sky;

The Captain of salvation gives his supreme, sov'reign, high, com

mand,

That all his victors freely pass,-the unbarr'd gates wide open

stand:

Go through, go through, their Lord proclaims, whilst they on him their blessings show'r;

In the vast heav'nly paradise his countless ransom'd myriads

pour.

On its bright, verdant mountain-tops, for a short space, amidst

the blest,

In this pure, hallow'd holy place, the glory of the Lord does

rest ;§

With exquisite delight and joy his winged hosts again re see,
Blooming, in never-ending spring, the seat of their felicity;

*The above lines are taken from that noble effusion denominated the "Song of Moses." (See Exod. xv.)

+ Isai. lii. 8.

Isai. Ixii. 10.

§ Numb. x. 12.

Its groves of citron, pine, and palm,* its flow'ry lawns, enamell'd

plains,

Water'd from chrystal founts which flow in limpid, wide, meandering streams.

O'er these, through the mellifluous air, his radiant legions lightly skim,

And gliding down on these soft meads, on them their glittering wings they trim;

Where amaranth, rose, and jasmine bow'rs in clouds of fragrance join their charms,

The victor host twine roseat flow'rs with glossy boughs of branching palm.*

The tree of life in midst of these, buds, blooms, and yields its vital fruit,

All taste the blessings free dispens'd from its divine, balsamic

root;

At the pellucid living wells, where oft their much lov'd Shepherd led,

Refreshing draughts of life they quaff at these great heav'nly fountain heads;

The spirit of the God of love descends benignant from above, And hovering, dove-like, o'er their heads, on them his choicest influence sheds.

But here, though exquisitely blest, is not their place of final rest,

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* "And they came to Elim where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm-trees: and they encamped there by the waters." (Exod. xv. 27.) "And the arches thereof had palm-trees, one on this side, and another on that side, upon the posts thereof." (Ezek. xl. 26; also verses 3, 34, 37.) "And it was made with cherubims and palm-trees, so that a palm-tree was between a cherub and a cherub." (Ezek. xli. 18.) When they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, they took branches of palm-trees and went forth to meet him." (John xii. 12, 13.) "After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes and palms in their hands." (Rev. vii. 9.)

Their hearts aspire in higher skies, to God the source of all their joys,

Where all their hopes did ever tend, t'wards their first, best, eternal friend.

The regal trumpet sounds the call, loud shouts of transport burst from all,

The glory of the Lord ascends,-to paint their joys our pow'r transcends.

From sweet repose they instant rise, their splendid pennons quick replume,

The rapt'rous summons prompt obey, and swift their lofty flight

resume,

Supported by Almighty pow'r, to regions vast and high they

tow'r.

And as in bliss they rapid soar, new realms of wonder they explore,

Resounding through th' ambrosial sky, their high-exulting strains of joy,

Filling illimitable space with their triumphant harmony,

And as their adored goal they near, increasing in sublimity. Soon will the parting veil be rent, soon shall we now see eye to

eye,

The holy, high, and lofty One, inhabiting eternity! *

He in Mount Zion ever reigns, before his ancients, gloriously.+ But now amidst seraphic cheers, their high inheritance appears,

Stretching its lofty vast frontiers.

The heaven of heavens bursts on their sight, that seat of infinite delight:

Houses of God not made with hands, which in the heavens eternal stand-t

In ecstasy aloud they cry, We see the holiest of all—

The glory of the Lord Most High, beaming o'er its magnific wall!

Founded with sapphire, chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, sardius, ber❜l,

Amethyst, topaz, chrysoprasus-the streets of gold, the gates of

pearl.

* Isa. lvii. 15.

+ Isa. xxiv. 23.

† 2 Cor. v. 1.

"The mighty regencies they pass, of cherubim and seraphim,”

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With wonder and amazement, Jehovah's name sublimely hymn. Princedoms, authorities, dominions, powers-all heav'ns mightiest potentates,

As swift they near their lofty towers, with overflowing joy dilate, "Thousands on thousands high advance, standards and gonf'lons stream in air,

Distinguish orders and degrees; or on their glittering tissues bear

Holy memorials bright emblaz'd, which acts of zeal and love declare." +

Aloud the instrumental bands of all these glorious squadrons

bright,

Melodious, touch'd by heav'nly hands, resound through the fair realms of light.

Surrounded by these sainted hosts, the gratulations of the blest, Highest hosannah's raptured songs, in sweetest harmony ex

prest.

Th' filial Deity descends-th' effulgent glory now abides

By heav'ns bright boundary, 'twixt the veil, and its resplendent altar's side. I

His countless legions, swift as light, spread o'er the fair etherial

plain,

Encircle in a semi-form, round the resplendent incense fane. Here heav'nly asaphs, heav'nly priests, with psalteries, cymbals,

trumpets, harps,

Continual sound their raptur'd praise before God's holy covenant ark. §

*Milton's Paradise.

Milton's Paradise Lost, the blank verse altered into rhyme.
Incense altar in holy place.

§ Covenant ark. "Now therefore, arise, O Lord God, into thy resting-place, thou and the ark of thy strength; let thy priests be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness." (2 Chron. vi. 41.) "And when all the children of Israel saw the glory of the Lord, they worshipped and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever." (2 Chron. vii. 3.)

VOL. II.

E

Celestial censers *fume on high, richest perfumes waft through

the air;

Attendant spirits fragrance shed, which swift-wing'd cherubs strew afar:

A voice from out God's glorious throne proceedeth now, commanding all

The hallowed, blest transported hosts, to praise their God, both great and small! +

Instant one burst of praise ascends, loud as when mighty waters

dash;

With praise the highest heav'ns are rent, loud as when mighty thunders crash.

But human thought cannot conceive, or paint on earth their

ecstasy;

We cannot speak the love wherewith Jehovah's praise they mag

nify.

No silent tongue, no muteless string, are 'mongst th' unnumber'd myriads found;

Angelic choirs o'er choirs sweet sing, orchestras o'er orchestras sound:

Their lofty throne Jehovah's honor, salvation, glory, might, and

power; +

As one the sainted hosts rejoice-the universe sound as one

voice

The triumphant shout of jubilee, in one harmonious peal now

giv❜n,

The mighty chorus, which proclaims melodious through the vast of heav'n

Hallelujah! the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth! The kingdoms

Of all worlds, are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of

his Son;

And He shall reign King of kings, and Lord of lords, ever and

for ever

Oh! let us high extol his fame, and high o'er all exalt his name; For the marriage of the Lamb is come; § the spirit and the bride say, Come!

* 1 Chron. xvi. 6.
↑ Rev. vii.

+ Revelation.

§ Rev. xxii.

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