39 The devil, who down from heaven fell, As he who Christ the Saviour sells, Tho' here in consequence, he dwells 'Midst worldly pomp and store. 40 I will not, Judas, with thee share Thy price of blood, nor thy despair, Thy silver nor thy rope ; No, rather, Stephen, let my head, 41 Hail glorious deacon! who first trod 42 This sacrifice, so great, so good, 43 To give thee courage in this fight, 44 There sits your Saviour, King of kings! There round him hallelujah rings, Almost unheeded, while He eyes the stones that o'er thee pour, And, thro' the fierce, the deadly shower, Looks on thee with a smile. 45 That smile converts thy keenest pains He beckons thee above the skies; 46 Now, cruel Jews, go fling your stones, Knows, your infernal rage, your noise, 47 O Marius, Sylla, Cæsar, know How poor your triumphs, and how low, 48 Behold him, from your dark abode Then hear his welcome thence proclaim'd, 49 To thee, like Stephen, we repair, Thou source of strength; O hear the prayer 50 Of nature feeble and deprav'd, Thy strength by weakness perfect made, 51 Thy miracles of mercy shine We there on power and wisdom gaze; 52 Our gratitude the song demands From us, who pierc'd thy feet and hands, Whom thou hast sav'd from endless woe, VOL. VI. 53 High heaven before the Almighty shakes, To man, he says, 'repent and live; 54 O Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, All glory now and ever be In all our hymns ascrib'd to thee, MAN SINKING INTO A DEVIL. 1 O LORD, how hath thy creature fall'n, How to a brute in thought and deed, 2 He plunges on from crime to crime Of filth and blood, and there outdoes 3 Then blackens to a fiend as soon Fiend-like to spoil, and then torment 4 He basely tramples o'er the man 5 He and his instruments combine 6 The innocent he dooms to death, 7 By no remorse this monster stung, Hears not the beggar'd orphan's cries, 8 In courts where others justice seek, And from these gross enormities 9 Him all the trembling wretches round And all attend with sacrifice This devil to adore. 10 Their substance, liberties, and lives, Their consciences with his designs, 11 From him thy weaker creatures save, 12 Remember he's thy creature still, 13 Almighty Lord restore this wretch, From fiend to brute, from brute to man, 14 In falling down so far is lost 15 Thy power alone this reprobate Let power and mercy lift him up From this so desp'rate fall. 16 Let him, a second David, Lord, Let him, like Paul, an heart of flesh 17 So shall this firebrand snatch'd from hell, In paradise take root; And flourish by the tree of life, 18 Then disappointed hell shall rage; The wondrous power and mercy By their all-gracious king. 19 What angel then, in all thy host, So loudly shall proclaim shewn Thy wisdom, power, and mercy, Lord? MAN RISING INTO AN ANGEL. 1 A better sacrifice he brings, Than these too languid lays; 2 Who to the widow life prolongs, Whose kind heart dances to her songs 3 Her song, O Lord, to thee resounds, 4 The song and dance, in David's days, 5 Here piety and love are felt In acts of sweet relief; Here more than Saba's odours smelt 6 Here sense of tenderness and joy |