The Poetical Works of Robert Montgomery Collected and Revised by the Author |
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FIRST SOUL IN HEAVEN. |
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 | The Poetical Works of Robert Montgomery |  |
FIRST SOUL IN HEAVEN.
“By faith Abel ------ obtained witness that he was
righteous, God testifying of his gifts: he being dead, yet speaketh.”—Heb. xi. 4.
“No man could learn that song but ------ the redeemed.”—Rev.
xiv. 3.
In hush'd eternity alone
Before all creatures were,
Jehovah held His awful throne
Unworshipp'd by a prayer.
Before all creatures were,
Jehovah held His awful throne
Unworshipp'd by a prayer.
There was no space, nor scene, nor time,
Nor aught by names we call;
But, center'd in Himself sublime
Was God, the All in All!
Nor aught by names we call;
But, center'd in Himself sublime
Was God, the All in All!
106
But through eternity there ran
A thrill of coming change,
And lustrous Shapes of life began
Around His Throne to range.
A thrill of coming change,
And lustrous Shapes of life began
Around His Throne to range.
Radiant with rapture, pure as bright,
Angelic myriads rise,
And glow and glisten in the light
Of God's approving eyes.
Angelic myriads rise,
And glow and glisten in the light
Of God's approving eyes.
In volumed waves of golden sound
Roll from celestial lyres
Those swelling chants, which peal around
From new-created choirs.
Roll from celestial lyres
Those swelling chants, which peal around
From new-created choirs.
But, hark! amid the shining throng
Of Shapes who arch their wings,
A single Voice another song
With mortal cadence sings:
Of Shapes who arch their wings,
A single Voice another song
With mortal cadence sings:
Alone he seems, and chants apart
In unexpected notes
A music, where the grateful heart
In strains of feeling floats:
In unexpected notes
A music, where the grateful heart
In strains of feeling floats:
A beauteous Soul! whose seraph brow
Is bright with glory's hue,—
Lo, Angels pause to hear him now
Their harping praise outdo.
Is bright with glory's hue,—
Lo, Angels pause to hear him now
Their harping praise outdo.
Their choral rapture swell'd as deep
As purity could pour;
But they, who have not learn'd to weep,
May never God adore
As purity could pour;
But they, who have not learn'd to weep,
May never God adore
With such a burst of whelming love
As Earth's first martyr sang,
When, glory to the Lord above!
The voice of Abel rang.
As Earth's first martyr sang,
When, glory to the Lord above!
The voice of Abel rang.
Angelic harps their key-note found
In God, as great and good:
But Abel's life-pulse beat and bound
As only sinner's could.
In God, as great and good:
But Abel's life-pulse beat and bound
As only sinner's could.
“Worthy the Lamb! who shall be slain;
Redemption crowns my song:
Ye seraphim! your notes retain,
But these to me belong.”
Redemption crowns my song:
Ye seraphim! your notes retain,
But these to me belong.”
Thus might the primal Soul who came
Forth from its bleeding clay,
Kindle the heavens with His bright name,
Who is our Truth, and Way.
Forth from its bleeding clay,
Kindle the heavens with His bright name,
Who is our Truth, and Way.
And with that blissful song he blent
A humbling depth of tone,
Which to the ransom'd harper lent
A music all its own.
A humbling depth of tone,
Which to the ransom'd harper lent
A music all its own.
Angels for bliss and being sang
Their ecstasies on high;
But how the heavens with wonder rang
When Man awoke the sky
Their ecstasies on high;
But how the heavens with wonder rang
When Man awoke the sky
With that new song, Redemption gave
To Abel's pardon'd soul!
Till angels ceased their wings to wave,
Nor let their chorus roll,
To Abel's pardon'd soul!
Till angels ceased their wings to wave,
Nor let their chorus roll,
But listen'd with entrancèd ears
To that bright martyr's strain,
Whose notes were born of banish'd fears
And breathed of ended pain.
To that bright martyr's strain,
Whose notes were born of banish'd fears
And breathed of ended pain.
But from the hour when rescued man
Enter'd within the veil,
And heaven's delighted host began
To list Redemption's tale,
Enter'd within the veil,
And heaven's delighted host began
To list Redemption's tale,
Myriads of blood-wash'd souls have flown
Where the first spirit went
Till he, who once hymn'd Christ alone,
Is now with numbers blent.
Where the first spirit went
Till he, who once hymn'd Christ alone,
Is now with numbers blent.
Each nation, kindred, home, and clime
Helps to increase the throng,
Making the heavens grow more sublime
With Earth's redemption-song.
Helps to increase the throng,
Making the heavens grow more sublime
With Earth's redemption-song.
Each minute, guardian angels mount
With some new soul on high,
And hear it, close to Glory's fount,
Deepen that endless cry,—
With some new soul on high,
And hear it, close to Glory's fount,
Deepen that endless cry,—
“Salvation! through the bleeding grace
Of God's incarnate Son,
Whose merit for a banded race
A more than Eden won.”
Of God's incarnate Son,
Whose merit for a banded race
A more than Eden won.”
And louder, louder, yet will grow
That song before the Throne,
As added saints set free from woe
Shall make the strain their own.
That song before the Throne,
As added saints set free from woe
Shall make the strain their own.
Lord! grant that we on earth begin
To tune the heart's deep lyre,
And by prophetic notes within
Anticipate the choir,
To tune the heart's deep lyre,
And by prophetic notes within
Anticipate the choir,
Who ever round Thee chant, and sing
The song no angels can,—
“Hail! Prophet, Priest, and destined King
Before the world began,
The song no angels can,—
“Hail! Prophet, Priest, and destined King
Before the world began,
“Prostrate beneath Thy face to fall
And cast our crowns before Thee,
Oh Thou, The Everlasting All,
Be this our brightest glory!”
And cast our crowns before Thee,
Oh Thou, The Everlasting All,
Be this our brightest glory!”
| The Poetical Works of Robert Montgomery | |