University of Virginia Library

3. PART THE THIRD.

Recitative: Accompanied.

“Tremble, thou earth!” th'anointed poet said,
“At God's bright presence, tremble, all ye mountains,
“And all ye hillocks on the surface bound.”

Chorus.

Then once again, ye thunders, roll,
The Muse with transport hears;
Convulse the earth, from pole to pole,
And shake the vaulted spheres.

Recitative.

'Tis thy terrific voice; thou God of power,
'Tis thy terrific voice; all Nature hears it
Awaken'd and alarm'd; she feels its force,
In every spring she feels it, every wheel,
And every movement of her vast Machine.

Recitative: Accompanied.

Behold! quakes Apennine, behold! recoils
Athos, and all the hoary-headed Alps
Leap from their bases at the God-like sound.
But what is this, celestial tho' the note,
And proclamation of the reign supreme,
Compar'd with such as, for a mortal ear
Too great, amaze the incorporeal worlds?
But like the echo of the parting breeze,
When Zephyr faints upon the lily's breast;
But like the ceasing of some instrument,
When the last ling'ring undulation
Dies on the doubting ear, if nam'd with sounds
So mighty! so stupendous! so divine!

Air.

Hark, when the Whirlwind rapid rides,
Tempestuous all around;
Earth, seas and sky,
Before it fly;
Thro' worlds invincible it strides,
Swift as the Thunder's bound:
So great its sway,
Whole Worlds obey;
From pole to pole, from shore to shore,
Earth, seas and planets are no more.

Recitative.

At God's great, righteous power whole systems quake,
And at His nod tremble ten thousand worlds.
The West encounters East, and Notus meets
In his career the Hyperborean blast.
All Nature faints and dies;—while He supreme
Stands stedfast in the center of the storm.

Recitative: Accompanied.

Wherefore, ye objects terrible and great,
Ye thunders, earthquakes, and ye fire-fraught wombs
Of fell Volcanos, whirlwinds, hurricanes,
And boiling billows, hail! In chorus join
To celebrate and magnify your Maker,
Who yet in works of a minuter mould
Is not less manifest, is not less mighty.

Chorus.

Then celebrate his praise, who is, and was,
And in immortal prowess King of Kings,
Shall be the monarch of all Worlds for ever.

Recitative.

Immense Creator! whose all-pow'rful hand
Fram'd universal Being, and whose Eye
Saw, like thyself, that all things form'd were good,
Each soul is fill'd with gratitude and Thee.

Recitative: Accompanied.

Raise swelling notes round the Cathedral's dome,
And grace th'harmonious choir, celestial feast
To pious ears, and med'cine of the mind;
The thrilling trebles and the manly base
Join in accordance meet, and with one voice
All to the sacred subject suit their song.

Air and Chorus.

Bow down, ye stately cedars, low,
Ye Elephants, submissive bow;
Whole worlds shall God's great goodness own—
To worlds his excellence is known.

Recitative.

What tho' th'Almighty's regal throne be rais'd
High o'er yon azure Heav'n's exalted dome,
By mortal eye unken'd—where East, nor West,
Nor South, nor blust'ring North, has breath to blow:
Albeit He there with Angels, and with Saints,
Hold conference, and to his radiant host
Ev'n face to face stand visibly confest:
Yet know, that nor in Presence or in Pow'r,
Shines he less perfect here; 'tis Man's dim eye
That makes th'obscurity. He is the same,
Alike in all his Universe the same.

Air.

The knee, which he has shap'd, shall bend,
The tongue, which He has tun'd, shall praise;
Whole worlds, 'till worlds themselves have end,
The song of Gratitude shall raise.

Recitative.

But, O supreme, unutterable mercy!
O love unequal'd mystery immense,
Which Angels long t'unfold! 'tis man's redemption
That crowns thy glory, and thy pow'r confirms,
Confirms the great, th'uncontroverted claim—
When from the Virgin's unpolluted womb
Shone forth the Sun of Righteousness reveal'd,
And on benighted reason pour'd the day.

Accompanied.

Let there be peace, (he said) and all was calm
Amongst the warring world—calm as the sea,
When, O be still, ye boisterous Winds, he cry'd,
And not a breath was blown, nor murmur heard.

Unaccompanied.

His was a life of miracles and might,
And charity and love, ere yet he taste
The bitter draught of death, ere yet he rise
Victorious o'er the universal foe,
And Death, and Sin, and Hell in triumph lead.
His by the right of conquest is mankind;
And in sweet servitude and golden bonds
We're ty'd to him for ever.—O, how easy
Is his ungalling Yoke, and all his burdens
'Tis ecstasy to bear! Him, blessed Shepherd,
His flocks shall follow thro' the maze of life,
And shades that tend to Day spring from on high;
And as the radiant roses after fading
In fuller foliage, and more fragrant breath,
Revive in smiling spring, so shall it fare
With those that love him—for sweet is their savour,
And all eternity shall be their spring.

Air.

Their bliss shall boast undying bloom,
From jarring passions freed,
Nor dubious hope, nor anxious gloom,
For so hath Fate decreed.

Recitative.

Then join the general chorus of all worlds,
And let the song of charity begin,
In strains seraphic, and melodious pray'r.

Accompanied.

“O, all-sufficient, all-beneficent,
Thou God of Goodness and of Glory, hear!
Thou, who to lowliest minds dost condescend,
Assuming passions to enforce thy laws,
Adopting jealousy to prove thy love:

Unaccompanied.

Thou, who resign'd humility uphold,
Ev'n as the florist props the drooping rose,
But quell tyrannic pride with peerless pow'r,
Ev'n as the tempest rives the stubborn oak.

Accompanied.

O, all-sufficient, all-beneficent,
Thou God of Goodness and of Glory hear!”

Full Chorus.

Bless all Mankind, and bring them pure and free,
To Heav'n, to Immortality, and Thee.
Hallelujah.
Amen.