James Montgomery

An universal Sabbath Day anticipated.

PART I.

PART II.

Will e'er that sabbath-morning rise,

When on the Sun of Righteousness,

Earth's wakening millions lift their eyes

His healing beams to hail and bless: --

When God's own day of rest shall be

Hallow'd, by all that live and move

On peopled land, or desert sea,

While all its hallowing influence prove: --

When men of every hue and speech

Shall hasten to the House of Prayer,

And Christ's disciples go and teach

The Gospel to all nations there: --

When meekly every heart receives

The engrafted word, whose vigorous shoots

Yield in their season tender leaves,

Expanding flowers, and ripen'd fruits: --

Leaves of profession ever green,

And flowers of promise never sere,

Till fruits of holiness are seen,

In rich succession round the year.

As in Jerusalem above,

Life's trees, the plants of God's right hand,

Along the river of His love,

To nourish saints and angels, stand: --

So earth, that garden of the Lord,

Though long laid waste for man's offence,

May yet see Paradise restored,

And a now age of innocence.

When Adam's offspring, born to death,

From sun to sun, from pole to pole,

Shall feel again the Almighty's breath,

And man become a living soul: --

A soul new-born, beyond the range

Of time, temptation, death, or sin,

God's image, stampt on it, to change,

Nor quench the life of God within.

Eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard,

Nor heart of man conceived the grace,

Which God, in His eternal word,

Hath surely promised, shall take place.

O Sun of Righteousness! unveil

Thy heaven of uncreated rays,

Till all that breathe shall bless and hail

The glory of the latter days.

Meanwhile, rejoicing on their beds,

Whatever morning meets their eye,

May saints, from slumber lift their heads,

To greet the day-spring from on high.