Resign the honours of their form,
At winter's stormy blast;
And leave the naked, leafless plain
A desolated waste.

Yet soon reviving plants and flow'rs
Anew shall deck the plain :
The woods shall hear the voice of spring,
And flourish green again.

So to the dreary grave consign'd,
Man sleeps in death's dark gloom,
Until th' appointed morn awake
The slumbers of the Tomb.

No. 344.]

THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT. [Monday.

"We shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump."-1 Cor. xv. 51, 52.

THAT Solemn day will soon arrive,
That important, that decisive day!
When, from death's awful slumber rous'd,
God's dread command all must obey.

Deep thunders usher in the morn,

And thro' the heavens tremendous roll:

The wide expanse is all on fire,

While lightnings blaze from pole to pole.

The trumpet's loud and dreadful blast,
Sounds through the regions of the dead:
With terror some, and some with joy,

Rise from the dust, their lowly bed.

In glory, see! the Judge descends,
Array'd in majesty and might;
Attended by ten thousand saints,
And angels of celestial light.

All righteous and eternal Judge!
When summon'd at thy bar to stand,

May I, acquitted and approv'd,

Be crown'd with bliss at thy right hand!

No. 345.]

THE BOOKS OPENED.

[Tuesday.

"The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised." 1 Cor. xv. 52.

"And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God: and the books were opened."-Rev. xx. 12.

METHINKS the last Great Day is come:
Do I not hear the trumpet sound,
That shakes the earth, rends ev'ry tomb,
And wakes the pris'ners under ground?

he mighty deep gives up her trust,

Aw'd by the Judge's high command; Both small and great now quit their dust, And round the dread tribunal stand.

Behold the awful books display'd,

Big with th' important fates of men: Each deed and word now public made, As wrote by Heav'n's unerring pen.

Lord, when these awful leaves unfold,
May life's fair book my soul approve :
There may I read my name enroll'd,
And triumph in redeeming love!

No. 346.]

THE FINAL SENTENCE.

[Wednesday.

"And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works."-Rev. xx. 12.

DAY of Judgement, day of Wonders!
Hark! the trumpet's awful sound,
Louder than a thousand thunders,
Shakes the vast creation round!

How the summons

Will the sinner's heart confound!

Careless sinner!

What will then become of thee?

Horrors past imagination

Will surprise your trembling heart,
When you hear your condemnation,
'Hence, accursed wretch, depart !
Thou with Satan

• And his angels, have thy part.'

But to those who have confess'd,
Lov'd and serv'd the Lord below!
He will say, Come near, ye blessed,
'See the kingdom I bestow:

You for ever

Shall my love and glory know.'

No. 347.] THE FINAL JUDGEMENT. [Thursday.

"Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."-Rev. xx. 15.

AND will the Judge descend!
And must the dead arise?
And not a single soul escape
His all-discerning eyes

And from his righteous lips

Shall this dread sentence sound;
And through the num'rous guilty throng
Spread black despair around?

"Depart from me, accurs'd,
To everlasting flame,

For rebel angels first prepar'd,
Where mercy never came."

How will my heart endure

The terrors of that day;

When earth and heaven, before his face,
Astonish'd shrink away!

"God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away."-Rev. xxi. 4.

ETERNAL Life! how sweet the sound,
To sinners who deserv'd to die!
Proclaim the bliss, ye nations round:
Echo the joys, ye realms on high!

Eternal life! how will it reign,

When, mounting from its breathless clod, The soul, discharg'd from sin and pain, Ascends to meet its FATHER, GOD!

Eternal Life! how will it bloom

In beauty on that joyful day,

When rescu'd from th' impris'ning tomb,
Glory invests our rising clay!