Christian Songs, Song I

Bless'd be the day, Fair Charity, When, with a SAVIOUR'S name, On earth with blooming grace adorn'd, A heavenly guest you came.

2 Born of no man, to none on earth Thy heav'nly birth thou owes: Sprung from thy GOD, in thy bright charms His glorious image glows.

3 True as the object to the glass, With him you wake your fire; Frown when he frowns, hate what he hates, And what he loves, desire.

4 On ev'ry chosen human breast, Thou stamp'st with work divine, The form of GOD, and bid'st a heav'n In ev'ry bosom shine.

5 The beggar basking in thy beams, Forgets his miseries: Hark! lonely widows sing to thee, And shouts from orphans rise.

6 Diffuse thy beams, and teach my heart With genial warmth to glow: For lo, without thy heav'nly aid, In vain my numbers flow.

7 Could I with elocution speak, Transcending human tongue; And could I sing in strains more sweet Then ever angel sung;

8 And did not Charity inspire, And raise herself my voice, My flowing verse were empty sound, "My eloquence were noise."

9 Yea, had I faith to weary racks, And pass unhurt thro' flame; And did not Charity inspire, My labours were in vain.

10 'Tis love which plumes the wings of Hope, And bids her strength exert; Which brings our faith from sound to things, From fancy to the heart.

11 A time shall come, when constant Faith And patient Hope shall die; One lost in certainty of sight, "And one dissolv'd in joy."

12 But thou shalt last, when these no more Shall warm the pilgrim's breast, Or open on his dying eyes His long-expected rest:

13 Thy unextinguish'd ray shall burn Thro' death, unchang'd thy frame: Thy lamp shall triumph o'er the grave With uncorrupted flame.

14 The divine lover and his spouse To rest thy lamp shall light, Profuse with heav'nly bliss divine, And pregnant with delight.