Hope Reviving in the Contemplation of Divine Mercy

Ye restless, dark, distracting fears, be gone!
For mercy, kind, inviting mercy, smiles;
No more, my trembling soul, indulge no more,
These gloomy doubts; shall diffidence prescribe
Limits to sovereign, free, unbounded mercy?
With transport let me hear, with joy obey
The blissful word, which bids my soul approach
The throne of grace, and ask, nor ask in vain,
For pardon, life, and peace; a full supply
For all my wants: divine beneficence!
The object, how unworthy! Gracious God,
Increase my rising hope to thankful joy,
And bid my heart with pleasing rapture trace
The wonders of thy love: amazing theme!
The song of angels, and the bliss of heaven!
How shall my heart receive the vast idea,
Or feeble words express it? Scanty power
Of human thought — the force of language fails,
And soaring wishes flag their strongest wing!
The starry heav'ns, immeasurably high
Are raised above the globe; but higher far
Thy thoughts, thy ways, above my utmost reach
What finite pow'r can ever comprehend
The infinite extent of love divine?
Launch'd on the boundless ocean, every thought
Is lost in pleasing wonder! love divine!
Created wisdom's most exalted pitch
Angelic force can never sound the depth,
Th' unfathomable depth! can never reach
Th' immeasurable height!

Yet may I meditate, adoring low
Its countless glories, in the sacred word
Display'd, and shining all serene and mild.
And while I meditate, O may I feel
Its quick'ning, healing, life-diffusing ray,
And all my soul subdu'd by love and mercy;
Mercy, which in th' eternal purpose dwelt
For man, (lost, guilty, miserable man!)
Long ere the worlds arose, or man was form'd.
Mercy, which mov'd the Son of God to leave
Th' immortal splendors of his glorious throne,
For this low world, array'd in mortal flesh,
To suffer all the sorrows, pains, and woes
Of human nature in its lowest form;
A servant! Oh, what miracles can mercy?
What wonders can almighty love perform!
Almighty love, which bore the cruel scoffs,
The restless spite, and persecuting rage
Of impious, harden'd wretches! — patient bore!
When with a single frown he might have sunk them
Quick to the caverns of eternal death.
But, Oh! yet farther let my soul pursue
The wond'rous labyrinth of love divine,
And follow my Redeemer to the cross;
Nail'd to the cross, his hands and feet all torn
With agonizing torture! — Can my heart
Behold those wounds, and not weep tears of blood."
His blood was shed for sin, his sacred side
Deep pierc'd, pour'd forth the vital crimson flood,
Ordain'd to cleanse and expiate mortal crimes.
For mortal crime what loads of wrath unknown
Were due! Almighty justice, arm'd with terrors,
Pour'd the full vial on his guiltless head,
Of vengeance for the infinite offence
Of guilty man against its sacred laws.
He bore it all! he in the sinner's stead
Sustain'd the dreadful storm, and by his death
Th' immortal work was finish'd I full atonement,
Full satisfaction made; amazing scene!
Stupendous sacrifice! mysterious love
He died! — the Lord of life, the Saviour died!
All nature sympathizing felt the shock!
Earth groan'd, and trembled to her inmost centre!
The sun withdrew his beams, and wrapt his face
In sable clouds, and midnight's deepest shade,
To mourn the absence of a brighter sun,
The sun of righteousness eclips'd in death!
A short eclipse! for soon he rose again
All-glorious, and resum'd his native skies!
There, with full brightness and unclouded ray,
Forever shines, dispensing light and bliss
Through the bright worlds of uncreated day.

His rays far-beaming, visit this dark world;
And through the clouds of guilt, the shades of death.
Break the fair glimmerings of etherial morn:
O may they reach this dark, cold, lifeless heart,
And kindle light divine, and vital warmth
Through all my powers! Arise, O blissful Sun,
Dispel the clouds of sin, and doubt, and sorrow:
Shine with all-potent and resistless beams,
And, in the sweet assurance of thy love,
Spread the bright dawn of heaven around my soul.
And when this mortal part, this feeble frame,
Sinks down, and mingles with its native dust;
Let my free, joyful soul, exulting rise
On angel-wings, to those divine abodes,
Where thy bright presence in full glory shines;
Transform'd to thy fair image, cloth'd in light,
Mix with the tuneful choir, thy love redeem'd,
In endless praise: — O bliss beyond conception!
In silent rapture all my soul adores.