Young Christian's first lesson-book/Lesson Twenty Two

by Philip Doddridge

LESSON XXII.

On the Reſurrection of the Dead.

WHAT awful ruins death hath made!
How low the wife and great are laid!
Alike the ſaints and ſinners die;
Mould'ring alike in duſt they lie:
But there's a day ſhall change the ſcene,
How awful to the ſons of men!

When the archangel's trump ſhall found,
And ſhake the air, and cleave the ground,
Jeſus inthron'd in light appears,
Circled with angels, bright as ſtars!
"Riſe we that ſleep!" the Lord ſhall ſay:
And all the earth, and all the ſea,
Yield up the nations of the dead,
For ages in their bowels hid.
Bone knows its kindred bone again,
All cloth'd anew with fleſh and ſkin;
Each ſpirit knows its proper mate;
They riſe an army vaſt and great.

But, oh! what different marks they bear,
Of tranſport ſome, and ſome of fear;
When marſhall'd in the Judge's fight,
Theſe to the left, thoſe to the right,
That they may that laſt ſentence hear,
Which ſhall their endleſs ſtate declare!
My ſoul, in deep attention ſtay,
And learn th' event of ſuch a day!