James Montgomery

Angels and Men.

Angels, the firstborn sons of light,

Since from their glorious seats they fell,

Are outcasts in eternal night;

There is no gospel preach'd in hell.

Man, when beguiled from innocence,

Saw death and judgment come on all;

But Jesus died for his offence,

To raise us higher than our fall.

Angels, who kept their first estate,

Who sinn'd not, knew not guilt or woe,

In bliss beyond expression great,

The bliss of pardon cannot know.

We, born in sorrow and in sin,

Yet by a new and living way

To Paradise again brought in, --

May taste of sweeter joys than they,

Oh! through Eternity to trace

How much, how much hath been forgiven,

The riches of redeeming grace,

That, that must be the heaven of heaven.

Lord Jesus Christ, who, for our sake,

Wert pleased a child like us to be,

Of every soul possession take,

And new-create us all like Thee.