Is blindness, death, and everlasting woe.

But Gifford knew, and preach'd to sinners round,
The Saviour and salvation he had found.

And now from earth remov'd to yonder skies,
How high his wonder swells, his joys arise;
His large capacious soul amaz'd, can trace
The God of nature, providence, and grace,
In all his wond'rous works; by death set free
From the dark veil of dull mortality.

Soft was the hand, and gentle was the blow, That summon'd Gifford from this vale below; Death like an angel came, and beck'ning stood, His willing soul took wing, and soar'd to God; In realms of bliss adores his Saviour's name, And bows, and sings salvation to the lamb.

AN

ELEGY:

OCCASIONED BY THE DEATH OF MRS. ELIZABETH DOWLAND.

COME, heav'nly Muse, and with thy own soft fire
Warm my cold heart; a sacred song inspire,
Solemn as death, sweet as the breath of morn,
When Sol's bright beams the eastern clouds adorn.
Come, sing Eliza; see the saint arise,

Burst fleshly bars, and soar above the skies,
To that bright world where joys immortal grow,
And life's unfathom'd waters ever flow:

There, robed in white, she joins the happy train,
The ransom'd throng for whom the lamb was slain;
She shares the glories of the chosen race,

And basks and triumphs, in the God of grace.

How chang'd the scene! when late in mortal clay (Ere her Redeemer call'd her soul away) Midst ills and enemies she sojourn'd here, Encompass'd with infirmity and fear; As all her kindred of the dust, who stand And wait a summons to the promis'd land; Then (highly favor'd) did Eliza prove

The kind protection of the God of love.
The silken bands of grace he gently threw
Around her youthful heart, and softly drew
Her young affections to the Saviour's feet,
Ev'n ere the days of childhood were complete.
Oft has her list'ning mind attentive hung
On the sweet music of a Langford's* tongue;
When he the gospel's silver trumpet blew,
She heard, and in increasing knowledge grew.

As when the rising sun his beams display, Checks the dull shades, and bids the night give way, Gradual she ushers in the roseate day;

Before his flaming car the vapours fly,

Till gold and purple tinge the glowing sky;

}

Nor stays his course, till with bright glories crown'd,
He darts his full meridian splendors round.
So the young saint arose from nature's night,
And shone with every christian virtue bright;
In constant progress ran the heav'nly race,
By wisdom guided, and upheld by grace.
Vast was her mind, and large her mental pow'rs,
Improv'd by study, in her leisure hours;

Devoted to her God, her mem'ry stor'd

With the rich treasures of the sacred word;
Deep read in things divine, she shone in youth,

* Alluding to her being brought to a sense and knowledge of divine things, under the ministry of the Rev. J. Langford, when only eight years of age, who is a witness of the progress she made therein, under the blessing of God; also, of her trials and triumphs in general, from that time till her death.

A living concordance of heav'nly truth.

Truth was her song, and all her conduct shew
The more she lov'd, as more of truth she knew ;
For she adorn'd each character in life,

The tender mother, and the virtuous wife.
But ah! these solemn ties no more can bind,

Nor shall Eliza longer be confin'd

In walls of clay; commission'd from on high,
Death, like a friendly visitant, drew nigh;
His usual harbingers, sickness and pain,
Had long oppress'd her, but oppress'd in vain
To raise a murm'ring sigh; resign'd to all,
At Jesu's feet, see her submissive fall.
Satan in vain threw fiery darts around,

For Jesus still her strength and shield she found ;
In vain her fears arose, for Jesus stands
And shews his pierced side, his bleeding hands:
By faith divine she views her Saviour-God,
And triumphs in a pardon bought with blood:
Lo! death steps in....the solemn stroke is giv'n....
She sighs....she falls asleep....she mounts to heav'n.*

*

Hail, happy saint! immortal bliss is thine,
To see thy God, and the grand chorus join
Of endless hallelujahs, endless praise
To Jesus, Son of Man, and God of grace.

Short was thy stay on earth, transient thy pain;

*

Before her death, she chose the text for her funeral sermon, and the hymns to be sung at her funeral, with pleasure and composure. Mr. Langford, according to her request, preached a discourse on the occasion, from Rev. chap. vii, ver. 14. Sunday evening, April 20, 1783, at the Chapel, in Rose-lane, Ratcliff.

Eternal life and everlasting gain,

Thy glorious portion now; exchange how good!
From earth to heav'n, the paradise of God.

There thou may'st view, and sing the lamb who dy'd;
And by thy dear, thy much lov'd parent's side,
(For thou hast found her) thou may'st sit and tell
The wonders of the great Immanuel.

Enraptur'd shall thy list'ning brother stand,
And hail thee welcome to the promis'd land;
While two bright cherubs swell thy joyful strain,
Thine heart must know thy smiling babes again;
The dear, the darling infant, latest giv'n,
Who wing'd his way, thy harbinger to heav'n ;
These shall with thee eternal mercy prove,
And sing the God whose glorious name is love.

How shall the Muse address a weeping pair? The muse shall weep and in their sorrows share : Let stoic hearts disdain to feel, but here Friendship shall drop a sympathetic tear.... A husband and a father! tender names! Such sacred ties a sober sorrow claims; Think not the rising sigh, tho'sad, amiss; Tears are well shed on such a grave as this. But while ye mourn, O let your thoughts arise Above the eagle's flight, to yon bright skies; There your Eliza lives; there Jesus reigns; And saints are free from sin, from cares and pains: Death cannot enter there; his pow'rful dart Can stab no more, no more can wound the heart; For life, eternal life, completes the joy,

And not one anxious thought shall e'er annoy :