ADVENT. Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.--Isaiah, xl. 3, 4, 5. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.--Isaiah, lxi. 1, 2. Let the floods clap their hands, let the hills be joyful together before the Lord; for He cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall He judge the world, and the people with equity.--Psalm xcviii. 8, 9. Well then, my soul, joy in the midst of pain; Thy Christ, that conquered hell, shall from above With greater triumph yet return again, And conquer His own justice with His love-- Commanding earth and seas to render those Unto His bliss, for whom he paid His woes. _Henry Wotton._ When Thou, attended gloriously from Heaven, Shall in the sky appear, and from Thee send The summoning archangels to proclaim The dread tribunal, forthwith from all winds The living, and forthwith the cited dead Of all past ages, to the general doom Shall hasten. _Milton._ Come then, and added to thy many crowns, Deceive yet one, the crown of all the Earth, Thou who alone art worthy! It was thine By ancient covenant, ere Nature’s birth; And thou hast made it thine by purchase since, And overpaid its value with thy blood. Thy saints proclaim thee king; and in their hearts Thy title is engraven with a pen Dipped in the fountain of eternal love. Thy saints proclaim thee king; and thy delay Gives courage to their foes, who could they see The dawn of thy last _advent_ long desired, Would creep into the bowels of the hills And flee for safety to the falling rocks. _Cowper._ Messiah comes!--Let furious discord cease; Be peace on earth before the Prince of Peace! Disease and anguish feel His blest control, And howling fiends release the tortured soul! The beams of gladness Hell’s dark caves illume, And mercy broods above the distant gloom. _Bishop Heber._ The Lord shall come! the earth shall quake; The mountains to their centre shake; And withering from the vault of night, The stars shall pale their feeble light.