On twelve foundations stood the wall, GOD and THE LAMB its light,† Effulgent, clear, serene ! Dimmed not by storm nor darksome night, That city's crystal sheen! Nor beam nor ray, But boundless day, Diffusive, filled the hallowed air, And filled the crystal waters fair; § I saw no temple there, No sun, nor moon, nor star; GOD and THE LAMB its temple were, Their glory gleamed afar; ** And, 'mid the place, Their throne of grace, †† Ineffable, majestic, grand, Whence flowed adown, o'er diamond sand, The saved walked there! |||| *Rev. xxi. 14. + Rev. xxi. 23. ¶ Rev. xxi. 24. Rev. xxi. 25. § Rev. xxii. 1. ** Rev. xxi. 22, 23. || Rev. xxi. 25. ++ Rev. xxii. 3. "The throne of the heavenly grace." - Common Prayer. Heb. iv. 16. Rev. xxii. 1. gg Rev. xxii. 2. Rev. xxi. 24. The city of my God! The new Jerusalem!* Along its golden street I trod, † And wore my diadem, With jewelled lyre And white attire ; And near me walked a holy one; Gems sparkled from his virgin zone; † And taught my praise with seraph tone, "Far from these scenes must thou, My friend, for ever stay? Here by this dazzling throne I bow, And thou art far away! Without yon gates Repentance waits! Thou didst reprove me when I strayed, Then, well-remembered, smiled, That garb of woe, Which mourners know, § * Rev. xxi. 2. + Rev. xxi. 21. + Rev. xv. 6. § Job xlii. 6. Did angels at yon gates remove,* * And gave these robes with gems inwove; Thy friend below still lives with thee above, Repentance on the earth in heaven is Love, Thy seraph guide." O sinner! now repent, Turn from thy hateful sin; Woe, woe will smite the impenitent : This very day begin; Probation wastes, The judgment hastes; If thou wouldst know Love's rapturous power, 8* * Rev. xxi. 27. THE WIDOW. "Plead for the widow."-- ISAIAH, i, 17. I VENERATE the widow, when her head Is white with years and sorrow for the dead; The widow holiest name! her name, who bare Close by his cross, the virgin-mother stood, Whence streamed her Son and Saviour's precious blood; He felt the world's sin press his burdened head, ‡ "Woman, behold thy son," his mother heard ; * Exod. xxii. 22. Deut. x. 18. + St. John's Gospel, i. 14. Acts iv. 27. Levit. xvi. 21. 2 Cor. v. 21. § St. John's Gospel, xix. 25-27. "Now there stood by the cross of JESUS, his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When JESUS, therefore, saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold O LORD! I love the widow for thy sake! SONNET. NIGHT's stillness hangs around; above, In this calm hour I humbly send My anxious thoughts to search the still thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home." |