XL.

And hope unto the end; no doubtful hope,
Sad mixture of desire and fear; 'tis done;
Thy God leaves not thy failing strength to cope
With pow'rs and depths of darkness; not begun
For man to finish, the vast prize is won,

And freely given; wouldst thou know it thine
See only on the cross God's bleeding Son,

The Sacrifice and Saviour. Oh! enshrine

His words within thy heart, and seek His rest divine;

XLI.

Nor fear accusing sin; to reconcile
The sinner with his God and to ensure
His pardon, Christ was manifested. While
Th' undying glories of His realms endure
His word stands everlastingly secure,

His word of promise, by which all is given
Which will present thee justified and pure :
While sin and death in endless depth are driven

Thou shalt arise a bright inhabitant of heaven,

XLII.

To praise and bless that mightiness of love
Which has redeem'd thee: from a fallen race
Of dying creatures, rais'd to realms above,
A tenant of the high and holy place,
A Spirit seeing the Almighty's face,

And dwelling in His presence; there to be
A wondrous monument of wondrous grace,
Which all the universe of God shall see,

Not in a scene of time, but through eternity.

CANTO III

I.

The ocean, and a lovely hour; still bright
Though waning fast as day's first herald peeps
Beneath the eastern cloud, the orbs of night
Hasten their downward course. The ocean sleeps
Though the pure breath of morning lightly creeps
Along its drowsy surface. Rise we now,

'Tis but the pearly mist of morn which weeps
Its blessing, while the vast waves lowly bow,

And darkness sinks beneath their all unruffled brow.

II.

The morn, the beautiful and healthful morn!
How few do love its pleasures! To arise
And court the freshness of its early dawn
When first it breaks along the glowing skies
With splendour which each moment multiplies,
It is a time of glorious delight

Which the stern taskmaster the World denies
His slaves, who but receive, at most, in night
A shaddow'd mockery of such enchanting sight.

III.

The ruddy sky; the sparks of burnished gold Which gild the domes of heaven, and lightly fly From cloud to cloud, whence they may best behold The rising orb; as sentinels espy

The movements of a host whose strength is nigh: Then in full splendour launches forth the ray

Of majesty and joy; while with a sigh

Like dreams of youth, morn's visions fade away,

And with unclouded light comes forth the globe of day.

IV.

Oh! swifter far,

Breaks the last morn like this?
Terrific brightness! as o'er depths of night
This sunshine triumphs, so that Morning-star
The Sun of Righteousness, shall flash the light
Of His appearing, o'er the earth; more bright
To noonday splendour, than the solar ray
To midnight gloom.

Then all shall see aright,

While prejudice and blindness haste away,

Chas'd like the shades of night before the glowing day.

V.

The dawn of immortality; the hour

Of terror and of glory. Who may see
Without alarm, the majesty of power

Revealed then in Him whose dread decree
Shall crush a world and set His people free?
All, all must see and hear: th' eternal fate

Of all must then be spoken. Only he
Whose trusting heart did patiently await

The coming of his Lord, shall see the blessed state