(From REV. RALPH ERSKINE’S Gospel Sonnets.)
A URORA veils her rosy face,
When brighter Phœbus takes her place;
So glad will grace resign her room
To glory in the heavenly home.
Happy the company that’s gone
From cross to crown, from thrall to throne;
How loud they sing upon the shore,
To which they sail’d in heart before!
Bless’d are the dead, yea, saith the word,
That die in Christ, the living Lord,
And on the other side of death
Thus joyfully spend their praising breath:
“Death from all death hath set us free,
And will our gain for ever be;
Death loos’d the massy chains of woe,
To let the mournful captives go.
“Death is to us a sweet repose;
The bud was op’d to show the rose;
The cage was broke to let us fly,
And build our happy nest on high.
“Lo! here we do triumphant reign,
And joyful sing in lofty strain;
Lo! here we rest, and love to be,
Enjoying more than faith could see.
“The thousandth part we now behold,
By mortal tongues was never told:
We got a taste, but now above
We forage in the fields of love.
“Faith once stole down a distant kiss;
Now love cleaves to the cheek of bliss;
Beyond the fears of more mishap
We gladly rest in glory’s lap.
“Earth was to us a seat of war;
In thrones of triumph now we are;
We long’d to see our Jesus dear,
And sought Him there but found Him here.
“We walk in white without annoy,
In glorious galleries of joy;
And crown’d with everlasting bays*
We rival cherubs in their praise.
“No longer we complain of wants,
We see the glorious King of Saints,
Amidst His joyful hosts around,
With all the divine glory crown’d.
“We see Him at His table head
With living water, living bread,
His cheerful guests’ incessantly load
With all the plenitude of God.
“We see the holy flaming fires,
Cherubic and seraphic choirs;
And gladly join with those on high,
To warble praise eternally.
“Glory to God that here we came,
And glory to the glorious Lamb;
Our light, our life, our joy, our all
Is in our arms, and ever shall.
“Our Lord is ours, and we are His:
Yea, now we see Him as He is:
And hence we like unto Him are,
And full His glorious image share.
“No darkness now, no dismal night;
No vapour intercepts the light;
We see for ever face to face
The highest Prince in highest place.
“This, this does heav’n enough afford,
We are for ever with the Lord:
We want no more for all is giv’n;
His presence is the heart of heav’n.”
While thus I laid my list’ning ear
Close to the door of heav’n to hear:
And then the sacred page did view,
Which told me all I heard was true:
Yet show’d me that the heav’nly song
Surpasses ev’ry mortal tongue,
With such unutterable strains
As none in fett’ring flesh attains.
Then said I, “O to mount away,
And leave this heavy clog of clay!
Let wings of time more hasty fly,
That I may join the songs on high.”