The foes of Christ are gathering, sworn to build Where He had sworn to waste and mar; But the clouds that lightning breathe And, bursting through, Billows from the wrath beneath For Christ and for His Seers so keenly wrought, They half subdu'd to faith the proud man's dying thought. CLV. THE FALL OF BABYLON. BUT louder yet the heavens shall ring, While underneath the shrine they lie, Proud Babel in her hour sinks in her sea of fire. Y. While worldlings from afar bemoan The golden idol bruis'd to summer dust- trust." The while for joy and victory Seers and Apostles sing on high, Chief the bright pair, who rest in Roman earth: Fall'n Babel well their lays may earn, Whose triumph is when souls return, Who o'er relenting Pride take part in Angels' mirth. CLVI. Y. THUS evermore the Saints' avenging God With His dread fires hath scath'd th' unholy ground; Nor wants there, waiting round th' uplifted rod, Watchers in heaven and earth, aye faithful found. God's armies, open-ey'd, His aim attend, Wondering how oft these warning notes will peal, Ere the great trump be blown, the Judge descend : Man only wears cold look, and heart of steel. Age after age, where Antichrist hath reign'd, Fire blazes round apostate council-halls. And if the world sin on, yet here and there Some proud soul cowers, some scorner learns to pray; Some slumberer rouses at the beacon glare, And trims his waning lamp, and waits for day. Y. THE EXCHANGE. CLVII. "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, but the Word of our GOD shall stand for ever." "Tis sad to watch Time's desolating hand That taught to rule with sweetness, and obey While proud Empirics rule in fell command. Locked to the spoiler yet: Thy shafts are bright : might; Their Guardians more than king or sire to thee. В. CLVIII. "Instead of thy fathers thou shalt have children, whom thou mayest make princes in all lands." Say, who is he, in deserts seen; Of garb austere, and dauntless mien, My holy Mother made reply, Another day, dear child, and thou Ah! well I deem, thou shrinkest now Gay hopes flit round, and light thy brow : Time hath a taming hand!" S. |