James Montgomery

The Day after Judgment.

The days and years of time are fled,

Sun, moon, and stars have shone their last;

The earth and sea gave up their dead,

Then vanished at the archangel's blast;

All secret things have been reveal'd,

Judgment is pass'd, the sentence seal'd,

And man to all eternity

What he is now henceforth must be.

From Adam to his youngest heir,

Not one escaped the muster-roll,

Each, as if he alone were there,

Stood up, and won or lost his soul;

These from the Judge's presence go

Down into everlasting woe;

Vengeance hath barr'd the gates of hell,

The scenes within no tongue can tell.

But lo! far off the righteous pass

To glory from the King's right hand;

In silence, on the sea of glass,

Heaven's numbers without number stand,

While He who bore the cross lays down

His priestly robe and victor crown;

The mediatorial reign complete,

All things are put beneath His feet.

Then every eye in Him shall see,

(While thrones and powers before Him fall,)

The fulness of the Deity,

Where God Himself is all in all:

O how eternity will ring

With the first note the ransom'd sing!

While in that strain all voices blend,

Which once begun shall never end.

In that unutterable song,

Shall I employ immortal breath?

Or, with the wicked borne along,

For ever die "the second death?"

Jesus! my life, my light Thou art;

Thy word is in my month, my heart;

Lord, I believe, -- my spirit save

From sinking lower than the grave.