If then, as annihilate by sin, the soul was ever forfeit, Godhead paid the mighty price, the pledge hath been redeemed: He from the waters of Oblivion raised the drowning race, Lifting them even to Himself, the baseless Rock of Ages. None can escape from Adam's guilt, or second Adam's guerdon: Sin and death are thine; thine also is interminable being: Let it be even as thou wilt, still are we ransomed from nonentity, The worlds of bliss and woe are peopled with immortals: And ruin is thy blame; for thou, the worst, art free To take from Heaven the grace of love, as the gift of life: Yet is not remedy thy praise; for thou, the best, art bound In self, and sin, and darkling sloth, until He break the chain: None can tell, without a struggle, if that chain be broken; Strive to-day,--one effort more may prove that thou art free! Here is faith and prayer, here is the Grace and the Atonement, Here is the creature feeling for its God, and the prodigal returning to his Father. But, behold, His reasonable children, standing in just probation, With ears to hear, neglect; with eyes to see, refuse: They will not have the blessing with the life, the blessing that enricheth Immortality; And look for pleasures out of God, for heaven in life alone: So, they snatch that awful prize, existence void of love, And in their darkening exile make a needful hell of self. Therefore fear, thou sinner, lest the huge blessing, Immortality, Be blighted in thine evil to a curse,--it were better he had not been born: Therefore hope, thou saint, for the gift of Immortality is free; Take and live, and live in love; fear not, thou art redeemed! The happy life, that height of hope, the knowledge of all good, This is the blessing on obedience, obedience the child of faith: The miserable life, that depth of all despair, the knowledge of all evil, This is the curse upon impenitence, impenitence that sprung of unbelief. God, from a beautiful necessity, is Love in all He doeth, Love, a brilliant fire, to gladden or consume: The wicked work their woe by looking upon love, and hating it: The righteous find their joys in yearning on its loveliness for ever.