The Sanctuary A Companion in Verse for the English Prayer Book. By Robert Montgomery |
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The Consecration.
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 | The Sanctuary |  |
301
The Consecration.
“Break the Bread before the people, and take the Cup.”
—Rubric.
“This is my Body ------ This is my Blood.”
—Prayer Book.
The universe with all its powers
Of life and motion, sound and sight,
Far as fleet time can waft the hours
Or thought pursue a boundless flight,—
Though unbelieved by sense-adoring man
Has minister'd to Christ, since grace on earth began.
Of life and motion, sound and sight,
Far as fleet time can waft the hours
Or thought pursue a boundless flight,—
Though unbelieved by sense-adoring man
Has minister'd to Christ, since grace on earth began.
He is the Body whence proceed
All shadows signs and symbols found
To image forth the truths men need,—
Above, beneath, the earth around;
That faith in all things may atonement find
And learn how matter can be consecrate to mind.
All shadows signs and symbols found
To image forth the truths men need,—
Above, beneath, the earth around;
That faith in all things may atonement find
And learn how matter can be consecrate to mind.
And hence the types mere sense can view
Though far removed from nature's law,
Are in accordance deep and true
With more than reason ever saw,—
Since underneath their veiling shroud can be
The Body and the Blood which died on Calvary
Though far removed from nature's law,
Are in accordance deep and true
With more than reason ever saw,—
Since underneath their veiling shroud can be
The Body and the Blood which died on Calvary
By mystic virtue present there;—
And emblem'd in that priestly rite
Where man prolongs that deathless prayer
Christ offered on His paschal night,
When He became our Sacrifice complete
And on atoning pangs enthroned His mercy-seat.
And emblem'd in that priestly rite
Where man prolongs that deathless prayer
Christ offered on His paschal night,
When He became our Sacrifice complete
And on atoning pangs enthroned His mercy-seat.
We need not then, O Lord, enquire
As Abram's darling did of old,—
“Father! I see the wood and fire
But where the destined lamb behold?”
For on faith's altar inward eyes can view
Th' unbleeding Antitype of more than patriarchs knew.
As Abram's darling did of old,—
“Father! I see the wood and fire
But where the destined lamb behold?”
For on faith's altar inward eyes can view
Th' unbleeding Antitype of more than patriarchs knew.
302
In substance bread and wine are still
The creatures of Thy forming Hand;
But in the Church they must fulfill
That sacrament dread words command,
Whose consecrating force by heavenly law
Encircles ev'ry shrine with sacerdotal awe.
The creatures of Thy forming Hand;
But in the Church they must fulfill
That sacrament dread words command,
Whose consecrating force by heavenly law
Encircles ev'ry shrine with sacerdotal awe.
The bread Thine awful Hands did take,
And with the cup Thou didst the same,
And as the one those Hands did break
On both that consecration came
All christian priests, where'er Thine altars rise,
With echoing awe repeat when call'd to sacrifice.
And with the cup Thou didst the same,
And as the one those Hands did break
On both that consecration came
All christian priests, where'er Thine altars rise,
With echoing awe repeat when call'd to sacrifice.
Thus, Priest of God, go, take thy stand
To minister before the Shrine;
And, charter'd by supreme command,
Now break the bread and bless the wine,
And by that gift of Body and of Blood
Feed every famish'd soul with supernat'ral food.
To minister before the Shrine;
And, charter'd by supreme command,
Now break the bread and bless the wine,
And by that gift of Body and of Blood
Feed every famish'd soul with supernat'ral food.
We “come!”—but, not untrembling, Lord;
And while around Thine Altar kneeling
Would be o'erwhelm'd, except Thy word
Cried “peace,” to our perturbèd feeling,—
Blent with the hope, that by remembrance we
Eternalise that Cross which once was borne by Thee.
And while around Thine Altar kneeling
Would be o'erwhelm'd, except Thy word
Cried “peace,” to our perturbèd feeling,—
Blent with the hope, that by remembrance we
Eternalise that Cross which once was borne by Thee.
The passion of Thy priestly death
Is imaged by that Bread and Wine,
Which bid recipients hush their breath,
As if some thrill of grace divine
Moved the deep soul with sacramental law
Whose finest chords are touch'd, and tremble into awe!
Is imaged by that Bread and Wine,
Which bid recipients hush their breath,
As if some thrill of grace divine
Moved the deep soul with sacramental law
Whose finest chords are touch'd, and tremble into awe!
Eternal Sacrifice! be still our Food
And feed Thy fainting Church below,
Who on Thy Body and thy Blood
Through forty days and nights of woe
Like sad Elijah, in a world of sin
Divinely is sustained by manna from within.
And feed Thy fainting Church below,
Who on Thy Body and thy Blood
Through forty days and nights of woe
Like sad Elijah, in a world of sin
Divinely is sustained by manna from within.
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