The Poetical Works of Robert Montgomery Collected and Revised by the Author |
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NATURE AND THE CROSS. |
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 | The Poetical Works of Robert Montgomery |  |
NATURE AND THE CROSS.
But
that deep Name, beyond all nature loud,
Peals like the trumpet of Eternity
Through secret chambers of responsive faith,
Making them echo with the voice of Christ!
Nature was forfeit, when the first man fell
By sin; and whatsoe'er in nature lives,
In reason, morals, or in mind enacts
Dominion, from His vast atonement flows.
Creation once her own Creator saw
In Flesh embodied, when for sin He died!
And now from Him this hour of beauty takes
All that cloud, or star-encircled moon
Is lovely. Here indeed, material sights
Touch'd by the Cross, with sacred meaning glow,
Turning creation to a creed of forms
Significant and glorious. What a truth!
Through Him this orb of sentient being came
From nothing cited; by His ceaseless hand
The wheels of nature, and the wings of time
Circle their way, or waft their soundless flight;
While all those properties those creatures have
Are but the actings of atoning Love
By virtue present. Here is faith heaven-born!
When all the motions which in Nature rule,
Her laws, and lights, her harmonies and hues,
From the faint insect to the flaming sun
Apparent, preach the Saviour's kingly hand,
And to the senses mirror forth His heart
For ever. What the sinful Adam lost,
The Sinless by eternal heirship gain'd;
The curse unsting'd, then took th' attainder off
And back redeem'd th' inheritance of Man.
Peals like the trumpet of Eternity
Through secret chambers of responsive faith,
281
Nature was forfeit, when the first man fell
By sin; and whatsoe'er in nature lives,
In reason, morals, or in mind enacts
Dominion, from His vast atonement flows.
Creation once her own Creator saw
In Flesh embodied, when for sin He died!
And now from Him this hour of beauty takes
All that cloud, or star-encircled moon
Is lovely. Here indeed, material sights
Touch'd by the Cross, with sacred meaning glow,
Turning creation to a creed of forms
Significant and glorious. What a truth!
Through Him this orb of sentient being came
From nothing cited; by His ceaseless hand
The wheels of nature, and the wings of time
Circle their way, or waft their soundless flight;
While all those properties those creatures have
Are but the actings of atoning Love
By virtue present. Here is faith heaven-born!
When all the motions which in Nature rule,
Her laws, and lights, her harmonies and hues,
From the faint insect to the flaming sun
Apparent, preach the Saviour's kingly hand,
And to the senses mirror forth His heart
For ever. What the sinful Adam lost,
The Sinless by eternal heirship gain'd;
The curse unsting'd, then took th' attainder off
And back redeem'd th' inheritance of Man.
Oh, tell me not, poetic harps can sing,
That science loves, and sentiment perceives,
And calm philosophy, with musing eye
Beneath the stars enraptured,—all which heaven
And earth of God and goodness testify;
'Tis only when by David's key unlock'd,
The Secrets and the Splendours of the world
Unfold their magic, and by grace reveal'd,
Electrify the soul of answ'ring love.
The merest elegance which Pagan mind
Imparted, upward to creative Power
And goodness, dimly groped its erring way:
But when the Christian His incarnate God
Owns to be Head of all creation is,
All life becomes one vast religion;
And faith and feeling in communion move
Divorceless ever. Then, at once, all laws
And movements, like cathedral-rites appear
By nature's liturgy of Love perform'd
In the vast temple of the universe,
Shrining Emmanuel: then, the Whole applies
To Him the watching, weeping, dying, Lord,
The source of nature and salvation too,
The priceless merit of Whose Blood preserves
The heavens in motion and our earth alive.
That science loves, and sentiment perceives,
And calm philosophy, with musing eye
Beneath the stars enraptured,—all which heaven
And earth of God and goodness testify;
'Tis only when by David's key unlock'd,
The Secrets and the Splendours of the world
Unfold their magic, and by grace reveal'd,
Electrify the soul of answ'ring love.
The merest elegance which Pagan mind
Imparted, upward to creative Power
And goodness, dimly groped its erring way:
But when the Christian His incarnate God
Owns to be Head of all creation is,
All life becomes one vast religion;
And faith and feeling in communion move
Divorceless ever. Then, at once, all laws
And movements, like cathedral-rites appear
By nature's liturgy of Love perform'd
In the vast temple of the universe,
Shrining Emmanuel: then, the Whole applies
To Him the watching, weeping, dying, Lord,
The source of nature and salvation too,
The priceless merit of Whose Blood preserves
The heavens in motion and our earth alive.
So may we learn, at this nocturnal hour,
Morning, or noon, whatever time we walk
The halls of Nature with a holy tread,
All bright and beautiful, all vast and fair,
In Him to love, Who, when creation sinn'd
And crime on earth began like hell to reign,
Personified eternity in time,
And clothed th' Infinite with human Flesh
For our remission!
Morning, or noon, whatever time we walk
The halls of Nature with a holy tread,
All bright and beautiful, all vast and fair,
In Him to love, Who, when creation sinn'd
And crime on earth began like hell to reign,
Personified eternity in time,
And clothed th' Infinite with human Flesh
For our remission!
| The Poetical Works of Robert Montgomery | |