A COMMENT ON THE FOLLOWING
SCRIPTURE
“In the Beginning was the Word.”
—St. John, i. 1.
I
“In the Beginning was the Word,” saith John,—
“The Life,” “the Light,” “the Truth,” for all are One,—
One All-creating Pow'r, All-wise, All-good,
In Which at first the whole Creation stood;
Moving and acting in the Pow'r Alone;—
How bright, how perfect and, no Evil known,
How blest was Natures universal Plan,
And the fair Image of his Maker, Man!
II
The Word, the Pow'r, is Christ; th' Eternal Son
Of God, by Whom the Father's Will is done.
Each is the Other's Glory, and the Love
From Both the Bliss of all the blest above.
Angels in Heav'n stand ready to obey,
And, as the Word directs them, so do they.
So must we Men, born here upon this Earth,
If ever we regain the Heav'nly Birth;—
III
Lost by poor Adam in the fatal Hour
Of lusting after Knowledge without Pow'r;
When, yielding to Temptation, tho' forbid
To eat what was not good for him, he did.
The Pow'r of Life consenting to forego,—
For what was told him would be Death to know,—
He died to his Celestial State, and then
Could but convey an earthly one to Men.
IV
From which to rise, and in true Life to live,
What but the Word, wherein was Life, could give,—
Engrafted as an holy Seed within,
And born to save the human Soul from Sin?
The Word made Man by Virgin-Birth, and free
From Sin's Dominion, Jesus Christ is He;
Whom, of Pure Love, the Father sent to save,
And finish Man's Redemption from the Grave.
V
This Second Adam, Healer of the Breach
Made by the first, nor Sin nor Death could reach.
He conquer'd both; and, in the glorious Strife,
Became the Parent of an endless Life
To all who ever did, or shall, aspire
To Life and Spirit from this Heav'nly Sire,
And cultivate the Seed which He hath sown
In ev'ry Heart, till the new Man be grown.
VI
The old, we know, must die away to Dust,
And a new Image rise amongst the just;
When at the End of temporary Scene
Christ shall appear, eternally to reign
In all His Glory, Human and Divine;
When all the born of God in Him shall shine,
Rais'd to the Life that was at first possest,
And bow the Knee to Jesus, and be blest.
VII
Since, then, the Cause of our eternal Life
Is Christ in us, what need of any Strife
In His Religion,—of “Lo Here! Lo There!”
When to all Hearts He is Himself so near,
With Pow'r to save us from the Cause of Ill,
A worldly, selfish, unbelieving Will;
To bless whatever tends to make the Mind
Meek, loving, humble, patient, and resign'd?
VIII
The Mind to Christ so far as God shall draw
By Nature, Scripture, Reason, Learning, Law,
Or aught beside,—so far their Use is right,
Proclaiming Him, and not themselves the Light.
From first to last His Gospel is the same;
And of all Worship that deserves a Name,
The Word of Life by Faith to apprehend
That was in the Beginning,—is the End.
