The Christian Scholar By the Author of "The Cathedral" [i.e. Isaac Williams] |
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| I. |
THE SAME ILLUSTRATED BY REVELATION. |
| II. |
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 | The Christian Scholar |  |
THE SAME ILLUSTRATED BY REVELATION.
That calm Philosophy hath music's charms,
And of revenge the soul of man disarms,
'Till neath the angry storms of Passion wild,
By honeyed sweet Hymettus, Wisdom's child
Is gentle as a sleeping infant's breast,
Or the calm sea that heaves and is at rest.—
And of revenge the soul of man disarms,
'Till neath the angry storms of Passion wild,
By honeyed sweet Hymettus, Wisdom's child
Is gentle as a sleeping infant's breast,
Or the calm sea that heaves and is at rest.—
That ill intention in the All-seeing Eyes
Is guilty, though withinthe heart it dies;—
That there is something in the sinful soul
Which points in fear to some more fearful goal;
And sees in all around the shafts of God,
While that within bids to expect His rod.—
At the first sin that scales fall from the eyes,
Knowledge of good and evil open lies;—
That thence the power of the perverted Will,
Half-lost, is onward borne, till it fulfil
The cup of evil, which itself must drain,
In some intolerable weight of pain—
These things stand written in the Gentile's scroll,
All full of mourning, like the Prophet's roll.
Is guilty, though withinthe heart it dies;—
That there is something in the sinful soul
Which points in fear to some more fearful goal;
And sees in all around the shafts of God,
While that within bids to expect His rod.—
At the first sin that scales fall from the eyes,
Knowledge of good and evil open lies;—
That thence the power of the perverted Will,
Half-lost, is onward borne, till it fulfil
The cup of evil, which itself must drain,
In some intolerable weight of pain—
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All full of mourning, like the Prophet's roll.
What then hath Revelation brought from high,
Which sheds its light on immortality?
Which sheds its light on immortality?
All there is life;—of sin the Heathen feels,
But God's own Word the living scene reveals;
Things into fearful form and being strive,
And characters come forth, and burn, and live.
But God's own Word the living scene reveals;
Things into fearful form and being strive,
And characters come forth, and burn, and live.
All there is life;—with ways unspeakable
In man's own soul doth the Great Witness dwell.
Before us our Example living stands,
God—Man, our Life, and scattering live commands.
Where is revenge, and thoughts to it allied?
They are all buried with the Crucified.
All things there point to Judgment at the last,
Each thunder-storm a warning of that blast,—
All speak the Accuser who our ways doth scan,
And of a Judge which is the Son of Man.
In man's own soul doth the Great Witness dwell.
Before us our Example living stands,
God—Man, our Life, and scattering live commands.
Where is revenge, and thoughts to it allied?
They are all buried with the Crucified.
All things there point to Judgment at the last,
Each thunder-storm a warning of that blast,—
All speak the Accuser who our ways doth scan,
And of a Judge which is the Son of Man.
All there is life;—'tis not the law of sin
But the live Tempter who hath power within;
And if to the first sin he can surprise
Then open to that knowledge leaves the eyes.
With Adam's children who accept his chain
The scene of Paradise he acts again;
Leads to false shades to hide their misery—
To hide from God, and loving life to die.
But the live Tempter who hath power within;
And if to the first sin he can surprise
Then open to that knowledge leaves the eyes.
With Adam's children who accept his chain
The scene of Paradise he acts again;
Leads to false shades to hide their misery—
To hide from God, and loving life to die.
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And what is this, when guilt doth once begin,
The fix'd immutability of sin?
'Tis that the evil one in ambush waits
Till he return, and watching at the gates
Enters with seven worse spirits to remain;
Such is the moulding of the sinner's chain.
The fix'd immutability of sin?
'Tis that the evil one in ambush waits
Till he return, and watching at the gates
Enters with seven worse spirits to remain;
Such is the moulding of the sinner's chain.
All there is life;—a seven-fold Spirit still
May aid with His omnipotence the will.
Shall we then circumscribe the power of Heaven,
And cannot e'en at last such chains be riven?
Fearful the struggle, hazardous the strife,
For immortality of death or life.
And awfully the contest is pourtrayed,
Where Heathen wisdom darkens every shade;
Unless the light from Christian Heavens may blend,
Its strength e'en adamantine fetters rend.
May aid with His omnipotence the will.
Shall we then circumscribe the power of Heaven,
And cannot e'en at last such chains be riven?
Fearful the struggle, hazardous the strife,
For immortality of death or life.
And awfully the contest is pourtrayed,
Where Heathen wisdom darkens every shade;
Unless the light from Christian Heavens may blend,
Its strength e'en adamantine fetters rend.
All there is life;—can nought then lift the head
Of soul-struck sinners on the dying bed?
No slaughter'd victims can the Conscience ease,
Nor aught those angry deities appease:
No beasts which more unworthy are to die
The sinful soul itself can satisfy.
But yet That Living Sacrifice of Love
May to the sin-sick heart atoning prove:
Yea, though neglected long, and greater grace
Be griev'd, yet not quite hidden is His Face;
And pitying still, betwixt us and the skies,
Our living Intercessor never dies.
Of soul-struck sinners on the dying bed?
No slaughter'd victims can the Conscience ease,
Nor aught those angry deities appease:
No beasts which more unworthy are to die
The sinful soul itself can satisfy.
But yet That Living Sacrifice of Love
May to the sin-sick heart atoning prove:
Yea, though neglected long, and greater grace
Be griev'd, yet not quite hidden is His Face;
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Our living Intercessor never dies.
All there is life; in this our mortal state
Innumerable eyes upon us wait:
Dead bones of Heathen Sages at That Breath
Clothe them with flesh and sinew; they from death
Wake and arise, in stillness most profound;
And stand like living Witnesses around.
Innumerable eyes upon us wait:
Dead bones of Heathen Sages at That Breath
Clothe them with flesh and sinew; they from death
Wake and arise, in stillness most profound;
And stand like living Witnesses around.
| The Christian Scholar | |