Fifty of the Protestant Ballads and " The Anti-Ritualistic Directorium, " of Martin F. Tupper ... New; and reprinted |
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| XVIII. | XVIII.
PRIVATE JUDGMENT. |
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 | Fifty of the Protestant Ballads |  |
XVIII. PRIVATE JUDGMENT.
We are bound to prove all things and hold fast the good,
And dare not live credulous fools if we would,
For reason without and the conscience within
Condemn a blind faith for both folly and sin.
And dare not live credulous fools if we would,
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Condemn a blind faith for both folly and sin.
The merit and duty of rational man
Command him to master all truth as he can,
Earnestly, humbly to seek it and find,
With the love of his heart and the light of his mind;
Command him to master all truth as he can,
Earnestly, humbly to seek it and find,
With the love of his heart and the light of his mind;
With his heart and his mind,—both lit from Above
By the Spirit of light and the Spirit of love,
In patience and prayer, with humilities felt,
And the eye that hath wept and the knee that hath knelt.
By the Spirit of light and the Spirit of love,
In patience and prayer, with humilities felt,
And the eye that hath wept and the knee that hath knelt.
The Word which was written that men might believe,
Heedfully will such a Christian receive;
But, as to traditions of men, with all care
His wisdom must weigh what perchance is a snare:
Heedfully will such a Christian receive;
But, as to traditions of men, with all care
His wisdom must weigh what perchance is a snare:
Not scorning opinions, but hearing them all,
For self and for pride he will fear lest he fall,
And willingly learns of the world or the Church,
For every good help in his Scriptural search.
For self and for pride he will fear lest he fall,
And willingly learns of the world or the Church,
For every good help in his Scriptural search.
No rational Protestant ever was seen
A priestworked automaton mindless machine,—
Still less will he dare to denounce or despise
The truths ever held by the good and the wise.
A priestworked automaton mindless machine,—
Still less will he dare to denounce or despise
The truths ever held by the good and the wise.
Yes! just private judgment, our duty and right,
Must be led by man's teaching and lit by God's light,
Undazzled by glitter the fanatic needs,
Undimmed by the dark of heretical creeds.
Must be led by man's teaching and lit by God's light,
Undazzled by glitter the fanatic needs,
Undimmed by the dark of heretical creeds.
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But you, ye blind guides, who boast that ye see,
And think to make slaves where the Lord has made free,
Who shut up the Bible on priestly pretence
That none but yourselves can decipher the sense,—
And think to make slaves where the Lord has made free,
Who shut up the Bible on priestly pretence
That none but yourselves can decipher the sense,—
Infallible teachers! you need, in good sooth,
Infallible hearers as well for all truth;
Or the dogmas you preach will be warped in the ear
Of ignorant sinners who fallibly hear;
Infallible hearers as well for all truth;
Or the dogmas you preach will be warped in the ear
Of ignorant sinners who fallibly hear;
Thus, we that are laymen—and fallible each,
But jealous for truths that infallibles teach,—
Resolve, as enjoined by our Master and Lord,
To judge what we hear by the weight of His word.
But jealous for truths that infallibles teach,—
Resolve, as enjoined by our Master and Lord,
To judge what we hear by the weight of His word.
| Fifty of the Protestant Ballads | |