 | The forest minstrel |  |
205
THE CHURCH.
Rage on, vain world; and thou, Fanaticism,
Brandish thy noisy weapons, and shout forth
Thy maddest war-cry, while low Ignorance
Projects his weapons, clay and clods of earth.
Brandish thy noisy weapons, and shout forth
Thy maddest war-cry, while low Ignorance
Projects his weapons, clay and clods of earth.
Ye rage in vain, ay, though the infernal gate
Swing wide, and vomit fiendish malice out,
The Church is safe, she fears no mortal arm,
No demon ire, no threat, no battle shout;
Swing wide, and vomit fiendish malice out,
The Church is safe, she fears no mortal arm,
No demon ire, no threat, no battle shout;
The Church is safe; on the eternal Rock,
On which Immanuel laid her corner-stone,
She sits secure, nor fears the battle shock,
Though all the adverse powers unite as one.
On which Immanuel laid her corner-stone,
She sits secure, nor fears the battle shock,
Though all the adverse powers unite as one.
Ye cannot mar her beauty, or efface
Her builder's signet from her guarded door,
Or break one stone of her pure polished wall,
With gracious promises engraven o'er.
Her builder's signet from her guarded door,
Or break one stone of her pure polished wall,
With gracious promises engraven o'er.
The storm may beat, the sea may roll his surge,
The world may rage, and hell its powers combine,
The Church is safe upon her living Rock,
And heaven's celestial glories round her shine,
The world may rage, and hell its powers combine,
The Church is safe upon her living Rock,
And heaven's celestial glories round her shine,
206
And grace and honour bind the rev'rend brows
Of those, who at her sacred altars wait,
And they are safe, and blest for evermore,
Who find their rest within her guarded gate.
Of those, who at her sacred altars wait,
And they are safe, and blest for evermore,
Who find their rest within her guarded gate.
For He, the First, the Last, th' Almighty God,
Is ever near, to succour and defend;
This is his promise, written on her towers:
“Lo, I am with you always, to the end!”
Is ever near, to succour and defend;
This is his promise, written on her towers:
“Lo, I am with you always, to the end!”
| The forest minstrel | |