Alfred An Heroic Poem, in Twenty-Four Books. By Joseph Cottle: 4th ed. |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
| XXI. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. | BOOK XXIII. |
| XXIV. |
 | Alfred |  |
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BOOK XXIII.
ARGUMENT.
The Vision of the Guardian Angel.
WHILST, on his couch, Alfred, at midnight, slept,
He saw, or thought he saw, a Spirit, tall,
And of majestic port. His eye was mild,
Yet one fix'd look he had, as though he stood,
Immoveable, from ages infinite,
That came not, but appear'd. Like some huge crag,
Fix'd on its granite base, whose towering head
The wintry frosts have bleachen, and the storms,
Wrathful assail'd; yet still it looks the same;
Through time, in all its revolutions, bears—
The same eternal aspect, white, and still.
He saw, or thought he saw, a Spirit, tall,
And of majestic port. His eye was mild,
Yet one fix'd look he had, as though he stood,
Immoveable, from ages infinite,
That came not, but appear'd. Like some huge crag,
Fix'd on its granite base, whose towering head
The wintry frosts have bleachen, and the storms,
Wrathful assail'd; yet still it looks the same;
Through time, in all its revolutions, bears—
The same eternal aspect, white, and still.
The monarch trembled, as distinct he view'd
Th' unearthly form, whose raiment shone with rays
Effulgent, self-created, diamond-like,
Making the darkness day, and o'er the tent
Casting celestial splendors. Alfred, long,
Endured the terror expectation brings;
When in a low and solemn tone he cried,
‘Spirit! what seek'st thou?’ ‘Till the sound had ceased
And each vibration ended, that might check
Communion, immaterial, all was still;
When, thus the Spirit answer'd:
Th' unearthly form, whose raiment shone with rays
Effulgent, self-created, diamond-like,
Making the darkness day, and o'er the tent
Casting celestial splendors. Alfred, long,
Endured the terror expectation brings;
When in a low and solemn tone he cried,
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And each vibration ended, that might check
Communion, immaterial, all was still;
When, thus the Spirit answer'd:
‘I am one
‘Of the innumerable host, who throng
‘This lower world; communicants of good.
‘I am thy Guardian Angel! From the hour
‘This world received thee, I have been thy friend,
‘And ever near, commissioned by high Heaven
‘To screen thee from the powers that roam abroad,
‘Hostile to human kind. Me, God hath sent
‘To tell thee of his wondrous ways, and name
‘Immortal truths, such as shall cheer thy mind,
‘Hereafter, in the great and trying scenes
‘That lie before thee; for, prosperity,
‘Tho' all desire to have, few well may bear.
‘Thy reign shall shine amid the kings of earth,
‘Exemplar fair: whilst all will follow thee
‘Who seek their subjects' good, and hope to dwell
‘Objects of their affection, while they live,
‘Or to secure their blessing when they die:—
‘Mem'ry embalmed. How few of Regal Name,
‘Thus prominent in glory!
‘Of the innumerable host, who throng
‘This lower world; communicants of good.
‘I am thy Guardian Angel! From the hour
‘This world received thee, I have been thy friend,
‘And ever near, commissioned by high Heaven
‘To screen thee from the powers that roam abroad,
‘Hostile to human kind. Me, God hath sent
‘To tell thee of his wondrous ways, and name
‘Immortal truths, such as shall cheer thy mind,
‘Hereafter, in the great and trying scenes
‘That lie before thee; for, prosperity,
‘Tho' all desire to have, few well may bear.
‘Thy reign shall shine amid the kings of earth,
‘Exemplar fair: whilst all will follow thee
‘Who seek their subjects' good, and hope to dwell
‘Objects of their affection, while they live,
‘Or to secure their blessing when they die:—
‘Mem'ry embalmed. How few of Regal Name,
‘Thus prominent in glory!
‘I am sent
‘Thee to instruct, in truths, needful to know
‘In thy high station, yet, if thou require
‘Knowledge of other sort, I may declare,
‘Tho' brief, for thou hast in Jehovah's sight
‘Found favour, and his smiles are thy reward.—
‘While men, as Pilgrims, passing on thro' Time,
‘And, fluttering far and wide, busied with cares,
‘The heart consuming, listening to the voice
‘Of many tempters, loud, importunate,
‘All is a dream! The man who riches seeks,
‘Toiling both night and morn, with earnest brow,
‘Counting his gains, and on his future joys
‘Dwelling enraptured, little knows who next
‘His wealth may share. He little knows, how near
‘That foe may be which blasts the rich man's all!
‘And whosoe'er pursues, idolatrous,
‘Fantastic Pleasure, pierces his heart thro',
‘And only dreams. So he who covets Fame,
‘The tinkling sound that on the breeze is heard,
‘Then dies away;—shapes insubstantial forms
‘In tissue gay, and sighs to find at last,—
‘Shadows unreal.—Wisdom knew them such.
‘Thee to instruct, in truths, needful to know
‘In thy high station, yet, if thou require
‘Knowledge of other sort, I may declare,
‘Tho' brief, for thou hast in Jehovah's sight
‘Found favour, and his smiles are thy reward.—
‘While men, as Pilgrims, passing on thro' Time,
‘And, fluttering far and wide, busied with cares,
‘The heart consuming, listening to the voice
‘Of many tempters, loud, importunate,
‘All is a dream! The man who riches seeks,
‘Toiling both night and morn, with earnest brow,
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‘Dwelling enraptured, little knows who next
‘His wealth may share. He little knows, how near
‘That foe may be which blasts the rich man's all!
‘And whosoe'er pursues, idolatrous,
‘Fantastic Pleasure, pierces his heart thro',
‘And only dreams. So he who covets Fame,
‘The tinkling sound that on the breeze is heard,
‘Then dies away;—shapes insubstantial forms
‘In tissue gay, and sighs to find at last,—
‘Shadows unreal.—Wisdom knew them such.
‘Men own that they are mortal, and must die.
‘Some talk of an hereafter; of a world—
‘Eternal,—waiting for Earth's teeming tribes.
‘(Truths mighty, and which cast a littleness
‘O'er all the passing scenes of time and sense!)
‘But is not this deceptive? Can the men,
‘Impress'd with prospects of such magnitude,
‘Withhold all evidence of heart,—of life?
‘Actions speak louder than the loudest words!
‘They may profess, but conduct gives the lie.
‘Some talk of an hereafter; of a world—
‘Eternal,—waiting for Earth's teeming tribes.
‘(Truths mighty, and which cast a littleness
‘O'er all the passing scenes of time and sense!)
‘But is not this deceptive? Can the men,
‘Impress'd with prospects of such magnitude,
‘Withhold all evidence of heart,—of life?
‘Actions speak louder than the loudest words!
‘They may profess, but conduct gives the lie.
‘If they believed in death, that soon the shroud
‘Would wrap them round, the turf would cover them,
‘Truths so momentous! could they stand unmoved?—
‘From all their thoughts exclude them?—e'en appear,
‘Thro' the whole tenor of their words and ways
‘As tho' they thought their lives would never end?
‘If in their inmost spirit they believed
‘In an enduring state that lies before,—
‘Their spirits soon to enter, could they still,
‘Possessing man's reflective faculties,
‘Disport themselves, with maniac heedlessness,
‘Upon a verge so awful?—Falsehood,—hence!
‘Whate'er they say, they must, they do believe
‘This life the whole of man!—his intellects—
‘So towering and ethereal!—spark of heaven!
‘Matter alone, and endless sleep his doom!
‘Comporting with such faith,—all harmony!
‘They revel, feed their pamper'd appetite,
‘Plunge into all the world's wide vanities,
‘And hold, at nought, the smiles, the frowns of God!
‘How vain are words, when deeds dishonour them!
‘Say are not men, sunk in profoundest dreams?
‘Would wrap them round, the turf would cover them,
‘Truths so momentous! could they stand unmoved?—
‘From all their thoughts exclude them?—e'en appear,
‘Thro' the whole tenor of their words and ways
‘As tho' they thought their lives would never end?
‘If in their inmost spirit they believed
‘In an enduring state that lies before,—
‘Their spirits soon to enter, could they still,
‘Possessing man's reflective faculties,
‘Disport themselves, with maniac heedlessness,
‘Upon a verge so awful?—Falsehood,—hence!
‘Whate'er they say, they must, they do believe
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‘So towering and ethereal!—spark of heaven!
‘Matter alone, and endless sleep his doom!
‘Comporting with such faith,—all harmony!
‘They revel, feed their pamper'd appetite,
‘Plunge into all the world's wide vanities,
‘And hold, at nought, the smiles, the frowns of God!
‘How vain are words, when deeds dishonour them!
‘Say are not men, sunk in profoundest dreams?
‘But others look censorious on the crowd,
‘Victims of folly! and, with earnestness,
‘Contend for an Hereafter;—freely chide
‘The thoughtless, senseless minds, that question it.
‘These own, that when at length life wears away,
‘After their four-score years, or more,—a state—
‘No sport of fancy, but in verity,
‘Waits to receive them, which, to this, they hope
‘Will bear resemblance,—like as like may be!—
‘For they have wealth, indulgence, luxury;
‘What joys, or higher heaven, can heart desire!—
‘Such hearts as theirs, fetter'd, absorbed by Time.
‘Victims of folly! and, with earnestness,
‘Contend for an Hereafter;—freely chide
‘The thoughtless, senseless minds, that question it.
‘These own, that when at length life wears away,
‘After their four-score years, or more,—a state—
‘No sport of fancy, but in verity,
‘Waits to receive them, which, to this, they hope
‘Will bear resemblance,—like as like may be!—
‘For they have wealth, indulgence, luxury;
‘What joys, or higher heaven, can heart desire!—
‘Such hearts as theirs, fetter'd, absorbed by Time.
‘Tell thou such earthworms, grasping sordid dust,
‘There is another world—of Peace and Love,
‘Of Light, and Purity, but not for them—
‘Unbought, unsanctified!—Heaven is a place
‘Prepared for righteousness,—the pure in heart;
‘For those alone, who follow, prize, confess—
‘Their Saviour,—sum and source of all their joy!
‘Ask them, when rent asunder from their god,—
‘Their idol, gold, what refuge will be theirs?
‘The now receding, and the future dark!
‘There is another world—of Peace and Love,
‘Of Light, and Purity, but not for them—
‘Unbought, unsanctified!—Heaven is a place
‘Prepared for righteousness,—the pure in heart;
‘For those alone, who follow, prize, confess—
‘Their Saviour,—sum and source of all their joy!
‘Ask them, when rent asunder from their god,—
‘Their idol, gold, what refuge will be theirs?
‘The now receding, and the future dark!
‘Tell them, if they would Mammon, from a curse,
hange to a blessing, with the liberal hand,
‘(While owning Him from whom their power proceeds)
‘To scatter, what erelong will scatter'd be!—
‘(Earlier, perchance, by adverse circumstance!)
‘To aid each righteous cause that languishes;—
‘Form'd to allay the pangs of suffering man,
‘To succour worth, the sorrowing heart to cheer,
‘Reclaim the bad, instruct the ignorant,
‘Or, the glad tidings, special boon of Heaven!
‘To bear to shores, far distant;—richer freight
‘Than gems, and all earth's perishable toys.
‘Tell them the day has waned, the eve is near!
‘That if they seek a treasure in the skies,
‘They must be up and doing, and become,
‘While yet they may, their own sweet almoners;
‘Leaving not honours, so refined and great
‘To others, or till they relax their hold,
‘And can no longer guard—what most they prize!
‘When the last turbid dregs of life arrive,
‘Then, haply touch'd by generous sympathy,
‘They may, to waken praise, or purchase Heaven!
‘Bestow, at death, what living they denied.—
‘The present is the only theatre
‘Where men may act the part magnanimous,—
‘Secure both worlds:—here by obeying God,—
‘Whose smiles diffuse a sunshine o'er the breast!
‘Then, looking on, thro' goodness infinite
‘(Still trusting in the sinner's Advocate)
‘To pleasures, passing thought, mid realms on high!—
‘All from their dreams awake. If in this world,
‘Happy, thrice happy they!—
hange to a blessing, with the liberal hand,
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‘To scatter, what erelong will scatter'd be!—
‘(Earlier, perchance, by adverse circumstance!)
‘To aid each righteous cause that languishes;—
‘Form'd to allay the pangs of suffering man,
‘To succour worth, the sorrowing heart to cheer,
‘Reclaim the bad, instruct the ignorant,
‘Or, the glad tidings, special boon of Heaven!
‘To bear to shores, far distant;—richer freight
‘Than gems, and all earth's perishable toys.
‘Tell them the day has waned, the eve is near!
‘That if they seek a treasure in the skies,
‘They must be up and doing, and become,
‘While yet they may, their own sweet almoners;
‘Leaving not honours, so refined and great
‘To others, or till they relax their hold,
‘And can no longer guard—what most they prize!
‘When the last turbid dregs of life arrive,
‘Then, haply touch'd by generous sympathy,
‘They may, to waken praise, or purchase Heaven!
‘Bestow, at death, what living they denied.—
‘The present is the only theatre
‘Where men may act the part magnanimous,—
‘Secure both worlds:—here by obeying God,—
‘Whose smiles diffuse a sunshine o'er the breast!
‘Then, looking on, thro' goodness infinite
‘(Still trusting in the sinner's Advocate)
‘To pleasures, passing thought, mid realms on high!—
‘All from their dreams awake. If in this world,
‘Happy, thrice happy they!—
‘Yet one there is,
‘Wandering awhile below, who does not dream,—
‘The christian! He, amid a dreaming world,
‘With eye, wide open, darts his filmless gaze
‘Thro' nature, and beholds his Father's hand.
‘Unmoved by all the turmoils of the world,
‘He trusts the guide unseen, and with a joy
‘Wealth cannot buy, looks forward to the place
‘Where sighs and tears are banish'd,—to the day
‘When, with the ransom'd, he will lift his voice,
‘And share the rest, the bliss, which, evermore,
‘God has prepared—for his true worshippers!
‘Wandering awhile below, who does not dream,—
‘The christian! He, amid a dreaming world,
‘With eye, wide open, darts his filmless gaze
‘Thro' nature, and beholds his Father's hand.
‘Unmoved by all the turmoils of the world,
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‘Wealth cannot buy, looks forward to the place
‘Where sighs and tears are banish'd,—to the day
‘When, with the ransom'd, he will lift his voice,
‘And share the rest, the bliss, which, evermore,
‘God has prepared—for his true worshippers!
‘With wonder raise thy thoughts. Of the vast whole,—
‘This universe, and all created things,
‘Man glimpses but an atom. Higher still,—
‘The confines, e'en by seraphs unexplored!
‘We cannot trace the governance of God—
‘On the vast scale, where angels' thoughts are lost!
‘What then can mortals know? The sagest minds
‘Thro' the tempestuous vestibule of time,
‘See things confused. The plan, the symmetry
‘Which marks th' Eternal's works, or great, or small,
‘Pertaining to earth's complicated scenes,
‘A rayless night conceals, and such to be,
‘Till borne beyond the grave, when all will prove,—
‘(All which concerns his rugged path thro' life,)
‘Light, love, and harmony. The doubtful points
‘In man's existence, that once pierced his mind,
‘And made him sorrowful, will then appear
‘No sport of chance, but order'd by that Power,
‘Supreme in knowledge, as beneficence.
‘Tho', from thy darkness, thou may'st often mourn
‘Evils thou canst not cure, and see events
‘Prove adverse to thy wishes, evermore
‘Trust in unerring wisdom. Look above!
‘And, as befitteth mortal, patiently,
‘Endure in silence; faith thy anchor-hold.
‘This universe, and all created things,
‘Man glimpses but an atom. Higher still,—
‘The confines, e'en by seraphs unexplored!
‘We cannot trace the governance of God—
‘On the vast scale, where angels' thoughts are lost!
‘What then can mortals know? The sagest minds
‘Thro' the tempestuous vestibule of time,
‘See things confused. The plan, the symmetry
‘Which marks th' Eternal's works, or great, or small,
‘Pertaining to earth's complicated scenes,
‘A rayless night conceals, and such to be,
‘Till borne beyond the grave, when all will prove,—
‘(All which concerns his rugged path thro' life,)
‘Light, love, and harmony. The doubtful points
‘In man's existence, that once pierced his mind,
‘And made him sorrowful, will then appear
‘No sport of chance, but order'd by that Power,
‘Supreme in knowledge, as beneficence.
‘Tho', from thy darkness, thou may'st often mourn
‘Evils thou canst not cure, and see events
‘Prove adverse to thy wishes, evermore
‘Trust in unerring wisdom. Look above!
‘And, as befitteth mortal, patiently,
‘Endure in silence; faith thy anchor-hold.
‘Tho' strange to thee, and inconceivable.—
‘The earthly mind surpassing,—lost to him
‘Seduced, enslaved, by things of time and sense,
‘Between the realm of spirits, and thine own
‘A thin translucent veil, alone, prevails,
‘Which sometimes the Eternal draws aside,
‘Opening the splendors of the unseen world:
‘For at his bidding, an unearthly blaze,—
‘A beam—insufferable o'er the sight
‘Pours its effulgence;—as when Stephen saw
‘Christ by his Father's side! Or when the Son,
‘On Tabor's mount, unveil'd his native glory!
‘Whilst his three followers, awe-struck, fell to earth!
‘Or when the fierce, and slaughter-breathing Saul,
‘Near to Damascus, falling, heard aghast,
‘A voice, well known!—'mid light ineffable—
‘Supernal, sun-surpassing! which transformed,
‘By the same power that gave creation birth,
‘The lion to the meekness of the lamb!
‘The earthly mind surpassing,—lost to him
‘Seduced, enslaved, by things of time and sense,
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‘A thin translucent veil, alone, prevails,
‘Which sometimes the Eternal draws aside,
‘Opening the splendors of the unseen world:
‘For at his bidding, an unearthly blaze,—
‘A beam—insufferable o'er the sight
‘Pours its effulgence;—as when Stephen saw
‘Christ by his Father's side! Or when the Son,
‘On Tabor's mount, unveil'd his native glory!
‘Whilst his three followers, awe-struck, fell to earth!
‘Or when the fierce, and slaughter-breathing Saul,
‘Near to Damascus, falling, heard aghast,
‘A voice, well known!—'mid light ineffable—
‘Supernal, sun-surpassing! which transformed,
‘By the same power that gave creation birth,
‘The lion to the meekness of the lamb!
‘Or when, in elder times, the hallow'd seer—
‘Elisha, in the city where he dwelt,
‘Felt calm, while hostile armies gather'd round,
‘And one, by terror smitten, told his fears:—
‘Knowing that more were for him than against,
‘The prophet pray'd, when, lo! the trembling spirit,
‘He who had quail'd at death's stern harbingers,
‘Renounced his fears. He saw celestial hosts,—
‘Chariots of fire, and horses,—compassing
‘Him, who communion held with God Most High!
‘So, till the last loud trump shall sound, all men—
‘Trusting in Heaven, while sojourning below,
‘Shall stand secure, encompass'd not by shields
‘Of earthly temp'rament, but by the Power,
‘Whose arms are a pavilion round about.
‘Elisha, in the city where he dwelt,
‘Felt calm, while hostile armies gather'd round,
‘And one, by terror smitten, told his fears:—
‘Knowing that more were for him than against,
‘The prophet pray'd, when, lo! the trembling spirit,
‘He who had quail'd at death's stern harbingers,
‘Renounced his fears. He saw celestial hosts,—
‘Chariots of fire, and horses,—compassing
‘Him, who communion held with God Most High!
‘So, till the last loud trump shall sound, all men—
‘Trusting in Heaven, while sojourning below,
‘Shall stand secure, encompass'd not by shields
‘Of earthly temp'rament, but by the Power,
‘Whose arms are a pavilion round about.
‘Joy to the heart, in a perennial stream,
‘Faith brings, sustain'd by confidence in Him
‘Who sees, and governs all things. This the pearl
‘Of worth transcendent, holiness to prize,
‘All evil loathe, as the accursed thing,
‘Which grieves and drives the Spirit from the breast.
‘'Mid all thy cares, perplexities, and woes,
‘Trust in a God of goodness. Canst thou doubt
‘His care of mortals, for their temporal things,—
‘The fleeting, when such stores his love has made
‘For their eternal interests?—shown so clear,
‘By the benign bestowment of his Son!
‘To teach, and death endure, that man might live!
‘Faith brings, sustain'd by confidence in Him
‘Who sees, and governs all things. This the pearl
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‘All evil loathe, as the accursed thing,
‘Which grieves and drives the Spirit from the breast.
‘'Mid all thy cares, perplexities, and woes,
‘Trust in a God of goodness. Canst thou doubt
‘His care of mortals, for their temporal things,—
‘The fleeting, when such stores his love has made
‘For their eternal interests?—shown so clear,
‘By the benign bestowment of his Son!
‘To teach, and death endure, that man might live!
‘This is the Christian's solace—his strong tower.
‘'Mid all things fading, here, Stability
‘Stamps his firm tread!—While thrones and monuments,
‘Temples, and gorgeous domes, and pinnacles,—
‘Piercing the heavens, Time, with his withering hand,
‘Lays low, and their memorial blots from earth,
‘The christian, on his still-enduring rock,
‘Stands, undismay'd.—His spirit fears no change.
‘Mutation, bane of all things here below,
‘Extends not to the realms where he is bound,
‘Nor to the joys that wait him!—the delights,
‘Surpassing eye and ear, and which the mind
‘Vainly essays to reach, or circumscribe.
‘Secure in his eternal heritage,—
‘His home, long sought, his mansion, out of sight,
‘He, 'mid a jarring, dark, tempestuous world,
‘Calm, and unmoved, walks full of light and peace.
‘'Mid all things fading, here, Stability
‘Stamps his firm tread!—While thrones and monuments,
‘Temples, and gorgeous domes, and pinnacles,—
‘Piercing the heavens, Time, with his withering hand,
‘Lays low, and their memorial blots from earth,
‘The christian, on his still-enduring rock,
‘Stands, undismay'd.—His spirit fears no change.
‘Mutation, bane of all things here below,
‘Extends not to the realms where he is bound,
‘Nor to the joys that wait him!—the delights,
‘Surpassing eye and ear, and which the mind
‘Vainly essays to reach, or circumscribe.
‘Secure in his eternal heritage,—
‘His home, long sought, his mansion, out of sight,
‘He, 'mid a jarring, dark, tempestuous world,
‘Calm, and unmoved, walks full of light and peace.
‘Not in th' Eternal's all-pervading eye
‘Is the same deed by different men perform'd:
‘Motives and principles to him appear,
‘Clear, tho' conceal'd from human scrutiny;
‘And some who claim high titles,—lofty names
‘From erring mortals,—lighter than the air,
‘Oft-times, to him appear, whose searching eye
‘Pierces the deepest shade. He oft beholds
‘Amid the actions, raising loud acclaim—
‘The purpose dark!—Externals live for praise;
‘The heart is Heaven's own province, and the man,
‘Who, when no eye surveys, communion holds—
‘Most with his Maker;—tho' a thoughtless world,
‘Haply may frown, from his less prominence
‘In blazing zeal, the nearest stands allied
‘To joys celestial, and the smiles of Heaven.
‘Suspect the ostentatious, and the vain.
‘True piety retires, and covets not
‘Notice or plaudit;—holding light, man's praise
‘Emblem of frailty, crush'd before the moth.
‘The lofty look, the proud preeminence,—
‘The altitude which Mammon gives her sons,—
‘All is the spirit from beneath! Erelong,
‘Persons, and things in other light will stand.
‘Then, on thine entrance into realms of bliss,
‘Some wilt thou meet, who, in the lower world,
‘Were deem'd by thee, the doubtful, kindling fears;
‘Now clothed in spotless robe, and in their hand
‘Waving the palm-branch; whilst in yonder group,—
‘Retiring from the presence of their Lord
‘Some will be found, dismantled of their guise,—
‘Who sought all praise, but that which Heaven bestows!
‘It may perplex thy mind, yet, know assured,
‘All men are better than they seem, or worse;
‘From this learn charity. Judgment is God's alone!
‘Censorious words restrain. Th' anathema
‘Man ill becometh, or the scornful tongue
‘That to a weaker brother would declare,
‘While lifting the high look, ‘Approach me not!
‘I am the holy, thou—the cast-away!’
‘Whate'er thou lose, an entrance strive to gain—
‘At the straight gate, and for an evil world
‘Feel, and in pity, lift th' imploring eye:
‘For, to desire another's benefit,
‘Tho' that desire be vain, brings on the heart,
‘O'erflowing with celestial charity,
‘A rich return. Indulge th' ecstatic hope,
‘The fervent prayer,—that God would hasten on
‘Time's tardy course, when this terrene shall hail,
‘(No more to set) the Sun of righteousness,
‘Driving the clouds before his chariot wheels,
‘One chorus issuing from earth's thousand tribes.
‘Then will the eternal consummation rise,
‘Rending with shouts, and concords jubilant,
‘Heaven's adamantine gates, and starry thrones.
‘Is the same deed by different men perform'd:
‘Motives and principles to him appear,
‘Clear, tho' conceal'd from human scrutiny;
‘And some who claim high titles,—lofty names
‘From erring mortals,—lighter than the air,
‘Oft-times, to him appear, whose searching eye
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‘Amid the actions, raising loud acclaim—
‘The purpose dark!—Externals live for praise;
‘The heart is Heaven's own province, and the man,
‘Who, when no eye surveys, communion holds—
‘Most with his Maker;—tho' a thoughtless world,
‘Haply may frown, from his less prominence
‘In blazing zeal, the nearest stands allied
‘To joys celestial, and the smiles of Heaven.
‘Suspect the ostentatious, and the vain.
‘True piety retires, and covets not
‘Notice or plaudit;—holding light, man's praise
‘Emblem of frailty, crush'd before the moth.
‘The lofty look, the proud preeminence,—
‘The altitude which Mammon gives her sons,—
‘All is the spirit from beneath! Erelong,
‘Persons, and things in other light will stand.
‘Then, on thine entrance into realms of bliss,
‘Some wilt thou meet, who, in the lower world,
‘Were deem'd by thee, the doubtful, kindling fears;
‘Now clothed in spotless robe, and in their hand
‘Waving the palm-branch; whilst in yonder group,—
‘Retiring from the presence of their Lord
‘Some will be found, dismantled of their guise,—
‘Who sought all praise, but that which Heaven bestows!
‘It may perplex thy mind, yet, know assured,
‘All men are better than they seem, or worse;
‘From this learn charity. Judgment is God's alone!
‘Censorious words restrain. Th' anathema
‘Man ill becometh, or the scornful tongue
‘That to a weaker brother would declare,
‘While lifting the high look, ‘Approach me not!
‘I am the holy, thou—the cast-away!’
‘Whate'er thou lose, an entrance strive to gain—
‘At the straight gate, and for an evil world
‘Feel, and in pity, lift th' imploring eye:
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‘Tho' that desire be vain, brings on the heart,
‘O'erflowing with celestial charity,
‘A rich return. Indulge th' ecstatic hope,
‘The fervent prayer,—that God would hasten on
‘Time's tardy course, when this terrene shall hail,
‘(No more to set) the Sun of righteousness,
‘Driving the clouds before his chariot wheels,
‘One chorus issuing from earth's thousand tribes.
‘Then will the eternal consummation rise,
‘Rending with shouts, and concords jubilant,
‘Heaven's adamantine gates, and starry thrones.
‘Flee thou the monster pride, he whelms the breast
‘In storm and tempest; driving peace afar;
‘The blessing which the wise man values most.
‘Humility! fairest of mortal garbs!
‘And beautiful as morning! hold it dear!
‘It is a heavenly ornament! Be thou
‘Gentle of spirit, ready to be taught,
‘Seeing thy frailty: so shalt thou receive
‘Knowledge to cheer thee, wisdom to direct,
‘And to th' exactest point of benefit,
‘Whate'er high Heaven sees needful.
‘In storm and tempest; driving peace afar;
‘The blessing which the wise man values most.
‘Humility! fairest of mortal garbs!
‘And beautiful as morning! hold it dear!
‘It is a heavenly ornament! Be thou
‘Gentle of spirit, ready to be taught,
‘Seeing thy frailty: so shalt thou receive
‘Knowledge to cheer thee, wisdom to direct,
‘And to th' exactest point of benefit,
‘Whate'er high Heaven sees needful.
‘Ever know,
‘Man's mind, the full effulgence of all light
‘May not endure; therefore, be still, nor strive
‘To lift the veil, God hath seen fit to cast
‘O'er many things, and in profoundest shades
‘Hidden from mortal sight. One thing is clear!
‘God is all wise, all good.
‘Man's mind, the full effulgence of all light
‘May not endure; therefore, be still, nor strive
‘To lift the veil, God hath seen fit to cast
‘O'er many things, and in profoundest shades
‘Hidden from mortal sight. One thing is clear!
‘God is all wise, all good.
‘Believing this,
‘Dive not in that unfathomable gulf,
‘Conjecture vague, but with the little light,
‘Certain, thou hast, rest satisfied; for more,
‘Seeking to know, will but with pangs torment,
‘And, in the end, make thee forget what is,
‘To guess what may be. Soon the time will come,
‘(A point between!) when each mysterious thing
‘Shall be made clear, and to th' assembled worlds
‘God's ways to man be justified, and all
‘Cry, ‘Holy, Holy, Lord of heaven and earth!’
‘Dive not in that unfathomable gulf,
‘Conjecture vague, but with the little light,
‘Certain, thou hast, rest satisfied; for more,
‘Seeking to know, will but with pangs torment,
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‘To guess what may be. Soon the time will come,
‘(A point between!) when each mysterious thing
‘Shall be made clear, and to th' assembled worlds
‘God's ways to man be justified, and all
‘Cry, ‘Holy, Holy, Lord of heaven and earth!’
‘Thou hast endured, 'till now, a load of cares,
‘Such as have wrung thy heart, and in the hour
‘When faithless doubts prevail'd, made thee suspect
‘That, 'mid this world, thou wast ordain'd to roam
‘A friendless, drooping, solitary man,
‘Uncertain whence, and whither bound, unknown;
‘A blank in the creation; born to mourn.
‘Henceforth, when sorrows wring thy heart, believe—
‘They spring alone from that benignant power,
‘Who seeks by every trial, one effect,
‘His creatures' benefit—to raise their hearts
‘From sin to purity, from earth to heaven.
‘How different man's from the Almighty's view!
‘God often sees prosperity, or pride,
‘Or unbelief, or that disastrous foe—
‘Indiff'rence, offspring of iniquity!
‘Those whom he loves o'ertake, and lest the flood
‘Should drown their spirits, bear them far away
‘From holiness, and healing sympathies,
‘Angels, like me, become His ministers,
‘And deal some harsh, yet needful antidote
‘To call them to reflection, to arrest
‘Their wandering spirits, verging fast on sloth,—
‘That dark'ning, dead'ning, torpor of the soul!
‘Haply, some friend, or idol, loved too well!
‘Sent to the grave, untimely; or disease,—
‘The couch of pain and languor, when Life's glare,
‘Receding, shows the emptiness of Time,
‘With the supreme importance of a hope
‘Stretching beyond these shadows; or perchance,
‘To rouse them from their fatal lethargy,
‘Anguish of spirit, or the dread decree
‘Which strips them of the baser dross of earth
‘To give them an eternal heritage.
‘Such as have wrung thy heart, and in the hour
‘When faithless doubts prevail'd, made thee suspect
‘That, 'mid this world, thou wast ordain'd to roam
‘A friendless, drooping, solitary man,
‘Uncertain whence, and whither bound, unknown;
‘A blank in the creation; born to mourn.
‘Henceforth, when sorrows wring thy heart, believe—
‘They spring alone from that benignant power,
‘Who seeks by every trial, one effect,
‘His creatures' benefit—to raise their hearts
‘From sin to purity, from earth to heaven.
‘How different man's from the Almighty's view!
‘God often sees prosperity, or pride,
‘Or unbelief, or that disastrous foe—
‘Indiff'rence, offspring of iniquity!
‘Those whom he loves o'ertake, and lest the flood
‘Should drown their spirits, bear them far away
‘From holiness, and healing sympathies,
‘Angels, like me, become His ministers,
‘And deal some harsh, yet needful antidote
‘To call them to reflection, to arrest
‘Their wandering spirits, verging fast on sloth,—
‘That dark'ning, dead'ning, torpor of the soul!
‘Haply, some friend, or idol, loved too well!
‘Sent to the grave, untimely; or disease,—
‘The couch of pain and languor, when Life's glare,
‘Receding, shows the emptiness of Time,
‘With the supreme importance of a hope
352
‘To rouse them from their fatal lethargy,
‘Anguish of spirit, or the dread decree
‘Which strips them of the baser dross of earth
‘To give them an eternal heritage.
‘Yet for thy comfort, more may I declare.
‘Such are the joys of the eternal state
‘Which wait the righteous, that one transient glance,
‘One faint perception of its weight of glory,
‘Might, from its base, the mind, hurl, and unfit
‘For mortal exercise. Men here below,
‘Endued with the celestial antepast,
‘Would feel such hopes, such longings to depart,
‘And mix with the extatic choir, who shout—
‘Praises to God, forming one concourse grand
‘Of all the righteous,—Patriarchs, and Saints,—
‘Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs,—holy men
‘The lights of every age, the salt of earth,
‘The sons of God, redeemed and sanctified,
‘That all the little round of mortal things
‘Needful to life, and fitting them as men,
‘Would fade away, nor longer interest those
‘So soon to leave them, and participate
‘In scenes celestial; therefore wisely veil'd!
‘Save, when the dying man, the Christian, looks
‘Beyond this lower world, glimpsing the joys,
‘The unfading crown that waits him, and the cloud,
‘Bearing Archangels, from whose giddy height
‘They look, with open arms, and beckoning cry,
‘Approach, bless'd spirit! He may half conceive
‘Heaven's weight of glory! Oft the good man's speech,
‘When on the verge of the eternal world,
‘May wild, and wandering seem, to us around
‘Attendant angels, other thoughts arise!
‘We hear the broken word, the silent prayer;
‘We mark the look of agonizing joy,
‘When the first beam of immaterial light
‘Darts through the mind, and o'er the countenance
‘Diffuses heavenly radiance.
‘Such are the joys of the eternal state
‘Which wait the righteous, that one transient glance,
‘One faint perception of its weight of glory,
‘Might, from its base, the mind, hurl, and unfit
‘For mortal exercise. Men here below,
‘Endued with the celestial antepast,
‘Would feel such hopes, such longings to depart,
‘And mix with the extatic choir, who shout—
‘Praises to God, forming one concourse grand
‘Of all the righteous,—Patriarchs, and Saints,—
‘Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs,—holy men
‘The lights of every age, the salt of earth,
‘The sons of God, redeemed and sanctified,
‘That all the little round of mortal things
‘Needful to life, and fitting them as men,
‘Would fade away, nor longer interest those
‘So soon to leave them, and participate
‘In scenes celestial; therefore wisely veil'd!
‘Save, when the dying man, the Christian, looks
‘Beyond this lower world, glimpsing the joys,
‘The unfading crown that waits him, and the cloud,
‘Bearing Archangels, from whose giddy height
‘They look, with open arms, and beckoning cry,
‘Approach, bless'd spirit! He may half conceive
‘Heaven's weight of glory! Oft the good man's speech,
‘When on the verge of the eternal world,
‘May wild, and wandering seem, to us around
‘Attendant angels, other thoughts arise!
‘We hear the broken word, the silent prayer;
353
‘When the first beam of immaterial light
‘Darts through the mind, and o'er the countenance
‘Diffuses heavenly radiance.
‘Wondering hear.
‘After thy peace with God, thro' faith in Christ,
‘(Stretch'd on thy dying bed, when earth recedes,
‘Its loftiest objects less than vanity!)
‘This truth may solace thee:—th' entrancing hope
‘Of meeting first, in the eternal state,
‘Those whom thou lov'dst below. Rejoicing learn.
‘The child, the parent, wife, the partner dear,
‘The friend,—found in adversity the same,
‘If subjects of Messiah's kingdom, crowd
‘Around the dying pilgrim, when his breath—
‘Labours, till all is still,—to bid him hail!
‘To greet his sight with all he loved below!
‘To welcome him to scenes ineffable!
‘To gratulate,—that the dark realms of Time,—
‘Regions of sin and sorrow, ever more
‘Have pass'd away, and an eternity
‘Before him opens, casting into shade—
‘The brightest thoughts, conceptions, hopes of man.
‘After thy peace with God, thro' faith in Christ,
‘(Stretch'd on thy dying bed, when earth recedes,
‘Its loftiest objects less than vanity!)
‘This truth may solace thee:—th' entrancing hope
‘Of meeting first, in the eternal state,
‘Those whom thou lov'dst below. Rejoicing learn.
‘The child, the parent, wife, the partner dear,
‘The friend,—found in adversity the same,
‘If subjects of Messiah's kingdom, crowd
‘Around the dying pilgrim, when his breath—
‘Labours, till all is still,—to bid him hail!
‘To greet his sight with all he loved below!
‘To welcome him to scenes ineffable!
‘To gratulate,—that the dark realms of Time,—
‘Regions of sin and sorrow, ever more
‘Have pass'd away, and an eternity
‘Before him opens, casting into shade—
‘The brightest thoughts, conceptions, hopes of man.
‘That greeting over, in the blissful world
‘Whereto thou hastest, filled with unknown forms,
‘Once inconceivable, long will the eye,
‘Cleans'd from earth's prejudice, behold around
‘Innumerable things, all wonderful!
‘Yet, like the scar'd bird hovering round its nest,
‘It will delight to view its former state,
‘Dwelling on faded scenes. Whilst gifted thus
‘To view once more the round of human things
‘So lately left, nor alien yet become,
‘This will arouse his chief astonishment,
‘Waking, almost, a passing pang in heaven,—
‘That men so frail, the creatures of a day,
‘Should view, insensible, a world so fill'd
‘With speaking monitors, so aptly formed,
‘So wisely govern'd, so o'erspread with signs
‘Of goodness and intelligence;—yet once
‘Have follow'd the vain forms that cross'd their path,
‘The shadows of a moment! unconcern'd
‘At that advancing and imperious hour,
‘When Death, in terrors dress'd, shall claim his prey!—
‘When the sick eye turns inward to find out
‘Some joyous recollections, faith, and hope!—
‘The grand preparatives for that dread hour
‘When the loud trump shall sound, and man arise
‘To immortality!
‘Whereto thou hastest, filled with unknown forms,
‘Once inconceivable, long will the eye,
‘Cleans'd from earth's prejudice, behold around
‘Innumerable things, all wonderful!
‘Yet, like the scar'd bird hovering round its nest,
‘It will delight to view its former state,
‘Dwelling on faded scenes. Whilst gifted thus
‘To view once more the round of human things
‘So lately left, nor alien yet become,
‘This will arouse his chief astonishment,
‘Waking, almost, a passing pang in heaven,—
354
‘Should view, insensible, a world so fill'd
‘With speaking monitors, so aptly formed,
‘So wisely govern'd, so o'erspread with signs
‘Of goodness and intelligence;—yet once
‘Have follow'd the vain forms that cross'd their path,
‘The shadows of a moment! unconcern'd
‘At that advancing and imperious hour,
‘When Death, in terrors dress'd, shall claim his prey!—
‘When the sick eye turns inward to find out
‘Some joyous recollections, faith, and hope!—
‘The grand preparatives for that dread hour
‘When the loud trump shall sound, and man arise
‘To immortality!
‘If minds could doubt
‘Where all is certainty, men might suspect
‘That ever they on mortal ground had trod,
‘And heard so clear the voice of conscience, seen
‘Such proofs of an hereafter, yet remained
‘So callous to the certainty, which stood,
‘Like the fair star of eve in heaven's blue vault,
‘When all is dim beside.
‘Where all is certainty, men might suspect
‘That ever they on mortal ground had trod,
‘And heard so clear the voice of conscience, seen
‘Such proofs of an hereafter, yet remained
‘So callous to the certainty, which stood,
‘Like the fair star of eve in heaven's blue vault,
‘When all is dim beside.
‘Angels, like me,
‘Feel pity for a world involved in sin,
‘But pity most we feel, when we behold
‘Immortal souls, just issuing into life,
‘And ignorant of all things, when we see
‘These babes in knowledge, with presumptuous breath
‘Arraign the Deity! with critic eye
‘Scan all his ways, here of improvements speak,
‘There, charge with folly. Insects of an hour!
‘Before, thus impious, Heaven's Eternal King
‘You venture to instruct, say, who you are!
‘Show your credentials! In minuter things
‘Display your power!—add fragrance to the rose,
‘Or give new splendors to the setting sun.
‘That untamed spirit, Pride, which peopled first
‘Hell's dark abodes, and made Omnipotence
‘With thunders shake Heaven's everlasting thrones,
‘Now strays on earth, urged by whose counsels, man
‘Looks higher than his Maker, and would fain
‘Direct, not follow, govern, not obey.
‘Feel pity for a world involved in sin,
‘But pity most we feel, when we behold
‘Immortal souls, just issuing into life,
‘And ignorant of all things, when we see
‘These babes in knowledge, with presumptuous breath
‘Arraign the Deity! with critic eye
‘Scan all his ways, here of improvements speak,
‘There, charge with folly. Insects of an hour!
‘Before, thus impious, Heaven's Eternal King
‘You venture to instruct, say, who you are!
‘Show your credentials! In minuter things
‘Display your power!—add fragrance to the rose,
‘Or give new splendors to the setting sun.
355
‘Hell's dark abodes, and made Omnipotence
‘With thunders shake Heaven's everlasting thrones,
‘Now strays on earth, urged by whose counsels, man
‘Looks higher than his Maker, and would fain
‘Direct, not follow, govern, not obey.
‘Before my mission ceases, I must name
‘Duties severe, which to all men belong,
‘But most, a king. Mark, and hereafter live!
‘Duties severe, which to all men belong,
‘But most, a king. Mark, and hereafter live!
‘Thou art established on thy throne. Thy foes
‘Now sleep in death, and thou, prosperity
‘Long shalt enjoy, (if that can be call'd long
‘Whose utmost reign resembles the fleet cloud.)
‘Blessing and bless'd. If thou be faithful found;
‘If thou preserve thy heart from life's low stains,
‘And look to God, he never will forsake—
‘Thee nor thy house. Yet, ever bear in mind,
‘Faith, (like the bud that to maturity
‘Fails to arrive) in the Almighty's sight,
‘No value holds. But the immortal incense
‘That mounts on high, and with its fragrancy
‘Fills the seraphic mansions, springs from love,
‘From faith, in sight extinguish'd, scattering far
‘Celestial fruit, which angels smile to see,
‘Spreading o'er heaven, a sudden light, which gives
‘New lustre to their pinions, as they wave,
‘Waking harmonious airs.
‘Now sleep in death, and thou, prosperity
‘Long shalt enjoy, (if that can be call'd long
‘Whose utmost reign resembles the fleet cloud.)
‘Blessing and bless'd. If thou be faithful found;
‘If thou preserve thy heart from life's low stains,
‘And look to God, he never will forsake—
‘Thee nor thy house. Yet, ever bear in mind,
‘Faith, (like the bud that to maturity
‘Fails to arrive) in the Almighty's sight,
‘No value holds. But the immortal incense
‘That mounts on high, and with its fragrancy
‘Fills the seraphic mansions, springs from love,
‘From faith, in sight extinguish'd, scattering far
‘Celestial fruit, which angels smile to see,
‘Spreading o'er heaven, a sudden light, which gives
‘New lustre to their pinions, as they wave,
‘Waking harmonious airs.
‘Look thou to God,
‘And ever prize 'bove all created good—
‘Jesus thy Saviour! thy Redeemer, Christ!
‘The pledge of hope! the anchor of the soul!
‘The bright and morning star! whose tranquil beam
‘Shall light thee safe, through the dark vale of death;
‘Thy only solace. He hath been the joy
‘Of thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand,
‘Who now have spread their palms and learn'd to sing
‘Hosannas in the highest; and he, still,
‘Will cheer each heir of glory, till the hour
‘When time shall be no more. Men little think,
‘The best, the wisest, the least bound to earth,
‘What countless and eternal benefits
‘From Him proceed, what blessings for his sake
‘God hath prepared, and what felicities
‘Await his true disciples: men who lived
‘Not for themselves: who, a benignant glance
‘Cast all around them; striving with what power
‘Heaven had conferr'd, how best to moderate
‘The pungency of suffering, and the minds
‘Of thoughtless mortals raise from earth to Heaven.
‘And ever prize 'bove all created good—
‘Jesus thy Saviour! thy Redeemer, Christ!
‘The pledge of hope! the anchor of the soul!
‘The bright and morning star! whose tranquil beam
‘Shall light thee safe, through the dark vale of death;
356
‘Of thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand,
‘Who now have spread their palms and learn'd to sing
‘Hosannas in the highest; and he, still,
‘Will cheer each heir of glory, till the hour
‘When time shall be no more. Men little think,
‘The best, the wisest, the least bound to earth,
‘What countless and eternal benefits
‘From Him proceed, what blessings for his sake
‘God hath prepared, and what felicities
‘Await his true disciples: men who lived
‘Not for themselves: who, a benignant glance
‘Cast all around them; striving with what power
‘Heaven had conferr'd, how best to moderate
‘The pungency of suffering, and the minds
‘Of thoughtless mortals raise from earth to Heaven.
‘In the pursuit of good, they oft are pain'd
‘By men's ingratitude.—He who does good,—
‘Must do it for itself. The noblest deed
‘Is tarnish'd by an eye to human praise.
‘The loud complainants, who?—Is it their aim—
‘Their purpose?—their great end?—their moving cause?—
‘Man's praise to gain?—The pure in heart (tho' sweet
‘Some sense of obligation—kindness shown)
‘Meekly will say—when robbed of their desert,—
‘The evil thine. I look beyond, above.
‘I trust by these poor services,—to gain
‘My Maker's smile.—I do it, Lord, to thee!’
‘By men's ingratitude.—He who does good,—
‘Must do it for itself. The noblest deed
‘Is tarnish'd by an eye to human praise.
‘The loud complainants, who?—Is it their aim—
‘Their purpose?—their great end?—their moving cause?—
‘Man's praise to gain?—The pure in heart (tho' sweet
‘Some sense of obligation—kindness shown)
‘Meekly will say—when robbed of their desert,—
‘The evil thine. I look beyond, above.
‘I trust by these poor services,—to gain
‘My Maker's smile.—I do it, Lord, to thee!’
‘The true disciples faint not, at the ills
‘That follow man as shadows, when required
‘Burdens to bear, by wisdom infinite.
‘Like their great Master, they the weight endure
‘And drink affliction's cup, and walk thro' earth
‘Like pilgrims, to a better country bound,
‘Tho' briefly doomed, while in their non-age here,
‘To stray thro' thorns, and bear the buffettings
‘Of sin and satan: yet, the strife will cease!
‘The journey shortly end! The race be o'er!
‘The crown be won!
‘That follow man as shadows, when required
‘Burdens to bear, by wisdom infinite.
‘Like their great Master, they the weight endure
‘And drink affliction's cup, and walk thro' earth
‘Like pilgrims, to a better country bound,
357
‘To stray thro' thorns, and bear the buffettings
‘Of sin and satan: yet, the strife will cease!
‘The journey shortly end! The race be o'er!
‘The crown be won!
‘With lasting gratitude
‘Let thy breast glow, for that direction true,
‘'Mid a dark world, the Book of God! When joy—
‘In vortex-like o'erwhelms thy dizzy mind,
‘Makes every sound harmonious, every form
‘Appear in vernal beauties; lest the draught
‘Intoxicate, and hurry on thy feet
‘To join the evil throng, who share the gift
‘Unmindful of the Giver; turn thine eye
‘To that assemblage of divinest things,
‘Wisdom and righteousness: there mark the end
‘Of those, who, in prosperity, forgot
‘The God that made them, and whose bounteous hand
‘Sent them their every blessing. And when grief
‘Presses thy spirit to the earth, still fly
‘To the same fountain of all knowledge good!
‘Its words shall soothe thy cares, remove thy doubts,
‘Allay thy sorrows, level make thy path,
‘Cheerful thy life, thy death serene, thine end
‘Eternal glory! There shalt thou behold
‘In all dilemmas the right road to take:
‘In every state, what duties rise, what deeds
‘Secure th' applauding look of Heaven, what course
‘The weary and way-faring man may tread:
‘This ever prize! So will thy mind delight
‘To seek thy people's benefit, and strive
‘To do all good; thy law be equity;
‘And while thou guid'st the sceptre, wear'st the crown,
‘Thou wilt behold, unmoved, each gaudy scene
‘Of pomp and splendour, and this truth remain,
‘Stamp'd on thy heart—that life a shadow is,
‘A passing show, a meteor, seen awhile
‘In dazzling hues, but, fleeting as the light
‘That from the dancing wave, at summer eve,
‘Reflects the sun, slow sinking in the west.
‘Let thy breast glow, for that direction true,
‘'Mid a dark world, the Book of God! When joy—
‘In vortex-like o'erwhelms thy dizzy mind,
‘Makes every sound harmonious, every form
‘Appear in vernal beauties; lest the draught
‘Intoxicate, and hurry on thy feet
‘To join the evil throng, who share the gift
‘Unmindful of the Giver; turn thine eye
‘To that assemblage of divinest things,
‘Wisdom and righteousness: there mark the end
‘Of those, who, in prosperity, forgot
‘The God that made them, and whose bounteous hand
‘Sent them their every blessing. And when grief
‘Presses thy spirit to the earth, still fly
‘To the same fountain of all knowledge good!
‘Its words shall soothe thy cares, remove thy doubts,
‘Allay thy sorrows, level make thy path,
‘Cheerful thy life, thy death serene, thine end
‘Eternal glory! There shalt thou behold
‘In all dilemmas the right road to take:
‘In every state, what duties rise, what deeds
‘Secure th' applauding look of Heaven, what course
‘The weary and way-faring man may tread:
‘This ever prize! So will thy mind delight
‘To seek thy people's benefit, and strive
‘To do all good; thy law be equity;
‘And while thou guid'st the sceptre, wear'st the crown,
‘Thou wilt behold, unmoved, each gaudy scene
‘Of pomp and splendour, and this truth remain,
‘Stamp'd on thy heart—that life a shadow is,
358
‘In dazzling hues, but, fleeting as the light
‘That from the dancing wave, at summer eve,
‘Reflects the sun, slow sinking in the west.
‘But there are those who venture to reject—
‘This only light that ever earth received;
‘The lamp, which God, in mercy to mankind,
‘Sent to direct their feet, to glad their hearts,
‘To warn them of an everlasting state.
‘With lofty spirit such may feign to spurn
‘The pearl above all price, may laugh in health,
‘May triumph in prosperity, may lean
‘Upon perverted reason, and strive hard
‘To think themselves secure; but they will find
‘A reed their staff, for soon the time shall come,
‘Advancing rapid, when their confidence,
‘Deemed durable as earth, will fail, their hearts
‘Sink with dismay, and Death, in terrors dress'd,
‘Beckon with awful aspect, while their sins,
‘In dread procession, move before their eyes,
‘Unpardon'd, at that hour—when the whole earth
‘Would be exchanged for hope. In vain for such
‘The broad and sapphire gates of heaven were spread;
‘They all refused to enter, they adored
‘Mammon, and this vain world; tho' light had cast
‘A radiance all around, they prized it not!—
‘Their deeds were evil, and their hearts subdued,
‘And prostrated to earth!
‘This only light that ever earth received;
‘The lamp, which God, in mercy to mankind,
‘Sent to direct their feet, to glad their hearts,
‘To warn them of an everlasting state.
‘With lofty spirit such may feign to spurn
‘The pearl above all price, may laugh in health,
‘May triumph in prosperity, may lean
‘Upon perverted reason, and strive hard
‘To think themselves secure; but they will find
‘A reed their staff, for soon the time shall come,
‘Advancing rapid, when their confidence,
‘Deemed durable as earth, will fail, their hearts
‘Sink with dismay, and Death, in terrors dress'd,
‘Beckon with awful aspect, while their sins,
‘In dread procession, move before their eyes,
‘Unpardon'd, at that hour—when the whole earth
‘Would be exchanged for hope. In vain for such
‘The broad and sapphire gates of heaven were spread;
‘They all refused to enter, they adored
‘Mammon, and this vain world; tho' light had cast
‘A radiance all around, they prized it not!—
‘Their deeds were evil, and their hearts subdued,
‘And prostrated to earth!
Prepare thine ear
‘For revelations of th' unfolding time.
‘His Mind and Will the Highest has revealed,
‘One volume bears the treasure; leading straight
‘To Peace and Happiness, yet sorrowing, learn,
‘Man, prone to error, in ten thousand ways
‘Diverges from the Truth. This Book alone,
‘Instructs, alike, the mighty and the mean,—
‘Age, youth; the towering intellect, with him
‘Whose knowledge—just descrys the way to heaven.
‘Its words are lucid, yet, tho' manifest,
‘Some wander, steep'd in pride, whose hearts revolt
‘From shackles, tho' imposed by Love Divine.
‘Such add, or else diminish, what should be—
‘Sacred, inviolate; the standard, fixed
‘For faith and practice, that admits no change
‘Which whelms not in confusion, doubt, and death.
‘For revelations of th' unfolding time.
‘His Mind and Will the Highest has revealed,
‘One volume bears the treasure; leading straight
‘To Peace and Happiness, yet sorrowing, learn,
‘Man, prone to error, in ten thousand ways
‘Diverges from the Truth. This Book alone,
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‘Age, youth; the towering intellect, with him
‘Whose knowledge—just descrys the way to heaven.
‘Its words are lucid, yet, tho' manifest,
‘Some wander, steep'd in pride, whose hearts revolt
‘From shackles, tho' imposed by Love Divine.
‘Such add, or else diminish, what should be—
‘Sacred, inviolate; the standard, fixed
‘For faith and practice, that admits no change
‘Which whelms not in confusion, doubt, and death.
‘The distant age before my vision spreads!
‘Men will arise, once rescued from the gloom
‘Of grov'ling Superstition; ransom'd once
‘From bondage, now returning to their chains!—
‘In love with midnight!—Ingrates! these regard
‘The Glorious Spirits, who, to make them free,
‘So oft their lives resign'd;—(blessings and great
‘Attend them! Heroes in the noblest cause;)
‘Yet, who th' emancipating wand uprais'd,
‘Now are renounced,—forsaken of their friends!—
‘Stray sheep, and wand'ring in the wilderness!
‘The Highest bring them to his fold again!
‘Men will arise, once rescued from the gloom
‘Of grov'ling Superstition; ransom'd once
‘From bondage, now returning to their chains!—
‘In love with midnight!—Ingrates! these regard
‘The Glorious Spirits, who, to make them free,
‘So oft their lives resign'd;—(blessings and great
‘Attend them! Heroes in the noblest cause;)
‘Yet, who th' emancipating wand uprais'd,
‘Now are renounced,—forsaken of their friends!—
‘Stray sheep, and wand'ring in the wilderness!
‘The Highest bring them to his fold again!
‘Far off I see the light of heaven obscured!
‘The grand, the pure, the simple truths of God,
‘Pour'd on selected minds, by Him, whose words,
‘Life were, and Spirit, yet, thro' wills perverse,
‘(By process slow) perverted, till, at length,
‘Deep darkness gathers! Truth retires to rocks,
‘And lonely vallies, whilst the Powers that be,—
‘Teachers profess'd of heavenly sanctities,
‘Now raised to grandeur and supremacy,
‘In sacerdotal pride and priestly pomp,
‘Wage war on Truth, and with infuriate wrath
‘Hunt it, and all who hold it, whilst the blood
‘Of holiest men, the children of the sky,
‘Flows copious, martyrs in their Saviour's cause.
‘The grand, the pure, the simple truths of God,
‘Pour'd on selected minds, by Him, whose words,
‘Life were, and Spirit, yet, thro' wills perverse,
‘(By process slow) perverted, till, at length,
‘Deep darkness gathers! Truth retires to rocks,
‘And lonely vallies, whilst the Powers that be,—
‘Teachers profess'd of heavenly sanctities,
‘Now raised to grandeur and supremacy,
‘In sacerdotal pride and priestly pomp,
‘Wage war on Truth, and with infuriate wrath
‘Hunt it, and all who hold it, whilst the blood
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‘Flows copious, martyrs in their Saviour's cause.
‘In dim perspective, visions still arise!
‘I see the marshall'd bands for war prepare;
‘Fire in their eye, and venom in their heart!
‘They march to meet the foe. Behold them there,
‘Ranging the hill-top. Now, from clift to clift,
‘Coursing the enemy, and, when beheld,
‘Quickening their speed; alike, thro' young or old,
‘With no recoil, plunging the blood-red spear.
‘There fly the mothers, grasping in their arms
‘Their infants, whilst their children speed behind,
‘The fathers urging them!—while men pursue,
‘(More fitly demons named) who, pitiless,
‘Slay all, insatiate, glorying in the deed.
‘I see the marshall'd bands for war prepare;
‘Fire in their eye, and venom in their heart!
‘They march to meet the foe. Behold them there,
‘Ranging the hill-top. Now, from clift to clift,
‘Coursing the enemy, and, when beheld,
‘Quickening their speed; alike, thro' young or old,
‘With no recoil, plunging the blood-red spear.
‘There fly the mothers, grasping in their arms
‘Their infants, whilst their children speed behind,
‘The fathers urging them!—while men pursue,
‘(More fitly demons named) who, pitiless,
‘Slay all, insatiate, glorying in the deed.
‘Say, what the crime, that mortal man can urge
‘To hunt, like beasts of prey, his fellow man,
‘Not sparing, in his fury, age, or sex?
‘Are those distracted fugitives, pursued,
‘With zeal so fierce, from cave to precipice,
‘From flow'ry vale, to ice-piled regions wild,
‘Outlaws, denounced of justice, pests abhorr'd,
‘Wasters, and plund'rers, spirits flesh'd in strife,
‘And plotting murders? charging earth with crime,
‘That they should live? These simple mountaineers,
‘Known for the bland amenities of life;
‘Inflicting wrong on none, and kind to all;—
‘Those mothers, (with their babes) their husbands like,
‘Valiant for truth, and yielding all for Christ,
‘Slaughter to 'scape, are rushing from their homes,
‘Pursued with hideous yells! their wounded limbs
‘Purpling the driven snow.—So late, who saw—
‘In contemplation, calm, or with their hearts,
‘Warm'd into praise, beholding on all sides,
‘Nature's magnificence!—the ice-piled rock,
‘The rifted crag, the roaring cataract,
‘The misty mountain, and the ravine dark,—
‘Awing the spirit!—pointing to that power,
‘In his exuberance of majesty,
‘Who form'd the whole! Arrested in their prayers;
‘E'en while to Heaven their adorations rise,
‘They hear the hostile shout! They glimpse the foe!
‘And, life to save, haste on, unknowing where,
‘Hard follow'd by avengers!—What the cause?
‘Again the enquiring spirit anxious asks,
‘That can assail these peaceful villagers
‘Loving their home, and wishing well to all?
‘I hear a tonsured advocate reply;
‘They are a sect proscribed, whose very breath
‘Poisons the air, and whom t' exterminate,
‘Blessing confers on earth, and Heaven secures.
‘They all are heretics! In arrogance,
‘They dare to question men infallible!
‘E'en God's Vicegerent, in their eyes, receives
‘No rank divine, or deferential dread;
‘Whilst, as the consummation of all wrong,
‘The thunders of the Vatican they slight,
‘Nor yield obedience to the Bulls of Rome!
‘What punishment too great for crimes like these?’
‘To hunt, like beasts of prey, his fellow man,
‘Not sparing, in his fury, age, or sex?
‘Are those distracted fugitives, pursued,
‘With zeal so fierce, from cave to precipice,
‘From flow'ry vale, to ice-piled regions wild,
‘Outlaws, denounced of justice, pests abhorr'd,
‘Wasters, and plund'rers, spirits flesh'd in strife,
‘And plotting murders? charging earth with crime,
‘That they should live? These simple mountaineers,
‘Known for the bland amenities of life;
‘Inflicting wrong on none, and kind to all;—
‘Those mothers, (with their babes) their husbands like,
‘Valiant for truth, and yielding all for Christ,
‘Slaughter to 'scape, are rushing from their homes,
‘Pursued with hideous yells! their wounded limbs
‘Purpling the driven snow.—So late, who saw—
‘In contemplation, calm, or with their hearts,
‘Warm'd into praise, beholding on all sides,
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‘The rifted crag, the roaring cataract,
‘The misty mountain, and the ravine dark,—
‘Awing the spirit!—pointing to that power,
‘In his exuberance of majesty,
‘Who form'd the whole! Arrested in their prayers;
‘E'en while to Heaven their adorations rise,
‘They hear the hostile shout! They glimpse the foe!
‘And, life to save, haste on, unknowing where,
‘Hard follow'd by avengers!—What the cause?
‘Again the enquiring spirit anxious asks,
‘That can assail these peaceful villagers
‘Loving their home, and wishing well to all?
‘I hear a tonsured advocate reply;
‘They are a sect proscribed, whose very breath
‘Poisons the air, and whom t' exterminate,
‘Blessing confers on earth, and Heaven secures.
‘They all are heretics! In arrogance,
‘They dare to question men infallible!
‘E'en God's Vicegerent, in their eyes, receives
‘No rank divine, or deferential dread;
‘Whilst, as the consummation of all wrong,
‘The thunders of the Vatican they slight,
‘Nor yield obedience to the Bulls of Rome!
‘What punishment too great for crimes like these?’
‘Illustrious sufferers! you, from haughty Priests,
‘The threat'ning summons heard, but all was vain:
‘War's desolations shake not your resolves.
‘Intent alone to gain the path of life,
‘Like ancestors revered, you worship God
‘As conscience dictates: read the sacred page;
‘Practise its precepts; trust its promises;
‘And prize the Saviour!—but, stupendous wrong!
‘You love not Priests, sable, or white, or grey;
‘Priests, as of yore, like whited sepulchres,
‘Fair to behold, but all from sight conceal'd—
‘Revolting!—The Inspector, God alone!
‘Intolerant Church! Founded in artifice!—
‘What crowds of murder'd spirits thee accuse!
‘Cheating the world with ceremonious forms!
‘By blood cemented, and on falsehood rear'd!—
‘Myriads will hail the moment of thy fall!
‘The threat'ning summons heard, but all was vain:
‘War's desolations shake not your resolves.
‘Intent alone to gain the path of life,
‘Like ancestors revered, you worship God
‘As conscience dictates: read the sacred page;
‘Practise its precepts; trust its promises;
‘And prize the Saviour!—but, stupendous wrong!
‘You love not Priests, sable, or white, or grey;
‘Priests, as of yore, like whited sepulchres,
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‘Revolting!—The Inspector, God alone!
‘Intolerant Church! Founded in artifice!—
‘What crowds of murder'd spirits thee accuse!
‘Cheating the world with ceremonious forms!
‘By blood cemented, and on falsehood rear'd!—
‘Myriads will hail the moment of thy fall!
‘The men who thus from Rome's intol'rance flee,—
‘Regardless where, so they might peace obtain;
‘At length asylum find, in loneliest spot,
‘'Mid desolation wild, where busy man
‘Never had rested. Here their morsel coarse,
‘(A luxury from hunger) they partake,
‘And feel that freedom, compensation makes,
‘Amply, for all their hardships. Here their cots
‘Successive rise, with stunted shrubs around;
‘Their gardens,—spots of green beside the hills,
‘Cheering their heart,—such as they call'd their own.
‘An envied lot! wants few, and well supplied;
‘Contentment their companion, Joy their guest,
‘Roaming at will—o'er their domain of rocks
‘Controll'd of none. Their thriving herds of goats
‘Now rise around,—companions of their toil,
‘Picking their scanty herbage where they may,—
‘High on the mountain peak precipitous,
‘Or, 'mid the clouds, scarce seen by man below;
‘Or, in the glen profound, accessible
‘Only to feet like theirs.—While seasons roll,
‘Their happiness increases. With delight,
‘Alike thro' all their tribes, the young, the old,
‘Regardful of the bounteous Hand unseen
‘Chant praises to their Maker, night and morn,
‘Contented, envying not the rich or great.
‘Regardless where, so they might peace obtain;
‘At length asylum find, in loneliest spot,
‘'Mid desolation wild, where busy man
‘Never had rested. Here their morsel coarse,
‘(A luxury from hunger) they partake,
‘And feel that freedom, compensation makes,
‘Amply, for all their hardships. Here their cots
‘Successive rise, with stunted shrubs around;
‘Their gardens,—spots of green beside the hills,
‘Cheering their heart,—such as they call'd their own.
‘An envied lot! wants few, and well supplied;
‘Contentment their companion, Joy their guest,
‘Roaming at will—o'er their domain of rocks
‘Controll'd of none. Their thriving herds of goats
‘Now rise around,—companions of their toil,
‘Picking their scanty herbage where they may,—
‘High on the mountain peak precipitous,
‘Or, 'mid the clouds, scarce seen by man below;
‘Or, in the glen profound, accessible
‘Only to feet like theirs.—While seasons roll,
‘Their happiness increases. With delight,
‘Alike thro' all their tribes, the young, the old,
‘Regardful of the bounteous Hand unseen
‘Chant praises to their Maker, night and morn,
‘Contented, envying not the rich or great.
‘Vain covert from oppression!—To their cost,
‘The priests have found them! and aloud exclaim,
‘Insulters of the only saving creed!
‘Death! or the Church!’ These sons of liberty,
‘Through all their hardy tribes, unterrified,
‘Re-echo—‘Death!’—Did Death and Priests prevail?
‘Full often! Hosts of Virtue's noblest sons
‘Their life's-blood gave! whilst many a mangled corse,
‘Parent and child, 'mid cave, or lonely glen,
‘Banquets provided for the birds of prey!—
‘Unyielding, like the widow's cruse, again,
‘The seed sprang up. Tho' check'd, it sprang once more.
‘A remnant lived, and lives! May Heaven's right arm
‘Sustain and succour them! His spirit grant!
‘And swell their joys, their numbers, and their store!
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‘Insulters of the only saving creed!
‘Death! or the Church!’ These sons of liberty,
‘Through all their hardy tribes, unterrified,
‘Re-echo—‘Death!’—Did Death and Priests prevail?
‘Full often! Hosts of Virtue's noblest sons
‘Their life's-blood gave! whilst many a mangled corse,
‘Parent and child, 'mid cave, or lonely glen,
‘Banquets provided for the birds of prey!—
‘Unyielding, like the widow's cruse, again,
‘The seed sprang up. Tho' check'd, it sprang once more.
‘A remnant lived, and lives! May Heaven's right arm
‘Sustain and succour them! His spirit grant!
‘And swell their joys, their numbers, and their store!
‘But who, save spirits base, shall bless their foes?
‘Blots of the Christian's name! who cruelties
‘Hatch'd on their bed, and with composure, doom'd
‘Their thousands to proscription,—torture,—death!
‘Rav'nous for power, such spirits, charged with hate,
‘All times alike, would doom to bonds and chains,
‘Remediless destruction, all who dare
‘Their law oppose. Such, in their arrogance,
‘Would fain deny man's noblest privilege,—
‘The power to think:—to use his faculties:
‘Deeming that gift, the Right Divine of Priests!
‘Are they not famed for perfidy and blood?
‘Tigers disguised, that borrow human shape
‘Wider to spread their desolating sway.
‘Blots of the Christian's name! who cruelties
‘Hatch'd on their bed, and with composure, doom'd
‘Their thousands to proscription,—torture,—death!
‘Rav'nous for power, such spirits, charged with hate,
‘All times alike, would doom to bonds and chains,
‘Remediless destruction, all who dare
‘Their law oppose. Such, in their arrogance,
‘Would fain deny man's noblest privilege,—
‘The power to think:—to use his faculties:
‘Deeming that gift, the Right Divine of Priests!
‘Are they not famed for perfidy and blood?
‘Tigers disguised, that borrow human shape
‘Wider to spread their desolating sway.
‘All who confront, in the minute degree
‘Their will,—the sovereign arbiters of fate,
‘Are thrown without thy pale—Humanity!
‘And must be scourged, tormented, driven from life,
‘Whilst fierce-eyed Superstition claps her hands.
‘These charges not alike to all pertain,—
‘To Laics, but their Priests; from earliest years,
‘In each intol'rant path preeminent!
‘Prompt at all times, to hunt, to crush, their foes:
‘Who never yet, at Mercy's call, withheld
‘Inflictions, such as stones might move to tears.
‘Their will,—the sovereign arbiters of fate,
‘Are thrown without thy pale—Humanity!
‘And must be scourged, tormented, driven from life,
‘Whilst fierce-eyed Superstition claps her hands.
‘These charges not alike to all pertain,—
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‘In each intol'rant path preeminent!
‘Prompt at all times, to hunt, to crush, their foes:
‘Who never yet, at Mercy's call, withheld
‘Inflictions, such as stones might move to tears.
‘Britain, beware! There is a leaven at work!
‘Priestcraft, with nightly vigils, broods unseen!
‘It heaves the social system, and, alone,
‘(Whate'er they say of alter'd purposes)
‘Needs but the power to light the faggot pile—
‘To scatter round them vengeance,—God to please!
‘(That God a god of mercy!) who again
‘Would forge the chain; once more would re-assert
‘(With rage augmented for repressions past,)
‘Their lost dominion, and,—true Antichrist!
‘Without one pang repulsive from the heart,
‘Doom all to death who own not Papal Rome!
‘Priestcraft, with nightly vigils, broods unseen!
‘It heaves the social system, and, alone,
‘(Whate'er they say of alter'd purposes)
‘Needs but the power to light the faggot pile—
‘To scatter round them vengeance,—God to please!
‘(That God a god of mercy!) who again
‘Would forge the chain; once more would re-assert
‘(With rage augmented for repressions past,)
‘Their lost dominion, and,—true Antichrist!
‘Without one pang repulsive from the heart,
‘Doom all to death who own not Papal Rome!
‘Wolves changed to lambs! These ravagers of earth,
‘With all the mild exterior Falsehood bears,
‘Oft as Dissemblance whispers—Interest near,
‘Claim kindred with the Fisherman!—descent
‘In the continuous line—immaculate,
‘From one bright Herald of a world unseen!
‘Oh! falsehood, worthy of its source, beneath!
‘If Peter from the tomb could lift his voice,
‘How would he spurn th' assumed affinity!
‘Call him their prototype, their ancestor;—
‘Source of their unction—to the end of time!
‘This priestly, dogma, cast it to the winds!
‘How should they claim an ancestry so pure,
‘(Themselves—transcendent in impurities!)
‘How see in twilight, and the depths of night?
‘Lie! broach'd at first by Priests, by Priests upheld!
‘With all the mild exterior Falsehood bears,
‘Oft as Dissemblance whispers—Interest near,
‘Claim kindred with the Fisherman!—descent
‘In the continuous line—immaculate,
‘From one bright Herald of a world unseen!
‘Oh! falsehood, worthy of its source, beneath!
‘If Peter from the tomb could lift his voice,
‘How would he spurn th' assumed affinity!
‘Call him their prototype, their ancestor;—
‘Source of their unction—to the end of time!
‘This priestly, dogma, cast it to the winds!
‘How should they claim an ancestry so pure,
‘(Themselves—transcendent in impurities!)
‘How see in twilight, and the depths of night?
‘Lie! broach'd at first by Priests, by Priests upheld!
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‘To prove their hollow hearts,—the violence
‘Offer'd to sacred Truth, they evermore,
‘As to the only test legitimate,
‘Turn to the Church The Church! the Church! they cry.
‘Christ may declare, and Paul reiterate,
‘But this is naught! The ultimate appeal,—
‘The word that binds, the law that regulates,
‘Is human, not divine! what man affirms
‘Claims deference; what th' inspired of God may say
‘Small weight receives, Mandates, tho' luminous,
‘Unless they favour Priests, will be pronounced
‘(By those who live to torture, not to clear)
‘Obscure, and inadmissible. The church
‘Will own no records that impeach her ways.
‘Offer'd to sacred Truth, they evermore,
‘As to the only test legitimate,
‘Turn to the Church The Church! the Church! they cry.
‘Christ may declare, and Paul reiterate,
‘But this is naught! The ultimate appeal,—
‘The word that binds, the law that regulates,
‘Is human, not divine! what man affirms
‘Claims deference; what th' inspired of God may say
‘Small weight receives, Mandates, tho' luminous,
‘Unless they favour Priests, will be pronounced
‘(By those who live to torture, not to clear)
‘Obscure, and inadmissible. The church
‘Will own no records that impeach her ways.
‘What is this mighty Church, o'ershadowing Earth,
‘Calling her princes vassals, dealing out
‘The Medean law; professing to proclaim
‘Christ's advent, and, in all its loveliness,
‘To teach, and practise, what their Lord enjoin'd?
‘Judge, thoughtful man. He who the mandate gave,—
‘Be not ye ‘Rabbi’ call'd: has he not lost
‘The power to rule; the sway, that once he own'd?
‘Now all are Rabbies! Rabbies! He enjoin'd
‘Meekness and lowliness. he charged his friends
‘To raise their hopes above the temporal;
‘Treasure to seek in Heaven; to hold as light
‘Earth's glittering toys, its pomps and vanities.
‘Far other statutes now precedence claim.
‘I see the followers of their lowly Lord,
‘(Whom we adore, the God-head manifest)
‘Lifting the lofty look, and, as their due,
‘Demanding honours, and the prostrate knee!
‘Like kings, surrounded with imperial state!
‘What contrast here! They vow to follow Him—
‘The Lord of all! who with the sovereign word
‘Disease arrested! sight to blindness gave!
‘The storm assuaged, the sea, with,—‘Peace, be still!’
‘He had not where to lay his head! He check'd
‘Ascriptions, profferr'd honours, praise from man,
‘And taught humility.
‘Calling her princes vassals, dealing out
‘The Medean law; professing to proclaim
‘Christ's advent, and, in all its loveliness,
‘To teach, and practise, what their Lord enjoin'd?
‘Judge, thoughtful man. He who the mandate gave,—
‘Be not ye ‘Rabbi’ call'd: has he not lost
‘The power to rule; the sway, that once he own'd?
‘Now all are Rabbies! Rabbies! He enjoin'd
‘Meekness and lowliness. he charged his friends
‘To raise their hopes above the temporal;
‘Treasure to seek in Heaven; to hold as light
‘Earth's glittering toys, its pomps and vanities.
‘Far other statutes now precedence claim.
‘I see the followers of their lowly Lord,
‘(Whom we adore, the God-head manifest)
‘Lifting the lofty look, and, as their due,
‘Demanding honours, and the prostrate knee!
‘Like kings, surrounded with imperial state!
‘What contrast here! They vow to follow Him—
‘The Lord of all! who with the sovereign word
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‘The storm assuaged, the sea, with,—‘Peace, be still!’
‘He had not where to lay his head! He check'd
‘Ascriptions, profferr'd honours, praise from man,
‘And taught humility.
‘His followers now,
‘Th' expounders of his statutes consecrate,
‘Far other versions give—to words so plain.—
‘(Showing their competence to judge aright!)
‘Forgetful of instructions, once enforced,
‘Those who can riches grasp, and rise to power,
‘In a peculiar, and conspicuous sense,
‘The Seven-hilled Lords! (and some of lower name,
‘Kindred in spirit, humbler in degree)
‘Would stretch their arms, and call the earth their own!
‘Th' expounders of his statutes consecrate,
‘Far other versions give—to words so plain.—
‘(Showing their competence to judge aright!)
‘Forgetful of instructions, once enforced,
‘Those who can riches grasp, and rise to power,
‘In a peculiar, and conspicuous sense,
‘The Seven-hilled Lords! (and some of lower name,
‘Kindred in spirit, humbler in degree)
‘Would stretch their arms, and call the earth their own!
‘I see descendants of the fishermen,—
‘Aspiring Priests, in princely guise, and raised
‘To giddy elevations:—perilous,
‘As once believed, but now in softer light
‘Regarded: freed from antiquated laws.
‘They now aspire to rank, and lux'ry prize!
‘Hold friendship with the world, while one assumes,
‘(Th' Apostles' representative below!)
‘E'en homage, due alone to Deity!
‘High state is his. I see him now enthroned,—
‘The Papacy!—that one who was, who is!
‘His days are number'd!—and, like Lucifer,
‘Time hastes,—when he shall fall to rise no more!
‘I see this Babylonian potentate,
‘Deck'd in the gorgeous Cope, the Tyrian Vest,
‘The grand Tiara, and the Triple Crown,—
‘Guards hovering round, and pacing palaces—
‘With lordly exultation!—Dust of earth!
‘The tree is fell'd that shall thy coffin form,—
Worms for their feast impatient.
‘Aspiring Priests, in princely guise, and raised
‘To giddy elevations:—perilous,
‘As once believed, but now in softer light
‘Regarded: freed from antiquated laws.
‘They now aspire to rank, and lux'ry prize!
‘Hold friendship with the world, while one assumes,
‘(Th' Apostles' representative below!)
‘E'en homage, due alone to Deity!
‘High state is his. I see him now enthroned,—
‘The Papacy!—that one who was, who is!
‘His days are number'd!—and, like Lucifer,
‘Time hastes,—when he shall fall to rise no more!
‘I see this Babylonian potentate,
‘Deck'd in the gorgeous Cope, the Tyrian Vest,
‘The grand Tiara, and the Triple Crown,—
‘Guards hovering round, and pacing palaces—
‘With lordly exultation!—Dust of earth!
‘The tree is fell'd that shall thy coffin form,—
Worms for their feast impatient.
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‘Cloud on cloud
‘Still gathers round!—This grand interpreter;—
‘This Papacy! so freed from human taint,
‘(Whose very errors are infallible)
‘Invents new falsehoods: some of direst name.
‘I see the senseless crowd,—turn from their God,
‘And sins confess to man!—receive his balm
‘To cure a wounded conscience; coveting,
‘As the effectual antidote of guilt,
‘His absolution!—Sinner, he himself,
‘(Oft, monster in iniquity!) yet fools,
‘Abject as dust, crowd his Confessional,
‘And, pardon from high Heaven imploring not,
‘Seek it from Artifice and Hypocrites!
‘Searcher of hearts! burst this satanic spell!
‘Hence, let the sinner look to Calvary!
‘And (penitent) alone to God repair!
‘Still gathers round!—This grand interpreter;—
‘This Papacy! so freed from human taint,
‘(Whose very errors are infallible)
‘Invents new falsehoods: some of direst name.
‘I see the senseless crowd,—turn from their God,
‘And sins confess to man!—receive his balm
‘To cure a wounded conscience; coveting,
‘As the effectual antidote of guilt,
‘His absolution!—Sinner, he himself,
‘(Oft, monster in iniquity!) yet fools,
‘Abject as dust, crowd his Confessional,
‘And, pardon from high Heaven imploring not,
‘Seek it from Artifice and Hypocrites!
‘Searcher of hearts! burst this satanic spell!
‘Hence, let the sinner look to Calvary!
‘And (penitent) alone to God repair!
‘New crimes arise, revolting, gross, and vile!
‘Denounced by every page of sacred writ.
‘I hear the voice (perversion horrible!)
‘The voice of suppliants, in their hour of woe,
‘Earnest, address'd to her, accredited,
‘As owning sway, conjoin'd with Deity!
‘The Son, the Father, these (subordinates!)
‘Precedence yield, to prayers, importunate,
‘Raised to the Virgin Mother!—Flesh and blood
‘The child of dust!—yet, first of woman kind,
‘And honour'd, for the honour she sustain'd,
‘But, nothing more. Beyond it brings the charge—
‘Abhorr'd of Heaven, Idolatry!—What line
‘In Peter's precious legacy, enjoins
‘So black an act, as worship paid to man,
‘To woman, sun, or star, or creeping thing?
‘Like Jews of old, Priests make the Great Supreme
‘Like to themselves, their passions, thoughts, and ways!—
‘Jehovah King of Heaven, and Mary Queen!
‘Dread blasphemy! confounding God with man!
‘This Priest-taught fallacy!—this abject faith!
‘This phantom! as the human mind expands,
‘Fast hast'ning, like a scroll, shall pass away!
‘Denounced by every page of sacred writ.
‘I hear the voice (perversion horrible!)
‘The voice of suppliants, in their hour of woe,
‘Earnest, address'd to her, accredited,
‘As owning sway, conjoin'd with Deity!
‘The Son, the Father, these (subordinates!)
‘Precedence yield, to prayers, importunate,
‘Raised to the Virgin Mother!—Flesh and blood
‘The child of dust!—yet, first of woman kind,
‘And honour'd, for the honour she sustain'd,
‘But, nothing more. Beyond it brings the charge—
‘Abhorr'd of Heaven, Idolatry!—What line
‘In Peter's precious legacy, enjoins
‘So black an act, as worship paid to man,
‘To woman, sun, or star, or creeping thing?
‘Like Jews of old, Priests make the Great Supreme
‘Like to themselves, their passions, thoughts, and ways!—
368
‘Dread blasphemy! confounding God with man!
‘This Priest-taught fallacy!—this abject faith!
‘This phantom! as the human mind expands,
‘Fast hast'ning, like a scroll, shall pass away!
‘Turning to Antichrist, the Man of Sin,
‘Of old predicted, and now realized.
‘(The system, not the individual, charged)
‘Thou hast denounced, with an excess of zeal,
‘(To vulgar eyes) the reading of that Book,
‘Made for all ranks, and suited for all climes;
‘Giv'n as the sinner's best inheritance.
‘Prized is it, by the wise, the good, the pure,
‘Who look beyond earth's perishable forms,
‘And, grateful to the Highest, there receive
‘Tidings of happier realms, and brighter skies.
‘Why hide this treasure from man's fallen race?
‘Some secret object, powerful end, must prompt—
‘Deed so adverse to holiest charity.
‘What? Who will say?—Truth, bold-eyed, blazons it.
‘Of old predicted, and now realized.
‘(The system, not the individual, charged)
‘Thou hast denounced, with an excess of zeal,
‘(To vulgar eyes) the reading of that Book,
‘Made for all ranks, and suited for all climes;
‘Giv'n as the sinner's best inheritance.
‘Prized is it, by the wise, the good, the pure,
‘Who look beyond earth's perishable forms,
‘And, grateful to the Highest, there receive
‘Tidings of happier realms, and brighter skies.
‘Why hide this treasure from man's fallen race?
‘Some secret object, powerful end, must prompt—
‘Deed so adverse to holiest charity.
‘What? Who will say?—Truth, bold-eyed, blazons it.
‘Th' obnoxious book presents no aspect kind
‘Toward thy deceptions! Rather, with a frown,
‘It strips thy veil, and shows thee, as thou art,
‘Degenerate, and corrupted to the core!
‘Amid th' apparent heedlessness of pelf,
‘Whose every thought revolves on gold, how best—
‘Wealth to extract from terror, and mankind
‘Keep groping in the dark, lest merchandize—
‘So precious! light, with wings, should bear away.
‘Toward thy deceptions! Rather, with a frown,
‘It strips thy veil, and shows thee, as thou art,
‘Degenerate, and corrupted to the core!
‘Amid th' apparent heedlessness of pelf,
‘Whose every thought revolves on gold, how best—
‘Wealth to extract from terror, and mankind
‘Keep groping in the dark, lest merchandize—
‘So precious! light, with wings, should bear away.
Oh! does that manual, in its every page,
‘Denounce thy vain oblations, and thy ways?
‘Thou lov'st it not!—The menace dread is there!
‘Thou must conceal the harsh, th' accusing line!
‘Smother its clear rebukes, that none may know—
‘Thy countless wanderings from Heaven's oracles!
‘Denounce thy vain oblations, and thy ways?
‘Thou lov'st it not!—The menace dread is there!
‘Thou must conceal the harsh, th' accusing line!
369
‘Thy countless wanderings from Heaven's oracles!
‘Wise in thy generation,—Lucre-wise!
‘With an intensity of zeal, thou striv'st
‘To shroud this lamp of truth,—so to enforce
‘Thine own vain fancies, prescripts, doctrines, lies.
‘Thou giv'st to hungry souls the frothy food,
‘The tinkling bell! the incense rising high!
‘The flaming tapers! Relics false, (if true,
‘Worthless as weeds that perish in the sun)
‘And pouring tawdry garments on the sight!
‘Wonder is none, that thou should'st interdict,
‘And shroud this hostile Book, so to enforce
‘Thy senseless bendings, vain observances,
‘Mock'ry of sacred things! by wisdom spurn'd!
‘That taint the mind, that paralyze the heart,
‘And shadows for the substance give to man!
‘Strive on, and see if Heaven will prosper thee!
‘Efforts redouble! Fiercer zeal display,—
‘To hide this Book; t' obscure its heavenly rays,
‘The only guide to mortals voyaging
‘Life's stormy ocean! Pole-star, Light Divine!
‘Which night transforms to Faith's meridian day!
‘With an intensity of zeal, thou striv'st
‘To shroud this lamp of truth,—so to enforce
‘Thine own vain fancies, prescripts, doctrines, lies.
‘Thou giv'st to hungry souls the frothy food,
‘The tinkling bell! the incense rising high!
‘The flaming tapers! Relics false, (if true,
‘Worthless as weeds that perish in the sun)
‘And pouring tawdry garments on the sight!
‘Wonder is none, that thou should'st interdict,
‘And shroud this hostile Book, so to enforce
‘Thy senseless bendings, vain observances,
‘Mock'ry of sacred things! by wisdom spurn'd!
‘That taint the mind, that paralyze the heart,
‘And shadows for the substance give to man!
‘Strive on, and see if Heaven will prosper thee!
‘Efforts redouble! Fiercer zeal display,—
‘To hide this Book; t' obscure its heavenly rays,
‘The only guide to mortals voyaging
‘Life's stormy ocean! Pole-star, Light Divine!
‘Which night transforms to Faith's meridian day!
‘From the Seven Hills the wave-like impulse flows.
‘Afar, thro' every land instructers spread
‘To teach truths fundamental. Listening crowds
‘Now mark their precepts, anxious to be told
‘How future woes to 'scape, and Heaven obtain.
‘Their maxim first is heard. “Mind thou thy Priest!—
“He stands instead of God, and reverence claims!
“My sacred rites regard! On Mary call—
“Protector of the faithful!—Queen of Heaven!
“Cross with the hallow'd water! Count thy beads!
“But, above all, sacred, this warning hold;
“Touch not the Bible! By our Church pronounced
“Dang'rous, and interdicted!—hazardous
“To all but Priests! Its honey, we alone
“Safely may gather! Leave the task to us!
“Then trust to thy Confession! be Absolved!
“And Heaven is doubly sure!”—The Gospel this!
‘For which Apostles toiled, and Martyrs bled!
‘Thus is Heaven's precious Book, man's hope and joy,—
‘By Antichrist,—spurn'd,—trodden 'neath the feet!
‘Afar, thro' every land instructers spread
‘To teach truths fundamental. Listening crowds
‘Now mark their precepts, anxious to be told
‘How future woes to 'scape, and Heaven obtain.
‘Their maxim first is heard. “Mind thou thy Priest!—
“He stands instead of God, and reverence claims!
“My sacred rites regard! On Mary call—
“Protector of the faithful!—Queen of Heaven!
“Cross with the hallow'd water! Count thy beads!
“But, above all, sacred, this warning hold;
370
“Dang'rous, and interdicted!—hazardous
“To all but Priests! Its honey, we alone
“Safely may gather! Leave the task to us!
“Then trust to thy Confession! be Absolved!
“And Heaven is doubly sure!”—The Gospel this!
‘For which Apostles toiled, and Martyrs bled!
‘Thus is Heaven's precious Book, man's hope and joy,—
‘By Antichrist,—spurn'd,—trodden 'neath the feet!
‘There are, who would in ten-fold darkness hide
‘This star, refulgent, scattering o'er the world
‘A light divine, which cheers each pilgrim's heart;—
‘Teaching to live, and showing how to die!
‘There are, who would this Sun of Righteousness
‘Blot out, or keep its radiance to themselves—
‘The better to dispense their fallacies;
‘Who, to expiring man, would dare obtrude,
‘As the superior way to heavenly joys,
‘Their twilight rays! Their moon-beam glimmerings!
‘Speaking themselves, while God, even God, is mute!
‘Most perilous rebellion 'gainst the Highest!
‘Regardless of that clear and stern behest,—
‘The Sciptures search!’—These strive unceasingly
‘(For all the virtual purposes of life)
‘To drive the Scriptures from the light of day!
‘Their pure and healing waters, their commands,
‘To merge in Rites of heathenish origin!
‘And with imposing pomp and circumstance,
‘Instead of statutes, fresh from paradise,
‘To urge their own chimeras: as of yore
‘Their great design, and ever uppermost,—
‘(Absorbing thoughts by day, and dreams by night)
‘How best to raise their Order—swell their ranks,
‘And, in the surest way, effectual forge—
‘Fetters for man and mind!—Great Lord of All!
‘Their veil remove! Their darkness dissipate!
‘Their sins forgive! And may Thy Bread of Life,
‘Free as the air, extend the World around!
‘This star, refulgent, scattering o'er the world
‘A light divine, which cheers each pilgrim's heart;—
‘Teaching to live, and showing how to die!
‘There are, who would this Sun of Righteousness
‘Blot out, or keep its radiance to themselves—
‘The better to dispense their fallacies;
‘Who, to expiring man, would dare obtrude,
‘As the superior way to heavenly joys,
‘Their twilight rays! Their moon-beam glimmerings!
‘Speaking themselves, while God, even God, is mute!
‘Most perilous rebellion 'gainst the Highest!
‘Regardless of that clear and stern behest,—
‘The Sciptures search!’—These strive unceasingly
‘(For all the virtual purposes of life)
‘To drive the Scriptures from the light of day!
‘Their pure and healing waters, their commands,
‘To merge in Rites of heathenish origin!
‘And with imposing pomp and circumstance,
‘Instead of statutes, fresh from paradise,
‘To urge their own chimeras: as of yore
‘Their great design, and ever uppermost,—
‘(Absorbing thoughts by day, and dreams by night)
‘How best to raise their Order—swell their ranks,
‘And, in the surest way, effectual forge—
‘Fetters for man and mind!—Great Lord of All!
371
‘Their sins forgive! And may Thy Bread of Life,
‘Free as the air, extend the World around!
‘What were the merits of that financier—
‘That genius, whose creative mind devised
‘First, pray'rs for the defunct, that mine of wealth—
‘To subtile Priests,—those mammon worshippers!
‘Now Vice and Villany, on easy terms
‘May penal sufferance 'scape, and Heaven secure!
‘If wealth be his,—leave liberally to Priests,
‘And with the Testament well ratified
‘The work is done! The ordinary bar
‘One Priest may overcome, but if the case
‘Desp'rate be found, the team must instantly
‘Receive auxiliary aid. A Second Priest
‘Must be well paid, and their united force
‘Their powerful prayers, would drag an elephant
‘From Satan's clutch. Th' imperial sinner now
‘Feels satisfied. The will is codicill'd;
‘The purchase specified, when once again,
‘The anxious Priest, solicitous to save
‘From torments, one so generous, and so rich,
‘Suggests, perchance to his bed-ridden friend,
‘That certainty more certain might be made,
‘By payment doubled, so as to secure
‘A whole year's prayers. All this with Mary's smiles,
‘So pleased with benefactors to the Church!
‘At once would send him safe to paradise!—
‘That genius, whose creative mind devised
‘First, pray'rs for the defunct, that mine of wealth—
‘To subtile Priests,—those mammon worshippers!
‘Now Vice and Villany, on easy terms
‘May penal sufferance 'scape, and Heaven secure!
‘If wealth be his,—leave liberally to Priests,
‘And with the Testament well ratified
‘The work is done! The ordinary bar
‘One Priest may overcome, but if the case
‘Desp'rate be found, the team must instantly
‘Receive auxiliary aid. A Second Priest
‘Must be well paid, and their united force
‘Their powerful prayers, would drag an elephant
‘From Satan's clutch. Th' imperial sinner now
‘Feels satisfied. The will is codicill'd;
‘The purchase specified, when once again,
‘The anxious Priest, solicitous to save
‘From torments, one so generous, and so rich,
‘Suggests, perchance to his bed-ridden friend,
‘That certainty more certain might be made,
‘By payment doubled, so as to secure
‘A whole year's prayers. All this with Mary's smiles,
‘So pleased with benefactors to the Church!
‘At once would send him safe to paradise!—
‘These soul-destroying Priests their callings ply
‘With an avidity, a grasping zeal,
‘Worthy the Prince,—the Master whom they serve.
‘And there are countless forms who walk the earth,
‘With limbs and features, all external marks
‘Of manhood,—failing but in intellect—
‘(Illumin'd by the only source of light!)
‘These, with the mind's prostration, can believe,
‘And in their abjectness, can tolerate—
‘This Priestcraft, which reflection casts on man!
‘With an avidity, a grasping zeal,
‘Worthy the Prince,—the Master whom they serve.
‘And there are countless forms who walk the earth,
‘With limbs and features, all external marks
‘Of manhood,—failing but in intellect—
372
‘These, with the mind's prostration, can believe,
‘And in their abjectness, can tolerate—
‘This Priestcraft, which reflection casts on man!
‘Beneath the spell of Guile, Credulity
‘No limit knows. Priests to collect their pelf,
‘Offer, and fools believe them, for a sum
‘Told down in ample tale, and sterling coin,
‘To grant,—Oh! mournful, melancholy truth!
‘To grant Indulgence! This high privilege
‘Affluence alone may reach; the refuse Poor
‘Who cannot purchase, must endure their pangs,
‘With pity none:—remediless, deserved!
‘But men of wealth,—their spirits set on sin
‘For every crime, Indulgence may obtain,—
‘Thro' costly interventions;—Lands and Gold,
‘Proportion'd to th' offence;—this, equity
‘Plainly prescribes,—the scale by Priests laid down
‘With an exactitude,—which blazons forth
‘Man's folly, and the deep confed'racy
‘By Artifice concocted, which rescinds,
‘Without a qualm, th' Eternal laws of Heaven.
‘The Church thus fills her coffers!—Haste the day!
‘When God, insulted, shall illume the eyes
‘Of blinded mortals, and this Priestcraft vile,
‘Sweep from the earth, with all its frauds and lies!
‘No limit knows. Priests to collect their pelf,
‘Offer, and fools believe them, for a sum
‘Told down in ample tale, and sterling coin,
‘To grant,—Oh! mournful, melancholy truth!
‘To grant Indulgence! This high privilege
‘Affluence alone may reach; the refuse Poor
‘Who cannot purchase, must endure their pangs,
‘With pity none:—remediless, deserved!
‘But men of wealth,—their spirits set on sin
‘For every crime, Indulgence may obtain,—
‘Thro' costly interventions;—Lands and Gold,
‘Proportion'd to th' offence;—this, equity
‘Plainly prescribes,—the scale by Priests laid down
‘With an exactitude,—which blazons forth
‘Man's folly, and the deep confed'racy
‘By Artifice concocted, which rescinds,
‘Without a qualm, th' Eternal laws of Heaven.
‘The Church thus fills her coffers!—Haste the day!
‘When God, insulted, shall illume the eyes
‘Of blinded mortals, and this Priestcraft vile,
‘Sweep from the earth, with all its frauds and lies!
‘But tho' this Book, by goodness infinite
‘To man confided, as the sun-beam clear,
‘Instructs, and in all circumstance, directs
‘To peace and happiness; perversity
‘Blinds many a mind. Disastrous spectacle!—
‘Amid earth's erring children, some there are
‘High in their own esteem, who can descant
‘(The feeblest doubt a stranger to their breast)
‘Alike on secular, or sacred things,
‘On learned points, or questions recondite,
‘With tone and confidence oracular:
‘(When sager minds are absent) who behold
‘All nature plain before them! These assume
‘Light super-human, and pronounce themselves
‘Wisdom's interpreters.—Inflated thus
‘With vanity;—that abject littleness!
‘Which tempts the feeble to regard as fix'd
‘Whate'er their roving fancy advocates,
‘Altho' opposed by minds of largest grasp,
‘The pride of other ages and their own.
‘Twilight with them exceeds meridian day;
‘Their word, their dictum, is the only law;
‘The source of truth, the ultimate appeal;
‘And all mankind are fools and hypocrites,
‘Wand'ring in rayless night, save they, and theirs!
‘To man confided, as the sun-beam clear,
‘Instructs, and in all circumstance, directs
‘To peace and happiness; perversity
‘Blinds many a mind. Disastrous spectacle!—
‘Amid earth's erring children, some there are
‘High in their own esteem, who can descant
‘(The feeblest doubt a stranger to their breast)
373
‘On learned points, or questions recondite,
‘With tone and confidence oracular:
‘(When sager minds are absent) who behold
‘All nature plain before them! These assume
‘Light super-human, and pronounce themselves
‘Wisdom's interpreters.—Inflated thus
‘With vanity;—that abject littleness!
‘Which tempts the feeble to regard as fix'd
‘Whate'er their roving fancy advocates,
‘Altho' opposed by minds of largest grasp,
‘The pride of other ages and their own.
‘Twilight with them exceeds meridian day;
‘Their word, their dictum, is the only law;
‘The source of truth, the ultimate appeal;
‘And all mankind are fools and hypocrites,
‘Wand'ring in rayless night, save they, and theirs!
‘These from their tower of eminence, look down,
‘Contemptuous, on the faith, taught by that Book,
‘By them, deemed valueless!—Oh, madness strange!
‘Pouring disdain on that, which was, which is,
‘And ever will be, till the last loud trump,
‘The choicest treasure, man can call his own.
‘Such fearless confidence, such calm repose,
‘Rests on their minds, that—all inculcated
‘In creeds religious, is but fallacy;—
‘Th' enthusiast's dream! fit but for intellects
‘Less tutor'd and robust than theirs. They look
‘With silent pity on the crowds around
‘Who, from futurity, expect that good
‘Fate here denies them. Not vociferous;
‘They keep the precious treasure to themselves;
‘Nurse it with fondness, and to silence sworn,
‘(Lest general frowns should point, and follow them)
‘Laugh, unobserved, alike, at faith and hope.
‘These claim some merit. Other Infidels
‘Active are found, these passive, who alone
‘Go down to death, not poisoning other minds,
‘Save, haply, by their practice, with the hope—
‘Oh, abject spirits! with the fervent hope,
‘They all shall perish utterly! But if,
‘(No certainty can banish creeping doubt!)
‘If—dread alternative! there should be found
‘A world hereafter!—State succeeding this!
‘A God of justice, who of human ways
‘Takes cognizance! who will his servants bless!
‘His foes reject as chaff! their refuge—where?
‘What shelter shall secure them from the blast?
‘Contemptuous, on the faith, taught by that Book,
‘By them, deemed valueless!—Oh, madness strange!
‘Pouring disdain on that, which was, which is,
‘And ever will be, till the last loud trump,
‘The choicest treasure, man can call his own.
‘Such fearless confidence, such calm repose,
‘Rests on their minds, that—all inculcated
‘In creeds religious, is but fallacy;—
‘Th' enthusiast's dream! fit but for intellects
‘Less tutor'd and robust than theirs. They look
‘With silent pity on the crowds around
‘Who, from futurity, expect that good
‘Fate here denies them. Not vociferous;
‘They keep the precious treasure to themselves;
‘Nurse it with fondness, and to silence sworn,
‘(Lest general frowns should point, and follow them)
‘Laugh, unobserved, alike, at faith and hope.
374
‘Active are found, these passive, who alone
‘Go down to death, not poisoning other minds,
‘Save, haply, by their practice, with the hope—
‘Oh, abject spirits! with the fervent hope,
‘They all shall perish utterly! But if,
‘(No certainty can banish creeping doubt!)
‘If—dread alternative! there should be found
‘A world hereafter!—State succeeding this!
‘A God of justice, who of human ways
‘Takes cognizance! who will his servants bless!
‘His foes reject as chaff! their refuge—where?
‘What shelter shall secure them from the blast?
‘Others there are of deeper turpitude,
‘Loud in hostility to God and Truth.
‘Who force their maxims,—dark conceits, on all;
‘The spurners of the Sacred Oracles!
‘Often, by Heaven's appointment, in themselves,
‘Presenting both the bane and antidote!
‘Strangers to peace,—austere,—irascible;—
‘No hope to call the kindlier feelings forth.
‘Loud in hostility to God and Truth.
‘Who force their maxims,—dark conceits, on all;
‘The spurners of the Sacred Oracles!
‘Often, by Heaven's appointment, in themselves,
‘Presenting both the bane and antidote!
‘Strangers to peace,—austere,—irascible;—
‘No hope to call the kindlier feelings forth.
‘These wand'ring spirits, foes to God and man,
‘Urged by th' Infernal Powers, strive hard to plunge
‘Into their own abyss of wretchedness
‘Unwary list'ners, who, in evil hour,
‘Smiled on their impious railings. Wrapt in night,
‘These pioneers of death, these advocates
‘Of maxims rife in hell, contemptuous gaze
‘On the meek followers of the Nazarene!
‘And, in their own preeminence secure,
‘Regard them, as beguiled, distemper'd, blind.
‘Urged by th' Infernal Powers, strive hard to plunge
‘Into their own abyss of wretchedness
‘Unwary list'ners, who, in evil hour,
‘Smiled on their impious railings. Wrapt in night,
‘These pioneers of death, these advocates
‘Of maxims rife in hell, contemptuous gaze
‘On the meek followers of the Nazarene!
‘And, in their own preeminence secure,
‘Regard them, as beguiled, distemper'd, blind.
‘Soon will their triumphs cease. These lucid guides,
‘Munificent in pride, erclong will feel
‘Th' envenom'd sting; rage rankling at their heart,
‘When (stripp'd of their delusions) they behold
‘Those whom they spurn'd as senseless, proved to be
‘The only wise and provident, who lived
‘With a prospective eye to things unseen;
‘Like sojourners on earth, intent to gain
‘That land delectable, those fountains pure,
‘Flowing with new delights; those jasper gates,
‘And amaranthine bowers, where Concord reigns,
‘With Love, its native element, whilst there
‘Thro' the wide region, in one note of praise,
‘God, and the Lamb are worshipp'd.
‘Saints on earth,
‘Before translated to the heavenly choir,
‘By faith sustain'd, toiled thro' their thorny way.
‘Confiding in th' Eternal Word, they met,
‘Unmoved, the scoffer's taunt, the railer's frown,
‘Charged often with disdain, or outrage fierce,
‘(Hostile to flesh and blood) yet still their steps
‘Press'd toward the mark in sight, and for the curse
‘Return'd the blessing. Now the fruits appear;
‘Sow'd oft in sighs, and water'd with their tears.
‘Was it an evil choice? Say, Spirits Bless'd!
‘Your highest hopes exceeded!—do you mourn,
‘Now shelter'd from the beating storms of life,
‘Safe in the heavenly haven, do you mourn
‘Your pref'rence of Eternity to Time?
‘Say! Patriarch, and Prophets! (round the throne,
‘Cleans'd, sanctified, redeem'd!) do you deplore
‘The road you trod,—that led to realms on high?
‘Say! Martyrs! who, the raging flames endured,
‘And smiled at your tormentors, heaven in sight,
‘Now crown'd with starry diadems, and born
‘To an enduring heritage! do you,
‘With backward glance, look sad and wistfully
‘Upon your mortal path? your vale of tears?
‘Turning from earthly toys, you lived to rear
‘An empire in the skies, that fadeth not.
‘Ambitious of the vast, you aim'd to share
‘Communion with archangels; to acquire,
‘And call your own, with tenure permanent,
‘Mansions of bliss, and joys for evermore!
‘Munificent in pride, erclong will feel
375
‘When (stripp'd of their delusions) they behold
‘Those whom they spurn'd as senseless, proved to be
‘The only wise and provident, who lived
‘With a prospective eye to things unseen;
‘Like sojourners on earth, intent to gain
‘That land delectable, those fountains pure,
‘Flowing with new delights; those jasper gates,
‘And amaranthine bowers, where Concord reigns,
‘With Love, its native element, whilst there
‘Thro' the wide region, in one note of praise,
‘God, and the Lamb are worshipp'd.
‘Saints on earth,
‘Before translated to the heavenly choir,
‘By faith sustain'd, toiled thro' their thorny way.
‘Confiding in th' Eternal Word, they met,
‘Unmoved, the scoffer's taunt, the railer's frown,
‘Charged often with disdain, or outrage fierce,
‘(Hostile to flesh and blood) yet still their steps
‘Press'd toward the mark in sight, and for the curse
‘Return'd the blessing. Now the fruits appear;
‘Sow'd oft in sighs, and water'd with their tears.
‘Was it an evil choice? Say, Spirits Bless'd!
‘Your highest hopes exceeded!—do you mourn,
‘Now shelter'd from the beating storms of life,
‘Safe in the heavenly haven, do you mourn
‘Your pref'rence of Eternity to Time?
‘Say! Patriarch, and Prophets! (round the throne,
‘Cleans'd, sanctified, redeem'd!) do you deplore
‘The road you trod,—that led to realms on high?
‘Say! Martyrs! who, the raging flames endured,
‘And smiled at your tormentors, heaven in sight,
‘Now crown'd with starry diadems, and born
‘To an enduring heritage! do you,
‘With backward glance, look sad and wistfully
‘Upon your mortal path? your vale of tears?
376
‘An empire in the skies, that fadeth not.
‘Ambitious of the vast, you aim'd to share
‘Communion with archangels; to acquire,
‘And call your own, with tenure permanent,
‘Mansions of bliss, and joys for evermore!
‘Glancing at that assemblage of all things
‘Most awful, when before assembled worlds
‘Judgment, that changes not, shall be pronounced
‘On all the generations of mankind;
‘Many, I see, in the prophetic glance,
‘With rage ineffable, view those, to whom,
‘Thro' sophisms, impious railings, jest, and jeer,
‘They owed their hopeless banishment from Heaven.
‘And if the Lost, with the indignant rage
‘View their Destroyers, what the gratitude,
‘The praise, exceeding thought, that, from the heart,
‘The Saved and sanctified, will pour, on those—
‘Who first alarm'd them in the downward path?
‘Who, (as th' appointed instruments of Heaven)
‘Drew them from Nature's darkness, and their feet
‘Turn'd to the Path of Life!—One soul to save
‘Is mightier honour—than to conquer worlds.
‘Most awful, when before assembled worlds
‘Judgment, that changes not, shall be pronounced
‘On all the generations of mankind;
‘Many, I see, in the prophetic glance,
‘With rage ineffable, view those, to whom,
‘Thro' sophisms, impious railings, jest, and jeer,
‘They owed their hopeless banishment from Heaven.
‘And if the Lost, with the indignant rage
‘View their Destroyers, what the gratitude,
‘The praise, exceeding thought, that, from the heart,
‘The Saved and sanctified, will pour, on those—
‘Who first alarm'd them in the downward path?
‘Who, (as th' appointed instruments of Heaven)
‘Drew them from Nature's darkness, and their feet
‘Turn'd to the Path of Life!—One soul to save
‘Is mightier honour—than to conquer worlds.
‘Where now the triumphs of the Atheist crew?
‘Who, dead themselves to goodness, sought to drag
‘All others down, to their own abjectness.
‘What changes here! Behold the darken'd minds
‘Who Time adored, and Mammon made their God!
‘How are they fall'n!—Their very proselytes
‘Revile them! spurn them! charge their wretchedness
‘On their Satanic influence;—perchance,
‘On pages, poisonous as the adder's tongue!
‘Or on their oral fallacies, pour'd forth
‘In voluble excess; the fruit alone
‘Of blind impenitence. In vain for them
‘The Saviour of the World, invited, warn'd;
‘They turn'd from him, and now he turns from them.
‘They also sow'd, and as they sow'd, they reap!
‘Who, dead themselves to goodness, sought to drag
‘All others down, to their own abjectness.
‘What changes here! Behold the darken'd minds
‘Who Time adored, and Mammon made their God!
‘How are they fall'n!—Their very proselytes
‘Revile them! spurn them! charge their wretchedness
‘On their Satanic influence;—perchance,
‘On pages, poisonous as the adder's tongue!
‘Or on their oral fallacies, pour'd forth
‘In voluble excess; the fruit alone
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‘The Saviour of the World, invited, warn'd;
‘They turn'd from him, and now he turns from them.
‘They also sow'd, and as they sow'd, they reap!
‘These slaves of sense, these idol-worshippers,
‘Drown'd in intemp'rance, riot-loving souls;
‘Or those less rude, who in frivolity
‘Waste the most precious treasure earth contains,
‘Time! short at longest; plunging, heedlessly,
‘Into all subjects, with a senseless zest,
‘An intrepidity; with nought too small,
‘Too evanescent, or identified
‘With the minute, the trifling, or the vain—
‘To rouse their passions.—But, solicitudes
‘Fix'd on th' Eternal State succeeding this,
‘So near! so certain! they, disdainful, thrust,
‘Heedless, away; pertaining not to them!
‘Say, are not men, with all their loftiness,
‘Lull'd, dreaming; in the depths of sleep! A sight
‘Which fills the world of spirits with amaze!
‘Drown'd in intemp'rance, riot-loving souls;
‘Or those less rude, who in frivolity
‘Waste the most precious treasure earth contains,
‘Time! short at longest; plunging, heedlessly,
‘Into all subjects, with a senseless zest,
‘An intrepidity; with nought too small,
‘Too evanescent, or identified
‘With the minute, the trifling, or the vain—
‘To rouse their passions.—But, solicitudes
‘Fix'd on th' Eternal State succeeding this,
‘So near! so certain! they, disdainful, thrust,
‘Heedless, away; pertaining not to them!
‘Say, are not men, with all their loftiness,
‘Lull'd, dreaming; in the depths of sleep! A sight
‘Which fills the world of spirits with amaze!
‘But death will come, delusion to remove;
‘The trying moment, when all forms assume
‘Their real worth. These heroes resolute,
‘Undaunted by the Highest's loudest threats,
‘Oft have I seen astounded, terror-struck,
‘When smitten by distemper; cheerless, sad—
‘Upon the couch of loneliness;—the crew,
‘(Not friends) companions in their revelry,
‘Heart-sickening metamorphose! now become
‘Distasteful, or, revolting, each to each.
‘The trying moment, when all forms assume
‘Their real worth. These heroes resolute,
‘Undaunted by the Highest's loudest threats,
‘Oft have I seen astounded, terror-struck,
‘When smitten by distemper; cheerless, sad—
‘Upon the couch of loneliness;—the crew,
‘(Not friends) companions in their revelry,
‘Heart-sickening metamorphose! now become
‘Distasteful, or, revolting, each to each.
‘Where now your boast, your vaunted confidence
‘Despisers of the still small voice of Truth?
‘Where are the props which were to solace you
‘In hour of darkness, when the troubled mind
‘Looks round for the consoling antidote?
‘Your refuge-tower, of strength invincible,
‘Is that withdrawn? for which you yielded up
‘Your peace on earth, and the inheritance
‘Which waits the righteous! Do you now exult
‘O'er your career of folly and of crime?—
‘Like the dull statue, to reflection dead,
‘Counting your straws, with blazing worlds around?
‘With your whole minds engross'd with mean delights,
‘Lighter than air, you, heedless, sacrificed
‘Your time, your talents, health, the good man's praise,
‘And dared your Maker's anger! When will men
‘Deem'd rational, learn wisdom, and provide—
‘Not for a day, a year, a season brief,
‘Call'd life, betoken'd by all fleeting things,
‘But for Eternity!
‘Despisers of the still small voice of Truth?
‘Where are the props which were to solace you
378
‘Looks round for the consoling antidote?
‘Your refuge-tower, of strength invincible,
‘Is that withdrawn? for which you yielded up
‘Your peace on earth, and the inheritance
‘Which waits the righteous! Do you now exult
‘O'er your career of folly and of crime?—
‘Like the dull statue, to reflection dead,
‘Counting your straws, with blazing worlds around?
‘With your whole minds engross'd with mean delights,
‘Lighter than air, you, heedless, sacrificed
‘Your time, your talents, health, the good man's praise,
‘And dared your Maker's anger! When will men
‘Deem'd rational, learn wisdom, and provide—
‘Not for a day, a year, a season brief,
‘Call'd life, betoken'd by all fleeting things,
‘But for Eternity!
‘Stupendous thought!
‘Is man to live for ever? born to see
‘Systems and suns extinguish'd! looking back
‘On Time, and all its momentary cares
‘As atoms, scarce descried! Has he a Soul—
‘Still young, beginning his perennial course,
‘And when bewildering periods have revolved,
‘Beginning still! never to know an end!
‘The Soul, more costly than ten thousand mines!
‘Shall this be barter'd? Shall equivalent
‘For prize so vast, be found in finite things?—
‘So mean, deceptive, and intangible!
‘If in self-love the spirit be absorbed,
‘Let that intense affection loftier rise!
‘Reach to the Soul! to an inheritance
‘Assail'd not by mutation! to the joys,
‘Steadfast as Heaven! nor covet as their lot,
‘Their satisfying portion, empty toys,
‘That perish in their use, while they neglect
‘Provision for the state that knows no end.
‘Is man to live for ever? born to see
‘Systems and suns extinguish'd! looking back
‘On Time, and all its momentary cares
‘As atoms, scarce descried! Has he a Soul—
‘Still young, beginning his perennial course,
‘And when bewildering periods have revolved,
‘Beginning still! never to know an end!
‘The Soul, more costly than ten thousand mines!
‘Shall this be barter'd? Shall equivalent
‘For prize so vast, be found in finite things?—
‘So mean, deceptive, and intangible!
‘If in self-love the spirit be absorbed,
‘Let that intense affection loftier rise!
‘Reach to the Soul! to an inheritance
‘Assail'd not by mutation! to the joys,
‘Steadfast as Heaven! nor covet as their lot,
‘Their satisfying portion, empty toys,
‘That perish in their use, while they neglect
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‘Tho' scoffers, in their pride, defiance breathe,
‘And laugh at danger, yet, adversity
‘Hangs on their rear.—There is a World of Woe
‘Far off from blessedness, and where, too late!
‘Men, making Earth, their home, their heritage,
‘Confess their madness, whilst the gnashing teeth
‘Betrays the pang, the worm that dieth not!
‘Tho' infidels deride; there is a world,
‘Out in blank space. where the iniquitous
‘In heart and life, the enemies of Truth,
‘With fellow outcasts live! What thought may reach,
‘What heart conceive, the import of those words,—
‘Banish'd from God!—excluded, permanent,—
‘From Him, the source of bliss and blessedness!
‘From intercourse, and all communion sweet
‘With saint and seraphim;—th' illustrious hosts
‘Gather'd from every age, and gathering still,
‘And still to gather, till the Trump of God
‘Thunders the knell of Time.—
‘And laugh at danger, yet, adversity
‘Hangs on their rear.—There is a World of Woe
‘Far off from blessedness, and where, too late!
‘Men, making Earth, their home, their heritage,
‘Confess their madness, whilst the gnashing teeth
‘Betrays the pang, the worm that dieth not!
‘Tho' infidels deride; there is a world,
‘Out in blank space. where the iniquitous
‘In heart and life, the enemies of Truth,
‘With fellow outcasts live! What thought may reach,
‘What heart conceive, the import of those words,—
‘Banish'd from God!—excluded, permanent,—
‘From Him, the source of bliss and blessedness!
‘From intercourse, and all communion sweet
‘With saint and seraphim;—th' illustrious hosts
‘Gather'd from every age, and gathering still,
‘And still to gather, till the Trump of God
‘Thunders the knell of Time.—
‘IS goodness here,—
‘The lovely, peaceful, and compassionate,
‘Sweet to the pure in heart? What world is that
‘Where all is goodness, purity, and truth!
‘Frailty and imperfection, shaken off,
‘The dust of earth; and perpetuity,
‘Increasing still, of rest, and peace, and joy!
‘Is this the prize presented? Does the heart
‘Glow with intense desire that bliss to share—
‘Provided by the Sinner's Advocate
‘For all who love and serve him? Who would risk
‘Treasure so priceless, for the husks of Earth?
‘Who?—but the crowds that for the present live
‘And for the future feel, nor dread, nor care!
‘The lovely, peaceful, and compassionate,
‘Sweet to the pure in heart? What world is that
‘Where all is goodness, purity, and truth!
‘Frailty and imperfection, shaken off,
‘The dust of earth; and perpetuity,
‘Increasing still, of rest, and peace, and joy!
‘Is this the prize presented? Does the heart
‘Glow with intense desire that bliss to share—
‘Provided by the Sinner's Advocate
‘For all who love and serve him? Who would risk
‘Treasure so priceless, for the husks of Earth?
‘Who?—but the crowds that for the present live
‘And for the future feel, nor dread, nor care!
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‘I see rebellious spirits borne away
‘From God and glory! There is banishment!
‘(As when the sun withdraws, and all is night!)
‘The import of that word, how terrible!
‘Expell'd from heaven, and its felicities!—
‘From Zion's Mount,—the New Jerusalem!
‘A severance from the Spirits of the Just!
‘There leave them.—If excluded from His smile,
‘In whom alone, fulness of joy is found,
‘Thro' willing darkness, blind impenitence,
‘And all the deeds that from rebellion flow,
‘The scorpion sting of Conscience them will pierce!
‘Whilst, to augment their pungency of woe,
‘Their old companions, choice associates, friends,—
‘Foes rather, in disguise, that lured to death!
‘Will each, on each, pour contumely and scorn!
‘Seen in new light, and darker for the change!—
‘The dream-like charm that dazzled, pass'd away!
‘Strange sight! Each now would shun, whom once he sought,
‘Yet are they bound, by laws immutable,
‘To those they hate! while in their hopeless rage,
‘They cast an envious eye on happier realms,
‘Far off, and on their bright inhabitants,
‘With the wide gulf impassable between!
‘From God and glory! There is banishment!
‘(As when the sun withdraws, and all is night!)
‘The import of that word, how terrible!
‘Expell'd from heaven, and its felicities!—
‘From Zion's Mount,—the New Jerusalem!
‘A severance from the Spirits of the Just!
‘There leave them.—If excluded from His smile,
‘In whom alone, fulness of joy is found,
‘Thro' willing darkness, blind impenitence,
‘And all the deeds that from rebellion flow,
‘The scorpion sting of Conscience them will pierce!
‘Whilst, to augment their pungency of woe,
‘Their old companions, choice associates, friends,—
‘Foes rather, in disguise, that lured to death!
‘Will each, on each, pour contumely and scorn!
‘Seen in new light, and darker for the change!—
‘The dream-like charm that dazzled, pass'd away!
‘Strange sight! Each now would shun, whom once he sought,
‘Yet are they bound, by laws immutable,
‘To those they hate! while in their hopeless rage,
‘They cast an envious eye on happier realms,
‘Far off, and on their bright inhabitants,
‘With the wide gulf impassable between!
‘These lived for self alone. The things they sought,
‘With a supreme solicitude, they gain'd;—
‘The fleeting pleasures of a summer's day!
‘But hours of blandishment pass rapidly.
‘Eve soon arrives! They had their hearts' desire,
‘And with it,—an inheritance of woe!
‘The warnings of a thousand monitors,
‘All was despised!
‘With a supreme solicitude, they gain'd;—
‘The fleeting pleasures of a summer's day!
‘But hours of blandishment pass rapidly.
‘Eve soon arrives! They had their hearts' desire,
‘And with it,—an inheritance of woe!
‘The warnings of a thousand monitors,
‘All was despised!
‘The downward road commenced,
‘Progress increases, like the wintry ball;
‘From light to twilight; darkness then succeeds.
‘Now to appease th' accusing voice within,—
‘Importunate, an effort grand is made
‘To hold alliance with the Infidel;—
‘To summons from their caverns deep, the men
‘Distinguish'd for their dark preeminence!
‘Famed for their prowess!—fearless to assail,
‘With rage implacable, the Word of Life!—
‘And all that sunshine o'er the future casts.
‘Progress increases, like the wintry ball;
‘From light to twilight; darkness then succeeds.
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‘Importunate, an effort grand is made
‘To hold alliance with the Infidel;—
‘To summons from their caverns deep, the men
‘Distinguish'd for their dark preeminence!
‘Famed for their prowess!—fearless to assail,
‘With rage implacable, the Word of Life!—
‘And all that sunshine o'er the future casts.
‘To wield their weapons, the Novitiates, find
‘Hard, cumbrous and unyielding, but, at length
‘(To every callous and perverted heart)
‘Obstructions end in triumph. Doubt, at first,
‘Soon ripens into confidence. Their course
‘Now bolder grows.—The grand, the clearest truths
‘Enforc'd of Holy Writ, (that precious boon!)
‘They jeer at, and the flimsy arguments,
‘A thousand times refuted, to their minds,
‘Come with a freshness, point, and cogency,
‘That wins conviction; (no achievement hard!
‘So docile is the spirit, once embued
‘With hate of Truth!) In their enlighten'd creed,
‘Now perfect!—Satan is an empty tale!
‘The lie inspired of Satan!—who beholds
‘Such, as his choicest agents, staunch, and sound,
‘Who, to explore their own drear labyrinths,
‘Hazard, dread thought! their future all,—that all,
‘The hope of Heaven!—The friendship of their God!
‘Hard, cumbrous and unyielding, but, at length
‘(To every callous and perverted heart)
‘Obstructions end in triumph. Doubt, at first,
‘Soon ripens into confidence. Their course
‘Now bolder grows.—The grand, the clearest truths
‘Enforc'd of Holy Writ, (that precious boon!)
‘They jeer at, and the flimsy arguments,
‘A thousand times refuted, to their minds,
‘Come with a freshness, point, and cogency,
‘That wins conviction; (no achievement hard!
‘So docile is the spirit, once embued
‘With hate of Truth!) In their enlighten'd creed,
‘Now perfect!—Satan is an empty tale!
‘The lie inspired of Satan!—who beholds
‘Such, as his choicest agents, staunch, and sound,
‘Who, to explore their own drear labyrinths,
‘Hazard, dread thought! their future all,—that all,
‘The hope of Heaven!—The friendship of their God!
‘Advancing in Deception's bold career,
‘(Twin wand'rers, and associates ever found)
‘These spirits, lost in Error's sinuous ways,
‘Now spurn at Hell, and spite of obstacles,
‘(If of another world they dare to think)
‘Send all to heaven!—miscreant and parricide,
‘(After a shadowy cleansing, small and brief)
‘With the whole brood of darkness, Belial' Sons!
‘Blasphemers stout, conjoin'd with reprobates!
‘No doubtful point, or nice contingency,
‘All soon to join in equal rank and joy!—
‘Prophets, Apostles, Saints,—the Vile, the Base!
‘Each greeting each;—grand confraternity!—
‘The whole fast hastening on to Paradise!
‘(Twin wand'rers, and associates ever found)
‘These spirits, lost in Error's sinuous ways,
‘Now spurn at Hell, and spite of obstacles,
‘(If of another world they dare to think)
‘Send all to heaven!—miscreant and parricide,
‘(After a shadowy cleansing, small and brief)
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‘Blasphemers stout, conjoin'd with reprobates!
‘No doubtful point, or nice contingency,
‘All soon to join in equal rank and joy!—
‘Prophets, Apostles, Saints,—the Vile, the Base!
‘Each greeting each;—grand confraternity!—
‘The whole fast hastening on to Paradise!
‘Those daring spirits deign not to implore;
‘They claim, as their indisputable right,
‘Entrance to Heaven. The pearly gates to them
‘Must open stand, and the Supreme himself
‘Salute his bold intruders! When on earth,
‘The prince who scatter'd houses, gold, or lands,
‘Profusely, they might supplicate, and know
‘The boon they sought, the owner might deny;
‘But the Eternal Ruler, on whose word
‘All nature hangs, he must his empire yield
‘To Rebels! Heaven's untold felicities,
‘(All unprepared) in their presumptuous dreams,
‘They take by storm, and deem the Highest bound,
‘Thro' their imagined worth and worthiness,
‘To welcome them; to bid his saints stand by
‘At their approach; to ope his choicest stores,
‘And bless them with his smiles. Are these their hopes?
‘Delusion, leagued with death! A few short years,
‘And this aspiring, proud, irruptive Band,
‘In their vain fancies, by their native might,
‘Forcing an entrance to the Realms of Bliss,
‘Will find, to their confusion, but too late!
‘God can reward his Friends,—reject his Foes!—
‘What that comprises they must die to learn!
‘They claim, as their indisputable right,
‘Entrance to Heaven. The pearly gates to them
‘Must open stand, and the Supreme himself
‘Salute his bold intruders! When on earth,
‘The prince who scatter'd houses, gold, or lands,
‘Profusely, they might supplicate, and know
‘The boon they sought, the owner might deny;
‘But the Eternal Ruler, on whose word
‘All nature hangs, he must his empire yield
‘To Rebels! Heaven's untold felicities,
‘(All unprepared) in their presumptuous dreams,
‘They take by storm, and deem the Highest bound,
‘Thro' their imagined worth and worthiness,
‘To welcome them; to bid his saints stand by
‘At their approach; to ope his choicest stores,
‘And bless them with his smiles. Are these their hopes?
‘Delusion, leagued with death! A few short years,
‘And this aspiring, proud, irruptive Band,
‘In their vain fancies, by their native might,
‘Forcing an entrance to the Realms of Bliss,
‘Will find, to their confusion, but too late!
‘God can reward his Friends,—reject his Foes!—
‘What that comprises they must die to learn!
‘Th' assurance that all tend to heaven at last,
‘Alike the pure in heart, the rebel host!—
‘Blackest of falsehoods! Pregnant with all ill!
‘Casting the threats of Heaven to moles and bats!
‘Teaching the bad to glory in their shame!—
‘To tread, with an unshrinking confidence,
‘The paths of the destroyer; yet, in truth,
‘Most soothing creed!—for those so zealously
‘All creeds denouncing! for, if all, at last,
‘Meet in Heaven's Regions, they themselves are safe.
‘They must be one—where all are brought to bliss!
‘Alike the pure in heart, the rebel host!—
‘Blackest of falsehoods! Pregnant with all ill!
383
‘Teaching the bad to glory in their shame!—
‘To tread, with an unshrinking confidence,
‘The paths of the destroyer; yet, in truth,
‘Most soothing creed!—for those so zealously
‘All creeds denouncing! for, if all, at last,
‘Meet in Heaven's Regions, they themselves are safe.
‘They must be one—where all are brought to bliss!
‘Here, there is hope, but least of all for those
‘Who brave the threat'nings of th' Omnipotent!
‘Condition—reckless—piteous—perilous!
‘These by their words, in union with their lives,
‘Scatter around them withering pestilence,—
‘The bane most fatal, that which slays the soul!—
‘Which drags immortals down from hope and heaven.
‘A ponderous load, and crushing, these sustain;—
‘The weight of blood!—of others, and their own!
‘Who brave the threat'nings of th' Omnipotent!
‘Condition—reckless—piteous—perilous!
‘These by their words, in union with their lives,
‘Scatter around them withering pestilence,—
‘The bane most fatal, that which slays the soul!—
‘Which drags immortals down from hope and heaven.
‘A ponderous load, and crushing, these sustain;—
‘The weight of blood!—of others, and their own!
‘These wiser than the wisest, now assail
‘Truth with augmented rage. They pour contempt
‘On Christ th' Anointed Son, the Sinner's Friend!
‘The Christian's only refuge! They pronounce
‘Him whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain!
‘Impostor, and his words and records, vain!
‘Deny his Resurrection! deem his laws
(‘A sacred halo round them, cloth'd in light!)
‘A system of deception!—falsehood, all!—
‘Deep under-plot, pursued from sire to son,
‘From age to age;—confederate scheme, to cheat
‘A senseless, credulous, lie-loving world!
‘Fierce in their enmity, they daringly
‘Turn their deaf ear to all the Spirit taught,—
‘Breath'd thro' Apostles;—who, to verify—
‘That Gospel, sent in mercy to mankind,
‘Endured a scoffing world, and, fearless, braved,
‘In utterance of their mission from on high,
‘Slauder, the prison's gloom, the scourge, the chain,
‘The rav'nous beast, the stake! the crucifix!—
‘Can men belie their conscience, and believe
‘These Martyrs, banded all, to propagate
‘Falsehood?—and sealing with their blood,—a lie?
‘Delusion here prevails. It reaches not
‘Beyond Earth's confines.
‘Truth with augmented rage. They pour contempt
‘On Christ th' Anointed Son, the Sinner's Friend!
‘The Christian's only refuge! They pronounce
‘Him whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain!
‘Impostor, and his words and records, vain!
‘Deny his Resurrection! deem his laws
(‘A sacred halo round them, cloth'd in light!)
‘A system of deception!—falsehood, all!—
‘Deep under-plot, pursued from sire to son,
‘From age to age;—confederate scheme, to cheat
‘A senseless, credulous, lie-loving world!
‘Fierce in their enmity, they daringly
‘Turn their deaf ear to all the Spirit taught,—
‘Breath'd thro' Apostles;—who, to verify—
‘That Gospel, sent in mercy to mankind,
‘Endured a scoffing world, and, fearless, braved,
384
‘Slauder, the prison's gloom, the scourge, the chain,
‘The rav'nous beast, the stake! the crucifix!—
‘Can men belie their conscience, and believe
‘These Martyrs, banded all, to propagate
‘Falsehood?—and sealing with their blood,—a lie?
‘Delusion here prevails. It reaches not
‘Beyond Earth's confines.
‘Beings, shorn of heaven,
‘Dread thought! confined by bars impassable,
‘At length bewail their madness, yet retain
‘'Gainst God and Goodness, Truth and Holiness,
‘The enmity which banish'd them from bliss!
‘Their friends and advocates on earth, the men—
‘Hast'ning to join them, (all unconscious they!)
‘In wanderings still advance.—They spurn the hope,
‘Kindled of Revelation,—rapturous thought!
‘Of rising to new life, when leaving Time;—
‘The glorious dawn of Immortality!
‘This they disdainful scoff at. They like beasts
‘First lived, and then like beasts desired to die!—
‘Vain hope! The hour of Retribution hastens fast!
‘Dread thought! confined by bars impassable,
‘At length bewail their madness, yet retain
‘'Gainst God and Goodness, Truth and Holiness,
‘The enmity which banish'd them from bliss!
‘Their friends and advocates on earth, the men—
‘Hast'ning to join them, (all unconscious they!)
‘In wanderings still advance.—They spurn the hope,
‘Kindled of Revelation,—rapturous thought!
‘Of rising to new life, when leaving Time;—
‘The glorious dawn of Immortality!
‘This they disdainful scoff at. They like beasts
‘First lived, and then like beasts desired to die!—
‘Vain hope! The hour of Retribution hastens fast!
‘The anxious mind inquires, Why were these ills
‘Engrafted on our nature? Why did Heaven
‘Afflict the world with Antichrist?—allow
‘The Papists' triumph and supremacy?
‘Such source of outrage, cruelty, and strife!
‘Why was the Infidel allowed to rise,
‘To spread his noxious errors? to proclaim
‘His poisonous words, that like the Desert-blasts
‘Are leagued with death!
‘Engrafted on our nature? Why did Heaven
‘Afflict the world with Antichrist?—allow
‘The Papists' triumph and supremacy?
‘Such source of outrage, cruelty, and strife!
‘Why was the Infidel allowed to rise,
‘To spread his noxious errors? to proclaim
‘His poisonous words, that like the Desert-blasts
‘Are leagued with death!
‘Pause, daring Spirit!—Say!
‘Can the slow-creeping earth-worm judge of man?—
‘His thoughts explore?—his motives comprehend?
‘Yet worms know more of men, than men of God!
‘Can mortals, with their few and feeble thoughts,
‘Explore the boundless?—trace the Infinite?
‘Th' Eternal spake, when, lo! the Universe
‘Majestic rose! Still limitless in power,
‘He regulates the least concerns of man!
‘He, in the dark recesses of his mind,
‘Nurtures all plans that germinate on Earth;
‘Some, quick in their development, some late,—
‘Thro' ages drawing to maturity:
‘Some, intertwined, and seeming, e'en to us,
‘Perplex'd, confused, or tending to conserve
‘The adverse purpose, yet, harmoniously,
‘The end (The only test of value true)
‘Proves worthy of a God!—That plastic mind,—
‘Extends its sway, with an intensity
‘Of close inspection, that combines, alike,
‘The great, the small; the vastest, and the least!—
‘Systems, or atoms!—All alike to Him
‘Who made, inspects, ordains, and governs All!
‘Trust Him in all things!—Silently adore!
‘Can the slow-creeping earth-worm judge of man?—
‘His thoughts explore?—his motives comprehend?
‘Yet worms know more of men, than men of God!
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‘Explore the boundless?—trace the Infinite?
‘Th' Eternal spake, when, lo! the Universe
‘Majestic rose! Still limitless in power,
‘He regulates the least concerns of man!
‘He, in the dark recesses of his mind,
‘Nurtures all plans that germinate on Earth;
‘Some, quick in their development, some late,—
‘Thro' ages drawing to maturity:
‘Some, intertwined, and seeming, e'en to us,
‘Perplex'd, confused, or tending to conserve
‘The adverse purpose, yet, harmoniously,
‘The end (The only test of value true)
‘Proves worthy of a God!—That plastic mind,—
‘Extends its sway, with an intensity
‘Of close inspection, that combines, alike,
‘The great, the small; the vastest, and the least!—
‘Systems, or atoms!—All alike to Him
‘Who made, inspects, ordains, and governs All!
‘Trust Him in all things!—Silently adore!
‘But turning to the bright entablature,—
‘Whereon Beneficence inscribes her laws;
‘Look thou around on Nature's lovely face:
‘There read perfection! Here the God-head shines!
‘All things alike, within thee, and around,—
‘With voice articulate,—to the mind's ear,
‘Proclaim his Goodness,—boundless as his Power!
‘To cheer Earth's mourning spirits, God is Love !—
‘First, and most hallow'd of Immortal Truths!
‘What thoughtful heart can doubt it?
‘Whereon Beneficence inscribes her laws;
‘Look thou around on Nature's lovely face:
‘There read perfection! Here the God-head shines!
‘All things alike, within thee, and around,—
‘With voice articulate,—to the mind's ear,
‘Proclaim his Goodness,—boundless as his Power!
‘To cheer Earth's mourning spirits, God is Love !—
‘First, and most hallow'd of Immortal Truths!
‘What thoughtful heart can doubt it?
‘Where is he—
‘Who in the silent solitary hour,
‘When meditation reigns, can look around
‘On all life's wondrous objects, and still doubt
‘The love of him who made them? Every form,
‘Throughout all nature, opes its hundred mouths
‘To sound his praise. Yet not on man alone
‘God heaps his favour. From the o'erflowing spring
‘Of heavenly goodness, Earth's vast family
‘Drink their refreshing draughts. Th' Eternal Sire,
‘Fountain of love! Sun of the Universe!
‘Looks round upon the creatures he has made,
‘And where he looks, spontaneous pleasures rise
‘And melting harmonies! What less than God,
‘And Goodness Infinite, could bid the train
‘Of beauteous flowers adorn this lower earth;—
‘Could make its secret caverns, and the host
‘Of stately trees, diverse, conspire to swell,
‘The sum of human blessings? What but power
‘Surpassing thought, could fill Heaven's boundless vault
‘With stars innumerous, blazing on their way,
‘Sole emblem of stability on earth!
‘Rolling th' eternal course! What less than God
‘Could clothe the Eve with glory, or the Morn,
‘Slow-opening, steep'd in her transcendent dyes!
‘Could make the Seasons run their endless race,
‘And give to Life interminable bounds,
‘Bidding the air above, the earth beneath,
‘The ocean teem with creatures, who exist,
‘Unconscious of existence, their brief hour,
‘And best display their unknown gratitude
‘In being happy. Doubt not God is Love!
‘Who in the silent solitary hour,
‘When meditation reigns, can look around
‘On all life's wondrous objects, and still doubt
‘The love of him who made them? Every form,
386
‘To sound his praise. Yet not on man alone
‘God heaps his favour. From the o'erflowing spring
‘Of heavenly goodness, Earth's vast family
‘Drink their refreshing draughts. Th' Eternal Sire,
‘Fountain of love! Sun of the Universe!
‘Looks round upon the creatures he has made,
‘And where he looks, spontaneous pleasures rise
‘And melting harmonies! What less than God,
‘And Goodness Infinite, could bid the train
‘Of beauteous flowers adorn this lower earth;—
‘Could make its secret caverns, and the host
‘Of stately trees, diverse, conspire to swell,
‘The sum of human blessings? What but power
‘Surpassing thought, could fill Heaven's boundless vault
‘With stars innumerous, blazing on their way,
‘Sole emblem of stability on earth!
‘Rolling th' eternal course! What less than God
‘Could clothe the Eve with glory, or the Morn,
‘Slow-opening, steep'd in her transcendent dyes!
‘Could make the Seasons run their endless race,
‘And give to Life interminable bounds,
‘Bidding the air above, the earth beneath,
‘The ocean teem with creatures, who exist,
‘Unconscious of existence, their brief hour,
‘And best display their unknown gratitude
‘In being happy. Doubt not God is Love!
‘And when thou turnest thy contemplant mind,
‘From God in Nature, to that vast expanse,—
‘Dimming the sight, where e'en th' angelic mind
‘Is lost in wonder! God in Providence,—
‘Moulding Earth's jarring atoms, to promote
‘His secret, and inscrutable designs,
‘How wondrous, and o'erwhelming is the thought!
‘In darkest hour, trust that Almighty Hand
‘So manifest in seasons numberless,
‘That he will guide thee, till thou reach that state
‘Where faith expires in sight. How should thy soul
‘Expand with gratitude, for that high gift,—
‘Its magnitude, not uttered by man's speech!
‘The hope of an Hereafter!—the belief,
‘Founded on God's good Word, that thou wilt yet
‘Survive the wreck of Nature, and enjoy
‘The Father of thy spirit, in a world
‘Where blessedness prevails! where Jesus reigns!
‘Where sin will be no more! and God himself!
‘Shall wipe the final tear from every eye!
‘From God in Nature, to that vast expanse,—
‘Dimming the sight, where e'en th' angelic mind
‘Is lost in wonder! God in Providence,—
‘Moulding Earth's jarring atoms, to promote
‘His secret, and inscrutable designs,
‘How wondrous, and o'erwhelming is the thought!
‘In darkest hour, trust that Almighty Hand
387
‘That he will guide thee, till thou reach that state
‘Where faith expires in sight. How should thy soul
‘Expand with gratitude, for that high gift,—
‘Its magnitude, not uttered by man's speech!
‘The hope of an Hereafter!—the belief,
‘Founded on God's good Word, that thou wilt yet
‘Survive the wreck of Nature, and enjoy
‘The Father of thy spirit, in a world
‘Where blessedness prevails! where Jesus reigns!
‘Where sin will be no more! and God himself!
‘Shall wipe the final tear from every eye!
‘And can that God whose attribute is Love,
‘Whose whole creation teems with happiness,
‘(Save where the moral taint deforms the scene)
‘Delight in morbid feelings, and the heart
‘That loves to pore on misery and night,—
‘No good beholding? Can th' Almighty Sire,
‘Well pleased, behold the creatures he has made
‘Cherish suspicions of himself, and though—
‘Nurs'd in the lap of comfort, all pass by
‘To languish o'er ideal wretchedness;
‘Sigh all the day, and murmur thro' the night,
‘Unmindful of the blessings infinite
‘That crowd around them?—Sufferers at their door,
‘The Poor, the Friendless,—Worth, without a home,
‘They little heed, and waste their sympathies
‘On dim, and distant objects!—Blessings near,
‘Heaven's varied gifts, and numberless as sands !—
‘Food, raiment, health, the lucid faculties,
‘The sweets of friendship; these are heeded not!
‘These raise no grateful sense,—no glow of thanks—
‘To Him, the bounteous Giver! God requires
‘For all his great and countless benefits,—
‘No hard return;—devotedness to Him,
‘The spirit's consecration, with a heart,
‘Thankful, and tuned to cheerfulness; best proof
‘Of hidden virtues.—Murder never smiles.
‘But cheerfulness the Christian most becomes.
‘Why should the favour'd man, whose home is Heaven,
‘Who walks by faith, who holds communion sweet
‘With God, and spirits pure;—why should his heart
‘Sorrows o'erwhelm?—with joy and morn, so near?
‘A point between! Let terrors shake their frame
‘Who have no refuge-tower! Let those alone
‘On melancholy brood, and hang the head,
‘Strangers to happiness, who, 'mid Life's storms,
‘Behold no Heavenly Pilot; who survey
‘Confusion and thick clouds,—looking dismay'd
‘O'er the dark chaos of conjecture, chain'd
‘To earth, and earthly hopes; but let the men
‘Who seek another and a better rest,—
‘A heavenly country, smile, for all is theirs,
‘Or life, or death;—things present, things to come!
‘Whose whole creation teems with happiness,
‘(Save where the moral taint deforms the scene)
‘Delight in morbid feelings, and the heart
‘That loves to pore on misery and night,—
‘No good beholding? Can th' Almighty Sire,
‘Well pleased, behold the creatures he has made
‘Cherish suspicions of himself, and though—
‘Nurs'd in the lap of comfort, all pass by
‘To languish o'er ideal wretchedness;
‘Sigh all the day, and murmur thro' the night,
‘Unmindful of the blessings infinite
‘That crowd around them?—Sufferers at their door,
‘The Poor, the Friendless,—Worth, without a home,
‘They little heed, and waste their sympathies
‘On dim, and distant objects!—Blessings near,
‘Heaven's varied gifts, and numberless as sands !—
‘Food, raiment, health, the lucid faculties,
‘The sweets of friendship; these are heeded not!
‘These raise no grateful sense,—no glow of thanks—
‘To Him, the bounteous Giver! God requires
‘For all his great and countless benefits,—
‘No hard return;—devotedness to Him,
388
‘Thankful, and tuned to cheerfulness; best proof
‘Of hidden virtues.—Murder never smiles.
‘But cheerfulness the Christian most becomes.
‘Why should the favour'd man, whose home is Heaven,
‘Who walks by faith, who holds communion sweet
‘With God, and spirits pure;—why should his heart
‘Sorrows o'erwhelm?—with joy and morn, so near?
‘A point between! Let terrors shake their frame
‘Who have no refuge-tower! Let those alone
‘On melancholy brood, and hang the head,
‘Strangers to happiness, who, 'mid Life's storms,
‘Behold no Heavenly Pilot; who survey
‘Confusion and thick clouds,—looking dismay'd
‘O'er the dark chaos of conjecture, chain'd
‘To earth, and earthly hopes; but let the men
‘Who seek another and a better rest,—
‘A heavenly country, smile, for all is theirs,
‘Or life, or death;—things present, things to come!
‘To him who bears the Christian's hallow'd name
‘Anguish, and grief consuming, are proscribed
‘As things unlawful. Is it a vain dream,
‘And not a sacred stern reality,
‘That God directs, and governs?—whose controul
‘The Seraphim and Worm alike obey!
‘Whence then is man's rebellion?—his distrust
‘The moment Faith, not Sight, his homage claims?
‘Is confidence ideal? Is the name
‘All that High Heaven requires? Are blossoms fair
‘The boundaries of our wishes,—not matured
‘And ripen'd into fruit?—
‘Anguish, and grief consuming, are proscribed
‘As things unlawful. Is it a vain dream,
‘And not a sacred stern reality,
‘That God directs, and governs?—whose controul
‘The Seraphim and Worm alike obey!
‘Whence then is man's rebellion?—his distrust
‘The moment Faith, not Sight, his homage claims?
‘Is confidence ideal? Is the name
‘All that High Heaven requires? Are blossoms fair
‘The boundaries of our wishes,—not matured
‘And ripen'd into fruit?—
‘Grief, keen, is felt
‘By all the Righteous—that no deeper sense
‘Rests on their hearts, for benefits received.
‘And there are pungent pangs which others raise,
‘When they are seen—treading the downward road,
‘Yet, rich in hope!—unmindful that they hang
‘Over a Gulf, dark, deep, and fathomless!—
‘Suspended by the brittle Thread of Life!
‘By all the Righteous—that no deeper sense
‘Rests on their hearts, for benefits received.
‘And there are pungent pangs which others raise,
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‘Yet, rich in hope!—unmindful that they hang
‘Over a Gulf, dark, deep, and fathomless!—
‘Suspended by the brittle Thread of Life!
‘But tho' benevolence rules all that is,
‘For needful purposes, to thee unknown,
‘There is a certain residue of ill,
‘Long to prevail on earth, tho' righteous men,
‘Labour in word and deed to check its growth.
‘It is an evil world. This will be found
‘Whatever fairy schemes of happiness
‘Men fondly shape. But tho' Perfection, Earth
‘May not attain, shall not her sons aspire
‘Near to approach as may be? Shall they fail
‘To cross some limpid stream, for that no foot,
‘Vent'rous, hath ocean forded?—
‘For needful purposes, to thee unknown,
‘There is a certain residue of ill,
‘Long to prevail on earth, tho' righteous men,
‘Labour in word and deed to check its growth.
‘It is an evil world. This will be found
‘Whatever fairy schemes of happiness
‘Men fondly shape. But tho' Perfection, Earth
‘May not attain, shall not her sons aspire
‘Near to approach as may be? Shall they fail
‘To cross some limpid stream, for that no foot,
‘Vent'rous, hath ocean forded?—
‘Ever strive
‘Well to perform thy part, and know assured
‘Whence comes the aid effectual. Be thy name
‘The Father of thy People! Honour Worth!
‘Where Talent reigns, or that ethereal spark—
‘Genius,—direct and cherish it! Its power
‘Illumes the present, and a radiance casts
‘On ages yet to come. Aspire to be
‘The friend, the patron, the conservator—
‘Of Mind, which stamps the dignity of Man.
‘By Power prevent all wrong and violence;
‘All cruelty to brutes: for God beholds,
‘With a paternal eye, his lowest works,
‘And hath appointed for th' unfeeling heart
‘Deep and peculiar punishments.
‘Well to perform thy part, and know assured
‘Whence comes the aid effectual. Be thy name
‘The Father of thy People! Honour Worth!
‘Where Talent reigns, or that ethereal spark—
‘Genius,—direct and cherish it! Its power
‘Illumes the present, and a radiance casts
‘On ages yet to come. Aspire to be
‘The friend, the patron, the conservator—
‘Of Mind, which stamps the dignity of Man.
‘By Power prevent all wrong and violence;
‘All cruelty to brutes: for God beholds,
‘With a paternal eye, his lowest works,
‘And hath appointed for th' unfeeling heart
‘Deep and peculiar punishments.
‘The king,
‘Faithful to his high station, happiest feels
‘To see his people happy !—such be thou!
‘Instruct the ignorant; and, as the spring,
‘The source of best instruction, spread the sound
‘Salvation dealt to man! Give them the food
‘God hath appointed! This shall tame their hearts,
‘Howe'er rebellious; this shall cure the ill,
‘When all things fail: so shalt thou rise, ere long,
‘To meet, on high, the New Jerusalem;
‘Stupendous thought! Yes, even thou shalt join,
‘(After the silver cords of life are loosed)
‘Th' innumerable company of angels!
‘The gen'ral church, and the first-born of heaven!
‘The God of all! the spirits of the just—
‘Made perfect! and that sole-procuring cause
‘Of all their joy, the Mediator, Christ!
‘Faithful to his high station, happiest feels
‘To see his people happy !—such be thou!
‘Instruct the ignorant; and, as the spring,
390
‘Salvation dealt to man! Give them the food
‘God hath appointed! This shall tame their hearts,
‘Howe'er rebellious; this shall cure the ill,
‘When all things fail: so shalt thou rise, ere long,
‘To meet, on high, the New Jerusalem;
‘Stupendous thought! Yes, even thou shalt join,
‘(After the silver cords of life are loosed)
‘Th' innumerable company of angels!
‘The gen'ral church, and the first-born of heaven!
‘The God of all! the spirits of the just—
‘Made perfect! and that sole-procuring cause
‘Of all their joy, the Mediator, Christ!
‘If thou would'st other knowledge know, declare!
‘For I am sent to caution and inform.’
The king thus seemed to say. ‘Bright Messenger!
‘Communicant of holy mysteries!
‘Thou hast my praise! Angel, immortal, hail!
‘I would inquire, with due humility,
‘The nature of thy office, and what good
‘Thou hast bestow'd on me.’ To whom the angel.
‘For I am sent to caution and inform.’
The king thus seemed to say. ‘Bright Messenger!
‘Communicant of holy mysteries!
‘Thou hast my praise! Angel, immortal, hail!
‘I would inquire, with due humility,
‘The nature of thy office, and what good
‘Thou hast bestow'd on me.’ To whom the angel.
‘Favour'd of God! unnumber'd are the pits,
‘Some seen, but most unseen, which throng life's path,
‘And send the unsuspecting traveller
‘To his long home. Many hast thou escaped,
‘Not of thyself, for thou hast often rush'd
‘'Mid thickest dangers, but, thy heart was right,
‘Thou trustedst in thy God, and I upheld,
‘By Him commission'd, thine unguarded feet.—
‘Deep and mysterious are the ways of Heaven!
‘Faintly perceived by us, to thee all dark,
‘One thing thou yet may'st know, of old revealed,
‘By Moses and the prophets, tho' unseen
‘By all, whose eyes, whose hearts, mammon, accurst!
‘Hath dimm'd and harden'd.—He who trusts in God,
‘By a celestial alchemy, shall find
‘The dreariest, darkest, avenues of life
‘Transmuted into pastures green and fair,—
‘The one peculiar and appointed way,
‘That leads to God and glory.
‘Some seen, but most unseen, which throng life's path,
‘And send the unsuspecting traveller
‘To his long home. Many hast thou escaped,
‘Not of thyself, for thou hast often rush'd
‘'Mid thickest dangers, but, thy heart was right,
‘Thou trustedst in thy God, and I upheld,
‘By Him commission'd, thine unguarded feet.—
‘Deep and mysterious are the ways of Heaven!
‘Faintly perceived by us, to thee all dark,
‘One thing thou yet may'st know, of old revealed,
‘By Moses and the prophets, tho' unseen
‘By all, whose eyes, whose hearts, mammon, accurst!
‘Hath dimm'd and harden'd.—He who trusts in God,
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‘The dreariest, darkest, avenues of life
‘Transmuted into pastures green and fair,—
‘The one peculiar and appointed way,
‘That leads to God and glory.
‘Thro' the world,
‘Dangers on every side stand thick; man's eye
‘Cannot descry them! under streams they dwell,
‘Mid beds of roses; in the verdant mead,
‘The desert waste, the city populous;
‘And in the small hut, by the mountain's side—
‘On hills, and in the vallies. Each alike,
‘Stands open to the subtile enemy
‘That lurks unseen. Such is the earthly race
‘All men must run, exposed at every step
‘To sorrows infinite, to pain, and death.
‘But there is one defence, and one alone.
‘The Maker of the world and all therein
‘Hath so ordain'd, that he whose heart implores
‘Celestial guidance, shall from him receive
‘A guardian, like to me, whose keener eye,
‘From real, not apparent harm, shall lead
‘The faithful suppliant, and at last conduct
‘O'er death's dark gulf, to Heaven.
‘Dangers on every side stand thick; man's eye
‘Cannot descry them! under streams they dwell,
‘Mid beds of roses; in the verdant mead,
‘The desert waste, the city populous;
‘And in the small hut, by the mountain's side—
‘On hills, and in the vallies. Each alike,
‘Stands open to the subtile enemy
‘That lurks unseen. Such is the earthly race
‘All men must run, exposed at every step
‘To sorrows infinite, to pain, and death.
‘But there is one defence, and one alone.
‘The Maker of the world and all therein
‘Hath so ordain'd, that he whose heart implores
‘Celestial guidance, shall from him receive
‘A guardian, like to me, whose keener eye,
‘From real, not apparent harm, shall lead
‘The faithful suppliant, and at last conduct
‘O'er death's dark gulf, to Heaven.
‘But I would now,
‘Further inform thee. Through th' appointed path,
‘All men must run, in this their earthly race,
‘Evil full often seems the better thing,
‘And good the evil. By th'immortal laws
‘This is ordain'd, to teach the ignorant
‘The penalty of failure, virtue's worth,
‘And from experience, fruitful source of light,
‘By slow progression, to instruct the heart
‘Where wisdom lies.—
‘Further inform thee. Through th' appointed path,
‘All men must run, in this their earthly race,
‘Evil full often seems the better thing,
‘And good the evil. By th'immortal laws
‘This is ordain'd, to teach the ignorant
‘The penalty of failure, virtue's worth,
‘And from experience, fruitful source of light,
‘By slow progression, to instruct the heart
‘Where wisdom lies.—
‘Some pitfalls are to death,
‘Some quicken foresight, and awake the prayer
‘For better guidance. Ever then at hand
‘We are, to yield our aid invisible:
‘And often do we lead, dissatisfied,
‘Men from disastrous bane, or, half permit
‘Their feet to fall, to loosen that deep root
‘Of self-dependence, all men love so well.
‘Some quicken foresight, and awake the prayer
392
‘We are, to yield our aid invisible:
‘And often do we lead, dissatisfied,
‘Men from disastrous bane, or, half permit
‘Their feet to fall, to loosen that deep root
‘Of self-dependence, all men love so well.
‘The deadliest poisons oft are found to dwell
‘With flowers most fair, to come within whose breath
‘Rouses the pestilence, and sinks the heart
‘To that worst state, insensibility!
‘Where the soul groans, yet learns not to be wise.
‘Then is our virtue tried. We know the path,
‘That death attends it, and full often lead
‘Weak man from ruin, whilst he thinks it hard
‘To see the flattering good, yet turn away.
‘And oft we guide the pilgrim, heaven-ward bound,
‘Thro' crooked ways and brambles, 'mid steep hills,
‘And pathless vallies, to escape some harm
‘Unseen, but in the end, that leads to death.—
‘From infancy our exercise begins.
‘We tend the infant from the hour it breathes,
‘'Till reason dawns, or, wretched were the state
‘Of helpless childhood. In its tender years
‘What evils lurk to whelm it in the grave!
‘But we, with most especial earnestness,
‘To those prepared the shining path to tread,
‘Ever surround, ward off each secret foe,
‘And feed the intellectual spark, ere long
‘To blaze abroad, and erring man direct
‘To the one path to Heaven. Now will I speak
‘Of my appointment, and the services
‘I have perform'd for thee.
‘With flowers most fair, to come within whose breath
‘Rouses the pestilence, and sinks the heart
‘To that worst state, insensibility!
‘Where the soul groans, yet learns not to be wise.
‘Then is our virtue tried. We know the path,
‘That death attends it, and full often lead
‘Weak man from ruin, whilst he thinks it hard
‘To see the flattering good, yet turn away.
‘And oft we guide the pilgrim, heaven-ward bound,
‘Thro' crooked ways and brambles, 'mid steep hills,
‘And pathless vallies, to escape some harm
‘Unseen, but in the end, that leads to death.—
‘From infancy our exercise begins.
‘We tend the infant from the hour it breathes,
‘'Till reason dawns, or, wretched were the state
‘Of helpless childhood. In its tender years
‘What evils lurk to whelm it in the grave!
‘But we, with most especial earnestness,
‘To those prepared the shining path to tread,
‘Ever surround, ward off each secret foe,
‘And feed the intellectual spark, ere long
‘To blaze abroad, and erring man direct
‘To the one path to Heaven. Now will I speak
‘Of my appointment, and the services
‘I have perform'd for thee.
‘Thy guardian I,
‘Constant, have succour'd thee, in hours so dark,
‘They seem'd desertion; but th' Almighty Sire
‘Then loved thee most, and led thee in the way
‘Best suited to secure thy better part.
‘Thou hast implored direction from on high,
‘From youth, 'till now, and though God often hides
‘The secret purpose of his ways to man,
‘And makes him walk by faith, yet I am now
‘Permitted to assume a character,
‘Clear to thine organs, to declare the ways
‘Thou hast been led in, that thy heart may place
‘Fresh confidence in Heaven.—
‘Constant, have succour'd thee, in hours so dark,
‘They seem'd desertion; but th' Almighty Sire
393
‘Best suited to secure thy better part.
‘Thou hast implored direction from on high,
‘From youth, 'till now, and though God often hides
‘The secret purpose of his ways to man,
‘And makes him walk by faith, yet I am now
‘Permitted to assume a character,
‘Clear to thine organs, to declare the ways
‘Thou hast been led in, that thy heart may place
‘Fresh confidence in Heaven.—
‘When opening youth
‘Gave to thy spirit reason, I with joy
‘Perceived thy heart implore that better guide,
‘All need, tho' few require, and still remain'd
‘Thy Guardian Angel. Little dost thou know
‘What benefits and untold blessings spring
‘From such dependence. Spirits like myself
‘Space cannot stop. And sometimes when engaged
‘In shouting loud Hosannas, 'mid the choir
‘Of Angel and Archangel, I have seen
‘Perils await thee, and beside thee stood,
‘Directing! whilst the sluggish sun-beam bright,
‘Toil'd after me. Such is an Angel's speed!
‘Our chariot is the chariot of a thought!
‘Gave to thy spirit reason, I with joy
‘Perceived thy heart implore that better guide,
‘All need, tho' few require, and still remain'd
‘Thy Guardian Angel. Little dost thou know
‘What benefits and untold blessings spring
‘From such dependence. Spirits like myself
‘Space cannot stop. And sometimes when engaged
‘In shouting loud Hosannas, 'mid the choir
‘Of Angel and Archangel, I have seen
‘Perils await thee, and beside thee stood,
‘Directing! whilst the sluggish sun-beam bright,
‘Toil'd after me. Such is an Angel's speed!
‘Our chariot is the chariot of a thought!
‘Nor deem it strange that one like me should bound
‘His narrow influence; for, all the Orders
‘Of high Intelligences, progress make
‘Toward Love's pure element, the source of good;
‘Whose crystal waters all the Sons of Light
‘Drink ever, and delightful visions feel,
‘The heart expanding; making each endure
‘For all that lives, divinest sympathy,
‘And more intense benevolence. High Heaven
‘Each hath appointed, by gradations meet,
‘To run this race, and, by steps infinite,
‘Move toward perfection. Thus material beings
‘Love first their friends, their country, the whole world;
‘Preparing thus their minds for nobler views,
‘Their wings for higher flights; and last of all,
‘Archangels, toiling still, and still to toil
‘In this most glorious exercise, adore—
‘The drop, the stream, and last of all approach,
‘Nearer, tho' ever distant, God, Supreme!
‘The centre of his own Eternity!
‘The Fountain full of Love!
‘His narrow influence; for, all the Orders
‘Of high Intelligences, progress make
‘Toward Love's pure element, the source of good;
‘Whose crystal waters all the Sons of Light
‘Drink ever, and delightful visions feel,
‘The heart expanding; making each endure
‘For all that lives, divinest sympathy,
‘And more intense benevolence. High Heaven
‘Each hath appointed, by gradations meet,
‘To run this race, and, by steps infinite,
394
‘Love first their friends, their country, the whole world;
‘Preparing thus their minds for nobler views,
‘Their wings for higher flights; and last of all,
‘Archangels, toiling still, and still to toil
‘In this most glorious exercise, adore—
‘The drop, the stream, and last of all approach,
‘Nearer, tho' ever distant, God, Supreme!
‘The centre of his own Eternity!
‘The Fountain full of Love!
‘Still wondering learn.
‘Gifted with prescience of thy future life,
‘I saw thy dangers, and with anxious care
‘Sought to avert them, or, alike, improve
‘All to thy good. I saw thy furious foe,
‘Ivar of Denmark (ere he pass'd the seas
‘To ravage Britain) slay the mariner
‘Beside the waves. I saw th' illusions rise
‘To vex his spirit, tried, and exercised,
‘So to extort the vow, alone, that saved
‘In after times thy queen. These visions rose
‘Consistent with his own dark prejudice!
‘For, to believe the possibility
‘Is half to see and hear the thing believed.
‘I saw thee in that depth of wretchedness,
‘When by the mountain brook, thou badest go
‘Thy troops to Selwood, and across the heath
‘Bore thy young child, Alswitha by thy side,
‘Mournful and destitute. I led thy feet
‘To neighbouring abbey. I impell'd thee thence
‘To seek the cottage, where, when thou hadst heard
‘Of Glastonbury stricken, and resolved
‘To war again; thou sworest! and, that oath—
‘By the Eternal God!’ Word utter'd not
‘By angels, save with veiling of the face!
‘Not lightly take that name upon thy tongue!
‘In passion, never!
‘Gifted with prescience of thy future life,
‘I saw thy dangers, and with anxious care
‘Sought to avert them, or, alike, improve
‘All to thy good. I saw thy furious foe,
‘Ivar of Denmark (ere he pass'd the seas
‘To ravage Britain) slay the mariner
‘Beside the waves. I saw th' illusions rise
‘To vex his spirit, tried, and exercised,
‘So to extort the vow, alone, that saved
‘In after times thy queen. These visions rose
‘Consistent with his own dark prejudice!
‘For, to believe the possibility
‘Is half to see and hear the thing believed.
‘I saw thee in that depth of wretchedness,
‘When by the mountain brook, thou badest go
‘Thy troops to Selwood, and across the heath
‘Bore thy young child, Alswitha by thy side,
‘Mournful and destitute. I led thy feet
‘To neighbouring abbey. I impell'd thee thence
‘To seek the cottage, where, when thou hadst heard
‘Of Glastonbury stricken, and resolved
‘To war again; thou sworest! and, that oath—
‘By the Eternal God!’ Word utter'd not
‘By angels, save with veiling of the face!
‘Not lightly take that name upon thy tongue!
395
‘For wise purposes
‘The abbey walls were rased, the Danes allow'd
‘To scatter death, but, 'mid the terrors round
‘Thy queen I safe conducted, and, at length,
‘Gave her a weeping captive to that foe—
‘Belov'd of Heaven, the man, who hence shall shine
‘Great in all virtues,—call'd to the true faith.
‘I Wilton's Abbot, wanderiug o'er the moor,
‘Led to thy child:—and thro' my influence,
‘Urged him to wind his footsteps to the cot
‘Where thou resortedst, in thy depth of woe;
‘Depression's lowest point!—Yet learn again.—
‘That she thy queen a captive should become,
‘By Heaven's all-seeing eye, needful was deem'd
‘To try thy faith, her own, discord to raise
‘Within the Danish camp; (for 'tis ordain'd
‘Before a people fall, that first shall rise
‘The fiend Dissension) and, at last, convert
‘Guthrum the Dane. Hence when affliction hangs.
‘Heavy upon thee, doubt not the design.
‘Its end is mercy.—
‘The abbey walls were rased, the Danes allow'd
‘To scatter death, but, 'mid the terrors round
‘Thy queen I safe conducted, and, at length,
‘Gave her a weeping captive to that foe—
‘Belov'd of Heaven, the man, who hence shall shine
‘Great in all virtues,—call'd to the true faith.
‘I Wilton's Abbot, wanderiug o'er the moor,
‘Led to thy child:—and thro' my influence,
‘Urged him to wind his footsteps to the cot
‘Where thou resortedst, in thy depth of woe;
‘Depression's lowest point!—Yet learn again.—
‘That she thy queen a captive should become,
‘By Heaven's all-seeing eye, needful was deem'd
‘To try thy faith, her own, discord to raise
‘Within the Danish camp; (for 'tis ordain'd
‘Before a people fall, that first shall rise
‘The fiend Dissension) and, at last, convert
‘Guthrum the Dane. Hence when affliction hangs.
‘Heavy upon thee, doubt not the design.
‘Its end is mercy.—
‘Know! my secret aid
‘In moments perilous and dark, preserved
‘Thy helpless infant, when the Abbot fell,
‘Pierced of the Dane. In his ferocity,
‘He would have slain thy child. His sword he raised !—
‘He had no power to strike!—(not more than they
‘Who led the Saviour to that precipice,
‘Resolved to hurl him downward.—Hand unseen
‘Restrain'd the raging multitude, and mist
‘Cast o'er their visual orb.)—Commission'd thus,
‘I caused the innocent—(unconscious he—
‘Of danger) in the assassin's face to smile,
‘And clap his hands. It touch'd his flinty heart!
‘Loud he exclaim'd, Let others take thy life,
I cannot. Such our subtile influence.
‘In moments perilous and dark, preserved
‘Thy helpless infant, when the Abbot fell,
‘Pierced of the Dane. In his ferocity,
‘He would have slain thy child. His sword he raised !—
‘He had no power to strike!—(not more than they
‘Who led the Saviour to that precipice,
‘Resolved to hurl him downward.—Hand unseen
‘Restrain'd the raging multitude, and mist
‘Cast o'er their visual orb.)—Commission'd thus,
‘I caused the innocent—(unconscious he—
‘Of danger) in the assassin's face to smile,
‘And clap his hands. It touch'd his flinty heart!
‘Loud he exclaim'd, Let others take thy life,
396
‘In silent adoration, 'mid the hour,
‘Or dark, or luminous, do thou behold—
‘His Hand,—that guides the Lightning, rules the Storm,—
‘Awakes the Thunder!—in its majesty
‘Careering thro' the sky,—roar following roar
‘Till one imperial crash convulses heaven!
‘Now, from his subterranean depths unknown
‘He calls the Earthquake, heaving, terrible,—
‘Impels the whirlwind, and alike sustains
‘Thro' Earth, and to Creation's utmost bound
‘His universal empire. For thy joy,
‘That Being who controls these elements
‘Is thy Protector.—Trust Him and obey!
‘Or dark, or luminous, do thou behold—
‘His Hand,—that guides the Lightning, rules the Storm,—
‘Awakes the Thunder!—in its majesty
‘Careering thro' the sky,—roar following roar
‘Till one imperial crash convulses heaven!
‘Now, from his subterranean depths unknown
‘He calls the Earthquake, heaving, terrible,—
‘Impels the whirlwind, and alike sustains
‘Thro' Earth, and to Creation's utmost bound
‘His universal empire. For thy joy,
‘That Being who controls these elements
‘Is thy Protector.—Trust Him and obey!
‘Still learn, how I have watch'd and succour'd thee.
‘In hour of sadness, I thy footsteps led
‘Where that old man the hermit walk'd, and gave
‘Soft words, consoling, to his tongue, to cheer
‘Thy languid breast, and rouse the dormant spark
‘Of faith within thee. I the mother led
‘That aged woman on the forest's verge,
‘To tell her tale, and as thou listen'dst sad,
‘Ivar pass'd on, unseeing thee. So him,
‘Who stops to hear the tale of misery,
‘Blessings shall follow! I attended thee,
‘Deeming thyself alone, in many an hour,
‘Of perils numberless, I clear'd thy path;
‘And when thou soughtest Ivar's camp, I round
‘Hover'd incessant; in thy mind called up
‘The thought that saved thee, to assume the man,
‘Smitten of God; and from thy ready tongue
‘Pronounced wild words.
‘In hour of sadness, I thy footsteps led
‘Where that old man the hermit walk'd, and gave
‘Soft words, consoling, to his tongue, to cheer
‘Thy languid breast, and rouse the dormant spark
‘Of faith within thee. I the mother led
‘That aged woman on the forest's verge,
‘To tell her tale, and as thou listen'dst sad,
‘Ivar pass'd on, unseeing thee. So him,
‘Who stops to hear the tale of misery,
‘Blessings shall follow! I attended thee,
‘Deeming thyself alone, in many an hour,
‘Of perils numberless, I clear'd thy path;
‘And when thou soughtest Ivar's camp, I round
‘Hover'd incessant; in thy mind called up
‘The thought that saved thee, to assume the man,
‘Smitten of God; and from thy ready tongue
‘Pronounced wild words.
‘But now the time drew near,
‘That needed my best power, the day of fight.
‘I sought thee in the battle! I beheld
‘Each lurking danger that beset thy path,
‘And o'er thy head my unseen helmet cast!
‘And I will still be with thee. I will lead
‘Thy feet in pleasant paths. Whilst thy heart loves
‘Thy Friend and Maker, He will give me charge
‘To follow thee. Now thro' thy high career,
‘Shine as the Man of God. Show to the world,
‘In a peculiar sense, how beautiful
‘His feet, the Monarch, who in Zion's ways
‘Walks steadfastly.—Awhile, I bid adieu.
‘The memory of these words, thro' life preserve,
‘So, in the hour of death shalt thou behold—
‘Again thy Guardian Angel.’
‘That needed my best power, the day of fight.
397
‘Each lurking danger that beset thy path,
‘And o'er thy head my unseen helmet cast!
‘And I will still be with thee. I will lead
‘Thy feet in pleasant paths. Whilst thy heart loves
‘Thy Friend and Maker, He will give me charge
‘To follow thee. Now thro' thy high career,
‘Shine as the Man of God. Show to the world,
‘In a peculiar sense, how beautiful
‘His feet, the Monarch, who in Zion's ways
‘Walks steadfastly.—Awhile, I bid adieu.
‘The memory of these words, thro' life preserve,
‘So, in the hour of death shalt thou behold—
‘Again thy Guardian Angel.’
With his mind—
Fill'd with the heavenly vision, Alfred woke.
Fill'd with the heavenly vision, Alfred woke.
| Alfred | |