The Descent into Hell Second Edition, Revised and Re-arranged, with an Analysis and Notes: To which are added, Uriel, a Fragment and Three Odes. By John A. Heraud |
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| XIX. | XIX. THE FATHER OF THE FAITHFUL. |
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 | The Descent into Hell |  |
XIX. THE FATHER OF THE FAITHFUL.
Thus spake Messiah from his skiey throne
To that innumerable Company,
I'th' presence of the Angels, who thereon
To that innumerable Company,
I'th' presence of the Angels, who thereon
Divinely ministered. Down from on high,
Within the circle of the Rainbow, they
Rejoiced, and clapped their wings triumphantly.
Within the circle of the Rainbow, they
Rejoiced, and clapped their wings triumphantly.
Joy was in all their motions; their array
Was glorious; to and fro, with gladsome speed,
They did their messages of love convey.
Was glorious; to and fro, with gladsome speed,
They did their messages of love convey.
Like Transports kindled all. Now hear and heed,
What next I saw. Behold, Melchizedek!
And he who for himself and for his seed
What next I saw. Behold, Melchizedek!
And he who for himself and for his seed
Paid tithes to him, and he who thus bespake
His pious Father: “But where is the Lamb
For sacrifice?”—his dignity partake.
His pious Father: “But where is the Lamb
For sacrifice?”—his dignity partake.
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Humbly with Isaac and with Abraham,
The eternal Priest bowed down in silent prayer.
Messiah thus—“Ere Abraham was, I am!
The eternal Priest bowed down in silent prayer.
Messiah thus—“Ere Abraham was, I am!
And thou, thou Priest of Salem, who while-ere
Greeted the Faithful from his Victory
With sacramental blessing;..thou wert heir
Greeted the Faithful from his Victory
With sacramental blessing;..thou wert heir
Of th' everlasting Order and Decree,
Whence Bread from heaven,..angelick food for man,..
And Life divine outpoured in Blood. With thee
Whence Bread from heaven,..angelick food for man,..
And Life divine outpoured in Blood. With thee
That sacramental Ordinance began,
Accomplished now. Be thou a Priest for ever;
I swear, nor shall repent. I will—I can—
Accomplished now. Be thou a Priest for ever;
I swear, nor shall repent. I will—I can—
After thine Order rule, and it shall never,
In righteousness and peace, surcease to hold
Sway and dominion when and wheresoever.
In righteousness and peace, surcease to hold
Sway and dominion when and wheresoever.
So sware I unto Abraham of old,
Sware by myself, that from his barren eld
Should issue generations manifold;
Sware by myself, that from his barren eld
Should issue generations manifold;
Heirs of his faith, the promise that it held,
The City truly based, divinely built,
Whereof unto his seed was oracled—
The City truly based, divinely built,
Whereof unto his seed was oracled—
I will have mercy on unrighteous guilt,
And not remember Sin,—but multiply
Thy Seed, O Abraham! For whom thou wilt,
And not remember Sin,—but multiply
Thy Seed, O Abraham! For whom thou wilt,
I will inscribe upon their hearts, even I,
My Laws, and write them in their minds, and they
Shall be my people everlastingly,
My Laws, and write them in their minds, and they
Shall be my people everlastingly,
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And I will be their God for ever and for aye.”
—Then Abraham rose, and by the Spirit moved,
Thus reverently answered.—“Lord, alway,
—Then Abraham rose, and by the Spirit moved,
Thus reverently answered.—“Lord, alway,
That thou art gracious I have well approved!
To my dead body thou didst raise an heir,
And from the dead restore my Son beloved—
To my dead body thou didst raise an heir,
And from the dead restore my Son beloved—
And, lo, not of my flesh, thou dost uprear
Children to me, and of my bosom name
The Paradise whereto thou dost appear.
Children to me, and of my bosom name
The Paradise whereto thou dost appear.
More numerous than the stars, which do proclaim
The glory of thy power unto all lands,
Behold, the peoples that of me became,
The glory of thy power unto all lands,
Behold, the peoples that of me became,
Hebrew and Greek, the Bond and Free. My hands
Present their acceptable offerings.
Whoe'er loves mercy, whoe'er understands
Present their acceptable offerings.
Whoe'er loves mercy, whoe'er understands
Thee present in all time and place, and brings
His heart a holocaust, or unto thee
Doth sacrifice a tear;..oh, for these things,
His heart a holocaust, or unto thee
Doth sacrifice a tear;..oh, for these things,
Receive the Penitent, and let him be
Adopted, and from Sin and Death redeemed!
But chief for him pray I—who barbarously
Adopted, and from Sin and Death redeemed!
But chief for him pray I—who barbarously
Wanders the Wild untutored, yet hath dreamed
Of mightier power than Nature, when he sought
To read her volume, that with marvels teemed,
Of mightier power than Nature, when he sought
To read her volume, that with marvels teemed,
But, uninterpreted and he untaught,
Astonished and o'erwhelmed the excited Soul
With Fear, and unintelligible Thought!
Astonished and o'erwhelmed the excited Soul
With Fear, and unintelligible Thought!
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Unseal for him the Mystery, control
The Chaos of his mind, and on his heart
Of thy great Love and Bounty pour the whole—
The Chaos of his mind, and on his heart
Of thy great Love and Bounty pour the whole—
Unto his Spirit all thy Grace impart!
Was not all Earth baptized on which Man trod?
Oh! is not thine its universal Chart?
Was not all Earth baptized on which Man trod?
Oh! is not thine its universal Chart?
What, though blind Ignorance, misdeem of God,
Or poisonous Nurture misdirect the Mind—
Be thou not wroth, nor, with an iron rod,
Or poisonous Nurture misdirect the Mind—
Be thou not wroth, nor, with an iron rod,
Take Vengeance—but have mercy on mankind!
Thou laugh'st in heaven—thou laughest in thy love,
And thou for Man hast righteously designed,
Thou laugh'st in heaven—thou laughest in thy love,
And thou for Man hast righteously designed,
Thy tender Mercies all thy Works above!”—
—He spake and there was silence. Every eye
Was on Messiah fixed—if he approve,
—He spake and there was silence. Every eye
Was on Messiah fixed—if he approve,
Then all is well. Divine Benignity
Made radiant his celestial Countenance,
So shone abroad that Frequence gloriously.
Made radiant his celestial Countenance,
So shone abroad that Frequence gloriously.
“My way is in the Darkness. I advance
Upon the wings of Tempest, and in Cloud
Descend, with Terrours compast, and entrance
Upon the wings of Tempest, and in Cloud
Descend, with Terrours compast, and entrance
The souls of men with Awe. My voice aloud
Walks in the Thunder, but its dreadful tone
Hath Blessing to the Universe avowed.
Walks in the Thunder, but its dreadful tone
Hath Blessing to the Universe avowed.
Health and Fecundity from out my Throne
Go forth to Earth; and Peace to Man—I bruise
To heal again—and break to reatone.
Go forth to Earth; and Peace to Man—I bruise
To heal again—and break to reatone.
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I judge among the Mighty, who refuse
Justice unto the needy; I preside
Over the Gods, the nations who abuse;
Justice unto the needy; I preside
Over the Gods, the nations who abuse;
And they shall mine inheritance abide—
Behold, they do my work—prepare my way—
But they shall perish—Man be justified.
Behold, they do my work—prepare my way—
But they shall perish—Man be justified.
For ever, since Creation's primal day,
My Spirit hath been present every where,
Brooding o'er Chaos with Omnifick Sway—
My Spirit hath been present every where,
Brooding o'er Chaos with Omnifick Sway—
Educing Order, luculent and clear,
From the imperfect growth of human Mind,
Whose manhood shall like deity appear,
From the imperfect growth of human Mind,
Whose manhood shall like deity appear,
Image of God, and righteously defined—
Then shall my head its golden Crown assume,
Then shall I reap the Harvest of Mankind—
Then shall my head its golden Crown assume,
Then shall I reap the Harvest of Mankind—
Earth shall be fully ripe, her Vineyard bloom
Maturely beautiful. But He shall thrust
His Sickle in her Vine, and gather from
Maturely beautiful. But He shall thrust
His Sickle in her Vine, and gather from
Its clusters the dissolving grapes; which must
Be trodden in the Winepress, and with blood
Appease the Wrath of the divinely Just.
Be trodden in the Winepress, and with blood
Appease the Wrath of the divinely Just.
Then shall by you my Voice be understood,
Prisoners, go forth!—and ye shall reign with me,
(Earth rebaptized, but with a fiery flood,)
Prisoners, go forth!—and ye shall reign with me,
(Earth rebaptized, but with a fiery flood,)
In Judgement o'er the angels.—Verily,
The Grave shall throughly heave like to a womb,
And, from her Chambers, hasten to set free
The Grave shall throughly heave like to a womb,
And, from her Chambers, hasten to set free
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Her captive Spirits, when her hour be come!”
—Thus spake Messiah, seated royally
Between the Cherubim, who now assume
—Thus spake Messiah, seated royally
Between the Cherubim, who now assume
His praise in Song, resounding like the Sea,
Saying, “Holy—holy—holy—Omnipotent,
Worthy, who wast, and art, and art to be!”—
Saying, “Holy—holy—holy—Omnipotent,
Worthy, who wast, and art, and art to be!”—
—And now, upon their wings, that Firmament
Is lifted up, and, with the mighty motion,
Is heard a noise of musical concent,
Is lifted up, and, with the mighty motion,
Is heard a noise of musical concent,
As of great waters in the myriad ocean,
As of the winds that strive upon the wave—
The voice of speech, in praise and in devotion,
As of the winds that strive upon the wave—
The voice of speech, in praise and in devotion,
Majestick as his Word—a choral stave;
Hymned to the Lord of Hosts upon his throne,
From universal Being, solemn, grave.
Hymned to the Lord of Hosts upon his throne,
From universal Being, solemn, grave.
—The Son of Man, they sing—who sought his own,
The King..whose throne is Heaven, whose footstool Earth,
The Priest..who shed the blood that shall atone,
The King..whose throne is Heaven, whose footstool Earth,
The Priest..who shed the blood that shall atone,
The God..that was made flesh—the blessed birth,
The happy bridal of the earth and sky!
—And, ever as they sang their holy mirth,
The happy bridal of the earth and sky!
—And, ever as they sang their holy mirth,
Their wings were spread for flight, and now on high
They bear the enthroned One, and, as they go,
Behold, the fourfold wheels which stood thereby,
They bear the enthroned One, and, as they go,
Behold, the fourfold wheels which stood thereby,
Orb within orb, in harmony also,
By the same Mind inspired, remove forth right
Rapt on a whirlwind's wing. The Temple,—lo!
By the same Mind inspired, remove forth right
Rapt on a whirlwind's wing. The Temple,—lo!
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Expands in its dimensions, as the sight
Conceives its majesty, increasing still,
Interminably opened. Sheeted Light
Conceives its majesty, increasing still,
Interminably opened. Sheeted Light
Reveals Infinitude, and Thunders fill
The space, with Voices multitudinous,
Proceeding from that Throne ineffable,
The space, with Voices multitudinous,
Proceeding from that Throne ineffable,
Which now, from off the Seat of Mercy thus,
Borne on the wings of hymning Cherubim,
Afar, into the Void diaphanous,
Borne on the wings of hymning Cherubim,
Afar, into the Void diaphanous,
Careers, o'ercanopied with Seraphim,
Charioting their Creator, who forth goes
With thousands and ten thousands tending him,
Charioting their Creator, who forth goes
With thousands and ten thousands tending him,
Numberless numbers,..sainted ones. There flows
Still inward—inward still—that following Tide
Of peoples, where Messiah leads,..and glows
Still inward—inward still—that following Tide
Of peoples, where Messiah leads,..and glows
With hallelujahs and with multiplied
Hosannas:—Inward, in the distance, they
Host after and around the Deified,
Hosannas:—Inward, in the distance, they
Host after and around the Deified,
Afar..afar..until they stretch away
Beyond my ken; for to the Precipice
Do they arrive, in orderly array,
Beyond my ken; for to the Precipice
Do they arrive, in orderly array,
Which hangs o'er Hell. Down, down, into the Abyss,
Sustained by power supernal, they descend,
The Co-Assessors, and the Witnesses,
Of Judgement whereon Angel-dooms suspend.Sustained by power supernal, they descend,
The Co-Assessors, and the Witnesses,
| The Descent into Hell | |