University of Virginia Library

THE LOVE OF GOD.

TWO SONNETS.

I.

Love Thee!—oh, Thou, the world's eternal Sire!
Whose palace is the vast infinity,
Time, space, height, depth, oh God! are full of Thee,
And sun-eyed seraphs tremble and admire.
Love Thee;—but Thou art girt with vengeful fire,
And mountains quake, and banded nations flee,
And terror shakes the wide unfathom'd sea,
When the heavens rock with thy tempestuous ire.
Oh, Thou! too vast for thought to comprehend,
That wast ere time,—shalt be when time is o'er;
Ages and worlds begin—grow old—and end,
Systems and suns thy changeless throne before,
Commence and close their cycles:—lost, I bend
To earth my prostrate soul, and shudder and adore!

II.

Love Thee!—oh, clad in human lowliness,
—In whom each heart its mortal kindred knows—
Our flesh, our form, our tears, our pains, our woes,—
A fellow-wanderer o'er earth's wilderness!
Love Thee! whose every word but breathes to bless!
Through Thee, from long-seal'd lips glad language flows;
The blind their eyes, that laugh with light, unclose;
And babes, unchid, thy garment's hem caress.
—I see Thee, doom'd by bitterest pangs to die,
Up the sad hill, with willing footsteps, move,
With scourge, and taunt, and wanton agony,
While the cross nods, in hideous gloom, above,
Though all—even there—be radiant Deity!
—Speechless I gaze, and my whole soul is Love!