,>(>(\/ AVv\\KX\\\'»'sViVs\\)sKKKA)\\'N\N'sVyys\'yys'y» ■• ->.X'/yvA/)''/y,/,->../ . , X/,•^>^/•/s/^>s'\'./^'■ ■ /-' '\\>./ >',W'v'>/yi'/y;'yv -i ^ THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES j« s \ ^ h i ^.- ^ TO WILLIAM WORDSWORTH, ESQ. etc. etc. etc. My dear Sir, T^O know that you have perused many of the ^ following Poems with pleasure, and did not hesitate to reward them with your praise, has been to me a cause of unmingled happiness. In accepting- the Dedication of this Volume, you permit me to link my name — which I have hitherto done so little to illustrate — with yours, the noblest of modern literature. I may at least hope to be named hereafter as one among the friends of Wordsworth. As such, I trust that you will ever regard your faithful AUBREY DE VERE. Currah Chase, May 20, 1842. '0222? CONTENTS. A Song of Faith. Page Preface 1 Proem 5 1. The Almighty Father 8 2. The Eternal Son 16 3. Christ born of Woman '24: 4. Christ crucified -9 5. The Descent into Hell 36 6. The Ascension 43 7. The Day of Judgment 50 8. The Holy Spirit o7 9. The Church Catholic 65 10. Forgiveness of Sins 74 11. The Resurrection 82 12. Life everlasting 90 Devout Exeroses. 1. The Attributes of God 101 2. The Pursuit of Religious Knowledge 107 3. Scriptural Studies 109 4. The Continuity of the Visible Chiucli Ill 5. The right Use of Reason in Religious Inquiry 115 6. The Platonic Triunity 117 7. Prayer 119 Vlll CONTENTS. Devout Exercises. Page 8. The Judgments of our Forefathers worthy of Reverence and Trust 120 9. The same Subject 122 10. Revelation 123 11. The Praise of God 128 Vanities ISI Sonnets. I. Religious and Moral, 1. Prayer, 1 135 2. Prayer.2 136 3. Prayer. 3 137 4. Principle, not Expediency 138 5. Jerusalem 139 6. The Church tolerant. 1 140 7. The Church tolerant. 2 141 8. Intimations of past Existence 142 9. " There is no remedy for time misspent" 143 10. The Teaching of Christ 144 11. Sacred and Profane Writers 145 12. Origin of the Soul 146 13. " Oft have I thought they err, who, having lost" 147 14. Church Music 148 15. Christmas Bells 149 16. The Ways of the World 150 17. Misanthropy 151 18. " Though care may sap the mind, and anguish bend" 152 19. The Passion-flower 153 20. Vices of Society 154 21. The 24th of August, 1830 155 22. Easter Day, 1834 156 CONTENTS. IX Sonnets. Page 23. From Petrarcli 157 24. The primeval Church 158 25. The elder Ministry 159 26. The Decline and Restoration of the Church.. 160 27. The Christian Church 161 28. The later Ministry 162 29. The Episcopal Character 163 30. The Anglican Fathers. 1 164 31. The Anglican Fathers. 2 165 32. The Soldiers of the Cross 166 33. The Divine Law 167 34. The Pursuit of Knowledge 168 35. The Perversion of Letters 169 n. On Character and Events. 1. Death of the Princess Charlotte 170 2. Waterloo 171 3. The Return of Wellington 172 4. The Italian People. From Chiabrera 173 5. The Fate of Norway 174 6. South American Liberty 175 7. Glory. From Giulio Bussi 176 8. The Trial of Queen Caroline 177 9. To the Spanish People, 1823 178 10. Liberty of the Press 179 11. To Liberty, 1817 180 12. The true Basis of Power 181 13. Despondency in bad Times, 1817 182 14. Columbus. 1 183 15. Columbus. 2 184 16. Columbus. 3 185 X CONTENTS. Sonnets. Page 17. The Tomb of Charlemagne 186 18. Dioclesian at Salona l87 19. The Old Literature of England 188 20. The Cradles of Empire 189 III. Descriptive. 1. Castleconnel 190 2. Kilmallock 191 3. Adare 192 4. TheRockofCashel 193 5. The Shannon 19-1 6. The Sea-cliffs of Kilkee 193 7. The Hill of Saint Patrick 196 8. The Traveller. From Nature 197 9. Atlantic Coast Scenery, 1. The Cliffs, 1 198 10. Coast Scenery, 2. The Cliffs, 2 199 11. Coast Scenery, 3. The Hag's-head Cape 200 12. Coast Scenery, 4. The Puffing Cave 201 IS. Coast Scenery, 5. The Cave of Purgatory... 202 14. Coast Scenery, 6. Spanish Point 203 15. Coast Scenery, 7. Malbay Sands 204 16. Coast Scenery, 8. The Solitudes of Malbay. 205 17. Coast Scenery, 9. Malbay, caricatured 206 18. A Summer Evening at Dromoland 207 19. Rydal with Wordsworth 208 20. Nightfall 209 21. Gougaun Barra. 1 210 22. Gougaun Barra. 2 211 23. Lismore 212 24. Dromana 213 25. Castle Martyr 214 CONTENTS. XI Sonnets. P^ge 26. Glengarriff. 1 21.5 27. Glengarriff. 2 216 28. Killarney. Approached from Kenmare 217 IV. Personal. Miscellaneous. 1. My Early Life 218 2. The Family Picture 219 3. Solitude and Society 220 4. To other Times 221 5. " The Voice of her Heart." To K. A. R. ... 222 6. The Portrait. T. S. R 223 7. The Statue of Moses. From Zappi 224 8. The Landrail 225 9. The Cross of the South 226 10. On the Funeral of a Lady and her Son 227 11. To a Lady 228 12. To the Nightingale 229 13. ToA. deV 230 14. From Petrarch 231 15. From Petrarch 232 16. From Bembo 233 17. From Petrarch 234 18. From Petrarch 235 19. Canzonet; in the Sonnet Form 236 V. Historical. 1. The Crusaders. 1 237 2. The Crusaders. 2 238 3. The Crusaders. 3. The Council of Clermont 239 4. The Crusaders. 4. The Templars 240 5. The Crusaders. 5. The Children Band 241 6. The Crusaders. 6. Jerusalem delivered 242 XU CONTENTS. Sonnets. Page 7. The Crusaders. 7. Philosophic Depreciation 243 8. The Crusaders. 8. Christian Argument 244 9. The Plantagenets 245 10. The Barons at Runnimede 246 11. The House of Tudor. 1 247 12. The House of Tudor. 2 248 13. Henry the Eighth 249 14. Edward the Sixth 2.50 15. JMaryTudor 251 16. Cranmer 252 17. Queen Elizabeth 253 18. Laud 254 19. Charles the Martyr. 1 255 20. Charles the Martyr. 2 256 21. The Parliamentary Leaders 257 22. Oliver Cromwell 258 23. Charles the Second 259 24. James the Second 260 25. The Man of Glencoe 261 26. The Soldiers of Sarsfield 262 27. The Scottish Bishops at the Revolution 263 VL On the Lord's Prayer. 1. Introductory. 1. Universal Prayer 264 2. Introductory. 2. The Brotherhood in Christ 265 3. Introductory. 3. The right Use of Prayer... 266 4. " Our Father which art in Heaven." 1 267 5. " Our Father which art in Heaven." 2 268 6. " Hallowed be Thy Name." 1 269 7. " Hallowed be Thy Xame." 2 270 8. " Thy Kingdom come." 1 271 CONTENTS. Xiii Sonnets. Page 9. " Thy Kingdom come." 2 27t' 10. " Thy Kingdom come." 3 273 11. " Thy Will be done on Earth." 1 274 12. " Thy Will be done on Earth." 2 275 13. " Thy Will be done on Earth." 3 276 14. " Give us this Day our daily Bread." 1 ^^77 15. " Give us this Day our daily Bread." 2 278 16. " Forgive us our Trespasses." 1 279 17. " Forgive us our Trespasses." 2 280 18. " Forgive us — as we forgive." 3 281 19. " Lead us not into Temptation." i>82 20. " Deliver us from Evil." 1 283 21. " Deliver us from Evil." 2 284 22. The Doxology 285 23. "Amen." 286 A SONG OF FAITH. The formal world relaxes her cold chain For One who speaks in numbers ; ampler scope His utterance finds ; and conscious of the gain, Imagination works with bolder hope The cause of grateful reason to sustain ; And, serving Truth, the heart more strongly beats Against all barriers which his labour meets In lofty place, or humble Life* domain. Enough — before us lay a painful road, And guidance have I sought in duteous love From Wisdom's heavenly Father. Hence hath flowed Patience — with trust that whatsoe'er the way Each takes in this high matter, all may move Cheered with the prospect of a brighter day. WORDSWORTH. (S®^§)(l'S)(M)(S©(i^.S)(ES)@:ri:@® ^i3€)^^'^^(3mo^'^®^M)'S^ PREFACE TO A SONG OF FAITH. ^"^HE Author of the Poem on Faith, which -^ occupies the larger portion of the present volume, is well aware that, as a layman, he may be charged with presumption for having undertaken a subject which more properly lies within the province of men professionally in- structed on matters pertaining to religion, and the true doctrine of the Church. It may, also, be urged, that the nature of the work is too argumentative for poetry : and that, to reason concisely and perspicuously, the sim- pler construction of prose suits better the expo- sition of doctrine, where every word must be weighed, and the ultimate tendency of expres- sion scrutinized with caution. It is, however, in his character of layman, and because he does not presume to teach as with B 2 PREFACE TO A iiuthority, that the Author has ventured to em- Ijodv in the form of verse, feelings and convic- tions which the delightful study of our ancient ecclesiastic writers have impressed upon him. Our noblest impulses and purest emotions partake of poetry. In the womb of the imagi- nation thoughts are conceived which grow into worthy actions. From thence, all that is gene- rous in our love of kind, all that is fervent in our devotion to God, derive their being. It may not, therefore, be unsuitable to express in poetry that which is generated in the mind under the influence of the poetical temperament. If the chord which is struck be tunable, a note in other minds may vibrate. It is proper that the Author should state that his opinions have been formed on the study, however late and imperfect, of the early writers of our Church : those Catholic Fathers whose language was equal to the argument, remaining to the present day models in composition un- approached. With Divines of a later date (the controversial SONG OF FAITH. 6 writers, for example, of our own day) the Author is little acquainted. This fact he feels himself bound, in honesty, though with shame, to avow. The confession may, however, lend some inte- rest, otherwise little deserved, to this publica- tion; inasmuch as it marks the influence, upon a mind altogether unprejudiced, which the teaching of the Founders of our Church is cal- culated to exercise. A. DE V. Currah Chiise, April 20, 1841. A SONG OF FAITH. Proem. FAITH is the life-blood of the soul ; the heart That trusts hath need of faith : in search of truth The spirit of Hope, confidinG^, yields assent To that which, in itself worthy belief, Stands by its attestation certified. Not evidence of sense alone persuades, Nor scientific consequences proven. Nor doth opinion rest on arg'ument Of probabilities. The watchful mind Investigates, deliberates, resolves ; And doctrine, thus assayed, comes stamped with truth : Trust growing as a jilant within the heart. Whose flowerage is faith. The sacred Seers Propounded knowledge taught to them by God ; And men believed their testimony, vouched b A SONG OF FAITH. By miracles that spake to aftertimes : Infallible witnesses ! for He, alone, Can prompt, who knowing all things doth foresee. To verities, attested thus, men clung Implicitly ; and this was faith Divine. He, infinitely good, cannot deceive — Nor, infinitely wise, can be deceived. Himself our Holy Witness, He vouchsafes A Revelation that forestalls all search ; Lightens all darkness; sounds all mystery. And why refuse that faith in Holy things We grant through every phase of mind and life? Love, and the increase of all life, is faith ; Habit and action rest on faith secure; We watch for morning through the gloom of night. New summers after winter, flowers from seeds. Through faith alone : instinct is faith : the truths Of abstract science, moral laws innate. On axioms hang, whose basis still is faith. God, therefore, hath built up this universe A complex frame, of countless arches formed, Concentrical, each with its keystone Faith. At length behold, the mighty fabric stands Complete in all its parts ; as doth the Dome Of some great temple, eminent to heaven ; Whose strength is one indissoluble bond. PROEM. ' That bond is Faith : the keystone of a Dome Whose altar is the Cross, whoseshrine the Church. Yet, gifted as men are with reasoning will. Free to inquire and act, their intellect They wield not as a passive instrument. But follow as a Power, ruling of right. The restless generations pass : the Young Still crave the nutriment of faith : for them Suffices not that trust which closed in peace Their father's dying eyes : They, too, must prove The evidence of things revealed. Not love Of truth alone within us, but desire Invincible of good, prompts yet restrains This spirit ; else an idle Questioner. O Tliou ! the Giver of our reason, so Chastise its operation, that our hearts. By no too curious subtlety misled. Nor argument sophistical perplexed, May cleave to Thee aright, and work Thy will ! Strengthen our faith ! Lord, help our unbelief I A SONG OF FAITH. The Almighty Father. IN God the Father Christian men declare True faith : this predicates the Son : from Both The Holy Ghost proceeding, we confess One Godhead; Three in One: the Father first. O how shall Man presume to speak of God? How fix, unblasted, his inquiring gaze On the Celestial Vision ? God supreme ! God from eternity and without end ! Invisible, Incomprehensible ! An omnipresent Spirit limitless ! Omniscient and omnipotent ! by essence God, very God I in full dominion Lord ! Earth, for He made it by The Word, is His ; And Man, the people of His pasture ! He THE ALMIGHTY FATHER. 9 Of all things Source, and Root, and Heart, and Head ! He by the prophets as the Living God Adored ; He who before all time begot The Son, the Counsellor, who made the worlds ; He whom all Earth worships continually ; Whose will to faithful Abraham was law ; Whose warnings, moved by faith in things un- known, Noah obeyed, and in the ark was saved ; Whose oracles Isaiah spake, denouncing Judgments on Judah ; who to Samuel Revealed Himself in Shiloh, knowing not, As yet, the Lord, but from that time believing ; Who on the Mount, and face to face before The Tabernacle's door, to Moses spake. Delivering to his hand the decalogue By His own finger graved, and uttering Words that should die not, though His prophets die ! This is the great " I am ;" Jehovah ; Jah ! God, without whom nothing that is had been ; Without whom infinitely perfect, nought That is were good ; nature had known no law, Creatures no instinct, and no conscience man. The voice divine within us cries, " God is !" 10 A SONG OF FAITH. His power is manifest; His wisdom sure : But Revelation shows us ivhat He is. The God of love I glassed in His works we see Him: The beautiful and great of His creation Do testify their Maker. We behold This world, and from the Visible infer Things yet unseen ; Godhead ; eternal Power. Creator of all beings, man alone. The rational, may call Him Father. We Participate with angels, and are sons. And He who made preserves : paternal care Upholds, as with a father's love on earth. Duty thus binds the offspring to his Sire, And filial ties endear. O blessed tie ! That vivifies devotion ; making Hope The cherisher of prayer : was it not Christ Himself who taught us to invoke Him " Father !" Nor use vain repetition in our prayer? That Father, who knows all our wants, unsought; And needs not importunity to give. Instructed thus, afflictions fall on us As fatherly correction ; griefs as blessings. He loves, He pities us ! when sorrow melts Our spirits, like exhaling dews our tears Heavenward ascend, to sink in useful showers : Making the desert blossom unto fruit. THE ALMIGHTY FATHER. H And shall we not bear fruit, and closer draw The sacred tie ; and step, regenerate, To the manhood of adoption ? thence arising. Faithful from death, to stand before His throne. Affiliated with Saints : inheritors Of life, and true similitude of God. But one there is, one Son, sole Archetype Of human ties : compared with His how dim ! He, the " Beloved Son," whose title came Direct from heaven, even as the Baptist heard. What joy through Him to be saluted sons ! Hailed by His lips as Brethren, in that flesh Sown in dishonour, rising undefiled ! With Moses and Elias and the Saints To worship and fall down, and kneel before The Lord our Maker, singing to our God ; " Rejoicing in the strength of our salvation; And showing forth our joy in Him with psalms !" " For Thou, O Lord, art the great God, and King Above all gods ! Earth to its furthest bounds liies in Thy hands : the strength of mighty hills. The sea, for Thou hast made it, all are Thine : Thy hand prepared the habitable land; And stretched abroad the heavens ; and set therein The sun to rule by day, the moon by night, 12 A SONG OF FAITH. The stars, and the ji^reat bounty of the cloud ! Come with thanksgiving to His gates ! approach His courts with praise ! F'or gracious is the Lord ' His mercy everlasting ; and His truth Endures through generations without end!" Hear how, through lips prophetical, the Lord Boundless dominion and majestic state Proclaims, " Behold, the heaven it is My throne, Theearth my footstool !" — "Fill I not heaven and earth ?" So spake the eternal One, Ancient of days ; Who dvvelleth not in temples made with hands : " But maketh earth His floor," " that in the air Hangeth on nothing ;" and o'ercanopies His chambers with the star-set firmament ; " Who rideth on the pinions of the wind ;" Whose voice is thunder from the cloud ; who wrappeth The tempest round Him as a garment ; bows The heaven descending ; darkens earth ; the sea Before His footstep rushing into light! The breeze that wakes beneath the morning star Wafts perfume from His breath; the beams ofnoon Are as His searching glances ; dewy Eve Shadowed with angel messengers of peace. THE ALMIGHTY FATHER. 13 Sped from His cloudy tent on sunset's verge ! O Fancies weak of Man ! The weights of sin And sorrow press them back upon the earth. Our crowding thoughts are but as motes that load The sunbeam, dimming our day. Tomanno more The vision is vouchsafed, that erst unveiled Heavens mysteries to Ezekiel ; and inspired John the Divine ; that pictured forth to Job The morning stars, shouting with joy and singing While they beheld earth's deep foundations laid. Glorious and blessed spirits ! whose calm eyes Gaze ever on the Temple and its Priest, The immaculate Son ; and. Cherub-borne afar, Holy of Holies named, the Mercy-seat ! Frail as thou art, Man, turn thee to thy God ! Confession of our faith is duty; worship Glorifies God below ; an humble prayer Draws to obedience, and averts from sin ; Solaces all afflictions ; elevates | From worldly care, by contemplating God. Consider what He is : think what we are : Look to His works, the heavens, the moon, the stars, By Him ordained : O philosophic Pride I Thine optic glass rebukes thee ; mark, beyond \4 A SONG OF FAITH. Thy natural ken, million on millions rise Of Systems mightier than our own ; and far Above, like dust of stars, that luminous haze ; Illimitable worlds ! known but to God ! Lord ! what is Man, 'mid Thy creation vast. Visible and invisible, that Thou Shouldst have respect for Adam's fallen race ; Children whom Thou hast nourished, sons per- verse ? The creatures of the air, and earth, and waters, Fulfil Thy mission ; elements obey Thee; But Man, cold as the snows, light as the clouds, Inconstant as the wind, defies his Maker: Inebriate with blessings, he forgets The hand thatgave; death; and the doom to come. " Thou Searcher of all hearts ! who knowest all Our ways, and countest even our thoughts unborn And hearest every utterance of the tongue, O whither shall we flee Thy spirit, where Hide from Thy presence ? If we climb to heaven, If we go down to hell, there, too, art Thou ! If we take the wings of morning, and go forth Beyond the utmost sea. Thy hand shalt lead. And Thy right hand uphold us ! If we say Darkness shall cover us, straightway our night THE ALMIGHTY FATHER. 15 Becomes as day ; dark is with Thee no dark, Darkness and light to Thee are both alike ! How dear, O God ! thy counsels are ! how great The sum of them ! more numerous than the sands Are they in telling-. Try, O God ! and prove. Yea, purge our hearts ; examine every thought ; Search out the ways of wickedness within us. And lead us in the everlasting Way I" * • * From the 139th Psalm. 11. The Eternal Son. IMMANUEL— God with us ! Brief, yet pro- found, These words of mystery : nor less than this Our creed must comprehend ; ourGod proclaims. And such, before His human birth, that Name By angel lips enjoined, Jesus! which speaks A Saviour-God : and that which doth affinn His office, and His glorious title, Christ ! Mark the distinction well : Jesus, the Man, And Saviour of the world ; Christ, the Anointed, Messias, promised in old time by God ; And by His people awaited. This involves The mystery sublime of divine Love, From His eternal glory before worlds. To the low station of afflicted Man, Stooping; yea, from equality with God, To serve and teach : by filial duties bound ; Obedient to all laws ; inculcating Reverence to rulers; by example high THE ETERNAL SON. 17 Teaching self sacrifice and charity : Physician sure, staying the plague of sin : Good Shepherd of the flock, denying not His life to save ; the Bread ; the mystic Vine, Holier than Eden's tree of life ; the door Of life eternal ; and the Way ; the Truth ; The Sender of the Spirit on all flesh. O Earth ! be glad : " for unto us hath come Good tidings of great joy : to us that day. In the city of David, was a Saviour born, Even Christ the Lord !'' " They that in darkness walked Have seen a glorious light : on them the light Hath shone — the people, dwellers in the land Of the shadow of death ! For unto us a Child Is born, a Son is given. His name shall be Wonderful! Counsellor! the Mighty God ! The everlasting Father ! Prince of Peace \" His were the words that, piercing as a sword, Made men, yea kings, His captives ; conquering To save. Unarmed He wrought the victory ! He, with authority, the will of God Revealed. He, only, might declare the Father Who in His bosom, from eternity, Hath dwelt. His Only Son : whose Word, believed, Hath virtue to win everlasting palms. c 18 A SONG OF FAITH. True Saviour He, indeed, who, not with gold. Nor silver, corruptible things, redeems From Satan and the slavery of sin ; But gives His priceless blood. His own dear life, A Lamb upon the altar, without spot ! O wondrous love of God to man ! that yields His Only Son to save ! O mighty love Of Christ who died for us ! What love in us Can satisfy our debt ? He, in return. Asks but obedience : He, whom winds and waves And hell obeyed ; before whose touch disease Retired, and re-awakened life arose ! Alas ! shall Man, of all created things. Alone rebel ? Behold, with open gate The second Temple stands ; and prophet voices. The old Evangelists, sound from the porch. And bid us enter. Lo ! the glorious House ! And He, the Angel of the covenant. More glorious than all glories of the first ! Urim and Thummim, the great Oracle, God's will revealing; Ark of the covenant. Whence God spake audibly : the altar fire. Descending to the sacrifice : the unction. That made the anointed Priest as Cxod with us ; The Spirit of Grace prophetic, which on Him THE ETERNAL SON. 19 Was, without measure, poured, and He to us Communicates from His great overflow ! All earth is Sion now — the Temple Christ ! To Him, in full dominion absolute, As God, from whom all good things emanate. This world belongs : in Him, as Son of man. All power is vested till the day of doom. In earth and heaven, salvation to achieve ; And over sin and death triumphant, lead His rescued people to eternal joys. A mystery this ; for truth is mystery : Yea, things there are whose height nor thought of man. Nor ken of angels, can attain ; and truths Authentic, yet incomprehensible. In Christ we must believe as Man and God ; Eternal Son of the eternal Father ; Coeval, co-essential : this is Faith ; Based on the rock of eighteen centuries. Vainly hath human wit perverse, and art Sophistical, assailed this citadel. The shafts of fancy fall innocuous. And Genius in the web of heresy Sinks strangled: blessed scriptures are too strong, Tradition too unshaken : Reason uplifts Her large eyes from the scrutiny, and frowns^ 20 A SONG OF FAITH. On the revUer. In the ways of God He finds no contradiction, though remote From Man's accustomed path : God's attributes He trusts, however vast, because Divine. All questions, therefore, terminate in this ; The Finite cannot comprehend the Infinite — Man is but Man at last ; and God is God ! With wonder and deep pity we look back. We from our vantag-e ground of time, on them The people and the land, illustrious long With glories all their own. Lo ! where thev stand. Patriarchs, anointed Priests, and Saviour Kings, Judges, and Prophets ! He, at last, their Lord, From David sprang ; Redeemer of the world ! Who dwelt, and taught, and prayed with them alone. There stood the altar of that sacrifice Which cleanses earth : from thence shone forth that Power Rulinsr no more a nation, but the world. Thy vital air He breathed. He trod thy mountains, Drank thy pure wells, and voyaged on thy waters. Dwelt in thy homesteads, taught within thy tem- ple. Gazed, mournful, on thy fields of old renown. THE ETERNAL SON. 21 And cedarn woods with shadowy frondage cool. O Judah ! who was like to thee ? O people ! To you the oracles of God were trusted ; To you pertained the adoption and the name. The Covenant, the Services, the Law, Of God, and His great promises fulfilled. From you the Elders issued ; in your flesh Christ, Lord and King of all, was living Man ; He, sole Redeemer of mankind, to whom All knees in worship bend, the Wonderful ! He, Israel's glory, and the Gentile's light ; God everlastingly, yet Man with us ; Eternal Son in heaven, yet born in Time ; An Infant, glorified by Angel choirs ; Laid lowly in a manger, yet adored By star-led Sages coming from afar. And yet, O People of David ! whose high song Invoked Him I'airer than the sons of men. Ye saw no divine beauty in His face : Sad seemed He, not to be desired, although His goodness and His wonders were before you ; His power encompassed you like light and air. And so He walked with you, and shared in all Your sorrows ; and partook the common lot. Baptized as Man ; forgiving sins as God : Suffering, as Man, temptation ; who for men 22 A SONG OF FAITH. Hath overcome the world, and conquered sin : He hungered ; but fed thousands : was athirst ; But cried aloud, " Come all who thirst to Me !" Weary He was ; but promised rest to all : He slept; but waked^to calm the wind and sea: He prayed ; butlislened to our prayers : He wept ; But from our eyes wiped all their tears away : Sold for a price. He ransomed all: endured Stripes from the hands he came to strengthen, wounds From those who saw Him heal all sicknesses : He died ; was buried : and rose up again To heaven: the Saviour oftheRacethatslew Him [ Ay, this was He for wdiom the Elders looked ; Whom prophets hymned ; whom high obser- vances. And sacrifice, and ceremonies led to ; In whom all was fulfilled that was foretold; All imperfection cured ; all doubt dispelled ! And now, behold ! a new thing hath befallen : All things that are. His coming hath made new ! New priesthood ; a new covenant ; new law ; New sacraments ; new people ; who indeed Worship not at Jerusalem, nor pray In the Temple only, but, in every place, Worship their God in spirit and in truth ! THE ETERNAL SON. 23 " O sing we a new song unto the Lord ! For marvellous are the things that He hath done. With His own righthand,and with His holy arm, He for Himself hath won the victory ! Salvation hath the Lord declared ; and shewed The Heathen openly His righteousness. To Israel His truth He hath remembered ; Our God's salvation all the Earth hath seen ! Shew yourselves joyful in the Lord, all lands; Sing ye; rejoice ; give thanks ! O praise the Lord Upon the harp : sing to the harp with psalms ! Blow out your trumpets and sweet shawms ; and shew Your joyfulness before your Lord and King! Exult, deep Sea and all that in thee dwells ; Round Earth, be glad, with all thy children sing ! Yea, let the mighty waters clap their hands — And joyful be the hills before the Lord ! For He cometh, for He cometh, to the Earth To judge: and He witli righteousness shall judge The world at last, with equity the People !" * * Cantate Domino. in. Christ born of Woman. THE Word made flesh, the human and Divine United, thus the Son of God became The Son of man ; of David's house ; the seed Of Eve, ordained to crush the Serjjent's head. By miracle of holy power and virtue Conceived, and sanctified to holy ends : Born of a Virgin, under the law, undowered In aught, save her renowned progeniture. Beloved the most by God : she, poor and lowly. Humble and meek, religious and sincere. Of purity unsullied through all time. She was the sacred vessel set apart With favour and especial blessing ; she For whom the Almighty hath done glorious things. Endowing with such privilege, unshared ; Who by all nations ever hath been blessed. With honour, such as Christian Fathers gave ; (But worship, adoration, to her Son) Mary, Deipara ! mother of the Lord ! Think of Him then, the Woman bom, her flesh. CHRIST BORN OF WOMAN. 25 The nursling of her blood, in infancy Pillowed in sleep on her soft lap, or bright With His awakened smile ; and dewy lip Seeking the well of life within her breast ; With fixed eyes gazing on her stooping face In love unutterable ; she the while Chaunting with joy renewed her spiritual song : " My soul doth magnify the Lord ! My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour ! For He hath had regard To His handmaiden's lowliness. Behold ! Henceforth the sons of men shall call me blessed ; For me the Mighty One hath magnified : And Holy is His Name ! With them that fear Him dwells His mercy ever. His arm hath shewn its strength, scattering the Proud In the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the Mighty from their seat And raised the Meek: the Hungry with good things Hath filled ; and empty sent the Rich away. Remembering His mercy, He hath holpen Israel His servant : as to our forefathers He promised, Abraham and his seed forever!"* * Magnificat. 26 ■• A SONG OF FAITH. So sang the Virgin-mother o'er her Babe: True fruitage of her womb, though Son of God. For perfect man He was, in all but sin ; With sentient soul to all emotions thrilling, Laborious thought, and body sensitive ; A nature prone to suffering ; sure to die ; All these were His : nor otherwise could be Propitiatory sacrifice fulfilled. In wisdom and in stature thus He grew: Finite perfections, with a subject will Appealing to the Father : and His soul Heavy with sorrows, as His eyes with tears. And when they struck the thorns into His brow, And pierced with cruel spear His sacred side. Did not the wounds bleed, and the tender flesh Quiver ? — All this He suffered : 'twas the bond Of a mysterious covenant, whereby God to His creatures might be reconciled. Love, svich as this, to man unsanctified By faith, must seem incomprehensible. Love without measure, fain to combat all The evils of humanity, and bow Beneath the yoke of law, to die ; that so Perfect Atonement should be made, and one Sin offering from one altar rise to heaven. Thenceforth all they who look upon the Cross, CHRIST BORN OF WOMAN. 27 As Israel on the serpent held on high By Moses in the desert, shall have hope; And wrath appeased surcease. In perfect manhood Did Christ thus walk subjected upon earth. The great example of all righteous deeds. Pure thoughts, and dutiful observances. Shewing how pangs, and sorrows, and disgrace. May be endured : and all the pomps of earth. Wealth, splendour, joys, contentedly renounced! Yet deem not that in Him was ever pause In the divine prerogative. He took Our Being, and assumed Humanity, With Power; and, therefore, was He God and Man. Not by commixture; so, being different From each. He could be neither : nor conversion ; For how could God be changed ? nor in division. Distinguishable ; for as soul and flesh Are but one man, so there is but one Christ : But joined for ever, and inseparably ; Persistent God and Man ; even when the bond Of soul and flesh were, humanly, dissolved ! Such in the sacramental elements We hold the mystic union ; bread and wine Not changed to fleshly substance nor to blood. 28 A SONG OF FAITH. But still what they appear; with Christ in them. So taught the Fathers — and the Church approves ! " Blessed be Thou, Lord God of Israel ! Who comest to Thy people to redeem. Who raisest in thy servant David's house Mighty salvation ; as before Thou spakest By mouths of prophets, since the world began, That we should be delivered from our foes! Thy mercies promised to our forefathers Thou dost perform : and Thou rememberest Thy holy covenant; to keep the oath Thou swearest to our father Abraham : That we, from thraldom saved, in holiness And righteousness might serve Thee without fear. And Thou, O Child ! shalt evermore be called Prophet of the most High ! Thou shalt prepare His way before the Lord, and shew His people Salvation ; for remission of their sins ; And through the mercy of our God, whereby The day-spring from on high hath come, give light To them in darkness sitting, and the shadow Of death : and guide our wandering feet to peace !" * * Benedictus. W TtfW" tiSVf "WW WJtf "W iff "WW "WJ IV. Christ Crucified. BY primal sin and its attendant curse, By need of an expiatory rite. By types foreshown, by prophecies foretold. By time fulfilled and the accomplished hour. And by that voice which from the wilderness Caught up Isaiah's song and cried " Prepare The way of the Lord !" Israel expected Christ : And night forespent the promised Star arose. Not rare, but manifold, significant, Shone forth, like dawn upon the mountain tops Kindling successively, those types. Behold I First fruit of sin, first sacrifice by man. Near his accepted offering Abel falls ; While far the fratricide, with brand of guilt, Flies from his father's home, and dwells apart ; Progenitor of crime, and mighty woes ! Next, Enoch the beloved, who walked with God, And passed from earth without the pains of death ; Blest herald of a world beyond the grave ! 30 A SONG OF FAITH. He, ere the Law was given : and after him. But subject to the Law, Elias came, And saw his Angel ministrant, and heard The voice of God conversing on the Mount, And knew that lie should die not, but ascend. As Enoch, in the flesh ; leaving behind His mantle to the chosen Follower. He too, Melchisedec, father of the Church, Who stands without record of birth or death. Mysterious ; yet projecting a true shadow. Like a sffeat Torso on the floor of Time. Him Abrara, girt from battle, knew, and sought With offerings due, apportioned ; and from him. The Priest of the high God, free blessing took ; And, not without a sign, the bread and wine. Of Earth the sacramental fruit, received. So x\bram went refreshed. Thence mark his way To far Moriah's mount : behold them there. The patriarchal sire, the patient son. Bending beneath the sacrificial wood ; Tlie altar, and inexorable steel ! Obedience proved, the pretermitted rite Pauses, and lo ! in the near boscage snared, The doomed ram struggles with entangled horn. Onward the vision sweeps. Lo ! Sinai's hill; And Moses shining from the light of God ! CHRIST CRUCIFIED. 31 Commissioned prophet; Giver of the Law; Deliverer from bondao^e ; and for sin An Intercessor, not without avail. Next Joshua; true Captain, faithful Judge, Renewer of the Covenant ; who died Binding his People to their God. Then David ; Warrior and King, Prophet and holy Bard ; Champion, before whose arm the mightiest fell ; Clear visioned Seer, before whose eye resolved The mist of time; whose sacred mouth discoursed The mercies of the Lord, and solemnized His worship with the people. Glorious Train 1 Before the eyes of Angels how they passed ; (And now and ever pass before man's eye) In long procession o'er the stage of earth : That mystery of seasons and of times. Hid in the deep heart of futurity. Rehearsing here below ! And holy symbols There were, that yielded foretaste, and prepared Submissive minds to watch the coming signs. The Paschal Lamb ; the cleansing blood, whereby The averted pestilence might overpass; The unbroken bones ; the hour ; the day ; the month ; In all decreed to be coincident S2 A SONG OF FAITH. With that divine Oblation typified. Again, when in the desert, by Mount Hor, The serpent brootl of fiery tooth were loosed On impious men murmuring against their God, He bade prepare a symbol ; and raise up On high the brazen serpent, that all such As lifted up their eyes should live ; from thence Drawing the medicine for their wound. " Lift up— O lift we up our hearts unto tlie liord ; With Angels and Archangels, and with all The Hosts of heaven, to magnify thy name ; Praising Thee ever ! Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts ! Heaven and the earth are full Of Thy great Glory : Glory be to Thee, O Lord most High !" * Adumbrated by types, by prophecies Promulgated, Messias and the Cross Were looked for ; and They came ; Redemption came : The awful ransom for mankind was paid. Hunger and thirst; temptation's subtle sting; The agony and bloody sweat ; keen sense * Eucharistic Hymn. CHRIST CRUCIFIED. 33 Of faith corrupt and trustful love betrayed ; Death, with accumulated pangs and shames, All exquisite torments of the mind and flesh ; This, the worst malediction of the law. This death He chose, that we might be assoiled From our severest curse ; and that in Him The body of sin might be destroyed. He gave The seal of love, stronger than death, to bind Man to his God ; exemplifying thus How with an humble spirit he may bear His heaviest lot, and triumph in the end. Heir of first Adam by the Virgin's womb The Man, the God, Messias, on the Cross Died ! conscious Nature shuddered ; rocks were rent ; Darkness fell on the noontide sun ; earth shook ; Graves opened, and the Ghostly Dead arose ! He suffered as the Son of man ; so only Could He for man propitiate and atone : For us He suffered : ay, if wants and pains. Sorrows and shame, arraignment before men. And death upon the tree, be sufferings. For us He suffered ! if infirmities Of nature, and the weight of all our sins. And human malice, and Satanic wiles. Encompassing His way, be sufferings, D 34 A SONG OF FAITH. For us He suffered ! if the voice of Saints, And Apostolic Scripture, martyr's death, And the Jew's scoff, be testimony, then For us He suffered ! Now, the end fulfilled ;, Hear, O ye People ! and give ear, O Earth ! Whose myriad creatures in the time of old For Man's transgression have sustained a doom ; Hear, sceptred Potentates ! and laurelled Chiefs ! And toil-worn Sages ! whose dominions are The depths and bright heights of Philosophy; The Lord hath triumphed gloriously ! The Lord Hath vanc^uished Sin ; and for mankind achieved Eden restored, and Immortality ! " Glory to God on High ! And peace be on theearth,good will to wards men! We praise Thee, God ! we bless, we worship Thee ; We glorify Thy Xarae ; we give Thee thanks ; For Thy great glory we give thanks, O Lord ! God — Heavenly King — God, the Almighty Fa- ther ! Lord Jesu Christ — only begotten Son ! Lord God — Thou Lamb of God — Son of the Fa- ther ! That takest from the world its sins away ; CHRIST CRUCIFIED. 35 Have mercy on us ! Thou that dost remove The sins of all the world, receive our prayer Thou that dost sit at God's right hand, have mercy For Thou alone art Holy : Thou alone Art Lord : Thou only with the Holy Ghost, In theglory of God the Father, art most High !" * * From the Communion Service. <>A^ '\A/» •\A/' %!'' ^IV '\iC^' "Vk^ '\JV' "A^ "lA'' ^^^ 'JV' V. The Descent into Hell. THERE is a law of death, controling each, The vital soul, and perishable flesh : This law the Saviour purposed to fulfil. Hence the undying spirit, the dire throes Of dissolution past, through realms unknown Wing-s its mysterious flight; the empire vast Of Hades, and the inner domes of earth ; Dim vaults or regioned space ; wherein the sires Of the old world in Abraham's bosom slept. Or moaned in chains of nicjht awaiting^ doom. So schoolmen, versed in pious lore, have taught. And venerable Fathers vouched sincere. So, too. Tradition, of all times and lands. Gentile or Hebrew, held ; as from one source Consistently devolving. We refer To Scandinavian Scald, and Tartar Bonze, Bramin, and elder Buddha's worshippers, Asteck, and Nubian, Cuzco's royal Priests, The Guebre, and Chaldean Zeradusht, THE DESCENT INTO HELL. 37 And Misraim's old magician crew, who stalked The halls of Isis, murmuring mighty spells. These, in whatever guise of fable cloaked. Still hold in common four unquestioned truths : A serpent tempter ; a prevailing flood ; Incarnate Deity avenging sin ; And Hades in the nether earth ; where bide Elysian bowers of joy for souls beloved ; But for the wicked Stygian glooms forlorn, And unappeasable Tartarean fires. Faint tho ii gh they be, those echoes prove a voice ; Those lights refracted an original ray. We gaze on Truth through Fable's prism, all flushed With evanescent gleams and gem-like hues. And know it, though in phantom beauty veiled. So, when in holy scripture we peruse Types needful to our faith, we naught mistrust ; Though an tiquebards in mythic verse have clothed Deep mysteries of days foregone, and shaped Solemnities to come. No lej^end vain Feigned the old poets of Pandora: She Fairest and first, all woman, shaped of man, With her Olympian dowry, fatal gift, Frauglit with unheard of woes, and plagues, and sin : 38 A SONG OF FAITH. And He, the Archer of unerring bow. That slew the Python : and great Hercules, The Ophicide, Lernean conqueror. And strangler of the giant Son of Earth ; Who trod thecaverned depths, and from the gloom Of penal Tartarus restored to-day Theseus, Perithous; and the shrouded fonn Of fond Alcestis, self devoted, bore Home to the widowed couch ; and drasrsed en- chained The guardian hound of hell to upper air. Gleams, too, of pale, unearthly light invest That wondrous tale which of Prometheus spake; Moulder of men, who brought down fire from heaven. Wakening the wrath of sublunary gods. Lo ! how, the Race he loved personified In him, unflinchingly he bears his pangs; Reared high in air on that Caucasian rock, The storm around him roaring; at his feet The foaming waves ; the vulture at his heart. Not these, as proof, we urge; nor claim regard More than in early days of Christendom Was yielded, with reserve, by careful men. To the wild voicings of the pagan lyre ; Nor wrest from fable dubious evidence. THE DESCENT INTO HELL. 39 But, gifted as we are with searching thought, And that most subtile reason which aspires To glean from proof the nutriment of faith. It is our nature to elaborate. By power that works in the capacious brain. What seems obscure in scripture ; or falls faint Through distance from the apostolic voice. Such thoughts, perchance, have root in error ; yet They rise like plants from crypts in search of day. Unbidden, they arise : for not by light Of the prophetic torch, nor doctrine plain, Seek we to fathom the profound abysm ; And pierce the spectral shadow of the tomb : Hades, and mournful Limbus; awful names! From speculative truths, however sure, Yet wrapped in dimness, and like objects seen Through mist, to bulk fallacious magnified, Turn we to Truth revealed. That Christ, who died To satisfy the inexorable Law, Descended after death to hell, and rose Again : for it was writ—" Thou shalt not leave My soul in hell, neither Thy Holy-One Suffer to see corruption." Thither He went To satisfy the doom of man extreme. 40 A SONG OF FAITH. And from dark thrall restore. That act released Man from unutterable fears; and gave. In His Ascension, hope that shall not fail To all who seek in faith to follow Him ; Bearing- His blood upon their front; sure sign To Satan, that his plagues must overpass. The third day Christ revisited the tomb. And in the nostrils of the sacred Dead Again breathed living soul : the sepulchre Was rent — and He arose ! Their vigilant watch The Roman sentinels maintained ; yet heard No sound, nor vision saw : and when advanced The holy women, in procession sad, With spicery and odoriferous gums, Wrapped in their robes on mournful dues intent. Him found they not; but with amazement looked On the bright angel there ; who answered them, " Fear not — He is not here — for He is risen !" Then too the trembling Guards perceived, and fled; Reluctant witnesses, with fear-blanclied lips. Not to the general People, in their guilt Leprous, nor to the Priests corrupt, nor him That Judge accursed, did Christ make manifest His resurrection. Those He chose were few. THE DESCENT INTO HELL. 4t But worthy to bear witness through all time. These, though they wept Him lost, and hoped though dead, Yet saw with doubt; until His palms and side He bared, and bade them touch ; and sat with them Discoursing, and partook the honeycomb. Then unbelief was quickened, and they hailed Him they had mourned as dead their living Lord ! And so He dwelt with them a space, and gave Counsel and inextinguishable hope, Precepts, and full commission, with the Keys. They saw, they heard, felt, knew Him, as a man Of living texture ; yet, so glorified In spiritual nature, that all obstacles Of place and distance were as naught : His steps They marked not as He ca'me; but suddenly. He stood, an apparition, in the midst! And He was gentle with them, and refrained ; And sweetly with His Godhead mingled man. He, recent from the altar, whence His blood Rose in atoning sacrifice to heaven ; He, Conc^ueror of Death and Satan's brood ; Triumphant Captain, holding in His grasp Spoil of infernal Powers, and leading forth Captivity His captive ! Then, even then. Was the decree enrolled, that all baptized 42 A SONG OF FAITH. With Him in burial with Him should rise ; And all the Dead in sin through Him be quick- ened ; All guilt forgiven ! Adam's curse annulled ! O day of joy ! when from the yielding grave. As a mild infant from the font, wherein The world and sin lie dead, the Saviour rose ! O day, henceforward to be set apart. Not in the weekly cycle last, but first! Day to be watched with an exceeding love. And cheerful celebration, through all ages ! By bannered Nations marching 'neath the Cross ; By sacred Kings; by dedicated Priests ; By Sage ; the gifted Great ; the holy Poor ! Sing praises then. Thou universal Church ! Shout forth to heaven, Ye choirs antiphonal, With Catholic voices clear, and hearts elate ! The Sabbath of the Saviour comes — Behold, The Day of the Lord ! Hallow it evermore ! BmBmBm^mBmmmimBmm^ VI. The Ascension. CHRIST, ill his burial and descent to hell. And resurrection, one momentous part Of that great Action, typified and sang By prophets breathinghope where right was none. Accomplished ; and a Saviour stood on earth. Amid a Race redeemed. One closing scene remained. Sin throuAf