ページの画像
PDF
ePub

THE BIBLE.

How very good is God! that he hath taught
To every Christian that can hear and see
Both what he is and what he ought to be,
And how and why the saints of old have fought.
Whate'er of truth the antique sages sought,
And could but guess of his benign decree,

Is given to Faith affectionate and free,
Not wrung by force of self-confounding thought.
How many generations had gone by

"Twixt suffering Job and boding Malachi !

"Twixt Malachi and Paul-how mute a pause!
Is the book finish'd? May not God once more
Send forth a prophet to proclaim his laws
In holy words not framed by human lore?

THE LITURGY.

OFT as I hear the Apostolic voice
Speaking to God, I blame my heart so cold

That with those words, so good, so pure, and old,
Cannot repent nor hope, far less rejoice.

Yet am I glad, that not the vagrant choice,
Chance child of impulse, timid, or too bold,
The volume of the heart may dare unfold
With figured rhetoric, or unmeaning noise.
Praying for all in those appointed phrases,
Like a vast river, from a thousand fountains,
Swoll'n with the waters of the lakes and mountains,
The pastor bears along the prayers and praises
Of many souls in channel well defined,

Yet leaves no drop of prayer or praise behind.

THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.

“THE just shall live by faith,”—and why? That faith

By which they live is all that makes them just,
The sole antagonist to the inborn lust

And malice that subjects them to the death
Which Adam earn'd, Cain, Abel suffer'd, Seth
Bequeath'd to all his progeny; who must
Suffer the primal doom of dust to dust,
And for uncertain respite hold their breath.
Think not the faith by which the just shall live
Is a dead creed, a map correct of heaven,
Far less a feeling fond and fugitive,

A thoughtless gift, withdrawn as soon as given.
It is an affirmation and an act

That bids eternal truth be present fact.

BELIEVE AND PRAY.

BELIEVE and pray. Who can believe and pray Shall never fail nor falter, though the fate

Of his abode, or geniture, or date,

With charms beguile or threats obstruct his way.
For free is faith and potent to obey,

And love content in patient prayer to wait,
Like the poor cripple at the Beautiful Gate,
Shall be relieved on some miraculous day.
Lord, I believe !-Lord, help mine unbelief!
If I could pray, I know that thou would'st hear;
Well were it though my faith were only grief,
And I could pray but with a contrite tear.
But none can pray whose wish is not thy will,
And none believe who are not with thee still.

SETH.

SAD was the Mother of Mankind to see
The sad fulfilment of the primitive curse;
The gentle babe she was so fond to nurse,
Her duteous Abel, that would clasp her knee,
So meekly heark'ning to the history

Of the sweet hours his parents pass'd, before
They learn'd of good and ill the fatal lore,
Or pluck'd the fruit of that forbidden tree.—
What is he now? A helpless lump of earth!
Nay, thou poor Mother, do not so distrust

The Lord, that raised thy husband from the dust,
For he shall give to thee another birth,

A holy babe, whose seed shall save his brother, And give back Abel to their common Mother.

« 前へ次へ »