385

SACRED POETRY.

AN EASTER HYMN.

SPIRIT! or whatsoe'er best pleas'd thou hearest,
That breathedst on the bard of Eden's lyre,
Ere his maturer hand awoke its clearest

And boldest chord; and bad'st his soul aspire
(Warm'd inly with thy high and holy fire)
To sing incarnate Godhead; let one spark
From thy pure lamp illume my tabernacle dark,

Kindling my lips to sing the victor name

Of Him who rent stern Hades' murky thrall,
Wide reigning Death by dying overcame,

And op'd Salvation's golden gate to all;

He would not that one stumbler's step should fall;
Ours was his cause; our enemies his foes;

To save us he expir'd; to justify he rose.

Full lowly deem I of my worthiness

Such theme to chant, such presence to entreat;
Yet would I still one votive garland dress,

And cast it at my arisen Master's feet;
He will not deem the sacrifice unmeet,
Though scant and wild its humble blossoms be,
So liveth there the flower of sweet sincerity.

Still I my least unworthy wreath would bring
To greet the morrow's all victorious morn :
Lead me then, Spirit! where the Immortal King
Sleeps in his narrow chamber; soon to scorn
The rod of reed, the diadem of thorn,

In royalty empyreal. Hence, away!

Prevent the dawn, my steps! Spirit! awake the lay!

No more Day's frighted steeds
Plunge o'er the ethereal meads

As night Tartarean blots their lucid way:

Christi merita.

O vos transeuntes in domum Domini, domum orationis, orate pro conservo vestro, ut inveniat misericordiam in die Domini.' The said brass plate was fastened at first, as it is there reported, over the said west door, but afterwards taken down, and fastened to the lower stone, next the body. But so it was, that, as soon as this last epitaph was put up, the contents thereof flew about the nation by the endeavours of the godly faction'......to make the world believe that the said bishop died a papist, and that the rest of the bishops were papists also, or at least popishly affected, and especially for this reason, that they adhered to his majesty, and took part with him at that time against the said faction......But so it is, let them say what they will, that the said bishop was a virtuous, generous, and godly man, and a true son of the church of England."..... "The said bishop," the annalist goes on to remark," was uncle to a most worthy, religious, and learned doctor of both his names"-the well-known Isaac Barrow.

Again hath Kidron's bed

Blush'd 'neath their matin tread;

On Calvary now their seaward steps delay,
While hard at Ocean's emerald gates,

With lamp of diamond pure, attendant Hesper waits.

Along the purpling skies

No cloudy arras lies;

All gold and sapphire flames Creation's dome ;

In olive grove and palm

The gales of Heaven are calm;

The plumed minstrels seek their leafy home;
Exhausted by her Sovereign's throes,

Earth celebrates and shares his sabbath and repose.

Hark to that festal roar!
Heaven's day of rest is o'er!

To maddening mirth the guilty city springs;
Drunken with blood and crime,

She staggers to her time;

Night's pitying angel folds his dusky wings

Where the devoted sons of Scorn

With nard and Sharon's spoils their victim brows adorn.

Yet brief the resting space

Of Nature's onward race;

Lo! what new pageant climbs the brightening skies?
Scattering with pearly hoof

Opposing clouds aloof,

The imperial vestal's shadowy steeds arise;

Her subject hosts around retire

Where'er her ivory wheel rolls on in silver fire.

Nor now, as oft, the queen
Veils half her maiden sheen,

Bashful, averted; from her regal brow
Back floats the vapoury veil ;

Each pensive feature pale

In gaze sedate is earthward bended now,

As sure some coming scene she knew

Which well it might beseem celestial eye to view.

And lo! what wondrous blaze
Breaks on the blinded gaze!

The silver crowned queen hath left her throne!
Radiance outdazzling far

Her brother's noontide car

Reigns o'er the heaven, unbounded and alone;
And midway in the air appears

A tall and martial form in youth's maturest years.

(Such shape the patriarch seer,
Aghast with holy fear,

In haunted plain of Mahanaim saw,
What time his gifted sight

Beheld the heavenward height

With angel legions throng'd; but, smit with awe,
Dared not on that pure blaze to dwell,

Where the bright forms expired in light unsearchable.)

His eye of terror bright
As the red levin light;

Glittering his vest as Tabor's sunlit snow;

The guards, in trembling dread,

Fall, like the stiffen'd dead;

Earth to her centre reels his steps below;

He rolls the barrier rock away,

And Death's murk shades are fled from heaven's in-pouring day.

Marvel of marvels! who,
Forth-issuing on the view,

Sees Heaven's high envoy at his presence bow?

Is this the Man who died?

The mock'd, the crucified?

It is! it is! heaven's glories on his brow,

The conqueror God returns again!

Burst into song, ye heavens! earth, wake the joyful strain!

Uplift your heads, ye gates!
The Prince of Glory waits!

Eternal doors, your opal valves expand!

Who is this glorious King?

He who hath fought to bring

Death, Hell, and Sin, the captives of his hand ;

Nor comes the warrior Chief alone:

First born of countless sons, he fills heaven's shining throne.

Awake and sing, ye just,

That dwell in sordid dust;

Not vainly on your couch heaven's dews are shed;

The flower-renewing due

Shall nobler seed renew;

Earth shall cast forth her renovated dead;

And thou shalt yield, insatiate Deep!

Friend, lover, parent, child, that in thy bosom sleep.

Gird thee, O Prince most high!
With falchion on thy thigh;

With arms of heavenly proof thy foes subdue;
In chains of darkness bind

The monster gods of Ind;

Crush in their fanes grim Libya's dæmon crew,
Till Darien stern, and bright Cathay,

Thule, and Austral isles, thy peaceful rule obey.

If we be risen with thee,

Instruct our hearts to be

Where now thou sit'st at the right hand of power;

Reign in our souls alone;

With arm of might dethrone

Belial and Mammon in their inward tower,
And from the heart's proud pedestal,

Awed by the present God, let each dark idol fall.

When o'er the startled ball

Rings the wide clarion-call,

And broad combustion wraps the shrinking pole;
When heaven's down rushing stars

Fall from their blazing cars,

And the blue roof parts like a shrivell'd scroll,
O may we meet that fearful hour

Secure and undismayed, safe in thy grace and power!

Lead on, resistless Chief!

Where pain, distrust, and grief,
In thy high Solyma no rule retain ;
Thine arm hath won for us

The strife victorious;

Uphold us still what thou hast given to gain !

On, till the gates of pearl unfold,

And our blest footsteps tread the streets of glassy gold.

No flaming day-star there

Flings forth his glittering hair

On the clear azure; at soft eve's return,
No glance of dewy eye

Melts through the darkening sky;

No midnight Dian lights her showery urn;

The nations roam beneath the beam

Of the eternal light which shrouds the throne supreme.

The lov'd and parted long

There meet in joyous throng;

Thy healing hand shall dash each tear afar,

Where the immortal wise

Shine as their home, the skies,

And Wisdom's teachers as heaven's brightest star,
While bursts the ever vocal hymn

From the symphonious lips of thousand seraphim.

"Holiest art thou, O Lord!
Worthiest to be ador'd!

Worthiest the victim Lamb that once was slain;

Glory and sway to Thee,

Eternal Spirit! be

While heaven's unresting years their course maintain;
Thee all creation's bounds adore;

Blessing, and power, and praise, be thine for evermore."

Rectory, Wrington, Feb. 1839.

H. T.

PRACTICAL FAITH REGARDLESS OF THE THREATS OF COMING ADVERSITY.

CEASE ye, my fears, that night-long phantom dance!
Your shadowy crew is on my soul a load
Wearier than would be all the ills ye bode;

Calmly let me attend my doom's advance,