THE RULE OF FAITH.

XCIX.

Quod semper, quod ubique, quod ab omnibus.

1.

TRUTH through the Sacred Volume hidden lies,
And spreads from end to end her secret wing,
Through ritual, type, and storied mysteries.
From this or that, when Error points her sting,
From all her holds, Truth's stern defences spring,
And Text to Text the full accordance bears.

Through every page the Universal King,

From Eden's loss unto the end of years,

From East unto the West, the Son of Man appears.

2.

Thus, when she made the Church her hallowed shrine,

Founded on Jesus Christ the corner stone,

With Prophets and Apostles and the Line
Of ordered Ministers, Truth ever one,

Not here or there, but in the whole hath shone.
Whilst Heresies arise of varying clime

And varying form and colour, the true Sun,

One and the same through all advancing time,

The Whole His Mansion makes, vast, uniform, sublime.

3.

Mark, how each Creed stands in that Test reveal'd,

Romish, and Swiss, and Lutheran novelties!

As in the light of Spenser's magic shield,*
Falsehood lets fall her poisoned cup and flies,

Rome's seven-headed monster sees and dies!
New forms of Schism which changing times supply,
Behold the unwonted light in wild surprise.

In darkness bold, bright-shining arms they spy,
And down their Parent's mouth the Imps of Error hie !†

* The Faery Queen, B. i. c. viii. 21.

† B. i. c. i. 15.

4.

The Church her ample bosom may expand,
Again contract,-may open far and wide
Her tent, extend her cords, on either hand
Break forth, again into herself subside;
Alike with her Faith's oracles abide,

Revered by fickle worshipper or spurn'd.

Oft faint, ne'er lost, the Lamp by Heaven supplied,
Oft dimm'd by envious mists, ne'er undiscern'd,
God's Witness, thro'all time, hath in His Temple burn'd.

5.

O Holy Truth, whene'er thy voice is heard,

A thousand echoes answer to the call;

Tho' oft inaudible thy gentle word,

While we regard not. Take me from the thrall
Of passionate Hopes, be thou my All in All;
So may Obedience lead me by the hand

Into thine inner shrine and secret hall.

Thence hath thy voice gone forth o'er Sea and Land,

And all that voice may hear,—but none can understand,

6.

Save the obedient. From both love and hate,
Affections vile, low cares, and envy's blight,
And controversial leanings and debate,

Save me! from earthly film my mental sight
Purge thou, make my whole body full of Light !
So may my eyes from all things Truth convey,
My ears in all thy lessons read aright,

My dull heart understand, and I obey,

Following where'er the Church hath mark'd the

Ancient Way.

مه

DISSENT.

C.

"That we should earnestly contend for the faith that was once [for all] delivered unto the saints."-St. Jude, 3.

ONE only Way to life;

One Faith, delivered once for all;

One holy Band, endow'd with Heaven's high call;
One earnest, endless Strife ;-

This is the Church th' Eternal fram'd of old.

Smooth open ways, good store;

A creed for every clime and age

By Mammon's touch new moulded o'er and o'er ;
No cross, no war to wage;

This is the church our earth-dimm'd eyes behold.

N