Page:Poetical Works of John Oldham.djvu/271

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HYMN OF ST. AMBROSE.
261

Above the fluttering pitch of human wit,
And all, but the strong wings of faith, that eagle's towering flight.

5

Blessed Jesu! how shall we enough adore,

Or Thy unbounded love, or Thy unbounded power?
Thou art the Prince of Heaven, thou art the Almighty's heir,
Thou art the eternal offspring of the Eternal Sire:
Hail Thou, the world's Redeemer! whom to free
From bonds of death and endless misery,
Thou thought'st it no disdain to be
Inhabiter to low mortality;
The Almighty thought it no disdain
To dwell in the pure Virgin's spotless womb,
There did the boundless Godhead, and whole heaven find room,
And a small point the circle of infinity contain.
Hail, ransom of mankind, all great, all good!
Who didst atone us with Thy blood,
Thyself the offering, altar, priest, and God!
Thyself didst die, to be our glorious bail
From death's arrests, and the eternal flaming jail;
Thyself thou gav'st, the inestimable price
To purchase and redeem our mortgaged heaven and happiness;
Thither, when Thy great work on earth had end,
When death itself was slain and dead,
And hell with all its powers captive led,
Thou didst again triumphantly ascend;
There dost Thou now by Thy great Father sit on high,
With equal glory, equal majesty,
Joint ruler of the everlasting monarchy.

6

Again from thence, Thou shalt with greater triumph come,

When the last trumpet sounds the general doom.