Children of a Heavenly Father

Children of a Heavenly Father,
Faithful people, joy, the rather
That the Prophet's lore ye gather,
From Ezekiel's Vision draw:
John that Prophet's witness sharing,
In the Apocalypse declaring,
"This I write, true record bearing
Of the things I truly saw."

Round the Throne, 'midst Angel natures
Stand four holy Living Creatures,
Whose diversity of features
Maketh good the Seer's plan:
This an Eagle's visage knoweth:
That a Lion's image showeth:
Scripture on the rest bestoweth
The twain forms of Ox and Man.

These are they, the symbols mystic
Of the forms Evangelistic,
Who the Church, with streams majestic,
Irrigate from sea to sea:
Matthew first, and Mark the second:
Luke with these is rightly reckoned:
And the loved Apostle, beckoned
From his nets and Zebedee.

Matthew's form the man supplieth,
For that thus he testifieth
Of the Lord, that none denieth
Him to spring from man He made;
Luke the ox, in form propitial,
As a creature sacrificial,
For that he the rites judicial
Of Mosaic law displayed.

Mark the wilds as lion shaketh,
And the desert hearing quaketh,
Preparation while he maketh
That the heart with God be right:
John, love's double wing devising,
Earth on eagle plumes despising,
To his God and Lord uprising
Soars away in purer light.

Symbols quadriform uniting
They of Christ are thus inditing;
Quadriform His acts, which writing
They produce before our eyes:
Man,—Whose birth man's law obeyeth:
Ox,—Whom victim's passion slayeth:
Lion,—when on death He preyeth:
Eagle,—soaring to the skies.

These the creature forms etherial
Bound the Majesty imperial
Seen by prophets; but material
Difference 'twixt the visions springs:
Wheels are rolling,—wings are flying,—
Scripture lore this signifying;—
Step with step, as wheels, complying,
Contemplation by the wings.

Paradise is satiated,
Blossoms, thrives, is fœcundated,
With the waters irrigated
From these rills that aye proceed:
Christ the fountain, they the river,
Christ the source, and they the giver
Of the streams that they deliver
To supply His people's need.

In these streams our souls bedewing,
That more fully we ensuing
Thirst of goodness and renewing,
Thirst more fully may allay:
We their holy doctrine follow
From the gulf that gapes to swallow,
And from pleasures vain and hollow
To the joys of heavenly Day.