Faith

How much thy Holy Name hath been misused,
Beginner of all good, all-mighty Faith !
Some men thy blessed symbols have abused.
Making them badge or secret shibboleth
For greed accepted, or for spite refused,
Or just endured in fear of pain or death.
To some, by fearful conscience self-accused,
Thou com'st a goblin self, a hideous wraith !
With such as these thou art an inward strife.
A shame, a misery, and a death in life.
A self-asserting, self-disputing lie ;
A thing to unbelief so near allied.
That it would gladly be a suicide.
And only lives because it dare not die.