Faith: How Guarded

Yes, thou dost well, to arm thy tender mind
With all that learning, and stern common sense
Living hath spoke, or dying left behind ;
To blank the frowardness of pert pretence
With long experience of a mighty mind.
That, daring to explore the truth immense,
Subsided in a faithful reverence
Of the best Catholic hope of human kind.
Yes, thou dost well to build a fence about
Thine inward faith, and mount a stalwart guard
Of answers, to oppose invading doubt.
All aids are needful, for the strife is hard ;
But still be sure the truth within to cherish, —
Truths long besieged too oft of hunger perish.