For the Universities

Teacher Divine, with melting eye
Our ruin'd seats of learning see,
Whose ruling scribes Thy truth deny,
And persecute Thy saints, and Thee,
As hired by Satan to suppress,
And root up every seed of grace.

As heretics and Lollards still
Thy faithful confessors they brand,
With all their strength and knowing skill
Thy Spirit and His work withstand,
In league with hell Thy throne to' o'erthrow.
And raise the kingdom of Thy foe.

Where knowledge vain, unsanctified
Fills every synagogue and chair.
Where pride and unbelief preside,
And wage with heaven immortal war.
The prophets' nursing-schools are these.
Or sinks of desperate wickedness!

True prophets once they surely bred,
And champions for the' Incarnate God,
Who lived Thy dying love to spread.
Who seal'd the record with their blood.
The truth, the way, the life of grace.
Blasphemed by their degenerate race.

But wilt Thou let the fountains fail,
Or flow through earth with streams impure?
Thy gospel must at last prevail,
Thy word from age to age endure,
And learning fasten'd to the Cross
For ever sei ve Thy glorious cause.