“Our glory must we shew”

(The Saviour of the World, Vol V Book IV Poem L)

Our glory’s nought when we ourselves do praise:

The Christ praised not Himself, nor glorified,
But, lowly, stood He there,—the Ancient of Days,

Whose splendour sudden shewn had deified

Him straight before those Jews who rude denied:

Had they once seen Him shine out glorious,
Messias, going forth victorious,

How would they shame them that they had decried!

’Tis the old tale; our glory must we shew,

Display fine things we own, good deeds we do;
Such great ones, we, our praises needs must flow

From the gaping mouths of all the idle crew:

We will not rest us quiet in that shade
For modest souls which our Redeemer made!