Their next, from heart to heart to clear the way a For mutual love without alloy : Never so blest, as when in JESUS' roll They write some hero-soul, More pleas'd upon his brightening road To wait, than if their own with all his radiance glow'd. O happy spirits, mark'd by God and man What though long since in Heaven your brows began Ye banquet there above, Yet in your sympathetic heart We and our earthly griefs may ask and hope a part. Comfort's true sons! amid the thoughts of down Sure, 'tis one joy to muse, how ye unknown a Acts ix. 27. Barnabas took him, and brought him (Saul) to the Apostles. b Acts xi. 22. xiii. 2. Where'er the Cross is borne with smiles, Or lighten❜d secretly by Love's endearing wiles: Where'er one Levite in the temple keeps They have but left our weary ways To live in memory here, in Heaven by love and praise. ST. JOHN BAPTIST'S DAY. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers. Malachi iv. 5, 6. TWICE in her season of decay The fallen Church hath felt Elijah's eye Whose torch afar Shadows and boding night-birds fly. Methinks we need him once again, That favour'd seer-but where shall he be found? By Cherith's side we seek in vain, In vain on Carmel's green and lonely mound: Angels no more From Sinai soar, On his celestial errands bound. But wafted to her glorious place By harmless fire, among the ethereal thrones, Her likeness true, And trace, in thine, her own deep tones. Deathless himself, he joys with thee To commune how a faithful martyr dies, And in the blest could envy be, He would behold thy wounds with envious eyes, Star of our morn, Who yet unborn c Didst guide our hope, where Christ should rise. Now resting from your jealous care For sinners, such as Eden cannot know, Ye pour for us your mingled prayer, No anxious fear to damp Affection's glow, Love draws a cloud From you to shroud Rebellion's mystery here below. St. Luke i. 44. The Babe leaped in my womb for joy. And since we see, and not afar, The twilight of the great and dreadful day, Why linger, till Elijah's car Stoop from the clouds? Why sleep ye? rise and pray, Ye heralds seal'd In camp or field Your Saviour's banner to display. Where is the lore the Baptist taught, His light should wane, So the whole world to Jesus throng? Thou Spirit who the Church didst lend Her eagle wings, to shelter in the wild, We pray thee, ere the Judge descend, With flames like these, all bright and undefil'd, Her watchfires light, To guide aright Our weary souls, by earth beguil❜d. St. John iii, 30. He must increase, but I must decrease. |