So let thy turtle dove's sad call arise In doubt and fear Through darkening skies, And pierce, O LORD, thy justly sealed ear, Teach her to know and love her hour of prayer, As faith grows rare, Unlock her heart, and offer all its store In holier love and humbler vows, As suits a lost returning spouse. Not as at first, but with intenser cry, She now must lie, Till thy dear love to blot the sad account a Psalm cii. 7. b Deut. ix. 25. I fell down before the Lord forty days and forty nights, as I fell down at the first. But chiefly (for she knows thee anger'd worst By holiest things Profan'd and curst) Chiefly for Aaron's seed she spreads her wings, For what shall heal, when holy water banes ? Or who may guide O'er desert plains C Thy lov'd yet sinful people wandering wide, Therefore her tears are bitter; and as deep As, (while men sleep,) who Sad hearted mothers heave, that wakeful lie, To muse upon some darling child Therefore on fearful dreams her inward sight Is fain to dwell What lurid light c Exodus xxxii. 4. Shall the last darkness of the world dispel, The Mediator in his wrath Descending down the lightning's path. Yet, yet awhile, offended Saviour, pause, Thine outrag'd laws, O spare thy rebels for thine own dear sake; "Tis forfeit like the first-we own it allYet for love's sake, Let it not fall; But at thy touch let veiled hearts awake, That nearest to thine altar lie, Yet least of holy things descry. Teacher of teachers! Priest of priests! from Thee The sweet strong prayer Must rise, to free First Levi, then all Israel, from the snare. Thou art our Moses out of sight— Speak for us, or we perish quite. d Exodus xxxii. 19. ASCENSION DAY. Why stand ye gazing up into Heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into Heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven. Acts i. 11. SOFT cloud, that while the breeze of May 21-1946 Chants her glad matins in the leafy arch, Draw'st thy bright veil across the heavenly way, Meet pavement for an angel's glorious march: My soul is envious of mine eye, That it should soar and glide with thee so fast, Chains of my heart, avaunt I say I will arise, and in the strength of love Sure, when I reach the point where earth Melts into nothing from th' uncumber'd sight, Heaven will o'ercome th' attraction of my birth, And I shall sink in yonder sea of light : Till resting by th' incarnate Lord, Once bleeding, now triumphant for my sake, I mark him, how by seraph hosts ador'd He to earth's lowest cares is still awake. The sun and every vassal star, All space, beyond the soar of Angel wings, He listens to the silent tear car For all the anthems of the boundless sky- Nay, gracious Saviour-but as now Our thoughts have trac'd thee to thy glory-throne, So help us evermore with thee to bow Where human sorrow breathes her lowly moan. |