O agony of wavering thought When sinners first so near are brought! "It is my Maker-dare I stay? Thus while the storm is high within My mother Church? and hear thee tell And doubt we yet? thou call'st again; A lower still, a sweeter strain; A voice from Mercy's inmost shrine, The very breath of Love divine. h"God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten "Son." See the sentences in the Communion Service, after the Confession. Whispering it says to each apart, "Come unto me, thou trembling heart i;" Hear them, kind Saviour-hear thy spouse Thine own dear promise she would plead For us her true though fallen seed. She pleads by all thy mercies, told Thy chosen witnesses of old, Love's heralds sent to man forgiven, One from the cross, and one from heaven . This, of true Penitents the chief, Lifting on high th' adored name :— "Sinners to save, Christ Jesus came 1." i Come unto me, all ye that travail, and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you. k St. Paul and St. John. I This is a faithful saying and worthy of all men to be received, That Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. That, dearest of thy bosom friends, Into the wavering heart descends : "What? down again? yet cheerful rise ", The eye of Faith, that waxes bright And with them every spirit blest, To the poor babe, who died to-day, Sweet awful hour! the only sound One gentle footstep gliding round, If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. Offering by turns on Jesus' part The cross to every hand and heart. Refresh us, Lord, to hold it fast; Then when thy veil is drawn at last, Let us depart where shadows cease, With words of blessing and of peace. XCVI. HOLY BAPTISM. WHERE is it, mothers learn their love?— In every Church a fountain springs O'er which th' eternal Dove Hovers on softest wings. What sparkles in that lucid flood Out of a dear friend's side. A few calm words of faith and prayer, VOL. II. Earth's charmers never knew. N |