He sees them all; and earth's dull bounds Are melting fast away. He sees them all-no other view Could stamp the Saviour's likeness true, Man's sullen heart and gross- He, though he seem on earth to move, From yon unclouded depths above Must draw his purer breath; Till men behold his angel face The lines of Jesus' death. m And all that were in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel. Acts vi. 15. ST. JOHN'S DAY. Peter seeing him, saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. St. John xxi. 21, 22. "LORD, and what shall this man do?" Ask'st thou, Christian, for thy friend? If his love for Christ be true, Christ hath told thee of his end: This is he whom God approves, This is he whom Jesus loves. 1 Ask not of him more than this, Leave it in his Saviour's breast, Whether, early call'd to bliss, He in youth shall find his rest, Or armed in his station wait Till his Lord be at the gate : Whether in his lonely course (Lonely, not forlorn) he stay, Or with Love's supporting force Cheat the toil and cheer the way: Leave it all in His high hand, Who doth hearts as streams command". Gales from heaven, if so He will, Sweeter melodies can wake On the lonely mountain rill Than the meeting waters make. Who hath the Father and the Son, May be left, but not alone. Sick or healthful, slave or free, Wealthy, or despis'd and What is that to him or thee, poor So his love to Christ endure? When the shore is won at last, Only, since our souls will shrink At the touch of natural grief, When our earthly lov'd ones sink, The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. Proverbs xxi. 1. Lend us, Lord, thy sure relief; Patient hearts, their pain to see, And thy grace, to follow Thee. THE HOLY INNOCENTS. These were redeemed from among men, being the first-fruits unto God and to the Lamb. Revelations xiv. 4. SAY, ye celestial guards, who wait In Bethlehem, round the Saviour's palace gate, Next to yourselves ordain'd to praise But where their spoils and trophies? where The glorious dint a martyr's shield should bear? How chance no cheek among them wears The deep-worn trace of penitential tears, But all is bright and smiling love, As if, fresh-borne from Eden's happy grove, They had flown here, their King to see, Nor ever had been heirs of dark mortality? 66 Ask, and some angel will reply, These, like yourselves, were born to sin and die, "But ere the poison root was grown, "God set his seal, and mark'd them for his own. Baptiz'd in blood for Jesus' sake, 66 "Now underneath the cross their bed they make, 66 "Not to be scar'd from that sure rest By frighten'd mother's shriek, or warrior's waving "crest." Mindful of these, the first-fruits sweet Borne by the suffering Church her Lord to greet; The "innocent brightness" of an infant's face. He bless'd them from the world and all its harms: Heirs though they were of sin and shame, He bless'd them in his own and in his Father's name. |