AT THE SECOND VESPERS. This is he of whom it is written, Behold, I send My messenger efore Thy face, which shall prepare Thy way before Thee.MATT. XI. "Quid moras nectis? Domino jubenti." WHY linger'st thou, great John? thy Lord commands; Yea, He who washes souls with living fires More pure than liquid lightnings, He requires And bears the cleansing river from Thy hands. How sunk thy soul, when there in Jordan's bed See from the heav'ns, descending like a dove, But thou art bent to preach the avenging rod Careless of thine own honour, thou to cease But not alone shalt thou with thy life's breath Bear witness, one thing yet to thee remains, Boldly the truth to speak, and bear the chains, And go before thy Lord in murderous death. In Thee our strains shall end, Thee ever sing, Whom heav'n and earth adore, sole God and King. ST. PAUL. I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of eech or of wisdom; for I determined not to know any thing nong you, but Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.-1 COR. ii. ENOUGH, O Paul, enough, and now Long time 'mid stonings, rods, and chains, He bids thee now no more remain, Love's tender bowels yearning strong,— In travailings of second birth, Thy children hold thee still to earth : And ready is thy heavenly home. When 'mid the Twelve thy throne is set, May we whom from the dead of night AT THE MATTINS. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excel lency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; that I may know Him, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death.-PHILIP. iii. "Sudore sat tuo fides." YES, thou hast drain'd thy Master's cup, His bitter woes ador'd, And by thy sufferings hast fill'd up The suffering of thy Lord. Not only on thy body borne So, holy Paul, thou liv'st no more, Doth live the Crucified. Then rise aloof, and the third heav'n, Once heard, shall now to Thee, From out its inmost fountains given, Break everlastingly. O in thy teaching, while we may, Still let us more abide, And follow thee on Christ's blest way, The follower and the guide. Grant this, O Thou in Spirit one, Thrice holy, One and Three, And ever be to Thee alone, U |