Thus bad and good their several warnings give Counts them like minute bells at night, But what are heaven's alarms to hearts that cower That draw their curtains closer round, The nearer swells the trumpet's sound? Lord, ere our trembling lamps sink down and die, Touch us with chastening hand, and make us feel Thee nigh.t * ["The world is grown old, and her pleasures are past; Bishop Heber.] [Yet once again thy sign shall be upon the heavens displayed, And earth and its inhabitants be terribly afraid, For not in weakness clad thou com'st, our woes, our sins to bear, But thou hast sworn, and wilt not change, thy faithful shall not fail. Then grant us, Saviour, so to pass our time in trembling here, G. W. D.] SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT. THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh. St. Luke, xxi. 28. [Gospel for the Day.] [Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy scriptures to be written for our learning; grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them, that by patience, and comfort of thy holy word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.] NOT till the freezing blast is still, A mother's kiss-ere calls like these, Why then, in sad and wintry time, She has a charm, a word of fire, By every sign her Lord foretold, Yet is He there: beneath our eaves you; be your strife *The world hath lost his youth, and the times begin to wax old. 2 Esdras xiv. 10. I See St. James v. 9. [Notwithstanding all the light of Scripture.] § Ita fabulantur, ut qui sciant Dominum audire. Tertull. Apolog. p. 36, edit. Rigalt. [Angels, from the Greek term, meaning messengers or apostles. Think not of rest; though dreams be sweet, Nor let your torches waste and die, THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT. THE TRAVELLERS. What went ye out into the wilderness to see? a reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out for to see? a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. St. Matt. xi. 7, 8. [Gospel for the Day.] [O Lord Jesus Christ, who, at thy first coming, didst send thy messenger to prepare thy way before thee; grant that the ministers and stewards of thy mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready thy way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that, at thy second coming to judge the world, we may be found an acceptable people in thy sight, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.] WHAT went you out to see Where stately Jordan flows by many a palm, Delights the flowers to lave, That o'er her western slope breathe airs of balm ? All through the summer night, Those blossoms red and bright* * Rhododendrons: with which the western bank of the lake is said to be clothed down to the water's edge. Spread their soft breasts, unheeding, to the breeze, Around the sacred hill, Where erst our Saviour watch'd upon his knees. The Paschal moon above Left shining in the world with Christ alone; Of mountains terrac'd high with mossy stone. Here may we sit and dream Till to our soul the former days return; Where thousands once he fed, O cross no more the main, To count the reeds that tremble in the wind, Like children gazing round, Who on God's works no seal of Godhead find; Bask not in courtly bower, Pass Babel quick, and seek the holy land; From robes of Tyrian dye Turn with undazzled eye *["Now there was much grass in this place." St. John vi. 10.] |