XXXV.

PRAYER.

RAYER, the Churche's banquet, Angels'

age, God's breath in man returning to His

birth, The soul in paraphrase, heart in pil

grimage, The Christian plummet founding Heav'n and earth.

Engine against th’ Almightie, finner's towre,

Reversed thunder, Christ-side-piercing spear,

The fix-daies-world transposing in an houre,
A kinde of tune, which all things heare and fear.

Softnesse, and peace, and joy, and love, and blisse,

, Exalted Manna, gladnesse of the best,

Heaven in ordinarie, man well drest, The milkie way, the bird of Paradise.

Church-bells beyond the stars heard, the soul's blood, The land of spices, something understood.

George Herbert.

XXXVI.

PRAYER.

P

JRAYER is the soul's fincere desire,

Utter'd or unexprefl'd;
The motion of a hidden fire,

That trembles in the breast.

Prayer is the burthen of a figh,

The falling of a tear,
· The upward glancing of an eye,

When none but God is near.

Prayer is the fimpleft form of speech

That infant lips can try ;
Prayer the sublimest strains that reach

The Majesty on high.
Prayer is the Christian's vital breath,

The Christian's native air,
His watchword at the gates of death ;

He enters Heaven with prayer.
Prayer is the contrite finner's voice,

Returning from his ways ;
While Angels in their songs rejoice,

• Behold he prays !”

And cry,

The saints in prayer appear as one,

In word, and deed, and mind;
While with the Father and the Son

Their fellowship they find.

Nor prayer

is made on earth alone, The Holy Spirit pleads; And Jesus on th' eternal throne

For finners intercedes.

o Thou by whom we come to God,

The Life, the Truth, the Way! The path of prayer Thyself haft trod; Lord, teach us how to pray.

JAMES MONTGOMERY.

XXXVII.

SAVOUR.

HOME sweet savour of Thy favour

Shed abroad in every heart :
Heaven-ward as to Thee we go,
Leaving guilt and fear below-
Blessing, praising without ceasing,
Bid us, Lord, depart.

XXXVIII.

MERCIES.

|ENDER mercies on my way

Falling softly like the dew,
Sent me freshly every day,

I will bless the Lord for you.

Though I have not all I would,

Though to greater bliss I go, Every present gift of good

To eternal love I owe.

Source of all that comforts me,

Well of joy for which I long,
Let the song I sing to Thee
Be an everlasting Song.

Anna L. WARING.

XXXIX.

ETERNITY.

OME, Brethren, let us go !

The evening closeth round;
'Tis perilous to linger here

On this wild desert ground.
Come towards eternity.
Press on from strength to strength,

Nor dread your journey's toils nor length,
For good its end shall be.

Come, wander on with joy,

For shorter grows the way,
The hour that frees us from the flesh
Draws nearer day by day.

A little truth and love,
A little courage yet,

More free from earth, more apt to set
Your hopes on things above.

For this all things we dare,

'Tis worth the risk I trow,Renouncing all that clogs our course, Or weighs us down below.

O world, thou art too small,
We seek another higher,

Whither Christ guides us ever nigher,
Where God is all in all.

Friend of our perfect choice,

Thou Joy of all that live,
Being that know'st not chance or change,
What courage doft Thou give !

All beauty, Lord, we see,
All bliss and life and love,

In Him in whom we live and move,
And we are glad in Thee.

TERSTEEGEN, 1731.