But the heads of thy gates, O Lord, are always lifted up the access to thy throne is ever open to them that seek it. To them that knock Thou openest at midnight and they that seek find their answer in the seeking. : Blessed are they that seek for blessed is the answer which Thou givest. Thy dear Son hath opened once for all : and the prayers of his people continually enter in. Enter therefore his gates, O my soul, with praise come before his presence with a song. Thou hast longed all day for the secret of his tabernacle Thou hast earnestly looked forward to this hour of making Him thy resting place. Come, worship and fall down cast thyself before his footstool. Tell out all his mercies and acknowledge all his gifts. Behold, He hath kept thee safe from thine enemies on every side and thou art living to praise Him. Praise Him therefore with a song of joy : and thank Him for all his benefits. So lay thee down in peace and take thy rest in safety. XXXII. THE PROMISES OF THE LORD. BEHOLD! the heavens have arrayed their host bright and countless are their ranks. And men's eye is busily examining their shapes and his glass pursueth their courses. it It followeth them into their secresy : traceth their beams into the hidden depths of other worlds of sight. Fain would he gain an answer from them : and gather from them the tale of days to come. And he that is sailing on the great deep : and he that seeketh his way in the wilderness without a track, They look up from earth to ask their way from heaven and find their only sure direction thence. O Lord! shall not thy heavens be also my study shall I not question them concerning thy times and seasons? Shall they not light up my way: and guide my wanderings through this world of my pilgrimage? : Not the heavens which mine eye seeth and the lights which represent thy glory, But the heaven of heavens the fountain of everlasting light, Wherein behind the veil of this light which mine eye seeth and behind the walls of which those stars are as the lively stones, In glory inextinguishable: in majesty unapproachable, Thou dwellest for everlasting and all thy holy angels rejoice in thy presence. O vainly would my eye of flesh penetrate thither: it faileth at the very threshold of thy glory. It is dimmed with the brightness : it is perplexed with the number and motions of its lights. Yet there the eye of faith admireth suns of promise and gazeth on stars of hope. : Thence I gather thy future: and contemplate eternity. And thither I look for light to guide : and lo! my way is certain before me. XXXIII. THE JOY OF SORROW. DARKNESS hath covered the things of this world its face is hidden from mine : : eyes. Its shapes have vanished its colours have fled. Empty dreariness is in their place: they are among the things which have been. But thy heavens are full, O Lord : and bright with the glory of thine host. They are brighter, for the very darkness around me and the more glorious, the longer I gaze. And my sight is undetained by things of earth : and heaven alone is before it. Even so, when the day of rejoicing is past : and Thou sendest the night of mourning, And Thou takest earth away from the eyes of thy saints and all is the blackness of desolation below, : Then Thou spreadest out thy heavens to their eye of faith and they see and are gladdened at heart. : For promise shineth forth after promise: and their brightness groweth with length of gaze, Until the eye be full of light : and the heart overflow with joy. O Lord of mercy and God of comfort, Out of sorrow Thou bringest joy: as day out of night. Our penalty Thou hast made our prize : our way to death the path to life. XXXIV. ANTICIPATION OF FUTURE SERVICE. MINE ears will soon be shut against the sounds of this world: and my tongue will soon be bound in silence. I shall have the savour of the foretaste of death: I shall receive the earnest of the grave. But Thou, Lord, shalt say, " Be opened" : and I shall awake with the morning. And my ears shall be opened to thy word again: and my tongue shall be loosed to speak thy praises again. O, when Thou shalt say for the last time, “ Be opened" : and the dead shall stand awake before Thee, May I hear with joy thy trump may the first-fruits of my lips be the earnest of eternal thanksgiving! May I hear, "Come, ye blessed" : may I answer, "Glory be to Thee, O my Redeemer !" O how joyful to hear for ever the voice of my King, which saith, "Do this" and to utter for ever the voice of service, which saith, "Lord! it is done." : Thou hast opened mine ears: behold! I am thy servant for ever. THE END. GILBERT & RIVINGTON, Printers, St. John's Square, London. |