The Sanctuary A Companion in Verse for the English Prayer Book. By Robert Montgomery |
 |
 |
|
|
|
Collect for Pardon.
|
|
|
 | The Sanctuary |  |
85
Collect for Pardon.
“Let the pitifulness of Thy great mercy loose us.”
—Prayer Book.
Bound and bleeding in that chain
Whose links are made of misery,
Rise our sunken hearts again
For heaven-born light, and liberty,—
To Thee, the sole Relief of spirits all
Who mourn for guilt, and Christ their Master call.
Whose links are made of misery,
Rise our sunken hearts again
For heaven-born light, and liberty,—
To Thee, the sole Relief of spirits all
Who mourn for guilt, and Christ their Master call.
Not for weal, or wealth, we ask,
Or sigh for what mere worldlings seek;
While we bear Life's daily task
Our strength is found in being weak,—
Strong in Thy grace, but weak, whene'er we trust
On human Pillars, which are based in dust!
Or sigh for what mere worldlings seek;
While we bear Life's daily task
Our strength is found in being weak,—
Strong in Thy grace, but weak, whene'er we trust
On human Pillars, which are based in dust!
Yet, a ransom, Lord! we crave,
Transcending all terrestrial gift,
E'en thy Sympathies!—which save
And up to Thee ourselves uplift:—
Home of the heart! and centre of each soul,
Heavenward attract us by such blest control.
Transcending all terrestrial gift,
E'en thy Sympathies!—which save
And up to Thee ourselves uplift:—
Home of the heart! and centre of each soul,
Heavenward attract us by such blest control.
In Thy Name deep glories dwell,
Whose nature is forgiving love;
Mercies more than numbers tell,
Hover round Thy Throne above,
And wing their flight to this low world of care,
In wafted answer to the Church's prayer.
Whose nature is forgiving love;
Mercies more than numbers tell,
Hover round Thy Throne above,
And wing their flight to this low world of care,
In wafted answer to the Church's prayer.
Thus, in that mysterious hour
When oft some bosom-weight of sin,
Burdens with a crushing power
Exalted thoughts which soar within,
Celestial Ransomer! unbind the chain,
Till holy Freedom shall the heart regain.
When oft some bosom-weight of sin,
Burdens with a crushing power
Exalted thoughts which soar within,
Celestial Ransomer! unbind the chain,
Till holy Freedom shall the heart regain.
86
Not in sickness, gloom, or grief,
Disciples of the Cross can see
That which most demands relief
Besought from prayer-moved Deity:
For, christian sorrows lose their earth-made stings,
And, touch'd by faith, are turned to glorious things!
Disciples of the Cross can see
That which most demands relief
Besought from prayer-moved Deity:
For, christian sorrows lose their earth-made stings,
And, touch'd by faith, are turned to glorious things!
But thy people, Lord of Glory!
To Thee and Thine betroth'd for ever,
When they bow in prayer before Thee,—
From all corruptions which can sever
Souls from Thyself, internal ransom seek,
And sacred Vengeance on their errors wreak!
To Thee and Thine betroth'd for ever,
When they bow in prayer before Thee,—
From all corruptions which can sever
Souls from Thyself, internal ransom seek,
And sacred Vengeance on their errors wreak!
Pardon'd guilt will not alone
Capacitate the heart for bliss;
Purity must lend a tone
Before we reach a state like this;
Since, hell exists in nature, more than space,—
And is not heaven begun by inward grace?
Capacitate the heart for bliss;
Purity must lend a tone
Before we reach a state like this;
Since, hell exists in nature, more than space,—
And is not heaven begun by inward grace?
Kingly Heart, and holy Mind,
Heroic Saints by hist'ry throned,
Who have most adorn'd mankind
In life and death, this doctrine own'd,—
Meetness for God from Christ's true merit flows,
And none reach heaven, in whom nought heaven-like glows:
Heroic Saints by hist'ry throned,
Who have most adorn'd mankind
In life and death, this doctrine own'd,—
Meetness for God from Christ's true merit flows,
And none reach heaven, in whom nought heaven-like glows:
Thou, whose property is Love,
On Thee we fix our lifted eyes,
Yearning for that Scene above,
Which dawn'd on David's visioned eyes,—
The coronation of the Holy Ghost,
Glory of feasts!—the final Pentecost!
On Thee we fix our lifted eyes,
Yearning for that Scene above,
Which dawn'd on David's visioned eyes,—
The coronation of the Holy Ghost,
Glory of feasts!—the final Pentecost!
| The Sanctuary | |