Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity.
“Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink.”
—Gospel for the Day.
A passion for imperfect good!—
Behold, what fosters pride:
While God Himself is thus withstood,
No idols are denied.
But, woulds't thou like the sainted be?—
From finite good retire;
And in the depths of Deity
Thy soaring thoughts inspire.
In humbleness of mind, believe
That true contentment reigns,—
Whose pleasures on the conscience leave
No shadows and no stains.
Retreat then, O, earth-fever'd soul!
From broken cisterns fly;
For, couldst thou drink their blissful whole,
They still would leave thee dry.
The utmost in all creatures fails
A perfect lull to bring;
Since, when our purest dream prevails,
Unrest keeps murmuring!
Low as some weanèd child to lie
Before Emanuel's feet,
And in the guidance of His eye
To find a safe retreat,—
Like Him, to crucify the will,
As merciful and meek,
And each just orb of duty fill
Whene'er we act, or speak,—
Be this, disciple of the Cross!
The glory of thine aim;
And, though on earth thou reap the loss,
In heaven, perceive thy gain.
But, saith He not, that here below
Beatitudes begin
For all, whose hearts by meekness grow
Above the self of sin?
A kingdom of the mind is theirs
While yet on earth they bide;
And heaven seems dawning through the prayers
God's Spirit hath supplied.
Celestial Dove of grace! descend,
Thy gentleness impart,
Till faith shall build the “Sinner's Friend”
A temple in her heart.
