Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany.
“Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body.“
—Epistle for the Day.
God is our Want,—come then, celestial Grace,
Unction Divine, anoint Thy chosen race
Who, spirit-born,
Are not forlorn,
But, sacramental heirs of promised heaven,
And have the signs and seals of their adoption given.
Blest be that Church, who thus convenes us all
Morn, noon, and night, on Father-God to call;
With blended heart
To take our part
In orisons, where praying Martyrs found
Pure antipasts of heaven inspiringly abound.
Let but some “two, or three,” together meet
In blended homage at the Mercy-seat,
And He is there
To answer prayer,
Who, not by numbers, but devotion, measures
The yearning faith which seeks for Love's almighty treasures.
“Knowledge of Truth, and Everlasting Life,”—
Giver of both! oh, in this world of strife
While sin and care
Breathe everywhere,
Time cannot tell, but, only future bliss,
How limitless the soar of such high language is!
Meanwhile, by speech, far wiser than we are,
Wing'd on such words, saints mount on plumes of prayer,
And in His name
Those blessings claim
Th' atoning Saviour for His people brought,
With all that God can give, how infinitely-fraught!
“The Spirit's Unity in bonds of peace”
Brings heaven on earth, the world's divine release:
Here is true wealth,
And hope and health,—
Highest of blessings which our hearts can share,
Which leaves them prayerless all, by thus exhausting prayer!
