I pleasant melody doth he daily hear! . . . He seeth by faith the God, the glory which the blessed spirits see at hand by nearest intuition! He seeth that in a glass darkly which they behold with open face. He seeth the glorious majesty of his Creator, the Eternal King, the Cause of causes; the Composer, Upholder, Preserver, and Governor of all the worlds. He beholdeth the wonderful methods of His providence, and what he cannot reach to see he admireth, and waiteth for the time when that also shall be open to his views. He seeth by faith the world of spirits, the hosts that attend the throne of God, their perfect righteousness, their full devotedness to God, their ardent love, their flaming zeal, their ready and cheerful obedience, their dignity and shining glory. He heareth by faith the heavenly concert, the high and harmonious songs of praise, the joyful triumphs of crowned saints, the sweet commemoration of the things that were done and suffered on earth, with the praises of Him who redeemed them by His blood, and made them kings and priests unto God. And in the beholding of this celestial glory some beams do penetrate his breast, and so irradiate his longing soul that he is changed thereby into the same image from glory to glory; the spirit of glory and of God doth rest upon him. And what an excellent, holy frame doth this converse with God possess his soul with! How reverently doth he think of Him! What life is there in every name and attribute of God which he heareth and thinketh on! The mention of His Power, His Wisdom, His Goodness, His Love, His Holiness, His Truth-how powerful and pleasant they are to him! while to those that know Him but by the ear these are like common names and notions.' It is of the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul: therefore will I hope in Him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh for Him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. For the Lord will not cast off for ever. For though He cause grief, yet will He have compassion according to the multitude of His mercies. Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not? Out of the mouth of the Most High proceedeth not evil and good. Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to heart with our We have trans the Lord. Let us lift up our hands unto God in the heavens. gressed and have rebelled' (Lam. iii. 22, 26, 31, 33, 37). 'And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried; they shall call on My Name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is My people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God' (Zech. xiii. 9). But it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.' 'And the Lord shall be King over all the earth: in that day there shall be one Lord and His name one. Holiness unto the Lord' (Zech. xiv. 7, 9, 20). 'O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Beneath the shadow of Thy Throne Thy saints have dwelt secure ; And our defence is sure. 'Before the hills in order stood, 'A thousand ages in Thy sight Are like an evening gone, Short as the watch that ends the night Before the rising sun. Time, like an ever-rolling stream, Bears all its sons away; They fly forgotten, as a dream Dies at the opening day. 'O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Be Thou our guard while troubles last, And our eternal home.' THY KINGDOM COME. 'THERE is a book, who runs may read, Are pages in that book, to show 'Two worlds are ours: 'tis only sin Forbids us to descry The mystic heaven and earth within, 'Thou, Who hast given me eyes to see Give me a heart to find out Thee, And read Thee everywhere.' KEBLE. |