Ye might have sped to keep high festival,
And revel in the light;

But meeting us, weak worldlings, on our way,
Tired ere the fight begun,

Ye turn'd to help us in th' unequal fray,
Remembering whose we were, how dearly won:

Remembering Bethlehem, and that glorious night When ye, who used to soar

Diverse along all space in fiery flight,

Came thronging to adore

Your God new-born, and made a sinner's child ; As if the stars should leave

Their stations in the far ethereal wild,

And round the sun a radiant circle weave.

Nor less your lay of triumph greeted fair
Our Champion and your King,
In that first strife, whence Satan in despair
Sunk down on scathed wing:

Alone He fasted, and alone He fought;
But when his toils were o'er,

Ye to the sacred Hermit duteous brought
Banquet and hymn, your Eden's festal store.

Ye too, when lowest in th' abyss of woe

He plung'd to save his sheep,

Were leaning from your golden thrones to know
The secrets of that deep :

But clouds were on his sorrow: once alone

His agonizing call

Summon'd from Heaven, to still that bitterest groan, And comfort Him, the Comforter of all.

Oh! highest favour'd of all Spirits create,
(If right of thee we deem)

How didst thou glide on brightening wing elate
To meet th' unclouded beam

Of Jesus from the couch of darkness rising!

How swell'd thine anthem's sound,

With fear and mightier joy weak hearts surprising, "Your God is risen, and may not here be found."

Pass a few days, and this dull darkling globe

Must yield him from her sight ;

Brighter and brighter streams his glory-robe,
And He is lost in light.

Then, when through yonder everlasting arch,
Ye in innumerous choir

Y

Pour'd, heralding Messiah's conquering march,
Linger'd around his skirts two forms of fire :

With us they staid, high warning to impart; “The Christ shall come again

"Even as He goes; with the same human heart, "With the same godlike train."

"Oh! jealous God! how could a sinner dare Think on that dreadful day,

But that with all thy wounds Thou wilt be there, And all our angel friends to bring Thee on thy way?

Since to thy little ones is given such grace,
That they who nearest stand

Alway to God in Heaven, and see His face,
Go forth at his command,

To wait around our path in weal or woe,
As erst upon our King,

Set thy baptismal seal upon our brow,

And waft us heaven-ward with enfolding wing:

Grant, Lord, that when around th' expiring world
Our Seraph guardians wait,

While on her death-bed, ere to ruin hurl'd,

She owns thee, all too late,

They to their charge may turn, and thankful see

Thy mark upon us still;

Then all together rise, and reign with Thee,
And all their holy joy o'er contrite hearts fulfil!

ST. LUKE.

Colossians iv. 14.

Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.
Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world.

Only Luke is

TWO clouds before the summer gale
In equal race fleet o'er the sky :
Two flowers, when wintry blasts assail,
Together pine, together die.

But two capricious human hearts-
Nor sage's rod may track their ways,

No

eye pursue their lawless starts

Along their wild self-chosen maze.

He only, by whose sovereign hand

Even sinners for the evil day"

Were made who rules the world he plann'd,
Turning our worst his own good way;

He only can the cause reveal,

Why, at the same fond bosom fed,
Taught in the self-same lap to kneel

Till the same prayer were duly said,

Brothers in blood and nurture too,
Aliens in heart so oft should prove;
One lose, the other keep, Heaven's clue;
One dwell in wrath, and one in love.

He only knows,-for He can read
The mystery of the wicked heart,-

Why vainly oft our arrows speed

When aim'd with most unerring art;

While from some rude and powerless arm

A random shaft in season sent

a Proverbs xvi. 4. The Lord hath made all things for himself, yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.