On the Day of Ascension. He is risen higher, not set: Did, with his leave, make bold to shroud Amen. On the Feast of Pentecost, or Whitsunday. TONGUES of fire from heaven descend To blow it up and make A living fire Of heav'nly charity, and pure desire, And give men warning to defend And all her gifts and graces, slide That thus refined, we may soar above Even unto thee, dear Spirit, And there eternal peace and rest inherit. Amen. Penitential Hymns. I. LORD, I have sinned: and the black number swells To such a dismal sum, That, should my stony heart, and eyes, And this whole sinful trunk, a flood become, To count my score, Much less to pay : But thou, my God, hast blood in store, Yet since the balsam of thy blood, Unless the wounds be cleans'd with tears before; Teach but my heart and eyes To melt away, And then one drop of balsam will suffice. Amen. II. GREAT God, and just! how canst thou see, And not, in mercy, set us free! Who, like court-flatterers, wait To serve themselves in thy unhappy fate. Lord, we are sick, spotted with sin, Like Naaman, bid us wash; yet let it be Touch'd by the heav'nly Dove's bright wing, Ever high, who ever must Eternal praises crown his name! Amen. A Prayer for Charity. FULL of mercy, full of love, Look upon us from above; Thou, who taught'st the blind man's night To entertain a double light, Thine and the day's, (and that thine too); The lame away his crutches threw ; Return'd unto its infancy: The dumb amazed was to hear His own unchain'd tongue strike his ear: Thy powerful mercy did even chase The devil from his usurp'd place, Where thou thyself shouldst dwell, not he. Our dust shall cease to be with men. Amen. |