This day my Saviour rose, The rest of our creation Our great Redeemer did remove With the same shake which, at his passion, As Samson bore the doors away, Christ's hands, though nail'd, wrought our salvation, And did unhinge that day. The brightness of that day We sullied by our foul offence: Wherefore that robe we cast away, Having a new at his expense, Whose drops of blood paid the full price, Thou art a day of mirth: And where the week-days trail on ground, O let me take thee at the bound, Leaping with thee from seven to seven, Till that we both, being toss'd from earth, Herbert. A LESSON FROM COMPARISONS. Flame goes to heav'n, from whence it once did come, Which you your convoy to the heaven will find. Fairlie's Lychnocausia; or, Light's Moral Emblems, 1638. LIFE A TRAGEDY. Man's life's a tragedy; his mother's womb Folly, and vice, are actors; the first cry THE TWO FOLDING-DOORS. Death is a gate, that opens differently Henry Baker. SOUL-EMBLEMS. The soul on earth is an immortal guest, A pilgrim panting for a rest to come, More. THE DEW AND THE SMALL RAIN. The doctrine of the Gospel is like the dew and the small rain that distilleth upon the tender grass, wherewith it doth flourish and is kept green. Christians are like the several flowers in a garden, that have each of them the dew of heaven, which, being shaken with the wind, they let fall at each others' roots, whereby they are jointly nourished, and become nourishers of each other. Bunyan. LIFE A SHADOW. Life a right shadow is; For if it long appear, Then is it spent, and death's long night draws near; Shadows are moving light, And is there ought so moving as is this? When it is most in sight, It steals away, and none knows here or where, So near our cradles to our coffins are. Drummond. PRECEPT AND PRACTICE. The snuffers in the tabernacle were directed to be made of pure gold-the moral of which seems to be, that they who profess to make others burn brighter, must "take heed that the light that is in them be not darkness." THE WORLD A HIVE. The world's a hive, From whence thou canst derive No good, but what thy soul's vexation brings: But case thou meet Some petty, petty sweet, Each drop is guarded with a thousand stings. Quarles. LIFE IN A CRAZY SHIP AND TROUBLED SEA. They who in a crazy vessel navigate a sea, wherein are shoals and currents innumerable, if they would keep their course or reach their port in safety, must carefully repair the smallest injuries, and often throw out their line and take their observations. In the voyage of life also, the Christian who would not make shipwreck of his faith, while he is habitually watchful and provident, must often make it his express business to look into his state, and to ascertain his progress. Wilberforce. THE NARROW CIRCLE OF LIFE. Our life is but a narrow circle, and when in its centre we are not far from its edge; and as we daily advance towards its boundaries, let us keep the transition that awaits us constantly before our eyes. Henry Martyn. |