ADORATION. DAVID, scholar of the Lord! Such is thy science, whence reward O strength, O sweetness, lasting ripe! There is but One who ne'er rebelled, By pleasures unenticed; He from Himself His semblance sent, And saw the God in Christ. Tell them, I AM, Jehovah said To Moses; while earth heard in dread, And smitten to the heart, G 82 ADORATION. At once above, beneath, around, All nature, without voice or sound, For Adoration, David's psalms Lift up the heart to deeds of alms; Prevails his passions to control, Finds meat and medicine to the soul, For Adoration, beyond match, The scholar bullfinch aims to catch And careless on the hazel spray The damsel's greedy clutch. For Adoration, in the skies, The dog, the ram, and rose; The planets' ring, Orion's sword,— In the vile worm that glows. ADORATION. For Adoration, on the strings The western breezes work their wings, The captive ear to soothe ;— Hark! 'tis a voice—how still, and small— That makes the cataracts to fall, Or bids the sea be smooth! 83 For Adoration, incense comes And from the civet's fur; But as for prayer, or e'er it faints, Than galbanum or myrrh. For Adoration, from the down God sends to tempt the taste; And while the luscious zest invites Commands desire be chaste. For Adoration, all the paths Of grace are open, all the baths Of purity refresh ; 84 And all the ADORATION. rays of glory beam To deck the man of God's esteem, Who triumphs o'er the flesh. For Adoration, in the dome Of Christ, the sparrows find a home, The swallow also dwells with Thee, Within his Saviour's church. CHRISTOPHER SMART. HOLINESS. WEET is the dew that falls betimes, Sweet Hermon's fragrant air: Sweet is the lily's silver bell, And sweet the wakeful tapers' smell Sweet the young nurse, with love intense, Which smiles o'er sleeping innocence; Sweet when the lost arrive: Sweet the musician's ardour beats, While his vague mind's in quest of sweets, The choicest flowers to hive. Sweeter, in all the strains of love, Paired to thy swelling chord; |