Think, too, that now thou dost in peril fall COUPLETS. — Trench. To halls of heavenly truth admission wouldst thou win? Oft Knowledge stands without, while Love may enter in. Lovingly to each other sun and moon give place, Else were the mighty heaven for them too narrow space. Despise not little sins; for mountain-high may stand The piled heap made up of smallest grains of sand. Despise not little sins; the gallant ship may sink, Though only drop by drop the watery tide it drink. God many a spiritual house has reared, but never one Where lowliness was not laid first, the corner-stone. Rear highly as thou wilt thy branches in the air, care. Sin, not till it is left, will duly sinful seem; A man must waken first, ere he can tell his dream. When thou art fain to trace a map of thine own heart, As undiscovered land set down the largest part. Wouldst thou do harm, and yet unharmed thyself abide? None ever struck another, save through his own side. God's dealings still are love,- his chastenings are alone Love now compelled to take an altered, louder tone. From our ill-ordered hearts we oft are fain to roam, As men go forth who find unquietness at home. Why furnish with such care thy lodging of a night, And leave the while thy home in such a naked plight? When thou hast thanked thy God for every blessing sent, What time will then remain for murmurs or lament? Envy detects the spots in the clear orb of light, Thou canst not choose but serve, man's lot is servitude, But thou hast this much choice, a bad lord or a good. Before the eyes of men let duly shine thy light, Wouldst thou go forth to bless, be sure of thine own ground, Fix well thy centre first, then draw thy circles round. Sin may be clasped so close we cannot see its face, Nor seen nor loathed until held from us a small space. If humble, next of thy humility beware, And lest thou shouldst grow proud of such a grace have care. How fearful is his case whom now God does not chide When sinning worst, to whom even chastening is denied! God often would enrich, but finds not where to place His treasure, nor in hand nor heart a vacant space. O, leave to God at sight of sin incensed to be! Sinner, if thou art grieved, that is enough for thee. Set not thy heart on things given only with intent Ill fares the child of heaven, who will not entertain On earth the stranger's grief, the exile's sense of pain. Mark how there still has run, enwoven from above, Through thy life's darkest woof, the golden thread of love. Things earthly we must know ere love them: 't is alone Things heavenly that must be first loved and after known. The sinews of Love's arm use makes more firm and strong, Which, being left unused, will disappear ere long. Wouldst thou abolish quite strongholds of self and sin? Fear can but make the breach for Love to enter in. When God afflicts thee, think he hews a rugged stone, Which must be shaped, or else aside as useless thrown. Evil, like a rolling stone upon a mountain-top, He knew, who healed our wounds, we quickly should be fain Our old hurts to forget, so let the scars remain. When will the din of earth grate harshly on our ears? When we have once heard plain the music of the spheres. Why win we not at once what we in prayer require? That we may learn great things as greatly to desire. The tasks, the joys of earth, the same in heaven will be; Only the little brook has widened to a sea. Who hunt this world's delight too late their hunting rue, When it a lion proves, the hunter to pursue. INTIMATIONS OF IMMORTALITY FROM RECOLLECTIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD. — Wordsworth. I. THERE was a time when meadow, grove, and stream, To me did seem The glory and the freshness of a dream. By night or day, The things which I have seen I now can see no more. II. The rainbow comes and goes, The moon doth with delight Look round her when the heavens are bare; Are beautiful and fair; That there hath passed away a glory from the earth. III. Now, while the birds thus sing a joyous song, To me alone there came a thought of grief: The cataracts blow their trumpets from the steep ; Give themselves up to jollity, Doth every beast keep holiday; Shout round me, let me hear thy shouts, thou happy IV. Ye blessed creatures, I have heard the call The heavens laugh with you in your jubilee; |