To other strains our souls are set :
A giddy world of sin
Fills ear and brain, and will not let
Heaven's harmonies come in.
Come Lord, come Wisdom, Love, and Power,
Open our ears to hear;
Let us not miss the accepted hour;
Save, Lord, by Love or Fear.
DAY divine! when in the temple
To the Lord's first lovers came
Glory new and treasure ample,
Mighty gifts and tongues of flame!
Day to happy souls commended,
When the Holy Ghost was given,
When the Comforter descended,
And brought down the joy of Heaven.
Lord! to-day thy people learneth
No past wonder, no strange tale;
Lord! to-day thy people yearneth
Here the Holy Ghost to hail!
O'er again to write this story
Our weak, trembling souls aspire :
Unto us may come the glory—
• Full on us may fall the fire!
Hath the Holy Ghost been holden
By those ancient saints alone?
Only may the ages olden
Call the Comforter their own?
Ah! their portion we inherit,
Ours the sorrow, ours the sin!
We beseech the Holy Spirit-
We the Comforter would win.
WOULD the Spirit more completely Make abode with saints of old? Would the Comforter more sweetly Thy first lovers, Lord, enfold? Wonders we may not inherit;
Signs and tongues we do not crave; Yet we still receive the Spirit— Still the Comforter we have.
Still are given its gifts most precious;
Open lies its richest store-
We may win its grace most gracious-
We its deepest deep explore!
Signs most glorious, all excelling,
Witness brightest we may show ;
Sure the Holy Ghost is dwelling
With the souls that holier grow.
Hope that makes ashamèd never— Perfect Peace that passeth thought, Mighty Joy that stayeth ever
Love divine that changeth not;Such the gifts that still are given ;Such the glory we may boast; Help us Lord, to this pure HeavenBreathe on us the Holy Ghost.
The Earnest of the Spirit.
WHY hasteth on this pilgrim throng
As burthened with no cares?
These lowly souls-why swells their song
As though the world were theirs?
What can their happy fulness crave?
Where can their wishes rove?
Thy Holy Spirit, Lord, they have,
The Earnest of thy love.
They needs must rest in glorious things
With whom the Spirit dwells;
Sweet messages the Spirit brings-
Great news the Spirit tells.
Lord! if thy gracious voice divine
One whisper sweet lets fall,
They know that Thou hast made them thine, That Thou hast given them all.
O, if the Lord Himself has given,
All else they know must come-
The shining thrones, the blissful heaven,
The everlasting home!
Lord! may not I these tidings hear?
These messages receive?
Assure my soul that she is dear—
To me the Spirit give.
Teach me no other prayer to lift,
No other boon to crave;
Mine all thy grace, mine every gift,
If I the Earnest have.
Take all thy other gifts away
But do not Thou remove;
All things remain, if with me stay
This Earnest of thy love.
The sanctification of the Spirit.
CREATOR Spirit; by whose aid
The world's foundations first were laid,
Come, visit every pious mind;
Come, pour thy joys on human kind;
From sin and sorrow set us free,
And make thy temples worthy Thee.
O source of uncreated light,
The Father's promised Paraclete,
Thrice holy fount, thrice holy fire,
Our hearts with heavenly love inspire;
Come, and thy sacred unction bring,
To sanctify us while we sing!
Refine and purge our earthly parts,
But O inflame and fire our hearts;
Our frailties help, our vice control,
Submit the senses to the soul,
And when rebellious they are grown,
Then lay thy hand, and hold them down.
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