Or if thou yet more knowledge crave, With Christ in sight, turning our gain to loss. FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER EASTER. ROGATION SUNDAY. And the Lord was very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him and I prayed for Aaron also the same time. Deut. ix. 20. NOW is there solemn pause in earth and heaven; The Conqueror now His bonds hath riven, And Angels wonder why he stays below: How endless love should be return'd. Deep is the silence as of summer noon, Will trickle soon, A gracious rain, freshening the weary bower— O sweetly then far off is heard The clear note of some lonely bird. So let thy turtle dove's sad call arise In doubt and fear Through darkening skies, And pierce, O LORD, thy justly sealed ear, Where on the house-top, all night long, She trills her widow'd, faltering song. Teach her to know and love her hour of prayer, And evermore, As faith grows rare, Unlock her heart, and offer all its store In holier love and humbler vows, Not as at first, but with intenser cry, She now must lie, Till thy dear love to blot the sad account a Psalm cii. 7. Deut. ix. 25. I fell down before the Lord forty days and forty nights, as I fell down at the first. L But chiefly (for she knows thee anger'd worst By holiest things Profan'd and curst) Chiefly for Aaron's seed she spreads her wings, For what shall heal, when holy water banes ? Or who may guide O'er desert plains Thy lov'd yet sinful people wandering wide, Therefore her tears are bitter, and as deep As, while men sleep, Sad hearted mothers heave, that wakeful lie, To muse upon some darling child Roaming in youth's uncertain wild. Therefore on fearful dreams her inward sight Is fain to dwell What lurid light • Exodus xxxii. 4. Shall the last darkness of the world dispel, The Mediator in his wrath Descending down the lightning's path. Yet, yet awhile, offended Saviour, pause, Thine outrag'd laws, O spare thy rebels for thine own dear sake; "Tis forfeit like the first-we own it allYet for love's sake, Let it not fall; But at thy touch let veiled hearts awake, That nearest to thine altar lie, Teacher of teachers! Priest of priests! from Thee The sweet strong prayer Must rise, to free First Levi, then all Israel, from the snare. Thou art our Moses out of sight Speak for us, or we perish quite. Exodus xxxii. 19. |