Poor world, said I, what wilt thou do Is this the best thou canft beftow- Proud world, said I, cease your control, The babe, whose birth embraves this morn, Welcome all wonders in one fight! Eternity shut in a span ! Summer in winter, day in night! Heaven in earth, and God in man! Great little one, whose all-embracing birth Gilded 'th' beams of earthly kings, Slippery souls in smiling eyes But to poor shepherds, homespun things, Whose wealth's their flocks, whose wit's to be Well read in their fimplicity. To Thee, meek Majefty, soft King, Of simple graces and sweet loves! Each of us his lamb will bring, Each his pair of filver doves! At laft, in fire of Thy fair eyes, Ourselves become our own beft sacrifice! Crafhaw. 1637-1650. Ο THE ASCENSION DAY. UR Lord and brother who put on Before us up to heaven is gone, And He doth from above Send ghoftly presents down to men, Each door and everlasting gate To Him hath lifted been, And in a glorious wise thereat Our King is enter'd in: With love and leave we may, Then follow; follow on apace Our Captain to attend, In that supreme and bleffed place And for His honor let our voice A fhout so hearty make, That heaven may at our joy rejoice, And hell's foundation fhake. George Wither. WHO FOLLOWS IN HIS TRAIN? HE Son of God goes forth to war, THE A kingly crown to gain; His blood-red banner ftreams afar, Who follows in His train ? Who beft can drink his cup of woe, Triumphant over pain, Who patient bears his cross below, That martyr firft, whose eagle eye Like Him, with pardon on his tongue, He prayed for those that did the wrong: A noble band, the chosen few, Twelve valiant souls, their hope they knew, They met the tyrant's brandifhed fteel, The lion's gory mane, They bowed their necks the stroke to feel, Who follows in their train? A noble army, men and boys, They climbed the fteep ascents of heaven, Thro' peril, toil, and pain; O God! to us may grace be given, To follow in their train! Heber. FOR ST. ANDREW'S DAY. HILST Andrew, as a fifher, sought W From From pinching want his life to free, Chrift call'd him, that he might be taught A fisherman of men to be. And no delay therein he made, Nor queftionéd his Lord's intent; But quite forsaking all he had, With Him that calléd gladly went. Would God we were prepared so Those nets which we are snared withal! Yea, would this fisherman of men, Might us by his example move To leave the world, as he did then, But precepts and examples fail, |