Through no disturbance of my soul, Or strong compunction in me wrought, I supplicate for thy control, But in the quietness of thought; Me this unchartered freedom tires; I feel the weight of chance desires, My hopes no more must change their name, I long for a repose that ever is the same. Stern lawgiver! yet thou dost wear The Godhead's most benignant grace; Nor know we any thing so fair As is the smile upon thy face; Flowers laugh before thee on their beds, And fragrance in thy footing treads; Thou dost preserve the stars from wrong; And the most ancient heavens, through thee, are fresh and strong. To humbler functions, awful power! I call thee: I myself commend Unto thy guidance from this hour; Oh, let my weakness have an end! Give unto me, made lowly wise, The spirit of self-sacrifice; The confidence of reason give; And in the light of truth thy bondman let me live! WILLIAM WORDSWORTH. * * * * * SELF-INQUIRY. Let not soft slumber close my eyes, Before I've recollected thrice The train of action through the day! Where have my feet chose out their way? What have I learnt, where'er I've been, From all I have heard, from all I've seen? What know I more that's worth the knowing? What have I done that's worth the doing? What have I sought that I should shun? What duty have I left undone? Or into what new follies run? These self-inquiries are the road That leads to virtue and to God. ISAAC WATTS. * * * * * THE THREE ENEMIES. THE FLESH. "Sweet, thou art pale." "More pale to see, Christ hung upon the cruel tree And bore his Father's wrath for me." "Sweet, thou art sad." "Beneath a rod More heavy Christ for my sake trod The wine-press of the wrath of God." "Sweet, thou art weary." "Not so Christ: Whose mighty love of me sufficed For strength, salvation, eucharist." "Sweet, thou art footsore." "If I bleed, His feet have bled: yea, in my need His heart once bled for mine indeed." THE WORLD. "Sweet, thou art young." "So he was young Who for my sake in silence hung Upon the cross with passion wrung." "Look, thou art fair." "He was more fair Than men, who deigned for me to wear A visage marred beyond compare." "And thou hast riches." "Daily bread: All else is his; who living, dead, For me lacked where to lay his head." "And life is sweet." "It was not so To him, whose cup did overflow With mine unutterable woe." THE DEVIL. "Thou drinkest deep." "When Christ would sup He drained the dregs from out my cup; So how should I be lifted up?"