The higher ground thou may'st have gain'd, Its counsel more is needed; Nor can thy safety be maintain'd, The watch-tower left unheeded. In light or darkness, joy or woe, Not in the wisdom, or the might The watchfulness that slumbers not By faith and prayer it is begot, RETIREMENT AND PRAYER. "And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed."— Luke, v. 16. IF thus our Lord himself withdrew, Stealing at times away, E'en from the lov'd, the chosen few, In solitude to pray, How should his followers, frail and weak, Such seasons of retirement seek. Seldom amid the strife and din Of sublunary things, Can spirits keep their watch within, Or plume their heaven-ward wings; Not in our own spontaneous will Alone, by prayer, 'tis slowly won, How needful is it, then, for man From things of time to steal, Those of eternity to scan, Their magnitude to feel :The first are transitory, vain ; The last for ever will remain. Retirement must adjust the beam, Oh, may we in remembrance bear, He sought retirement,-practis'd prayer! A CHRISTIAN'S REJOICING. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." Luke, x. 20. REJOICE not, or rejoice with awe, If such dominion foster pride, When call'd to meet your foes in fight, -- 'The joy of heaven is perfect joy, If faith a humble hope supply, The power which fallen spirits dread, Which can on serpents, scorpions, tread, Such powers, could we command at will, Yield but the joy of conflict still. This latent perils may allure, The hope of heaven is peaceful, pure; |