Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

SATURDAY IN ADVENT.

"An angel came down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. . . And I saw a new Heaven and a new earth."-Rev. xx. 1; xxi. 1.

"One day in Thy courts is better than a thousand;" and what shall it be to dwell for ever therein ! "Come, eat, and drink, and be filled, My beloved,” saith the King of Heaven. "This feast of Mine shall never be ended, there shall come no sorrow after it." O life of lives, surpassing all life! O life blessed for evermore! O the greatness and goodness of GOD, Who hath prepared such heavenly mansions and such glorious things for the humble and lowly of heart who serve Him. My soul thirsteth after Thee, my GoD: I will behold Thy Face in righteousness, for in Thy Presence is fulness of joy, and at Thy Right Hand there are pleasures for evermore. Whatsoever I can wish for is present with Thee; whatsoever can be desired is in Thee in abundance; Thou shalt make me drink of the rivers of Thy pleasures; for with Thee is the fountain of life, and in Thy Light I shall see light. What will it be to

see Thee in Thyself, and Thee in me, and myself in Thee, living in everlasting felicity, and enjoying Thy beatific Vision for evermore? I will therefore trust in Thee, my LORD GOD, for ever; for in the LORD JEHOVAH there is everlasting happiness, and joy without end.

O my soul, listen with all thy powers for the most sweet Voice of CHRIST, calling thee to imitate His life, that thou mayest at length hear Him call thee to receive thy crown in Heaven.

So great is the joy of the celestial para- 、 dise, that it wholly fills and embraces the blessed souls which enter into Heaven, as into an immense sea of pleasure and delight. The joys of earth enter into our hearts, but fill them not, because the capacity of man's heart is greater than they can satisfy; but the joys of Heaven prepared for the blessed, enter into them, and fill and overflow them in all parts. Let us, therefore, rejoice, unto whom so great blessings are promised; let us rejoice that Heaven was made for us, and let this hope banish all sadness from our hearts; let those grieve and lament who have no hope of Heaven, not those unto whom CHRIST hath promised the blessedness of His Glory.

O FATHER of Light, grant me the light of Thy Glory, that one day I may clearly

see that which I now believe by the light of Faith. O Eternal Word, bestow Thyself upon me, that I may possess in Heaven that which I see by faith upon earth. O HOLY GHOST, make me partaker of Thine infinite Beauty, to the end that I may one day enjoy that which Thou hast taught me to long after. LORD, I am wholly Thine, be Thou wholly mine; Thou art my eternity; Thou art my salvation and hope; when shall I see the happy day in which I may appear in Thy heavenly mansion, to eat and drink in Thy kingdom, and behold Thy Majesty for ever? O Thou bright Star of the East, let Thy eternal Light shine into my soul and disperse all earthly mists. Grant, LORD, that my hopes being all stored up with Thee, I may not seek to rest in the passing joys of this life, even as the dove of the Deluge could not rest upon the waters. O my GOD, Thou art my only Hope-to Thee be glory, honour, and thanksgiving, now and for ever. Amen.

But my soul, neither must thou forget that if through thy guiltiness, thou dost lose that Heaven, which thy SAVIOUR died to win for thee, thou must then suffer for ever in hell. Therefore cast thyself low before thy GOD, Whom thou hast so often offended, and Who is awful in His Justice, as well as Loving and Merciful, and say,

1

O Eternal King, Who preparedst Heaven and Hell, and Who art a FATHER of mercy, willing rather to pardon Thy straying sheep, than to punish them; Visit me with Thy Divine inspiration that I may ever be mindful that there is a Hell for the impenitent as well as a Heaven for the redeemed, and do Thou give me strength so to pass through this life, and so truly to repent that I may escape Hell, and be admitted into Heaven. Change Thou my heart, and when Thou comest to Judgment, O condemn me not. Let Thy mercy pardon me now, that Thy justice condemn me not in that Day.

I confess, O my GOD, that I am that miserable sinner who hath done countless wickednesses, for which I deserve not to see Thy Glory, nor to be admitted into the company of those who enjoy it. I am heartily sorry and bewail my sins and shortcomings: pardon them, O LORD, through Thy Mercy, that the work of Thy Hands be not destroyed, nor fail in attaining that end for which it was created. Let me not be cast into Hell, to be fuel for that never-ending fire! and for ever to blaspheme Thy Name, since "who shall give Thee thanks in the pit ?" Thou, O LORD, Who didst deliver the Three Children out of the fiery furnace, deliver Thou me from the flames of Hell;

place_me in the light and brightness of
Thy Love. From everlasting death, Good
LORD, deliver Thy child and servant. Amen.
LORD, have mercy.
CHRIST, have mercy.
LORD, have mercy.

GOD, of Whom, by Whom, and in
Whom are all things;

GOD, in Whom we live, and move, and are;

Who alone hast immortality, and dwellest in Light inaccessible; Whose Majesty filleth the whole earth;

Whom Heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain;

Who openest Thy Hand, and fillest with blessing every living creature; Who hast power to cast body and soul into Hell;

Whose Eyes are brighter than the sun, beholding all the ways of men ; Who searchest the heart and triest the reins;

Whose judgments are incomprehensible, and Whose ways are unsearchable;

Merciful and Patient, of much compassion and true;

Have mercy upon us.

King of kings, and LORD of lords;
King of ages, Immortal and Invisible;

« EdellinenJatka »