Christ not there!
Could I but think He would not be
Present to plead my cause for me,
To hell I'd rather run than I
Would see Thy face and He not by.

246. ANOTHER TO GOD.

Though Thou be'st all that active love
Which heats those ravished souls above;
And though all joys spring from the glance
Of Thy most winning countenance;
Yet sour and grim Thou'dst seem to me
If through my Christ I saw not Thee.

247. THE RESURRECTION.

That Christ did die, the pagan saith;
But that He rose, that's Christians' faith.

248. CO-HEIRS.

We are co-heirs with Christ; nor shall His own
Heirship be less by our adoption.
The number here of heirs shall from the state
Of His great birthright nothing derogate.

249. THE NUMBER OF TWO.

God hates the dual number, being known
The luckless number of division;
And when He bless'd each sev'ral day whereon
He did His curious operation,
'Tis never read there, as the fathers say,
God bless'd His work done on the second day;
Wherefore two prayers ought not to be said,
Or by ourselves, or from the pulpit read.

250. HARDENING OF HEARTS.

God's said our hearts to harden then,
Whenas His grace not supples men.

251. THE ROSE.

Before man's fall the rose was born,
St. Ambrose says, without the thorn;
But for man's fault then was the thorn
Without the fragrant rose-bud born;
But ne'er the rose without the thorn.

252. GOD'S TIME MUST END OUR TROUBLE.

God doth not promise here to man that He
Will free him quickly from his misery;
But in His own time, and when He thinks fit,
Then He will give a happy end to it.

253. BAPTISM.

The strength of baptism that's within,
It saves the soul by drowning sin.

254. GOLD AND FRANKINCENSE.

Gold serves for tribute to the king,
The frankincense for God's off'ring.

255. TO GOD.

God, who me gives a will for to repent,
Will add a power to keep me innocent;
That I shall ne'er that trespass recommit
When I have done true penance here for it.

256. THE CHEWING THE CUD.

When well we speak and nothing do that's good,
We not divide the hoof, but chew the cud;
But when good words by good works have their proof,
We then both chew the cud and cleave the hoof.

257. CHRIST'S TWOFOLD COMING.

Thy former coming was to cure