Friday, July 24, 2009

The power of the word

“Come, O Thou that hast the seven stars in Thy right hand,

appoint Thy chosen priests according to their order and courses of

old, to minister before Thee, and duly to dress and pour out the

consecrated oil into Thy holy and ever-burning lamps. Thou hast

sent out the spirit of prayer upon Thy servants over all the earth to

this effect, and stored up their voices as the sound of many waters

about Thy throne. . . . O perfect and accomplish Thy glorious

acts; for men may leave their works unfinished, but Thou art a

God ; Thy nature is perfection…..The times and seasons pass

along under Thy feet, to go and come at Thy bidding; and as

Thou didst dignify our fathers’ days with many revelations, above

all their foregoing ages since Thou tookest the flesh, so Thou canst

vouchsafe to us, though unworthy, as large a portion of Thy Spirit

as Thou pleasest; for who shall prejudice Thy all-governing will?

Seeing the power of Thy grace is not passed away with the primitive

times, as fond and faithless men imagine, but Thy Kingdom is now

at hand, and Thou art standing at the door, come forth out of Thy

royal chambers, O Prince of all the kings of the earth ; put on

the visible robes of Thy imperial majesty, take up that unlimited sceptre

which Thy Almighty Father hath bequeathed Thee; for now the

voice of Thy bride calls Thee, and all creatures sigh to be renewed.”

Milton

No comments:

Post a Comment