The Law and the Gospel

Lectionary Reading: Jeremiah 31:31-34 CLASSIC POEM: The Law, and the Gospel Henry Vaughan Lord, when thou didst on Sinai pitch And shine from Paran, when a firie Law Pronounc’d with thunder, and thy threats did thaw Thy Peoples hearts, when all thy weeds were rich And Inaccessible for light; Terrour, and might, How did poor flesh (which after thou didst weare,) Then faint, and fear! Thy Chosen flock, like leafs in a high wind, Whisper’d obedience, and their heads Inclin’d. But now since we to Sion came, And through thy bloud thy glory see, With filial Confidence we touch ev’n thee; And where the other mount all clad in flame, And threatning Clouds would not so much As ‘bide the touch, We Climb up this, and have too all the way Thy hand our stay, Nay, thou tak’st ours, and (which ful Comfort brings) Thy Dove too bears us on her sacred wings. Yet since man is a very brute And after all thy Acts of grace doth kick, Slighting that health thou gav’st, when he was sick, Be not displeas’d, If I, who have a sute To thee each houre, beg at thy door For this one more; O plant in me thy Gospel , and thy Law , Both Faith , and Awe ; So twist them in my heart, that ever there I may as wel as Love , find too thy fear ! Let me not spil, but drink thy bloud, Not break thy fence, and by a black Excess Force down a Just Curse, when thy hands would bless; Let me not scatter, and despise my food, Or nail those blessed limbs again Which bore my pain; So Shall thy mercies flow; for while I fear, I know, thou’lt bear, But should thy mild Injunction nothing move me, I would both think, and Judge I did not love thee. *** This poem is in the public domain, and may be read in a live-streamed worship service. CONTEMPORARY POEM: Parable of Faith Louise Glück Snippet: … Do you know what forgiveness means? It means the world has sinned, the world must be pardoned— [ READ THE FULL POEM ]