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Henry Vaughan - The Dedication
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To my most merciful, my most loving, and dearly 
      loved REDEEMER, the ever blessed,  the only 
      HOLY and JUST ONE, 
JESUS CHRIST,

      The Son of the living GOD, and the sacred 
        Virgin Mary.
    I.
MY God !  Thou that didst die for me, 
These Thy death`s fruits I offer Thee ; 
Death that to me was life and light, 
But dark and deep pangs to Thy sight. 
Some drops of Thy all-quick`ning blood 
Fell on my heart ; those made it bud, 
And put forth thus, though, Lord, before 
The ground was curs`d, and void of store. 
Indeed I had some here to hire 
Which long resisted Thy desire, 
That ston`d Thy servants, and did move 
To have Thee murder`d for Thy love ; 
But, Lord, I have expell`d them, and so bent, 
Beg Thou wouldst take Thy tenant`s rent. 

II.
Dear Lord, `tis finished !  and now he 
That copied it, presents it Thee. 
`Twas thine first, and to Thee returns, 
From Thee it shin`d, though here it burns. 
If the Sun rise on rocks, is`t right 
To call it their inherent light ? 
No, nor can I say, this is mine, 
For, dearest Jesus, `tis all Thine ; 
As Thy clothes, when Thou with clothes wert clad, 
Both light from Thee, and virtue had ; 
And now,as then, within this place 
Thou to poor rags dost still give grace. 
This is the earnest Thy love sheds, 
The candle shining on some heads, 
Till at Thy charges they shall be 
Cloth`d all with immortality.  

III.
My dear Redeemer, the world`s light, 
And life too, and my heart`s delight ! 
For all Thy mercies and Thy truth, 
Show`d to me in my sinful youth, 
For my sad failings and my wild 
Murmurings at Thee, when most mild ; 
For all my secret faults, and each 
Frequent relapse and wilful breach, 
For all designs meant against Thee 
And ev`ry publish`d vanity, 
Which Thou divinely hast forgiven, 
While Thy blood wash`d me white as heaven ; 
I nothing have to give to Thee, 
But this Thy own gift, given to me. 
Refuse it not ;  for now Thy token 
Can tell Thee where a heart is broken.

 

REVEL. CAP. I. VER. 5, 6, 7.


    Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our  
sins in His own blood. 
    And hath made us kings and priests unto God and  
His Father ;  to Him be glory and dominion, for ever  
and ever.   Amen. 
    Behold He cometh with clouds, and every eye shall  
see Him, and they also which pierced Him ;  and all  
kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him : even  
so,  Amen.
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