A Cyclopædia of Sacred Poetical Quotations / Consisting of Choice Passages from the Sacred Poetry of All Ages and Countries, Classified and Arranged, for Facility of Reference, Under Subject Headings; Illustrated by Striking Passages from Scripture, and Forming Altogether a Complete Book of Devotional Poetry.

by Unknown

SUFFERING.

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.—Romans, viii. 18.

Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh.

If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed.—I. Peter, iv. 1, 16.

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered awhile, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.—I. Peter, v. 10.

Christ suffers, and in this his tears begin;

Suffers for us, and joy on us bestows:

Suffers to death,—here is his manhood seen;

Suffers to rise,—and hence his Godhead shows;

For man that could not by himself have rose

Out of the grave doth by the Godhead rise;

And God that could not die, in manhood dies,

That we in both might live, by that sweet sacrifice.

Giles Fletcher.

They who have rarest joy, know joy’s true measure;

They who most suffer, value suffering’s pause;

They who but seldom taste the simplest pleasure,

Kneel oftenest to the Giver and the Cause.

Mrs. Norton.

O ye, whose hearts in secret bleed

O’er transient hope, like morning dew,

O’er friendship faithless in your need,

Or love to all its vows untrue,

Who shrink from persecution’s rod,

Or slander’s fang, or treachery’s tone,

Look meekly to the Son of God,

And in His griefs forget your own.

Forsaken are ye?—so was He;

Reviled?—yet check the ’vengeful word;

Rejected?—should the servant be

Exalted o’er his suffering Lord?

Nor deem that Heaven’s omniscient eye

Is e’er regardless of your lot,—

Deluded man from God may fly,

But when was man by God forgot?

Mrs. Sigourney.