Sequence 98. Of the Holy Apostles

BE the narrow heart dilated,
That the fame be celebrated
Of the Apostles, one and all ;
Join, glad heart and tongue ! in chanting.

For, if heart to praise be wanting,
Then the fruit of praise is small.

Peter claims first place in praises,
Whom his post of primate places
Over all the sacred band :
Christ commits the keys of heaven
Unto Peter, having given
Chief charge to his faithful hand.

Paul, the trump of truth, persuadeth
To a worship love pervadeth.

And doth idol-creeds suppress :
When, — his good fight fought, — he goeth
Hence, his champion Christ endoweth
With a crown of righteousness.

Prompt, his cross-tree Andrew raises ;
Prompt, upon it death he faces,
Following Christ's lead joyfully :
When his life the crowd bespeaketh,
And his cross geas seeketh,
Andrew spurns the remedy.

John, who, eagle-like, ascendeth
Higher than Nature's course extendeth,
Sees God's Word as clear as day :
Death he scarcely felt, if ever.

Who would let his body never,
Though decayable, decay.

One in name, one faith avowing,
Nigh one death too undergoing,
Both the Jameses thou may'st ken :
With the sword one's head is severed.

With a club the other's shivered,
By his godless countrymen.

Thomas, who first doubts and feareth,
Seeing, touching, soon declareth
Lovingly, *' my Lord ! my God ! "
India he for Christ acquireth,
Neath whose king's hands he expireth, —
Not a king, — a man of blood ! —
Through Scythia's coasts doth Philip pass,
And purgeth thence the filthiness
Of its want of faith of old :
Its barbarous ways all silent be ;
Falls from its place Mars' effigy,
Whilst high rank the Cross doth hold.

India, in distance most remote,
The nearest unto God is brought,
When its faith is duly weighed :
Bartholomew faith ratifies
'Mongst heathen tribes by prodigies,
And his life in ransom paid.

The publican, who lucre spurned,
And from the receipt of custom turned.

Receives the grace of God the Word :
With bread of life beforehand braced,
A victim by the altar placed,
He gladly dies for Christ his Lord.

Jude publishes through Persia's coasts
The true faith to its heathen hosts.

When Simon answered his appeal :
The seeds of doctrine there they sow ;
There too the heathen gods o'erthrow,
And those possessed by devils heal.

God, Who by hazard doeth nought,
But rules the issue of the lot,
Elects Matthias to his post :
While Barnabas a blest name shares,
Whose colleague, Paul, salvation's heirs
CoUecteth through the Holy Ghost.

" Citizens " well named *' of heaven,"
" Friends of Christ," and " brethren " even,
Who shall sit to judge all men !

When wrath's fury doth confound us.
Grant we ne'er may feel around us
Flames, the punishment of sin ! Amen.