7. Hadft thou not liv'd, O Holy one, I furely fhould have dy'd ; Each fin had been my death, and would Me and my God divide. 8. For ever therefore now I'll fing, As being fure to find My peace on earth, my peace in heav'n, According to my mind. To him, the Fountain of all good, I long methinks to cling. 17. The Lord is mine, and I am his; Myfelf I do deliver Into his hands, who of myself, And all I have, is Giver. 18. He firft did love, he first did blefs, 9. As fpringing Grafs, or herbs, I 19. Love took his Dwelling in my peep To fee that glorious Day, When God his mercy fhall reveal, Its riches fhall display: 10. When, like a Shadow or a mist, Théfe evil days fhall pafs, When Death fhall ceafe, and when I fhall Forget it ever was. 11. Then no Decay my bones, my loins No grief fhall e'er moleft, All fickness he fhall chafe away, That moft unwelcome guest. 12. When he commands, my bones fhall rife, My skin my flesh shall cover, My beauty fhall return again, As fresh as e'er was lover. 13. Then God, whom no heart can conceive, Immortal, only wife, 14. Of God himself I fhall partake, His Arms fhall then enfold me, His Mercy and compaffion From falling then shall hold me. 15. Within his Bofom that I were! To God that I were knit ! I ne'er would leave his loving Side, foul, And filled me throughout; And for my fafeguard, as a wall, It compafs'd me about. 20. As on the wax the Seal doth leave The figure that it bears, zz. This love I would not leave for Gold, For honey or for Wine : As thefe to Love divine? 23. Than Mother's love, or Nurfe's care, Than Wife's or Friend's embrace, Thy love, O God, within my foul Doth take a deeper place. 24. There let it firm poffeflion take, It fwelleth not, it is not proud, It helps, it hurteth not; It doth all good, it hates all ill, It cov'reth many a blot. 27. It carries Bleffing in its mouth, And hates all wicked deeds; It is a fpark of that bleft Flame From God himself proceeds. 28. Yea, I may say, 'tis God himself; 'Twas Love that first Man made; 'Twas Love that chose him; yea 'twas Love, That his great Ranfom paid. 29. When I my days have finished, And bid the World adieu, Then, O my God and Saviour, My foul shall reft with you! I. 426. HY, O my Brother, art You W thou fad, Why doft thou look fo wan? This World, I'm fure, can harbour nought, Should vex a Chriftian man. 2. Why! thou shouldst rather, with a look As chearful as bright day, With mirth and Pfalms extol that God, That wip'd thy fins away: 3: That others might, by feeing thee, Give over to be fad; That Truth, which from thy lips fhould flow, May make thy brother glad. 4. A man would think, that fees thy face So cover'd o'er with tears, Thy fad Condition ftill remain'd, Thy fin and doubtful fears: 5. That Vengeance ftill hung o'er thy head, That God was not appeas'd, That fill the law and death remain'd, Thy loaden back uneas'd: 6. That Chrift, on whom our hopes did lie, Did never Flesh assume, That he was never stretch'd on Cross, Or ever laid in tomb. 7. Look up, I fay, or tell me why Thou rather down shouldst look? O tell me why thou hang'st thy head, As if thou wert forfook? 8. "Alas! alas! dost thou not see, "How all the World does cross 15. Tho' worldly men, thro' igno- That Wine, which glads the heart rance, Thy humble State despise, It matters not tho' proud ones fwell, And fcornful Ishmael rise. 16. Contentment is not what the World And worldly men most pleases, But what a well-difpofed Soul In midst of sorrows eases. of man, And all his foes confounds. 2. Thy kind Redeemer in his blood Fills thee not wine alone, But gives his Flesh, to be thy food, Which thou may'st make thine own. 3. He's not mere food, but phyfic too, Whenever thou art fick; 17. Thy thoughts on heaven must be And in thy weaknefs ftrength, that fix'd, thou To run thy race ne'er flick. 429. N thee, my fure Foundation Of my falvation and thy praise 2 I'll roll myself on thee my Rock, fhall In thee my Center fall: To thee, as to mine Anchor, ty'd, My fhip fhall fafely ride. 1. 430. 7Hat a blefied change I find, Since I entertain'd this And feet were pierc'd, that thence WH might flow Guest! 3. All the of Righteoufnefs ways I did think were full of trouble; I complain'd of tedioufnefs, And each Duty seemed double: Whilft I ferv'd him but thro' fear, Ev'ry minute feem'd a Year. 4 Strictness in Religion feem'd Like a pin'd and pinion'd thing: Bolts and fetters I efteem'd More befeeming for a King, Than for me to bow my neck, And be at another's Beck. 5. But the cafe is alter'd now: He no fooner turns his Eye, But I quickly bend and bow, Ready at his Feet to lie : Love hath taught me to obey All his Precepts, and to fay, Not to-morrow, but to-day! 6. His commandments grievous are not, Longer than men think them fo: Tho' he fend me forth, I care not, Whilft he gives me Strength to go. Since he biddeth, I believe, What he calls for, he will give. + 431. Αλις ἐνθές φλυάρα, κτλ. Nough thou'ft fung of Earth! The happy mournful Stories, To be half feen by mortal eye. How fhall I grafp this boundless thing! What fhall I play? what fhall I fing? I'll fing the mighty Riddle of mytte rious love, Which neither wretched men below, nor bleffed fpirits above, With all their comments can ex Mixt with the murderers confufed noife, Sound from the Top of Calvary ; My greedy eyes fly up the Hill, and fee Who 'tis hangs there the midmost of the three; O how unlike the others He! And finful man does fondly bind The Arms, which he extends t'embrace all human Kind! Not Purple brought from the Sido- | If that be yet not crucify'd; nian fhore, But made at home with richer Gore? Look on his Hands, look on his Feet, look on his Side. Doft thou not fee the Rofes, which Open, Oh! open wide the fountains adorn The thorny garland by him worn? If yet thou feeleft not the smart of thine eyes-- Canft thou deny him this, when He Has open'd all his vital Springs for thee? [Mafters] |