Dear Sovereign, break these fetters off, And set our spirits free; God in himself is bliss enough, For we have all in thee. DESIRING TO LOVE CHRIST. COME, let me love: or is my mind And stoop to' embrace me from the skies! O! 'tis a thought would melt a rock, I was a traitor doom'd to fire, Bound to sustain eternal pains; Infinite Grace! Almighty Charms! Did pity ever stoop so low, In groans of an expiring God? Again he lives, and spreads his hands, Sure I must love; or are my ears Still deaf, nor will my passions move? Then let me melt this heart to tears; This heart shall yield to death or love. THE HEART GIVEN AWAY. If there are passions in my soul, If love, that pleasing power, can rest Let the gay world, with treacherous art, I have convey'd away my heart, I feel my warmest passions dead This soul of mine was never made Now I can fix my thoughts above, So Gabriel at his King's command, Flies downward to our worthless land, He glides along by mortal things, MEDITATION IN A GROVE SWEET Muse, descend and bless the shade, But hence, ye wanton young and fair, Mine is a purer flame; No Phillis shall infect the air With her unhallow'd name. Jesus has all my powers possess'd, Some of the fairest choirs above Shall flock around my song, With joy to hear the name they love His charms shall make my numbers flow, While silence sits on every bough, I'll carve our passion on the bark, Shall drop and bear some mystic mark That Jesus died for me. The swains shall wonder when they read, That Heaven itself came down, and bled To win a mortal's love. THE FAIREST AND THE ONLY BELOVED. HONOUR to that diviner ray That first allur'd my eyes away From every mortal fair; All the gay things that held my sight Die at the morning-star. Whatever speaks the Godhead great, Whatever makes the creature sweet, A thousand graces ever rise A thousand arrows from his eyes Shoot through my heart with dear surprise, All nature's art shall never cure In vain the envious shades of night, Would veil his image from my sight, Or tempt my soul away; Jesus is all my waking theme, His lovely form meets every dream, And knows not to depart : The passion reigns Through all my veins, And floating round the crimson stream, Still finds him at my heart. |