LYRIC P Lengths of distance far behind : Virtue lags with heavy wheel: Faith has wings, but cannot rise, Cannot rise, Swift and high As the winged numbers fly, And faint devotion panting lies Half way th' ethereal hill. 4 0 why is piety so weak, And yet the muse so strong! When shall these hateful fetters break That have confin'd me long ? Inward a glowing heat I feel, A spark of heav'uty day; But earthly vapours damp my zeal, And heavy flesh drags me the down- . ward way. Faint are the efforts of my will, And mortal passion charms my soul astray, Shine, thousweethour of dear release, Shine from the sky, And call me high To mingle with the choirs of gloryand of bliss. Devotion there begins the flight, Awakesthe song, and guides the way There love and zeal divine and bright Trace out new regions in the world of light, And scarce the boldest muse can fol- low or obey. S I'm in a dream, and fancyreigns, She spreads her gay delusive scenes; Or is the vision true ? Behold religion on her throne, In awful state descending down, And 'her dominions vast and bright, within my spacious view, She smiles, and with a courteous hand She beckons me away; I feel mine airy powers loose from the cumbrous clay, And with a joyful haste obey Religion's high command. What lengths and heights and depths unknown! Broad fieldswith blooming glory sown, And seas, and skies, and stars her own, In an unmeasur'd sphere.! What heavens of joy, and light serene, Which nor the rolling sun has seen, Where nor the roving muse has been That greater traveller.! fi A long farewell to all below, Farewel to all that sense can show, To golden scenes, and How'ry fields, To all the worlds that fancy builds, And all that poets know. Now the swift transports of the mind Leave the fluttering muse behind, Athousand loose. Pindaric plumes fly scatt'ring down the wind. Amongst the clouds I lose my breath, The rapture grows too strong: The feeblepow'rs that nature gave Paint and drop downward to the grave; OEMS. 268 Receive their fall, thou treasurer of death; I will no more demand my tongue, Till the cross organ well refln'd Can trace the boundless flights of an unfetter'd mind, And raise an equal song. The following Poems of this Book, are peculiarly dedicated to divine love.* The Hazard of loving the Creature. I WHERE'ER my flattering passions rove I find a lurking snare; 'Tis- dang'rous to let loose our love Beneath th' eternal fair. 2 Souls whom the tie of friendshipbinds, And partners pf our blood, Seize a large portion of our minds, And leave the less for God. 3 Nature bas soft but pow'rfulbands, And reason she controls; While children with their little hands Hang closest to our souls. 4 Thoughtless they act th' old serpent's part What tempting things they be ! Lord, how. they twine about our heart, And draw it off from thee. 5 Our hasty wills rush blindly on Where rising passion rolls, And thus we make our fetters strong To bind our slavish souls. Dear Sov'reign, break thesefetters off And let our spirits free ; God in himself is bliss enough, For we have all thee. Desiring to love Christ. 1 COME, let me love: or iS thymind Harden'dto stone, or froze to ice; I see the blessed Fair One bend And stoop t' embrace me froni the skies. 2 O ! '.isa thought would melt a rock, And make a heart of iron move, That those sweet lips, that heav'nly. look, Should seek and wish a mortal love ! 3 'I was a traitor doom'd to die, Bound to sustain eternal pains; He flew on wings of strong desire, Assum'd myguilt, andtook my chains. 4 Infinite grace ! Almighty charms ! Stand in amaze, ye whirling skies, * Different ages have their different airs and fashions of writing. It was much more the fashion of the age, whenthese poems were written, to treat of divine subjects in the style of Solomon's song than it is-at this day, which will afford some apology for the writer, in his younger years.
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