'Pow'r Supreme! O everlasting King! to thee I kneel,
To thee I lift my voice. With fervent heat Melt, all ye elements! And thou, high heav'n, Shrink like a shrivell'd scroll! But think, O Lord, Think on the best, the noblest of thy works; Think on thy own bright image! Think on Him Who died to save us from thy righteous wrath; And 'midst the wreck of worlds remember man!' Dr. Glynn.
ON THE LAST DAY, AND THE HAPPINESS OF THE SAINTS IN HEAVEN.
From the Latin of J. Gerhard.
In that bless'd day, from every part, the just, Rais'd from the liquid deep or mouldering dust, The various products of Time's fruitful womb, All of past ages, present and to come,
In full assembly shall at once resort,
And meet within high Heaven's capacious court. There famous names, rever'd in days of old, Our great forefathers there we shall behold, From whom old stocks and ancestry began, And worthily in long succession ran;
The reverend sires with pleasure shall we greet, Attentive hear, while faithful they repeat Full many a virtuous deed, and many a noble feat. There all those tender ties, which here below, Or kindred, or more sacred friendship know, Firm, constant, and unchangeable shall grow.
Refin❜d from passion, and the dregs of sense, A better, truer, dearer love from thence, Its everlasting being shall commence :
There, like their days, their joys shall ne'er be done,
Nonight shall rise, to shade Heaven's glorious sun, But one eternal holiday go on.
THE fleeting joys, which all affords below, Work the fond heart with unperforming show; The wish that makes our happier life complete, Nor grasps the wealth nor honours of the great; Nor loosely sails on pleasure's easy stream,
Nor gathers wreaths from all the groves of Fame; Weak man, whose charms to these alone confine, Attend my prayer, and learn to make it thine. From thy rich throne, where circling trains of light
Make day that's endless, infinitely bright; Thence, heavenly Father, thence with mercy dart One beam of brightness to my longing heart. Dawn through the mind, drive Error's clouds
And still the rage in Passion's troubled sea; That the poor banish'd soul, serene and free, May rise from Earth, to visit Heaven and thee. Come, Peace divine! shed gently from above: Inspire my willing bosom, wond'rous Love; Thy purpled pinions to my shoulders tye, And point the passage where I want to fly.
But whither, whither now! what powerful fire With this bless'd influence equals my desire ? I rise (or Love, the kind deluder, reigns And acts in fancy such enchanted scenes); Earth lessening flies, the parting skies retreat, The fleecy clouds my waving feathers beat ; And now the sun and now the stars are gone, Yet still methinks the spirit bears me on, Where tracts of ether purer blue display, And edge the golden realm of native day.
Oh strange enjoyment of a bliss unseen Oh ravishment! Oh, sacred rage within! Tumultuous pleasure, rais'd on peace of mind, Sincere, excessive, from the world refin'd! I see the light that veils the throne on high, A light unpierc'd by man's impurer eye; I hear the words that issuing thence proclaim, 'Let God's attendants praise his awful name!' Then heads unnumber'd bend before the shrine, Mysterious seat of Majesty divine!
And hands unnumber'd strike the silver string, And tongues unnumber'd Hallelujah sing. See where the shining seraphims appear, And sink their decent eyes with holy fear. See flights of angels all their feathers raise, And range the orbs, and as they range, they praise.
Behold the great apostles! sweetly met, And high on pearls of azure ether set. Behold the prophets, full of heavenly fire, With wand'ring finger wake the trembling lyre ; And hear the martyrs' tune, and all around The church triumphant makes the region sound.
With harps of gold, with boughs of ever-green, With robes of white, the pious throngs are seen; Exalted anthems all their hours employ, And all is music and excess of joy.
Charm'd with the sight, I long to bear a part; The pleasure flutters at my ravish'd heart. Sweet saints and angels of the heavenly choir, If love has warm'd you with celestial fire, Assist my words, and, as they move along, With Hallelujahs crown the burden'd song. Father of all above, and all below,
O great, and far beyond expression so :
No bounds thy knowledge, none thy power confine, For power and knowledge in their source are thine;
Around thee Glory spreads her golden wing: Sing, glittering angels, Hallelujah sing.
Son of the Father, first begotten Son, Ere the short measuring line of time begun, The world has seen thy works, and joy'd to see The bright effulgence manifest in thee.
The world must own thee Love's unfathom'd spring;
Sing, glittering angels, Hallelujah sing.
Proceeding Spirit, equally divine,
In whom the Godhead's full perfections shine, With various graces, comforts unexpress'd, With holy transports you refine the breast, And Earth is lonely where your gifts you bring, Sing glittering angels, Hallelujah sing. [heat,
But where's my rapture, where my wondrous What interruption makes my bliss retreat? This world's got in the thoughts of th' other's crost, And the gay picture's in my fancy lost.
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