Retire, my soul, within thyself retire, May mount and spread above, surveying all below. The Lord grows lavish of his heavenly light, And pours whole floods on such a mind as this: Fled from the eyes, she gains a piercing sight, She dives into the infinite, And sees unutterable things in that unknown abyss. TRUE WISDOM. PRONOUNCE him blest, my muse, whom wisdom guides In her own path to her own heavenly seat; Through all the storms his soul securely glides, Nor can the tempests, nor the tides, That rise and roar around, supplant his steady feet. Earth, you may let your golden arrows fly, And seek, in vain, a passage to his breast; Spread all your painted toys to court his eye, He smiles, and sees them vainly try To lure his soul aside from her eternal rest. Our headstrong lusts, like a young fiery horse, Checks their career, and turns and guides And bids his reason bridle their licentious force. Lord of himself, he rules his wildest thoughts, And boldly acts what calmly he design'd, Whilst he looks down and pities human faults; Nor can he think, nor can he find, A plague like reigning passions, and a subject mind. But oh! 'tis mighty til to reach this height, To vanquish self is a laborious art; What manly courage to sustain the fight, To bear the noble pain, and part With those dear charming templers rooted in the heart! "Tis hard to stand when all the passions move, Hard to awake the eye that passion blinds, To rend and tear out this unhappy love That clings so close about our minds, And where the enchanted soul so sweet a poison finds. Hard, but it may be done. Come, heavenly fire, Melt off my lusts, my fetters: I can bear A while to be a tenant here, But not be chain'd and prison'd in a cage of clay Heaven is my home, and I must use my wings And all their little glittering things; I have a soul was made for infinite desires. Loos'd from the earth, my heart is upward flown; Farewell, my friends, and all that once was mine; Now, should you fix my feet on Cæsar's throne, Crown me, and call the world my own, The gold that binds my brows could ne'er my soul confine. I am the Lord's, and Jesus is my love; And nearer to my Saviour move; There all my soul shall centre, all my powers conspire. Thus I with angels live; thus, half-divine, I sit on high, nor mind inferior joys; Fill'd with his love, I feel that God is mine, His glory is my great design, That everlasting project all my thoughts employs. A SONG TO CREATING WISDOM. PART I. ETERNAL Wisdom, thee we praise, Thee the creation sings; With thy loud name, rocks, hills, and seas, And heaven's high palace rings. Place me on the bright wings of day With what amaze shall I survey The wonders thou hast done! Thy hand how wide it spread the sky! Ting'd with a blue of heavenly dye, There thou hast bid the globes of light There the pale planet rules the night, PART II. DOWNWARD I turn my wondering eyes Thy numerous glories show. The noisy winds stand ready there With sounding wings they sweep the air, There, like a trumpet, loud and strong, Thy thunder shakes our coast, While the red lightnings wave along, The banners of thine host. On the thin air, without a prop, PART III. Now to the earth I bend my song, Blest isles, confess your God. |