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God is essential love,

And all the saints above,
Are like unto him made,

Each in his measure:
Love is their life and trade,
Their constant pleasure.

Love flames in every breast,
The greatest and the least;
Strangers to this sweet life,
There are not any.

Love leaves no place for strife;
Makes one of many.

Each is to other dear,
No malice enters there;
No siding difference;
No hurt, no evil;
Because no ignorance,
No sin, no devil.

What joy must there needs be, Where all God's glory see; Feeling God's vital love,

Which still is burning:

And flaming God-ward move,
Full love returning.

Self makes contention here,

Love makes all common there,

There's no propriety,

Mine is my brother's.

Perfect community

Makes one's another's.

Go out then, lingʼring soul,
From this vile serpent's hole;
Where bred as in a sink,

They hiss and sting us.

Will not Christ, dost thou think,
To better bring us?

Think not that Heav'n wants store,
Think not that Hell hath more,
If all on Earth were lost:
Earth's scarce one tittle

To the vast Heavens: at most,
Exceeding little.

All those blest myriads be,
Lovers of Christ and thee;
Angels thy presence wish,
Christ will receive thee:
Then let not brutish flesh,
Fright and deceive thee.

Gladly my soul go forth;
Is Heaven of no more worth,
Than this curst desert is,

This world of trouble?

Prefer eternal bliss,

Before this bubble.

Wish not still for delay.
Why wouldst thou longer stay
From Christ, from hope so far,
In self-denial;

And live in longer war,

A life of trial?

Souls live when flesh lies dead:

Thy sin is pardoned,

When Christ doth death disarm,

Why art thou fearful?

And souls that fear no harm,
Should pass forth cheerful.

Cherish not causeless doubt,
That God will shut thee out:
What if he thee assur'd

From Heav'n by letter?

His Son, his Spirit, and Word, Have done it better.

Hath mercy made life sweet?
And is it kind and meet,
Thus to draw back from God,
Who doth protect thee?
Look then for his sharp rod,
Next to correct thee.

What if foes should make haste?

Thou wilt the sooner taste

What all blest souls enjoy,

With Christ for ever; Where those that thee annoy, Shall hurt thee never.

Fear not the world of light,
Though out of mortal's sight,
As if it doubtful were,

For want of seeing.
Gross bodies vilest are,
And the least being.

Vain, sinful world, farewell!
I go where angels dwell;

Where life, light, love, and joy,
Are the saint's glory.

God's praises there employ
The consistory.

Christ, who knows all his sheep,

Will all in safety keep;

He will not lose his blood,
Nor intercession:
Nor we the purchased good
Of his dear passion.

I know my God is just,
To him I wholly trust;
All that I have, and am,
All that I hope for.

All's sure and seen to him,
Which I here grope for.

Lord Jesus, take my spirit:
I trust thy love and merit:
Take home this wand'ring sheep,
For thou hast sought it:
This soul in safety keep,

For thou hast bought it. Amen.

HYMN TO PROVIDENCE.

[ADDISON.]

How are thy servants blest, O Lord!
How sure is their defence!

Eternal wisdom is their guide,
Their help, Omnipotence.

In foreign realms, and lands remote,
Supported by thy care,

Through burning climes I pass'd unhurt,
And breathed in tainted air.

Thy mercy sweeten'd every soil,
Made every region please;
The hoary Alpine hills it warm'd,
And smooth'd the Tyrrhene seas.

Think, O my soul, devoutly think
How, with affrighted eyes,
Thou saw'st the wide extended deep
In all its horrors rise.

Confusion dwelt in every face,

And fear in every heart;

When waves on waves, and gulfs on gulfs,
O'ercame the pilot's art.

Yet then, from all my griefs, O Lord,
Thy mercy set me free,
Whilst, in the confidence of prayer,
My soul took hold on thee.

Yet though in dreadful whirls we hung
High on the broken wave,

I knew thou wert not slow to hear,
Nor impotent to save.

The storm was laid, the winds retir'd,
Obedient to thy will;

The sea, that roar'd at thy command,
At thy command was still.

In midst of dangers, fears, and death,
Thy goodness I'll adore;

And praise thee for thy mercies past,

And humbly hope for more.

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