If with bold attempt the fings Tottering thrones and nations flain; While thunders roar From fhore to fhore, My foul fits faft upon her wings, And fweeps the crimson surge, or fcours the purple plain; Still I attend her as he flies, Round the broad globe, and all beneath the skies. But when from the meridian star The Muse afcends her heavenly carr, And climbs the steepy path and means the throne divine. Clogg'd with clay, and unrefin'd, O why is piety fo weak, And yet the Mufe fo ftrong? When fhall thefe hateful fetters break That have confin'd me long? Inward a glowing heat I feel, A fpark of heavenly day; But earthly vapours damp my zeal, And heavy flesh drags me the downward way. And mortal paffion charms my soul aftray. And call me high To mingle with the choirs of glory and of bliss. Awakes the fong, and guides the way; Trace out new regions in the world of light, I'm in a dream, and Fancy reigns, Or is the vifion true? Behold Religion on her throne, In awful ftate defcending down. [view. And her dominions vast and bright within my spacious She fmiles, and with a courteous hand She beckons me away; I feel mine airy powers loofe from the cumbrous clay, And with a joyful haste obey Religion's high command. What lengths and heights and depths unknown! And feas, and skies, and stars her own, What heavens of joy, and light ferene, Where nor the roving Mufe has been A long farewell to all below, Now the fwift tranfports of the mind Leave the fluttering Muse behind, [wind. A thousand loose Pindaric plumes fly scattering down the The rapture grows too ftrong: I will no more demand my tongue, Till the grofs organ well refin'd Can trace the boundless flights of an unfetter'd mind, And raife an equal fong. The The following Poems of this Book are peculiarly dedicated to Divine Love*. The Hazard of loving the Creatures. WHERE-EER my flattering passions rove, I find a lurking fnare; 'Tis dangerous to let loose our love Beneath th' Eternal Fair. Souls whom the tie of friendship binds, Seize a large portion of our minds, And leave the lefs for God. Nature has foft but powerful bands, And reafon the controls; While children with their little hands 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! Our hafty wills rush blindly on And thus we make our fetters ftrong To bind our flavifh fouls. *Different ages have their different airs and fafhions of writing. It was much more the fashion of the age, when thefe poems were written, to treat of divine fubjects in the style of Solomon's Song than it is at this day, which will afford fome apology for the writer, in his younger years. K 2 Dear Dear Sovereign, break these fetters off, God in himself is blifs enough, CO Defiring to love CHRIST. OME, let me love: or is thy mind I fee the bleffed Fair-one bend And stoop t' embrace me from the skies! O! 'tis a thought would melt a rock, I was a traitor doom'd to fire, Infinite grace! Almighty charms ! Did pity ever ftoop so low, |