A Preparatory THOUGHT for the LORD'S SUPPER. In Imitation of ISAIAH lxiii. 1, 2, 3. WH HAT heavenly Man, or lovely God, The Lord! the Saviour! yes, 'tis he; 'Twas his own love that made him bleed, Then let us tafte the Saviour's love; CON I CONVERSE with CHRIST. M tir'd with vifits, modes, and forms, Their vain amours, and empty stuff: But I can ne'er enjoy enough Of thy beft company, my Lord, thou life of all my joys. When he begins to tell his love, Through every vein my paffions move, In midnight fhades, on frofty ground, I could attend the pleasing sound, [long. Nor should I feel December cold, nor think the darkness There, while I hear my Saviour-God Count o'er the fins (a heavy load) He bore upon the tree, Inward I blufh with fecret shame, And weep, and love, and bless the name [for me. That knew not guilt nor grief his own, but bare it all Next he defcribes the thorns he wore, And talks his bloody paffion o'er, Till I am drown'd in tears: Yet with the finypathetic fmart There's a ftrange joy beats round my heart; The curfed tree has bleffings in 't, my sweetest balm it bears. I hear the glorious fufferer tell, How on his cross he vanquish'd hell, And all the powers beneath : Transported and infpir'd, my tongue Attempts his triumphs in a fong; [death!" "How has the ferpent loft his fting Jand where 's thy victory, But when he fhews his hands and heart, With those dear prints of dying smart, He fets my foul on fire : Not the beloved John could reft With more delight upon that breast, [defire. Nor Thomas pry into those wounds with more intense Kindly he opens me his ear, And bids me pour my forrow there, And tell him all my pains: Thus while I ease my burden'd heart, In every woe he bears a part, [fuftains. His arms embrace me, and his hand my drooping head Fly from my thoughts, all human things, And fporting fwains, and fighting kings, My foul difdains that little fnare The tangles of Amira's hair; [remove. Thine arms, my God, are sweeter bands, nor can my heart GRACE fhining, and NATURE fainting. Sol. Song . 3. & ii. 5. & vi. 5. i. LL me, faireft of thy kind, TLL Tell me Shepherd, all divine, Say, thou dear Sovereign of my breast, Ne'er had I known his deareft name, Ne'er had I felt this inward flame, Had not his heart-strings first began the tender found : Nor can I bear the thought, that He Should leave the sky, Should bleed and die, Should love a wretch fo vile as me Without returns of paffion for his dying wound. His eyes are glory mix'd with grace; That with a frown he kills; And feel his warmer fmiles. Where fhall I reft this drooping head? I love, I love the fun, and yet I want the shade.. T'endure the extafy; Beneath these rays I cannot live,, And yet without them die. None knows the pleafure and the pain That all my inward powers fuftain But fuch as feel a Saviour's love, and love the God again.. Oh, why fhould beauty heavenly bright Stoop to charm a mortal's fight, And torture with the sweet excess of light? Turn, turn away thine eyes, Afcend the azure hills, and fhine Amongst the happy tenants of the skies, They can sustain a vision fo divine. |