Meditations

O Love! Thou Substance of the Royal Law Let thy sweet Influencing Power draw Our troubled Hearts, in true Humility, To wait on thee with holy fervency: For thou our Souls hast often visited, That we might, by thy render hand, be led From Darkness unto Light; from Enmity, Strife and Contention, unto Unity, In Undefiled, in Unfeigned Love; Which, tho' it may in Gentleness reprove, Or otherwise instruct, it covers all Faults and Offences; yea, if any fall Through Weakness, it bears up with ready Hand And lends a Shoulder, till such learn to stand, And walk more strongly: For it joys to see Brethren to dwell in perfect Unity, Only Contending who may most be found In Low liness, that Love may more abound. But, ah, 'tis Hatred, Wrath, Revenge and Strife Discovers Faults, strikes at the very Life; Provoking oft one seeming Friend or Brother To bite, despise, if not devour another, For empty Trifles; so that Vanity Becomes Vexatious, and Perplexity Of Spirit: For, as well observ'd by one, All things are Vanity below the Sun; The Sun of Righteousness, which when it shines With its Resplendent Conqu'ring Ray, refines The drossy Nature; rightly purifies The Heart, consuming all Impurities; Whereby, at last, the Enmity is slain, And Love exalted over all to Reign. Great Prince of Peace! Instruct our Souls to wait To be Establish'd in this happy State; Where Joys abound, and Enmity does cease, And Charity withal doth still increase; That, with my dear Redeemed Ones, we may Walk Hand in Hand in Sion's blessed Way; Where no Iniquity can e'er be found, Nor Love wax cold, but more and more abound Yea, Love that thinks no Evil, but doth seek The Good of all, and teacheth to be meek; Not easily provoked, but in Peace With all: Here Happiness shall still increase. Then may our chearful Souls triumph, & sing Pure, holy living Praise to Salem's King.