Retirement

O Whither is my Love withdrawn! and where Shall I direct my Steps to find him near, And fear no prying Eyes, nor list'ning Ear?

Ah! whither shall I now repair to find A Solitary Place to ease my Mind, To him that can my Foes in Fetters bind?

Ah, Lord! withhold not those resplendent Beams, Nor stop the Current of those Cristal Streams, Which would both heal my Wounds, and cleanse my Stains,

Spring! Spring! O Fountain of Felicity! And let sweet Shiloh's Stream flow forth, that I May drink, and be refresh'd; or else I die.

Appear, thou great High Priest of Israel! Who in that vast Eternity doth dwell, Whose perfect Beauty, Tongue can never tell.

O can my Soul but much affected be With those enam'ring Rays that dart from thee, Great Spring of Light! O teach me fervently

To wait for thee! whose Love is still inclin'd To favour Israel's Seed, whose Heart and Mind Is unto thee unfeignedly resign'd.

Tho' Mortals cannot see thy Face, and live; Yet to thy Royal Seed thou'rt pleas'd to give This Princely Favour, this Prerogative.

Lord, cast thine Eye upon a Worm, whose State Is even like a Widow desolate! Remove, consume, all that would separate,

Or interpose betwixt my Love and me: O rend the Vail throughout, that I may see My Soul's chief Darling! Ah, thou, thou art He,

That stands behind the Wall, & there dost wait To shew thy self, when thine do supplicate To see thee near; then dost thou satiate

The pure in Heart: Altho' thou please to try Their Zeal, their Fervour, their Sincerity To thee; whose Presence Lord, is always nigh.