Ecstacy

The fleeting joys, which all affords below, Work the fond heart with unavailing show. The wish that makes our happier life compleat, Nor grasps the wealth, nor honours of the great, Nor loosely sails on Pleasure's easy stream, Nor gathers wreaths from all the groves of Fame. Weak man! who charms to these alone confine, Attend my pray'r, and learn to make it thine.

"From thy rich throne, where circling trains of Make day that's endless infinitely bright, Thence, Heavenly Father! thence with mercy dart One beam of brightness to my longing heart, Dawn through the mind, drive Error's clouds away, And still the rage in Passion's troubled sea; That the poor banish'd soul, serene and free, May rise from earth to visit heav'n and thee. Come Peace Divine, shed gently from above, Inspire my willing bosom, wond'rous Love! Thy purpl'd pinions to my shoulders tye, And point the passage where I want to fly.

But whither, whither now! what pow'rful fire With this bless'd influence equals my desire? I rise, or Love the kind deluder reigns, And acts in fancy such inchanted scenes, Earth less'ning flies, the parting skies retreat, The fleecy clouds my waving feathers beat; And now the sun and now the stars are gone; Yet still methinks the spirit bears me on, Where tracts of aether purer blue display, And edge the golden realm of native day.

O strange enjoyment of a bliss unseen! O ravishment! O sacred rage within! Tumultuous pleasure, rais'd on peace of mind, Sincere, excessive, from the world refin'd! I see the light that veils the throne on high, A light unpierc'd by man's impurer eye; I hear the words that issuing thence proclaim, "Let God's attendants praise his awful name;" Then heads unnumber'd bend before the shrine, Mysterious seat of Majesty Divine! And hands unnumber'd strike the silver string, And tongues unnumber'd Hallelujah sing. See, where the shining seraphim appear, And sink their decent eyes with holy fear; See flights of angels all their feathers raise, And range the orbs, and as they range they praise; Behold the great Apostles joyful met, And high on pearls of azure aether set; Behold the Prophets full of heav'nly fire With wand'ring fingers wake the trembling lyre; And hear the Martyrs tune; and all around The church triumphant makes the region sound; With harps of gold, with boughs of ever-green, With robes of white, the pious throngs are seen; Exalted anthems all their hours employ, And all is music, and excess of joy.

Charm'd with the sight I long to bear a part, The pleasure flutters at my ravish'd heart. Sweet saints and angels of the heav'nly quire! If Love has warm'd me with celestial fire, Assist my words, and as they move along, With Hallelujah crown the burthen'd song.

Father of all above and all below! O great beyond expression!— No bounds thy knowledge, none thy pow'r confine, For pow'r and knowledge in their source are thine: Around thee glory spreads her golden wing. Sing, glitt'ring angels, Hallelujah sing.

Son of the Father! first begotten Son, Ere the short meas'ring line of time begun! The world has seen thy works, and joy'd to see His bright effulgence manifest in thee. The world must own thee Love's unfathom'd spring. Sing, glitt'ring angels, Hallelujah sing.

Proceeding Spirit! equally divine, In whom the Godhead's full perfections shine; With various graces, comforts unexprest, With holy transports you refine the breast, And earth is heav'nly where your gifts you bring. Sing, glitt'ring angels, Hallelujah sing.

But where's my rapture? where my wond'rous heat? What interruption makes my bliss retreat? This world's got in, the thought of t'other's crost, And the gay picture's in my fancy lost. With what an eager zeal the conscious soul Would claim its seat, and soaring pass the pole? But our attempts these chains of earth restrain, Deride our toil, and drag us down again. So from the ground aspiring meteors go, And rank'd with planets, light the would below; But their own bodies sink them in the sky, When the warmth's gone that taught them how to fly.