Mutual LOVE ftronger than DEATH.

OT the rich world of minds above

NOT

Can pay the mighty debt of love

I owe to Chrift my God:

With pangs which none but he could feel
He brought my guilty foul from hell:
Not the first feraph's tongue can tell
The value of his blood.

Kindly he feiz'd me in his arms,

From the falfe world's pernicious charms

With force divinely fweet.

Had I ten thoufand lives my own,

But, Saviour, let me taste thy grace

With every fleeting breath?

And through that heaven of pleasure pass

To the cold arms of death;

Then I could lofe fucceffive fouls

Faft as the minutes fly;

So billow after billow rolls
To kifs the fhore, and die.

The

The substance of the following Copy, and many of the lines, were fent me by an esteemed friend, Mr. W. Nokes, with a defire that I would form them into a Pindaric Ode; but I retained his meafures, left I should too much alter his fenfe.

A Sight of CHRIST.

ANGELS of light, your God and King furround,
With noble fongs; in his exalted flesh
He claims your worship; while his faints on earth,
Blefs their Redeemer-God with humble tongues.
Angels with lofty honours crown his head;
We bowing at his feet, by faith, may feel
His diftant influence, and confefs his love.

Once I beheld his face, when beams divine
Broke from his eye-lids, and unufual light
Wrapt me at once in glory and furprize.
My joyful heart high leaping in my breast
With tranfport cry'd, This is the Chrift of God;
Then threw my arms around in sweet embrace,
And clafp'd, and bow'd adoring low, till I was loft in him.

While he appears, no other charms can hold Or draw my foul, afham'd of former things, Which no remembrance now deferve or name, Though with contempt; best in oblivion hid.

But

But the bright fhine and presence foon withdrew;
I fought him whom I love, but found him not;
I felt his abfence; and with strongest cries
Proclaim'd, Where Jefus is not, all is vain.
Whether I hold him with a full delight,
Or feek him panting with extreme defire,
'Tis he alone can please my wondering foul;
To hold or feek him is my only choice.
If he refrain on me to caft his eye

Down from his palace, nor my longing foul
With upward look can spy my dearest Lord
Through his blue pavement, I'll behold him ftill
With sweet reflection on the peaceful cross,
All in his blood and anguish groaning deep,
Gasping and dying there

This fight I ne'er can lofe, by it I live:
A quickening virtue from his death inspir'd
Is life and breath to me; his flesh my food;
His vital blood I drink, and hence my strength.

I live, I'm ftrong, and now eternal life
Beats quick within my breaft; my vigorous mind
Spurns the dull earth, and on her fiery wings
Reaches the mount of purposes divine,

Counfels of peace betwixt th' Almighty Three
Conceiv'd at once, and fign'd without debate,
In perfect union of th' eternal mind.

With vast amaze I fee th' unfathom'd thoughts,
Infinite schemes, and infinite defigns

Of God's own Heart, in which he ever refts.

Eternity

Here the Beginning and the End of all
I can difcover; Chrift the End of all,
And Chrift the great Beginning; he my Head,
My God, my Glory, and my All in All.

O that the day, the joyful day were come,
When the first Adam from his ancient duft
Crown'd with new honours fhall revive, and fee
Jefus his Son and Lord; while fhouting faints
Suround their King, and God's Eternal Son
Shines in the midft, but with fuperior beams,
And like himself; then the mysterious Word
Long hid behind the letter fhall appear
All fpirit and life, and in the fulleft light
Stand forth to public view: and there disclose
His Father's facred works, and wondrous ways:
Then wisdom, righteoufnefs, and grace divine,
Through all the infinite tranfactions past
Inwrought and shining, fhall with double blaze
Strike our astonish'd eyes, and ever reign
Admir'd and glorious in triumphant light.

Death, and the tempter, and the man of fin, Now at the bar arraign'd, in judgment caft, Shall vex the faints no more: but perfect love And loudest praises perfect joy create,

While ever-circling years maintain the blissful state.

LOVE on a CROSS, and a THRONE.

Now let my faith grow ftrong, and rife,

And view my Lord in all his love;

Look back to hear his dying cries,
Then mount and fee his throne above.

See where he languish'd on the Cross;
Beneath my fins he groan'd and dy'd;
See where he fits to plead my cause
By his Almighty Father's Side.
If I behold his bleeding Heart,
There love in floods of forrow reigns,
He triumphs o'er the killing fmart,
And buys my pleasure with his pains.
Or if I climb th' eternal hills
Where the dear Conqueror fits enthron'd,
Still in his heart compaffion dwells,
Near the memorials of his wound.

How fhall a pardon'd rebel show
How much I love my dying God?
Lord, here I banish every foe,
I hate the fins that coft thy blood.

I hold no more commerce with hell,
My dearest lufts shall all depart;
But let thine image ever dwell
Stampt as a feal upon my heart.

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