DIVINE JUSTICE AMIABLE

VOL. 2, CANTIQUE 119

THOU hast no lightnings, O thou Just!
Or I their force should know;
And if thou strike me into dust,
My soul approves the blow.

The heart, that values less its ease,
Than it adores thy ways;

In thine avenging anger, sees

A subject of its praise.

Pleas'd, I could lie conceal'd, and lost
In shades of central night;

Not to avoid thy wrath, thou know'st,
But lest I grieve thy sight.

Smite me, O thou whom I provoke !

And I will love thee still :

8

The well deserv'd and righteous stroke

Shall please me, though it kill.

16

Am I not worthy, to sustain

The worst thou canst devise;

And dare I seek thy throne again,
And meet thy sacred eyes?

Far from afflicting, thou art kind;
And in my saddest hours,

An unction of thy grace I find,
Pervading all my pow'rs.
Alas! thou spar'st me yet again;

And when thy wrath should move,

Too gentle to endure my pain,

Thou sooth'st me with thy Love.

I have no punishment to fear;
But Ah! that smile from thee,
Imparts a pang, far more severe
Than woe itself would be.

THE SOUL THAT LOVES GOD FINDS HIM

EVERY WHERE

VOL. 2, CANTIQUE 108

OH thou, by long experience tried,
Near whom no grief can long abide;
My Love! how full of sweet content
I pass my years of banishment!

10 shades] caves A. 30 from thee] I see A.
The Soul-4 years of] long, long A.

24

32

All scenes alike engaging prove,

To souls impress'd with sacred love!

Where'er they dwell, they dwell in thee;
In heav'n, in earth, or on the sea.

8

To me remains nor place nor time;
My country is in ev'ry clime;
I can be calm and free from care
On any shore, since God is there.

While place we seek, or place we shun,
The soul finds happiness in none;
But with a God to guide our way,

"Tis equal joy to go or stay.

16

Could I be cast where thou art not,

That were indeed a dreadful lot;

But regions none remote I call,
Secure of finding God in all.

My country, Lord, art thou alone;
Nor other can I claim or own;

The point where all my wishes meet;

My Law, my Love; life's only sweet!

24

I hold by nothing here below;
Appoint my journey, and I go;

Though pierc'd by scorn, opprest by pride,
I feel thee good-feel nought beside.

No frowns of men can hurtful prove
To souls on fire with heav'nly Love;
Though men and devils both condemn,
No gloomy days arise for them.

Ah then to his embrace repair;

My soul thou art no stranger there;
There Love divine shall be thy guard,
And peace and safety thy reward.

THE TESTIMONY OF DIVINE ADOPTION

VOL. 2, CANTIQUE 78

How happy are the new-born race,
Partakers of adopting grace;

How pure the bliss they share!
Hid from the world and all its eyes,
Within their heart the blessing lies,
And Conscience feels it there.

Title om. A. 3 joy A.

32

6

The moment we believe, 'tis ours;
And if we love with all our pow'rs
The God from whom it came,
And if we serve with hearts sincere,
'Tis still discernible and clear,

An undisputed claim.

But ah! if foul and wilful sin
Stain and dishonour us within,
Farewell the joy we knew ;
Again the slaves of Nature's sway,
In lab'rinths of our own we stray,
Without a guide or clue.

12

18

The chaste and pure, who fear to grieve

The gracious Spirit they receive,

His work distinctly trace;

And strong in undissembling love,

24

Boldly assert, and clearly prove,
Their hearts his dwelling place.

O messenger of dear delight,

Whose voice dispells the deepest night,
Sweet peace-proclaiming Dove!

With thee at hand to sooth our pains,
No wish unsatisfied remains,

No task, but that of Love.

'Tis Love unites what Sin divides;
The centre where all bliss resides;

To which the soul once brought,
Reclining on the first great Cause,
From his abounding sweetness draws
Peace passing human thought.

Sorrow foregoes its nature there,
And life assumes a tranquil air,
Divested of its woes;

There, sov'reign goodness sooths the breast,
Till then incapable of rest,

In sacred sure repose.

11 'Tis still discernible] It still is visible A. connects A.

37-39 There pain and sorrow lose their sting,
And toil becomes a trivial thing
Scarce worthy of a thought, A.

31 unites]

DIVINE LOVE ENDURES NO RIVAL

VOL. 2, CANTIQUE 155

LOVE is the Lord whom I obey,
Whose will transported I perform,
The centre of my rest, my stay,

Love all in all to me, myself a worm.

For uncreated charms I burn,
Oppress'd by slavish fear no more;
For one, in whom I may discern,

Ev'n when he frowns, a sweetness I adore.

He little loves him, who complains,
And finds him rig'rous and severe;
His heart is sordid, and he feigns,
Though loud in boasting of a soul sincere.

Love causes grief, but 'tis to move
And stimulate the slumb'ring mind;
And he has never tasted Love,

8

Who shuns a pang so graciously design'd. 16

Sweet is the cross, above all sweets,
To souls enamour'd with thy smiles;
The keenest woe life ever meets,

Love strips of all its terrors, and beguiles.

'Tis just, that God should not be dear,
Where Self engrosses all the thought,
And groans and murmurs make it clear,
Whatever else is lov'd, the Lord is not.
The love of Thee flows just as much
As that of ebbing Self subsides;
Our hearts, their scantiness is such,
Bear not the conflict of two rival tides.

Both cannot govern in one soul;

Then let self-love be dispossess'd;

The Love of God deserves the whole,

24

And will not dwell with so despis'd a guest. 32

SELF-DIFFIDENCE

VOL. 2, CANTIQUE 125

SOURCE of love, and light of day,
Tear me from myself away;
Ev'ry view and thought of mine,
Cast into the mould of thine;

Title] Love all in all A. 26 ebbing] sordid A.

Teach, Oh teach this faithless heart
A consistent, constant part;

Or, if it must live to grow
More rebellious, break it now!

Is it thus, that I requite
Grace and goodness infinite?
Ev'ry trace of ev'ry boon,
Cancell'd, and eras'd, so soon!
Can I grieve thee, whom I love;
Thee, in whom I live and move?
If my sorrow touch thee still,
Save me from so great an ill !

8

16

Oh! th' oppressive, irksome weight,
Felt in an uncertain state;

Comfort, peace, and rest, adieu,
Should I prove at last untrue!
Still I choose thee, follow still
Ev'ry notice of thy will;
But unstable, strangely weak,
Still let slip the good I seek.

Self-confiding wretch, I thought,
I could serve thee as I ought,
Win thee, and deserve to feel
All the Love thou canst reveal!
Trusting self, a bruised reed,
Is to be deceiv'd indeed :

24

Save me from this harm and loss,
Lest my gold turn all to dross!

32

Self is earthly-Faith alone
Makes an unseen world our own;
Faith relinquish'd, how we roam,
Feel our way, and leave our home!
Spurious gems our hopes entice,
While we scorn the pearl of price;
And preferring servant's pay,
Cast the children's bread away!

THE ACQUIESCENCE OF PURE LOVE

VOL. 2, CANTIQUE 135

LOVE! if thy destin'd sacrifice am I,

Come, slay thy victim, and prepare thy fires; Plung'd in thy depths of mercy, let me die

The death, which every soul that lives desires!

40