 | Poems on several subjects |  |
A Meditation at the Communion-table.
What's this I see before mine eye?
Behold 'tis bread and wine;
Am I a guest to such a feast,
Yea, to a feast divine?
Behold 'tis bread and wine;
Am I a guest to such a feast,
Yea, to a feast divine?
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Yea, more I see; oh! woe is me!
I see a mount of sin
Cast up before my hard heart's door,
And swarms of it within.
I see a mount of sin
Cast up before my hard heart's door,
And swarms of it within.
Nay more, I see Christ Jesus die,
And bleeding on the cross,
All for my sake, that he might take
Away my tinn and dross.
And bleeding on the cross,
All for my sake, that he might take
Away my tinn and dross.
I hear him cry, I see him die;
I see them pierce his side;
I see him bound, in grave-cloaths wound,
And in a new grave laid.
I see them pierce his side;
I see him bound, in grave-cloaths wound,
And in a new grave laid.
With inward eyes, I see him rise,
And, after forty days,
Ascend on high, up thro' the sky;
At God's right-hand he stays,
And, after forty days,
Ascend on high, up thro' the sky;
At God's right-hand he stays,
Making request, as our high-priest,
Before his Father's throne,
For such as he shall glorify
After this world's done.
Before his Father's throne,
For such as he shall glorify
After this world's done.
By this I find, that, in my mind,
A supernat'ral change
Is fully wrought; whereas my thought
On vanities did range.
A supernat'ral change
Is fully wrought; whereas my thought
On vanities did range.
They're fix'd above, and flames with love
Towards my blessed Lord,
Who underwent sin's punishment
For me; and life restor'd,
Towards my blessed Lord,
Who underwent sin's punishment
For me; and life restor'd,
When I was dead, and could not plead,
Or merit ought but wrath;
But by his pain, I live again,
And triumph over death.
Or merit ought but wrath;
But by his pain, I live again,
And triumph over death.
I now abhor what I before
Did love exceedingly;
And do disdain the servile chain
Of Satan's tyranny.
Did love exceedingly;
And do disdain the servile chain
Of Satan's tyranny.
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I feel th'effect of God's respect
Toward poor sinful me;
For, thro' Christ's merit, his holy Spirit
Doth plainly testify,
Toward poor sinful me;
For, thro' Christ's merit, his holy Spirit
Doth plainly testify,
That Christ is mine; and doth incline
Me to observe his will;
For, in my stead, for me he did
God's righteous law fulfil.
Me to observe his will;
For, in my stead, for me he did
God's righteous law fulfil.
Now, since 'tis so, to God I'll go;
For he will me enable
Salvation's cup to take, and sup
With him at his own table.
For he will me enable
Salvation's cup to take, and sup
With him at his own table.
The bread and wine shews the divine
Jehovah condescended,
That Christ should die, man to set free;
In him the law is ended.
Jehovah condescended,
That Christ should die, man to set free;
In him the law is ended.
From Satan's hands, and sinful bands,
He saves us by his grace;
From hell and wrath, the second death,
And gives us life in'ts place.
He saves us by his grace;
From hell and wrath, the second death,
And gives us life in'ts place.
All glory be, eternally,
To him, who, by his pow'r,
His life laid down, our souls to crown,
And life to us procure:
To him, who, by his pow'r,
His life laid down, our souls to crown,
And life to us procure:
And, when he pleas'd, himself he rais'd,
And brake the bands of death;
In triumph he, victoriously,
Hell's pow'r he conquer'd hath.
And brake the bands of death;
In triumph he, victoriously,
Hell's pow'r he conquer'd hath.
Those who get grace to see his face,
In reconciliation,
They, by his love, in heav'n above,
Do place their conversation;
In reconciliation,
They, by his love, in heav'n above,
Do place their conversation;
And are made free, eternally,
From any condemnation;
They act and do, according to
Effectual vocation.
From any condemnation;
They act and do, according to
Effectual vocation.
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They have a right, both day and night,
To divine privileges;
With Christ from heav'n, all things are giv'n
To smooth their pilgrimages.
To divine privileges;
With Christ from heav'n, all things are giv'n
To smooth their pilgrimages.
The cloth is spread, the bread is laid;
The wine sends forth a smell
That makes me long to be among
The saints that do excel.
The wine sends forth a smell
That makes me long to be among
The saints that do excel.
In glory high, above the sky,
Where this celestial feast
Lasts ev'ry day, Lord, grant I may
Be there with thee a guest.
Where this celestial feast
Lasts ev'ry day, Lord, grant I may
Be there with thee a guest.
Meanwhile, O Lord, do thou afford
Me comfort at this time:
And let me find thee to be kind,
And pardon ev'ry crime.
Me comfort at this time:
And let me find thee to be kind,
And pardon ev'ry crime.
When at this feast the bread I taste,
It brings fresh to my mind,
How Christ was us'd, how he was bruis'd
As mill-stones corn do grind.
It brings fresh to my mind,
How Christ was us'd, how he was bruis'd
As mill-stones corn do grind.
When in my hand this cup doth stand,
I think I see him bleed;
And, under wrath, to yield to death,
Yea, in his en'mies stead.
I think I see him bleed;
And, under wrath, to yield to death,
Yea, in his en'mies stead.
When I go from this table home
Unto the world again,
Make me to fear and persevere;
From sinning me restrain.
Unto the world again,
Make me to fear and persevere;
From sinning me restrain.
| Poems on several subjects | |