Collected poems of Samuel Davies : 1723-1761

See in the fair celestial Plains,
Releas'd from Sin, and Death, and Pains,
How, clad in Robes of Light Divine,
Human Immortals glorious shine!
The mean, inglorious Sons of Earth,
With Angels of celestial Birth,
On Ever-Green, in blissful Bow'rs,
Pass their eternal social Hours.
No more expos'd to lurking Snares,
No more perplext with trifling Cares,
No more the eager starving Mind
Would feed on Vanity and Wind;
But Chrystal Springs of Pleasure burst,
And gently flow, and quench the Thirst.
The Tree of Life luxuriant spreads
Its fragrant Shade above their Heads;
And shook with gentle Breezes, pours
Its Fruits around in golden Show'rs.
Still eager, still uncloy'd, the Blest
Th' immortalizing Apples taste.
Grim Death with all his ghastly Train
Attempts to enter there in vain,
Heart-bursting Groans and heaving Sighs
No more attempt to swell and rise.

But Oh! the higher Joys they feel!
Immortal, pure, ineffable!
While the bright Deity displays
The unveil'd Glories of his Face:

While, lost in Wonder still, they see
The God that bled upon the Tree?
Fir'd with immortal Transports rove
O'er all the Wonders of his Love:
Unweary'd the dear Theme pursue;
Still view'd, yet still beyond their View:
From Wonders still to Wonders rise,
'Til lost in vast Infinities:
Dazzled with sweet Excess of Light,
For strong Seraphic Eyes too bright.
Their Knowledge brightens more and more;
And what they know not, they adore.
The high celestial Arches ring
With Hallelujahs while they sing;
The Hills, the Dales, the Fountains round
With sweetest Harmony resound.

Say, my bright kindred Spirits, say,
Dare an Inhabitant of Clay,
Direct his Hope and wishful Eye,
To share with you in Joys on high?
Hope in some humble Place to sit
Amongst your Thrones, or at your Feet?
Or does his flagrant Guilt deny
Th' Ambition of a Wish so high?

Once You, in dull Mortality,
Were struggling and opprest, like me;
Allur'd with tempting Vanities,
And the false World's ensnaring Lies:
Unruly Passions in your Hearts;
Wounded with Satan's fiery Darts:
Thro' thousand Dangers fought your Way;
Trembling to fall a helpless Prey.

Trembling to lose the glorious Prize,
You now enjoy above the Skies.

Say, Human Angels! by what Art
Did you subdue th' unruly Heart?
O'er the ensnaring World prevail,
And all the Stratagems of Hell?
O! tell me whence your Vict'ry came?—
And was it from the bleeding Lamb!—
Blest Jesus! be my Guide, my Strength;
And I shall triumph too at length.

O! did the Sons of Men below,
The perfect Bliss above but know;
O could they dart a piercing Eye
Thro' the blue Curtains of the Sky;
And view in what Perfection there
Some of their Family appear;
To what Degrees an human Mind,
May be exalted and refin'd;
How would they nobly soar, and spurn
This Earth, and all its Trifles scorn;
With brave Ambition Heav'nward aim,
And all inferior Joys disclaim;
Gen'rous break thro' the narrow Rounds
Of Time and all created Bounds;
Break thro', and wing'd with strong Desire,
To pure celestial Joys aspire!

But they, alas! with sordid Aim,
All Kindred with the Skies disclaim:
Ignobly sink the heav'n-born Mind
To Pleasures of the brutal Kind.

Eternal God! erect our Souls;
Nor let them grovel here like Moles.
O! teach a downward World to rise;
And seek to gain their native Skies.

All Mankind are represented in this Poem as one great Family; and Heaven, Earth, and the infernal Regions as so many Colonies, peopled by its wide Dispersions.

Rev. xii. 11.

University of Virginia Library

1. I. Part. HEAVEN.