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Collected poems of Samuel Davies : 1723-1761

Davies, Samuel (1723-1761)

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MISCELLANEOUS POEMS, CHIEFLY ON Divine Subjects.
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BOOK I.
 1. 
I. LORD Thou knowest all Things, Thou knowest that I love Thee. Joh. xxi. 17.
 2. 
II. Early Piety recommended. (Sent originally in a Letter to two young Ladies.)
 3. 
III. Philosophic Devotion. (Occasioned by reading The Religious Philosopher.)
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IV. SOLOMON.
 4. 
IV. I said, I will be wise: but it was far from me.
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VI. Of Him, and thro' Him, and to Him are all Things. Rom. 11. ult.
 7. 
VII. ANOTHER.
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VIII. Sinful Immortality worse than Non-Existence.
 9. 
IX. A Clergyman's Reflections on hearing of the Death of one of his pious Parishoners. Dec. 5. 1750.
 10. 
X. The Soul releas'd by Death.
 11. 
XI. Gratitude and Impotence
 12. 
XII. The universal Lamentation.
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XIII. The Aspiration.
 14. 
XIV. The Soul early estranged from its Divine Parent.
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XV. A Survey of human Nature.
  
The Introduction.
 1. 
I. Part. HEAVEN.
 2. 
II. Part. HELL.
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III. Part. EARTH.
  
The Conclusion.
 16. 
XVI. Whom have I in Heaven but Thee? And there is none upon Earth I desire besides Thee. My Flesh and my Heart faileth; but Thou art the Strength of my Heart, and my Portion forever. Ps. lxxiii. 25, 26.
 17. 
XVII. Conjugal Love and Happiness. February 27, 1750–1.
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XVIII. The Messiah's Kingdom. Extracted out of the Prophet Isaiah
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XIX. ΑΔΗΣ Or, The invisible World.
 20. 
XX. The Triumphs of CHRIST's dying Love.
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BOOK II.
 1. 
I. The obstinate Security of Sinners lamented. (annext to a Sermon on Matt. iii. 10. April 15, 1750.)
 2. 
II. Penitential Sorrows. (annext to a Sermon on Luke xiii. 3.)
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III. SELF-DEDICATION. (annext to a Sermon on Rom. vi. 13. June 15, 1750.)
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IV. Sight thro' a Glass, and Face to Face. (annext to a Sermon on Matt. v. 6. March 18, 1750. before the Lord's Supper.)
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V. The Law and Gospel. (annext to a Sermon on Gal. iii. 9, 10. Aug. 19, 1750.)
 6. 
VI. CHRIST the Beloved and Friend of His Church. (annext to a Sermon on Cant. v. 16. Oct.—1748.)
 7. 
VII. The Spiritual Warfare. (annext to a Sermon on Rev. xxi. 7.)
 8. 
VIII. A guilty Conscience. (annext to a Sermon on 1 John iii. 20. Nov. 25. 1750.)
 9. 
IX. Love to God for His Holiness. (annext to a Sermon on 1 John iv. 16. Dec. 2, 1750.)
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X. Brotherly Love. (annext to a Sermon on 1 John iii. 14. Dec. 9, 1750.)
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XI. The doubting Christian. (annext to a Sermon adapted for Self-Examination, on 1 John iii. 7, 8. December 16, 1750.)
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XII. CHRIST's Agony in the Garden. Luke xxii. 41, 44.
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XIII. Spiritual Inactivity lamented.
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XIV On a sudden Death. (annext to a funeral Sermont on Eccles. ix. 12. Jan. 5. 1750–1.)
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XV. The Conflagration. (annext to a Sermon on 2 Pet. iii. 11. Jan. 27, 1750–1.)
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XVI. Separation from GOD the most intolerable Punishment. (annext to a Sermon on Gen. iv. 13, 14. Jan. 13, 1750–1.)
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THE APPENDIX
 1. 
[No. I. No! never, never can this Heart]
 2. 
[No II. And must I call these Passions mine]
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[No. III. Life's but a Load, a tedious Pain]
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[No. IV. My God! I'm pleas'd that Thou art All in All]
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[No. V. Oh! be Thy glorious Name exalted high]
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[No. VI. That I'm the vilest Sinner, Lord! I own]
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[No. VII. Repulse me not; for whither shall I flee?]
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[No. VIII. Ah! what avail these warm poetic Strains]
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[No. IX. Why should I, in the Rage of wild Despair]
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[No. X. Though luscious Figs no more shall bloom and grow]
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[No. XI. Yes! soon the iron Hand of Death]
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[No. XII. Oh! while eternal Ages roll]
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XIII. A Description of a Storm, May 9, 1751.
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XXVII. On bearing of the Rev. Mr. Samuel Blair's desperate Illness by common Fame, and Letters from Correspondents in Pennsylvania, June 9. 1751.
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UNCOLLECTED POEMS
  
[THIS UNCULTIVATED LAND]
  
[A PRAYER IN TIME OF STORMS]
  
ELEGIAC VERSES on the lamented Death of the Rev. Mr. Samuel Blair,
  
[Come, heav'nly pensive Contemplation, come]
  
The Revd. Mr. Samuel Davies, Minister of the Gospel To the Congregation of Hanover County In the Colony of Virginia.
  
[SIN THE DESPOILER]
  
[TRUST NOT BEAUTY]
  
[THE PIOUS MIND IN A TIME OF STORM]
  
[TO CHARA]
  
[“THE WAR OF THE ELEMENTS”]
  
[A STORM AT SEA]
  
The different States of Sinners and Saints in the Wreck of Nature.
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LVI. National Judgments deprecated, and National Mercies pleaded.
  
On the same.
  
[FRONTIER WARFARE]
  
The Blessing of Hope in Death; or Comfort in a dying Hour earnestly implored.
  
The universal Call of God to Repentance.
  
AN HYMN
  
Self-Examination.
  
An HYMN
  
[CHRISTIAN, PREACHER, FRIEND]
  
The Glories of God in pardoning Sinners.
  
Christ's Tenderness to the bruised Reed and smoking Flax.
  
The one Thing needful generally neglected.
  
Spiritual Want and Misery confessed, and the Communication of spiritual Blessings implored.
  
Applying for Relief to the All-Sufficiency of Christ.
  
The holy Spirit invoked, and his purifying and quickening Influences implored.
  
The Transcendent Excellency of Christ in his Person and Offices, and the Soul desirous to love Him.
  
Christ most worthy of Esteem, but ungratefully neglected in our World.
  
Pious Breathings amidst general Wickedness and Desolation.
  
Self-Dedication at the Table of the Lord.
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ON THE BIRTH OF JOHN ROGERS DAVIES,
  
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A PARAPHRASE on Jer. XXXI. 18, 19, 20.
  
[EPHRAIM'S PENITENCE]
  
[THE FOUNTAIN]
  
[PSALM CXXXVII]
  
[THE ETERNAL MIND]
  
PERTH-AMBOY
  
AN ODE ON PEACE
  
[THE DIVINE LOVE AND SUFFERINGS OF OUR SAVIOR]
  
SCIENCE. An ODE.
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POEMS ASCRIBED TO DAVIES
  
VERSES ON Gen. Braddock's defeat.
  
THE MILITARY GLORY OF GREAT-BRITAIN,

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VIII. A guilty Conscience. (annext to a Sermon on 1 John iii. 20. Nov. 25. 1750.)

1.

Ah! who can bear this twinging Smart,
That tortures and corrodes my Heart!
These guilty Horrors, that molest
This self-condemn'd, self-tort'ring Breast!
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2.

Tremendous Prospects strike mine Eye,
Through vast, unknown Futurity:
Grim Death a thousand Terrors wears,
And ready to arrest appears.

3.

I view with a distracted Stare,
The dread eternal Regions near;
Tortures, and Racks, and quenchless Fire,
And Shrieks, and Groans, and Torments dire!

4.

The wrathful Heav'ns vindictive frown,
And Thunders murmur to be down,
To blast a Worm that durst provoke
Omnipotence to give the Stroke.

5.

Surmises, Fears and Jealousies
In this self-conscious Bosom rise;
And prest with Guilt my Spirits sink,
When I allow myself to think.

6.

But ah! this giddy rambling Soul,
Ere a few fleeting Moments roll,
Some vain enchanting Toy admits,
And her unhappy Case forgets.

7.

Amusements or th' intrusive Care
Of this vain World, my Thoughts ensnare:
My solemn Resolutions fly,
All lost in thoughtless Levity.

8.

But ah! the Agony returns;
Again my Spirit pines and mourns;
Again dire-boding Fears surround
My shudd'ring Soul, and deeply wound.

9.

A frightful Thought will sudden dart,
And, unexpected, pierce the Heart.
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Pain would I shun these shocking Views,
But Conscience restless still pursues.

10.

A cheerful Aspect I assume,
But all within is dismal Gloom:
Or if I lose the inward Pain
A Moment, ah! it gnaws again.

11.

I leave this gloomy Solitude,
And mingle with th' unthinking Crowd;
There trifle, talk, and laugh awhile;
But ah! the Anguish will recoil.

12.

In Crowds and Noise the guilty Mind
Some anxious Intervals will find:
Guilt whispers Terror in the Breast,
And interrupts the transient Rest.

13.

Oh! Misery 'til now unknown!
I am a Self-Tormenter grown:
Nor can I my Accuser shun,
Unless I from myself could run.

14.

Oh Sin! is this the dire Reward
For all thy wretched Slaves prepar'd!
Are these, alass! are these the Fruits
Of all my pleasing vain Pursuits!

15.

Ah! had I kept the narrow Road,
Where the blest Few enjoy their God,
Then all serene, unmov'd with Guilt,
These Horrors I had never felt.

16.

Oh! can a guilty Wretch obtain
A Balm to ease this twinging Pain?
Or must he always feel the Road
Of Conscience, and an angry God?
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17.

Jesus! if any Help remains,
It flows from Thy dear bleeding Veins:
Nothing can please an angry God,
Or angry Conscience, but Thy Blood.

18.

Oh! dare I yet with wishful Eyes,
Look for Salvation from the Skies?
Oh! will that Blood my Sins have spilt,
Relieve my Mind, and wash my Guilt?

19.

All gracious Saviour! Oh! remit
A Rebel prostrate at Thy Feet:
He has no other Place to fly;
If die he must, here let him die!

20.

Say, shall that Hand that patient bore
To be by Nails and Torments tore,—
Oh! wilt Thou now, vindictive stretch
That Hand to crush an humble Wretch!

21.

No! Blessed Jesus! rather slay
These Sins that led my Soul astray:
O make my Heart and Conscience clean,
And give me Heav'n and Peace within!
 

I do not mean that presumptuous Libertines ought to ease their Consciences by an imaginary Dependance on Christ: But that humble conscious Penitents should place their only Trust in His Righteousness, both to relieve them from the Horrors of Guilt, and deliver them from their former Slavery to Sin.

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