 | The Poems of Ambrose Philips |  |
166
The DEATH of the JUST.
Oh happy Hour, when the unshackled Soul
Free from the clog of dull mortality
Shall leave this muddy earth and soar to Heaven
Soon as the Appointed term of Life expires
Fixed in the Records of Eternity.
The Sovereign Arbiter of Heaven and Earth
Strait calls a bright angelick squadron forth
And gives the great Command “Ye sons of Light
“Bring home yon dying Saint.” With joy they go
Immediate, with immeasurable speed,
From heavens eternal Domes they wing.
Free from the clog of dull mortality
Shall leave this muddy earth and soar to Heaven
Soon as the Appointed term of Life expires
Fixed in the Records of Eternity.
The Sovereign Arbiter of Heaven and Earth
Strait calls a bright angelick squadron forth
And gives the great Command “Ye sons of Light
“Bring home yon dying Saint.” With joy they go
Immediate, with immeasurable speed,
From heavens eternal Domes they wing.
Meanwhile the Soul on the thin Edge of Life,
Sits ready to receive the heavenly summons.
The dying Pulse now beats the last alarm
Then fails at once. And now the soul forsakes
Th'untenantable Abode, and takes its Flight.
With joy the Angelick convoy strait receive
And guard it round. The Prince of Hell in vain
Gnashes his iron teeth; and all the Powers
Of Darkness filled with Rage behold and pine:
Fain would they intercept the heavenly Flight
But dare not, quell'd with terror from above.
Now th'unembodied Saint leaves this low Earth
Which lessens in the view, with Joy and Wonder
And Pity on this grovelling World looks down
From the exalted Height; “Farewell vain World
And ye delusive Joys: Are these the things
That charm fond Mortals? Farewell all my Sorrows,
Gladly I leave with you my Sins behind.”
Sits ready to receive the heavenly summons.
The dying Pulse now beats the last alarm
Then fails at once. And now the soul forsakes
Th'untenantable Abode, and takes its Flight.
With joy the Angelick convoy strait receive
And guard it round. The Prince of Hell in vain
Gnashes his iron teeth; and all the Powers
Of Darkness filled with Rage behold and pine:
Fain would they intercept the heavenly Flight
But dare not, quell'd with terror from above.
Now th'unembodied Saint leaves this low Earth
Which lessens in the view, with Joy and Wonder
And Pity on this grovelling World looks down
From the exalted Height; “Farewell vain World
And ye delusive Joys: Are these the things
That charm fond Mortals? Farewell all my Sorrows,
Gladly I leave with you my Sins behind.”
Then Joyful it ascends. Its noblest powers
All in a Moment strength'ned and enlarg'd
Free from each claim of Sin and full of God.
All in a Moment strength'ned and enlarg'd
Free from each claim of Sin and full of God.
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The scales that here spread o'er the mortal Eye
Fall off at once; the now enlightened love
Sees far and wide, beyond the utmost ken
Of Mortal Flight, still bright'ning as it goes.
Fall off at once; the now enlightened love
Sees far and wide, beyond the utmost ken
Of Mortal Flight, still bright'ning as it goes.
Thousands of new Ideas sudden throng
Into th'enlarged Mind; the Universe
In its capacious sphere all open lies.
A thousand shining worlds at once appear.
The disencumbered soul with vast Delight
Now wonders at itself; then looks about
Wondering at all things round; the lucid skies
Which here on Earth like twinkling atoms seem'd
Fix'd in the azure Firmament of Heaven,
Now nigh at hand appear huge worlds of light
Hanging in fluid Aether; while around
Attendant Planets in bright order move
With Mutual Attractions, and observe
Constant, God's great original command.
Into th'enlarged Mind; the Universe
In its capacious sphere all open lies.
A thousand shining worlds at once appear.
The disencumbered soul with vast Delight
Now wonders at itself; then looks about
Wondering at all things round; the lucid skies
Which here on Earth like twinkling atoms seem'd
Fix'd in the azure Firmament of Heaven,
Now nigh at hand appear huge worlds of light
Hanging in fluid Aether; while around
Attendant Planets in bright order move
With Mutual Attractions, and observe
Constant, God's great original command.
And now arriv'd upon the milky way
(So mortals call the high aethereal Road)
All pav'd with bright innumeral stars
Which mingling Blazes cast a doubtful Light
To those that from Earth's distant turret's gaze,
There the triumphant Soul astonished flies
From Orb to Orb; nor yet does lose its way;
Born by its heavenly Guide with swiftest speed
Safe through the vast immensity of Space;
Whilst all along the airy Habitants,
That in the boundless Fields of Aether stray
Salute th'illustrious stranger as it goes.
(So mortals call the high aethereal Road)
All pav'd with bright innumeral stars
Which mingling Blazes cast a doubtful Light
To those that from Earth's distant turret's gaze,
There the triumphant Soul astonished flies
From Orb to Orb; nor yet does lose its way;
Born by its heavenly Guide with swiftest speed
Safe through the vast immensity of Space;
Whilst all along the airy Habitants,
That in the boundless Fields of Aether stray
Salute th'illustrious stranger as it goes.
168
And now behold the Empyreal Haven appears
Resplendent Palace of the eternal being;
For though his mighty Essence infinite
Transcends all Bounds of Space, he there displays
His brightest Beams, there keeps his blessed Court
With millions of adoring Angels crown'd.
Resplendent Palace of the eternal being;
For though his mighty Essence infinite
Transcends all Bounds of Space, he there displays
His brightest Beams, there keeps his blessed Court
With millions of adoring Angels crown'd.
All far and wide the dazzling glories shine:
Transported with the view, the eager soul
Still as it nearer draws its joyful Pace
Quickens, and with seraphic ardour burns.
Hark now the heavenly music fills its ears
It feels unwonted Vigor and afresh
Springs up, enchanted with the new Delight.
Transported with the view, the eager soul
Still as it nearer draws its joyful Pace
Quickens, and with seraphic ardour burns.
Hark now the heavenly music fills its ears
It feels unwonted Vigor and afresh
Springs up, enchanted with the new Delight.
Now the celestial convoy safe arriv'd
Deliver their blessed charge, which straight appears
Accountable before the Throne of God,
And there with awful Reverence prostrate fall
Meanwhile the great Emmanuel who enthroned
In sociate glory with the Father sits
To him presents the joyful trembling soul
And now the sovereign Power gives the word;
“Well done thou faithful Servant, enter now
Into the Master's Joy: here safe abide
In these resplendent Mansions full of light,
Waiting the glorious Resurrection day.
Deliver their blessed charge, which straight appears
Accountable before the Throne of God,
And there with awful Reverence prostrate fall
Meanwhile the great Emmanuel who enthroned
In sociate glory with the Father sits
To him presents the joyful trembling soul
And now the sovereign Power gives the word;
“Well done thou faithful Servant, enter now
Into the Master's Joy: here safe abide
In these resplendent Mansions full of light,
Waiting the glorious Resurrection day.
The happy sentence past, without delay
Th'enfranchised soul its joyful station takes
Among the perfect Spirits of the Just
Bless'd seraphs now rejoice and kindred saints
Sing holy anthems: This they did before,
Upon its first conversion here on Earth.
And now again with heightened joys they sing
Ten thousand Welcomes to the happy Guest
Then all in grateful Hallelujahs join
To God and to the Lamb. The new come Soul
Soon learns the heavenly airs and bears its part
In that celestial Concert, all inflam'd
With pure Immortal Love; It's Life is Love.
Th'enfranchised soul its joyful station takes
Among the perfect Spirits of the Just
Bless'd seraphs now rejoice and kindred saints
Sing holy anthems: This they did before,
Upon its first conversion here on Earth.
169
Ten thousand Welcomes to the happy Guest
Then all in grateful Hallelujahs join
To God and to the Lamb. The new come Soul
Soon learns the heavenly airs and bears its part
In that celestial Concert, all inflam'd
With pure Immortal Love; It's Life is Love.
No longer now it tastes the distant stream
But, glad, approaches to the Fount of Life
There sweetly plunges in extatick joys,
Lost in a vast immensity of Bliss.
There God is All in All, Supreme of Beings
Whose Glories who can tell? The Great Three-One
Before Whose Throne the prostrate seraphim
Veiling their dazzled Eyes with gorgeous Wings
Intranced in everlasting Raptures lie.
But, glad, approaches to the Fount of Life
There sweetly plunges in extatick joys,
Lost in a vast immensity of Bliss.
There God is All in All, Supreme of Beings
Whose Glories who can tell? The Great Three-One
Before Whose Throne the prostrate seraphim
Veiling their dazzled Eyes with gorgeous Wings
Intranced in everlasting Raptures lie.
And there Divine Immanuel sits enthron'd
Bless'd Image of paternal Deity
In whom th'insufferable Glory shines
Sweetly attempted to created view,
And fills the boundless Realms with Light and Joy.
Bless'd Image of paternal Deity
In whom th'insufferable Glory shines
Sweetly attempted to created view,
And fills the boundless Realms with Light and Joy.
No sun is there to shine, or did the sun
Mere shed its Beams, he soon would disappear
Lost in superior splendours and abashed
Hide his diminish'd Head like the dim Light
Of earthly glowworms, or the glimmering Blaze
Of Tapers in the Sun's meridian Ray.
Mere shed its Beams, he soon would disappear
Lost in superior splendours and abashed
Hide his diminish'd Head like the dim Light
Of earthly glowworms, or the glimmering Blaze
Of Tapers in the Sun's meridian Ray.
In these bless'd Regions th'unembody'd soul
Triumphant dwells, waiting the happy time
When the deserted Body, its Partner dear
Which now lies smouldering in gloomy grave
Death's Captive, shall incorruptible arise
In Glory with celestial Radiance clad.
Triumphant dwells, waiting the happy time
When the deserted Body, its Partner dear
170
Death's Captive, shall incorruptible arise
In Glory with celestial Radiance clad.
All after that is one eternal Day,
An undisturbed scene of endless joys
And bless'd seraphic Raptures ever new.
An undisturbed scene of endless joys
And bless'd seraphic Raptures ever new.
And now all Praise be to that Saviour given
Who when the earthly Eden we had lost
To new transcendent glories hath advanc'd
Our fallen nature and hath open'd wide
Heaven's everlasting Doors: cheerful to Thee
I yield myself; Make me for ever Thine
Apply the glorious Merit of Thy Blood
And the sweet Powers of Thy Celestial Grace.
Who when the earthly Eden we had lost
To new transcendent glories hath advanc'd
Our fallen nature and hath open'd wide
Heaven's everlasting Doors: cheerful to Thee
I yield myself; Make me for ever Thine
Apply the glorious Merit of Thy Blood
And the sweet Powers of Thy Celestial Grace.
Then welcome Death, the short but gloomy Path
To that bright World above. Shall I now fear thee?
Where is thy sting? The grisly Terror once
Of Nature, now becomes the highest Gain.
O for a lively Faith! some sweet foretaste
Of those celestial Joys! Then will I bid
This flatt'ring world adieu and take my flight,
Leaving my Sins and Sorrow in Thy Grace.
To that bright World above. Shall I now fear thee?
Where is thy sting? The grisly Terror once
Of Nature, now becomes the highest Gain.
O for a lively Faith! some sweet foretaste
Of those celestial Joys! Then will I bid
This flatt'ring world adieu and take my flight,
Leaving my Sins and Sorrow in Thy Grace.
| The Poems of Ambrose Philips | |