Classic Poem

I.

Now my joys are mix'd with tears,
And my comforts join'd with fears,
Songs with sighs divide my breath,
And my life's attack'd by death.

II.

Now my light's confus'd with error,
My Lord's smiles partake of terror,
My smooth walks are spread with snares,
My bright days o'ercast with cares.

III.

Now vain thoughts attend devotion,
Heavy sloth retards my motion,
Cold indifference checks my flame,
And my glory's soil'd with shame.

IV.

Thus my voy'ge to heaven begins,
Wet with tears and stain'd with sins;
I begin to live and move,
I begin to praise and love.

V.

O happy day,
That brings the pilgrim home!
When partial mixtures shall be done away,
And bright perfection come.

VI.

Then my joys shall know no tears,
And my comforts see no fears;
Songs, not sighs, employ my breath,
And my life triumph o'er death.

VII.

Then my light shall banish error,
My Lord's smiles be free from terror,
My smooth walks be void of snares,
My bright days be clear from cares.

VIII.

No vain thoughts shall cramp devotion,
Nor dull sloth retard my motion,
Nor indifference check my flame,
Nor my glory turn to shame.

IX.

Thus my perfect bliss begins,
Free from cares and free from sins;
Ever thus to live and move,
Ever thus to praise and love.

X.

O happy day,
That brings the pilgrim home!
When partial mixtures shall be done away;
And bright perfection come.

While softer nature prompted me to weep
O'er a sweet babe that death had lull'd asleep,
Set each internal spring to work, that moves
A parent's bowels to the child he loves,
And taught me, by experimental smart,
What 'tis to have a tender father's heart;
Severer reason, striving to controul
The strong emotions of my troubled soul,
Convinc'd me 'twas my weakness and my shame,
To yield to passion's so impetuous stream.
I gave attention when I heard her speak,
Her arguments were strong, but she was weak;
I found her wise, but too infirm a guide,
That could not give me strength to stem the tide.
My sorrow bore me down, till faith stept in,
And told me truths dim reason ne'er had seen.
Her powerful words she thus to me addrest,
Which spread an heavenly calm within my breast.
Why all these sighs, why all these flowing tears?
What cause for such reluctancy appears?
What, tho the curious frame thou doat'st on must
Be laid in earth, and crumbled into dust,
Extend beyond the grave thy piercing view,
To that bright day when 't shall be form'd anew:
This infant-dust shall then revive, and be
Ripen'd and rais'd to full maturity:
This withered flower shall then be freshly blown,
Shall rise in strength tho now in weakness sown:
These feeble legs that had not learn'd to go,
To tread the milky path of heaven shall know:
Seraphic zeal these pretty hands shall raise
In acts of worship to Jehovah's praise:
That tongue, while here untaught a word to frame,
Shall speak, and sing the glory of his name:
And tho his body lies among the dead,
His happy soul to realms of glory's fled;
And every moment there is taught to know
What we can't learn in num'rous years below,
O what surprizing raptures seize his mind,
To such a bright assembly to be join'd!
O happy babe! so early fled away
From this vile earth to realms of endless day!
What wondrous change, dear infant! hast thou known,
Leaving thy cradle to ascend a throne!
Thy infant fancies turn'd to manly thought,
Strength out of weakness, life from darkness brought!
Leaving thy mother's songs for angels hymns,
Thou learn'st thyself to sing with seraphims;
Hast left thy cries for joys, thy pains for rest;
For Abraham's bosom left thy mother's breast.