But that which most I wonder at, which mostI did esteem my bliss, which most I boast,And ever shall enjoy, is that withinI felt no stain nor spot of sin.No darkness then did overshade,But all within was pure and bright,No guilt did crush nor fear invade,But all my soul was full of light.A joyful sense and purityIs all I can remember,The very night to me was bright,'Twas Summer in December.
But that which most I wonder at, which mostI did esteem my bliss, which most I boast,And ever shall enjoy, is that withinI felt no stain nor spot of sin.No darkness then did overshade,But all within was pure and bright,No guilt did crush nor fear invade,But all my soul was full of light.A joyful sense and purityIs all I can remember,The very night to me was bright,'Twas Summer in December.
But that which most I wonder at, which mostI did esteem my bliss, which most I boast,And ever shall enjoy, is that withinI felt no stain nor spot of sin.
But that which most I wonder at, which most
I did esteem my bliss, which most I boast,
And ever shall enjoy, is that within
I felt no stain nor spot of sin.
No darkness then did overshade,But all within was pure and bright,No guilt did crush nor fear invade,But all my soul was full of light.
No darkness then did overshade,
But all within was pure and bright,
No guilt did crush nor fear invade,
But all my soul was full of light.
A joyful sense and purityIs all I can remember,The very night to me was bright,'Twas Summer in December.
A joyful sense and purity
Is all I can remember,
The very night to me was bright,
'Twas Summer in December.
A serious meditation did employMy soul within, which taken up with joyDid seem no outward thing to note, but flyAll objects that do feed the eye,While it those very objects didAdmire and prize and praise and love,Which in their glory most are hid,Which presence only doth remove.Their constant daily presence IRejoicing at, did see,And that which takes them from the eyeOf others offered them to me.
A serious meditation did employMy soul within, which taken up with joyDid seem no outward thing to note, but flyAll objects that do feed the eye,While it those very objects didAdmire and prize and praise and love,Which in their glory most are hid,Which presence only doth remove.Their constant daily presence IRejoicing at, did see,And that which takes them from the eyeOf others offered them to me.
A serious meditation did employMy soul within, which taken up with joyDid seem no outward thing to note, but flyAll objects that do feed the eye,
A serious meditation did employ
My soul within, which taken up with joy
Did seem no outward thing to note, but fly
All objects that do feed the eye,
While it those very objects didAdmire and prize and praise and love,Which in their glory most are hid,Which presence only doth remove.
While it those very objects did
Admire and prize and praise and love,
Which in their glory most are hid,
Which presence only doth remove.
Their constant daily presence IRejoicing at, did see,And that which takes them from the eyeOf others offered them to me.
Their constant daily presence I
Rejoicing at, did see,
And that which takes them from the eye
Of others offered them to me.
No inward inclination did I feelTo avarice or pride; my soul did kneelIn admiration all the day. No lust, nor strife,Polluted then my infant life.No fraud nor anger in me mov'dNo malice, jealousy, or spite;All that I saw I truly lov'd:Contentment only and delightWere in my soul. O Heav'n! what blissDid I enjoy and feel!What powerful delight did thisInspire! for this I daily kneel.
No inward inclination did I feelTo avarice or pride; my soul did kneelIn admiration all the day. No lust, nor strife,Polluted then my infant life.No fraud nor anger in me mov'dNo malice, jealousy, or spite;All that I saw I truly lov'd:Contentment only and delightWere in my soul. O Heav'n! what blissDid I enjoy and feel!What powerful delight did thisInspire! for this I daily kneel.
No inward inclination did I feelTo avarice or pride; my soul did kneelIn admiration all the day. No lust, nor strife,Polluted then my infant life.
No inward inclination did I feel
To avarice or pride; my soul did kneel
In admiration all the day. No lust, nor strife,
Polluted then my infant life.
No fraud nor anger in me mov'dNo malice, jealousy, or spite;All that I saw I truly lov'd:Contentment only and delight
No fraud nor anger in me mov'd
No malice, jealousy, or spite;
All that I saw I truly lov'd:
Contentment only and delight
Were in my soul. O Heav'n! what blissDid I enjoy and feel!What powerful delight did thisInspire! for this I daily kneel.
Were in my soul. O Heav'n! what bliss
Did I enjoy and feel!
What powerful delight did this
Inspire! for this I daily kneel.
Whether it be that Nature is so pure,And custom only vicious; or that sureGod did by miracle the guilt remove,And made my soul to feel his LoveSo early: or that 'twas one day,Wherein this happiness I found,Whose strength and brightness so do ray,That still it seems me to surround,Whate'er it is, it is a LightSo endless unto meThat I a world of true delightDid then, and to this day do see.
Whether it be that Nature is so pure,And custom only vicious; or that sureGod did by miracle the guilt remove,And made my soul to feel his LoveSo early: or that 'twas one day,Wherein this happiness I found,Whose strength and brightness so do ray,That still it seems me to surround,Whate'er it is, it is a LightSo endless unto meThat I a world of true delightDid then, and to this day do see.
Whether it be that Nature is so pure,And custom only vicious; or that sureGod did by miracle the guilt remove,And made my soul to feel his Love
Whether it be that Nature is so pure,
And custom only vicious; or that sure
God did by miracle the guilt remove,
And made my soul to feel his Love
So early: or that 'twas one day,Wherein this happiness I found,Whose strength and brightness so do ray,That still it seems me to surround,
So early: or that 'twas one day,
Wherein this happiness I found,
Whose strength and brightness so do ray,
That still it seems me to surround,
Whate'er it is, it is a LightSo endless unto meThat I a world of true delightDid then, and to this day do see.
Whate'er it is, it is a Light
So endless unto me
That I a world of true delight
Did then, and to this day do see.
That prospect was the gate of Heaven, that dayThe ancient Light of Eden did conveyInto my soul: I was an Adam there,A little Adam in a sphereOf joys! O there my ravisht senseWas entertained in Paradise,And had a sight of Innocence,Which was beyond all bound and price.An antepast of Heaven sure!I on the Earth did reign,Within, without me, all was pure:I must become a child again.
That prospect was the gate of Heaven, that dayThe ancient Light of Eden did conveyInto my soul: I was an Adam there,A little Adam in a sphereOf joys! O there my ravisht senseWas entertained in Paradise,And had a sight of Innocence,Which was beyond all bound and price.An antepast of Heaven sure!I on the Earth did reign,Within, without me, all was pure:I must become a child again.
That prospect was the gate of Heaven, that dayThe ancient Light of Eden did conveyInto my soul: I was an Adam there,A little Adam in a sphere
That prospect was the gate of Heaven, that day
The ancient Light of Eden did convey
Into my soul: I was an Adam there,
A little Adam in a sphere
Of joys! O there my ravisht senseWas entertained in Paradise,And had a sight of Innocence,Which was beyond all bound and price.
Of joys! O there my ravisht sense
Was entertained in Paradise,
And had a sight of Innocence,
Which was beyond all bound and price.
An antepast of Heaven sure!I on the Earth did reign,Within, without me, all was pure:I must become a child again.
An antepast of Heaven sure!
I on the Earth did reign,
Within, without me, all was pure:
I must become a child again.