When first Thy sweet and gracious eye

Vouchsafed, e'en in the midst of youth and night,

To look upon me, who before did lie

Weltering in sin,

I felt a sugar'd strange delight,

Passing all cordials made by any art,

Bedew, embalm, and overrun my heart,

And take it in.

Since that time many a bitter storm

My soul hath felt, ev'n able to destroy,

Had the malicious and ill-meaning harm

His swing and sway;

But still Thy sweet original joy

Sprung from Thine eye, did work within my soul,

And surging griefs, when they grew bold, control,

And got the day.

If Thy first glance so powerful be --

A mirth [69] but open'd, and seal'd up again --

What wonders shall we feel when we shall see

Thy full-eyed love!

When Thou shalt look us out of pain,

And one aspect of Thine spend in delight

More than a thousand suns disburse in light,

In Heaven above!

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Footnotes:

[69] mirth, joy; as in St. 2