Sweet Jesus, when I think on thee

I. Sweet Jesu! when I think on Thee,
My Heart for Joy doth leap in me.
Thy bless'd Remembrance yields Delight;
But far more sweet will be thy Sight.

II. When I th'incarnate Jesus spy,
I'm lost in Joy, in Transport die;
When with his Name I'm charm'd in song,
I with myself all Ear and Tongue.

III. Of him, who did Salvation bring,
I could for ever think and sing,
Arise, ye Guilty: he'll forgive;
Arise, ye Poor: for he'll relive.

IV. His Grace but ask, and 'twill be giv'n:
He'll raise, and turn your Hell to Heav'n.
When Sin and Sorrow wounds the Soul,
The Balm of Christ will make it whole.

V. If dismal Clouds the Mind affright,
His Beams clear up the mournful Night.
These Pleasures are beyond Compare:
His Love exceeds our Wish and pray'r.

VI. His Praise whene'er we strive to tell,
Our Pens must flag, our Tongues must fail;
The Joy's too great, we must confess;
We fell a Bliss we can't express.

VII. O wondrous Jesu! Greatest King!
The World doth with thy Triumphs ring;
Thou conquer'st all, below, above,
Dire Friends with Force, and Men with Love.

VIII. Thus diff'rent Ways thou giv'st thy Laws:
Some Terror frights; Some Softness draws.
O, dart upon us thy bright Ray,
Expelling Darkness, bringing Day.

IX. For thy Seraphick Sweets, we find,
Can cure the Conscience, and the Mind;
Chace Errors, which our Souls benight:
No Fiend nor Falshood bears thy Sight.

X. This shews the World Things hid before:
Its Glory's Shame, its Riches poor,
Its Pride Disgrace,its Pleasure Pain,
Its Wisdom Nonsense, Bus'ness vain.

XI. The Sunlike Light drives far the cold;
Enlight'ning Love, obscuring Gold;
For they whose Sight its Beams restore,
Despise the Purse, to prize the Poor.

XII. With Love of thee I'm overcome,
Entranc'd with Joy, with Pleasure dumb;
When on the Cross I thee behold,
I lose all Strength, grow dead with Cold.

XIII. The wounding Spear doth pierce my Heart;
When thou art nail'd, I feel the Smart:
Thy dying Groans my Sighs display;
Thou bow'st thy Head, I faint away.

XIV. Ye Hearts of Stone, come melt to see,
That this was done for you and me.
His Griefs procur'd, that we're forgiv'n;
And on his Blood we swim to Heav'n.

XV. To shame for Sins, he blush'd in Blood;
He clos'd his Eyes to shew us God:
Let all the World fall down, and know,
That none but God such Love could show.

XVI. His Love with equal Warmth pursue;
Burn for him, as he flam'd for you;
Love shou'd Returns of Love inspire,
And his bright Flames set us on Fire.

XVII. View well his Face, and winning Charms,
And fly with Speed into his Arms;
Thy Love, my Saviour! ne'er can cloy,
Fountain of Bliss, and Source of Joy.

XVIII. Oh! Let me ever share thy Grace,
Still taste thy Love and see thy Face;
Still let my Tongue resound thy Name,
And Jesus be my constant Theme.

XIX. For tho' I can't Words worthy speak,
Yet stop my Tongue, my Heart will break;
Big with thy Love, I must to Joy
Give Vent, lest I in Pieces fly.

XX. For when thy Charms croud in my Mind,
I split, unless a Vent I find:
Thy Merits in my Mem'ry roll;
They sooth my Thoughts, and raise my Soul.

XXI. The Love of Christ's stupendous Meat;
It fills me, yet I still could eat;
With this his Food I'm never cloy'd;
Still hungry, tho' I'm ever fed.

XXII. Insatiate to thy Spring I fly;
I drink, and yet am eve dry;
As Dropsy loves the liquid Store,
I swell, and yet I thirst for more.

XXIII. Against its Charms I can't be Proof.
Ah! who that loves can have enough?
No Heathen in this Feast delights;
It is not for such Appetites.

XXIV. No Beauty to the Blind appears:
Sweet Sounds are lost on deaven'd EArs;
Christ is to me a pleasing Feast;
They Jesus love, who Jesus taste.

XXV. Of this his Love who's once a Taste,
Will thirst for more; his Thirst will last;
But they thrice happy Lovers prove,
Whose Hearts are fill'd with Jesus; Love.

XXVI. Thy name adorns the Angels Sphere,
Pleases the Taste, and charms the Ear;
Ten thousand Times I thee desire;
If thou withdraw'st, I must expire.

XXVII. When shall thy highest Love be try'd?
When shall my soul be satisfy'd?
Remembring thee, I panting lye;
Thy Love both makes me live and die.

XXVIII. I rise and sink in Ecstasy,
Reviv'd with Love, and kill'd with Joy.
Sweet Love! in Publick still I sigh,
And still for Thee in Secret cry.

XXIX. 'Tis thee I love: For Thee alone
I shed my Tears and make my Moan.
Where'er I am, where'er I move,
I meet the Object of my Love.

XXX. In finding him, my Hours are blest;
And when he's found, I'll hold him fast.
O Bliss! the Lord I sought, appears;
My Sighs are lost with all my Fears.

XXXI. Let Love for Joy Hosanna sing;
Heav'n, Earth with Hallelujahs ring;
To celebrate this welcome Day,
I dance, and die for Love away.

XXXII. The Love of Jesus now shall last,
And keep its most transporting Taste:
No more I lose it; no more mourn;
Its Flame continual shall burn.

XXXIII. Sent from above this Fire shall glow,
Nor die as temp'ral Fire below;
It melts my Marrow, warms my Blood;
Lights up, but not consumes its Food.

XXXIV. Ev'n as the Damn'd I Heat sustain;
But mine's of Pleasure, their's of Pain.
What wond'rous Love is this I share!
It burns; yet doth refresh like Air.

XXXV. Come, Sinners! learn of me to love;
All wanton Charms from you remove;
My Passions' chaste, divinely good;
You love Men's Daughters, I my God.

XXXVI. He's sweeter than the Sweets of May;
Far clearer than the brightest Day;
More pleasing to my Taste and Eye,
Than Eastern Spice, or Eastern Sky.

XXXVII. Oh! let my Mouth thy Sweetness taste;
My Nostrils with thy Odours feast:
Still let my Lips thy Glories kiss,
Tho' I still faint beneath the Bliss.

XXXVIII. To thee I'll be for e'er confin'd,
Bliss of my Heart, Joy of my Mind!
Of Thee I think, of Thee I boast:
Who sav'd the World, won't see me lost.

XXXIX. But Christ resumes his Father's Throne.
While Angels sing, Man's left to moan.
But, Lord! I'll never part with Thee;
I'll mount up in thy Company.

XL. Come all, and fast to Jesus cleave:
Let's follow close; ne'er Jesus leave;
Both Hearts and Tongues to Jesus raise,
With Vows, and loud harmonious Lays.

XLI. That when we shall have learn'd this Art,
And from this earthly Choir depart,
He may requite our Songs of Love,
And joy us to the Choir above.

Source: Psalmodia Germanica: or, The German Psalmody: translated from the high Dutch together with their proper tunes and thorough bass (2nd ed., corr. and enl.) #17