Blessed Light of saints on high br Who fill the mansions of the sky, br Sure defence, whose mercy still br Preserves thy subjects here from ill, br O my Jesus! make me know br How to pay the thanks I owe. br br As the fond sheep that id'ly strays br With wanton play thro' winding ways, br Which never hits the road of home, br O'er Wilds of danger learns to roam, br 'Till weari'd out with idle fear br And passing there and turning here, br He will for rest to covert run br And meet the wolf he wish'd to shun; br Thus wretched I, thro' wanton will br Run blind and headlong on in ill: br 'Twas thus from sin to sin I flew br And thus I might have perish'd too; br But mercy dropt the likeness here br And shew'd and sav'd me from my fear; br While o'er the darkness of my mind br The sacred spirit purely shin'd, br And mark'd and bright'ned all the way br Which leads to everlasting day, br And broke the thick'ning clouds of sin br And fix'd the light of love within. br br From hence my ravish'd soul aspires br And dates the rise of its desires. br From hence to thee my God! I turn, br And fervent wishes say I burn, br I burn thy glorious face to see br And live in endless joy with thee. br br There's no such ardent kind of flame br Between the lover and the dame, br Nor such affection parents bear br To their young and only heir, br Tho' join'd together both conspire br And boast a doubled force of fire. br My tender heart within its seat br Dissolves before the scorching heat, br As soft'ning wax is taught to run br Before the warmness of the sun. br br O my flame my pleasing pain br Burn and purify my stain, br Warm me, burn me, day by day br 'Till you purge my earth away, br 'Till at the last I throughly shine br And turn a torch of love divine.