Theophila :: :: University of Virginia Library

Those happy Mansions, glorious Saint, discover,
Where the bright Host of Spirits hover!
Bring down all Heav'n before the Eyes o'th' Heav'nly Lover.

II

Frail Man, with Zeal, and Wonder here behold
Clay cast into a Heav'nly Mold:
Faith did, now Vision does Beatitude unfold.

III

The Tenants in This splendid Frame are They
Whose grosser and unpolish Clay,
Calcin'd in Graves, now Robes of Glory do array.

IV

Here Martyrs sit enthron'd, who late did bleed
Sap from their fertil Wounds, to feed
With Oyl the Churches Lamps, and with red Dew her Seed.

V

These ovant Souls, Knights of Saint Vincent are,
For high Atchievements gain'd; each Scar,
To make a golden Constellation, seems a Star.

VI

Not by inflicting, but receiving Blowes,
By suff'ring, They ore came their Foes:
How long, Lord, ere Thou do'st avenge their Blood on Those?

VII

These own their Bliss, sprung from the Word & Will
O'th' Lamb, by Whom They conquer'd still.
Themselves, and that revolted Band that Hell do's fill.

VIII

Therefore, Each prostrate casts, with th' Elders, down
At the LAMBS Feet their Palm and Crown,
Beholding round all Eminencies, but their own.

IX

Th' Apostles here, with Him, in whose sweet Tongue
The Lute of high-tun'd Love was strung,
When through so many Regions He the Gospel sung.

X

The loving, lov'd Evangelist here lives
On Loves pure Influence, and gives
No Bounds to's flaming Love, but how to heighten't strives.

XI

Love was his only Theme. She, here is crown'd,
Who, neer Deaths Tomb, Life risen found;
Whose Eye-bowl was Tear-brimm'd, whose Towel Hair unbound.

XII

Parcht Africks Glory, born in's Mothers Eyes,
(An happier Off-spring of her Cries,
Than of her Womb) here to ecstatick Love does rise.

XIII

The Bounds are boundless of divine Amour;
Love hopes, and yet hath all Things, for,
In Heav'ns eternal Heraldry, true Love is Or.

XIV

Fruition Love enfires, thence Zeal's renu'd;
Love hath the SPIRITS Plenitude,
Burning with Flames in Splendor of Beatitude!

XV

Love caus'd the SON of GOD from's Throne dismount,
And make Himself of no Account,
Become a Man of Sorrows, Who of Joy's the Fount!

XVI

This Love, by Quire of Heav'n scarce understood!
Could so much Ill cause so much Good,
For Mans Redemption that GODS SON should shed His Blood?

XVII

Thou, Love, when as my guilty Soul did dwell
In Nest of Ruine, did'st unshell
My Spirit (fledg'd with Grace) from that disord'red Cell,

XVIII

And, having crusht the outward Film of Earth,
Gav'st Her, new form'd with Glory, Birth
That She might stye to th' Seat of Beatifick Mirth!

XIX

And praise Thee, with those Virgin-Souls, who in
The Cloysters of their Flesh have bin
Washt in their Saviours Bath of Blood from Spots of Sin.

XX

Flow'rs on our Heads, as on their Stems, do grow,
Which into fadeless Colours flow,
Nor Cold to blast, nor Heat to scorch, nor Age they know.

XXI

Scenting 'bove thousand precious Ointments, shed
On consecrated Aarons Head;
Above pearl'd Dew on Hermons ever-fragrant Bed.

XXII

How far, immaculate Flames, do You excell
All that in Thoughts high Turret dwell!
What then can Opticks see? What then can Volumes tell?

XXIII

If Beauties Self we could incarnate see,
Teeming with Youth and Joy, yet She
Would not so beauteous as the Virgin-Mother be.

XXIV

Who, like a full-orb'd Moon, our Stars out-shin'd
In glorious Fulgurance of Minde!
For whose surpassing Splendour I this Ode desig'nd.

XXV

Hail, blessed Virgin-Spouse, who did'st bequeath
Breath unto Him, Who made Thee breathe!
And gav'st a Life to Him, Who gave the Life from Death!

XXVI

Who bor'st Him in thy Womb, Whose Hands did stack
The studded Orbs with Stars, and tack
The glowing Constellations to the Zodiack!

XXVII

And, what improves the Mystery begun,
New Mysteries from Thee were spun,
He did, at once, become thy Father, Spouse, and Son!

XXVIII

Conceiving HIM, as by the Womb, so th' Ear!
By th' Angels Tongue Heav'n cast Seed there!
Thou heard'st, believ'dst, & thence didst breed, & thence didst bear!

XXIX

Thou only may'st (so it be humbly) boast
To have brought forth the Eternal Host
By mystick Obumbration of the HOLY GHOST!

XXX

By Thee did GOD and Man embrace Each other!
Thus, Heav'n to Earth became a Brother!
Thus, Thou, a Virgin, to thy MAKER wast a Mother!

XXXI

Thy Fleece was wet, when all the Ground lay drie!
Drie, when all moist about did lie!
As Aarons rootless Rod, so didst Thou fructifie!

XXXII

Thou art, from whence Faiths Burgeon sprang, the Ground!
Before, in, after Birth was found
Purenesse untoucht, with Virgin-Mothers Honour crown'd!

XXXIII

Thou, Shrine of Glory, Ark of Blisse, Thou, high
Fair Temple of Divinity,
In Thee, the Master-peece of Nature I descry!

XXXIV

My ravisht Soul (said She) extols His Name,
Who rules the Heav'ns expansed Frame,
Whose Mercie rais'd me up to magnifie the Same.

XXXV

Who can anatomize the glorious List
Of Heirs to GOD, Coheirs with CHRIST,
Who Royalize it There by Graces high Acquist?

XXXVI

Whose several Glories admirable are!
And yet as Infinite, as Fair!
Where Alls's enjoy'd at Full; where every Thing is rare!

XXXVII

The Joy of Each One is the Joy of All!
Beatitude's reciprocall!
They drink Christs Cup of flowing Wine, who pled'gd his Gall!

XXXVIII

Silence most Rhet'rick hath, and Glories best
Do pourtray forth that Royal Feast,
At which each blessed Saint is an Eternal Guest!

XXXIX

Nor can a Thought of earthly Friends Annoyes
Extenuate one Grain of Joyes,
While Mercy saves the Wise, while Justice Fools destroyes!

XL

Strangely their Intellects enlightned be!
Natures Compendium did not see
One half; yea, ere He tasted the forbidden Tree!

XLI

If, that Sea-parting Prince, from cleft Rocks Space
Viewing GODS Back-parts, thought it Grace,
What Honour is it then to see HIM Face to Face!

XLII

Who doth inspirit the indeficient Ray,
Not dimm'd with a minute Allay;
Where, though no Sun ere rose, yet 'tis Eternal Day!

XLIII

Where, All are fill'd, yet All from Food abstain!
Where All are Subjects, yet All reign!
All rich, yet have no Bags that stifled Wealth contain!

XLIV

Where each Saint do's a glorious Kingdom own;
Where each King hath a starry Crown;
Each Crown a Kingdom, free from the rude Peoples Frown.

XLV

Where Each hath All, yet, more than All, They owe;
All Subjects, yet no Kings They know,
Save King of Kings, & Lord of Lords, who quel'd their Foe.

XLVI

Where highest Joy is their perpetual Fare;
Their Exercise Hosannas are;
Spirits the Choristers, the Subject Praise and Prayer.

XLVII

The Laureate King his Psalming Voice doth raise,
And sings to's solemn Harp high Layes,
Being Himself the Organ to His MAKERS Praise.

XLVIII

Enflam'd with holy Zeal, and high Desire,
Encircled with the Enthean Quire,
Warbles This Epinician Canzon to his Lyre.

XLIX

Thou, Crown of Blisse, whose Footstool's Earth, whose Throne
Outshines ten thousand Suns in One,
Who art the Radical Life of all true Joy alone!

L

Royal PROTECTOR! when in THEE, Light's Sun,
Mortals wou'd deem the last Hour run,
We finde no Wane of Day, but a Solstitial Noon!

LI

When, We Times Volumes of past Thousands scan,
Thy Origen with Time to span,
We finde no Track in Infant Age when It began!

LII

Ancient of Dayes! to Whom all Times are Now;
Before Whom, Seraphims do bow,
Though highest Creatures, yet to their CREATOR, low!

LIII

Who art by Light-surrounded Powers obey'd,
(Heav'ns Host Thy ministring Spirits made)
Cloath'd with UBIQUITY, to Whom all Light is Shade!

LIV

Whose Thunder-clasping Hand do's grasp the Shole
Of total Nature, and unroul
The spangled Canopy of Heav'n from Pole to Pole!

LV

Who, on the Clouds and Windes, thy Chariot, rid'st;
And, brideling wildest Storms, them guid'st;
Who, moveless, All dost move; Who, changing All, abid'st!

LVI

The Ocean Thou begirt'st with misty Shrouds;
That Monster wrapt'st in swathing Clouds,
And, with thy mighty Word controul'st tempestuous Flouds!

LVII

Earth-circling Oceans Thy Displeasure flee;
Mountains dismounted are by Thee;
Those airy Giants smoak if Thou incensed be!

LVIII

Innumerable Troops of Joyes do stand
Before thy boundless Presence, and
Uncessantly attend Thy ever-blissefull Hand!

LIX

Thou, LORD; Good, without Quality, dost send
Blisse to All Thine; Great, without End;
Whose Magnitude no Quantity can comprehend!

LX

What's worthlesse Man? what his earth-crawling Race?
That Thou shouldst such a shadow grace,
And in unspeakable triumphant Glory place!

LXI

Who may thy Mercies Height, Depth, Breadth extend?
In Height It do's to Heav'n ascend,
Confirms the Angels, and in Depth doth low descend,

LXII

Lessening the Pains o'th' damned ev'n in Hell;
In Breadth, from East to West do's swell,
And over all the World, and all thy Works excell!

LXIII

Immense EXISTENCE! Heav'n's amaz'd at thy
INCOMPREHENSIBILITIE!
Intelligencies dread Thine All commanding-Eye!

LXIV

Ye winged Hero's, whom all Blisse embow'rs,
To HIM in Anthems strain your pow'rs,
Whose Sea of Goodness has no Shoar, whose Age, no How'rs!

LXV

Then, ore the trembling Cords his swift Hand strayes,
And clos'd All with full Diapaze;
As, in a sounding Quire the well-strook Consort playes.

LXVI

Victorious Jubilies, when Eccho'd clear
From the Church-Militant, are dear
To Heav'ns triumphing Quire; Such no gross Ear can hear.

LXVII

Musicks first Martyr, Stradas Nightingale,
Might ever wish (poor Bird) to fall
On that excelling Harp, and joy i'th Funeral!

LXVIII

Had it but heard Those Ayrs, where Musick meets
With Raptures of Voice-warbled Sweets,
Flowing with ravishing Exces in Sions Streets.

LXIX

All, what Symphonious Breaths inspire, All, what
Quick Fingers touch, compar'd, sound flat:
Could I but coyn a Word beyond all Sweets! 'Twere That

LXX

What Orders in New-Salems Hierarchie,
In what Degrees They enstated be,
Are Wings that mount my Thoughts to high Discovery.

LXXI

Blest Sight, to see Heav'ns order'd Host to move
In Legions glist'ring All Above,
Whose Armour is true Zeal, whose Banner is pure Love!

LXXII

Bright-harnessed Intelligencies! Who
Enucleate can your Essence so,
As Men may both your mighty Pow'r, & Nature know!

LXXIII

Invisible, impassive, happy, fair,
High, incorporeal, active, rare,
Pure, scientifick and illustrious Spirits You are.

LXXIV

Guesse at their Strength, by One; Was not almost
Two hundred thousand of an Host
By an Angel slain, when Assurs Chief 'gainst Heav'n did boast?

LXXV

In Brightness They the Morning Star out-vie;
In Nimbleness the Windes out-flie;
And far surpasse the Sun-beams in Subtilitie.

LXXVI

Archangels, Those superiour Spirits, are
GODS Legats, when he will declare
His Minde to's Chosen; Gabriel did thus prepare

LXXVII

GODS Embassie, when his Belov'd did tie
Our Flesh to his DIVINITIE;
Grace was the Kisse, the Union was the Ring from High;

LXXVIII

Angels the Posie sung: This, made our Clay
O're Empyræan Courtiers sway,
When as the SPOUSE his mystick Nuptials did display.

LXXIX

No sooner shall That great Archangel sound
His wakefull Trump of Doom to th' Ground,
And Eccho shall, as banded Ball, make quick Rebound;

LXXX

But, pamper'd Graves, with all their Jawes, shall yawn;
And Seas, Flouds Nurse, strange Shoals shall spawn
Of Men, to wait o'th' dreadfull Judge at's Judgements Dawn.

LXXXI

To Incorruption then Corruptions Night
Shall turned be; for That strange Sight
Inebriates Souls with deepest Woes, or high'st Delight!

LXXXII

Then shall my Ear, my Nose, my Hand, Tongue, Eye,
Alwayes hear, smell, feel, taste, espye,
Hosanna's, Incense, Off'rings, Feasts, Felicitie!

LXXXIII

To act GODS Will, ore sublunary Things,
The Dominations sway, as Kings;
He curbs Aerian Potentates, by th' Pow'rs He wings;

LXXXIV

The Principates, of Princes take the Care,
T' enlarge their Realms, or to empair;
Virtues in acting of his Will have their full Share;

LXXXV

Thrones HIM contemplate, nor from's Presence move;
To Cherubs HE reveals Above
Hid Things; He Seraphins enflames with ardent Love.

LXXXVI

Præcelling Seraphs shew GODS Ardor still;
Wise Cherubs his Abysse of Skill
In Governing of All; beatious Thrones instill

LXXXVII

To us his Steddines in's blessed Throne,
Ever unalterably ONE;
Powr's, Virtues, Principates to his Commands are prone;

LXXXVIII

Dominions own his Regal Sway; and so
Archangels, Angels swiftly show
Agilitie that from the DEITIE do's flow.

LXXXIX

Their Number's numberlesse, not half so few
As orient Pearls of early Dew;
Like Aromatick Lamps They in Heav'ns Temple shew:

XC

And yet of Them though vast the Number be,
The Thing that most do's glorifie
Their MAKER's This, They differ specifically.

XCI

Of the first Machine They the Parcels are;
Yet, if we Them with GOD compare,
Then wth their Wings they skreen Themselves, though else most fair.

XCII

Lawlesse Desire do's never pierce their Breast;
Th' Almighties Face is still their Feast;
Their Blisse in Service lies, in Messages their Rest:

XCIII

They speak with Thought, atchieve without a Fee;
Silence They hear, Idæas see;
Still magnifying HIM, who cannot Greater be!

XCIV

Thus, They, with one fleet Glance intuitive,
Into Each others Knowledge dive;
And, by Consent, Thoughts, else inscrutable, unrive.

XCV

Each One in Psalms Eternity employes;
Where Use nor tires, nor Fulness cloyes;
Enjoying GOD, their End, without an end of Joyes!

XCVI

Each ravishing Voice, each Instrument, each Face
Compos'd such Musick, that I was
In Doubt, Each so in Tune, which did precede in Grace:

XCVII

The spritely Instruments did sweetly smile;
The Faces play'd their Parts; mean while
The Voices, with both Graces, did them Both beguile.

XCVIII

The Nine-fold Quire such Heav'nly Accents there
In Sweets Extension still do rear,
As over-pow'r the Windings of a mortal Ear.

XCIX

Who Musick hate, in barb'rous Discord rowle;
In Heav'n there is not such a Soul;
For, there's All-Harmony. Saints sing, the damned howl.

C

Cœlestial Sweets did this Discourse excite;
Firm Joy, fast Love, fixt Life, fair Sight!
But may a Creature, its CREATORS Glory write?