Theophila :: :: University of Virginia Library

Had Tongues Heav'ns Mint, to coyn each Angel-Grace
In Dialect; They'd fail o'th' Space,
Where All to come is One with All that ever was!

VII

Faith, stretch thy Line, yet That's too short, to sound
Sea without Bottom, without Bound;
As Circular, as Infinite, ô Shoarlesse Round!

VIII

Immense ETERNITIE! What mystick Art
Of THEE may coppy any Part,
Since THOU an indeterminable CIRCLE art!

IX

Whose very Center so diffus'd is found,
That not Heav'ns Circuit can It bound,
Then what, what may the whole Circumference surround?

X

Heav'ns Hero's, can ye find for th' ENDLES End?
Can Pow'rs IMMENSITY extend?
UBIQUITIE inclose? The BOUNDLES comprehend?

XI

JEHOVAH's Zone to this uncentred BALL,
Ecliptick, and Meridionall,
Who Was before, Is with, and Shall be after All!

XII

But now behold Its Height, Above all Height!
Plac't beyond Place! Above Lights Light!
Rapt were the three Apostles by a Glimps o'th' Sight!

XIII

O, Thou all-splendent, all transcending Throne!
Compact of High'st Dominion!
That 'bove the Super-Eminence of Lustre shone!

XIV

From Each of Thine ineffably bright Sides
Diffusion of such Splendor glides,
As rowls 'bove thousand Seas of Joyes in flaming Tides

XV

With such Refulgence, that, if Cherubs might,
With Face unvail'd, gaze on That Sight,
Strait their Spiritual Natures would be nothing'd quite.

XVI

Nature, put on thy most coruscant Vest;
Thy Gayeties shew, brought to this Test,
As a crude Jelley dropt from duskie-Clouds at best.

XVII

Could'st Thou impov'rish every Indian Mine,
And, from each golden Cell, unshrine
Those Beams, that wth their Blaze out-face Dayes em'lous Shine:

XVIII

Could'st finde out secret Engins to unlock
The treasu'ring Casket of each Rock,
And reap the glowing Harvest of that sparkling Shock:

XIX

Could'st thread the Stars (fixt and erratick) here,
That stud the luminated Sphear,
That all those Orbs of Light one Constellation were:

XX

Could'st joyn Mines, Gems, Skie-Tapers, All in one;
Whose neer-Immense Reflection
Might both outrival, and outvie the glorious Sun:

XXI

Could all thy Stones be Gems, Seas liquid Gold,
Air Crystal, Dust to Pearl enrold,
Each Star a Sun, that Sun more bright a thousand fold:

XXII

Yet would those Gems seem Flints, those Seas a Plash,
Those Stars a Spark, That Sun a Flash;
Pearl'd Islands, Diamond Rocks, Gold Mines, All sully'd trash:

XXIII

Yea, were all Eyes of Earth, Skie, Heav'n combin'd,
And to one Optick point confin'd,
This super-radiant Object would ev'n strike That blind!

XXIV

Blinde, as the sable, Veil of gloomy Night;
(The Gospels Self but hints This SIGHT)
All seem obscurer Shades to This non-parel LIGHT!

XXV

Amazing! Most Inexplicably Rare!
O, if, but Those Who Worthy are,
None may This Light declare; None may This Light declare!

XXVI

Best Eloquence is languid, high'st Thoughts vail,
To think, to speak, Wit, Language fail;
'Tis an Abysse, through which no Spirits Eye can sail!

XXVII

Here Glory dwells, with Lustres so surrounded,
That brightest Rayes are quite confounded,
When they approach this radiant Eminence unbounded!

XXVIII

Forth from This Fulgurance such Splendors fly,
As shall draw up frail Dust on High;
Which, else, would in its lumpish Urn still bedrid lie.

XXIX

Before the Almighties Throne my Soul I throw,
Whence All, that's Good and Great, does flow.
LORD, I that Grace implore, wch may this Glory show!

XXX

Great GOD! Thou All-beginning, Unbegun!
Whose Hand the Web of Nature spun!
At once the Plenitude of All, and yet but ONE!

XXXI

Parent of Beings, Entities sole Stud!
Spirits eternal Spring and Flood!
Sprung of Thy Self, or rather no way sprung! Chief Good!

XXXII

Abstract of Joyes, whose Wisdom an Abysse!
Whose Pow'r Omnipotency is!
Whose Soul-enlivening Sight's the Universal Blisse!

XXXIII

Thou dost descend on Wings of Air displaid,
'Bove Majesty It self arraid,
Curtain'd with Clouds, the Host of Heav'n Attendants made!

XXXIV

Essence of Glory, Summity of Praise!
Abasht at thy All-piercing Rayes,
Heav'ns Quire does chaunt uncessant Alleluiahs!

XXXV

Diamonds than Glass, than Diamonds Stars more bright;
Than Stars the Sun, than Sun Heav'ns Light;
But infinitely purer than Heav'ns Self's Thy Sight!

100

XXXVI

Great is the Earth, more large the Airs Extent:
Planets exceed; The Firmament
Of Stars outvies; Unlimited's the Heav'nly Tent:

XXXVII

But, as my tenter'd Minde its Spirits still
Strains forth, from lesse to more (LORD, fill
My out-spent Raptures by thy All-repairing Skill!)

XXXVIII

When I above Air, Stars, Heav'n, on wou'd press
Rackt Thoughts to Sphears beyond Exces;
Myriads of Sphears seem Motes to thy Immense ONENESSE!

XXXIX

Eternity is but Thine Howerglasse!
Immensity but fills Thy Space!
Whole Natures six Dayes Work took up but six Words place!

XL

One Word did th' All-surrounding Skie-roof frame,
With all its Starrie sparkling Flame!
Not all created Wisdom can spell out THY NAME!

XLI

Supreme COMMANDER of the rowling Stars!
Thy Law sets to their Progresse Bars,
Does Epicycle their obliquely gliding Cars!

XLII

No Lines, Poles, Tropicks, Zones can Thee enthrall,
First MOVER of the Sphearick Ball,
Above, Beneath, Without, Within, Beyond them All!

XLIII

What could, but thy All-potent Hand, sustain
Those Magazines of Hail, Snow, Rain,
Lest They should fall at once, and deluge All again?

101

XLIV

By Them Thou Plenty dost to Earth distill;
And Mans dependent Heart dost fill:
Windes are Van-Curriers, & Postilions to Thy Will!

XLV

'Tis That the ominous Cause of Earth-quakes bindes
In Subterranean Grotts; That findes
Strange Ruptures to enfranchise th' ever-strugling Winds!

XLVI

Thy Sandy Cord do's proudest Surges bound;
And Seas unfathom'd Bottoms sound;
Thy semi-circling Bow i'th' Clouds thy Covenant crown'd!

XLVII

Earths Hinges hang upon thy Fiat; set
Midst Air-surrounding Waters, yet
Stand fixt on That, like Which, what is so Firm, so Great!

XLVIII

Yet Earths fast Columns at thy Frown do quake;
And Oceans dreadful Horrors make;
Flints melt, the Rocks do rowl, the airie Mountains shake!

XLIX

Yea, Heav'ns Self trembled, and the Center shook,
With thy amazing Presence strook,
When Power of Pow'rs on Sina's Mount His Station took!

L

Each Ens (as linkt to Providence, thy Chain)
Is govern'd by thy Fingers Rein!
Thou, seeing us, we Grace; we, Thee, do Glory gain!

LI

Who hast no Eyes to see, nor Ears to hear;
Yet seest, and hear'st, All-Eye, All-Ear!
Who, no where art contain'd, yet art Thou every where!

102

LII

The optick Glass we of thy Præscience may
Call th' Ark, where all Idæas lay,
By which each Entitie Thou dost at first pourtray!

LIII

Future Events are præexistent here,
As if they lately acted were;
Then any new dissect Anatomy more clear!

LIV

Each where, at once, Thou totally art still
The same unchang'd; yet, at thy Will,
Thou changest All; Who, though Thou art unmov'd, dost fill

LV

Things that are most remote; In whose Forecast
Contingencies do crowd so fast,
As if, past Things were now, and Things to come were past!

LVI

Though Acts on Earth crosse to thy Will are done,
Besides thy Will yet acteth None;
Preceding and succeeding Will, in Thee are One!

LVII

Of whose vast Mannor all the Earth's Demains!
Though Earth, nor Air, nor Heav'n contains,
Yet each obscurer Grott thy OMNIPRESENCE gains!

LVIII

Though nought accrues to Thy unbounded State
From Spirits, which Thou didst create,
Yet They thy Goodnes and thy Love shall still dilate!

LIX

Thou, who mad'st All, mad'st neither Sin, nor Death;
Mans Folly first gave them their Breath;
That did abase whole Nature with it self beneath.

103

LX

But Sin to cure, Thou in a Crib gav'st Man
EMANUEL! Divine-humane!
Who diff'ring Natures joyn'd; Whose Reign no Ages scan!

LXI

And Thou, O MEDIATOR! Thou, whose Praise,
Like Morning Dewes, to first of Dayes
Was sung by Heav'nly Choristers in Seraph Layes!

LXII

GOD, by the Holy Ghost, begat Thee, Lord!
Flesh took by the Eternal Word!
Whose Self-Eternal EMANATION None record!

LXIII

As thy Eternal EMANATION's past;
So to Eternity shal't last!
In the beginning was the Word, shews still THOU wast!

LXIV

There GOD in Essence, One in Persons Three!
Here Natures two in One agree!
Thou, sitting in the Midst of TRINAL-UNITY

LXV

At Heav'ns High Councel-Table, dart'st such Rayes,
As strike ev'n Cherubs with amaze!
Of which the School, disputing All, it nothing sayes.

LXVI

Search we the Ages past so long ago,
None, None this Mystery could show,
Till in that Maiden-Birth, 'twas acted here below!

LXVII

A Dove hatch't in that Nest Thy Self did build!
A Lamb that Thine own Flock does shield!
A Winter Flow'r that fram'd, from whence it sprung, the Field!

104

LXVIII

The Jewish Shepherds all affrighted are,
When Heralds THEE proclaim'd i'th' Air!
Yea, Magi came t' adore, led by a new-born Starre!

LXIX

Yet, though thus wond'rously begot, thus born,
Sponsor for us, faln Race, forlorn,
T' ingratiate us with GOD, becam'st to Man a Scorn!

LXX

The Grace Self wast, th' Honour t' Evangelize!
The sacred Function, as a Prize,
Thou took'st, yet That not on, till call'd in Aarons Guize!

LXXI

Which GOD t' Apostolize did bring to passe,
By th' HOLY GHOSTS Descent, at Face
Of Jordans then blest Streams, of Which John Witness was!

LXXII

Thence, led by th' HOLY GHOST to th'Wilderness,
There tempted by the Fiends addresse,
Him overcam'st by Scriptum est; Hence our Release!
Then forth thou wentst.—

LXXIII

Thy Sermons, Oracles; Acts, Wonders were!
Those Faith begot, These Others Fear!
By Both, thus wrought in us, to THEE our selves we rear!

LXXIV

Thou gav'st the Lame swift Legs, the Blinde clear Eyes!
Thou heal'dst all humane Maladies!
Thou mad'st the Dumb to speak! Thou mad'st the Dead to rise!

LXXV

And art to Dead Men Life, to sick men Health!
Sight to the Blinde, to th' Needy Wealth!
A Pleasure without Pain! a Treasure without Stealth!

105

LXXVI

LORD, in, not of this World, Thy Kingdom is;
Thy chos'n Apostles preacht thy Blisse,
That none of all thy Creatures might Salvation misse.

LXXVII

Abra'ham, long dead before, yet saw Thy Day,
In Isaack born, and Vowes did pay!
Type first, then Antitype, and quicknest every way!

LXXVIII

Thy Gospel Wisdoms Academie shew'd;
Thy Mercy, Justice calm'd; Life, view'd
Is Temperance; Thy Death the Flag of Fortitude!

LXXIX

Thou, Altar, Sanctuary, Sacrifice,
Priest, Bread of Life do'st All suffice!
N'ere cloying Feast, where Appetite by Food doth rise!

LXXX

And, Son of Man, dost Sin of Man forgive!
To be Thy Victimes Hearts do strive,
Who liv'dst that Life might die, and di'dst that Death might live!

LXXXI

Yet dy'dst Thou not, but that (Spîrit quickned) free
Thou might'st Saints Paradised see,
Rejoyc'd Assurance give to Them rejoyc'd in Thee!

LXXXII

And that, from thence, to Satans gloomy Shades,
Made Prison for the damned Hades,
Thou might'st Thy Conquest shew, Thy Glory that ne're fades!

LXXXIII

Thence loos'd Deaths Chains from Body, up to rear It,
That, when Rais'd State THOU dost inherit,
THOU might'st become to us an ever-quickning SPIRIT!

106

LXXXIV

The FATHER to reveal gives to his SON
Thee, HOLY GHOST (thus Three in One)
Of All peculiar Sanctifyer, yet not Alone!

LXXXV

The Fathers Love, and Sons; Adoptions Seal,
The Spring of Sanctitie, The Weal
O'th' Church: Thy Self in Light of fiery Tongues reveal!

LXXXVI

O Light unscann'd! Of Wisdom every Glance
Beams only from Thy Countenance;
Whose Store, when empty'd most It self doth most advance!

LXXXVII

Whose Fruits are Gentleness, Peace, Love, and Joy,
All crown'd with Blisse, free'd from Annoy;
Which neither Time, World, Death, Hell, Devil can destroy!

LXXXVIII

Thou art a Feast, fram'd of that fruitfull Fare,
Which Hungers wast not, but repair!
A rich Perfume, no Windes can winnow into Air!

LXXXIX

A Light unseen, yet in each Place dost shine!
A Sound no Art can e're define!
A pure Embrace, that Times Assault can n'ere untwine!

XC

Flouds of unebbing Joyes from Thee do rowl!
Which, to each Sin-disdaining Soul
Thou dost exhibit in an unexhausted Bowl!

XCI

This Wine of Extasie, by th' SPIRIT giv'n,
Doth raise the ravisht Souls to Heav'n!
Affording them those Comforts are of Earths bereav'n!

107

XCII

Thy Union is as strict, as large thy Merit!
No Heav'n but THEE, which Saints inherit
Through Grace, divinest Sap, deriv'd by th' Holy Spirit!

XCIII

When Souls enflamed by that highest Light,
Fix on Thy glorifying Sight,
All Glories else, compar'd to That, are duskie Night!

XCIV

When high'st Infusions passe our highest Sense,
Amazement is high Eloquence,
'Bove all Hyperboles which fall to Exigence.

XCV

Blest TRINITY, Th' art All; Above All, Good!
Beatitudes Beatitude!
Which swallows us, yet swim we in this Living Floud!

XCVI

Th' art King of Kings, of Lords Lord! None like Thee!
Who, for thy Style hast Majestie!
And for thy Royal Robes hast Immortalitie.

XCVII

Mercie for Throne! for Scepter Justice hast!
Immensitie's for Kingdom plac't!
And for thy Crown such Glorie as doth ever last!

XCVIII

For Peace, what passeth Understandings Eye!
Pow'r, Irresistabilitie!
For Holines, All what's most sacred, pure, and high!

XCIX

For Truth, thy Word! Wisdom for Counsellour!
Omnipotence does Guard Thy Tow'r!
Thou ministring Angels hast to act thy Soveraign Pow'r!

108

C

Omniscience Thine Intelligencer is!
For Treasure Thou hast Endlesse Blisse!
For Date Eternity! O, swallow me ABYSSE!