the Day behind Describe their Fleet abandoning the Sea And all their Merchants left a wealthy Prey Our first success in War make Bacchus Crown And half the Vintage of the Year our own The Dutch their Wine and all their Brandy loâ—â— Disarm'd of that from which their Courage growâ— While the glad Englsh to relieve their toil In Healths to their great Leader drink the spoil His high Command to Africks Coast extend And make the Moors before the English bend Those barbarous Pirates willingly receive Conditions such as we are pleas'd to give Deserted by the Dutch let Nations know We can our own and their great business do False Friends chastise and common Foes restrain Which worse than Tempests did infest the Main Within those Streights make Holland's Smirna Fleâ—â— With a small Squadron of the English meet Like Falcons these those like a numerous Flock Of Fowl which scatter to avoid the Shock There paint Confusion in a various shape Some sink some yield and flying some escape â—â—rope and Africa from either shore â—ectators are and hear our Cannon roar While the divided world in this agree Men that Fight so deserve to rule the Sea â—ut nearer home thy Pencil use once more 〈◊〉 place our Navy by the Holland shore The World they compass'd while they fought with 〈◊〉 here already they resign the Main Spain Those greedy Mariners out of whose way â—issusive Nature could no Region lay â—t home preserv'd from Rocks and Tempests lieâ— Compel'd like others in their Beds to die Their single Towns th' Iberian Armies prest We all their Provinces at once invest And in a Month Ruine their Traâ—â—ique more Than that long War could in an Age before But who can always on the Billows lie The watry Wilderness yields no supply Spreading our Sails to Harwich we resort And meet the Beauties of the British Court Th' Illustrious Dutchess and her Glorious Train Like Thetis with her Nymphs adorn the Main The gazing Sea-gods since the Paphian Queen Sprung from among them no such sight had seâ— Charm'd with the Graces of a Troop so fair Those deathless Powers for us themselves 〈◊〉 Resolv'd the aid of Neptune's Court to bring And help the Nation where such Beauties sprinâ— The Soldier here his wasted store supplies And takes new Valor from the Ladies Eyes Mean while like Bees when stormy Winter's gooâ— The Dutch as if the Sea were all their own Desert their Ports and falling in their way â—ur Hamburgh Merchants are become their Prey Thus flourish they before th' approaching Fight As dying Tapers give a blazing Light To check their Pride our Fleet half victual'd goes â—nough to serve us till we reach our Foes Who now appear so numerous and bold The Action worthy of our Arms we hold A greater force than that which here we find â—â—'re press'd the Ocean nor employ'd the Wind. â—estrain'd a while by the unwelcom Night â—h ' impatient English scarce attend the Light But now the Morning Heav'n severely clear â—o the flerce Work Indulgent does appear And Phoebâ—s lists above the Waves his Light That he might see and thus record the Fight As when loud winds from different quarters rush â—ast Clouds incountring one another crush With swelling Sails so from their several Coasts Join the Batavian and the British Hoasts For a less Prize with less Concern and Rage The Roman Fleets at Actium did Engage They for the Empire of the World they knew These for the Old contend and for the New At the first shock with Blood and Powder stain'd Nor Heaven nor Sea their former face retain'd Fury and Art produce Effects so strange They trouble Nature and her Visage change Where burning Ships the banish'd Sun supply And no Light shines but that by which men die There YORK appears so prodigal is he Of Royal Blood as ancient as the Sea Which down to Him so many Ages told Has through the veins of Mighty Monarchs roll'd The great Achilles march'd not to the Field Till Vulcan that impenetrable Shield And Arms had wrought yet there no Bullets flew â—ut Shafts and Darts which the weak Phâ—ygians threw Our bolder Heroe on the Deck does stand Expos'd the Bulwark of his Native Land Defensive Arms â—aid by as useless here Where massie Balls the Neighbouring Rocks do tear Some Power unseen those Princes do's proâ—â—ct Who for their Countrey thus themselves neglect Against Him first Opdam his Squadron leads Proud of his late Success against the suedis Made by that Action and his high Command Worthy to perish by a Princes Hand The tall Batavian in a vast Ship rides â—aring an Army in her hollow sides â—t not inclin'd the English Ship to board 〈…〉 than on his Sword From whence a fatal Volly we receiv'd It miss'd the Duke but His Great Heart â— griev'd Three worthy Persons from His side it tore And dy'd His Garment with their scatter'd Gore Happy to whom this glorious death arrives More to be valu'd â—han a thousand Lives On such a Theatre as this to die For such a Cause and such a Witness by Who would not thus a Sacrifice be made To have his Blood on such an Altar laid The rest about Him strook with horror stood To see their Leader cover'd oâ—re with Blood So trembl'd Iacob when he thought the stains Of his Sons Coat had issued from his veins He feels no wound but in his troubled thought Before for Honour now Revenge He fought His Friends in pieces torn the bitter News Not brought by Fame with His own Eys He views 〈◊〉 Mind at once reflecting on their Youth Their Worth their Love their Valour and their Truth The joys of Court their Mothers and their Wives To follow Him abandon'd and their Lives He storms and shoots but flying Bullets now To execute His Rage appear too slow They miss or sweep but common Souls away For such a Loss Opdam his Life must pay Encouraging His Men He gives the Word With fierce intent that hated Ship to Board And make the guilty Dutch with His own Arm Wait on His Friends while yet their Blood is warm His winged Vessel like an Eagle shows When through the Clouds to truss a Swan she goes The Belgian Ship unmov'd like some huge Rock Inhabiting the Sea expects the shock From both the Fleets Mens eyes are bent this 〈◊〉 Neglecting all the business of the day Bullets their flight and Guns their noise suspend The silent Ocean does th' event attend Which Leader shall the doubtfull vict'ry bless And give an earnest of the Wars success When Heav'n it self for England to declare Turns Ship and Men and Tackle into Air Their new Commander from his Charge is â—oâ—t Which that young Prince had so unjustly lost Whose great Progenitors with better Fate And better Conduct sway'd their Infant State His flight tow'rds Heav'n th' aspiring Belgian took But fell like Phaeton with Thunder strook From vaster hopes than his he seem'd to fall That durst attempt the British Admiral
dwâ—llâ— And a 〈◊〉 Conscience mingling with their Joy Thoughts of Despair do's their whole Life annoy But Love appearing all those Terrors flie We live contented and contented die They in whose breast this sacred Love has place Death as a passage to their Joy embrace Clouds and thick Vapors which obscure the day The Suns victorious Beams may chase away Those which our Life corrupt and darken Love The Nobler Star must from the Soul remove Spots are observ'd in that which bounds the year This brighter Sun moves in a boundless Sphere Of Heav'n the Joy the Glory and the Light Shines among Angels and admits no Night CANTO V. THis Iron Age so fraudulent and bold Toucht with this Love would be an Age of Gold Not as they feign'd that Oaks should Honey drop Or Land neglected bear an unsown Crop Love would make all things easy safe and cheap None for himself would either sow or reap Our ready Help and mutual Love would yield A nobler Harvest than the richest Field Famine and Dearth confin'd to certain parts Extended are by barrenness of Hearts Some pine for want where others surfeit now But then we should the use of Plenty know Love would betwixt the Rich and Needy stand And spread Heav'ns bounty with an equal hand At once the Givers and Receivers bless Encrease their Joy and make their Sufferings less Who for himself no Miracle would make Dispens'd with Nature for the Peoples sake He that long Fasting would no wonder show Made Loaves and Fishes as they eat them grow Of all his Power which boundless was above Here he us'd none but to express his Love And such a Love would make our Joy exceed Not when our own but other mouths we feed Laws would be useless which rude Nature awe Love changing Nature would prevent the Law Tygers and Lyons into Dens we thrust But milder Creatures with their freedom trust Devils are chain'd and tremble but the Spouse No force but Love nor Bond but Bounty knows Men whom we now so 〈◊〉 and dang'rous see Would Guardian Angels to each other be Such wonders can this mighty Love perform Vultures to Doves Wolves into Lambs transform Love what Isaiah prophecy'd can do Exalt the Vallies lay the Mountains low Humblethe Lofty the Dejected raise Smooth and make strait our rough and crooked ways Love strong as Death and like it levels all With that possest the great in Title fall Themselves esteem but equal to the least Whom Heav'n with that high Character has blest This Love the Centre of our Union can Alone bestow complete Repose on Man Tame his wild Appetite make inward Peace And Foreign strife among the Nations cease No Martial Trumpet should disturb our rest Nor Princes Arm thô to subdue the East Where for the Tomb â—â—o many Hero's taught By those that guided their Devotion faught Thrice Happy we could we like Ardor have To gain his Love as they to win his Grave Love as he Lov'd a Love so unconfin'd With Arms extended would embrace Mankind Self-Love would cease or be dilated when We should behold as many Selfs as Men All of one Family in Blood ally'd His precious Blood that for our Ransom dy'd CANTO VI. THô the Creation so divinely taught Prints such a lively Image in our thought That the first spark of new Created light From Chaos struck affects our present sight Yet the first Christians did esteem more blest The day of Rising than the day of Rest That ev'ry week might new occasion give To make his Triumph in their memory live Then let our Muse compose a Sacred Charm To keep his Blood among us ever warm And singing as the Blessed do above With our last breath dilate this â—lame of Love But on so vast a Subject who can find Words that may reach th' Idea's of his mind Our Language fails or if it could supply What Mortal Thought can raise it self so high Despairing here we might abandon Art And only hope to have it in our heart But though we find this Sacred Task too hard Yet the Design th'endeavor brings Reward The Contemplation does suspend our Woe And makes a Truce with all the Ills we know As Saul's afflicted Spirit from the sound Of David's Harp a present Solace found So on this Theam while we our Muse engage No Wounds are felt of Fortune or of Age On Divine Love to meditate is Peace And makes all care of meaner things to cease Amaz'd at once and comforted to find A boundless Pow'r so infinitely kind The Soul contending to that Light to flie From her dark Cell we practise how to die Imploying thus the Poet 's winged Art To reach this Love and grave it in our heart Joy so complete so solid and severe Would leave no place for meaner Pleasures there Pale they would look as Stars that must be gone When from the East the Rising Sun comes on Floriferis ut Apes in saltibus omnia libant sic nos Scripturae depascimur aurea dicta Anrea perpetuâ semper dignissima vitâ Nam Divinus Amor cum coepit vociferari Diffugiunt Animi Terrores Lucr. Exul eram requiesque mihi non Fama petita est Mens intenta suis ne foret usque malis Namque ubi mota calent Sacrâ mea Pectora Musâ Altior humano Spiritus ille malo est De Trist. OF Divine Poesie TWO CANTOS Occasioned upon sight of the 53d Chapter of Isaiah turn'd into Verse by Mrs. Wharton CANTO I. POets we prize when in their Verse we find Some great employment of a worthy mind Angels have been inquisitive to know The Secret which this Oracle does show What was to come Isaiah did declare Which she describes as if she had been there Had seen the Wounds which to the Reader 's view She draws so lively that they Bleed a new As Ivy thrives which on the Oak takes hold So with the Prophets may her lines grow old If they should die who can the World forgive Such pious Lines When wanton Sapho's live Who with his Breath his Image did inspire Expects it should foment a Nobler fire Not Love which Brutes as well as Men may know But Love like his to whom that Breath we owe. Verse so design'd on that high Subject wrote Is the Perfection of an ardent Thought The Smoke which we from burning Incense raise When we complete the Sacrifice of Praise In boundless Verse the Fancy soars too high For any Object but the Deity What Mortal can with Heav'n pretend to share In the Superlatives of Wise and Fair A meaner Subject when with these we grace A Giants habit on a Dwarf we place Sacred should be the Product of our Muse Like that sweet Oil above all private use On pain of Death forbidden to be made But when it should be on the Altar laid Verse shows a rich inestimable Vein When dropt from Heav'n 't is thither sent again Of Bounty 't is that he admits our Praise Which does
From her Broad-sides a ruder Flame is thrown Than from the fiery Chariot of the Sun That bears the radiant Ensign of the day And she the Flag that Governs in the Sea The Duke ill pleas'd that Fire should thus prevent The work which for His brighter sword He meant Anger still burning in His vallant breast Goes to compleat Revenge upon the rest So on the guardless Herd their Keeper slain Rushes a Tyger in the Lybian Plain The Dutch accustom'd to the raging Sea And in black Storms the frowns of Heav'n to see Never met Tempest which more urg'd their fears Than that which in the Prince His look appears Fierce Goodly Young Mars he resembles when Iove sends him down to scourge perâ—idious Men Such as with foul Ingratitude have paid Both those that Led and those that gave them Aid Where He gives on disposing of their Fates Terror and Death on His loud Cannon waits With which He pleads His Brothers Cause so well He shakes the Throne to which He does appeal The Sea with spoil His angry Bullets strow Widows and Orphans making as they go Before His Ship fragments of Vessels torn Flags Arms And Belgian Carcasses are born And his despairing Foâ—s to flight inclin'd Spread all their Canvas to invite the Wind So the rude Boreas where he lists to blow Makes Clouds above and Billows flie below Beating the Shore and with a boisterous rage Does Heav'n at once and Earth and Sea ingage The Dutch elsewhere did through the watry field Perform enough to have made others yield But English Courage growing as they fight In Danger Noise and Slaughter takes delight Their bloody Task unwearied still they ply Only restrain'd by Death or Victory Iron and Lead from Earths dark Entrails torn Like show'rs of Hail from either side are born So high the Rage of wretched Mortals goes Hurling their Mothers Bowels at their Foes Ingenious to their Ruine every Age Improves the Arts and Instruments of Rage Death hast'ning ills Nature enough has sent And yet Men still a thousand more invent But Bacchus now which led the Belgians on So fierce at first to favour us begun Brandee and Wine their wonted Friends at length Render them useless and betray their strength So Corn in Fields and in the Garden Flowers Revive and raise themselves with moderate showâ—â—â— But overcharg'd with never-ceafing Rain Become too moist and bend their heads again Their reeling Ships on one another fall Without a Foe enough to ruine all Of this Disorder and the favouring Wind The watchful English such advantage find Ships fraught with Fire among the heap they throw And up the so intangled Bâ—lgians blow The Flame invades the Powder-Rooms and then Their Guns shoot Bullets and their Vessels Men The scorcht Batavians on the Billows float Sent from their own to pass in Charon's Boat And now our Royal Admiral Success With all the marks of Victory does bless The burning Ships the taken and the slain Proclaim His Triumph o're the conquer'd Main Nearer to Holland as their hasty flight Carries the noise and tumult of the Fight His Cannons roar Forerunner of His Fame Makes their Hague tremble and their Amsterdam The Eritish Thunder does their Houses rock And the Duke seems at every door to knock His dreadful Streamer like a Comets hair Threatning Destruction hastens their Despair Makes them deplore their scatter'd Fleet as lost And fear our presenâ— Landing on their Coast. The trembling Dutch th' approaching 〈◊〉 behold As Sheep a Lion leaping tow'rds their Fold Those Piles which serve them to repel the Main They think too weak His fury to restrain What Wonders may not English Valor work Led by th' Example of victorious YORK Or what Defence against Him can they make Who at such distance does their Countrey shake His fatal Hand their Bulwarks will o'rethrow And let in both the Ocean and the Foe Thus cry the People and their Land to keep Allow our Title to command the Deep Blaming their States ill Conduct to provoke Those Arms which freed them from the Spanish yoke Painter excuse me if I have a while Forgot thy Art and us'd another Stile For though you draw arm'd Heroes as they sit The task in Battel does the Muses â—it They in the dark confusion of a Fight Discover all instruct us how to write And Light and Honour to brave Actions yield Hid in the smoke and tumult of the Field Ages to come shall know that Leaders toil And His Great Name on whom the Muses smile Their Dictates here let thy fam'd Pencil trace And this Relation with thy Colours grace Then draw the Parliament the Nobles met And our Great Monarch High above Them set Like young Augustâ—s let His Image be Triumphing for that Victory at Sea Where Egypts Queen and Eastern Kings o'rethrown Made the possession of the World His own Last draw the Commons at His Royal Feet Pouring out Treasure to supply His Fleet They vow with Lives and Fortunes to maintain Their King 's Eternal Title to the Main And with a Present to the Duke approve His Valor Conduct and His Countries Love TO THE KING GREAT SIR Disdain not in this piece â—o stand Supreme Commander both of Sea and Land Those which inhabit the Celestial Bower Pâ—imers express with Emblems of their Pow'r His Club Alâ—ides Phoebus has his Bowe Iove has his Thunder and Your Navy You. But Your Great Providence no Colours here Can Represent nor Pencil draw that Care Which keeps You waking to secure our Peace The Nations Glory and our Trades increase You for these Ends whole days in Council sit And the Diversions of Your Youth forget Small were the worth of Valor and of Force If Your high Wisdom govern'd not their Course You as the Soul as the first Mover You Vigor and Lifâ— on every Part bestow How to build Ships and dreadful Ordinance cast Instruct the Artists and reward their Haste So Iove himself when Typhon Heav'n does brave Descends to visit Vulcan's smoky Cave Teaching the brawny Cyclops how to frame His Thunder mixt with Terror Wrath and Flame Had the old Greeks discover'd Your abode Crete had not been the Cradle of their God On that small Island they had look'd with scorn And in Great Britain thought the Thunderer born TO A Friend of the AUTHORS A Person of HONOVR Who lately writ a Religious Book Entituled Historical Applications and occasional Meditations upon several Subjects BOld is the Man that dares ingage For Piety in such an Age. Who can presume to find a Guard From Scorn when Heaven 's so little spar'd Divines are pardon'd they defend Altars on which their Lives depend But the Prophane impatient are When Nobler Pens make this their care For why should these let in a Beam Of Divine Light to trouble them And call in doubt their pleasing Thought That none believes what we are taught High Birth and Fortune warrant give That such Men write what they believe And feeling first
what they indite New credit give to ancient Light Amongst these few our Author brings His well-known Pedigree from Kings This Book the Image of his Mind Will make his Name not hard to find I wish the Throng of Great and Good Made it less eas'ly understood To Mr. Henry Lawes who had then newly set a Song of mine in the Year 1635. VErse makes Heroick Vertue live But you can Life to Verses give As when in open Air we blow The Breath though strain'd sounds flat and low But if a Trumpet take the blast It lifts it high and makes it last So in your Ayrs our Numbers drest Make a shrill sally from the Brest Of Nymphs who singing what we pen'd Our passions to themselves commend While Love victorious with thy Art Governs at once their Voice and Heart You by the help of Tune and Time Can make that Song which was but Rime Noy pleading no man doubts the Cause Or questions Verses set by LAWS As a Church-window thick with Paint Le ts in a light but dim and faint So others with Division hide The light of Sence the Poets pride But you alone may truly boast That not a Syllable is lost The Writers and the Setter's skill At once the ravisht Ears do fill Let those which only warble long And Gargle in their Throats a Song Content themselves with VT RE MI Let Words and Sence be set by thee Vpon Her Majesties New Buildings at Somerset-House GReat Queen that does our Island bless With Princes and with Palaces Treated so ill chac'd from your Throne Returning you adorn the Town And with a brave Revenge do show Their Glory went and came with you While Peace from hence and you were gone Your houses in that Storm o'rethrown Those wounds which Civil Rage did give â—t once you Pardon and Relieve Constant to England in your Love As Birds are to their wonted Grove Though by rude hands their Nests are spoil'd There the next Spring again they build Accusing some malignant Star Not Britain for that fatal War Your Kindness banishes your Fear Resolv'd to fix for ever here But what new Mine this work supplies Can such a Pile from Ruine rise This like the first Creation shows As if at your Command it rose Frugality and Bounty too Those differing Virtues meet in you From a confin'd well-manag'd Store You both employ and feed the Poor Let Foreign 〈…〉 boast The rude 〈…〉 Pride and Cost Of 〈…〉 to which They Contribute nothing but the Pay This by the Queen her self design'd Gives us a pattern of her mind The State and Order does proclaim The Genius of that Royal Dame Each part with just proportion grac'd And all to such advantage plac'd That the fair View her Window yields The Town the River and the Fields Entring Beneath us we descry And wonder how we came so high She needs no weary steps ascend All seems before her feet to bend And here as She was born She lies High without taking pains to rise On the Picture of a fair Youth taken after he was dead AS gather'd Flowers whilst their wounds are new Look gay and fresh as on the stalk they grew Torn from the root that nourist them a while Not taking notice of their Fate they smile And in the hand which rudely pluckt them show Fairer than those that to their Autumn grow So Love and Beauty still that Visage grace Death cannot fright them from their wonted place Alive the hand of crooked Age had marr'd Those lovely Features which cold death has spar'd No wonder then The rest is lost Epigram upon the Golden Medal OUR Guard upon the Royal side On the Reverse Our Beauty's pride Here we discern the Frown and Smile The Force and Glory of Our Isle In the rich Medal both so like Immortals stand it seems Antique Carv'd by some Master when the bold Greeks made their Iove descend in Gold And Danae wond'ring at that showr Which falling storm'd her brazen Tow'r Britannia there the Fort in vain Had batter'd been with Golden Rain Thunder it self had fail'd to pass Vertue 's a stronger Guard than Brass Of a Tree cut in Paper FAir Hand that can on Virgin-paper write Yet from the stain of Ink preserve it white Whose travel o're that Silver Field does show Like track of Leveretts in morning Snow Love's Image thus in purest minds is wrought Without a spot or blemish to the thought Strange that your Fingers should the Pencil foil Without the help of Colours or of Oil For though a Painter Boughs and Leaves can make 'T is you alone can make them bend and shake Whose Breath salutes your new created Grove Like Southern winds and makes it gently move Orpheus could make the Forest dance but you Can make the Motion and the Forest too To a Lady from whom he received the foregoing Copy which for many years had been lost NOthing lies hid from radiant Eyes All they subdue become their Spies Secrets as choicest Jewels are Presented to oblige the Fair No wonder then that a lost thought Should there be found where Souls are caught The Picture of fair Venus That For which men say The Goddess sate Was lost till Lilly from your Look Again that Glorious Image took If Vertue 's self were lost we might From your fair Mind new Copies write All things but one you can restore The Heart you get returns no more The Night-piece or a Picture drawn in the dark DArkness which fairest Nymphs disarms Defends us ill from Mira's Charms Mira can lay her Beauty by Take no advantage of the Eye Quit all that Lilly's Art can take And yet a thousand Captives make Her Speech is grac't with sweeter Sound Than in another's Song is found And all her well-plac'd words are Darts Which need no Light to reach our Hearts As the bright Stars and milky way Show'd by the Night are hid by Day So we in that accomplisht Mind Helpt by the Night new Graces find Which by the splendor of her view Dazled before we never knew While we converse with her we mark No want of Day nor think it dark Her shining Image is a light Fixt in our hearts and conquers Night Like Jewels to advantage set Her Beauty by the shade does get There Blushes Frowns and cold Disdain All that our Passion might restrain Is hid and our Indulgent mind Presents the fair Idea kind Yet friended by the Night we dare Only in whispers tell our Care He that on her his bold hand lays With Cupid's pointed Arrows plays They with a touch they are so keen Wound us unshot and She unseen All near approaches threaten Death We may be shipwrackt by her Breath Love favour'd once with that sweet Gale Doubles his Haste and fills his Sail Till he arrive where she must prove The Haven or the Rock of Love So we th' Arabian Coast do know At distance when the Spices blow By the rich Odour taught to steer Though neither Day nor
Band of all Society is broke What use of Oaths of Promise or of Test Where Men regard no God but Interest What endless War would jealous Nations tear â—f none above did witness what they swear Sad Fate of Unbelievers and yet just Among themselves to find so little trust Were Scripture silent Nature would proclaim Without a God our falshood and our shame To know our Thoughts the Object of his Eyes Is the first step towards being good or wise For thô with Judgment we on things reflect Our Will determines not our Intellect Slaves to their Passion Reason men employ Only to compass what they would enjoy His fear to guard us from our selves we need And sacred Writ our Reason do's exceed For the Heaven shows the Glory of the Lord Yet something shines more Glorious in his Word His mercy this which all his work excels His tender kindness and compassion tells While we inform'd by that Celestial Book Into the Bowels of our Maker look Love there reveal'd which never shall have end Nor had beginning shall our Song commend Describe it self and warm us 〈◊〉 that flame Which first from Heav'n to make us Happy came CANTO II. THE fear of Hell or aiming to be Blest Savours too much of private Interest This mov'd not Moses nor the zealous Paul Who for their Friends abandon'd Soul and all A greater yet from Heav'n to Hell descends To save and make his Enemies his Friends What line of Praise can fathom such a Love Which reacht the lowest bottom from above The Royal Prophet that extended Grace From Heav'n to earth measur'd but half that space The Law was regnant and confin'd his thoughâ— â—ell was not conquer'd when that Poet 〈◊〉 Heav'n was â—earce heard of until be came down To make the Region where Love triumphs known That early Love of Creatures yet unmade To â—â—ame the World th' Almighty did perswade For Love it was that first created Light Mov'd on the Waters chaâ—'d away the Night From the rude Chaos and bestow'd new Grace On things dispos'd of to their proper place Some to rest here and some to shine above Earth Sea and Heav'n were all th' Effects of Love And Love would be reâ—urn'd but there was none That to themselves or others yet were known The World a Palace was without a Guest Till one appears that must excel she rest One like the Author whose Capacious mind Might by the Glorious Work the Maker find Might measure Heaven and give each Star a name With Art and Courage the rough 〈…〉 Over the Globe with swelling Sails might go And that 't is round by his experience know Make strongest Beasts obedient to his Will And serve his use the fertile Earth to Till When by his Word God had accomplisht all Man to Create he did a Council call Imploy'd his Hand to give the Dust he took A graceful Figure and Majestick Look With his own Breath convey'd into his Breast Life and a Soul fit to command the rest Worthy alone to Celebrate his Name For such a Gift and tell from whence it came Birds sing his Praises in a wilder Note But not with lasting numbers and with thought Man's great Prerogative But above all His Grace abounds in his new Favorites fall If he Create it is a World he makes â—f he be ang'ry the Creation shakes From his just wrath our guilty Parents fled He curs't the Earth but bruis'd the Serpent's head Amidst the Storm his Bounty did exceed In the rich promise of the Virgins seed Thô Justice death as satisfaction craves Love finds a way to pluck us from our Graves CANTO III. NOT willing Terror should his Image move He gives a Pattern of Eternal Love His Son descends to treat a Peace with those Which were and must have ever been his Foes Poor he became and left his Glorious Seat To make us humble and to make us great His business here was happiness to give To those whose Malice could not let him live Legions of Angels which he might have us'd For us resolv'd to perish he refus'd While they stood ready to prevent his Loss Love took him up and nail'd him to the Cross Immortal Love which in his Bowels reign'd That we might be by such a Love constrain'd To make return of Love upon this Pole Our Duty does and our Religion rowle To Love is to believe to hope to know 'T is an Essay a taste of Heav'n below He to proud Potentates would not be known Of those that lov'd him he was hid from none Till Love appear we live in anxious doubt But Smoke will vanish when that Flame breaks out This is the Fire that would consume our Dross Reâ—ine and make us richer by the Loss Could we forbear Dispute and practise Love We should agree as Angels do above Where Love presides not Vice alone does find No Entrance there but Vertues stay behind Both Faith and Hope and all the meaner train Of moral Vertues at the door remain Love only enters as a Native there For born in Heav'n it do's but sojourn here He that alone would wise and mighty be Commands that others Love as well as he Love as he Lov'd how can we soar so high He can add wings when he commands to flie Nor should we be with this Command dismay'd He that Example gives will give his Aid For he took flesh that where his Precepts fail His Practice as a Pattern may prevail His Love at once and Dread instructs our thought As Man he suffer'd and as God he taught Will for the Deed he takes we may with ease Obedient be for if we Love we please Weak thô we are to Love is no hard task And Love for Love is all that Heav'n do's ask Love that would all men just and temperate make Kind to themselves and others for his sake 'T is with our Minds as with a fertile ground Wanting this Love they must with Weeds abound Unruly Passions whose effects are worse Than Thorns and Thistles springing from the curse CANTO IV. TO Glory Man or Misery is born Of his proud Foe the Envy or the Scorn Wretched he is or happy in Extreme Base in himself but great in Heav'ns esteem With Love of all created things the best Without it more pernicious than the rest For greedy Wolves ungâ—arded Sheep devour But while their hunger lasts and then give or'e Man 's boundless Avarice his want exceeds And on his Neighbors round about him feeds His Pride and vain Ambition are so vast That Delugeâ—like they lay whole Nations wast Debauches and Excess thô with less noise As great a portion of Mankind destroys The Beasts and Monsters Hercules opprest Might in that Age some Provinces infest These more deâ—â—ructive Monsters are the Bane Of ev'ry Age and in all Nations reign But soon would vanish if the World were blest With Sacred Love by which they are represt Impendent death and guilt that threatens Hell Are dreadful guests which here with Mortals