Light
Divinest Excellence , that Mortals see!
Bright Cloud , and Shadow of the Deity!
Who, fairest Stroak of Heaven art in view,
An Angel in each Beam bear'st, and Heav'n too.
Thou, like those youthful smiling Beauties there,
Ever yong appear'st, ever smiling fair :
Yong , as on thine own , and the World's Birth-day ,
When Light new-born , smil'd with an Infant-Ray .
Spirit in Glory, Spirit too in Race ,
Thou Angel 's Wings , joyn'st to thine Angel's Face .
A Venus , on the Wing of each Ray moves,
Venus , descending with her Silver Doves .
So swift, thou through the World dost Journies make,
Night , as it steals , thou almost dost o're-take.
Though fast as the Blind run, she hasts away,
To hide her Nakedness , from peep of Day .
The little Birds thou wak'nest in the Groves ,
To tell in Songs , the Stories of their Loves .
But first the Cock , thou raisest from his Dream ,
With crowing to salute thy dawning Beam .
Thy Curtains then half-drawn, a glance dost throw,
To wake Day 's slumb'ring Images below.
From out new-rising Clouds , new Colours peep,
Which once unborn , did in their Shadows sleep.
While Darkness over all had spread a Shade ,
This World , which Beds for all the Living made,
Look't like the World of Graves below, where Dead
In low'r Rooms slept, as Living, over-head .
Thin Shadows , did for grosser Bodies walk,
And Ghosts of Objects , did for Objects stalk.
All Beings , lay unsorted in the dark,
Known by no Seal , nor diff'ring Stamp , nor Mark .
But when the Resurrection we behold,
And Chaos disappears, and what look't old .
Yong Nature in her Morning-Dress we view,
With rosie Cheeks , and Face new wash't in Dew .
Fresh, as the blooming Spring , she does appear,
Or what is Emblem , of the circling Year ;
Which changing Youth , and Beauty does adorn,
As Time is still in new Successions born.
As thousand of thy subtle Darts , do pierce
The shaded Spaces , of the Universe .
The painted Scenes above, at once they show,
And gay Dominions of the Eye below.
All gaudy Royalties of Sight , that lie
Extended far, as the blue Sea and Sky ;
What Heav'nly Gayety is, or Earthly Pride,
Light stained is, or Light diversify'd .
What paints the Woods , and what the Gardens bear,
Are all thy various Fashions , which they wear.
The Trees with Blossoms fair, and big with Bud ,
Are clad according to the Season 's Mode .
Plums , with the Year 's, their Fashion s changes shew,
In greener Youth , and in their Age 's blue .
That mellow Purple , which does Peaches crown,
Bloudless Cheeks promis'd first, and early Down .
The Virgin-Rose , in Infant Colours shown,
A fuller Blush displays, when fully blown .
And Tulips , springing from their striped Bed ,
Show fainter first, then deeper white and red .
Thus Nature's Pictures , fram'd of Light and Shade ,
At diff'rent times , have diff'rent Colours laid;
And after many Variations past,
Their perfect Strokes , and Stains receive at last.
But no where yet thou dost vouchsafe to show
Such Bounty , or such Riches , as below.
When thou descend'st, to give a beauteous Birth ,
To more refined Veins , of shining Earth .
To ripen Silver Mines , thou dost convey,
A Lustre , like the Moon 's, a paler Ray .
But treasur'st up thy richest Beams in Gold ;
Gold , by whose Beams , the Sun himself's controul'd.
Ev'n barren Rocks , that nothing would produce
Of real Value , or substantial Use ,
Thy precious Influence makes to teem with Worth ,
When they all Diamond , and all Gem break forth.
By thee, within each Angle 's prison shut,
Gems , fairer are, then by the Artist, cut :
They dancing Lustres dart, but Chrystals are
Thy constant, and transparent Thorow-fare .
Could we thus still they Flight pursue, and trace
Thee in thy Travels , and thy pathless Waies ,
Soaring above the Clouds , a pitch so high
As thy Bright Home , and Residence does lie;
Eagles , that dare the Sun , cannot behold
Those daz'ling Glories there, thou dost unfold:
Glories , that all unsullied still remain,
Which no Shades dead, nor Exhalations stain.
There, stamp't in Stars , thou dost for ever shine,
Or in such Shapes , as Visions paint Divine .
Those naked Souls , which Bodies left undress't ,
With Bodies such as thine , themselves invest.
These , as thy Nature, Distance does obscure,
Or, our weak Eyes cannot such light endure.
Ah, why hast thou so many Beauties shown,
And Angels , and thy Self conceal'd alone!
Bright Cloud , and Shadow of the Deity!
Who, fairest Stroak of Heaven art in view,
An Angel in each Beam bear'st, and Heav'n too.
Thou, like those youthful smiling Beauties there,
Ever yong appear'st, ever smiling fair :
Yong , as on thine own , and the World's Birth-day ,
When Light new-born , smil'd with an Infant-Ray .
Spirit in Glory, Spirit too in Race ,
Thou Angel 's Wings , joyn'st to thine Angel's Face .
A Venus , on the Wing of each Ray moves,
Venus , descending with her Silver Doves .
So swift, thou through the World dost Journies make,
Night , as it steals , thou almost dost o're-take.
Though fast as the Blind run, she hasts away,
To hide her Nakedness , from peep of Day .
The little Birds thou wak'nest in the Groves ,
To tell in Songs , the Stories of their Loves .
But first the Cock , thou raisest from his Dream ,
With crowing to salute thy dawning Beam .
Thy Curtains then half-drawn, a glance dost throw,
To wake Day 's slumb'ring Images below.
From out new-rising Clouds , new Colours peep,
Which once unborn , did in their Shadows sleep.
While Darkness over all had spread a Shade ,
This World , which Beds for all the Living made,
Look't like the World of Graves below, where Dead
In low'r Rooms slept, as Living, over-head .
Thin Shadows , did for grosser Bodies walk,
And Ghosts of Objects , did for Objects stalk.
All Beings , lay unsorted in the dark,
Known by no Seal , nor diff'ring Stamp , nor Mark .
But when the Resurrection we behold,
And Chaos disappears, and what look't old .
Yong Nature in her Morning-Dress we view,
With rosie Cheeks , and Face new wash't in Dew .
Fresh, as the blooming Spring , she does appear,
Or what is Emblem , of the circling Year ;
Which changing Youth , and Beauty does adorn,
As Time is still in new Successions born.
As thousand of thy subtle Darts , do pierce
The shaded Spaces , of the Universe .
The painted Scenes above, at once they show,
And gay Dominions of the Eye below.
All gaudy Royalties of Sight , that lie
Extended far, as the blue Sea and Sky ;
What Heav'nly Gayety is, or Earthly Pride,
Light stained is, or Light diversify'd .
What paints the Woods , and what the Gardens bear,
Are all thy various Fashions , which they wear.
The Trees with Blossoms fair, and big with Bud ,
Are clad according to the Season 's Mode .
Plums , with the Year 's, their Fashion s changes shew,
In greener Youth , and in their Age 's blue .
That mellow Purple , which does Peaches crown,
Bloudless Cheeks promis'd first, and early Down .
The Virgin-Rose , in Infant Colours shown,
A fuller Blush displays, when fully blown .
And Tulips , springing from their striped Bed ,
Show fainter first, then deeper white and red .
Thus Nature's Pictures , fram'd of Light and Shade ,
At diff'rent times , have diff'rent Colours laid;
And after many Variations past,
Their perfect Strokes , and Stains receive at last.
But no where yet thou dost vouchsafe to show
Such Bounty , or such Riches , as below.
When thou descend'st, to give a beauteous Birth ,
To more refined Veins , of shining Earth .
To ripen Silver Mines , thou dost convey,
A Lustre , like the Moon 's, a paler Ray .
But treasur'st up thy richest Beams in Gold ;
Gold , by whose Beams , the Sun himself's controul'd.
Ev'n barren Rocks , that nothing would produce
Of real Value , or substantial Use ,
Thy precious Influence makes to teem with Worth ,
When they all Diamond , and all Gem break forth.
By thee, within each Angle 's prison shut,
Gems , fairer are, then by the Artist, cut :
They dancing Lustres dart, but Chrystals are
Thy constant, and transparent Thorow-fare .
Could we thus still they Flight pursue, and trace
Thee in thy Travels , and thy pathless Waies ,
Soaring above the Clouds , a pitch so high
As thy Bright Home , and Residence does lie;
Eagles , that dare the Sun , cannot behold
Those daz'ling Glories there, thou dost unfold:
Glories , that all unsullied still remain,
Which no Shades dead, nor Exhalations stain.
There, stamp't in Stars , thou dost for ever shine,
Or in such Shapes , as Visions paint Divine .
Those naked Souls , which Bodies left undress't ,
With Bodies such as thine , themselves invest.
These , as thy Nature, Distance does obscure,
Or, our weak Eyes cannot such light endure.
Ah, why hast thou so many Beauties shown,
And Angels , and thy Self conceal'd alone!
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