Pours out deserved thanks in grateful praise : The fair Eclecta, who with widow'd brow This shining robe her Lord himself had wrought, And thus array'd, her heav'nly beauties shin'd Which with a Crystal mix'd, much mends his grace: To crown her locks; the Sun lay hid for shame, And yielded all his beams to her more glorious flame. LXXI. Ah! who that flame can tell? Ah! who can see? While bolder joy, and humble majesty At length when joys had left her closer heart, Then forth i' th' music of her voice they throng; *Rev. xix. 8. Bb 6 My hope, my love, my joy, my life, my bliss, (Whom to enjoy is Heav'n, but Hell to miss) What are the world's false joys, what Heav'ns true joys to this? LXXIII. Ah, dearest Lord! does my rapt soul behold thee? And thousand ne'er felt joys stream in each melting part." Thus with glad sorrow did she plain her, Upon his neck a welcome load depending; While He with equal joy did entertain her, Herself, her champions, highly all commending : Whose work in narrow words may not be pent: There sweet delights, which know nor end nor measure; There are they gone; there will they ever bide; Swimming in waves of joy, and heav'nly loves : He still a bridegroom, she a gladsome bride; Their hearts in love, like spheres still constant moving: No change, no grief, no age can them befall: Their bridal bed is in that heav'nly hall, Where all days are but one, and only one is all. LXXVII. And as in state they thus in triumph ride, The boys and damsels their just praises chant ; The boys the bridegroom sing, the maids the bride, While all the hills glad Hymens loudly vaunt: Heav'ns winged hosts, greeting this glorious spring, Each thought to pass, and each did pass thought's loftiest Upon His lightning brow Love proudly sitting There full of strength in Lordly arms he stands, Upon her forehead thousand cheerful Graces, There gentle Love his armed hand unbraces ; There by his play a thousand souls beguiles, Upon her cheek doth Beauty's self implant The freshest garden of her choicest flow'rs: On which if Envy might but glance ascant,., Her eyes would swell, and burst, and melt in show'rs : Thrice fairer both than ever fairest ey'd : Heav'n never such a bridegroom yet descry'd ; Nor ever Earth so fair, so undefil'd a bride. LXXXI. Full of his Father shines his glorious face, All Heav'n shines forth in her sweet face's frame : These, back restore the timely summer's fire; Those, springing thoughts in winter hearts inspire, Inspiriting dead souls, and quick'ning warm desire. LXXXIII. These two fair Suns in heav'nly spheres are plac'd, Thus in all high perfections fully grac'd, His locks like raven's plumes, or shining jet, And with love-knots their comely hangings deck: His mighty shoulders, like that giant swain*, All heav'n and earth, and all in both sustain ; Yet knows no weariness, nor feels oppressing pain. LXXXV. Her amber hair like to the sunny ray, With gold enamels fair the silver white; There heav'nly Loves their pretty sportings play, In th' own fair silver shines, and borrow'd gold. His breast a rock of purest alabaster, Were loves self-sailing, shipwreck'd often sitteth. Her's a twin-rock, unknown, but to th' ship-master; Which harbours him alone, all other splitteth. Where better could her love than here have nested? Or he his thoughts than here more sweetly feasted? Then both their love and thoughts in each are ever rested. LXXXVII. Run now you shepherd-swains; ah! run you thither And haste, you lovely maids, haste you together That every Come Hymen, Hymen come, drest in thy golden pall. The sounding echo back the music flung, While heav'nly spheres unto the voices play'd. But lo! the day is ended with my song, And sporting bathes with that fair ocean maid : * Atlas. |