Bending one way their precious influence,

And will not take their flight,

For all the morning light,

Or Lucifer that often warn'd them thence; But in their glimmering Orbs did glow,

Until their Lord himself befpake, and bid them go,
VII.

And though the shady gloom

Had given day her room,

The Sun himself with-held his wonted speed,

And hid his head for fhame,

As his inferiour flame,

The new enlightn'd world no more should need, He saw a greater Sun appear

Than his bright Throne, or burning Axletree could

VIII.

The Shepherds on the Lawn,

[bear.

Or e'er the point of dawn,

Sate fimply chatting in a rustick row;

Full little thought they than,

That the mighty Pan

Was kindly come to live with them below;

Per

Perhaps their loves, or else their sheep,

Was all that did their filly thoughts so busic keep.

IX.

When fuch mufick fweet f.

Their hearts and ears did greet,

As never was by mortal finger ftrook,

Divinely-warbl'd voice

Answering the ftringed noise,

As all their fouls in blissful rapture took:

The Air fuch pleasure loth to lose,

[clofe.

With thousand echo's ftill prolongs each heav'nly

X.

Nature that heard fuch found

Beneath the hollow round

Of Cynthia's feat, the Airy region thrilling,

Now was almoft won T

To think her part was done,

And that her reign had here its laft fulfilling,

She knew fuch harmony alone

}

Could hold all Heav'n and Earth in happier union.

XI.

At laft furrounds their fight.

A Globe of circular light,

That

That with long beams the shame-fac'd night array'd,

The helmed Cherubim

And fworded Seraphim,

Are seen in glittering ranks with wings.difplaid, Harping in loud and folemn quire,

With unexpreffive notes to Heav'ns new-born Heir, XII.

Such Mufick (as 'tis faid)

Before was never made,

But when of old the fons of morning fung,

While the Creator great

His Constellations fet,

And the well-ballanc'd world on hinges hung, And caft the dark foundations deep,

And bid the weltring waves their oozy channel keep.

XIII.

Ring out ye Crystal sphears,

Once bless our humane ears,

(If ye have power to touch our fenfes fo)

And let your filver chime

Move in melodious time.

And let the Base of Heav'ns deep Organ blow,

And with your ninefold Harmony

Make up full confort to th'Angelick fymphony.
XIV.

For if fuch holy Song

Enwrap our fancy long,

Time will run back, and fetch the Age of Gold, And fpeckl'd vanity

Will ficken foon and die,

And leprous fin will melt from earthly mould, And Hell it felf will pass away,

And leave her dolorous mansions to the peering day.

XV.

Yea Truth and Juftice then

Will down return to men,

Orb'd in a Rain-bow; and like glories wearing Mercy will fit between,

Thron'd in Celestial sheen,

With radiant feet the tiffued Clouds down ftearing,

And Heav'n, as at some Festival,

Will open wide the Gates of her high Palace Hall, XVI.

But wifest Fate fays no,
This must not yet be so,

The

The Babe lies yet in fmiling Infancy, That on the bitter cross

While the red fire, and smouldring clouds out brake:

The aged Earth agast

With terrour of that blast,

Shall from the Surface to the Center shake;

When at the World's last Seffion,

[throne.

The dreadful Judge in middle Air shall spread his

XVIII.

7

And then at last our blifs

Full and perfect is,

But now begins; for from this happy day

Th'old Dragon under ground

In ftraiter limits bound,

Not half so far cafts his ufurped fway,

And