REVELATIONS] CAP. 2. VER. 17.

To him that overcometh wil I give to eate of the hidden manna; and I wil give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it.

THE CONSTELLATION.

AIR order'd lights-whose motion without noise

Resembles those true joys

Whose spring is on that hil, where you do grow, And we here tast sometimes below.

With what exact obedience do you move
Now beneath, and now above!

And in your vast progressions overlook

The darkest night, and closest nook!

Some nights I see you in the gladsome East
Some others neer the West,

And when I cannot see, yet do you shine,
And beat about your endles line.

Silence, and light, and watchfulnes with you.
Attend and wind the clue;

No sleep, nor sloth assailes you, but poor man
Still either sleeps, or slips his span.

He grops beneath here, and with restless care,
First makes, then hugs a snare;

Adores dead dust, sets heart on corne and grass,
But seldom doth make heav'n his glass.

Musick and mirth-if there be musick here

Take up, and tune his year;

These things are kin to him, and must be had : Who kneels, or sighs a life, is mad.

Perhaps some nights hee'l watch with you, and peep

When it were best to sleep;

Dares know effects, and judge them long before, When th' herb he treads knows much, much

more.

But seeks he your obedience, order, light,
Your calm and wel-train'd flight,
Where, though the glory differ in each star,
Yet is there peace still, and no war?

Since plac'd by Him, Who calls you by your

names,1

And fixt there all your flames,

1 Psalm cxlvii. 4. G.

Without command you never acted ought,
And then you in your courses fought.'

But here commission'd by a black self-wil
The sons the father kil,

The children chase the mother, and would heal
The wounds they give, by crying, zeale.

Then cast her bloud and tears upon Thy book,
Where they for fashion look;

And, like that lamb, which bad the dragon's voice,2
Scem mild, but are known by their noise.

Thus by our lusts disorder'd into wars

Our guides prove wandring stars,

Which for these mists and black days were reserv'd What time we from our first love swerv'd.

Yet O for His sake Who sits now by Thee
All crown'd with victory,

So guide us through this darknes, that we may
Be more and more in love with day;

Settle, and fix our hearts, that we may move
In order, peace, and love;

And taught obedience by Thy whole creation,
Become an humble, holy nation!

1 Judges, v. 20. G.

Revelation, xiii. 11. G.

Give to Thy spouse her perfect, and pure dress, Beauty and holiness;

And so repair these rents, that men may see 'Where God is, all agree.'

And

say,

THE SHEPHEARDS.

WEET, harmles lives!-on whose holy leisure

Waits Innocence and Pleasure

Whose leaders to those pastures, and cleer springs
Were patriarchs, saints, and kings:
How happend it that in the dead of night
You only, saw true light.

While Palestine was fast asleep, and lay
Without one thought of day?

Was it because those first and blessed swains
Were pilgrims on those plains,

When they receiv'd the promise, for which now 'Twas there first shown to you ?

'Tis true, He loves that dust whereon they go
That serve Him here below,

And therefore might for memory of those,
His love there first disclose;

But wretched Salem once His love, must now
No voice nor vision know,

Her stately piles with all their height and pride

Now languished and died,'

And Bethlem's humble cotts above them stept,
While all her scers slept ;

Her cedar, fir, hew'd stones and gold were all
Polluted through their fall,

And those once sacred mansions were now

Meer emptiness and show.

This made the angel call at reeds and thatch,
Yet where the shepheards watch,

And God's own lodging-though he could not lack

To be a common rack;2

No costly pride, no soft-cloath'd luxurie,

In those thin cels could lie;

Each stirring wind and storm blew through their cots,

Which never harbour'd plots;

Only Content and Love and humble joys

Lived there, without all noise;

Perhaps some harmless cares for the next day
Did in their bosomes play,

As where to lead their sheep, what silent nook,

1 See Memorial-Introduction for parellel from Sir John Beaumont.

G.

2 The allusion is to the manger': Mr. Lyte oddly misprinted' Kack.' G.