Just when ye dead of night began to fail & boding visions senceless dreams expell Methought a matron stood beside my bed Upon her face a wondrous sweetness playd & pointed Glorys dressd the modest visions head my tongue grew speechless & my eyes were fixt by silent fear with admiration mixt She to my lips a living coal apply's perhaps from some well pleasing sacrifice then thus she said while I more courage found to bear her sight & hear ye heav'nly sound from the bright realms my vot'ries have I came saints are my vot'ries Piety my name Oft do I come but often am dispisd happy were all if all my favour prizd now my best offers to yr soul I give Accept these offers O be mine & live Ile teach you how to pray for wt you want & when I teach you God yr prayr will grant Ile teach you your redeemer to rehearse & glide in flames of love along yr verse Lett other men describe wth flowing lines How Damon courts or Amarillis shines But for your subject chuse a theme divine fames their reward while heaven it self is thine & then since Angells sing of nought below they'le sing like men but like an angell you Be thou my bard (& as these words she said She powrd a sacred unction on my head then thus proceeded) Be thy muse thy Zeal dare to be good & all my Joys reveal if Drunkards to their Deity apply A short contentment & a fleeting Joy Apply to me true peace & lasting bliss I should not dress in weaker charms yn his New-paint ye love yt hov'ring over beds from purple wings his guilty pleasures sheds his bow be sable sable be the darts but tingd with endless flame to scorch our hearts his bones without the sanguin stream or vital parts But above all employ thy utmost powr on love Divine twill need it all & more Oh boundless Goodness to poor mankind shown tell but the fact, lett rhetorick alone, no colours can become it like its own. Draw a Descending Jesus from ye sky Make the great being in a manger ly Of men despisd of men he came to save pursu'd afflicted to ye very grave Make ye great being cheerfully submitt & me like Mary weeping at his feet Much have I said & more woud tell you yet but raptures smother what I woud repeat My thoughts grow giddy while I strive to sound the height & depth of love wthout a bound My God I cannot comprehend thy wayes but what I cannot comprehend Ile prayse & then With raptures in her mouth she fled the Cloud (for on a cloud she seemd to tread) its curles unfolded & around her spread My downy rest the warmth of fancy broke & when my thoughts grew settled thus I spoke Ah Gracious Lord make all my dreams like this & make mine innocence compose my bliss When reason lyes Asleep & leaves to reign May my good Angell my passions restrain Or I must wake to find upon my breast the gaudy forms more deep yn ere imprest they'le make my reason's victorys in vain & make my former habits mine again Thus if the snake wch hardly moves the tail to shun the conqu'ring season takes a cell if nature in a sleep a skin prepare give him more strength & make him look more fair He finds his robe is changd fm what he wore He proudly shoots along ye sunny shore & hunts the man fm whom he fled before.