Being thus prepared for all felicity, Not prepossest with dross, Nor stiffly glued to gross And dull materials that might ruin me, Nor fettered by an iron fate With vain affections in my earthly state To any thing that might seduce My sense, or else bereave it of its use, I was as free As if there were nor sin, nor misery. VI Pure empty powers that did nothing loath, Did like the fairest glass, Or spotless polished brass, Themselves soon in their object's image clothe. Divine impressions when they came Did quickly enter and my soul inflame. 'Tis not the object, but the light That maketh Heaven: 'tis a purer sight. Felicity Appears to none but them that purely see. VII A disentangled and a naked sense, A mind that's unpossest, A disengaged breast, An empty and a quick intelligence Acquainted with the golden mean, An even spirit pure and serene, Is that where beauty, excellence, And pleasure keep their Court of Residence. My soul retire, Get free, and so thou shalt even all admire. THE INSTRUCTION I Spue out thy filth, thy flesh abjure; Let not contingents thee defile, For transients only are impure, And aery things thy soul beguile. II Unfelt, unseen, let those things be Which to thy spirit were unknown, When to thy blessed infancy The world, thyself, thy God was shown. III All that is great and stable stood Before thy purer eyes at first: All that in visibles is good Or pure, or fair, or unaccurst. Whatever else thou now dost see In custom, action, or desire, 'Tis but a part of misery In which all men at once conspire. THE VISION I Flight is but the preparative. The sight Is deep and infinite, Ah me! 'tis all the glory, love, light, space, Joy, beauty and variety That doth adorn the Godhead's dwelling-place, 'Tis all that eye can see. Even trades themselves seen in celestial light, And cares and sins and woes are bright. II Order the beauty even of beauty is, It is the rule of bliss, The very life and form and cause of pleasure; Which if we do not understand, Ten thousand heaps of vain confused treasure Will but oppress the land. In blessedness itself we that shall miss, Being blind, which is the cause of bliss. III