being think they can never have security enough for this so pleasing hope and expectation and so even with anxiety of mind busie themselves to prove the truth of that strongly which they desire vehemently to be true And this body which dissolution waits upon helpeth our infidelity exceedingly For the soul not seeing it self judgeth it self of such a nature as those things are to which she is nearest united Falsely saith but yet ordinarily I am sick I am weak I faint I die when it is nought but the perishing life of the body that is in such plight to which she is so close tyed in most intimate love and sympathy So a tender mother if she see a knife struck to her childs heart would shreek and swound as if her selfe had been smit when as if her eye had not beheld that spectacle she had not been moved though the thing were surely done So I do verily think that the mind being taken up in some higher contemplation if it should please God to keep it in that ecstasie the body might be destroyed without any disturbance to the soul for how can there be or sense or pain without animadversion But while we have such continuall commerce with this frail body it is not to be expected but that we shall be assaulted with the fear of death and darknesse For alas how few are there that do not make this visible world their Adonai their stay and sustentation of life the prop of their soul their God How many Christians are not prone to whisper that of the Heathen Poet Soles occidere redire possunt Nobis cùm semel occidit brevis lux Nox est perpetua una dormienda The Sunne may set and rise again If once sets our short light Deep sleep us binds with iron chain Wrapt in eternall Night But I would not be so injurious as to make men worse then they are that my little work may seem of greater use and worth then it is Admit then that men are most what perswaded of the souls immortality yet here they may read reasons to confirm that perswasion and be put in mind as they reade of their end and future condition which cannot be but profitable at least For the pleasure they 'll reap from this Poem it will be according as their Genius is fitted for it For as Plato speaks in his Io 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or according to the more usuall phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The spirit of every Poet is not alike nor his writings alike suitable to all dispositions As Io the reciter of Homers verses professeth himself to be snatcht away with an extradodinary fury or ecstasie at the repeating of Homers Poesie but others so little to move him that he could even fall asleep So that no man is rashly to condemn another mans labour in this kind because he is not taken with it As wise or wiser then himselfe may But this is a main piece of idolatry and injustice in the world that every man would make his private Genius an universall God and would devour all mens apprehensions by his own fire that glowes so hot in him and as he thinks shines so clear As for this present song of the Immortality of the soul it is not unlikely but that it will prove sung Montibus Sylvis to the waste woods and solitary mountains For all men are so full of their own phansies and idiopathies that they scarce have the civility to interchange any words with a stranger If they chance to hear his exotick tone they entertain it with laughter a passion very incident upon that occasion to children and clowns But it were much better neither to embosome nor reject any thing though strange till we were well acquainted with it Exquisite disquisition begets diffidence diffidence in knowledge humility humility good manners and meek conversation For mine own part I desire no man to take any thing I write upon trust without canvasing and would be thought rather to propound then to assert what I have here or elsewhere written But continually to have exprest my diffidence in the very tractates themselves had been languid and ridiculous It were a piece of injustice to expect of others that which I could never indure to stoop to my self That knowledge which is built upon humane authority is no better then a Castle in the Aire For what man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or at least can be proved to us to be so Wherefore the foundation of that argument will but prove precarious that is so built And we have rather a sound of words signifying the thing is so then any true understanding that the thing is so indeed What ever may seeme strange in this Poem condemne it not till thou findest it dissonant to Plato's School or not deducible from it But there be many arguments that have no strangenesse at all to prove the Souls immortality so that no man that is not utterly illiterate shall lose his labour in reading this short Treatise I must confesse I intended to spin it out to a greater length but things of greater importance then curious Theory take me off beside the hazard of speaking hard things to a multitude I make no question but those that are rightly acquainted with Platonisme will accept of that small pains and make a good construction of my labours For I well assure thee Reader that it will be nothing but ignorance of my scope that shall make any do otherwise I fly too high to take notice of lesser flaws If thou seest them I give thee free liberty to mend them But if thou regardest not lesser trifles we be well met Farewell H. M. The Argument of PSYCHATHANASIA Or The Immortality of the Soul BOOK I. CANT I. Struck with strong sense of Gods good will The immortality Of Souls I sing Praise with my quill Plato's Philosophy 1 WHatever man he be that dares to deem True Poets skill to spring of earthly race I must him tell that he doth misesteem Their strange estate and eke himselfe disgrace By his rude ignorance For there 's no place For forced labour or slow industry Of flagging wits in that high fiery chace So soon as of the Muse they quickned be At once they rise and lively sing like Lark in skie 2 Like to a Meteor whose materiall Is low unwieldy earth base unctuous slime Whose inward hidden parts ethereall Ly close upwrapt in that dull sluggish fime Ly fast asleep till at some fatall time Great Phoebus lamp has fir'd its inward spright And then even of it self on high doth climb That earst was dark becomes all eye all sight Bright starre that to the wise of future things gives light 3 Even so the weaker mind that languid lies Knit up in rags of dirt dark cold and blind So soon that purer flame of Love unties Her clogging chains and doth her spright unbind Shee sores aloft for shee her self doth find Well plum'd so
stream be alwayes homogeneall 32 But the high heaven-born soul sprung out from Jove Ever is clashing with the foolery Of this dull body which the sense doth love And erring phansie It were long to try In every thing O how 't would magnifie The hight of pleasures that fall under sense This well describ'd would prove its Deity A vast round body cloth'd with th' excellence Of glorious glistring light through the wide aire extense 33 Bravely adorn'd with diverse colours gay Even infinite varieties that shine With wondrous brightnesse varnish'd with the ray Of that clear light with motion circuline Let turn about and stir up sounds divine That sweetly may affect th' attentive ear Adde fragrant odours waft with gentle wind Adde pleasant taste soft touch to Venus dear This is the bodies God this is its highest sphear 34 But from far higher place and brighter light Our reason checks us for this vanity Calls to us warns us that that empty sight Lead not our soul unto Idolatry Make us not rest in easie falsity If thou be stirred up by working fire To search out god to find the Deity Take to thy self not what thine eyes admire Or any outward sense or what sense can desire 35 Behold a light far brighter then the Sun The Sun 's a shadow if you them compare Or grosse Cimmerian mist the fairest Noon Exceeds not the meridian night so far As that light doth the Sun So perfect clear So perfect pure it is that outward eye Cannot behold this inward subtile starre But indisperst is this bright Majesty Yet every where out shining in infinitie 36 Unplac'd unparted one close Unity Yet omnipresent all things yet but one Not streâ—k'd with gaudy multiplicity Pure light without discolouration Stable without circumvolution Eternall rest joy without passing sound What sound is made without collision Smell taste and touch make God a grosse compound Yet truth of all that 's good is perfectly here found 37 This is a riddle unto outward sense And heavie phansie that can rise no higher Then outward senses knows no excellence But what those Five do faithfully inspire From their great God this world nor do desire More then they know wherefore to consopite Or quench this false light of bold phansies fire Surely must be an act contrary quite Unto this bodies life and its low groveling spright 38 Wherefore the body 's not Originall Of humane soul when she doth thus resist That principle which still more clearly shall Be proved Oft when either drowsie mists Provoke to sleep or worst of senses lists To ease his swelling veins or stomach craves His wonted food that he too long hath mist Or our dry lungs cool liquor fain would have Or when in warre our heart suggests the fear of grave 39 Yet high desire of truth and deep insight Into Gods mystery makes us command These low attractions and our countries right Bids march on bravely stout and stifly stand In bloudy fight and try 't by strength of hand Thus truth and honesty so sway our will That we no longer doubt to break the band Of lower Nature and this body kill Or vex so we the Laws of reason may fulfill 40 This proves the soul to sit at liberty Not wedg'd into this masse of earth but free Unloos'd from any strong necessity To do the bodies dictates while we see Clear reason shining in serenity Calling above unto us pointing to What 's right and decent what doth best agree With those sweet lovely Ideas that do show Some glimps of their pure light So Sol through clouds doth flow 41 How oft do we neglect this bodies life And outward comely plight for to adorn Our soul with virtuous ornaments and strive To fat our mind with truth while it 's forlorn Squalid half-nasty pallid wan deform Can this desire from the base body spring No sure such brave atchievements be yborn Within the soul tend to her perfecting See th' independent mind in her self circuling 42 Best plight of body hinders such like acts How doth she then upon the body pend To do those subtle high pure heavenly facts What doth the Sun his rayes that he out-sends Smother or choke though clouds that upward wend May raised be by him yet of those clouds That he doth congregate he no'te depend Nor doth the soul that in this flesh doth croud Her self rely on that thick vapour where she 's shroud 43 But still to prove it clearer If the mind Without the bodyes help can operate Of her own self then nothing can we find To scruple at but that souls separate Safely exist not subject unto fate Nothing depending on their carcases That they should fade when those be ruinate But first perpend well both their properties That we may better see their independencies 44 The living body where the soul doth ' bide These functions hath phansie sense memory How into sense these outward forms do glide I have already told and did descry How presentifick circularity Is spread through all there is one Mundane spright And body vitall corporality We have from hence Our souls be co-coâ—unite With the worlds spright and body with these herself she has dight 45 Our body struck by evolution Of outward forms spread in the worlds vast spright Our listning mind by its adversion Doth notice take but nothing is empight In it Of old Gods hand did all forms write In humane souls which waken at the knock Of Mundane shapes If they were naked quite Of innate forms though heaven and earth should rock With roring winds they 'd hear no more then senselesse stock 46 Phansy's th' impression of those forms that flit In this low life They oft continue long When as our spright more potently is hit By their incursions and appulses strong Like heated water though a while but hung On fiercer fire an hot impression Long time retains so forms more stoutly flung Against our spright make deep insculption Long time it is till their clear abolition 47 Hence springeth that which men call memory When outward object doth characterize Our inward common spright or when that we From our own soul stir up clear phantasies Which be our own elicited Idees Springing from our own centrall life by might Of our strong Fiat as oft as we please With these we seal that under grosser spright Make that our note-book there our choifest notions write 48 But sith it is not any part of us But longeth unto the great world it must Be chang'd for course of Time voraginous With rapid force is violently just Makes each thing pay with what it was in trust The common life sucks back the common spright The body backward falls into the dust It doth it by degrees Hence phancie sight And memory in age do not their functions right 49 Often disease or some hard casualtie Doth hurt this spirit that a man doth lose The use of sense wit phansie memory That hence rash men our souls mortall suppose Through
obscure the weaker or further off and how that one being removed the energie of the other will easily appear Now that our comparison may be the fitter let us consider what Aristotle saith of phansie that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus much I will take of him that Phansie is sense and adde to it that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and what I have intimated in some passages of these Poems that the soul doth alwayes feel it self it s own actuall Idea by its omniform centrall self So that the immediate sense of the soul is nothing else but to perceive its own energie Now sith that that which we call outward sense is indeed the very energie of the soul and inward sense which is phansie can be no other there seems to be no reall and intrinsecall difference betwixt the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of any form no more then there is betwixt a frog born by the Sunne and mere slime and one born by copulation For these are but extrinsecall relations Wherefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the soul it self is all one But now sith it is the same nature why is not there the same degrees in both I say there is as appears plainly in sleep where we find all as clear and energeticall as when we wake But here these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for I have prov'd them all one do as greater and lesser lights dim one another or that which is nearest worketh strongliest Hence it is that the light or life of this low spirit or body of ours stirring up the soul into a perpetuall senfuall energie if we foster this and unite our minds will and animadversion with it will by its close nearenesse with the soul dim and obscure those more subtil and exile phantasms or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 risen from the soul it self or occasioned by other mens writings For they will be in the flaring light or life of the body as the starres in the beams of the Sunne scarce to be seen unlesse we withdraw our selves out of the flush vigour of that light into the profundity of our own souls as into some deep pit Wherefore men of the most tam'd and castigate spirits are of the best and most profound judgement because they can so easily withdraw themselves from the life and impulse of the lower spirit of this body Thus being quit of passion they have upon any occasion a clear though still and quiet representation of every thing in their minds upon which pure bright sydereall phantasms unprejudiced reason may safely work and clearly discern what is true or probable If my writings fall into the hands of men otherwise qualified I shall gain the lesse approbation But if they will endeavour to compose themselves as near as they can to this temper though they were of another opinion then what my writings intend to prove I doubt not but they will have the happinesse to be overcome and to prove gainers by my victory To say any thing more particularly concerning these last I hold it needlesse Onely let me excuse my self if any chance to blame me for my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as confuting that which no man will assert For it hath been asserted by some as those Mauri whom Ficinus speaks of and the question is also discussed by Plotinus in his fourth Ennead where he distinguisheth of all souls being one after this manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The latter member is that which my arguments conclude against though they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet were we safe enough as safe as the beams of the Sun the Sun existing But the similitude of Praxiteles broken glasse is brought in according to the apprehension of such as make the image to vanish into nothing the glasse being taken away and that as there is but one face though there be the appearances of many so though there be the appearances of many souls by reason of that ones working in divers bodies yet there is but one soul and understanding sense and motion to be the acts of this one soul informing severall bodies This is that which both Plotinus and I endeavour to destroy which is of great moment For if one onely soul act in every body what ever we are now surely this body laid in the dust we shall be nothing As for the Oracles answer to Amelius if any vulgar conceited man think it came from a devil with Bats wings and a long tail the Seventies translation of the eight verse of the 32. chapter of Deuteronomy may make it at least doubtfull When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance when he separated the sonnes of Adam he set the bounds of the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He did not then deliver them into the hand and jurisdiction of devils nor to be instructed and taught by them But if Apollo who gave so good a testimony of Socrates while he was living and of Plotinus after his death was some foul fiend yet t is no prejudice to their esteem since our Saviour Christ was acknowledged by the devil But I have broke my word by not breaking off before this Reader t is time now to leave thee to the perusall of my writings which if they chance to please thee I repent me not of my pains if they chance not to please that shall not displease me much for I consider that I also with small content and pleasure have read the writings of other men Yours H. M. The Argument of ANTIPSYCHOPANNYCHIA Or The confutation of the sleep of the Soul CANT I. Adams long sleep will mind compar'd With low vitality The fondnesse plainly have unbar'd Of Psychopannychie 1 THe souls ever durancy I sung before Ystruck with mighty rage A powerfull fire Held up my lively Muse and made her soar So high that mortall wit I fear she 'll tire To trace her Then a while I did respire But now my beating veins new force again Invades and holy fury doth inspire Thus stirred up I 'll adde a second strain Lest what afore was said may seem all spoke in vain 2 For sure in vain do humane souls exist After this life if lull'd in listlesse sleep They senselesse lie wrapt in eternal mist bound up in foggy clouds that ever weep Benumming tears and the souls centre steep With deading liquour that she never minds Or feeleth ought Thus drench'd in Lethe deep Nor misseth she her self nor seeks nor finds Her self This mirksome state all the souls actions binds 3 Desire fear love joy sorrow pleasure pain Sense phancy wit forecasting providence Delight in God and what with sleepy brain Might sute slight dreams all banish'd farre from hence Nor pricking nor applauding conscience Can wake the soul from this dull Lethargie That 'twixt this sleepy state small difference You 'll
find and that men call Mortality Plain death 's as good as such a Psychopannychie 4 What profiteth this bare existency If I perceive not that I do exist Nought longs to such nor mirth nor misery Such stupid beings write into one list With stocks and stones But they do not persist You 'll say in this dull dead condition But must revive shake off this drowsie mist At that last shrill loud-sounding clarion Which cleaves the trembling earth rives monuments of stone 5 Has then old Adam snorted all this time Under some senselesse sod with sleep ydead And have those flames that steep Olympus climbe Right nimbly wheeled or'e his heedlesse head So oft in heaps of years low buried And yet can ken himself when he shall rise Wakend by piercing trump that farre doth shed Its searching sound If we our memories And wit do lose by sicknesse falls sloth lethargies 6 If all our childhood quite be waste away With its impressions so that we forget What once we were so soon as age doth sway Our bowed backs sure when base worms have eat His mouldring brains and spirits have retreat From whence they came spread in the common fire And many thousand sloping sunnes have set Since his last fall into his ancient mire How he will ken himself reason may well admire 7 For he must know himself by some impression Left in his ancient body unwash'd out Which seemeth strange For can so long succession Of sliding years that great Colosses mought Well moulder into dust spare things ywrought So slightly as light phantasms in our brain Which oft one yeare or moneth have wrenched out And left no footsteps of that former stain No more then 's of a cloud quite melted into rain 8 And shall not such long series of time When Nature hath dispread our vitall spright And turn'd our body to its ancient slime Quite wash away what ever was empight In that our spirit If flesh and soul unite Lose such impressions as were once deep seald And fairly glistered like to comets bright In our blew Chaos if the soul congeald With her own body lose these forms as I reveald 9 Then so long time of their disjunction The body being into dust confract The spright diffus'd spread by dispersion And such Lethean sleep that doth contract The souls hid rayes that it did nothing act Must certainly wipe all these forms away That sense or phansie ever had impact So that old Adam will in vain assay To find who here he was he 'll have no memorie 10 Nor can he tell that ere he was before And if not tell he 's as if then first born If as first born his former life's no store Yet when men wake they find themselves at morn But if their memory away were worn With one nights sleep as much as doth respect Themselves these men they never were beforn This day 's their birth day they cannot conject They ever liv'd till now much lesse the same detect 11 So when a man goes hence thus may he say As much as me concerns I die now quite Adiew good self for now thou goest away Nor can I possibly thee ever meet Again nor ken thy face nor kindly greet Sleep and dispersion spoyls our memory So my dear self henceforth I cannot weet Wherefore to me it 's perfectly to die Though subtiler Wits do call 't but Psychopannychie 12 Go now you Psychopannychites perswade To comely virtues and pure piety From hope of ioy or fear of penance sad Men promptly may make answer Who shall try That pain or pleasure When death my dim eye Shall close I sleep not sensible of ought And tract of time at least all memory Will quiâ—e debarre that reacquainten mought My self with mine own self if so my self I sought 13 But I shall neither seek my self nor find My self unsought Therefore not deprehend My self in joy or wo. Men ought to mind What longs unto them But when once an end Is put unto this life and fate doth rend Our retinence what follows nought at all Belongs to us what need I to contend And my frail spright with present pain to gall For what I nere shall judge my self did ere befall 14 This is the uncouth state of sleeping soul Thus weak of her own self without the prop Of the base body that she no'te out-roll Her vitall raies those raies Death down doth lop And all her goodly beauty quite doth crop With his black claws Wisdome love piety Are straight dried up Death doth their fountain stop This is those sleepers dull Philosophy Which fairly men invites to foul impiety 15 But if we grant which in my former song I plainly prov'd that the souls energie Pends not on this base corse but that self-strong She by her self can work then when we fly The bodies commerce no man can deny But that there is no interruption Of life where will puts on there doth she hie Or if she 's carried by coaction That force yet she observes by presse adversion 16 And with most lively touch doth feel and find Her self For either what she most doth love She then obtains or else with crosse unkind Contrary life since her decease sh ' hath strove That keeps her wake and with like might doth move To think upon her self and in what plight She 's fallen And nothing able to remove Deep searching vengeance groans in this sad Night And rores and raves and storms and with her self doth fight 17 But hearty love of that great vitall spright The sacred fount of holy sympathy Prepares the soul with its deep quickning might To leave the bodies vain mortality Away she flies into Eternity Finds full accomplishment of her desire Each thing would reach its own centrality So Earth with Earth and Moon with Moon conspire Our selves live most when most we feed our Centrall fire 18 Thus is the soul continually in life Withouten interruption if that she Can operate after the fatall knife Hath cut the cords of lower sympathy Which she can do if that some energie She exercise immur'd in this base clay Which on frail flesh hath no dependency For then the like she 'll do that done away These independent acts t is time now to display 19 All comprehending Will proportionate To whatsoever shall fall by Gods decree Or prudent sufferance sweetly spread dilate Stretch'd out t' embrace each act or entity That creep from hidden cause that none can see With outward eyes Next Intellect whose hight Of working 's then when as it stands most free From sense and grosser phansie deep empight In this vild corse which to purg'd minds yields small delight 20 Both Will and Intellect then worketh best When Sense and Appetite be consopite And grosser phansie lull'd in silent rest Then Will grown full with a mild heavenly light Shines forth with goodly mentall rayes bedight And finds and feels such things as never pen Can setten down so that unexpert wight May reade and
inward single thought or apprehension is any thing but matter and matter is nothing Lower man The lower man is our enquickned body into which our soul comes it being fully prepared for the receiving of such a guest The manner of the production of souls or rather their non-production is admirably well set down in Plotinus See Ennead 6. l. 4. c. 14.15 Lypon from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sorrow M MAgicall that is attractive or commanding by force of sympathy with the life of this naturall world Melampronoea the black side of providence Memory Mundane memory Is that memory that is seated in the Mundane spirit of man by a strong impression or inustion of any phantasme or outward sensible object upon that spirit But there is a memory more subtill and abstract in the soul it self without the help of this spirit which she also carries away with her having left the body Michael who like unto God from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 similitudinis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deus Moment Sometimes signifies an instant as indivisible as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in motion answers to an instant in time or a point in a line Arist. Phys In this sense I use it Psychathan lib. 3. cant 2. stanz 2.16 But in a moment Sol doth ray But Cant. 3. stanz 45. vers 2. I understand as also doth Lansbergius by a moment one second of a minute In Antipsych Cant. 2. stanz 10. vers 2. by a moment I understand a minute or indefinitely any small time Monad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Unitas the principle of all numbers an embleme of the Deity And the Pythagoreans call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God It is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stable and immovable a firme Cube of it self One time one time one remains still one See Ahad Monocordia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Single-heartednesse Mundane Mundane spirit is that which is the spirit of the world or Universe I mean by it not an Intellectuall spirit but a fine unfixt attenuate subtill ethereall substance the immediate vehicle of plasticall or sensitive life Myrmecopolis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the city or polity of Pismires N NEurospast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Puppet or any Machina that's mov'd by an unseen string or nerve O OGdoas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 numerus octonarius the number of eight Omniformity the omniformity of the soul is the having in her nature all forms latent at least and power of awaking them into act upon occasion On 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The being Orb. Orb Intellectuall is nothing else but Aeon or the Intellectuall world The Orbs generall mentioned Psychathan lib. 1. cant 3. stanz 23. vers 2. I understand by them but so many universall orders of being if I may so terme them all for Hyle hath little or nothing of being Out-World and Out Heaven The sensible World the visible Heaven P PAndemoniothen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all from the devill viz. all false perswasions and ill effects from them Panoply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Armour for the whole body Pantheothen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All from God Which is true in one sense false in another You 'll easily discern the sense in the place you find the word This passage of Pantheothen contains a very savory and hearty reproof of all be they what they will that do make use of that intricate mystery of fate and infirmity safely to guard themselves from the due reprehensions and just expostulations of the earnest messengers of God who would rouse them out of this sleep of sin and stir them up seriously to seek after the might and spirit of Christ that may work wonderfully in their souls to a glorious conquest and triumph against the devill death and corruption Parallax 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the difference betwixt the true and seeming place of a star proceeding from the sensible difference of the centre and the height of the superficies of the earth in reference to the star and from the stars declining from the Zenith Parelies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are rorid clouds which bear the image of the Sunne Parturient See Vaticinant Penia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Want or poverty Perigee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is that absis or ark of a Planets circle in which it comes nearer to the earth Periphere Peripheria it is the line that terminates a circle Phantasie Lower phantasie is that which resides in the Mundane spirit of a man See Memory Phantasme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any thing that the soul conceives in it self without any present externall object Philosomatus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lover of his body Phobon from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fear Phrenition anger impatiency fury from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 phrensie or madnesse Ira furor brevis est Physis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nature vegetative Pithecus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Ape Pithecusa the land of Apes Plastick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is that efformative might in the seed that shapes the body in its growth Protopathy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a suffering or being affected at first that is without circulation If any man strike me I feel immediately because my soul is united with this body that is struck and this is protopathy If the air be struck aloof of I am sensible also of that but by circulation or propagation of that impression into my eare and this is deuteropathy See Deuteropathy Proteus Vertumnus changeab lenesse Psittaco Don Psittaco from Psittacus a Parot a bird that speak significant words whose sense notwithstanding it self is ignorant of The Dialogue betwixt this Parot and Mnemon sets out the vanity o◠superficiall conceited Theologasters that have but the surface and thin imagination of divinity but truly devoid of the spirit and inward power of Christ the living well-spring of knowledge and virtue and yet do pride themselves in prattling and discoursing of the most hidden and abstruse mysteries of God and take all occasions to shew forth their goodly skill and wonderfull insight into holy truth when as they have indeeed scarce licked the outside of the glasse wherein it lies Psittacusa the land of Parots Psychania the land of Souls Psyche 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Soul or spirit Psychicall Though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be a generall name and belongs to the souls of beasts and plants yet I understand by life Psychicall such centrall life as is capable of Aeon and Ahad Pteroessa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the land of winged souls from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wing Q QUadrate A figure with foure equall sides and foure right angles The rightnesse of the angles is a plain embleme of erectnesse or uprightnesse of mind The number of the sides as also of the angles being pariter par that is equall divisible to the
affected if there were nothing to come whence she would not be able so sensibly to discover to her self her own Hypocrisie or sinceritie Lastly that loving adherence and affectionate cleaving to God by Faith and divine sense would be forestall'd by such undeniable evidence of Reason and Nature Which though it would very much gratifie the naturall man yet it would not prove so profitable to us as in things appertaining to God For seeing our most palpable evidence of the souls immortality is from an inward sense and this inward sense is kept alive the best by devotion and purity by freedome from worldly care and sorrow and the grosser pleasures of the body otherwise her ethereall vehicle will drink in so much of earthy and mortall dregs that the sense of the soul will be changed being outvoted as it were by the overswaying number of terrene particles which that ethereal nature hath so plentifully imbib'd and incorporated with she will become in a manner corporeall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Jamblichus speaks and in the extremity of this weaknesse and dotage will be easily drawn off to pronounce her self such as the body is dissolvable and mortall therefore it is better for us that we become doubtfull of our immortall condition when we stray from that virgin-purity and unspottednesse that we may withdraw our feet from these paths of death then that Demonstration and Infallibility should permit us to proceed so farre that our immortality would prove an heavy disadvantage But this is meant onely to them that are lovers of God and their own souls For they that are at enmity with him desire no such instructions but rather embrace all means of laying asleep that disquieting truth that they bear about with them so precious a charge as an immortall Spirit To the Reader REader sith it is the fashion To bestow some salutation I greet thee give free leave to look And nearly view my opened Book But see then that thine eyes be clear If ought thou wouldst discover there Expect from me no Teian strain No light wanton Lesbian vein Though well I wot the vulgar spright Such Harmony doth more strongly smite Silent Secesse wast Solitude Deep searching thoughts often renew'd Stiffe conflict 'gainst importunate vice That daily doth the Soul entice From her high throne of circuling light To plunge her in infernall Night Collection of the mind from stroke Of this worlds Magick that doth choke Her with foul smothering mists and stench And in Lethaean waves her drench A daily Death drad Agony Privation dry Sterility Who is well entred in those wayes Fitt'st man to read my lofty layes But whom lust wrath and fear controule Scarce know their body from their soul If any such chance hear my verse Dark numerous Nothings I rehearse To them measure out an idle sound In which no inward sense is found Thus sing I to cragg'd clifts and hils To sighing winds to murmuring rills To wastefull woods to empty groves Such things as my dear mind most loves But they heed not my heavenly passion Fast fixt on their own operation On chalky rocks hard by the Sea Safe guided by fair Cynthia I strike my silver-sounded lyre First struck my self by some strong fire And all the while her wavering ray Reflected from fluid glasse doth play On the white banks But all are deaf Vnto my Muse that is most lief To mine own self So they nor blame My pleasant notes nor praise the same Nor do thou Reader rashly brand My rhythmes 'fore thou them understand H. M. PSYCHOZOIA OR The first part of the Song of the SOUL Containing A Christiano-Platonicall display of LIFE By H. M. Master of Arts and Fellow of Christs Colledge in Cambridge Tot vitae gradus cognoscimus quot in nobismetipsis expedimus Mars Ficin CAMBRIDGE Printed by Roger Daniel Printer to the Universitie 1647. TO THE READER Upon the first Canto of PSYCHOZOIA THis first Canto as you may judge by the names therein was intended for a mere Platonicall description of Universall life or life that is omnipresent though not alike omnipresent As in Noahs Deluge the water that overflowed the earth was present in every part thereof but every part of the water was not in every part of the earth or all in every part so the low Spirit of the Universe though it go quite through the world yet it is not totally in every part of the world Else we should heare our Antipodes if they did but whisper Because our lower man is a part of the inferiour Spirit of the Universe Ahad Aeon and Psyche are all omnipresent in the World after the most perfect way that humane reason can conceive of For they are in the world all totally and at once every where This is the famous Platonicall Triad which though they that slight the Christian Trinity do take for a figment yet I think it is no contemptible argument that the Platonists the best and divinest of Philosophers and the Christians the best of all that do professe religion do both concur that there is a Trinity In what they differ I leave to be found out according to the safe direction of that infallible Rule of Faith the holy Word In the mean time I shall not be blamed by any thing but ignorance and malignity for being invited to sing of the second Unity of the Platonicall Triad in a Christian and Poeticall scheme that which the holy Scripture witnesseth of the second Person of the Christian Trinity As that his patrimony is the possession of the whole earth For if it be not all one with Christ according to his Divinity yet the Platonists placing him in the same order and giving him the like attributes with the Person of the Sonne in Christianity it is nothing harsh for me to take occasion from hence to sing a while the true Christian Autocalon whose beauty shall adorn the whole Earth in good time if we believe the Prophets For that hath not as yet happened For Christ is not where ever his Name is but as he is the Truth so will he be truely displayed upon the face of the whole Earth For God doth not fill the World with his Glory by words and sounds but by Spirit and Life and Reality Now this Eternall life I sing of even in the middest of Platonisme for I cannot conceal from whence I am viz. of Christ but yet acknowledging that God hath not left the Heathen Plato especially without witnesse of himself Whose doctrine might strike our adulterate Christian Professors with shame astonishment their lives falling so exceeding short of the better Heathen How far short are they then of that admirable and transcendent high mystery of true Christianisme To which Plato is a very good subservient Minister whose Philosophy I singing here in a full heat why may it not be free for me to break out into an higher strain and under it to touch upon some points of Christianity as well as
Or some thin body or spread quality Or point of quality or fixt or setten free 29 But whether thin spread body she doth deem Her self dispersed through this grosser frame Or doth her self a quality esteem Or quient complexion streaming through the same Or else some lucid point her self doth name Of such a quality in chiefest part Strongly fix'd down or whether she doth clame More freedome for that point in head nor heart Fast seated yet saith she the bodies brat thou art 30 Thence thou arose thence thou canst not depart There die thou must when thy dear nurse decayes But these false phansies I with reason smart Shall eas'ly chace away and the mind raise To higher pitch O listen to my layes And when you have seen fast seald eternity Of humane souls then your great Maker praise For his never fading benignity And feed your selves with thought of immortality The Argument of PSYCHATHANASIA OR The Immortality of the Soul Book 2. Cant. 2. Sense no good judge of truth What spright What body we descry Prove from the souls inferiour might Her incorp'reitie 1 WHile I do purpose with my self to sing The souls incorporeity I fear That it a worse perplexitie may bring Unto the weaker mind and duller ear For she may deem herself ' stroyd quite clear While all corporeals from her we expell For she has yet not mark'd that higher sphear Where her own essence doth in safety dwell But views her lower shade like boy at brink of well 2 Dotes upon sense ne higher doth arise Busied about vain forms corporeall Contemns as nought unseen exilities Objects of virtue Intellectuall Though these of substances be principall But I to better hope would fainly lead The sunken mind and cunningly recall Again to life that long hath liggen dead Awake ye drooping souls shake off that drousihead 3 Why do you thus confide in sleepy sense Ill judge of her own objects who 'll believe The eye contracting Phoebus Orb immense Into the compasse of a common sieve If solid reason did not us relieve The host of heaven alwayes would idle stand In our conceit nor could the Sun revive The neither world nor do his Lords command Things near seem further off farst off the nearst at hand 4 The touch acknowledgeth no gustables The tast no fragrant smell or stinking sent The smell doth not once dream of audibles The hearing never knew the verdant peint Of springs gay mantle nor heavens light ylent That must discover all that goodly pride So that the senses would with zeal fervent Condemne each other and their voice deride If mutually they heard such things they never try'd 5 But reason that above the sense doth sit Doth comprehend all their impressions And tells the touch it s no fanatick fit That makes the sight of illustrations So stifly talk upon occasions But judgeth all their voyces to be true Concerning their straight operations And doth by nimble consequences shew To her own self what those wise Five yet never knew 6 They never knew ought but corporealls But see how reason doth their verdict rude Confute by loosening materialls Into their principles as latitude Profundity of bodies to conclude The term of latitude is breadthlesse line A point the line doth manfully retrude From infinite processe site doth confine This point take site away it s straight a spark divine 7 And thus unloos'd it equally respects The bodies parts not fixt to any one Let 't be distused through all Thus it detects The soul's strange nature operation Her independency loose union With this frail body So 's this unity Great but without that grosse extension Exceeding great in her high energie Extended far and wide from her non-quantity 8 If yet you understand not let the soul Which you suppose extended with this masse Be all contract and close together roll Into the centre of the hearts compasse As the suns beams that by a concave glasse Be strangely strengthned with their strait constraint Into one point that thence they stoutly passe Fire all before them withouten restraint The high arch'd roof of heaven with smouldry smoke they taint 9 But now that grosnesse which we call the heart Quite take away and leave that spark alone Without that sensible corporeall part Of humane body so when that is gone One nimble point of life that 's all at one In its own self doth wonderfully move Indispers'd quick close with self-union Hor sparkling active mounting high above In bignesse nought in virtue like to thundring Jove 10 Thus maugre all th' obmurmurings of sense We have found an essence incorporeall A shifting centre with circumference But she not onely sits in midst of all But is also in a manner centrall In her outflowing lines For the extension Of th' outshot rayes circumserentiall Be not gone from her by distrought distension Her point is at each point of all that spread dimension 11 This is a substance truly spiritall That reason by her glistring lamp hath shown No such the sense in things corporeall Can ere find out May this perswasion O sunken souls slaves of sensation Rear up your heads and chase away all fear How when by strong argumentation I shall you strip of what so doth appear Corporeall that you to nought should vanish clear 12 The naked essence of the body 's this Matter extent in three dimensions Hardnesse or softnesse be but qualities Withouten self reduplications Or outspread circling propagations Of its own presence These be corporall And what with these in such extension Singly's stretch'd out is form materiall Whether our soul be such now to the test we 'll call 13 If souls be bodies or inanimate They be or else endowed with life If they Be livelesse give they life if animate Then tell me what doth life to them convey Some other body Here can be no stay Straight we must ask whether that livelesse be Or living Then what ' lives it Thus we 'll play Till we have forc'd you to infinity And make your cheeks wax red at your Philosophy 14 Again pray tell me is this body grosse Or fluid and thin you deem the soul to be If grosse then either strongly it is cross'd From entring some parts of this rigid tree And so of life they 'll want their ' lotted fee Or if it penetrate this bulk throughout It breaks and tears and puts to penalty This sory corse If 't thin and fluid be thought How pulls it up those limbs and again jerks them out 15 Besides if stretchen corporeity Longs to the soul then Augmentation Must likewise thereto appertain But see Th' absurdities that this opinion Will drag on with it for effluxion Of parts will spoil the steddy memory And wash away all intellection Deface the beauty of that imagery That once was fairly graven in her phantasie 16 But oft when the weak bodie 's worn and wasted And far shrunk in the nimble phantasie So far she 's from being withered and blasted More
low'st do make us subject to disturbing fate 15 But low'st gins first to work the soul doth frame This bodies shape imploy'd in one long thought So wholy taken up that she the same Observeth not till she it quite hath wrought So men asleep some work to end have brought Not knowing of it yet have found it done Or we may say the matter that she raught And suck'd unto her self to work upon Is of one warmth with her own spright feels as one 16 And thus the body being the souls work From her own centre so entirely made Seated i' th' heart for there this spright doth lurk It is no wonder 't is so easly sway'd At her command But when this work shall fade The soul dismisseth it as an old thought 'T is but one form but many be display'd Amid her higher rayes dismist and brought Back as she list many come that ne're were sought 17 The soul by making this strange edifice Makes way unto herself to exercise Functions of life and still more waked is The more she has perfected her fine devise Hath wrought her self into sure sympathies With this great world Her ears like hollow caves Resound to her own spright the energies Of the worlds spright If it ought suffered have Then presentifick circles to her straight notice gave 18 We know this world because our soul hath made Our bodie of this sensible worlds spright And body Therefore in the glassie shade Of our own eyes they having the same might That glasse or water hath we have the sight Of what the Mundane spirit suffereth By colours figures or inherent light Sun stars and all on earth it hurrieth To each point of it self so far as 't circuleth 19 And where he lighteth on advantages His circulings grow sensible So hills That hollow be do audible voices Resound The soul doth imitate that skill In framing of the eare that sounds may swell In that concavitie The crystall springs Reflect the light of heaven if they be still And clear the soul doth imitate and bring The eye to such a temper in her shapening 20 So eyes and ears be not mere perforations But a due temper of the Mundane spright And ours together else the circulations Of sounds would be well known by outward sight And th' eare would colours know figures light So that it 's plain that when this bodie 's gone This world to us is clos'd in darknesse quite And all to us is in dead silence drown Thus in one point of time is this worlds glory flown 21 But if 't be so how doth Psyche hear or see That hath nor eyes nor eares She sees more clear Then we that see but secondarily We see at distance by a circular Diffusion of that spright of this great sphear Of th' Universe Her sight is tactuall The Sun and all the starres that do appear She feels them in herself can distance all For she is at each one purely presentiall 22 To us what doth diffusion circular And our pure shadowed eyes bright crystalline But vigorously our spright particular Affect while things in it so clearly shine That 's done continually in the heavens sheen The Sun the Moon the Earth blew-glimmering Hel Scorch'd Aetna's bowels each shape you 'l divine To be in Nature every dern cell With fire-eyed dragons or what else therein doth dwel 23 These be all parts of the wide worlds excesse They be all seated in the Mundane spright And shew just as they are in their bignesse To her But circulation shews not right The magnitude of things for distant site Makes a deficience in these circulings But all things lie opeâ—right unto the sight Of heavens great eye their thin shot shadowings And lightned sides All this we find in Natures springs 24 The worlds great soul knows by Protopathie All what befalls this lower sprite but we Can onely know 't by Deuteropathie At least in sight and hearing She doth see In our own eyes by the close unitie Of ours and the worlds life our passion Plainly perceives our Idiopathie As we do hers by the same union But we cannot see hers in that perfection 25 Fresh varnish'd groves tall hills and gilded clouds Arching an eyelid for the gloring Morn Fair clustred buildings which our sight so crouds At distance with high spires to heaven yborn Vast plains with lowly cottages forlorn Rounded about with the low wavering skie Cragg'd vapours like to ragged rocks ytorn She views those prospects in our distant eye These and such like be the first centres mysterie 26 Or if you will the first low energie Of that one centre which the soul is hight Which knows this world by the close unitie Concorporation with the Mundane sprite Unloos'd from this she wants a certain light Unlesse by true regeneration She be incorporate with God unite With his own spright so a new mansion Sh' has got oft saught with deepest suspiration 27 But robb'd of her first clothing by hard fate If she fall short of this wo's me what pains She undergoes when this lost former state So kindled hath lifes thirst that still remains Thus her eternitie her nothing gains But hungry flames raging voracitie Feeding on its own self The heavens she stains With execrations and foul blasphemie Thus in fell discontent and smoth'ring fire they frie. 28 Vain man that striv'st to have all things at will What wilt thou do in this sterilitie Whom canst thou then command or what shall fill Thy gaping soul O depth of miserie Prepare thy self by deep humilitie Destroy that fretting fire while thou art here Forsake this worlds bewitching vanitie Nor death nor hell then shalt thou need to fear Kill and cast down thy self to heaven God shall thee rear 29 This middle centrall essence of the soul Is that which still survives asleep or waking The life she shed in this grosse earthly moul Is quite shrunk up lost in the bodies breaking Now with slight phantasms of her own fond making She 's clad so is her life drie and jejune But all flit souls be not in the same taking That state this lifes proportion doth tune So as thou livest here such measure must ensuen 30 But they whose souls deiform summitie Is waken'd in this life and so to God Are nearly joyn'd in a firm Unitie This outward bodie is but earthie clod Digested having life transfus'd abroad The worlds life and our lower vitalitie Unite in one their souls have their aboad In Christs own body are eternally One with our God by true and strong communitie 31 When we are clothed with this outward world Feel the soft air behold the glorious Sunne All this we have from meat that 's daily hurld Into these mouthes But first of all we wonne This priviledge by our first union With this worlds body and diffused spright I' th' higher world there 's such communion Christ is the sunne that by his chearing might Awakes our higher rayes to joyn with his pure
poyson do outspue Or have an ugly shape and foule presence That deadly poison and that direfull hue From this Nocturnall spright these uggly creaturâ—◠〈◊〉 27 This is the seat of Gods eternall ire When unmixt vengeance he doth fully powre Upon foul souls fit for consuming fire Fierce storms and tempests strongly doth he show Upon their heads His rage doth still devoure The never dying soul Here Satanas Hath his full swing to torture every houre The grisly ghosts of men when they have passe From this mid world to that most direfull dismall place 28 Did Nature but compile one mighty sphere Of this dark Stygian spright and close collect Its scatter'd being that it might appear Aloft in the wide heaven it would project Dark powerfull beams that solar life ycheckt With these dull choking rayes all things would die Infernall poyson the earth would infect Incessant showrs of pitchie shafts let flie Against the Sun with darknesse would involve the skie 29 Nor is my Muse wox mad that thus gives life To Night or Darknesse sith all things do live But Night is nothing straight I 'll end that strife Doth nought impressions to the sense derive If without prejudice you 'll deigne to dive Into the matter as much realty To darknesse as to coldnesse you will give Certes both night and coldnesse active be Both strike the sense they both have reall entity 30 Again 't is plain that that nocturall spright Sends forth black eben-beams and mirksome rayes Because her darknesse as the Sunne his light More clearly doth reflect on solid place As when a wall a shade empighten has Upon it sure that shade farre darker is Then is the aire that lies in the mid space What is the reason but that rayes emisse From centrall Night the walls reflexion multiplies 31 The light 's more light that strikes upon the wall And much more strongly there affects the eye Then what 's spread in the space aereall So 't is with shadows that amid do lie In the slight air there scarce we them descrie But when they fall upon the wall or ground They gain a perfect sensibilitie Scarce ought in outgone light is to be found But this Nocturnall ray's with like indowments crown'd 32 But why doth my half-wearied mind pursue Dim sculking darknesse a fleet nimble shade If Moses and wise Solomon speak true What we assert may safely well be said Did not a palpable thick Night invade The Land of Egypt such as men might feel And handle with their hands That darknesse ray'd From nether Hell and silently did steal On th' enemies of God as Scripture doth reveal 33 The womb of Night then fully flowred out For that all-swaying endlesse Majestie Which penetrateth those wide worlds throughout This thin spread darknesse that dispers'd doth lie Summon'd by his drad voice and strong decree Much therefore of that spirit close unite Into one place did strike the troubled eye With horrid blacknesse and the hand did smite With a clam pitchie ray shot from that Centrall Night 34 This Centrall Night or Universall spright Of wo of want of balefull bitternesse Of hatred envy wrath and fell despight Of lust of care wasting disquietnesse Of warre contention and bloud-thirstinesse Of zeal of vengeance of suspicion Of hovering horrour and sad pensivenesse This Stygian stream through all the world doth run And many wicked souls unto it self hath wonne 35 Lo here 's the portion of the Hypocrite That serveth God but in an outward show But his drad doom must passe upon his sprite Where it propends there surely must he go Due vengeance neither sleepeth nor is slow Hell will suck in by a strong sympathie What 's like unto it self So down they flow Devouring anguish and anxietie Do vex their souls in piteous pains alas they lie 36 Thus with live Hell be they concorporate United close with that self-gnawing sprite And this I wot will breed no sleeping state Who here descends finds one long restlesse Night May this the dreaming Psychopannychite Awake and make him seriously prepare And purge his heart lest this infernall might Suck in his soul 'fore he be well aware Kill but the seeds of sinne then are you past this fear 37 Thus have I prov'd by the souls union With heaven and hell that she will be awake When she from this mid Nature is ygone But still more curious task to undertake And spenden time to speak of Lethe lake And whether at least some souls fall not asleep Which if they do of Hell they do partake Whether who liv'd like plant or grazing sheep Who of nought else but sloth and growth doth taken keep 38 Whose drooping phansie never flowred out Who relish'd nought but this grosse bodies food Who never entertaind an active thought But like down-looking beasts was onely mov'd To feed themselves whither this drousie mood So drench the lowring soul and inly steep That she lies senselesse drownd in Lethe floud Who will let dive into this mysterie deep Into such narrow subtilties I list not creep 39 But well I wote that wicked crueltie Hate envie malice and ambition Bloud-sucking zeal and lawlesse tyrannie In that Nocturnall sprite shall have their wonne Which like this world admits distinction But like will like unto it strongly draw So every soul shall have a righteous doom According to our deeds God will bestow Rewards Unto the cruell he 'll no mercy show 40 Where 's Nimrod now and dreadfull Hannibal Where 's that ambitious pert Pellean lad Whose pride sweld bigger then this earthly ball Where 's cruell Nero with the rest that had Command and vex'd the world with usage bad They 're all sunk down into this nether hell Who erst upon the Nations stoutly strad Are now the Devils footstool His drad spell Those vassals doth command though they with fury swell 41 Consuming anguish styptick bitternesse Doth now so strangle their imperious will That in perpetuall disquietnesse They roll and rave and roar and rage their fill Like a mad bull that the slie hunters skill Hath caught in a strong net But more they strive The more they kindle that tormenting ill Wo's me in what great miserie they live Yet wote I not what may these wretched thralls relieve 42 The safest way for us that still survive Is this even our own lust to mortifie So Gods own Will will certainly revive Thus shall we gain a perfect libertie And everlasting life But if so be We seek our selves with ardent hot desire From that Infornall Night we are not free But living Hell will kindle a fierce fire And with uncessant pains our vexed soul will tire 43 Then the wild phanfie from her horrid wombe Will senden forth foul shapes O dreadfull sight Overgrown toads fierce serpents thence will come Red-scaled Dragons with deep burning light In their hollow eyeâ—pits With these she must fight Then thinks her self ill wounded sorely stung Old fulsome Hags with scabs and skurf bedight Foul tarry
as when lamp we lighten from a lamp Which done withouten diminution Of the first light shows how the soul of man Though indivisible may another rear Imparting life But if we rightly scan This argument it cometh nothing near To light the lamp's to kindle the sulphurious gear 89 No substance new that act doth then produce Onely the oyly atomes 't doth excite And wake into a flame but no such use There is of humane sperm For our free sprite Is not the kindled seed but substance quite Distinct therefrom If not then bodies may So changed be by nature and stiff fight Of hungry stomacks that what erst was clay Then herbs in time it self in sense may well display 90 For then our soul can nothing be but bloud Or nerves or brains or body modifide Whence it will follow that cold stopping crud Hard moldy cheese dry nuts when they have rid Due circuits through the heart at last shall speed Of life and sense look thorough our thin eyes And view the Close wherein the Cow did feed Whence they were milk'd grosse Pie-crust will grow wife And pickled Cucumbers sans doubt Philosophize 91 This all will follow if the soul be nought But the live body For mens bodies feed Of such grosse meat and if more fine be brought Suppose Snipes heads Larks heels for Ladies meet The broth of Barly or that oily Sweet Of th' unctious Grape yet all men must confesse These be as little capable of wit And sense nor can be so transform'd I wisse Therefore no soul of man from seed traducted is 92 Ne been they by th' high God then first create When in this earthly mansion they appear For why should he so soon contaminate So unspotted beauties as mens spirits are Flinging them naked into dunghills here Soyl them with guilt and foul contagion When as in his own hand they spotlesse were Till by an uncouth strange infusion He plung'd them in the deep of Malediction 93 Besides unworthily he doth surmise Of Gods pure being and bright Majesty Who unto such base offices him ties That He must wait on lawlesse Venery Not onely by that large Causality Of generall influence for Creation More speciall concourse all men deem to be But on set purpose He must come anon And ratifie the act which oft men wish undone 94 Which is a rash and shamelesse bad conceit So might they name the brat Adeodatus What ever they in lawlesse love beget Again what 's still far more prodigious When men are stung with fury poysonous And burn with flames of lust toward brute beasts And overcome into conjunction rush He then from that foul act is not releast Creates a soul misplacing the unhappy guest 95 Wherefore mans soul 's not by Creation Nor is it generate as I prov'd before Wherefore let 't be by emanation If fully it did not praeexist of yore By flowing forth from that eternall store Of Lives and souls ycleep'd the World of life Which was and shall endure for evermore Hence done all bodies vitall fire derive And matter never lost catch life and still revive 96 And what has once sprout out doth never cease If it enjoy it self a spray to be Distinct and actuall though if God please He can command it into th' ancient tree This immense Orb of wast vitality With all its Lives and Souls is every where And do's where matter right prepar'd doth lie Impart a soul as done the sunne beams clear Insinuate themselves where filth doth not debarre 97 Thus may the souls in long succession Leap out into distinct activity But sooth to say though this opinion May seem right fair and plausible to be Yet toils it under an hard difficulty Each where this Orb of life 's with every soul Which doth imply the souls ubiquity Or if the whole Extent of Natures's full Of severall souls thick set what may the furthest pull 98 What may engage them to descend so low Remov'd farre from the steam of earthly mire My wits been here too scant and faith too slow Ne longer lists my wearied thoughts to tire Let bolder spirits to such hight aspire But well I wote if there admitted were A praeexistency of souls entire And due Returns in courses circular This course all difficulties with ease away would bear 99 For then suppose they wore an airy sphear Which choise or Nemesis suck'd lower down Thus without doubt they 'll leave their carcase clear Like dispossessed spright when death doth come And by rude exorcisme bids quit the room Ne let these intricacies perplex our mind That we forget that ere we saw the sunne Before this life For who can call to mind Where first he here saw sunne or felt the gentle wind 100 Besides what wonder is 't when fierce disease Can so empair the strongest memory That so full change should make our spirits leese What 'fore they had impress'd in phantasie Nor doth it follow thence that when we die We nought retain of what pass'd in these dayes For Birth is Death Death Life and Liberty The soul 's not thence contract but there displayes Her loosened self doth higher all her powers raise 101 Like to a light fast lock'd in lanthorn dark Whereby by night our wary steps we guide In slabby streets and dirty channels mark Some weaker rayes through the black top do glide And flusher streams perhaps from horny side But when we 've past the perill of the way Arriv'd at home and laid that case aside The naked light how clearly doth it ray And spread its joyfull beams as bright as Summers day 102 Even so the soul in this contracted state Consin'd to these strait instruments of sense More dull and narrowly doth operate At this hole hears the sight must ray from thence Here tasts there smels But when she 's gone from hence Like naked lamp she is one shining sphear And round about has perfect cognoscence What ere in her Horizon doth appear She is one Orb of sense all eye all airy ear 103 Now have I well establish'd the fourth way The souls of men from stupid sleep to save First Light next Night the third the soules Self-ray Fourth the souls Chariot we named have Whether moist air or fire all sparkling brave Or temper mixt Now how these foure agree And how the soul her self may dip and lave In each by turns how no redundancy Ther 's in them might we tell nor scant deficiency 104 But cease my restlesse Muse be not too free Thy chiefest end thou hast accomplished Long since shak'd of the Psychopannychie And rouz'd the soul from her dull drowsiehed So nothing now in death is to be dred Of him that wakes to truth and righteousnesse The corps lies here the soul aloft is fled Unto the fount of perfect happinesse Full freedome joy and peace she lively doth possesse ANTIMONOPSYCHIA Or The fourth part of the Song OF THE SOUL Containing A confutation of the Unity of Souls Whereunto is annexed a Paraphrase
So full of one great light she hath no time To such low trifles as past sights to dive Such as she gathered up in earthly slime Foreknowledge of herself is lost in light divine 35 But can she here forget our radiant Sunne Of which its maker is the bright Idee This is His shadow or what she hath done Now she 's rewarded with the Deitie Suppose it Yet her hid Centralitie So sprightly's quickned with near Union With God that now life 's wished liberty Is so encreas'd that infinitely sh ' has fun Herself her deep'st desire unspeakably hath wonne 36 And deep desire is the deepest act The most profound and centrall energie The very selfnesse of the soul which backt With piercing might she breaks out forth doth flie From dark contracting death and doth descry Herself unto herself so thus unfold That actuall life she straightwayes saith is I. Thus while she in the body was infold Of this low life as of herself oft tales she told 37 In dangerous sicknesse often saith I die When nought doth die but the low plantall man That falls asleep and while Nature doth tie The soul unto the body she nere can Avoid it but must feel the self-same pain The same decay if hereto she her mind Do bend When stupid cold her corse oreran She felt that cold but when death quite doth bind The sense then she herself doth dead and senselesse find 38 Or else at least just at the entrance Of death she feels that slie privation How now it spreads ore all so living sense Perceives how sleep creeps on till quite o'recome With drousinesse animadversion Doth cease but lower sense then fast ybound The soul bestoweth her adversion On something else So oft strange things hath found In sleep from this dull carcase while she was unbound 39 So though the soul the time she doth advert The bodies passions takes her self to die Yet death now finish'd she can well convert Herself to other thoughts And if the eye Of her adversion were fast fixt on high In midst of death 't were no more fear or pain Then 't was unto Elias to let flie His uselesse mantle to that Hebrew Swain While he rode up to heaven in a bright fiery wain 40 Thus have I stoutly rescued the soul From centrall death or pure mortalitie And from the listlesse flouds of Lethe dull And from the swallow of drad Unitie And from an all-consuming Deitie What now remains but since we are so sure Of endlesse life that to true pietie We bend our minds and make our conscience pure Lest living Night in bitter darknesse us immure FINIS THE ORACLE OR A Paraphrasticall Interpretation of the answer of Apollo when he was consulted by Amelius whither Plotinus soul went when he departed this life I Tune my strings to sing some sacred verse Of my dear friend in an immortall strain His mighty praise I loudly will rehearse With hony-dewed words some golden vein The strucken chords right sweetly shall resound Come blessed Muses let 's with one joynt noise With strong impulse and full harmonious sound Speak out his excellent worth Advance your voice As once you did for great Aeacides Rapt with an heavenly rage in decent dance Mov'd at the measures of Meonides Go to you holy Quire let 's all at once Begin and to the end hold up the song Into one heavenly harmony conspire I Phoebus with my lovely locks ymong The midst of you shall sit and life inspire Divine Plotinus yet now more divine Then when thy noble soul so stoutly strove In that dark prison where strong chains confine Keep down the active mind it cannot move To what it loveth most Those fleshly bands Thou now hast loos'd broke from Necessitie From bodies storms and frothie working sands Of this low restlesse life now setten free Thy feet do safely stand upon a shore Which foaming waves beat not in swelling rage Nor angry seas do threat with fell uprore Well hast thou swommen out and left that stage Of wicked Actours that tumultuous rout Of ignorant men Now thy pure steps thou stay'st In that high path where Gods light shines about And perfect Right its beauteous beams displayes How oft when bitter wave of troubled flesh And whirl-pool-turnings of the lower spright Thou stoutly strov'st with Heaven did thee refresh Held out a mark to guide thy wandring flight While thou in tumbling seas didst strongly toyl To reach the steddie Land struckst with thy arms The deasing surges that with rage do boyl Stear'd by that signe thou shunn'st those common harms How oft when rasher cast of thy souls eye Had thee misguided into crooked wayes Wast thou directed by the Deitie They held out to thee their bright lamping rayes Dispers'd the mistie darknesse safely set Thy feeble feet in the right path again Nor easie sleep so closely ere beset Thy eyelids nor did dimnesse ere so stain Thy radiant sight but thou such things didst see Even in that tumult that few can arrive Of all are named from Philosophie To that high pitch or to such secrets dive But sith this body thy pure soul divine Hath left quite risen from her rotten grave Thou now among those heavenly wights dostâ—shine Whose wonne this glorious lustre doth embrave There lovely Friendship mild-smiling Cupid's there With lively looks and amorous suavitie Full of pure pleasure and fresh flowring chear Ambrosian streams sprung from the Deitie Do frankly flow and soft love-kindling winds Do strike with a delicious sympathie Those tender spirits and fill up their minds With satisfying joy The puritie Of holy fire their heart doth then invade And sweet Perswasion meek Tranquillitie The gentle-breathing Air the Heavens nought sad Do maken up this great felicitie Here Rhadamanthus and just Aeacus Here Minos wonnes with those that liv'd of yore I' th' golden age here Plato vigorous In holy virtue and fair Pythagore These been the goodly Off-spring of Great Jove And liven here and who so fill'd the Quire And sweet assembly of immortall Love Purging their spirits with refining fire These with the happy Angels live in blisse Full fraught with joy and lasting pure delight In friendly feasts and life-outfetching kisse But ah dear Plotin what smart did thy sprite Indure before thou reach'st this high degree Of happinesse what agonies what pains Thou underwent'st to set thy soul so free From baser life She now in heaven remains Mongst the pure Angels O thrice-happy wight That now art got into the Land of Life Fast plac'd in view of that Eternall Light And sitt'st secure from the foul bodies strife But now you comely virgins make an end Break off this musick and deft seemly Round Leave off your dance For Plotin my dear friend Thus much I meant my golden harp should sound AN ADDITION of some few smaller POEMS BY HENRY MORE Master of Arts and Fellow of CHRISTS COLLEDGE in CAMBRIDGE CAMBRIDGE Printed by Roger Daniel Printer to the Universitie 1647. Cupids Conflict
first upon the top on his Mitre was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 JEHOVAH The shoulder-pieces mought represent the Heavens The two Precious-stones there the two Hemispheres The twelve names engraven the twelve signes of the Zodiack The blew Robe the Air 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the flowry work at the hemme of the garment the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Pomegranets with an allusion to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fluo the water 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bells the harmony that is the mixture of earth and water for generation But as for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is nothing answereth to it in the Hebrew Text and why should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be Emblems of the water and not rather of the whole Globe of the Earth and Water it being a round fruit and representing the seminall fullnesse of the Earth by its scissure in the side full of kernells or seeds Peradventure had Philo been as well instructed in Pythagorisme as in Platonisme and had mist the Septuagints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he would hit of another harmony then the mixture of Water and Earth doth make I mean the noise of those Balls mentioned STANZ 30. And so the order of having every Bell joyned with a Pomegranet would have signified the many and numerous Globes at the severall depths of the World with their concomitant sounds in their motion or at the least proportionable velocities and consequently Pythagoras harmony would have been ratified from Aarons robe but I hold not this Argument apodicticall Phil. de vita Mosis Vers 7. The many Plicatures Every particular body is esteemed but a knot or close folding of that one intire Out-garment of Psyche STANZ 19. vers the 9. The garment round c. It is too too probable the world is round if it be not infinite the reasons be obvious but to conclude it finite or infinite is but guesse mans imagination being unable to represent Infinity to Reason to judge on STANZ 30.31 But yet one thing I saw c At the low hem c. A glance at Copernicus opinion as at theirs also that make the fixt starres so many Sunnes and all the Planets to be inhabited for by their inhabitants they will be deemed the lowest part of this visible world be it Saturn Mars Jupiter or what Planet soever else discovered or as yet not discovered wherefore according to this conceit it is said At the low hem of this large garment-gay That is at the places that seem low and these are all inhabited Planets supposing there be any inhabited STANZ 33.34 Did tie them twain c. Aeon and Psyche here become one not as though they were one and the same essence but nearer after that kind of manner that the body and soul become one man For Aeon is the Entelechia of Psyche as I may say but closer unite then any form or soul to any body and never to be separate Because the universall soul of the world finds all things in Aeon and knows also exactly inferiour things For her animadversion is not fixed or determined to one as mans soul is but free every where at once above and below so that she cannot possibly leave off this state but is one ever firmly united with Aeon STANZ 36. To thee each knee c. A Christian mystery wrapt up in a Platonicall covering the reduction of the world to conformity with the Eternall Intellect and the soul of the world For these move still to this very day to win men to be governed by them and not by their own perverse and dark will Or rather to speak in the Christian Idiom the Sonne of God and the Holy Ghost do thus stirre men up and invite them to true and lively obedience to the eternall will of God and to forsake their own selves and their blind way and to walk all in one everlasting way of light and saving health STANZ 39. Ahad these three in one c. Here we see Ahad Aeon and Psyche all one which is to be understood not of Essence but Person as I may so speak and that they move and act upon the creature as one man STANZ 41. We Physis name Physis is nothing else but the vegetable World the Universall comprehension of Spermaticall life dispersed throughout This seminall World is neither the very Intellect it self though it be stored with all forms nor any kind of pure soul though depending of both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A kind of life eradiating and resulting both from Intellect and Psyche This enters and raiseth up into life and beauty the whole corporeall world orders the lowest projection of life viz. the reall â—uspis of the Cone infinitely multiplied awaking that immense mist of Atoms into severall energies into fiery watery and earthly and placing her Magick attractive points sucks hither and hither to every centre a due proportion and rightly disposed number of those Cuspidal particles knedding them into Suns Moons Earths c. and then with a more curious artifice the particular Archei frame out in every one such inhabitants and ornaments as the divine Understanding hath thought fit For Physis as I said is not the divine Understanding it self but is as if you should conceive an Artificers imagination separate from the Artificer and left alone to work by it self without animadversion Hence Physis or Nature is sometimes puzzeld and bungells in ill disposed matter because its power is not absolute and omnipotent See Plot. Eunead 3. lib. 2. STANZ â—9 In midst of this fine web doth Haphe sit Every sence to be a kind of touch was the opinion of the ancient Philosophers as you may see in Theophrastus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every sense in Psyche is plainly and perfectly Touch or more then Touch rather I mean a nearer union But this present Stanza respects more properly the nature of sense in particular Animals so farre had my pen started aside where Touch is the centre as it were from whence the soul discerns in the circumference all manner of Forms and Motions She is the centre from whence all the light Dispreads and goodly glorious forms do flit Hither and thither Thus for there is first a tactuall conjunction as it were of the representative rayes of every thing with our sensorium before we know the things themselves which rayes we really feeling perceive those things at distance by this communication For these rayes alwayes convey the distance or place as well as the colour Hence do we discern figure viz. the ray of every Atom of the object representing the site of its Atom For figure is nothing else but the order or disposition of those Atoms Thus have we all figures colours and shapes in a whole Horison conveighed to our sight by a centrall Touch of those rayes of the objects round about us STANZ 49. But Haphes Mother hight all-spread community As is plain in the communication of rayes For I cannot think that union simply with
doth that which is the pure Energie of an essence leave the essence by being called out into act but is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a working in the essence though it flow out into act So that Energie depends alwayes on essence as Lumen on Lux or the creature on God Whom therefore Synesius in his Hymnes calls the Centre of all things Entelechia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is nothing else but forma or actus and belongs even to the most contemptible forms as for example to Motion which is defined by Arist in the third of his physicks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scaliger in his 309 exercitation against Cardan descants very curiously upon this word Cùm igitur formam dixeris that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intelliges immaterialitatem simplicitatem potestatem perfectionem informationem Hoc enim est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod innuit maximus Poetarum Totósque infusa per artus Hoc est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quia est ultima forma sub coelestibus princeps inferiorum finis perfectio Hoc est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 posse This goodly mysterie and fit significancy seems plainly forced or fictitious if you compare it with what was cited out of Arist about Motion So that when we have made the best of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is but the form of any thing in an ordinary and usuall sense If we stood much upon words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would prove more significant of the nature of the Soul even according to Scaligers own Etymon from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from its permeation colligation or keeping together the body from defluxion into its ancient principles which properties be included in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 moves forward the body thus kept together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intimates the possession or retention of the body thus moved that it is rather promov'd by the Soul than mov'd from the Soul But of these words enough or rather too much Eternitie is the steddy comprehension of all things at once See Aeon described in my Notes upon Psychozoia Euphrona 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The night F FAith Platonick faith in the first Good This faith is excellently described in Proclus where it is set above all ratiocination nay Intellect it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But to them that endeavour to be joyned with the first Good there is no need of knowledge or multifarious cooperation but of settlednesse steddinesse and rest lib. 1. cap. 24. Theolog. Platon And in the next chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For we must not seek after that absolute or first good cognoscitively or imperfectly but giving our selves up to the divine light and winking that is shutting our eyes of reason and understanding so to place our selves steddily in that hidden Unity of all things After he preferres this faith before the clear and present assent to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that he will not that any intellectuall operation should come in comparison with it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the operation of the Intellect is multiform and by diversity separate from her objects and is in a word intellectuall motion about the object intelligible But the divine faith must be simple and uniform quiet and steddily resting in the haven of goodnesse And at last he summarily concludes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Procl Theolog. Platonic lib. 1. cap. 25. G GAbriel The strength of God from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glaucis Glaux 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Owle H HAphe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The touch Har-Eloim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The mount of Angels Genii or particular spirits Hattove 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Good or that eminent Good or first Good from whence all good is derived See Ahad Helios 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Sunne Heterogeneall is that which consists of parts of a diverse nature or form as for example a mans body of flesh bonâ—s nerves c. Homogeneall That whose nature is of one kind Hyle Materia prima or that dark fluid potentiality of the creature the straitnesse repugnancy and incapacity of the creature as when its being this destroyes or debilitates the capacity of being something else or after some other manner This is all that any wary Platonist will understand by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hypomone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patience See Autaparnes I JAo A corruption of the Tetragrammaton Greek writers have strangeely mash'd this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some calling it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is very likely that from this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 came Bacchus his apellation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Maenades acclamations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his Orgia Which sutes well with the Clarian Oracle which saith that in Autumne the Sun is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the time of vintage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Fullers Miscel Ida. See Pompon Mel. lib. 1. cap. 17. Ideas or Idees sometimes they are forms in the Intellectuall world viz. in Aeon or On other sometimes phantasmes or representations in the soul Innate Idees are the souls nature it self her uniform essence able by her Fiat to produce this or that phantasme into act Idea Lond. The Intellectuall world Idiopathie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is ones proper peculiar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my or thy being affected thus or so upon this or that occasion as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is this or that mans proper temper But this propriety of affection may also belong unto kinds As an Elephant hath his idiopathy and a man his at the hearing of a pipe a Cat and an Eagle at the sight of the Sunne a Dogge and a Circopithecus at the sight of the Moon c. Idothea The fleet passage of fading forms from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Forma and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 curro Intellect Sometimes it is to be interpreted Soul Sometimes the intellectuall faculty of the Soul Sometimes Intellect is an absolute essence shining into the Soul whose nature is this A substance purely immateriall impeccable actually omniform or comprehending all things at once which the soul doth also being perfectly joyned with the Intellect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plot. Ennead 1. lib. 1. cap. 8. Isosceles A triangle with two sides equall L LAmpropronaea The bright side of Providence Lelurion Nocturnall fire from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leontopolis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lions citie or Politie Life The vitall operation of any soul Sometimes it is the Soul it self be it sensitive vegetative or rationall Logos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The appellation of the Sonne of God It is ordinarily translated the Word but hath an ample signification It signifieth Reason Proportion Form Essence any
light 32 And when he hath that life elicited He gives his own dear body and his bloud To drink and eat Thus dayly we are fed Unto eternall life Thus do we bud True heavenly plants suck in our lasting food From the first spring of life incorporate Into the higher world as erst I show'd Our lower rayes the soul to subjugate To this low world we fearlesse sit above all fate 33 Safely that kingdomes glory contemplate O'reflow with joy by a full sympathie With that worlds sprite and blesse our own estate Praising the fount of all felicitie The lovely light of the blest Deitie Vain mortals think on this and raise your mind Above the bodies life strike through the skie With piercing throbs and sighs that you may find His face Base-fleshly fumes your drowsie eyes thus blind 34 So hath my Muse according to her skill Discovered the soul in all her rayes The lowest may occasionate much ill But is indifferent Who may dispraise Dame Natures work But yet you ought to raise Your selves to higher state Eternitie Is the souls rest and everlasting dayes Aspire to this and hope for victorie I further yet shall prove her immortalitie The Argument of PSYCHATHANASIA Or The Immortality of the Soul BOOK III. CANT 2. From many arguments we show The independencie Of humane souls That all Lives flow From a free Deitie 1 THree apprehensions do my mind divide Concerning the souls preexistencie Before into this outward world she glide So hath my Muse with much uncertaintie Exprest her self so as her phantasie Strongly inacted guides her easie pen I nought obtrude with sow'r anxietie But freely offer hints to wiser men The wise from rash assent in darksome things abstein 2 Or souls be well awake but hovering Not fixt to ought but by a Magick might Drawable here and there and so their wing Struck with the steem of this low Mundane sprite May lower flag and take its stooping flight Into some plantall man new edified By his own plastick point Or else deep Night Drawn on by drooping phansie she doth slide Into this world and by her self that skill is tried 3 Makes to her self this fleshly habitation For this worlds spirit hath provok'd these rayes Then drown in sleep she works that efformation Of her own body all its parts displayes As doth the senselesse plant The two next wayes Are these A reall tricentreitie First centre ever wakes unmoved stayes Hight Intellect The next in sleep doth lie Till the last centre burst into this open skie 4 And then the middle wakes But the last way Makes but one centre which doth sleep likewise Till its low life hath reach'd this worlds glad day A fourth we 'll adde that we may all comprise Take quite away all preexistencies Of humane souls and grant they 're then first made When they begin this bodies edifice And actually this outward world invade None of these wayes do show that they must ever fade 5 The first way might be well occasioned By what the soul in her self feels and tries She works sometime as though she quite had fled All commerce with these low carnalities Yet falls she down at last and lowly lies In this base mansion is so close contract That sleep doth seise her actualities Retains no memory of that strange fact Nor of her self that soar'd in that high heavenly tract 6 The second way that makes the soul tricentrall The highest awake the other with sleep drownd May spring from hence None would vouchsafe the entrall Into this life if they were but once bound To that vast centre where all things are found Hight Intellect The lowest is not awake Therefore the midst lies close in sleep upwound Three centres made that souls may quite forsake This baser world when union with the lowest they break 7 Again because this bodie 's fashioned Without our knowledge reason doth suggest That it could no wise be thus figured From our own centre and yet we not prest To any adversion Therefore we are drest With this grosse clothing by some plantall spright Centred in Nature So that glorious vest The Deiform intellect by our own might's Not made But we have rayes which each of these will fit 8 Ardent desire strong breathing after God At length may work us to that better place Body or clothing that high sure aboad That searching weather nor time can deface But to go on in our proposed race The third and fourth way have the same foundation Not multiplying beings to surpasse Their use What needs that numerous clos'd centration Like wastefull sand ytost with boisterous inundation 9 Let wiser Clerks the truth dare to define I leave it loose for men to muse upon View at their leasure But yet this call mine Though we should grant the souls condition Before her deep incorporation Into dull matter to be nothing more But bare potentiality yet none Can prove from thence that she must fade therefore When to its earth this earth the trusty fates restore 10 For though she and her body be at once Yet of her body she doth not depend But it of her she doth its members branch Pierce bind digest and after makes it wend At her own will when she hath brought to end Her curious work and hath consolidate Its tender limbs which earst did feebly bend Through weaknesse then this world she contemplates And life still blazing higher seeks an heavenly state 11 Breaths after the first fountain of all life Her sweet Creatour thither doth aspire Would see his face nor will she cease this strife Till he fulfill her thirsty fierce desire Nothing can quench this so deep rooted fire But his own presence So he gins despise This bodies pleasures ceaseth to admire Ought fair or comely to these outward eyes Or if she do from hence she higher doth arise 12 But can she higher rise then her own head Therefore her spring is God thence doth she pend Thence did she flow thither again she 's fled When she this life hath lost and made an end Of this low earthly course she doth ascend Unto her circles ancient Apogle Lifted aloft not again to descend Nor stoups not sets that Sunne but standeth free On never shaken pillars of Aeternitie 13 But still this truth more clearly to evince Remember how all things are from one light It shall thy reason forceably convince That nought but God destroyes a centrall spright If he sucks in his beams eternall night Seiseth upon that life that it no'te flow In actuall efflux hath no being quite But Gods own power He lets his breath out go The self-same things again so eas'ly doth he show 14 Let be Noon day the welkin clear the Moon I' th' nether world reflecting the Suns rayes To cheer the irksome night Well! That being done Call out some wondrous might that listlesse stayes In slower phansies Bid't break all delayes Surround with solid dark opacity The utmost beams that Phoebus light displayes Softly steal on
with equall distancy Till they have close clapt up all his explendency 15 All 's now in darknesse tell me what 's become Of that infinity of rayes that shone Where second centres from whence out did come Other faint beams what be they all quite flone All perish'd quite You stiflers now be gone Let fall that smoring mantle Do not straight All things return The nether world the Moon The Sun enlightens us The self same light Now shines that shone before this deep and dismall Night 16 If not the same Then like to flowing stream You deem the light that passeth still away New parts ever succeeding The Sun-beam Hath no reflexion then if it decay So fast as it comes forth Nor were there day For it would vanish 'fore it could arrive At us But in a moment Sol doth ray One end of his long shafts then we conceive At once both touch himself and down to us do dive 17 Beside this air is not the sustentation Of spreaden light for then as it did move The light would move And sturdy conflictation Of struggling winds when they have fiercely strove Phoebus fair golden locks would rudely move Out of their place and Eastern winds at morn Would make more glorious dayes while light is drove From that bright quarter Southern blasts do burn From midday sun but yet Northwinds like light have born 18 What then must be the channell of this river If we 'll have light to flow as passing stream So plain it is that Nature doth dissever The light and th' air that th' air the Suns bright beams Doth not uphold as the warmth of his gleams Or heat that lodgeth there From this firm might Nought leaning on the Air well may we't deem Some subtile body or some grosser spright Depending of fair Phoebus of no other wight 19 And when these rayes were forced to retire Into their fountain they were not so gone But that the same sprong out from the first fire So fine spun glittering silk crumpled in one Changeth not 'ts individuation From what it was when it was gaily spread In fluttering winds to th' admiration Of the beholder Thus is nought so dead But God can it restore to its old livelyhed 20 For all the creature 's but the out gone-rayes Of a free sunne and what I meaned most Of him alone depend He deads their blaze By calling in his breath Though things be tost And strangely chang'd yet nought at all is lost Unlesse he list Nor then so lost but he Can them return In every thing compost Each part of th' essence its centreity Keeps to it self it shrinks not to a nullity 21 When that compounded nature is dissolv'd Each centre 's safe as safe as second light Or drove into the Sun or thence out-rol'd So all depend on th' Universall spright From hight to depth as they are ranked right In their due orders Lises full pregnancy Breaks out when friendly sympathy doth smite The higher rank the higher energie From natures lowly lap to Gods sublimity 22 But well may man be call'd the epitome Of all things Therefore no low life him made The Highest holds all in His capacity Therefore mans soul from Gods own life outray'd His outgone Centre 's on that centre staid What disadvantage then can the decay Of this poore carcase do when it doth fade The soul no more depends on this frail clay Then on our eye depends bright Phoebus glist'ring ray 23 But in this argument we 'll no longer stay Consider now the souls conversion Into her self Nought divisible may Close with it self by revolution For then or part in this reflection Is drove into a part or part to th' whole Or whole to part or near compression The whole into the whole doth closely roll But easily all these wayes right reason will controll 24 If part turn into part part into whole Whole into part the thing doth not convert Into it self the thing it self is all Not part of 't self if all to all revert Each part then into each part is insert But tell me then how is their quantity If every part with each part is refert Thus swallowed up they 'l have no distancy So you destroy suppos'd divisibility 25 Wherefore that thing is individuous What ever can into it self reflect Such is the soul as hath been prov'd by us Before and further now we do detect By her foure wheels The first hight Intellect Wherewith she drives into her Nature deep And finds it out next Will this doth affect Her self found out Her self then out doth peep Into these acts she into both doth eas'ly creep 26 But this conversion's from the body free Bâ—gins not thence nor thither doth return Nor is the soul worse then her energie If in her acts she be far higher born Then they should ' pend on this base corse forlorn Then also she haâ—h no dependency Upon this body but may safely scorn That low condition of servility And blame all that averre that false necessity 27 If she should issue from this nether spring Nearer she kept to her Originall She were the stronger and her works would bring To more perfection but alas they fall They fail by near approch The best of all Wax weak and faint by too close union With this foul fount Might intellectuall Grows misty by this strait conjunction The will is woxen weak its vigour quite is gone 28 But O! how oft when she her self doth cut From nearer commerce with the low delight Of things corporeall and her eyes doth shut To those false fading lights she feels her spright Fill'd with excessive pleasure such a plight She finds that it doth fully satisfie Her thirsty life Then reason shines out bright And holy love with mild serenity Doth hug her harmlesse self in this her purity 29 What grave monitions and sure prophesie Have men in sicknesse left a true testation Of the souls utter independency On this poore crasie corse May that narration Of Aristotles move easie perswasion Of his Endemus to whom sick at Phere While sleep his senses bound this revelation A gentle youth did bring with goodly chear And jolly blith deportment chasing needlesse fear 30 Told him that sicknesse would not mortall prove He should grow well er'e long but deaths drad power On that towns tyrant should be shortly drove Swift vengeance on his cursed head should showr Both proved true I could in plenty poure Such like examples as of Pherecyde Calanus him of Rhodes and others more But it is needlesse 't is a truth well tried The higher works the soul the more she is untied 31 Then quite set loose from this her heavy chain Shee is in happiest plight so far she is From being nought or perishing Again We find such utter contrarieties Betwixt the bodies and her qualities That we can no wayes think she pends at all Of that with which she has such repugnancies What thing doth fight with its Originall The spring and
fovet Aetherius Sol. Omnibus his dare jura potes durasque catenas Nectere ad rigidum nodis mordentibus Unum Stringere At hac stupida non torpent caetera lege Liberum enim est genus humanum veluti innuba virgo Quae nondum ullius thalamis addicta mariti est Multi hanc ergo viri precibus blandisque loquelis Facundos quos fecit amor noctisque cupido Solicitant Nostras alios ita manibus imis E mediis alios alios è sedibus altis Impugnasse procos animas sentimus ipsum Delcendisse Jovem casto in praecordia lusu ut Virtutem inspiret sanctumque accendat amorem Scilicet haec fiunt quoniam mens libera nostra est Legibus aeterni fati Uniusque severi Quod si animae motus solido Dea ferrea clavo Praefixos jam olim determinet illius omnes Fictitii assensus libertas nil nisi inane Commentum quod qui est ausus fabricare necesse est Aestuet implicitus nodis quos consuit ipse Et Châ—ysippeum sudet volvendo cylindrum Exorcismus WHat 's this that in my brest thus grieves and greanes Rives my close-straitned heart distends my sides with deep fetch'd sighs while th' other in fell pride Resists and choaks O hear the dreadfull moanes Of thy dear son if so him cleep I may If there be any sense 'twixt Heven and Earth If any mutuall feeling sure this birth May challenge speed and break off all delay You Winged people of the unseen sky That bear that living Name in your pure brest Chariots of God in whom the Lord of rest Doth sit triumphant can not you espy The self same Being in such jeopardy Make haste make haste if you Gods army been Rescue his son wreak your revengefull teen On his fast holding Enemy Hath Nature onely sympathy What may I deem you self-exulting sprights Lock'd up in your own selves whose inward life Is self-contenting joy withouten strife Of doing good and helping wofull weights Then were you empty carres and not the throne Of that thrice-beautious sun the god of love The Soul of souls and heart of highest Jove If you to others good were not most prone Open thou Earth unclose thou fast bound ball Of smoring darknesse The black jawes of Hell Shall issue forth their dead that direfull cell Of miscreant Lives that strive still to enthrall Shall let him go at last and he ore all Shall triumph Then the gladsome Progeny Of the bright Morning star shining on high Shall fill the Round aetheriall With sound of voices musicall Nor yet this breath 's quite spent Swift flight of wing Hath shot my soul from th'hight to th'depth again And from the depth to th' height The glistring Main Of flowing light and darknesses curs'd spring I 've mov'd with sacred words the extreme worlds In holy rage assaulted with my spell I 'll at the middle Movable as well As those and powerfull magick gainst it hurle You waving aires and you more boistrous winds Dark Zaphons sons who with your swelling blasts Thrust out the ribs of heaven and that orepast Leave Nature languid to her wont confind Suppresse your spright and be at his command Who on the troubled Galilean lake Did wind and storm to him obedient make Let still serenity the land Inclose about with steddy hand And you heaven-threatning rocks whose tops be crown'd With wreaths of woolly clouds fall into dust And thou O Ida kill thy glory must Consume and thou lye equall with the ground O're quick-ey'd Ida thou which seest the Sun Before day spring those Eastern spatterd lights And broad spread shinings purpling the gay Night And that swoln-glowing ball they 'll all be gone You summer neezings when the Sun is set That fill the air with a quick fading fire Cease from your flashings and thou Self-desire The worst of meteors curs'd Voraginet The wind of God shall rend thee into nought And thou shalt vanish into empty air Nor shall thy rending out leave any scarre Thy place shall not be found though sought So perish shall all humane thought Deliquium VIres deficiunt abitque vita Virtutem revoca O Deus fugacem O sol justitiae atque origo vitae Vitae qua reficis tuos alumnos Inspira obsecro spiritum suavem Venis languidulis meósque ocellos Lucis vivica novo vigore Perculsum saliat novóque amore Pectus compositas agat choreas Laetum cor cupidis premátque in ulnis Quae tu cunque facis Pater Deorum ImmensÃque opifex perite mundi Cuncta exosculer ambitu benigno Injectis teneam fovens lacertis Nam jucunda cluent cluent amena Ni nubes animum gravent acerbum Atque urat dolor intimus medullam Ergo magnanimam piámque mentem Sedatam facilémque callidámque Concedas quae hominum sciat ferátque Mores omnimodos bonos malósque Nec cor concutiant superbiarum Fluctus turgidulum furor dolórque Vitae ne obsideant vias misell ae Soffocéntque suis feris catenis Mentem praebe humilem at simul serenam Mentem praebe hilarem at simul severam Te circum choreas leves agentem Pulsantem citharam at tibi canentem IT was the time when all things quiet lay In silent rest and Night her rusty Carre Drawn with black teem had drove above half way Her curbed steeds foaming out lavering tarre And finely trampling the soft misty air With proner course toward the West did fare I with the rest of weak mortality For natures due relief lay stretch'd on bed My weary body lay out-stretch'd not I. For I alas from that dead corse had fled Had left that slough as erst I doft my clothes For kindly rest that very Evening-close Free as in open Heaven more swift then thought In endlesse spaces up and down I flie Not carryed on wings or as well taught To row with mine own arms in liquid skie As oft men do in their deceiving sleep Hovering over Waters Woods and Valleys sleep But born on the actuall efflux of my will Without resistence thither easly glide Whither my busie mind did breathe untill All-suddenly an uncouth sight I spide Which meanly as I may I will propound To wiser men to weigh with judgement sound Behold a mighty Orb right well compil'd And kned together of opacous mould That neither curse of God nor man defil'd Though wicked wights as shall anon be told Did curse the ill condition of the place And with foul speech this goodly work disgrace But vain complaints may weary the ill tongue And evil speeches the blasphemer stain But words Gods sacred works can never wrong Noâ— wrongfull deeming work dame Natures bane Who misconceives conceives but his own ill Brings forth a falshood shows his want of skill This globe in all things punctually did seem Like to our earth saving in magnitude For it of so great vastnesse was I ween That if that all the Planets were transmewd Into one Ball they 'd not exceed this Round
chiefly aimed at in this Stanza yet I do not confine my Theoprepia to it nor think I the soul of man disjoyned from God that is not in that sort united to him But if a man have lost his self-will and self-love being wholly dead to himself and alive to God though that life exert it self in successive acts if a man I say be but affected as God himself if he were in the flesh would be affected he is also truly and really in Theoprepia Cant. 3. STANZA 1. Shafts which Vriel vers 5. vers 7. No other help we had for Gabriel URiel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ignis Dei Angelus Meridionalis He that rules in the power of the Meridian Sunne Quatuor Angeli praesidentes cardinibus Coeli Michael Raphael Gabriel Vrieb For Gabriel in this place bears onely a naturall notion elsewhere it is the strength of the Lord revealed in the soul But as for those terms it was rather chance then choice that cast me upon them being nothing solicitous whether there be any such Presidents or no. I conceive they be some old Rabbinicall inventions or traditions by the grosse mistake in them For when as they assign to Michael the East and the West to Raphael they seem never to have dreamed of any East or West but what belonged to their own Horizon when as where ever East is West is also to some Inhabitants so that both these Angels will have the same province Cornel. Agrip. de Occult. Philos lib. 2. cap. 7. STANZ 3 4 5. The first estate of man when he begins to make conscience of the law of God which I call Diana which is the Moon as not affording life and vigour though some small light Small I deem it in comparison of the day-starre the Sunne of righteousnesse himself This estate is set out in these 4. Stanzas STANZA 6 7 8 9. The penitent perplext and passionate estate of one that hath the true sight and sense of his sinne and corruption but is not rid of them STANZ 10 Me thought the Sunne it self c. The condition of him whose spirits indeed are unpurged though the fire hath got hold on them and burns and glows as in fowl rubbish This estate is set out by the appearance of the sunne from Ida hill the description whereof follows in the next Stanz STANZ 11. But Phoebus form c. A sad image of bitter zeal and praecipitant wrath against all those that are not in the same sad condition with our selves that is that are either better or worse in life and different in opinion Vers 8. Small things they will prize c. Such men scarce got into the spirit of Elias yet esteem their temper above the meeknesse of Christs own spirit because they never yet had experience of it STANZ 18. All sects besides his own doth execrate This was the disease of the Gnosticks in Plotinus time who contemned all beside their own sect to whom the incomparable Philosopher gravely and more like a Christian then those that call themselves by that name writes to this sense That if they were so much better then all the world they ought to be so much the more mild and modest and not so full of ferocity and rudenesse and to think that there may be room with God for others also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And not in placing themselves onely next to God to sore as it were in a dream to flie in their sleep STANZ 35. Whom with cruel spear The difficulty here is how the eternall Sonne of God may suffer he being everlasting and immortall life it self and not contradict what was written Canto 1. Stanz 9 14 35 36 37. For to the impassible eternall being is the inheritance of the world there promised but here to that which is passible and mortall I answer that the eternal and immortall sonne of God is to take possession of the world by that which after a manner is mortall and extinguishable which is the energie of himself exerted upon the souls of men or a kind of life diffused in mans heart and soul whereby God doth inact us and is our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the soul is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the body and governs and guides it And if Aeon as he is the sonne of Ahad or Atove to speak Platonically that is the simple and free good or in brief as he is the sonne of God who is the simple good without all self-nesse or straitnesse even pure and perfect Light it self for this Aeon contains in him also the whole creature and is the essence or Idea of all things I say if he as he is the sonne of God be in us by his imparted life he then takes possession of the world and God by him But he hath not yet enquickened men generally with this Deiform life but it hath lyen dead to them or they to it that influx being rather suspended then absolutely destroyed but as the soul to its body or any part of her body that is numb and dead But when that life shall flow into them as the vitall rayes of the soul into this mortall body He shall then as truly govern rule and possesse the world as any soul doth her body And that there is an eternall sonne of God immortall impassible and not onely in the souls of men but that fills the whole universe the Evangelist I think will confirm For he ascribes the creation of all things to him yea and calls him God which makes me wonder that the Turks have so high an esteem of this Gospel of S. John unlesse they will interpret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the same tenour that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be interpreted neither place then signifying unity or identity but union onely and conjunction But to prove the thing in hand John the 1. vers 10. He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not By world must be understood either the whole universe or men inhabiting it and they either the godly or the wicked If the Universe he is then the eternall principle whereby God made the whole creation If the godly onely as he may be said in some more speciall manner to be their maker how came they not to know him when he was in them and alive in them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If the wicked onely he made them not wicked so that if he made them at all he made their naturall being soul and body and if them why not all the world whence a man may reasonably conclude that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Word is eternall and immortall and invulnerable And if any Authority will now be worth looking after S. Johns testimony being so plain Philo the Jew speaks out to this purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 3. It is manifest that the Archetypal seal which we call the intellectuall world is the very word of God
where else as well as at A but the point G is onely at G or if it be at L it is onely then at L and not at G nor any where else therefore A though in respect of the Universall orders of Beings which flow from him may be the Centre of a Circle yet in respect that these orders fall short of his large Ubiquity some of them at least all of his perfection and excellency and the last reall efflux is contracted after a manner to a mere mathematicall point for such is the nature of the Orb G or corporeall substance as I have intimated For this reason I say may A rightly be called the largest Basis of the Cone whose Diametre is IM or NL as the descent of these Degrees and Beings from Ahad or Atove may fitly resemble a Conicall figure whose Cuspis is G. And here I may seasonably appeal unto the apprehensions of men whether the divine fecundity A flow'd out per saltum and produced onely the Orb G or whether there being a possibility of more excellent intermediate Orbs I will not stand upon this number I have assigned he did not produce BCD c. And if he produced G onely whether that Orb G be not either an arbitrarious or naturall efflux from A. i.e. dependeth on him as closely and intimately as a Ray doth on the Sun And if so why the nature of Atove should be lesse fruitfull then the imaginations of men who can in reason and distinct notion place severall Orbs betwixt A and G. Or why the free will of Atove or Ahad should be lesse bountifull then the minds of well meaning men who if it were in their power as it is in the arbitrarious power of Ahad it clashing with no other good attribute would fill up that empty gulf betwixt A and G. Wherefore as farre as free reason and authority of Platonisme will reach the mystery of the Cone will hold good though my drift at this time was rather to explane it then confirm it But if any should be so adventrous as to deny such an Ubiquity as I have described yet in some sort this adumbration of the Cone will still hold good For there will be a latitude and contraction of power if not of presence And this will be ground enough for this expression But it is to be noted that if we forsake this apprehension of the omnipoâ—ency of Ahad God and all things else will prove mere bodies And then must God if he can make himself up in severall parcells and pieces And God administring the affairs of the Earth will scarce know what God doth in Saturn or at least many millions of miles distant which conceit seems to me farre below the light of Nature and improv'd Reason But to conceive God not onely a body but a body devoid of life sense and understanding is so dark and melancholick a phansie that I professe I think I could with far lesse pain and reluctancy suffer my body to be buried alive in the cold Earth then so stark and stupid conceit to entombe my soul STANZ 85. Besides the Conflux and Congeries Of lesser Lights a double augmentation Emplies and 'twixt them both a lessening coarctation The difficulty that their opinion is entangled with that hold the Comets to be nothing but a conflux of lesser stars is this That they must then seem first bigger then lesser then bigger again which will evidently appear in the following Scheme Circle I. But afterward this light will be lesse and lesse till they come to the Centre A where it will be least of all they coming there closest of all one to another But then they holding on stil in their severall Arks they will passe by one another and the Comet will grow bigger and bigger till they have reached the Circle I again where the Comet is as big as at the biggest before But then disjoyning themselves more wide one from another their severall Circles so carrying them they cease to be seen of us This would be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a Comet if it did consist of a conflux of Starres But sith there is no such thing observed in Comets it is very probable they arise not from this cause Notes upon The Philosophers Devotion Nimbly they hold on their way Shaping out their Night and Day Summer Winter Autumn Spring Their inclined Axes bring TO shew how Day and Night VVinter and Summer arise from Copernicus his Hypothesis will not onely explane these verses but exceedingly set out the fitnesse and genuinenesse of the Hypothesis it self VVhich I will therefore do out of Galilaeo for the satisfaction of the unprejudiced and ingenuous Reader Let the Circle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be the Ecliptick where by the way we may take notice that when the Earth is in the sign 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sun will appear in the opposite sign 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And so while the Earth doth really passe through the Signes the sunne seems to passe through the Signs opposite to those the Earth is really passing through whence this annuall motion through the Zodiack has been ascribed unto him Let now the centre of the Earth be plac'd in the point of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the Poles and Axis of the earth be AB inclining upon the Diametre of Capricorn and Cancer 23 degrees and an half VVe must also suppose this inclination immutable the upper pole A to be the North pole the South-pole B. Now imagine the Earth turnd round on her Axis in 24 houres from West to East then will every point in the semicircle ADB describe a parallel Circle We 'll for the present take notice onely of that great circle CD and two other remov'd from this 23. gr and an half viz. EF. and GN the one above the other below and lastly two other furthermost circles IK and LM equidistant from the Poles AB Furthermore we are to understand that while the Earth moves on that her Axis keeps not onely the same inclination upon the Plane of the Ecliptick but also one constant direction toward the same part of the Universe or Firmament remaining alway parallel to it self Now this immutability of inclination and steddy direction of her Axis presupposed place the Earth also in the first points of Aries Cancer and Libra according as you see in the present Scheme VVe will go thorough all the foure figures and first that in Capricorn In which because the Axis AB declines from a perpendicular upon the Diametre of Capricorne and Cancer 23. grad and an half towards the Sun O and the Ark AI is 23. grad and an half the Sun enlightning an Hemisphere of the Earth divided from the dark Hemisphere by the Circle KL which Galilaeo calls Terminator lucis this Terminator lucis KL must divide CD as being a great circle into equall parts but all the
self-sensednesse See Plotin Ennead 5. lib. 1. cap. 1. where he saith the first cause of evil to the soul was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they would be their own or of themselves So delighted with this liberty they were more and more estranged till at last like children taken away young from their parents they in processe of time grew ignorant both of themselves and of their parents SANZ 29. Duessa first invented Magick lore Duessa is the naturall life of the body or the naturall spirit that whereby we are lyable to Magick assaults which are but the sympathies and antipathies of nature such as are in the spirit of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The true Magick saith he is nothing else but the concord and discord in the Universe and he viz. the the world is the first Magician and Enchanter others do but learn of him by imitation wherefore they that are established in a principle above the world and are strong in God which are the true and perfect Israel are exempt from the danger of this Enchantment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For neither Astrall spirit nor Angel can prevail against one ray of the Deity as Aesculapius writes to King Ammon Plotinus soul was come to that high and noble temper that he did not onely keep off Magicall assaults from himself but retorted them upon his enemy Olympius which Olympius himself who practised against him did confesse to be from the exalted power of his soul Porphyr de Vita Plot. STANZ 30. Ten times ten times ten The number of ten among the ancients called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an emblem of perfection for it comprehends all numbers sith we are fain to come back again to one two c. when we are past it So that ten may go for perfection of parts in the holy life but the raising of it into a cube by multiplication perfection of degrees in a solid and unshaken manner STANZ 33 Amoritish ground 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it is indeed from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dixit the Land of talkers STANZ 34. Psittacusa land id est the land of talkers or Parots See Don Psittaco Intepret Gen. STANZ 35. Ther 's no Society c. This Stanza briefly sets out the Beironites condition as concerning their Society and friendship the bond whereof and exercise is either feasting and tippling or a complacency in the well-favourednesse of this mortall body or some astrall concordance or hidden harmony of spirits which also often knits in wedlock those that are farre enough from beauty Vers 2. But beastlike grazing c. Aristotle defines very well and like a Philosopher the genuine society that should be among men viz. in the communication of reason and discourse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For that in men is right society and not as in beasts to graze in the same pasture Moral Nicom lib. 9. cap. 8. How unlike to these Beironites was the divine communialty of Pythagoras followers as Iamblicus describes it de vita Pythag. lib. 1. cap. 33. not onely supplying friendly one another in the necessities of life but mutually cherishing in one another the divine life of the soul and maintaining an inviolable concord in the best things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For they often admonished one another not to dissipate the Deity in them Wherefore their friendship wholly in words and works seemed to aim at a kind of commixtion and union with God and communion with the divine Intellect and Soul STANZ 136. The swelling hatefull toad This Stanza sets out the nature of each Beironite singly considered by himself which is referable to some bird or beast who are sometime lightly shadowed out even in their very countenances STANZ 137. None in Beiron virtuously do live True virtue I make account is founded in true knowledge of God in obedience and self-deniall without which those seeming virtuous dispositions are but mockvirtues no other then are found in some measure among the brutes Vers 9. If outward form you pierce For as Cicero from Plato saith Mens cujusque is est quisque The soul is the man not the outward shape If she live therefore but the life of a Brute if her vitall operation her vigorous will and complacency be that which a Beast likes I cannot see that she is any more then a living Brute or a dead Man or a Beast clad in mans cloths See the 48. Stanza of this Canto STANZ 138 139. From the 34. Stanz to the 138. are the Religion Polity Freindship or familiar Society and single natures of the Beironites set out Here now begins the discovery of the way of escape from this bruitish condition which is by obedience Now obedience consists in these two Self-deniall Autaparnes and Patience Hypomone Obedience discovers to us the doore of passage out of this pure brutality viz. Humility For it is self-conceit and high presumption that we are all well and wise already that keeps us in this base condition STANZ 144. The young mans speech caus'd sad perplexity c. That a man in confuso or in generall is more easily drawn to entertain obedience but when it is more punctually discovered to him in self-denyall and patience it is nothing so welcome STANZ 146. For understanding of this Stanza see Autaparnes in the Interpr Gen. as also in the 64 65 66 67. Stanz of the third Canto of this book STANZ 147. Into Atuvus life doth melt Ice so long as it is is a thing distinct suppose from the Ocean but once melt by the warmth of the Sunne it becomes one with the rest of the sea so that no man can say at least not perceive it is different from the sea This state of union with God Plotinus as all things else describes excellently well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore then the mind neither sees nor seeing discerns nor phansies too but as it were become another not her self nor her own is there and becoming His is one with Him as it were joyning centre with centre Ennead 6. lib. 9. cap. 10. And that this may not seem a Chimoera I will annex what the noble Philosopher writes of his own experience Ennead 4. lib. 8. cap. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I often awaking out of the body into my self and being without all things but within my self do then behold an admirable beauty and become confident of my better condition having then so excellent a life and being made one with the Deity in which I being placed do set my self above all other Intellectuall beings But after this my station and rest in God descending out of Intellect into reason I am perplext to think both how I now descend and how at first my soul entred this body she being such as she appeared to be by her self although being in the body Such an union as this that Plotinus professeth himself to have been acquainted with though it be the thing