Wickedness the Mind does seise For this is much the worse disease Whence is' t with so much eagerness ye do Pursue your fate would you death wooe He is at hand if Lion Tiger Bear Serpent nor Bore won't do 't your selves you 'l tear Whence does this cruelty proceed Thus one another to make bleed If ' cause Opinions differ you bloud spill This cause no reason has but deprav'd Will. Then learn to love the good pitty the ill Here I do plainly see said I What is or the felicity Or misery that does attend The good or wicked does offend But yet I am not satisfy'd But that there 's good and bad beside For what wise man would banish'd be Live poor and ignominiously Rather then rich and honoured This 't is makes Wisdome credited Whenas the Governour 's renown To th' people is transmitted down Besides that Prisons Whips and Racks By Law provided for the backs Of wicked Citizens do I Admire much they chang'd should be And Punishments should good destroy While as the ill rewards enjoy I pray render me a reason Of this unjust confusion For I my self should wonder less If I thought Chance all things did press But now I much astonish'd am When I consider that they come From God that he does distribute Oft-times what 's pleasant to the good What 's sharp to th' bad again that he The good keeps short to th' bad is free Unless I may the cause discern Why all 's not Chance I ne're shall learn No mar'le said she if any thing The cause not known confusion bring But though the cause thou dost not know Why that things are disposed so Yet since the World must God obey Ne're doubt but he does rightly sway Who does not know Arcturus course What him about the Pole does force How slow Bootes guides his horse Why he so late to bed does goe I' th' morn himself so soon does show Must needs the rest o' th' Heavens not know What is' t that when the Moon 's i' th' full Her glorious light from her does pull Whose splendor all the Starrs did dull The reason being hid to some Made them with Kettle and with Drum And Cries unto her aid to come None wonders that strong Winds do raise The waves nor that the Snow not staies When look'd upon by Phoebus raies These things seem easie to be known Those things the mind do vex alone Which seldom unto it are shown Things sudden do the vulgar move But if blind Error we remove They no way wonderfull will prove 'T is so said I but since that thou The hidden cause of things canst show I thee desire to bring to light The reasons so wrapt up in night Above all others pray thee tell Me for to ease this miracle Then she a little smiling said Thou hast a sute unto me made Which to perform a matter is So difficult best skill may miss The matter it is so abstruse One doubt resolv'd thousands produce Like Hydra's heads they do increase Nor will they come to any peace Unless they purely be calcin'd With a quick fier of the Mind For in this we must explicate Mild Providence and rugged Fate Unlook'd-for Chance divine Cognition Free-will and dark Predestination The weight of these thou well may'st guess But thee to cure since I profess Though time be short I 'le use it so That thou in part shalt them all know And if my verse delights thy ear Thou must the same awhile forbear Till I do utter orderly Some reasons As you please said I. Then she as if she new began Her speech to me this wise did frame The generation of all things All Nature's changing proceedings All whatsoever things do move The Cause Form Order's from above The high Mind set composedly I' th' tower of true Simplicity Thence issues out a firm decree How ev'ry thing shall govern'd be Which for that purely 't is divine We do it Providence define But if to th' things we it referre Which by this Mind disposed are We call it Fate That this is clear By both their natures will appear For Providence that Reason is Divine which constituted is In God himself who all does guide But Fate in low things does abide By Providence Fate orderly Disposes all things variably Providence does all things unite Though diverse or though infinite Fate singly does them cause to move As Time or Form or Place approve So temp'ral things for to know right United into God's foresight Is Providence and the same union By time digested and made known Is Fate distinct they have one End For one on th' other does depend Order of Fate is guided by Providence's simplicity For as a good Artificer Does a form in 's mind decypher In time and order brings to pass What but before in his mind was So God does by his Providence Dispose all things i' th' future tense And what things he does so dispose Fate does in order them disclose Then whether Fate 's web woven be By Spirits which immediately Serve Providence or by the Soul Or Nature which does serve the whole Or by the motions of the Spheres Or Angels or the Devil's cares Or some or all of these yet hence Ful clear it is that Providence Is an unmov'd and simple form Of such things as are yet unborn But Fate 's an engine moveable The which does orderly fulfil What the divine Simplicity In time does order for to be Whence all things that do Fate obey To Providence allegeance pay And Fate must unto it submit For under Providence are set Some things which Fate it self surmount Among the which we well may count Such as are sixt unmoveably Nigh the all-ruling Deity For as when many circles spin About one center that within To th' center 's stableness comes nigh And is as 't were the hinge whereby All those that placed are without Do make their motions round about But that which outermost does turn A great circumference does run The more it from the center goes The larger spaces from it grows But what to th' center is fast knit Does stableness enjoy with it So all those that are placed far From the first Mind perplexed are With more and greater snares of Fate And he enjoys a freer state Who out at distance does not ly But to the center does draw nigh And if unto the high Mind he Can fix'd be by stability Above all second things he 's born And Fate 's necessity may scorn Wherefore as we Discourse do find To be the product of the Mind And what begotten is we see Is still the fruit of the same tree Eternity produces Time And Circles from the Center climb So moving Fate has a firm ty To Providence's certainty Which does alone the Heavens move Which joyns the Elements in love Which makes all growing things proceed From the corruption of the Seed Which does mens acts and fortunes chain In links that firm and sure remain Then since
they claim their principle From Providence immoveable It must be of necessity They have immutability And then all things best govern'd are When the divine Mind takes the care And with his own Unmovedness Represses their Confusedness Hence 't is that though this Order seem To you to be of small esteem For that all things confus'd appear Yet God hereby does take such care That he disposes all to good This you 've already understood For ill as ill there 's none takes care No not those that most wicked are But they with wicked error do Seek good which way so ere they goe But if chief Good the center be Of this same Order certainly It no man can turn out o' th' way I but Confusion 't is you 'l say Good men to have Prosperity And then again Adversity And Wicked men for to enjoy Their will and then again annoy But are there any men that live So wise that they can sentence give Who wicked are and who upright Or must they be so ' cause they say 't How comes it then to pass there lies In judgments such incertainties So that whom one thinks worthy gain Another censures unto pain But let us grant that some man can Discern the good from the bad man Can he also the temper see O' th' Soul with it these may agree Who ignorantly then does say He wonders as well wonder may Why to one's body that is sound Sweet things are only proper found T'another's that's as sound as he Sharp things and bitter do agree Some sick men are with Lenitives And some are cur'd with Corrosives But the Physician that does know Each temper and can reason show Of this man's health that man's disease No admiration does him selfe Now of the Soul is Verity The index of Salubrity And Vice the Sickness of the same Then who then God a fitter can Physician be who knows so well Good to conserve bad to expell Who does from his high Throne of Bliss See what for each man fitting is And what is fit he does assign Him by his Providence divine This all the wonder is of Fate When he that knows the best estate Most knowingly for it does care The ignorant astonish'd are But now in brief I will explain What humane Reason can attain Of secrets purely divine Whose Vertue thou think'st most to shine Who most serves Truth and Equity The eye of Providence does see Quite otherwise hence Lucan does Ingeniously admonish us The Victor's cause the Gods did please The Vanquish'd Cato If in these Then transitory things thou see What thou think'st evil done to be Believe 't is dimness of thy sight But divine order is still right But if there any be so just That God and man approve him must Yet possibly his Mind 's so weak His Innocence he will forsake If him in Bliss it won't maintain But rather is the cause of pain This man the all-wise God does spare Foreseeing that he cannot bear Adversity so growing worse It would be unto him a curse Another man so vertuous is So like to God in Holiness Him Providence does not think fit In any case for to afflict So that so much as Sickness she Should him assail will not agree For as one who me far excells From sacred knowledge freely tells The Carcases of Holy men Of Vertue are compos'd And then As it does often happen that Vertue does good men elevate It is to keep the wicked low Which otherwise would all o'reflow Again she mixes one with t'other As she does see minds them can bear Some she does prune some she does mow Lest they too rank should over-grow With long Prosperity some she With hardships suffers vext to be That so the Vertues of the Mind By Patience may assurance find What 's easie to be born some fear Others do ssight what they can't bear These she afflicts with Misery That they their strength of mind may try Some for the glory of a Name Do catch at Death to purchase Fame Others by strange enduring pain By their example have made plain That Vertue cannot conquer'd be By all this worldly misery Which things since right and orderly They are dispos'd no doubt can be But that they do the good procure Of them that do the same endure Now that the wicked do enjoy Sometimes their will and then annoy From the same causes doth arise That they are punish'd none that 's wise Can wonder or condemn for why It does both others terrify And does mend them besides the joy The wicked have aloud does cry To th' good that they should learn thereby How vain a thing 's Prosperity I also more consider this Perhaps one's nature so fierce is That Poverty would make him worse Then him to free from this fame curse Kind Providence for remedy Stores him with Mony plenteously Another who does Vice affect Upon his fortunes does reflect And fears the loss would more displease Then now the spending does him please Does change his life and while he fears To lose his state his Vice forbears One lately rais'd to Happiness With Pride does on destruction press To others there is Power lent For to inflict dire punishment The good thereby to exercise The wicked thereby to chastise For as no correspondence can Be 'tween a good and wicked man So do the wicked still deny Among themselves for to comply And how can it be otherwise Since they being guilty of Vice Within themselves perplexed are And being mad they none do spare From whence by Providence is oft This miracle seen to be wrought That ill men ill men good do make For that from them they dammage take So hating of their wickedness They fly to Vertue for redress Detesting for to be like them Whom they do hate above all men For only strength that is divine Can out of evil good refine Which it does doe in this respect By giving it a good effect For Order does all things entwine And what from Order does decline Does so but seem keeps the right way For where that Providence does sway There sure can no Confusion be But it cannot be shew'd by me How God who does to all preside Does by his Providence them guide Let it suffice that we do see That God who did Nature decree By mortals must be understood For to dispose all things to good For that all things he does produce He to his likeness does reduce And does all Evil banish by Course of fatal necessity From out his kingdom so that we Considering the Deity Must know on earth ill can't abound Since no place for it can be found But I do see you weary are This weighty burthen for to bear Though 't reason be prolixity Must needs be tedious unto thee Therefore I thee to recreate Some verses sweet will modulate Take them as a refection Thy journey better thou 'lt goe on If thou the Laws of the most High Wilt with a knowing mind descry Behold the motions are
why tears do'st shed Speak shew thy Reason is not dead If thou l't be cured don 't be shy Thy wounds to shew My mind's force I Collecting then this answer made Does not fell Fortune me invade What need I further it declare This place it self does make 't appear Is this at all like to that place Which thou didst chuse for thy solace My Library where thou and I Oft did descant on the beauty Of things both humane and divine Did I then thus my arms entwine Or did I thus dejected look When we disclos'd hid Nature's book When with thy Jacob's staff thou me Instructed'st in Geometrie And didst describe the spangled Sky That I should guide my life thereby And is this all that they do earn That thee do serve did not I learn From Plato's mouth as thy decree Those Common-wealths should happy be Where either wise men bear the sway Or else where to wise Guardians they Committed are by him also Thou with good arguments dost show That honest men endeavour should To sit at helm and not be fool'd Nor let lewd Citizens to grow Who would the good quite overthrow This thou me taught'st and I desir'd To practice what thou had'st inspir'd Thou and my God who thee did place In wise mens minds are witnesses That nothing but the good o' th' State Brought me to be a Magistrate Hence all my mischiefs grew ' cause I With wicked men could not comply The wicked ones I did offend Though ne're so great I them contemn'd I could not Conigastus brook When he the goods of poor men took How oft Triguilla though he were The King 's great Houshold-officer Have I restrain'd from ills before Such as were past made him restore How often did I interpose My power with hazard to save those Who marked were for sacrifice By the Barbarians cruelties No man did ever me withdraw From doing right that without Law By Pillage and by Taxes rife The people suffer'd was my grief As much as theirs Before the King In a great Famine I did bring The Praetor urg'd the heavy rate Laid on Campania and that State Sav'd from impov'rishing I drew Paulinus Consul when a crew Of ravening wolves did go about Him to devouer safely out When Cyprian Albin did accuse Him till his trial to excuse I did my self to th' hate expose Of his accuser All these foes For others cause I now do prove My safety then should others move Since that there is no way for me Now left by Courtiers to be free ' Cause I was good But by what way Was my fall wrought why even they Who Basil had accus'd before And him displac'd now being poor They him did hire me to accuse Opilio also they did use And lewd Gaudentius two that were For cheating banish'd and for fear Did take Asyle the King advis'd Did judge them to be stigmatiz'd If not soon gone yet these ' gainst me Were heard unheard-of cruelty Was it my cause or their offence Made them so righteous evidence Fortune if not to see me blam'd At least so basely was asham'd But what great Crime in short 't was this I wisht the Senate's happiness And how I stood in the defence O' th' Senate quasht the evidence Prepar'd to make them Traytors all Now judge you whether that I shall Rather this hainous crime deny And so shame thee or justify It as a truth I 'le be no lier I did and ever wil't desire Shall I confess it an offence I then must own the evidence But was 't a crime to wish them well Their own Decrees ' gainst me do tell That it was so but Follie's elf Which ever does bely it self Can't change the merit of the cause Nor ought I by Socratick laws To hide the truth or grant a ly If so then in what fault am I But this to thee and all wise men I leave to judge yet with my pen I 'le write it down that all may know Present and future what I doe Why should I name those Letters feign'd By which I falsly was arraign'd The Roman liberty to hope The craft of them had been lay'd ope If the confession might that day Which in all business most does sway Of my accusers have been ta'ne ' Las hopes of freedome none remain I well may wish but answer'd had In Canius words when it was said By Caius Caesar he was one That wrought the Conjuration Which was contrived against him If I had known 't ' thou hadst not bin But sorrow has not so me dull'd Only to whine because Vice would ' Gainst Vertue strive but I admire Her to o'recome he should aspire Weakness may prompt us unto ill But that we should conceive our Will God seeing against Innocence Should conquer monstrous is to sense From hence one of your family Not ill thus reason'd If there be A God from whence does evil come If none whence good but to come home Grant wicked men who sought the bloud O' th' Senate and of all were good Sought mine who did the Senate serve From them too did I it deserve When did I either say or doe But thou didst me instruct thereto Thou know'st not dreading danger how The Senate's good I did avow Whenas th' insatiate greedy King Did at Verona cause to bring Albinus Treason on them all That in his guilt they all might fall That all these things are true thou know'st That of my self I ne're did boast For he does lessen his good name Who by a brag does catch at fame But see th' event for Vertue true I 'me paid with what to th'Wicked's due When free confession at a Bar Is made those Judges cruel are Who humane frailty don't respect Nor on false Fortune do reflect Had I burnt Churches kill'd the Priests Made righteous bloud run through the streets Yet present I should have been try'd But now five hundred miles aside I by the Senateam condemn'd Because that I did them defend To death and to proscription O worthy that ne're any one Should so offend but they did see Of my great guilt the dignity Which for to blind they did alledge Falsly that I by Sacriledge My conscience had defil'd t' attain My honours but thou know'st that gain Of Worldly things thou far away Didst from my mind remove nor may It be believ'd who in thy sight Does live can such a crime commit This Pythagorean daily thou Into my ears and thoughts didst sow FOLLOW THOU GOD nor was it right That he should use an unclean sp'rite Whose excellence thou mad'st so free That like to God he seem'd to be At home my innocent Retreat Of honest Friends the concourse great The sweet society I held With holy Symmachus dispell'd Even suspicion of such crimes But O the wickedness o' th' times They with this crime did me asperse ' Cause with thy doctrine and manners I was replete so not enough That thou no help shouldst me allow But for me too thou shouldst be
Honours we can't him respect Who of himself deserves neglect But if a man with Wisdome we And Goodness do replenish'd see We give him all the honours due To sacred Wisdome and Vertue In whom alone it is innate Her goodnesses to propagate Which worldly Honours cannot doe For that no proper good they ow. Again if that a gen'ral scorn Does make men sordid and forlorn Then Honours that don't bring Respect Must bring Contempt and sore neglect If Honours make men evil fare Bad men with Honours even are While they the Honours do defile But further listen yet awhile And thou shalt see this painted place Can give small comfort no true grace 'Mong the Barbarians let be seen A man that oft has Consul been They won't with reverence 'bout him throng But if to th' place it did belong It would not cease the same to be In any Nation or Countrey As Fire is in all parts Fire But for their Worth does rise no higher Then what Opinion does it give It therefore can no longer live When it does come for to be seen ' Mongst them who Honours don't esteem And do they any better fare At home whence they derived are The Praefectship of old had power Now but a Name and burthen sour Who for the people did provide Was much esteem'd now vilify'd For that some bad men were accus'd That they that honour had abus'd But as before I have made known That Honour proper good has none But from Opinion takes repute As men the same do execute If Honours then don't give respect If ev'ly us'd they cause neglect If change of times do them deface And if Opinion them disgrace If in themselves no beauty be What pleasure can they give to thee Though Nero fell Proud and cruell his body did adorn With Tyrian silk Stones white as milk he was the people's scorn Though he did grace Proud men with place the Senate to keep under Yet for to guess Honours could bless by him bestow'd 's a wonder Can Kingdoms then make men be great Or can King's favours men elate Why not if they would alwaies be But these to change we oft do see Times past and present do shew clear To Misery Kings subject are Is not that Power then most vain Which its own self cannot sustain And if that Kingdoms make men blest Of it the loss does them devest Nay if in Rule they are confin'd Why that brings trouble to their mind There is no universal Crown The vastest Kingdom has a bound Where others power does it pin There does anxiety begin And makes them hapless by which count Kings ill their good does far surmount The which a Tyrant having try'd Great Princes fears he did deride By pointing down a Sword i' th' aire Hung by a slender threatning hair Is not then Power a fine thing That can't of fear remove the sting Who would but can't securely rest How by their Power are they blest And wouldst not thou that Power upbraid Which would but cannot be obey'd Canst thou him mighty think to be Who if not guarded is not free Who though to him they reverence bear Yet he of them stands still in fear Who with great Power to be grac'd I' ch' hands of Servants must be plac'd And can Kings favours any save When Kingdoms so much weakness have These oft disfavour do throw down And oft they perish with the Crown Think but how Seneca once fell Whom cruel Nero did compell To chuse his death yet he had bin Both Friend and Master unto him And did not Antoninus send His Souldiers for to make an end Of Papinianus whom before He favour'd Courtiers did adore Both these their Power would have quit And Seneca if he 'd thought fit His wealth to Nero had resign'd And privately himself confin'd But Greatness did them both destroy Nor a poor wish could they enjoy Is not then Power a fine thing Which Fear to th' owner still does bring Which is not safe to be enjoy'd Nor laid aside can harms avoid What trust in such a Friend can be Who only câ—â—rts Prosperity If Adverse fortune comes then he Of Friend soon proves an Enemy What greater plague can Pluto send Then the feign'd smiles of a false Friend Who would be Great must his own Passions rule Must not submit himself to be By Lusts inthrall'd that should be free Though he commands from Inde to farthest Thule Yet if Care conquer him and plaints He subject is and Power wants How false and filthy too is Fame Which made the Tragick Bard exclaim O Glory Glory for thy hire Thou' rt curs'd by those did thee desire For many men have gain'd a Name By vulgar false-opinion'd Fame Then which what can more base appear When they must blush their praise to hear But though the people true Worth sing What to a Wise man does this bring Who seeks not good by pop'lar fame But a good Conscience makes his aime Then if a Name to propagate Men purchase would at so great rate They sure would think 't great injury Should not this Name extended be But as before I have declar'd From many Nations is debarr'd A private Fame nay more what here Praise-worthy is is slighted there But I this windy pop'lar Fame Do not think worthy for to name Which without judgment is up blown And lasts not to be call'd ones own And now who is' t that does not see How vain a thing 's Nobility Whose Glory if we rightly weigh Is not his own does it enjoy Nobility that is not new Is praise that is to Parents due If Praise it be that Fame does give They who are prais'd in Fame do live Then if thy own Worth thee don't praise Another's Worth cannot thee raise Which since 't is so the good that is In Nobleness is only this That he that 's born of high estate Is bound not to degenerate All humane kind living From one beginning spring One governs eve'ry thing the Father high He made the Sun so bright To th' horned Moon gave light Made Earth of Men the site set Starres i' th' sky In Man he him to grace A heavenly Soul did place So of a noble race all mortals are From whence then is this cry I 'me born of Parents high Each man i' th' Deity has equal share Vnless that he with vices base and foul Degrade his noble high-descended Soul Of Luxury what shall I say Whose appetite bears greatest sway Yet not without anxiety And 's curs'd in the satiety What sad diseases does it bring What horrid pains do from it spring As 't were the fruits that it does bear I skill not in these pleasures rare But all shall find them don't refrain That Pleasure's end is certain pain And if that these can make men blest I see no cause t'exclude the Beast Who wholly does himself apply These Pleasures for to satisfy But of all Pleasures of this Life The best is Children with a Wife Yet feelingly one
did repeat My Children are my torments great There 's no Condition this can free Thou long hast try'd it true to be That saying of Euripides I do acknowledge me does please Who did proclaim Sterility A happy Infelicity All Pleasure has this great malignity To wound and to torment who have it had like to the Bee Who having lost her Hony does grow mad And stings and swells the robbers though she dy Then suerly there is no doubt But who goes this way does goe out Of 's way to Blessedness nor can These Goods him render Happy man Nay these are Ills I 'le briefly show Dost thou endeavour Rich to grow Thou from another it must gain Wouldst thou to Dignities attain Thou must beseech the giver's grace And to excell thy self debase Dost thou desire Power to have Thou mak'st thy self to plots a slave If thou great Glory do procure Envy thee renders unsecure Wouldst thou a life of Pleasure lead Who would not Luxury down tread And think it base to have his Mind To so base service be confin'd And who the bodie 's Beauty prize How build they on uncertainties Can they the bulk o' th' Elephant Bull 's strength or Tiger's swiftness vaunt See Heaven's firmness space and fire Then leave these low things to admire Nor yet are these worth thy least thought With him compared that them wrought Then Beauty is but a frail thing More fading then the Floweri'th ' Spring Of which learn'd Aristotle cries If one could see with Lynceus eyes And with those eyes could penetrate The intrails nasty sordid state The fair-fram'd Alcibiades Would the beholder nothing please Thou canst not then thy Nature prize But the infirm beholders eyes 〈◊〉 of thy Body be as proud 〈◊〉 thou canst wish so 't be allow'd That three daies Fever can destroy The thing in which you so much joy From which we briefly may collect These Goods which promise such respect Nor can their promise keep nor show That they do any goodness ow So that they men nor bring to rest Nor are at all men by them blest O how does Ignorance Erroneous waies advance You seek not Trees for Gold Nor Vines for Crystalls cold You do not climb a Hill Fishes with nets to kill Nor go to th' Ocean clear To hunt the Fallow-deer You careful are to know The times of ebbe and slow And in what coasts are bred White Pearls where Corrall red What part o' th' Sea the Fin What Shel-fish does ly in But what you most should mind Chief Good in that y' are blind And seek for that below Which 'bove the Starrs does grow They 're curst not to be wise Who Wealth and Honour prize Which when with pain they 've got Then Goods they know they 're not The forms of false Felicity As yet I 've only shew'd to thee Which if that thou do clearly know I will true Bliss now to thee show I see said I that no Wealth can Sufficient be for any man No Kingdoms howsoever great Can give a Power that 's compleat No Dignities full Reverence Nor Glory wish'd for Eminence No Pleasures can give Perfect Bliss Know'st thou the causes of all this Methinks I see a glimmering But you a clearer light may bring The reason 's plain for that 't is try'd That humane Error does divide What 's simple perfect and what 's true And it to Falshood gives as due Dost thou think what 's in nothing scant That the same thing can power want Why no said I. Thou think'st then right For if in ought it want full might In that 't is of necessity It must by others succour'd be That 's true Then the condition Of Power and Enough 's all one So 't seems What think'st thou then is' t sit To slight this or to honour it Why it to honour there 's no doubt Since best of things it brings about Why then unto Sufficiency And Power let 's adde Dignity And then these three but one appear We must it adde if truth we 'le hear And now said she think'st thou that this Obscure and base or famous is Consider too since you do grant That is most glorious nought does want Whether this Glory do want Fame Which to it self it cannot frame And so does seem to come below I must needs grant it Famous too Why then in this we must agree Fame differs not from th' other three We must Then that which nought does want That which in Power is not scant That which has Fame and Glory high That is most pleasant certainly But see said I I no way can How Grief should seise on such a man No by what 's said we must confess That man does perfect joy possess And this too 's of necessity Power Fame Respect Sufficiency And Pleasure have a sev'ral name But all in substance are the same 'T is true 't is of necessity Then this you 'l grant man's pravity Divideth what is simple pure Which while he strives for to procure By part the which no parts contains Nor whole nor part to him remains How 's this said I. Who Wealth would have Flies Want but Power does not crave Had rather live obscure and vile From all delights himself exile Then part with what he cannot hold His dear-beloved darling Gold But by these means most certainly No man can have Sufficiency Whom Power leaves or Cares molest Or Baseness hides can have no rest Again who would to Power rise Wasts Wealth and Glory does despise And without Power Honour too Nor Pleasures can at all him woe And yet when he has all his will There 's many things he wanteth still Sometimes he Necessaries wants Sometimes is vext with Cares and Plaints Of which since he can't rid his mind He wants that Power he design'd With the same reason we may measure All Honour Claritude and Pleasure For since that ev'ry one 's the same With all the rest he is to blame Does unto any one aspire Losing thereby his own desire What then said I. If one address Himself to all can they him bless No we have shew'd they cannot doe 't Since they their promise can't make good Nor can they Bliss bring to effect Since each has singly his respect I do confess that nothing can Then this be truer taught to man The causes then and form said she Thou see'st of false Felicity Now bend thy mind but contrary And thou true Bliss shalt soon espy When thou the causes of false Bliss Didst open thou didst then clear this For if I rightly construe thee That 's perfect true Felicity Which does sufficient render and Gives Pleasure Fame Respect Command Further to make it plain to sight That I do understand thee right I do acknowledge that which shall Doe truely one performs them all And then no doubt but this must be True perfect full Felicity O happy thou that dost think so If one thing more thou'lt adde thereto What 's that said I. Dost think there
placed is The Wood like bone this does secure Then Bark to make it to endure Again mark Nature's carefull heed Who multiplies all things by Seed By which she seems for to endeavour To make them for to live for ever And things that are Inanimate Seem to desire that same state Which most does tend to their welfare Hence Levity does Flame up rear By Weight the Earth is downward prest For that these motions sute them best What does with every thing agree That it conserves most perfectly And things by opposition Are brought unto destruction Again what 's Hard as Stones defend Strongly their parts resist their end What Liquid is as Aire and Water As soon unite as they do scatter Fier does all division fly Nor do we now at all descry The motions of the knowing Soul But the intentions natural Such are how we our meat digest Yet not thereon do think the least Not knowing it we breath in sleep So does the creature a force keep Of preservation not by th' will O' th' Soul but Nature's principle For Death which Nature does abhorre Is by the Will oft pleaded for The Generative act again By which only all things remain Sometimes is bridled by the Will Though Nature do desire it still Wherefore this self-affection grows Not from the Will but Nature's laws For Providence did give to all Things that she made a natural Desier to remain and this The chief cause of remaining is Wherefore there is no reason thou Should'st doubt that every thing should bow By nature up its self to bear And all corruption do deferre I now confess I clearly see What seem'd before incertainty Moreover that which does desire To be said she that does aspire To be but one which away ta'ne Being it self will not remain That 's true said I. All things said she Then do desier Vnity This I did grant But I said this One is the same that Goodness is You did Then all things Good design Which thus we truly may define Good is the thing all things desire Nothing said I can be thought higher For either nothing does preside Or if that any thing beside This Vnity all things would run Headlong into Confusion And if that any thing there be Which to arrive at all agree That thing must needs be understood To be the chief of all that 's good O how I do rejoyce said she That thou this point of verity Dost apprehend by this thou hast Discover'd what before thou said'st Thou didst not know What 's that my friend What is of all things the true End For that 's the thing all things desire And since then Good there 's nothing higher We must ingenuously confess The End of all things is Goodness Whoever with a knowing mind Will seek the perfect Truth to find And will not be deceiv'd nor tread The paths that into Errour lead Let him look upon His own discretion And bind his Notions in a round Let him teach his Will But only this skill With its own treasures to abound And then what lately hid did ly In clouds of Errour will thereby Break into splendor far more bright Then Phoebus in 's most glorious light The thick Body's shade As yet has not made A full Eclipse upon the Mind If Learning do glow Seeds of Truth will grow While inwardly they comfort find If any one should question thee Couldst thou an answer make him free Was ever any one yet found With Reasons light did so abound Vnless God in love Him inspir'd from 'bove And gave him a Prophetick strain Give Plato his due Who saies 't is full true What 's learn'd we can recall again With Plato greatly I comply For thou into my memory Now twice hast those instructions brought Which I 'de not known hadst thou not taught Once Sickness from me did them hide Nor with my grief would they abide Look back on what is said said she And then into thy memory Will be recalled with much ease What not to know thou didst confess What 's that said I. How and which way God does this worldly fabrick sway I do remember then said I This same to know I did deny What thou in this wilt say although Far off I see yet it to know More plainly I desire from thee To hear exprest Thou shalt said she But lately thou didst grant to me God the world's Governour to be I did and do it now assever Nor do it doubt nor will do ever And I will briefly tell thee why My Reason does with this comply The World that 's fram'd of many a part Could not have been reduc'd by art Into one form unless that One Alone had made the Conjunction Again though they conjoyned are Their natures disagree so far They would this Concord break again Unless that One did them contain Nor could Dame Nature certainly Keep on her course so orderly Nor keep her motions so direct In time and place and in effect Unless a perfect Vnity Dispos'd of this variety And this same One whate're it be Which all things made does all agree I by the name of God do call A name that used is by all Since thou of these things thus dost think Thou art said she even at the brink Of perfect true Felicity And may'st again thy Countrey see But our proposals let 's review Did we not grant Bliss did ensue Sufficiency and did confess That God is that same Blessedness 'T is true we did Why then said she The World to govern wanteth he External help if so then he Has not a full Sufficiency That cannot said I be deny'd Then he alone does all things guide That must by all be understood But God I shew'd to be chief Good I do remember that beside Then he as Good does all things guide As well as by himself and this Of rule the very Rudder is Which does this worldly Vessel guide And safely makes all things abide I grant and I before did see Though dimly this sound verity I do believ 't But now I find Thou dost more strictly bend thy mind The truth to see but I 'le declare What shall more plainly make 't appear What 's that said I. Since we confess God does rule all things with Goodness And that all things to good incline By nature and not by design Who doubt can but they govern'd be Not forc'd but voluntarily And that each thing most freely does To 's ruler's will its self dispose This to be true I do esteem Nor would the guidance happy seem If that it should a yoke impose Not leave a freedom to dispose Then what does Nature's law obey Goes not from God a devious way Why no. And if it should said she What profit could it reap thereby Since we most powerfull him grant ' Cause he alone does nothing want Why none Then there 's nothing which would Or can resist this chiefest Good Nothing I think Why then said she That the chief Good we must
safety home may'st goe The things I was about to say Although that they much profit may Yet they from our set purpose were But I did offer them for fear Lest with these heavy burthens prest Thou shouldest tire for want of rest Of that said I no fear can be They rather ease do bring to me Besides if thy discourse appear With Truths on all sides to be clear Of all which does thereof arise There 's no man sure will doubt that 's wise Thy way said she I 'le follow then And in this manner she began If that without a Cause be lent Unto rash motion an Event If any one this Chance do call I do averre there 's none at all And a vain voice it is alone Without signification For where can Chance have any room Where God to order all does doom That Nothing does from nothing rise Is truth confirm'd by th' ancient wise Even by those could nothing tell Of the effecting principle But all their knowledge only was Material subject nature cause But if that any thing doth spring From no Cause it does from Nothing Seem to come but if this can't be Then neither can there possibly Be that same Chance lately defin'd And what said I can we then find In the whole world nothing at all That Fortune we or Chance may call Or is there something lies unknown To th' Vulgar by these terms is shown In Aristotle's Physicks thou Truly mayest the reason know As how said I. When any thing Saies he by accident does bring To light some other thing then was Intended by the moving cause This is call'd Chance as if a man For tillage does plough up a lawn And does a hidden treasure find 'T is presently to Chance assign'd But wrongly since it does not pass From nothing for it causes has The which ' cause they were not foreseen A Chance does make it for to seem For if the Husband man had not The ground broke up nor t' other put The treasure there 't had not been found Now thou dost see the cause and ground It does from sev'ral causes come Not from the Agent 's intention For neither he that hid the gold Nor he that did the plough-staff hold Intended it should come to pass But as I said it only was Concurring causes that did bid The one dig up what th' other hid Then Chance by us may be defin'd Event from Causes that are joyn'd Now Causes do concurre and grow From a Connexion which does flow From that inevitable Read Which does from Providence proceed Which does all things seen in the close In time and place rightly dispose Among the rocks whereas those people dwell Who do with mocks their enemies all quell Whilst flying they Do with their deadly darts Their followers slay them piercing to the hearts There Tigris does there does Euphrates rise This one way goes that th' other swiftly flies Should they unite and both together run With all the might of Flouds that to them come There 's nothing could their raging force withstand Destroy they would all the whole neighb'ring land Trees they would tear from out the firmest ground They nought would spare but all things would confound If not consin'd their chanels for to keep By that high Mind that law gives to the Deep It is just so with Fortune's raging spight Who all does know does force her to doe right I do it understand said I And with thy judgment do comply But with thy Causes doest thou To man at all Free-will allow Or does this fatal Chain up ty Mens minds that they move not freely No there 's no nature reasonable But is endued with Free-will What things soever Reason do By nature use use Judgment too By which they with a lively sense Eas'ly discern the difference 'Twixt what is good and what is bad What 's to be left what 's to be had Then who of Reason has the skill He freedom has to will or nill But I 'le not say that unto all This Freedom is alike equall For that the substances Divine Have Judgments that are clear and fine Wills uncorrupted and what they Do will they by their Power may But it is of necessity That humane minds most free should be When they in speculation are Of the High God less when they care For th' body take least when that they Let earthly vanities them sway But yet their greatest bondage is When they do sell themselves to Vice Reason's possession then they quit And putting from their eyes the light Of Truth they into darkness fall And lewd affections worst of all To which consenting they do bring Upon themselves a languishing And they by this their being free Throw themselves into slavery Yet still high Providence does see All things from all eternity And to the merits of each state Does give as they 'r predestinate All things does he Both hear and see Homer did sweetly sing bright Phoebus praise Yet he cannot look in the Earth's dark waies Nor can he pierce with 's eye the Ocean clear To him that made the Sky all things appear No Earth does stand between his knowing sight Nothing by him 's unseen i' th' darkest night With one thought of his mind he clear does see Whatever was design'd or ere shall be Then he that does behold the total summe He truly may be call'd the brightest Sun I now said I confounded am Far more then when that you began How can that be said she yet I Conjecture where your doubts do ly These things said I too much oppose To be believ'd That God foreknows All things that are or ere shall be And to believe the Will is free For if that God does all things see And by no means deceiv'd can be It is a necessary case What he foresees must come to pass Wherefore if from eternity Not only deeds but counsels he And darkest thoughts of men foreknew Then a Free-will cannot be true For there no Act can be alone But Will also there can be none Hid from the divine Providence In his unerring prescience For if that things another way Then was foreseen quite alter may Foreknowledge certainly there 's none But rather an Opinion Which to believe of God above Is impious Nor do I approve The reason which some men resolve This knotty question does dissolve They say that nothing comes to pass ' Cause it foreseen or foreknown was But contrary for that 't would be High Providence did it foresee If so the same necessity As well is for the contrary For 't is not necessary that What is foreseen must therefore hap But this does necessary seem What-ere does hap it was foreseen As if we labour'd for to know Which of these two the cause should show Whether Foreknowledge rises from Necessity of things to come Or the Necessity does grow From the Fore-knowledge But I 'le show That howsoe're things order'd be Th' event of things is necessary Though Providence don't seem t'
inferre Necessity For if that there One sit and I him sitting view That he does sit I do think true Again if that my thought be true That he does sit must be true too In both then there 's necessity To sit and also true to be But therefore sure he does not sit Because that I so think of it But therefore I so think of it Because 't is true that he does sit So though the cause of truth proceed But from one part yet there is need Of relative community Or we this point shall ne're agree We must make the like inference Of Future things and Providence Who ' cause things must be does foresee But her foresight don't make them be So necessary it does seem That things to come should be foreseen Or else what things God does foresee Should fall out necessarily So take 't which way soe're you will It must needs overthrow Free-will Besides is' t not preposterous That worldly things should be the cause Of God's eternal Prescience And pray what other is' t in sense To say because that things must be That therefore God does them foresee Then for to say what 's come to pass Of Providence the great cause was Besides if I do know a thing I know also it has being And if that I know ought shall be I know it necessarily Whence follows that no man can shun What in Fore-knowledge must be done Lastly if any one conceive A thing to be that may deceive That is no Knowledge certainly But Opinion's uncertainty Which from the truth of Knowledge is Far discrepant Then truth it is That if a thing be for to be But yet not of necessity It cannot possibly be shown That the same thing could be foreknown For Knowledge is a thing so pure It no false mixture will endure So that if ought conceived be By it it is of certainty For this cause Knowledge cannot ly Because that of necessity Whatever it does apprehend Must be the same unto the end How then by what means can God know That things uncertain will be so For if he thinks that things will be Inev'tably that may not be He is deceiv'd which for to speak Or think of God is wicked weak Again if so that he foresee Things as they are such for to be Or not to be to come to pass Or not to come what skill alas Is this which does not comprehend What stable is or sure i' th' end It as ridiculous must be As was Tiresias Prophecy What e're I say or sure must be Or sure it is it must not be In what does Divine Providence Excell the skill of humane sense If that as men uncertain he Does judge th' event of things to be But if that nought uncertain can Be unto him that is certain Then the event must certain be Of whatsoe're he does foresee Which thing all Liberty expels From humane actions and counsels If all these without falsity The Heav'nly Mind does surely see And them does bind and does constrain Unto events that are certain This granted what confusion Must all humane affairs put on In vain Rewards propounded are To th' good Pains to the ill if there Be no free motion of the mind But Necessity does it bind And that will high Injustice seem Which we most just do now esteem The wicked for to punish or The good reward since neither 's for Their own delict or probity Receiv'd but of necessity Vertue or Vice there will be none But of all things confusion And then then which there nothing can Be more blasphemous thought by man If Providence do all things guide And humane Will to it be ty'd It follows that our Vices must Be laid on him that is most just Nor will there any reason sway Why either we should hope or pray For what does hope or pray'r avail If the determin'd end can't sail No conversation there will be 'Twixt Mortals and the Deity For if no hope at all remain To pray will be esteem'd but vain But if by just Humility We have access to th' Deity And by it do of grace partake Which is the only means can make Us happy and by which men can With God have Conversation By which they to that light are joyn'd Inaccessible by mankind And do there by all good obtain If that I say pray'r be made vain By holding of Necessity Then by what other means shall we Stick fast unto and be made one With the great Prince of Vnion All men it must to ruine bring If as thou didst but lately sing They from their fountain sever'd are And in the Deity don't share How does Erinnys break the league of things What spirit is' t that such contention slings Between two truths such mighty warfare brings How is' t that singly things do clearly stand But joyn'd so dark are none them understand Or is' t that all truths do goe hand in hand No but the Soul that here is but a guest With cloudy members of dull flesh opprest Cannot attain to know what things are best Why should she then with zeal burn like to fire Why hidden waies of Truth should she desire Whenas she here can nought but doubts acquire If she the things that she desires does know Why then with scruples does she vex them so Why does she toil so much them to re-know If she knows not why does she being blind Seek them to know who ever wish'd to find He knew not what or sought to catch the wind What if she find them yet they being found How shall she know their natures for to bound When she herself in ignorance is drown'd Or for that she first came from God above Must all things which here and above do move No Causes have but what she does approve She now with cloudy flesh is mantled or'e And though some things of what she knew before She does retain her knowledge is but poor Yet who seeks Truth he does not doe amiss Though he can't come to know 't yet he gains this That he not wholy thereof ign'rant is Some things he does to memory commit High thingâ—â—e does admire and high wit He scans with reason and retains what 's fit This said she is an old complaint Canvast and scrutin'd by that quaint Distributer of Divination Cicero and thy self art one That much has toil'd in 't but as yet There 's none of you has had the wit Sufficiently to find it out The reason of it is no doubt ' Cause blindness of Humanity Can't see Divine Simplicity Nor comprehend the notions great Of heav'nly things in her conceit To which if that she could attain There would no doubt at all remain But I the same with my best skill Open to lay endeavour will But first I must those doubts remove Are by thee mov'd and do thee move And first I do demand of thee Why thou not reason it to be Dost think that nothing comes to pass ' Cause it Foreseen or
known Whence she all single things beholds or them divided knows Whence 't is that she all things enfolds What from the highest Heaven flows And what on the Earth's surface grows With this same knowledge she repleat with Truth does Falshood gall No Knowledge sure can be so great Which does from outward Objects fall As that which comprehends this all Yet living creatures Passions have which do the Mind excite Each Object does attention crave Both of the Hearing and the Sight And this their forms does bring to light And thus the Mind to outward things her knowledge does apply Not that the outward Object brings Vnto it any novelty For it knâ—w all intrinsicly And if in Bodies it be so Their outward forms by Sense to know The outward Object must reflect Upon the Sense and it affect And that we do the Passions find Precede the Actions of the Mind And do provoke the Soul to stirre Those inward forms ly hid in her If that these bodies right to know The Mind to Passions this does ow Although she Passions do at length Subdue by her own force and strength How much more do those things that be From Corporal Affections free The outward Objects not attend But to the Mind their powers bend Wherefore there is of Knowledges Like diff'rence as of Substances Some creatures motionless have Sense But they want all other science As Shel-fish which to rocks stick fast And thence do nourishment exhaust The Beasts and Birds that use motion Have Sense and Imagination By which they fit things covet do And seek all dangers to eschew Reason does only Man define And Vnderstanding is divine So that same Knowledge excels sure Which excells of its own nature And does not only its own show But does all others Objects know If Sense and Imagination Then should rise up against Reason And this same their contest should be There 's no Vniversality As Reason thinks she does behold And thus their argument should hold Whatever thing is Sensible Or that is Imaginable That Vniversal cannot be If Reason's judgment true then be Then nothing can be Sensible No nor yet Imaginable For many things to her are known Subject to Imagination And Sense then vain is the conceit Of Reason which does Objects treat That in their natures Single be With her Vniversality Thus Reason's answer would be free That in Universality She does behold what 's Sensible And what is Imaginable But their weak Knowledge cannot fly Up to Vniversality ' Cause they no Knowledge have at all 'Bove Figures and Forms Corporeal Then certainly we must affirm That Knowledge for to be most firm As also to be most perfect Which knows both Form and the Effect In this contention surely we Indu'd with Reason's faculty That have Imagination And Sense also to work upon Cannot in reason but attest That Reason's cause is much the best Just so it is when Reason does Think that God's Vnderstanding knows Things yet to come no otherwise Then she does think she them descries For thus thou say'st If th' event be Not certain and necessary Then a Foreknowledge of the same Also can no way be certain Hence of these things thou dost alledge That there can be no Foreknowledge And if there be nought certainly Can hap but of necessity If as we have of Reason part God Judgment would divine impart As we already did conclude All Sense and Thought for to be rude ' Cause they to Reason would not yield So Reason must submit the field To th' Vnderstanding Divine Mind Then granting that our Reason's blind Let us unto that height aspire Where Reason when she has got higher Will see those things and plainly too Which in her self she could not do Which is that those things which have no Certain event God does Foreknow And that Opinion this is none But rather highest notion bound up in that Simplicity That by nothing can bounded be On earth what sev'ral kinds of creatures are Poison the Serpent lines yet he is fair His skin no soil will take though he does creep Yet he does furrows make and dust does sweep Birds use their wings to fly upon the wind And in the air full high a passage find Beasts going on the ground their steps appear By which in Woods oft found they hunted are All sev'ral form'd you see in Nature's book Yet all in this agree on Earth they look Man only does erect his stately crown To th' Earth gives no respect nor eye throws down If Earth don't thee inchant thy Form does teach For all things thou canst want to Heav'n to reach But if thou Earth do love and to it trust Thy Body will above thy Soul be thrust Then as to thee before was shown Whate're is known it is not known By its own nature but by his By whom it comprehended is Let 's now the Divine substance see With care and with sobriety That seeing it we may also Know what it is that he does know First then God is confest by all That Reason have to b' eternal The thing that must consider'd be Is what is this Eternity For this will unto us declare What 's knowledge and what 's nature are Eternitie's full possession Of life without conclusion This unto us will plain appear If temp'ral things we do compare All things that live do proceed from Times past go on to time to come And there 's no one that can embrace At one instant all the whole space Of his whole Life knows not next day Nor is what he was yesterday Nor in this very present day Does he of 's Life more time enjoy Then one moment transitory In which to Move or Speak or Die Then none of time can be more free Then Time can make himself to be Though that as Aristotle said O' th' World it no Beginning had No End shall have if Life I say With Time enduer should for aye It could not rightly be a thing That might be call'd Everlasting For though that Life were infinite It could not at one time unite All its whole course being barr'd from All the whole time that is to come Then that same which does comprehend All that whole Life which has no end All that is past knows certainly All that 's to come does plainly see That same must the Eternal be And this is of necessity For that he in himself alone Has all perfect possession Makes all things present him assist And also carries in his fist The all and whole infinity Of Time that has mobility But very largely they mistake Who from Plato's opinion take This frame to be coeternal With him that framed this same All Because that Plato this has penn'd It nor Beginning had nor End And they do think to prove by this The World as God Eternal is For it is one thing for to have Life without end which Plato gave To th' World and it is another As 't is easie for to gather At one instant