partake of her delightful Society and Communication as his dear Sister But Oh said she dost thou know who I am Look upon my Clarity and Excellency and the Majesty of my Glory Go home to thy study and think of something else Aim not too high This Attempt is too difficult for thee Thou art not worthy of me for I am the chaste Spouse of the Son of the Deity I never â—ill defile my self I will never consent to thy â—oolish desire Thereupâ—â— Lucifer being highly afâ—â—ented endeavoured to â—â—ce her to his unlawful â—â—re and would needs commiâ— a Rape upon her But 〈◊〉 as rescued by the Angels and carried into the Wilderness where she had a place prepared of God for Her Then Lucifer cast out the Flood of his Wrath and disgorged the Vomit of his Malice after her to devour her But the Earth helped the Virgin and swallowed up the Flood of his Envy and the escaped late Gods Pallace which God appointed for 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ctuary of Refuge §. 2. Luciser's Fall NOw Lucifer increasing the Infection of his Eyes by gazing upon her Beauty and letting out his Mind after her for a hellish end he importun'd her to look out at the Window of her Pallace and would needs perâ—wade her by all manner of smooth and flattering speeches to take a walk with him in the adjacent Groves of Paradise She still disswaded him from such a foolish Attempt of false Lust saying Be but content and I will cloath thee with my Jewels and the Ornaments of my excelling Beauty But be assured I will never consent to be Desâ—led with false Imagination or to be infected with Lust Then he opened the Door in the Center of his Dominion which was Eternally forbidden And would needs search into the Ground or Abyss of the Deity to know the Root of the false Tree in the Center or midst of the Creation seeking to know whence the Cause of Gods Beauty and his proceeded And then said O fair Virgin if thou consent to cohabit with me I will honour thee with the Joynture of my Black Kingdom I will make thee Queen of the Infernal Regions She still scorned his Rashness and pitied his Folly Art thou said he become so disdainful and haughty I will force thee to my Lâ—st whether thou consentest or no. But she was caught up to Heaven At that Lucifer raved roaâ—ed raged and spat poyson like an horrible Dragon as if he would tear the three Worlds and the Deity it self in pieces if it had been possible And there was a kind of War Michael and his Angels expelled Lucifer and his Dragon Angels out of Heaven And yet it was no real War for Heaven spewed him out of its own accord and he was cast out as Dung into the cursed part of the Earth and his Souldiers his Vassals were â—ast out with him Then for Malice being mad with Fury he endeavoured to blow his poyson and belch forth his malignity into all the Seeds and Idea's of the Creatures of this Creation which we now see Thus also Lucifer for Madness sought to slay his own innate proper Virgin after he had failed in deflowering of her which was contrary to the Law of Eternity And therefore he opened the Matrice of the wrathful Nature and was united with and generated a Dragon-like Essence to his own everlasting Torment so that now he burns in the Hellish Fire of his Consumption never to be consumed And hath great Wrath and Envy against the Son of Man who is to dethrone him because he knows he has but a short time Wo to the Inhabitants of the Earth and of the Sea for the Devil is come down unto you So that to this day we plainly see the cause of Luciser's Envy against the Son of Man even Because He expels Lucifer out of his Throne and is but an Usurper as Lucifer lays to his Charge And so Lucifer spat his Malice upon every thing that was capable of Receiving it as a Serpent out of a hole or prison to which he is consin'd And before the Creation he would envenom the Seeds of the External Essences For every thing had its own Formative Seed in its self before it was created So the Earth was without Form and Void like a Chaos and Darkness was upon the face of the great Deep in Lucifer's Dominion § 3. Lucifer Captivated YEt the Spirit of God would not suffer this once fair middle World to stand in Eternal Ignominy and to become the Devils Murthering Den But he moved the Waters to quench Lucifer's Dark Lightning and Thunder and his Jugling Tricks and said Let there be Light to adorn this fair World as it had done from Eternity and there was Light Then the Creation groaned and travailed in great Labour to be freed from the Vanity of the Curse this Vanity of Vanities that was a Vexation to the Spirit of God For Lucifer if he had his will would suffer neither Grass Flower nor Fruit to grow nor Animals to live for the Use and Recreation of Man for he envied his Happiness And he himself could not enjoy their Society for every thing feared him and shunned him as a Revolted Prince and Tyrant But when on the fifth Day he saw that Life and Sense sprung up through his dark Death he intended as he sat in Council to torture or to kill the Beasts Birds and Fishes for a Mock-Sacrifice to atone the wrath of the incensed Gods For he understood there was no Lord or Arch-Shepherd set over them to protect them Therefore also the Creator consulted to put a stop to his Trayterous Rage and malicious designs of his fellow-Plotters and to generate a Lord to supply his place upon his Throne and to divest him of his Robes and his Crown Here ariseth a great Objection Why did not God annihilate the Devil when he was aware of the danger of his Fall Answ Lucifer being created out of the Essence of God and being made a free Agent had the Power of his own Will and was in a Capacity of giving Glory 〈◊〉 God as well as the other two Hierarchies So that according to the Order and Creation of Angelical Nature the Essence of Lucifer could not be turned into Nothing God as a most skilful Musician melodized with himself on his own Harp in Heavenly Joy before the World was God gave Lucifer once a most fair and bright Angel but now corrupted and spoiled by Imagination and Pride such another Harp But Lucifer broke the Strings and instead thereof because he was not willing to play together with God and the holy Angels in one Symphony puts something invented by his vain Fancy which makes an horrible noise And here is now God against God But you will say Lucifer is Unalmighty So he is but ask the Devil and he will tell you He is the Almighty God and Omnipotent Mountebank in the Dark World and also Prince of the wrathful part of this World and is absolute
therefore the Time shall come that thou shalt call to me but I shall be married to another Who was thy Rival in the time when I would have consummated the Wedding with thee Be not entangled with one that will bring thy Soul to ruine and who is far inferiour to the Souls Nobility For there are an indefinite number of these gone out into the World to trapan Mankind Whereof there are variety of kinds but especially seven As sprung forth from the Mystical Mother of Harlots They Lust after the best richest greenest fairest strongest tallest wittiest soundest noblest and most durable Essences And they find too many humane Souls fit for their turn They perceive that the Souls of Men are Eternal and Excellent Fair Lovely and Lively Essences As being made after the Image and Similitude of the Divine Being Now every Created Being lusteth after something that is of a higher Nature than it self that in the Fruition thereof it self may be perfected §. 4. The Blind falling Headlong FOR every Creature groaneth and travelleth for its own Perfection But cannot attain it without the Assistance of some one above him Hence it is that this sevenfold Whorish Spirit is become an earnest Attractor and Enticer of the immortal Souls of Adam's off-spring And for to solemnize the Wedding-seast she furnishes her Table and presents Man with the delicate Dishes of Pleasure and false Joy viz. Counters for Gold But when she hath once got the Poor Soul within her Net and cropt off the Flower of the noble Affections of the Heart which the right Virgin should have had and so spoiled the Spirit of the Mind with a false Vizzard or Mark of Infection when Mans Body fall as a Leaf to the Grave and the Souls Wedding-day draws on and he is to be settled in one of the two Eternal States Then this false Whore crâ—eth Aha! Thou humane Soul thou art Eternal I am but Temporal and Mortal and thou dost partake of my Mortality Eternally to seek Death and yet never Die I had my Pleasure with thâ—e Go now into Eternity I indeed was only the cause of alluring of thee to Sin But how thou must answer for it thy self I am but for a time In the end I return to the Original Abyss of Nihility Now here ariseth a great Question seeing Mans fate is so dismâ—â— Whether hath his unlacky Soul sinned or his Parents that he is thus born Blind Answ No Soul is born stark Blind But if some one should be so born yet there is Veâ—tuâ— bestowed through the Merit of the perfect Sacrifice upon every Soul to open his blind Eyes if he do not wilfully neglect the means of washing them in the Pool to which he is sent But if he will not go where his Virgins great Champion and Physician doth seâ—d him then let him groap in his Blindness For there is no Man that hath Power over his Spirit and passionate Mind that loves a Harlot without the Assistance of the foresaid great Counsellour Prince of Peace in Mental Calmness Now these foresaid Whorish Jezebels have painted their Faces and adorned themselves with an Image of seeming Beauty like the Fruits of Sodom which when touched will fall into Ashes but no real Beauty They lay waâ— at the Head of every Humane Street Some are like Hartors that receive hire And some scorn hire like Marrons that commit Adultery and take Strangers to defile their Husbands Beds And are contrary to common Harlots in that they give Gifts to all Lovers that they may come to defile them §. 5. For Destruction of the Individuum FIrst the Thief or surveying Harlot that surveys the whole World comes and saith All this will I give thee if thou Marry me and be joyned to my Nature in the Bed of my Friendship under Ground There I will nourish thee and thou shalt have the Entrails of the Earth for thy Chest and Coffer But I do not promise thee to see Day-light for many a Year if ever But there like a Slave in the American Mines thou shalt see Gold and Silver enough and thou shalt sleep among the heaped Treasures But the Spirit of the Soul cryeth O this is not Happiness O who will release me out of this under-ground Prison If this were Felicity then my Purse would be better than my self A Horse is not esteemed by his Trappings nor a Man by his Rich Concubine The Womb of this Whore is a snare of Temptation Which catcheth in the Pit of Perdition She gapes like a Gulf for the Mind of Man And spreads like a Sea for his Soul She is beautified by the Hand of her Whorish Mother Who writes on her Face sweet Solace But O Son of Man Child of God legal Heir of the Kingdom of Heaven If thou hast Oxen do thou offer Oblations And if thou hast Sheep thou shalt Sacrifice to God And if thou hast Children thou shalt candidly Consecrate them With the Wife of thy Wedlock to the Lord That his Heavenly Blessings may be upon thee Which the World doth hold for a Curse And yet knows not the Curse on the earthly Blessings Nor how they are a Curse unto them Who strive for Content in much But when they have much are hungry Yea they thirst as the gaping Grave whose Womb consumes them that gape after her But if thou hast the Virgin be thou content For she will make thee to flourish as a fruitful Field Thy Gardens shall be garnished with Greens With the fashions and fragrancies of Flowers Having Hope thy Seed shall spring up And in Faith shalt thou fill thy Vessels If this Harlot cannot prevail then comes the Riotous Luxurious or Swinish Jezebel I see saith she thou art a quiet harmless Man Wilt thou therefore live in Joy Get thee Wine and strong Drink Drink until the Poyson thereof be enraged Quaff this noble Liquor in Bowls Strive to conquer thy Companions in the Valour of Bacchus's Souldiers Eat the Lambs out of the Flock and Calves out of the Stall And make thy Body as mine is a Sepulchre of Dead Carkasses Put far away the Evil Day Let not thy Conscience trouble thee nor Reproofs awaken thee So thou shalt be an easie-hearted Sot or Voluptuous Flog-like Epicure of whom much shall be made in the Swine-house until thou be fully fattened for the House of Slaughter Come therefore along with me to the Banquetting house And we will cast away Care and remove that Melancholick Fit with a cherupping Glass We will treat thee with variety of Dishes dressâ—d after a new Fashion with poinant Sawces We will rant it and make merry over the Witness of God in the Conscience For this Solace is better than Gold or Silver Spend it away prodigally upon thy Lusts and gratifie thy Luxurious Palate And we will anticipate Prayer in the Morning with the Incense of our burning Lusts as preferring Sacrifice before Devotion Oh but in the midst of my Mirth my Heart is sad saith the Souls
make her comply to thy false Will Yet thy evil attempt before the Wedding which is the Day of the Fall of the outward Body will make thee guilty of her departure and the fault shall Eternally lie at thy Door Do not thou like a Vagabond combine to put a trick upon the Virgin thy Spouse and to murder thy dear Companioness If thou dost be sure the Murder will come to light for she will rise again to judge you both Be not hasâ—y in thy Choice lest thou do that in a day or unlucky hour which cannot be undone in an Age of Eternity But some may say Nature seems cruel in this That a fair young Man the Soul cannot dart his Eyes upon a supposed Beauty without great peril of being wounded himself Answ Leave the Cross and lose the Crown The youthful Soul who formerly took pleasure in Exploits and brave Actions is now turned devout and become a Zealous and Religious Votary to some Feminine Beauty O humane Soul beware of Idolatry As Christ descended into Hell so must the Soul of Man too That is if he finds himself unworthy of all comfort in this World and if things should fall cross with him in outward things and iâ— he should become the scorn of Devils yet he esteems it all just and according to his Desâ—rts so he obtains the Favour of God and the Virgin again He must deâ—cond into the Infernal Shadows to seek and fetch her home again §. 10. By Double-Heartedness HE that keeps not the Virgins Love for Love-sake but supposeâ—h he hath it for a Reward to him it is most grievous and he desires to be soon rid of it and this is the Property of every Hireling to desire and wish an End of his Toil. Whereas a true Lover thinks no Pains Labour or Time too much and grievous so he may but retain his love If Vertue could be seen by Men in her own Natural Beauty Naked said the Philosopher Men would be wonderfully in love with her But the Soul suspects the Virgins Purity thinking to find the same impure lasciviousness in her which he finds in himself Another would willingly enjoâ— both He loves the Virgin a little and Jezebel a little But the Virgin never appears in the Society of the incestuous Strumpet And that is the Reason that the Soul often longs after her and fetcheth many a deep sigh for her when in the midst of vain Mirth and Laughter the Heart is sad and heavy Tho'at long run the Soul becomes tinctured by a false Ferment bâ— the Whores Society Also if the Virgin should appear in the House of this Trull all the Ravenous Birds would have a peck at her And that is the Reason when any goes to the House of Feasting on vain and counterfeit Food he cannot hear the Voice of Wisdom as Christs Voice could not Eccho forth to the Questions of them that envied him at his Examination For two Contraries cannot be of equal Authority at one and the same time in the same Subject CHAP. VIII The Virgins Farewel §. 1. Beware of Falling from Grace GIve not thy Honour thy honourable Soul to another Nor thy Eternal years unto the Cruel Lest Strangers be filled with thy Wealth and thy Labours be in the House of thine Enemies And lest the Jewels of the Virgin which she gave thee be ridiculed by them that emulate her happiness And thou mourn at the last when thy flesh is consumed in the Grave of Despair and say O now I wonder that I could not esteem her How was I such a Fool as to despise the Instruction of my Virgin Ah! What did I call her MY Virgin She is not mine but she was mine O that I could say she never was so now But there is my Eternal Hell Because I crossed the Mind of my Creator who appointed her to be mine But I appointed her Enemy for my everlasting Companion who will not lead a loving Life with me but torment me with the Snake-like Scourges of her Scorpion Furies Now observe here is the crossing of the Eternal Fancy of the Soul if thou call it a Phantasie the Spirit of the Soul must have his Will his desired Object the Virgin Or he will die and that Eternally And the false Mind will enjoy Jezabel the Object of his Love or he will also dye the Eternal Death And so Man lies in a great strait as compassed about with Nets on every side And there is no way to escape the Gulf but by being faithful to his Virgin For tho' Man prove faithful to the said Humane Sorceress yet she will not be true to him but will play the Harlot and defile his Bed in Eternity Therefore O Man poor Wretch consider thy self here Drink Water out of thine own Cistern And running Waters of Eternal Pleasures out of thine own undefiled Virgin Well Let thy Holy Fountain be blessed everlastingly and Rejoyce with the beautiful Maid ef thy ever-flourishing Youth Let her be as the loving Hind and pleasant Roe and let her Breasts satisfie and refresh thee at all times And be thou ravished world without end with her chaste love And why wilt thou be ravished with a strange Woman and embrace the Bosom of a Whore that is common to the evil Demons who will not love the again in truth Go then thy way from this Trull Eat thy Bread of Life in Joy and drink thy heart-chearing Wine of eternal Beatitude with a merry heart For God now if thou art true to his Virgin-Daughter accepteth thy Works For this is the Antepast of Heaven Let thy Garments be always pure clean and white and let thy Head blessed by thy Virgin-Mother lack no Ointment of heavenly Oyl Live joyfully with thy Espoused Virgin whom thou lovest all the days of the Life of thy Vanity which God hath given under the Sun all the days of thy temporal Vanity for that is thy Portion in this Life to thy Labour which thou takest under the Sun of Time and that only is the end of thy Travail and the final Cause of thy Journey which to perform necessity is laid upon thee by the Creator He sets thee upon this Work and Labour to see whether thou wilt love his Virgin-Daughter by the Light of the Sun and not suffer thy self to be blinded by not looking for true Light in the Virgins Face and so be dazled and struck blind for love of an unworthy Guest at her seeming Beauty §. 2. Or there is no third Recovery SIn not against the Virgins holy Spirit for thy Sin will never be forgiven If thou prove faithful to the Virgin here under the Sun of her Light which is pure thou shalt Eternally enjoy her pleasant Aspects and Smiles and loving Communications under the Sun of an ever-shining Light in Heaven Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do in reference to the Nods and Pointings of the Virgin do it with thy might For there is no Work nor Device nor Knowledge nor
HEAVEN The End of Man OR FINAL CAUSE OF THE SOUL's SPIRIT By WILLIAM WILLIAMS Teutonico-Philosopho-Theologus Juvenal Satyr VIII Summum crede nefas animam praeferre pudori viz. Virginis Pudicitiae Et propter vitam vivendi perdere CAVSAS Viz. Deum Efficientem Virginem Formalem Coelum Finalem Causam He that loveth his Life above the end of Life shall lose it LONDON Printed for Eliz. Whitlock in Amen-Corner near Stationers-Hall 1696. READER THou art here presented with a small Tract written in an Uncommon Stile The Author hath been much conversant in and a Studier of the Teutonick Philosophy His Notions which he hath here delivered though somewhat uncouth yet are they not to be rejected He hath express'd himself for the most part in a Metaphorical manner in which the Curious Readers are desired to receive them With this Request Not to permit the Non or Misunderstanding of the Rational Reader if not a little Elevated and more Divinely Enlightned then the unthinking World generally is be imputed as a fault to the Unintelligibleness of the Book it self It is not denied but that somewhat may be Objected against it but what then I know of no Systems of Divinity nor Philosophy exposed to Humane View but there may be Objections raised that cannot by the best Wits be easily if at all Answered It will likewise be expected from him that is so Captious and enviously Critical to set forth something in which will be no Contradiction nor Disconsonancy and then he may more reasonably find fault But as it is improbable nay utterly impossible to please all so the Author expects not to be disliked by all and if what he hath here publish'd please but the best or be profitable to any he hath his end who desires nothing more than the Manifestation of the Truths of God in Nature and Scripture whose aim and end is to be his Servant and every Mans Brother Dum Spiritus hos regit Artus Reader Thou mayst here perceive 1. What Mans Condition was 2. What it is 3. What it ought to be 4. What it ought not to be 5. What it may be if he accept 6. Or if he refuse 7. What it must be if persevere 8. Or if he fall from Grace 9. What it will be in the Bliss 10. Or in the Curse CHap. I. The Souls Antiquity S. 1. Lucifer's Noble Birth 2. Lucifer's Fall 3. His Captivity 4. The Souls Eternity 5. Man now a Subject of Time 6. The Souls Circle 7. Fatal Necessity of the Souls being 8. Gods Repentance 9. His Ballance allows the same event c. 10. All alike relieved by a poor wise Man Chap. II. The Souls Longing 1. Crying Give give 2. Seven-fold Craving 3. The Souls Importunity 4. He desires some real thing 5. It is no Whimsey 6. Atheists Objections Answered 7. By Humane Laws 8. By Religion and Dreams 9. By Loves Passion 10. By the Seven Properties Chap. III. The Souls Allegiance 1. There is a Divine Law 2. It altereth not 3. Yet it is inverted by Man 4. But it must be observed 5. To indulge the good Genius c. 6. It is no indifferent thing 7. Mans Portion from God 8. The Fool neglecteth it 9. And hateth his own flesh 10. No middle state Chap. IV. The Souls Rebellion 1. The Fools Appetite 2. Trust not in Vncertainties 3. The Lawâ—ivers Example 4. His Wisdom 5. Travall appointed to Man 6. Christs Sorrows 7. Mans Ignorance 8. And Mortality 9. Thantasie inverted 10. Soul and Body most sympathize Chap. V. The virgins Suit 1. Mans Meet Hâ—lp 2. Virgin Vertue 3. The Beginnings of Grace 4. The Excellency of Vertue 5. The Gospel of Peace 6. The Pleasantness of Vertue 7. Divine Contemplation 8. The Contentment of Vertue 9. The Acceptable Sacrifice 10. The Authority of Vertue Chap. VI. The Whores Suit 1. The Soul 's Backsliding 2. The Baits of Sin 3. Seven-fold Vice 4. The blind fall headlong 5. The Destruction of the Individuum 6. For spoiling the Souls sport 7. Not propagating the Species 8. Degrading the Soul 9. The Divine Reprover in the Conscience 10. Misery the end of Vice Chap. VII The Virgins Espousal 1. Reconcilement 2. Consecration of the Soul 3. Full Assurance 4. Perfect Liberty 5. Religious Vows 6. Pious Resolution 7. Seven-fold Vertue 8. Seven-fold Reward 9. Grace turned into Wantonness 10. By Double-Heartedness Chap. VIII The Virgins Farewel 1. Beware of falling from Grace 2. For there is no third Recovery 3. Vertue very Rare 4. Christs profered Service slighted 5. A seared Conscience 6. The Tallent given to another 7. The Souls Anguish and 8. Despair 9. Late Repentance 10. Hellish Blasphemy Chap. IX The Souls Rest 1. Where is this Rest 2. Not Gods fault if missed 3. God alloweth Time 4. And Tallents 5. The â—eed sown at Death 6. The Heavenly Feast stays for Man 7. Mans self-enjoyment Gods glory 8. Spoil not the End for the Means 9. Seven fold state in Eternity 10. Heaven Describ'd Chap. X. The Souls Transmigration 1. Christ is the Lawful King 2. His Right to reign in Man 3. False Judgment 4. Retaliation 5. The Souls Metamorphosis 6. Work in time 7. Before the Evil Days come 8. Before a second Apostacy 9. No Redemption out of Hell 10. The Conclusion HEAVEN The End of Man OR FINAL CAUSE OF The SOULS Spirit CHAP. I. The Souls Antiquity The PREFACE THe Words of the Eternal Preacher Son of God King of Heaven Vanity of Vanities saith the Great Prophet Vanity of Vanities All the Labour of Lucifer is Vanity And it is in vain to act against God it shall never prosper What profit hath Lucifer now of all the Labour in opposition to God which he hath taken under the Sun of his Eternity One Generation of Angels hath passed away and another humane off spring comes in their stead But the Kingdom and the Prize which is to be contended for abideth still §. 1. Lucifer's Noble Birth WHen Almighty God was pleased to multiply himself in Generating the holy Angels even the three Throne-Angels from whom again sprung many thousand Millions Lucifer's Dominion stood in the middle betwixt Michael and Vriel And he receiving and partaking of the brightness and beauty of the other two as by reflexive Rays was invested with a most transcâ—ndent Glory and Fairness But when he gazed and looked upon the most excellent Clarity and Beauty of the Son of God and also of his Pure and Blessâ—d Virgin making her self ready as a Bride for the reception of her Husband and when he perceived that this Virgin of God was the most beautiful of the Virgins he took a distaste against his own Virgin whom God had appointed for him as his chaste Consort and fell deeply in love with Gods Queen Virgin desiring to be like her or indeed brighter and fairer than she And was exceeâ—â—liâ—â—ly importunate to unite with and defile her in the Bed of Incest not being content to enjoy her pleasant Aspect and Serenity to
a true time therefore the misery of Man 〈…〉 upon him Now here lies the Great Mâ—â—stery because of Ignorance in the Souls Original and Nobility many a Man becomes a wretched Mâ—screant Nay may some say It is by Gods predestinate purpose that Man is to know and seel pain Yes this is the predestinate purpose of God and the Antient Law of Eternity That whoever would be greater than God and oppose his own Lumour and self-will to Gods will must feel Eternal Pain that proceeds from this chiefly He will gnash his Teeth and eat his own Flesh yea from his own Center shall stream Flashes of burning Brimstone because he will think how he hath fooled himself away by his own Folly when he might have been a Royal Prince So that Ignorance is the cause of Mans Wretchedness Man shuts his Eyes and seeth not how God the Root of Man cannot by any Skill or Device be plucked up And so Man comes to be subject to an evil time and ill chance by breaking himself off from his true Eternal Root § 6. The Soul's Circle THe words of the Preacher the Prophetical Sound the Son of God King of Heaven Prince of Order and Ruler of the seven Worlds One Humane or Angelical Spirit passeth away into its own Place and Lot and another brood cometh into this World in his stead But the Mansion of the Spirit abideth unmoved for ever The Humane Sun ariseth and seems to set out of sight and so Immortal Man seems to be Mortal but he hasteth to the place of Eternity where he arose and wheeleth from one Tropick to another by an uncessant Labor and Eternal Motion The Wind of the Soul goeth towards the South and turneth to the opposite side it whirleth about continually as upon seven Wheels whether moved backward with Lucifer and so remaining still Or returning again according to its Circuits as moved forward by the Divine Motion and Breath All Humane Rivers run into the Ocean of Eternity yet Eternity is never fill'd Vnto the place from whence the Rivers of Generation came thither they return again Some flowing hiddenly to the springing Fountain and some abiding in the restless and tossed State in the Abyss The Son of Man before his External Birth was as it were taking his Rest or a sweet Nap of Repose upon the Brests of the Virgin his dear Mother the holy Bride of God who cometh down from God out of Heaven And there the Eternal Soul was at Rest until his Natural Parents waked him and disturbed his Beatifical Visions His Natural Parents sent for him into this outward Region to see the Beauty of this fair World and to receive the Salutation of a Joyful Welcome thereinto Who as a Birth of Time out of the Matrice of Eternity came very mean simple and helpless into this lower Country even as a most vile sprâ—wling Worm not bearing the least malice to the Creator or any other Creature of the Creation And lived a year ten years or more or perhaps a hundred years and then leaves all in great longing after some New Friends or Beloveds which he had chosen to his Solace in this strange Land § 7. Fatal Necessity of the Soul 's Being BY reason hereof he goes back with an ill will towards his Antient home and parts in great anguish and pain and perhaps in that anguish and despair he Eternally abides and that for following some Lusts and pursuing some Pleasures which he would fain solace his Mind with for a few years in this World and never so much as considered that he must endure a thousand millions of painful years in lieu of that little short pleasure till the hour of Death or rather the time of taking his leave of his Friends being too late And tho' truly the Light of the World be sweet and tho' it be a pleasant thing for the Eyes to behold the Sun of Time yet if a Man live many years and rejoyce in them all let him remember the Days of Darkness for they shall be many All that cometh is Vanity Now then where lies the fault here Here ariseth a great Question Is it any promoting of Gods Honour Joy or Profit that Man must know Pain opposed to Pleasure or be sensible of and really feel in the Practick what Anguish and Torment is I say Doth this increase Gods Joy or Beatitude and as it were perfect the Perfection of the perfect God Some may answer No. But it was God's Will that it should be so Well! Then there must be some Cause wherefore God willed this Evil The Objector may reply He doth all for his Glory If so He confesseth God torments his own Child for his own Glory § 8. Gods Repentance BUt this is a Belying of the Deity and of his Love to the Children of his own Loyns and making of God an unnatural cruel fierce wrathful Judge or Executioner yea crueler than the Savages of the Desert which love their own Issue nay than the very Devils of Hell For alas It is no Glory nor ' Pleasure at all to God to hear that his own dear Children are imprisoned in an Eternal Wilderness where they can never find the way to their Journey 's End their Creator But he counts it a great Loss and Dishonour and cause of Rpentance if we may use that Metaphor that God repenteth that when he views his Brides Room and finds that his Children each one with his Mate are not returned to the Great and Solemn Wedding of his Son He will say Where are all my Children but these It will be answered They have listed themselves Soldiers under another Power and would not come Here again we must be forced to frame another Metaphor to speak or utter these high Mysteries with a humane Tongue For no Grief can ever enter into God nor the loss whereof may vex him if we speak properly God perceiving that his Children took not his Sons Counsel will as it were mourn for them a few days and when the mourning Days shall be ended He will consider that there is no Redemption out of the Jaws of Eternal Death and and so he will for ever forget them And so I considered in mine Heart even to declare all this that tho' Mankind go forth from one Root or Fountain Ocean yet the greatest part comes not back to the same Door or Gate of Enterance into their Antient Resting Place but enter in at a false Door by a gross mistake And being once entred there there is no Recovery because they would not hearken to the Voice of Divine Wisdom and Skill Therefore in a humane sense it is an Addition to God's Glory to see his dear Children returning to Heaven Oh! what hearty and kind Embracing and Welcoming is here Their Ships laden with Divine Treasures and carved with the Story of the Afflictions which happened to them in a strange Land § 9. The same Event to all by allowance of God's Ballance THe Righteous and
thy Beloved more than another Object of Love O thou fairest among the Angelical Virgins What is He more than another that thou dost so charge us O said she My Beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest in my Mind among ten thousand The Humane Soul is a little Incarnation wherein God my Father was pleased to propagate himself The Glorious Son of God himself is an immorâ—al Man His Cheeks are as a Bed of Spices and fragrant Flowers His Lips like Lillies dropping sweet-smelling Myrrh His presence is most lovely He bears the Character of Divine Meekness upon his Aspect This is my Beloved and this is my Friend O ye Daughters of Paradise Whither said they is thy Beloved gone O thou fairest among the Virgins Whiâ—her is He turned aside thaâ— we may seek him with thee For we sympathize with thy sad Mâ—sery My Beloved said she is I believe gone down into his Rural Garden to the Beds of Odours to feed in his fragrant Paradise and to gather Lillies by the Fountains of Living Waters When she had found him he breathed forth these Affections and Passions of Love Thou art beautiful O my Love O fair Sophia O blessed Astrea O Excellent Virgin-Vertue Turn away thine Eyes from me for they have overcome me Thy Hair is is a flock of Gâ—aâ—s appearing on the Mountains of Pleasures Thy Teeth are as a flock of Innocent Sheep which go up from being washed in the Rivers of Chrystalline Purity As a piece of Pomegranate are thy Templâ—s within thy Locks There are threescore Queens and fourscore Concubines the Virgins Hanâ—maiâ—ens and other Virgins without number My Love my undefiled is chief in my Eye She is the onely one of her Virgin Mother in my account She is the choice Darling of â—er that bare her in the Angelical Regions The Daughters of God saw her and blessed her yea the Queens and the Ladies of Honour they praised her Who is she that looketh forth at the Window of true Light which enlightens the Humane House even as the most beautiful Aurora fair as Phoebe and Majestick as the Colours in the Army of Heaven I went down at this saying into the Garden of Paradise to see the Frutis of the Vallies and Savanna 's And to see whether the Heart-chearing Vine flourished and the Pomegranates of the Tree of Pleasure budded as Blossoms of Holiness Or ever I was a ware my Soul made me like the Chariots of Pite Then he called her Saying Return return O Daughâ—er of the Deity Return into thy Retirement that we may look upon thee What will ye see in the Princess As it were the Banner of an Angelical Army §. 5. The Gospel of Peace THE Voice of my Beloved I hear Behold he is coming Leaping upon the Mountains of my Moans and skipping upon the Hill of my Hopes How beautiful upon the Mountains are the Feet of my Shepherd How far more beautiful are thy Feet said He with the Shooes of Gosâ—el-Peace O Princes Daughters Thy message of Meekness is joyful to my Heart Thy Breasts are like two skipping Roes that are Twins No noise of Oppression shall any more Alarm our Holy Land for it is like to be restored to its Primitive Purity Neither need our Fellow-Shepherds dread the sense of Invasion of a Forreign Enemy Priviledges shall be as sacred as Life And our Pastures shall be Levelled as being all in Common The Mountains of Pride shall be debased And every humble Valley exalted Modesty and Innocency will be here Alamode And Simplicity with Loyalty as of old the newest Dress The Pelican in these Golden Ages will not pick wounds in her tender Breasts infeebling her self to relieve her Young Ones Neither will the Ostrich conceal her Eggs dreading the crush of the Wild Beast These are the Halcyon Days prophesied of by the Holy Angels in the Nonâ—ge of Time wherein the Swan will no more sing an Elegy as previous to her Funeral Nor will the Phaenix Fire her Urn to generaâ—e her species Alligators will not be so ravenous as to prey upon Passengers Nor will the Hypocrite-Crocodile dissemble his Tears to moisten the Funeral of his Fellow-Creature In this Countrey all live according to the immemorial Customs thereof by Sympathy For Antipathy is a Stranger to these Borders Here the Hind Calveth without Coruscations Claps of Thunder are not needful to disburden her Neither doth the Bear lick her Cubs into Shape for Deformity is exiled from our Pastures §. 6. The Pleasantness of Vertue BY thee O fair Goddess the Princes of our Countrey Reign How fair and altogether pleasant art thou O Love for Divine Delights O how I delight to walk in the Paths that my Virgin Fair Vertue useâ—h to walk in at her Morning and Evening walks in the cool of the pure Dâ—y of Everlasting Light The King of Mankind is held in the Gâ—lleries This thy Stature is like a Palm-tree And thy Breasts to Cluster fo Grapes I sâ—â—d I will go up to the Palm-Tree of Triumph I will take hold of the Boughs thereof as a Trophy of Victory over the vain World Now also thy Breasts shall be as the Clusters of the Vine of Lise and the smell of thy fair Cheeks like Apples of Paradise And the Odours of thy Mouth like Coelestial Wine of â—â—avenly Reireshment for her Beloved that is pleasant to his Palate causing the Holy Lips of them that sleep in the beatifical Vision to utter Angelical Songs and speak Gods Praise Here we will eat of the Trees of Life and live for ever For in our Pastoral fair Fields no Brambles grow Nor is Sterility known in the Coasts of our Eden The Trees of Knowledge of one pure property look big as burdened with the Fruâ—t of Eternal Life And their blushing Heads bow down to the Courteous Hands that reach them The Holy Earth knows nothing but fulness of prolifick Vertue which nourisheth in it sâ—lf the primaâ—y cause the ends of Germination Whence proceeds the Blossom of the blessed Bud in the new â—â—generation §. 7. Divine Contemplation O My Dove that seemest to lurk in the Clefts of the Rocks in the secret Places of the ascent into Heaven Let us see thy Countenance Let us hear thy Voice for it is sweet And thy Countenance is comely Thou that dwellest faid she in the Rural Gardens garnished with glorious Flowers Thy Companions the Angels hearken to ahy Voice Cause me to hear it Draw me and my Heart will run after thee The Royal Shepherd hath brought me to his Cottage of Clay into his Princely Chambers of Green Flowers We will be glad and rejâ—yce in thee We will remember and think of thy Love more than Wine of Temporary Delights The upright Virgins love thee My Beloved spake and said unto me rise up my Love my Fair one and come away For the Winter in this our Climate while we abide here is eternally past The Tempest of Afflictions is over and gone I suffered many a bitter Night
my Spice with my Myrrh I have prepared my Honey-comb with my Honey I have mingled my Wine with my Milk I nourish a Cow and two Sheep And for the abundance of pure Nectar that they supply me with I never want Soul-refreshment For Honey and Etherial Cream doth every one Eat that is left in this Land of Rest and such Food that is innocently prepared for the Everlasting health of the Soul I will treat thee with the Arabian Aroma's with the Oriental Gems the Palms of Asia the Wine of Pomegranates the American Pine-Apples the most delicious Cordials and the purest Elixir and Quintessential Vertues of Paradise How fair is thy Love my Sister my Spouse How much better is thy Love than Wine Honey and Milk are under thy Tongue and the smell of thy Garments like the odours of the Holy Groves §. 3. Full Assurance O Thou my Souls Joy my Virgin-Solace The smell of thy Vesture is like a fragrant flowering Meadow which the Lord hath Blessed Thy Lips O my Espoused Lady drop as the Honey-comb and the smell of thy Heavenly Ointment is more fragrant than all Spices Therefore come thou fair Object of my Love we will ascend to the Top of the Holy Mount where we shall have a prospect of the Holy Land There the floriferous Hills look big with innocent Flocks and the Fruit-bearing Vallies with lowing Herds supplying the Babes of the new Birth with sincere Milk The winged Aerials in the Vocal Forrests now turn Serenades And every flower and flourishing blossom in the florid Plains perfume the chast Air with most delicious Odorates The pretty Lambs true Pictures of innocent Recreation poor Animals skip upon the Mountains of Pleasure bleating in the Pastures of Purity But the boggy swamps and marishes are crowded with Amphibious Creatures with whom I care not to converse The Hares fly not here for fear For the ravenous Hound in this Countrey finds other Food suitable to his Palate Thy Plants O Divine Vertue are an Orchard of Pomegranates with pleasant Fruits of the Tree of Everlasting Life Saffron and Cinnamon with Frankincense This Fountain that watereth the knots of Paradise this Well-Spring of living Waters springing up in my Soul to Everlasting Life and the Eternal Satisfaction of my fiery chirst these Silver Streams that glide so softly and with their warbling sound and murmuring mâ—lody recreate my tired Pâ—ssion of Love These Rivulets which bound upon the Banks of Eden strewed with odoriferous Gaâ—lands of Prayers and Praises This Field of fair Flowers even all these shall be shut up and sealed to the use of the Divine Nature Let my Beloved kiss me said she with the kisses of his pure Mouth For his Love is better than the chearing Wine of Pomegranates Thy Lips O my Dear Spouse said he drop as with pure Manna Stay me with Flagons of blessed Nectar said she and comfort my Love passion with Pine-Apples of Eternal Life For I am now sick of Love §. 4. Perfect Liberty THen said he inspire the odours of thy Soul-ravishing Breath into my Mouth and Heart and let it eternally breath upon the Fire of Love in my Soul Yes said she I will be thy Eternal Satisfaction and Everlasting Refreshment to thy late-passionate Spirit Let thy left Hand be under my Head and let thy Right Hand of true Love embrace me for ever I will wipe away from thy Eyes all Tears of Sorrows over which thou didst swim as over an Ocean of despair to seek after me and find me to the Joy of thy Heart in this thy Rural Paradise the Suburbs of Heaven So naturally is Innocency planted here that nothing knows its Enemy because no Enemy to know Unity and Harmony are inseparable Companions And every Individuum knows no Argument but Love whose Law is alike forcible to others as the Law of Harmony is united in it self For nothing doth Sorrow nor can any thing grieve in as much as there is no cause of Suffering or desire of Revenge Of late I wished thou wert as a Brother that sucked my Virgin Mothers pure Breasts And now my wish is fulfilled When I should find thee without thy Shepherds Arbour or if I should light upon thee in thy late-forsaken pleasant walks I would be so familiar with thee that I would kiss thee and fill thy Soul with the Odoriferous Myrrh of my Holy Breath Yea now I know and am Confident I should not be despised I will lead and guide thee by the motions of my pure Spirit and by the Inspiration of my Vocal Gale into my Virgin Mothers House Into the Habitation of Gods Holy Bride She will instruct me how to please thee There I will cause thee in token of gratuity for all thy loving Kindnesses and Courtesies which thou hast shown unto thy endeared and faithful Spouse to drink and be refreshed with the spiced Wine which I prepared for thee and the pleasant Juice of my Pomegranate §. 5. Religious Vows I Remember thee and the kindness of thy Youth and the Love of thine espousal When thou wentest after me into the Wilderness into a Land that was not sown Behold thy Time is a Time of Love Behold O Virgin I will enter into Covenant with thee Then said I I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine and his desire is toward me I will anoint thee with Holy Oil I will cloath thee with broidered Work wrought by the Virgins of Heavens I will gird thee with the Linnen of Innocency and cover thee with the Silk of Sincerity I will deck thee with Angelical Ornaments I will put a beautiful Crown upon thy Head I will deck thee with Gold and Gems I will write thy Injuries upon the Dust And thy Kindnesses upon Eternal Marble Thou shalt eat with me in my Fathers Palace fine Flower Honey and Oil And thou shalt be exceeding beautiful and shalt prosper into a Kingdom and thy renown shall go forth among the Heathen for bravery For it shall be perfect and eminent through my comeliness which I will put on thee O Virgins behold the Shepherd behold the humane King go forth O ye Daughters of the Deity And behold him with the Crown wherewith his Mother Gods Eternal Bride crowned him in the Holy Day of his blessed Espousals and the gladness of his Heart for it is the best work that ever he did to make a Covenant and be betrothed to the Virgin fair Vertue if he do not break it Else it will be his Eternal Horrour and cause of Everlasting Repentance if he prove faithless Better it is he should not Vow unto me then Vow and not perform §. 6. Resolution I Gave my Royal Shepherd a Chariot of the Wood Lebanon i. e. white Moon In the Original it is Lebanah and signifies the white Moon of the Coelestial Forrest The Pillars were of Silver the Bottom of Gold the Canopy of Purple the midst thereof being paved with the Love of fair Vertue or pure Pleasure for the Divine