obay 5 Now sith my wandring Bark so far is gone And flitten forth upon the Occan main I thee beseech that just dominion Hast of the Sea and art true Sovereigne Of working phansie when it floats amain With full impregned billows and strong rage Enforceth way upon the boyling plain That thou wouldst steer my ship with wisdome sage That I with happy course may run my watery stage 6 My mind is mov'd dark Parables to sing Of Psyche's progeny that from her came When she was married to that great King Great Aeon who just title well may claim Of every soul and brand them with his name It s He that made us and not our own might But who alas this work can well proclaim We silly sheep cannot bleat out aright The manner how but that that giveth light is light 7 Then let us borrow from the glorious Sun A little light to illustrate this act Such as he is in his solstitiall noon When in the welkin there 's no cloudy tract For to make grosse his beams and light refract Then sweep by all those globes that by reflection His long small shafts do rudely beaten back And let his rayes have undenied projection And so we will pursue this mysteries retection 8 Now think upon that gay discoloured bow That part that is remotest from the light Doth duskish hew to the beholder show The nearer parts have colours far more bright And next the brightest is the subtle light Then colours seem but a distinct degree Of light now failing such let be the sight Of his far spreaden beams that shines on high â—…et vast discoloured orbs close his extremity 9 The last extreme the fardest off from light That 's natures deadly shadow Hyle's cell O horrid cave and womb of dredded Night Mother of witchcraft and the cursed spell Which nothing can avail 'gainst Israel No Magick can him hurt his portion Is not divided nature he doth dwell In light in holy love in union Not fast to this or that but free communion 10 Dependence of this All hence doth appear And severall degrees subordinate But phansie's so unfit such things to clear That oft it makes them seem more intricate And now Gods work it doth disterminate Too far from his own reach But he withall More inward is and far more intimate Then things are with themselves His ideall And centrall presence is in every atom-ball 11 Therefore those different hews through all extend So far as light Let light be every where And every where with light distinctly blend Those different colours which I nam'd whilere The extremities of that far shining sphere And that far shining sphere which centre was Of all those different colours and bright chear You must unfasten so o'respred it has Or rather deeply fill'd with centrall sand each place 12 Now sith that this withouten penetrance Of bodies may be done we clearly see As well as that pendent subordinance The nearly couching of each realtie And the Creatours close propinquitie To ev'ry creature This be understood Of differentiall profundity But for the overspreading latitude Why may 't not equally be stretch'd with th' Ocean floud 13 There Proteus wonnes and fleet Idothea Where the low'st step of that profunditie Is pight Next that is Psyche's out array It Tasis hight Physis is next degree There Psyche's feet impart a smaller fee Of gentle warmth Physis is the great womb From whence all things in th' Universitie Yclad in diverse forms do gaily bloom And after fade away as Psyche gives the doom 14 Next Physis is the tender Arachne There in her subtile loom doth Haphe sit But the last vest is changing Semele And next is Psyches self These garments fit Her sacred limbs full well and are so knit One part to other that the strongest sway Of sharpest axe them no'te asunder smite The seventh is Aeon with eternall ray The eighth Hattove steddy cube allpropping Adonai 15. Upon this universall Ogdoas Is founded every particularment From this same universall Diapase Each harmony is fram'd and sweet consent But that I swerve not farre from my intent This Ogdoas let be an unitie One mighty quickned orb of vast extent Throughly possest of lifes community And so those vests be seats of Gods vitality 16 Now deem this universall round alone And rayes no rayes but a first all-spread light And centrick all like one pellucid Sun A Sun that 's free not bound by natures might That where it lists exerts his rayes outright Both when it lists and what and eke how long And then retracts so as it thinketh meet These rayes be that particular creature-throng Their number none can tell but that all-making tongue 17 Now blundring Naturalist behold the spring Of thy deep-searching soul that fain would know Whether a mortall or immortall thing It be and whence at first it gan to flow And that which chiefest is where it must go Some fixt necessity thou fain wouldst find But no necessity where there 's no law But the good pleasure of an unty'd mind Therefore thy God seek out and leave nature behind 18 He kills He makes alive the keys of hell And death he hath He can keep souls to wo When cruell hands of fate them hence expell Or He in Lethe's lake can drench them so That they no act of life or sense can show They march out at His word and they retreat March out with joy retreat with footing slow In gloomy shade benumm'd with pallid sweat And with their feeble wings their fainting breasts they beat 19 But souls that of his own good life partake He loves as His own self dear as His eye They are to Him He 'll never them forsake When they shall dye then God Himself shall dye They live they live in blest eternity The wicked are not so but like the dirt Trampled by man and beast in grave they ly Filth and corruption is their rufull sort Themselves with death and worms in darknesse they disport 20 Their rotten relicks lurk close under ground With living wight no sense or sympathy They have at all nor hollow thundring sound Of roring winds that cold mortality Can wake ywrapt in sad fatality To horses hoof that beats his grassie dore He answers not The Moon in silency Doth passe by night and all bedew him o're With her cold humid rayes but he feels not heavens poâ—… 21 O dolefull lot of disobedience If God should souls thus drench in Lethe lake But O unspeakable torture of sense When sinfull souls do life and sense partake That those damn'd spirits may the anvils make Of their fell cruelty that lay such blowâ—… That very ruth doth make my heart to quake When I consider of the drery woes And tearing torment that each soul then undergoes 22 Hence the souls nature we may plainly see A beam it is of th' intellectuall sun A ray indeed of that eternity But such a ray as when it first out shone From a free light
sunne the moon the earth blew-glimmering hell Scorch'd Aetna's bowels each bulk you can divine To be in Nature every dern cell With fire-eyed dragons or what else therein doth dweil 23 These be all parts of the wide worlds excesse They be all seated in the Mundane spright And shew just as they are in their bignesse To her But circulation shews not right The magnitude of things for distant site Makes a deficience in these circulings But all things lie ope-right unto the sight Of heavens great eye their thin shot shadowings And lightned sides All this we find in Natures springs 24 The worlds great soul knows by Protopathie All what befalls this lower spright but we Can onely know 't by Deâ—…eropathie At least in sight and hearing She doth see In our own eyes by the close unitie Of ours and the worlds life our passion Plainly perceives our Idiopathie As we do hers by the same union But we cannot see hers in that perfection 25 Fresh varnish'd groves tall hills and gilded clouds Arching an eielid for the gloring morn Fair clustred buildings which our sight so crouds At distance with high spires to heaven yborn Vast plains with lowly cottages forlorn Rounded about with the low wayering skie Cragg'd vapours like to ragged rocks ytorn She views those prospects in our distant eye These and such like be the first centres mysterie 26 Or if you will the first low energie Of that one centre which the soul is hight Which knows this world by the close unitie Concorporation with the Mundane spright Unloos'd from this she wants a certain light Unlesse by true regeneration She be incorporate with God unite With his own spright so a new mansion Sh' has got oft sook with deepest suspiration 27 But robb'd of her first clothing by hard fate If she fall short of this wo's mel what pains She undergoes when this lost former state So kindled hath lifes thirst that still remains Thus her eternitie her nothing gains But hungry flames raging voracitie Feeding on its own self The heavens she stains With execrations and foul blasphemie Thus in foul discontent and smoth'ring fire they frie. 28 Vain man that striv'st to have all things at will What wilt thou do in this sterilitie Whom canst thou then command or what shall fill Thy gaping soul O depth of miserie Prepare thy self by deep humilitie Destroy that fretting fire while thou art here Forsake this worlds bewitching vanitie Nor death nor hell then shalt thou need to fear Kill and cast down thy self to heaven God shall thee rear 29 This middle centrall essence of the soul Is that which still survives asleep or waking The life she shed in this grosse earthly moul Is quite shrunk up lost in the bodies breaking Now with slight phantasms of her own fond making She 's clad so is her life drie and jejune But all flit souls be not in the same taking That state this lifes proportion doth tune So as thou livest here such measure must ensuen 30 But they whose souls deiform summitie Is waken'd in this life and so to God Are nearly joynd in a firm Unitie This outward bodie is but earthie clod Digested having life transfus'd abroad The worlds life and our lower vitalitie Unite in one their souls have their aboad In Christs own body are eternally One with our God by true and strong communitie 31 When we are clothed with this outward world Feel the soft aire behold the glorious Sunne All this we have from meat that 's daily hurld Into these mouthes But first of all we wunne This priviledge by our first union With this worlds body and diffused spright I' th' higher world there 's such communion Christ is the sunne that by his câ—…earing might Awakes our higher rayes to joyn with his pure light 32 And when he hath that life eliciâ—…ed He gives his own dear body and his bloud To drink and eat Thus dayly we are fed Unto eternall life Thus do we bud True heavenly plants suck in our lasting food From the first spring of life incorporate Into the higher world as erst I show'd Our lower rayes the soul to subjugate To this low world we fearlesse sit above all fate 33 Safely that kingdomes glory contemplate O'reflow with joy by a full sympathie With that worlds spright and blesse our own estate Praising the fount of all felicitie The lovely light of the blest Deitie Vain mortalls think on this and raise your mind Above the bodies life strike through the skie With piercing throbs and sighs that you may find His face Base fleshly fumes your drowsie eyes thus blind 34 So hath my Muse according to her skill Discovered the soul in all her rayes The lowest may occasionate much ill But is indifferent Who may dispraise Dame Natures work But yet you ought to raise Your selves to higher state Eternitie Is the souls rest and everlasting dayes Aspire to this and hope for victorie I further yet shall prove her immortalitie THE ARGUMENT OF PSYCHATHANASIA Book 3. Cant. 2. From many arguments we show The independencie Of humane souls That all lives flow From a free Deitie 1 THree apprehensions do my mind divide Concerning the souls preexistencie Before into this outward world she glide So hath my Mule with much uncertaintie Exprest herself so as her phantasie Strongly inacted guides her easie pen I nought obtrude with sowr anxietie But freely offer hints to wiser men The wise from rash assent in darksome things abstein 2 Or souls be well awake but hovering Not fixt to ought but by a Magick might Drawable here and there and so their wing Struck with the steem of this low Mundane spright May lower flag and take its stooping flight Into some plantall man new edified By its own plastick point Or else deep Night Drawn on by drooping phansie it doth slide Into this world and by its self that skill is tried 3 Makes to it self this fleshly habitation For this worlds spirit hath provok'd these rayes Then drown in sleep it works that efformation Of its own body all its parts displayes As doth the senselesse plant The two next wayes Are these A reall tricentreitie First centre ever wakes unmoved stayes Hight Intellect The next in sleep doth lie Till the last centre burst into this open skie 4 And then the middle wakes But the last way Makes but one centre which doth sleep likewise Till its low life hath reach'd this worlds glad day A fourth we 'll adde that we may all comprise Take quite away all preexistencies Of humane souls and grant they 're then first made When they begin this bodies edifice And actually this outward world invade None of these wayes do show that they must ever fade 5 The first way might be well occasioned By what we feel in the souls energies She works sometime as though she quite had fled All commerce with this bulks vitalities Yet falls she down at last and lowly lies In this base mansion is so
life invade With glowing heat and eateth out that spot This dreadfull triall many hath dismaid When Autaparnes saw this was his lot â—…ear did his sense benumme he wox like earthly clot 54 In solemn silency this vapour rose From this dread dale and hid the eastern sky With its deep darknesse and the evening close Forestall'd with Stygian obscurity Yet was 't not thick nor thin nor moist nor dey Nor stank it ill nor yet gave fragrant smell Nor did't take in through pellucidity The penetrating light nor did't repell Through grosse opacity the beams of Michael 55 Yet terrible it is to Psyche's brood That still retain the life Daemoniake Constraining fear calls in their vitall flood When the drad Magus once doth mention make Of the deep dark abysse for fear they quake At that strong-awing word But they that die Unto self-feeling life naught shall them shake Base fear proceeds from weak Autopathy This dale hight Ain the fumes hight Anautaesthesy 56 Into this dismall dale we all descend Here Autaeparnes and Hypomene Their languid life with that dark vapour blend Thus perished fading vitality But nought did fade of lifes reality When these two old ones their last gasp had fer In this drad valley their dead corps did lie But what could well be sav'd to Simon flet Here Simon first became spotlesse Anautaesthet 68 When we had waded quite through this deep shade We then appeard in bright Theoprepy Here Phoebus ray in straightest line was laid That earst lay broke in grosse consistency Of cloudy substance For strong sympathy Of the divided natures magick band Was burnt to dust in Anautaesthesie Now there 's no fear of deaths dart-holding hand Fast love fixt life firm peace in Theoprepia land 69 When Mnemon hither came he leaned back Upon his seat and a long time respired When I perceiv'd this holy Sage so slack To speak well as I might I him desired Still to hold on if so he were not tired And tell what fell in blest Theoprepy But he nould do the thing that I required Too hard it is said he that kingdomes glee To show who list to know himself must come and see 70 This story under the cool shaddowing beach Old Mnemon told of famous Dizoie To set down all he said passeth my reach That all would reach even to infinity Strange things he spake of the biformity Of the Dizoians what mongrill sort Of living wights how monstrous shap'd they be And how that man and beast in one consort Goats britch mans tongue goose head with monki's mouth distoâ—… 71 Of Centaures Cynocephals walking trees Tritons and Mermaydes and such uncouth things Or weeping Serpents with fair womens eyes Mad making waters sex trans-forming springs Of foul Circean swine with golden rings With many such like falshoods but the straight Will easly judge all crooked wandrings Suffice it then we have taught that Ruling-right The good is uniform the evil infinite ΨΥΞΑΘΑÎΑΣΙΑ PLATONICA OR Platonicall Poem of the Immortality of Souls especially Mans Soul By H. M. Master of Arts and Fellow of Christs Colledge in Cambridge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Empedocles Omnia mutantur nihil interit Ovid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Trismegist CAMBRIDGE Printed by Roger Daniel Printer to the Universitie 1642. THE PREFACE TO THE READER THe very nerves and sinews of Religion is hope of immortality What greater incitement to virtue and justice then eternall happinesse what greater terriculament from wickednesse then a full perswasion of after-judgement and continuall torture of spirit But my labour is superfluous Men from their very childhood are perswaded of these things Verily I fear how they are perswaded of them when they become men Else would not they vvhom the fear of hell doth not affright die so unvvillingly nor vvicked men so securely nor vvould so many be vvicked For even naturall-providence vvould bid them look forvvard Beside some men of a melancholick temper vvhich commonly distrust and suspicion do accompany though othervvise pious yet out of an exceeding desire of eternall being think they can never have security enough for this so pleasing hope and expectation and so even vvith anxiety of mind busie themselves to prove the truth of that strongly vvhich they desire vehemently to be true And this body vvhich dissolution vvaits upon helpeth our infidelity exceedingly For the soul not seeing it self judgeth it self of such a nature as those things are to which she is nearest united Falsly saith but yet ordinarily I am sick I am weak I faint I die when it is nough but the perishing life of the body that is in such plight to which she is so close tied in most intimate love and sympathy So a tender mother if she see a knife struck to her childs heart would shreek and swound as if her self had been smit whenas if her eye had not beheld that spectacle she had not been moved though the thing were surely done So I do verily think that the mind being taken up in some higher contemplation if it should please God to keep it in that ecstasie the body might be destroyed without any disturbance to the soul. For how can there be or sense or pain without animadversion But while we have such continuall commerce with this frail body it is not to be expected but that we shall be assaulted with the fear of death and darknesse For alas how few are there that do not make this visible world their Adonai their stay and sustentation of life the prop of their soul their God How many Christians are not prone to whisper that of the Heathen Poet Soles occidere redire possunt Nobis cùm semel occidit brevis lux Nox est perpetua una dormienda The Sunne may set and rise again If once sets our short light Deep sleep us binds with iron chain Wrapt in eternall Night But I would not be so injurious as to make men worse then they are that my little work may seem of greater use and worth then it is Admit then that men are most what perswaded of the souls immortality yet here they may reade reasons to confirm that perswasion and be put in mind as they reade of their end and future condition which cannot be but profitable at least For the pleasure they 'll reap from this Poem it will be according as their Genius is fitted for it For as Plato speaks in his Io 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or according to the more usuall phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The spirit of every Poet is not alike nor his writings alike suteable to all dispositions As Io the reciter of Homers verses professeth himself to be snatcht away with an extraordinary fury or ecstacie at the repeating of Homers Poesie but others so little to move him that he could even fall asleep So that no man is rashly to condemn another mans labour in this kind because he is not taken with
My softer heart I need no longer wait Lo now new strength my vitalls doth invade And rear again that earst began to fade My life my light my senses all revive That fearfull doubts before had ill apaid Leap in my soul and strongly fore thee drive The fleeting waves and when thee list to th' bottome dive 3 For thou canst dive full well and flote aloft Dive down as deep as the old Hyle's shade Through that slight darknesse glid'st thou sly and soft Through pitchy cumbring fogs strongly canst wade Nor in thy flight could'st thou be ever staid If in thy flight thou flewedst not from him That for himself thine excellent might hath made Contract desire repulse strong Magick steem Then even in foul Cocytus thou mayest fearlesse swim 4 Like that strange uncouth fish Lucerna hight Whose wonne is in the brackish Seas yet fire She easily carries and clear native light In her close mouth and the more to admire In darkest night when she lists to aspire To th' utmost surface of the watery main And opes her jawes that light doth not expire But lively shines till she shut up again Nor liquid Sea nor moistned aire this light restrain 5 Or like a lamp arm'd with pellucid horn Which ruffling winds about do rudely tosse And felly lash with injury and scorn But her mild light they cannot easly crosse She shines to her own foes withouten losse Even so the soul into its self collected Or in her native hew withouten drosse In midst of bitter storms in noâ—… ejected Nor her eternall state is any whit suspected 6 As Cynthia in her stouping Perigee That deeper wades in the earths duskish Cone Yet safely wallows through in silency Till she again her silver face hath shown And tells the world that she 's the self-same Moon Not now more listlesse then I was whileare When I was hid in my Apogeon For I my self alike do alwayes bear In every circling race blind ignorance breeds fear 7 Nor being hid after my monthly wane Long keppen back from your expecting sight Dull damps and darknesse do my beauty stain When none I show then have I the most light Nearer to Phoebus more I am bedight With his fair rayes And better to confute All vain suspicion of my worser plight Mark aye my face after my close salute With that sharp-witted God seem I not more acute 8 This is the state of th' ever-moving soul Whirling about upon its circling wheel Certes to sight it variously doth roll And as men deem full dangerously doth reel But oft when men fear most it self doth feel In happiest plight conjoin'd with that great Sun Of lasting blisse that doth himself reveal More fully then by that close union Though men that misse her here do think her quite undone 9 But lest we rashly wander out too farre And be yblown about with wanton wind Withouten stern or card or Polar starre In its round little list so close confin'd Let the souls nature first be well defin'd Then we 'll proceed But all the while I crave When e'r I speak ' cording to Plato's mind That you my faultlesse drift do not deprave For I the free-born soul to no sect would inslave 10 Divers conceipts the wizards of old time Have had concerning that we here inquire And would set forth in an eternall rhyme But we list not our dainty Muse to tire In such foul wayes and plunge her in the mire Strange dreams their drowsie scholars they have taught The heart the heart-blood brains fleet aire hot fire To be the thing that they so presly sought Some have defin'd some temper some aâ—…omes some nought 11 But I must needs decline this wandring path For well I wote errour is infinite But he that simple truth once reached hath Needs not with every single shade to fight One stroke will put all falsities to flight So soon as Sol his fiery head doth rear Above the Eastern waves his glowing sight As angry darknesse so long rule did bear Straight all night trifling sprights doth chace away with fear 12 Long have I swonk with anxious assay To finden out what this hid soul may be That doth herself so variously bewray In different motions Other we her see When she so fairly spreads the branching tree Other when as sh' hath loos'd her self from ground And opes her root and breaths in heaven free And doth her wants in the wide air resound Speaks out her joy no longer whispers under-ground 13 Such is the noise of chearfull chirping birds That tell the sweet impressions of the Spring Or 'fore some storm when their quick sprights be stird With nearer strong appulse and hid heaving That fills their little souls and makes them sing Puft up with joy and o'rflowing delight Eftsoons with ratling winds the air doth ring The sturdy storm doth make them take their flight Into thick bush or hedge to save them from heavens spight 14 From this same sourse of sense are murmuring moans Of bellowing bullocks when sharp hunger bites Hence whining dog so pittifully groans When as with knotted whip his Lord him smites And every beast when with death pangs he fights But senslesse trees nor feel the bleaker wind That nip their sides nor the Suns scorching might Nor the sharp ax piercing their ruggid rind Yet have they soul whose life in their sweet growth we find 15 So plants spring up flourish and fade away Not marking their own state They never found Themselves when first they ' pear'd in sunny day Nor never sought themselves though in the ground They search full deep Nor are they wak'd by wound Of biting iron to nought they are attent That them befalls when cold humours abound And clog their vitall heat or when they 're brent With Sirius flame or when through eld they waxen faint 16 Or whatsoever diseases them betide That hasten death they nought at all regard But when to plantall life quick sense is ti'd And progging phansie then upon her guard She gins to stand and well her self to ward From foes she plainly feels pursues her joy Remembers where she well or ill hath â—…r'd Or swiftly flies from that that doth annoy Or stoutly strives her fierce destroyer to destroy 17 Thus have we run thorow these two degrees Of the souls working seen in beast and plant The third hight reason of common energies The best of this the humane race doth vaunt As proper to themselves But if we skaâ—…'t Saâ—…s prejudice it 's not in them alone The dog the horse the ape the elephant Will all rush in striving to make up one And sternly claim their share in use of right reason 18 But whether brutes do reason and reflect Upon their reasoning I 'll not dispute Nor care I what brisk boyes will here object Long task it were all fondlings to confute But I 'll lay down that which will better sute With that high heavenly spark the soul of man His proper character I would he
reason proves And sith that in an instant round he roves The same doth hap in each Meridian line For in his instantaneous removes He in them all at once doth fairly shine Nor that large stretchen space his freenesse can confine 12 The Sunne himself at once stands â—…n each point Of his diurnall circle Thus we see That rest and motion cannot be disjoynt When motion 's swift even to infinitie Here contrarieties do well agree Eternall shade and everlasting light With one another here do well complie Instant returns of Night make one long Night Wherefore infinitie is freedome infinite 13 No hinderance to ought that doth arrive To this free camp of fair Elysium But nearer that to Hyle things do dive They are more pent and find much lesser room Thus sensuall souls do find their righteous doom Which Nemesis inflicts when they descend From heavenly thoughts that from above do come To lower life which wrath and grief attend And scorching lust that do the souls high honour blend 14 Wherefore the soul cut off from lowly sense By harmlesse fate far greater libertie Must gain for when it hath departed hence As all things else should it not backward hie From whence it came but such divinitie Is in our souls that nothing lesse then God Could send them forth as Plato's schools descrie Wherefore when they retreat a free abode They 'll find unlesse kept off by Nemesis just rod. 15 But if kept off from thence where is she then She dwells in her own self there doth reside Is her own world and more or lesse doth pen Her self as more or lesse she erst did side With sense and vice while here she did abide Steril defect and nere obtaind desire Create a cone whose Cusp is not more wide Then this worlds Cone Here close-contracted fire Doth vex doth burn doth scorch with searching heat ire 16 Nor easly can she here fall fast asleep To slake her anguish and tormenting pain What drisling mists may here her senses steep What foggie fumes benumb her moistned brain The flitten soul no sense doth then retain And sleep ariseth from a sympathie With these low sprights that in this bulk remain But when from these the soul is setten free What sleep may bind her from continuall energie 17 Here they 'll replie It is not a grosse sleep That binds the soul from operation But sith that death all phantasms clean doth wipe Out of the soul she no occasion Can have of Will or Intellection The corpse do rot the spirit wide is spread And with the Mundane life fallen into one So then the soul from these quite being fled Unmov'd of ought must lie sunk in deep drowsihead 18 Nought then she hath whereon to contemplate Her ancient phantasms melt and glide away Her spright suck'd back by all-devouring fate And spread abroad those forms must needs decay That were therein imprinted If they stay Yet sith the soul from them is disunite Into her knowledge they can never ray So wants she objects the mind to excite Wherefore asleep she lies wrapt in eternall Night 19 To which I answer though she corporate VVith no world yet by a just Nemesis Kept off from all yet she thus separate May oft be struck with potent rayes transmisse From divers worlds that with such mockeries Kindling an hungry fire and eagre will They do the wretched soul but Tantalize And with fierce choking flames and furie fill So vext that if she could in rage herself she 'd kill 20 If any doubt of this perplexitie And think so subtil thing can suffer nought What 's gnawing conscience from impietie By highest parts of humane soul ywrought For so our very soul with pain is fraught The body being in an easie plight Through all the senses when you have presly sought In none of them you 'll find this sting empight So may we deem this dart the soul it self to hit 21 Again when all the senses beybound In sluggish sloth the soul doth oft create So mighty pain so cruelly doth wound It self with tearing torture such a state Brings on herself that none could tolerate Which must be in herself for once return'd Unto her body new resuscitate From sleep remembring well how erst she mourn'd Marvels how all so soon to peace and ease is turn'd 22 Wherefore the soul it self receiveth pain From her own self withouten sympathie With something else whose miserie must constrain To deep compassion So if struck she be With secret ray or some strong energie Of any world or lives that there remain She 's kept awake Besides fecunditie Of her own nature surely doth contain Innate Idees This truth more fully I 'll explain 23 Strong forward bearing will or appetite A never wearied importunitie Is the first life of this deep centrall spright Thus thrusts she forth before her some Idee Whereby herself now actuall she doth see Her mighty Fiat doth command each form T' appear As did that ancient Majestie This world of old by his drad Word â—…Form And made the soul of man thus divine Deiform 24 Thus in a manner the humane soul creates The image of her will When from her centre Her pregnant mind she fairly explicates By actuall forms and so doth safely enter To knowledge of her self Flush light she sendeth forth and live Idees Those be the glasse whereby the soul doth paint her Sweet centrall love sends out such forms as please But centrall hate or fear foul shapes with evill ease 25 The manner of her life on earth may cause Diversity of those eruptions For will desire or custome do dispose The soul to such like figurations Propension brings imaginations Unto their birth And oft the soul le ts fly Such unexpected eructations That she her self cannot devisen why Unlesse she do ascribe it to her pregnancy 26 It is an argument of her forms innate Which blazen out perchance when none descry This light is lost sense doth so radiate With Mundane life till this poore carcase die As when a lamp that men do sitten by In some wide hall in a clear winter night Being blown out or wasted utterly Unwares they find a sly still silver light The moon the wall or pavement with mild raies hath dight 27 So when the oyl of this low life is spent Which like a burning lamp doth waste away Or if blown out by fate more violent The soul may find an unexpected ray Of light not from full faced Cynthia But her own fulnesse and quick pregnancy Unthought of life her Nature may display Unto her self not by forc'd industry But naturally it sprouts from her fecundity 28 Now sith adversion is a property So deeply essentiall to the rationall soul This light or life from her doth not so fly But she goes with it as it out doth roll All spirits that arround their raies extoll Possesse each point of their circumference Presentially Wherefore the soul so full Of life when it raies out with presse presence
Oretakes each outgone beam apprends it by advertence 29 Thus plainly we perceive the energie Of the departed soul if we could find Strong reason to confirm th' innate idee Essentiall forms created with the mind But things obscure no'te easly be defind Yet some few reasons I will venture at To show that God's so liberall and kind As when an humane soul he doth create To fill it with hid forms and deep idees innate 30 Well sang the wise Empedocles of old That earth by earth and sea by sea we see And heaven by heaven and fire more bright than gold By flaming fire so gentle love descry By love and hate by hate And all agree That like is known by like Hence they confesse That some externall species strikes the eye Like to its object in the self-same dresse But my first argument hence I 'll begin to presse 31 If like be known by like then must the mind Innate idolums in it self contain To judge the forms she doth imprinted find Upon occasions If she doth not ken These shapes that flow from distant objects then How can she know those objects a dead glasse That light and various forms do gaily stain Set out in open streets shapes as they passe As well may see Lutes heare each foaming diapase 32 But if she know those species outsent From distant objects tell me how she knows These species By some other You nere ment To answer so For straight the question goes Unto another and still forward flows Even to infinity Doth the object serve Its image to the mind for to disclose This answer hath as little sense or nerve Now reel you in a circle if you well observe 33 Wherefore no ascititious form alone Can make us see or hear but when this spright That is one with the Mundane's hit upon Sith all forms in our soul be counite And centrally lie there she doth beget Like shapes in her own self that energie By her own centrall self who forth it let Is view'd Her centrall omniformity Thus easly keepeth off needlesse infinity 34 For the quick soul by it self doth all things know And sith withouten apt similitude Nought's known upon her we must needs bestow Essentiall centrall forms that thus endew'd With universall likenesse ever transmew'd Into a representing energie Of this or that she may have each thing view'd By her own centrall self-vitality Which is her self-essentiall omniformity 35 If plantall souls in their own selves contain That vitall formative fecundity That they a tree with different colour stain And divers shapes smoothnesse asperity Straightnesse acutenesse and rotundity A golden yellow or a crimson red A varnish'd green with such like gallantry How dull then is the sensitive how dead If forms from its own centre it can never spread 36 Again an Universall notion What object ever did that form impresse Upon the soul What makes us venture on So rash a matter as ere to confesse Ought generally true when neverthelesse We cannot ever runne through all singulars Wherefore in our own souls we do possesse Free forms and immateriall characters Hence 't is the soul so boldly generall truth declares 37 What man that is not dull or mad would doubt Whether that truth for which Pythagoras When he by subtile studdy found it out Unto the Muses for their helping grace An Hecatomb did sacrifice may passe In all such figures wheresoever they be Yet all Rectangle Triangles none has Viewed as yet none all shall ever see Wherefore this free assent is from th' innate idee 38 Adde unto these incorporeity Apprehended by the soul when sense nere saw Ought incorporeall Wherefore must she From her own self such subtile idols draw Again this truth more clearly still to know Let 's turn again to our Geometry What body ever yet could figure show Perfectly perfect as rotundity Exactly round or blamelesse angularity 39 Yet doth the soul of such like forms discourse And finden fault at this deficiency And rightly term this better and that worse Wherefore the measure is our own idee Which th' humane soul in her own self doth see And sooth to sayeâ—… when ever she doth strive To find pure truth her own profundity She enters in her self doth deeply dive From thence attempts each essence rightly to descrive 40 Last argument which yet is not the least Wise Socrates dispute with Theaetete Concerning learning fitly doth suggest A midwifes sonne ycleeped Phenarete He calls himself Then makes a quaint conceit That he his mothers trade did exercise All witlesse his own self yet well did weet By his fit questions to make others wise A midwife that no'te bear anothers birth unties 41 Thus jestingly he flung out what was true That humane souls be swoln with pregnancy Of hidden knowledge if with usage due They were well handled they each verity Would bringen forth from their fecunditie Wise framed questions would facilitate This precious birth stirre up th' inward idee And make it streme with light from forms innate Thus may a skilfull man hid truth clicitate 42 What doth the teacher in his action But put slight hints into his scholars mind Which breed a solemn contemplation Whether such things be so but he doth find The truth himself But if truth be not sign'd In his own soul before and the right measure Of things propos'd in vain the youth doth wind Into himself and all that anxious leasure In answering proves uselesse without that hid treasure 43 Nor is his masters knowledge from him flit Into his scholars head for so his brain In time would be exhaust and void of wit So would the sory man but little gain Though richly paid Nor is 't more safe to sain As fire breeds fire art art doth generate The soul with Corporeity 't would stain Such qualities outwardly operate The soul within her acts there closely circulate 44 Wherefore the soul it self by her idee Which is her self doth every thing discover By her own Centrall omniformity Brings forth in her own self when ought doth move her Till mov'd a dark indifferency doth hover But fierce desire and a strong piercing will Makes her those hidden characters uncover Wherefore when death this lower life shall spill Or fear or love the soul with actuall forms shall fill THE ARGUMENT OF ANTIPSYCHOPANNYCHIA Cant. 3. Departed souls by living Night Suckt in for pinching wo No'te sleep or if with God unite For joyes with which they flow 1 MY hardest task is gone which was to prove That when the soul by death's cut off from all Yet she within her self might live and move Be her own world by life imaginall But sooth to sain 't seems not so naturall For though a starre part of the Mundane spright Shine out with rayes circumferentiall So long as with this world it is unite Yet what 't would do cut off so well we cannot weet 2 But sith our soul with God himself may meet â—…nacted by his life I cannot see
partake Whether who liv'd like plant or grazing sheep Who of nought else but sloth and growth doth taken keep 38 Whose drooping phansie never flowred out Who relish'd nought but this grosse bodies food Who never entertaind an active thought But like down-looking beasts was onely mov'd To feed themselves whither this drousie mood So drench the lowring soul and inly sleep That she lies senselesse drownd in Lethe floud Who will let dive into this mysterie deep Into such narrow subtilties I list not creep 39 But well I wote that wicked crueltie Hate envie malice and ambition Bloud-sucking zeal and lawlesse tyrannie In that Nocturnall spright shall have their wonne Which like this world admits distinction But like will like unto it strongly draw So every soul shall have a righteous doom According to our deeds God will bestow Rewards Unto the cruell he 'll no mercie show 40 Where 's Nimrod now and dreadfull Hannibal Where 's that ambitious pert Pellean lad Whose pride sweld bigger then this earthly ball Where 's cruel Nero with the rest that had Command and vex'd the world with usage bad They 're all sunk down into this nether hell Who erst upon the Nations stoutly strad Are now the Devils footstool His drad spell Those vassals doth command though they with furie swell 41 Consuming anguish styptick bitternesse Doth now so strangle their imperious will That in perpetuall disquietnesse They roll and rave and roar and rage their fill Like a mad bull that the slie hunters skill Hath caught in a strong net But more they strive The more they kindle that tormenting ill Woe 's me in what great miserie they live Yet wote I not what may these wretched thralls relieve 42 The safest way for us that still survive Is this even our own lust to mortifie So Gods own Will will certainly revive Thus shall we gain a perfect libertie And everlasting life But if so be We seek our selves with ardent hot desire From that Infernall Night we are not free But living Hell will kindle a fierce fire And with uncessant pains our vexed soul will tire 43 Then the wild phansie from its horrid wombe Will senden forth foul shapes O horrid sight Overgrown toads fierce serpents thence will come Red-scaled Dragons with deep burning light In their hollow eye-pits With these she must fight Then thinks her self ill wounded sorely stung Old fulsome hags with scabs and skurf bedight Foul tarry spittle tumbling with their tongue On their raw lether lips these near will to her clung 44 And lovingly salute against her will Closely embrace and make her mad with wo She 'd lever thousand times they did her kill Then force her such vile basenesse undergo Anon some Giant his huge self will show Gaping with mouth as vast as any cave With stony staring eyes and footing slow She surely deems him her live-walking grave From that dern hollow pit knows not her self to save 45 After a while tost on the Ocean main A boundlesse sea she finds of misery The fiery snorts of the Leviathan That makes the boyling waves before him fly She hears she sees his blazing morn-bright eye If here she scape deep gulfs and threatning rocks Her frighted self do straightway terrifie Steel-coloured clouds with rattling thunder knocks With these she is amaz'd and thousand such like mocks 46 All which afflict her even like perfect sense For waxen mad with her sore searching pain She cannot easly find the difference But toils and tears and tugs 〈◊〉 all in vain Her self from her own self she cannot strain Nocturnall life hath now let ope th' idee Of innate darknesse from this fulsome vein The soul is fill'd with all deformity But Night doth stirre her up to this dread energie 47 But here some man more curious then wise Perhaps will ask where Night or Hell may be For he by his own self cannot devise Sith chearfull light doth fill the open sky And what 's the earth to the souls subtilty Such men I 'd carry to some standing pool Down to the water bid them bend their eye They then shall see the earth possest and full Of heaven dight with the sunne or starres that there do roll 48 Or to an hill where 's some deep hollow cave Dreadfull for darknesse let them take a glasse When to the pitchie hole they turned have Their instrument that darknesse will find place Even in the open sunne-beams at a space Which measures twice the glasses distancy From the caves mouth This well discovered has How Hell and Heaven may both together lie Sith darknesse safely raies even in the sunnie skie 49 But cease my restlesse Muse be not so free Thy chiefest end thou hadst accomplished Long since shak'd of the Psychopannychie And rouz'd the soul from her dull drousiehead So nothing now in death is to be dred Of him that wakes to truth and righteousnesse The bulk lies here the soul aloft is fled Unto the fount of perfect happinesse Full freedome joy and peace she lively doth possesse The Argument of ANTIMONOPS YC HIA. The all-devouring Unity Of souls I here disprove Show how they bear their memory With them when they remove 1 WHo yields himself to learning and the Muse Is like a man that leaves the steddy shore And skims the sea He nought then can refuse What ever is design'd by Neptunes power Is fiercely drove in every stormy stoure Slave to the water and the whisling wind Even so am I that whylom meant recover The wished land but now against my mind Am driven fiercely back and so new work do find 2 What though the Rationall soul immortall be And safely doth exist this bulk being gone And then existing hath full energie Perfectly wake if all souls be but one Or though a number if oblivion Of all things past put them in such a state That they can no-wise guesse that ere upon This earth they trode even this seems to abate Their happinesse They 'll deem themselves then first create 3 Wherefore to ease us of this double doubt With mighty force great Phoebus doth inspire My raving mind He 'll bear me strongly out Till I have perfected his own desire Nor will he suffer me once to respire Till I have brought this song unto an end O may it be but short though a quick fire Such rage and rapture makes the body bend Doth waste its fading strength and fainting spirits spend 4 Now comes the story of Praxitele Into my mind whom looking in a glasse With surly countenance it did much displease That any should so sourely him outface Yet whom he saw his dogged self it was Tho he with angry fist struck his own shade Thus he the harmlesse miroir shattered has To many shivers the same shapes invade Each piece so he a many surly sad faces made 5 These shapes appeard from the division Of the broke glasse so rasher phansies deem The Rationall soul whom they suppose but one By the divided matter many
God then they alone Did make themselves and every rolling starre For God alone made these and God himself they are 23 Before the Sunne and all the host of heaven The earth the sea and mans deep centrall spright Before all these were made was not God even With his own self what then him moven might To waste his words and say Let there be light If the accomplishment of all things be That all be God himself This is not right No more perfection no more energie There will be then then at the former nullity 24 Or will you say that God himself delights To do and undo But how can this stand With self-sufficiency There 's nought that might Adde to his happinesse if I understand His Nature right But he with open hand Doth easly feed the Creature that he made As easly Wherefore if the truth be scand This Goodnesse would that nought should be decay'd His mind is all should live no life he would should fade 25 But if the finall consummation Of all things make the Creature Deiform As Plato's school doth phrase it there is none That thence need fear to come to any harm For God himself will then inact inform And quicken humane souls at the last day And though the devill rore and rage and storm Yet deaths drad power shall be done away Nor living Night on men its poysonous beams shall ray 26 He hasten it that makes that glorious day For certainly it is no fearfull thing But unto pride and love of this base clay It 's their destruction but the perfecting Of the just souls It unto them doth bring Their full desire to be more close unite With God and utter cleans'd from all their sin Long was the world involv'd in cloudy Night But at the last will shine the perfect Christian light 27 Thus the souls numerous plurality I have prov'd and shew'd she is not very God But yet a decent Deiformity Have given her thus in the middle trod I safely went and fairly well have row'd As yet Part of my voyage is to come Which is to prove that the souls new aboad In heaven or hell what ever is her doom Nought hinders but past forms even there again may bloom 28 Which if they did not she could never tell Why she were thus rewarded wherefore â—…ll Or good she doth enjoy whether ill or well She lived here Remembrance death did spill But otherwise it fares as was her will And inclination of her thirsty spright Impressions of like nature then doth fill Her lively mind whether with sad affright Disturb'd which she long feard or in hop'd-for delight 29 The life that here most strongly kindled was Sith she awakes in death must needs betray The soul to what nearest affinity has With her own self and likenesses do sway The mind to think of what ever did play In her own self with a like shape or form And contraries do help the memory So if the soul be left in case forlorn Remembrance of past joy makes her more deeply mourn 30 'T is also worth our observation That higher life doth ever comprehend The lower energie sensation The soul some fitten hint doth promptly lend To find out plantall life sense is retaind In subtiller manner in the phantasie Al 's reason phantasies doth well perpend Then must the highest of all vitality Contain all under life Thus is there Memory 31 This faculty is very intimate And near the Centre very large and free Extends it self to whatsoever that The soul peracts There is no subtilty Of Intellect of Will no energy Of Sense nor uncouth strange impression From damned Night or the blest Deity But of all these she hath retention And of their former being makes a prompt agnition 32 This memorie the very bond of life You may well deem If it were cut away Our being truly then you might contrive Into a point of time The former day Were nought at all to us when once we lay Our selves to sleep we should not know at morn That e're we were before nor could we say A whit of sense so soon as off we turn One word that 's quite forgot Coherence thus is torn 33 Now sith it is of such necessitie And is the bundle of the souls duration The watchman of the soul lest it should flie Or steal from its own self a sure fixation And Centrall depth it hath and free dilation That it takes notice of each energie Of intellect sense or imagination Wherefore this virtue no dependencie Hath of this body must be safe when it doth die 34 But if dispersed lifes collection Which is our memorie safely survive Which well it may sith it depends not on The Mundane spirit what can fitly drive It into action In heaven it doth live So full of one great light it hath no time To such low trifles as past sights to dive Such as she gathered up in earthly slime Foreknowledge of herself is lost in light divine 35 But can she here forget our radiant Sunne Of which its maker is the bright idee This is her shadow or what she hath done Now she 's rewarded with the Deitie Suppose it Yet her lifes Centralitie So sprightly's quickned with near Union With God that now wish'd-for vitalitie Is so encreas'd that infinitely sh' has fun Herself her deep'st desire unspeakably hath wonne 36 And deep desire is the deepest act The most profound and centrall energie The very selfnesse of the soul which backt With piercing might she breaks out forth doth flie From dark contracting death and doth descrie Herself unto herself so thus unfold That actuall life she straightwayes saith is I. Thus while she were in this live bulk infold Of this low life as of herself oft tales she â—…old 37 In dangerous sicknesse often saith I die When nought doth die but the low plantall man That falls asleep and while Nature â—…oth tie The soul unto the body she nere can Avoid it but must feel the self-same pain The same decay if hereto she her mind Do bend When stupid cold her corse â—…reran She felt that cold but when death quite doth bind The sense then she herself doth dead and senselesse find 38 Or else at least just at the enterance Of death she feels that slie privation How now it spreads ore all so living sense Perceives how sleep creeps on till quite o'recome With drousinesse animadversion Doth cease but lower sense then fast ybound The soul bestoweth her adversion On something else So oft strange things hath found In sleep from this dull carcase while she was unbound 39 So though the soul the time she doth advert The bodies passions takes her self to die Yet death now finish'd she can well convert Herself to other thoughts And if the eye Of her adversion were fast sixt on high In midst of death 't were no more fear or pain Then 't was unto Elias to let flie His uselesse mantle to that Hebrew Swain While he
75 Right well you say then said that Iusty Swain Yet this poore couple be my Parents dear Nor I can hence depart without these twain These twain give life to me though void of chear They be themselves Then let 's all go yfere The young mans speech caus'd sad perplexity Within my breast but yet I did forbear And fairly ask'd their names He answered me â—…c Autaparnes hight but she Hypomene 76 I Simon am the sonne of this sad pair Who though full harsh they seem to outward sight Yet when to Dizoie men forth do fare No company in all the land so meet They find as these their pacefull well I weet Is very slow and so to youthfull haste Displeasing and their counsells nothing sweet To any Beironite but sweetest taste Doth bitterst choler breed and haste doth maken waste 77 Nor let that breast impierc'd with dropping wound An uncouth spectacle disturb your mind His blood 's my food If he his life effund To utmost death the high God hath design'd That we both live He in my heart shall find A seat for his transfused soul to dwell And when that 's done this death doth eke unbind That heavie weight that doth Hypom'ne quell Then I Anaut aesthetus hight which seems me well 78 So both their lives do vanish into mine And mine into Hattubus life doth melt Which fading flux of time doth not define Nor is by any Autaesthesian felt This life to On the good Hattubus delt In it's all joy truth knowledge love and force Such force no wight created can repel't All strength and livelyhood is from this sourse All lives to this first spring have circular recourse 79 A lecture strange he seemd to reade to me And though I did not rightly understand His meaning yet I deemed it to be Some goodly thing and weary of that land Where then I stood I did not him withstand In his request although full loth I were Slow-footed eld the journey should command Yet we were guided by that sory pair And so to Dizoie full softly we do fare THE ARGUMENT OF PSYCHOZOIA Lib. 3. Strange state of Dizoie Mnemons skill Here wisely doth explain Ida's strong charms and Eloim-hill With the drad dale of Ain 1 BUt now new Stories I 'gin to relate Which aged Mnemon unto us did tell Whiles we on graffie bed did lie prostrate Under a shady beach which did repell The fiery skorching shafts which Uriel From Southern quarter datted with strong hand No other help we had for Gabriel His wholesome cooling blasts then quite restrain'd â—…e Lions flaming breath with heat parcht all the land 2 Here seemly sitting down thus gan that Sage Last time we were together here ymet Beirah wall that was the utmost stage Of our discourse if I do not forget When we departed thence the Sun was set Yet nathelesse we past that lofty wall That very evening The nights nimble net That doth encompasse every opake ball â—…hat swims in liquid aire did Simon nought apall 3 When we that stately wall had undercrept We straightway found our selves in Dizoie The melting clouds chill drizzeling tears then wept The misty aire swet for deep agony Swet a cold sweat and loose frigidity Fill'd all with a white smoke pale Cynthia Did foul her silver limbs with filthy die Whiles wading on she measured out her way â—…nd cut the muddy heavens defil'd with whitish clay 4 No light to guide but the Moons pallid ray And that even lost in misty troubled aire No tract to take there was no beaten way No chearing strength but that which might appear From Dians face her face then shin'd not clear And when it shineth clearest little might She yieldeth yet the Goddesse is severe Hence wrathfull dogs do bark at her dead light Christ help the man thus clos'd and prison'd in drad nigâ—… 5 O'rewhelm'd with irksome toil of strange annoyes In stony stound like senselesse stake I stood Till the vast thumps of massie hammers noise That on the groning steel laid on such load Empierc'd mine ears in that sad stupid mood I weening then some harbour to be nie In sory pace thitherward slowly yode By eare directed more then by mine eye But there alas I found small hospitality 6 Foure grisly black-smiths stoutly did their task Upon an anvile form'd in conick wise They neither minded who nor what I ask But with stern grimy look do still avise Upon their works but I my first emprise Would not forsake and therefore venture in Or none hath list to speak or none espies Or hears the heavie hammers never lin And but a blew faint light in this black shop did shiâ—… 7 There I into a darksome corner creep And lay my weary limbs on dusty flore Expecting still when soft down-sliding sleep Should seize mine eyes and strength to me restore But when with hovering wings she proch'd e'rmore The mighty souses those foul knaves laid on And those huge bellows that aloud did rore Chac'd her away that she was ever gone Before she came on pitchy plumes for fear yflone 8 The first of those rude rascalls Lypon hight A foul great stooping slouch with heavie eyes And hanging lip the second ugly sight Pale Phobon with his hedgehog-haires disguise â—…elpon is the third he the false skies No longer trusts The fourth of furious fashion â—…hrenition hight fraught with impatiencies The bellows be ycleep'd deep Suspiration â—…h kanve these bellows blow in mutuall circulation 9 There is a number of these lonesome forges â—…n Bacha vale this was in Bacha vale There be no Innes but these and these but scourges In stead of ease they work much deadly bale To those that in this lowly trench do trale Their feeble loins Ah me who here would fare â—…ad ghosts oft crosse the way with visage pale â—…harp thorns and thistles wound their feeten bare â—…happy is the man that here doth bear a share 10 When I in this sad vale no little time Had measured and oft had taken Inne And by long penance paid for mine ill crime Methought the Sun it self began to shine And that I had past Dians discipline â—…ut day was not yet come 't was perfect night Phoebus head from Ida hill had seen â—…or Ida hill doth give to men the sight Phoebus form before Aurora's silver light 11 â—…ut Phoebus form from that high hill's not clear Nor figure perfect It 's inveloped 〈◊〉 purple cloudy veil and if 't appear 〈◊〉 rounder shape with skouling dreary head 〈◊〉 glowing face it shows ne rayes doth shed Of lights serenity yet duller eyes With gazing on this irefull sight be fed â—…est to their pleasing small things they will prize 〈◊〉 never better saw nor better can devise 12 On Ida hill their stands a Castle strong They that it built call it Pantheothen Hither resort a rascall rabble throng Of miscreant wights but if that wiser men May name that fort Pandaemoniothen They would it cleep It is the strong'st delusion That
ever Daemon wrought the safest pen That e're held silly sheep for their confusion Ill life and want of love hence springs each false conclâ—… 13 That rabble rout that in this Castle won Is Irefull-ignorance Unseemly-zeal Strong-self-conceit Rotten-religion Contentious-reproch-'gainst-Michael If-he-of-Moses-body-ought-reveal Which-their-dull-skonses-cannot eas'ly-reach Love-of-the-carkas An inept-appeal T' uncertain papyrs A-false-formall-fetch Of-seigned-sighes Contempt-of poore-and-sinfull-wretch 14 A deep self-love Want of true sympathy With all mankind Th' admiring their own heard Fond pride A sanctimonious crueltie 'Gainst those by whom their wrathfull minds be stirr'd By strangling reason and are so aseard To lose their credit with the vulgar sort Opinion and long speech 'fore life preferr'd Lesse reverence of God then of the Court Fear and Despair Evil surmises False report 15 Oppression-of-the-poore Fell rigourousnesse Contempt-of-Government Fiercenes Fleshly lust The-measuring-of all-true righteousnesse By-their own-model Cleaving unto-dust Rash-censure and despising-of-the-just That-are-not-of-their-sect False-reasoning Concerning-God Vain-hope Needlesse mistrust Strutting-in knowledge Egre slavering After hid-skill with every inward fulsome thing 16 These and such like be that rude regiment That from the glitering sword of Michael fly They fly his outstretch'd arm else were they shent If they unto this Castle did not hie Strongly within its wals to fortifie Themselves Great Daemon hath no stronger hold Then this high Tower When the good Majesty Shines forth in love and light a vapour cold â—…d a black hellish smoke from hence doth all infold 17 And all that love and light and offer'd might Is thus chok'd up in that foul Stygian steem If hells dark jawes should open in despight And breathe its inmost breath which foul'st I deem Yet this more deadly foul I do esteem And more contagious which this charmed tower Ever spues forth like that fell Dragons steem Which he from poyson'd mouth in rage did poure 〈◊〉 her whose first-born child his chaps might not devour 18 But lest the rasher wit my Muse should blame As if she did those faults appropriate Which I even now in that black list did name Unto Pantheothen The self same state I dare a vouch you 'll find where ever hate Backd with rough zeal and bold through want of skill All sects besides its own doth execrate This peevish spright with wo the world doth fill â—…hile each man all would bind to his fierce furious will 19 O Hate the fulsome daughter of fell Pride Sister to surly Superstition That clean out-shining truth cannot abide That loves it self and large Dominion And in false show of a fair Union Would all encroch to 't self would purchase all At a cheap rate for slight Opinion Thus cram they their wide-gaping Crumenall â—…t now to Ida hill me lists my feer recall 20 No such inchantment in all Dizoie As on this hill nor sadder sight was seen Then you may in this rufull place espy 'Twixt two huge walls on solitary green Of funerall Cypresse many groves there been And eke of Ewe Eben and Poppy trees And in their gloomy shade foul grisly fiend Use to resort and busily to seize The darker phansied souls that live in ill disease 21 Hence you may see if that you dare to mind Upon the side of this accursed hill Many a dreadfull corse ytost in wind Which with hard halter their loathd life did spil There lies another which himself did kill With rusty knife all roll'd in his own bloud And ever and anon a dolefull knill Comes from the fatall Owl that in sad mood With drery sound doth pierce through the death-shadowâ—… 〈◊〉 22 Who can expresse with pen the irksome state Of those that be in this strong Castle thrall Yet hard it is this Fort to ruinate It is so strongly fenc'd with double wall The fiercest but of Ram no'te make them fall The first Inevitable Destiny Of Gods Decree the other we do call Invincible fleshly infirmity But Keeper of the Tower Unfelt Hypocrisie 23 What Poets phansies fain'd to be in hell Are truly here A vultur Tityus heart Still gnaws yet death doth never Tityus quell Sad Sisyphus a stone with toylsome smart Doth roul up hill but it transcends his art To get it to the top where it may lye On steddy plain and never backward start His course is stopt by strong Infirmity His roul comes to this wall but then back it doth fly 24 Here fifty Sisters in a sieve do draw Through-sipping water Tantalus is here Who though the glory of the Lord oreflow The earth and doth incompasse him so near Yet waters he in waters doth requere Stoop Tantalus and take those waters in What strength of witchcraft thus blinds all yfere Twixt these two massie walls this hold of sinne â—…ye me who shall this Fort so strongly fenced win 25 I heare the clattering of an armed troup My ears do ring with the strong pransers heels My soul get up out of thy drousie droop And look unto the everlasting hills The hollow ground ah how my sense it fills With sound of solid horses hoofs A wonder It is to think how cold my spirit thrills With strange amaze Who can this strength dissunder â—…rk how the warlik steeds do neigh their necks do thunder 26 All milkwhite steeds in trappings goodly gay On which in golden letters be ywrit These words even he that runs it readen may True righteousnesse unto the Lord of might O comely spectacle O glorious sight 'T would easily ravish the beholders eye To see such beasts so fair so full of spright All in due ranks to pranse so gallantly â—…aring their riders arm'd with perfect panoply 27 In perfect silver glistring panoply They ride the army of the highest God Ten thousands of his Saints approchen nie To judge the world and rule it with his rod They leave all plain where ever they have trod Each rider on his shield doth bear the Sun With golden shining beam dispread abroad The Sun of righteousnesse at high day noon 〈◊〉 this same strength I wene this Fort is easly wonne 28 They that but heare thereof shall straight obey But the strange children shall false semblance make But all hypocrisie shall soon decay All wickednesse into that deadly lake All darknesse thither shall it self betake That false brood shall in their close places fade The glory of the Lord shall ne're forsake The earth again nor shall deaths dreadfull shade Return again Him praise that this great day hath made 29 This is the mighty warlick Michaels hoste That easily shall wade through that foul spue Which the false Dragon casts in every coste That the moon-trampling woman much doth rue His deadly spaul but no hurt doth accrew To this strong army from this filthy steam Nor horse nor man doth fear its lutid hew They safely both can swim in this foul stream This stream the earth sups up cleft ope by Michaels beam 30 But whiles it beareth sway this poysons might Is to make sterill or prolong the birth To cause cold
palsies and to dull the sight By sleepy sloth the melancholick earth It doth increase that hinders all good mirth Yet this dead liquor dull Pantheothen Before the nectar of the Gods preferr'th But it so weakens and disables men That they of manhood give no goodly specimen 31 Here one of us began to interpeal Old Mnemon Tharrhon that young ladkin hight He prayed this aged Sire for to reveal What way this Dragons poysonous despight And strong Pantheothens inwalling might We may escape Then Mnemon thus gan say Some strange devise I know each youthfull wight Would here expect or lofty brave assay But I 'll the simple truth in simple wise convay 32 Good Conscience kept with all the strength and might That God already unto us hath given A presse pursuit of that foregoing light That egs us on ' cording to what we have liven And helps us on ' cording to what we have striven To shaken off the bonds of prejudice Nor dote to much of that we have first conceiven By hearty prayer to beg the sweet delice 〈◊〉 Gods all-loving spright such things I you aduise 34 Can pity move the heart of parents dear When that their haplesse child in heavy plight Doth grieve and moan whiles pinching tortures tear His fainting life and doth not that sad sight Of Gods own Sonne empassion his good spright With deeper sorrow The tender babe lies torn In us by cruell wounds from hostile might Is Gods own life of God himself forlorn 〈◊〉 was he to continuall pain of God yborn 34 Or will you say if this be Gods own Sonne Let him descend the crosse for well we ween That he 'll not suffer him to be fordonne By wicked hand if Gods own Sonne he been But you have not those sacred misteries seen True-crucifying Jews the weaker thing Is held in great contempt in worldly eyen But time may come when deep impierced sting â—…all prick your heart and it shall melt with sorrowing 35 Then you shall view him whom with cruell spear You had transfix'd true crucified Sonne Of the true God unto his Father dear And dear to you nought dearer under sun Through this strong love and deep compassion How vastly God his kingdome would enlarge You 'll easly see and how with strong iron He 'll quite subdue the utmost earthly verge â—…foolish men the heavens why do you fondly charge 36 Subtimidus when Tharrhon sped so well Took courage to himself and thus 'gan say To Mnemon Pray you Sr. vouchsafe to tell What Antaparnes and Hypomene And Simon do this while in Dizoe With that his face shone like the rosy morn With maiden blush from inward modesty Which wicked wights do holden in such scorn Sweet harmles modesty a rose withouten thorn 37 Old Mnemon lov'd the Lad even from his face Which blamelesse blush with sanguin light had dyed His harmlesse lucid spright with flouring grace His outward form so seemly beautifyed So the old man him highly magnified For his so fit enquiry of those three And to his question thus anon replyed There 's small recourse till that Fort passed be To Simon Autaparnes or Hypomene 38 For all that space from Behirons high wall Unto Pantheothen none dares arise From his base dunghill warmth such magicall Attraction his flagging soul down ties To his foul flesh 'mongst which alas there lyes A litle spark of Gods vitality But smoreing filth so close it doth comprize That it cannot flame out nor get on high This province hence is hight earth-groveling Aptery 39 But yet fair semblances these Apterites Do make of good and sighen very sore That God no stronger is False hypocrites You make no use of that great plenteous store Of Gods good strength which he doth on you poure But you fast friends of foul carnality And false to God his tender sonne do gore And plaud your selves is 't be not mortally Nor let you him live in ease nor let you him fairly die 40 Like faithlesse wife that by her frampard guize Peevish demeanour sullen sad disdain Doth inly deep the spright melancholize Of her aggrieved husband and long pain At last to some sharpe sicknesse doth constrain His weakned nature to yield victory His skorching torture then count death a gain But when death comes in womanish phrensy â—…at froward femal wretch doth shreek and loudly cry 41 So through her moody importunity From downright death she rescues the poore man Self-favouring sense not that due loyalty Doth wring from her this false compassion Compassion that no cruelty can Well equalize Her husband lies agast Death on his horrid face so pale and wan Doth creep with ashy wings He thus embrac'd â—…rforce too many dayes in deadly woe doth wast 42 This is the love that 's found in Aptery To Gods dear life If they his sonne present Halfe live halfe dead handled despightfully Or sunk in sicknesse or with deep wound rent So be he 's not quite dead they 'r well content And hope sure favour of his sire to have They have the signes how can they then be shent The God of love for his dear life us save â—…om such conceits which men to sinne do thus inslave 43 But when from Aptery we were ygone And past Pantheothens inthralling power Then from the east chearfull Eous shone And drave away the nights dead lumpish stour He took by th' hand Aurora's vernall houre These freshly tripp'd it on the silver'd hills And thorow all the fields sweet life did shower Then gan the joyfull birds to try their skills â—…hey skipt they chirpt amain they pip'd they danc'd their fills 44 This other Province of Dizoia Hight Pteroessa on the flowry side Of a green bank as I went on my way Strong youthfull Gabriel I there espide Courting a nymph all in her maiden pride Not for himself His strife was her to win To Michael in wedlock to be tide He promised she should be Michaels Queen And greater things then care hath heard or eye hath seen 45 This lovely maid to Gabriel thus replide Thanks Sr for your good news but may I know Who Michael is that would have me his bride It s Michael said he that works such wo To all that fry of hell and on his foe Those fiends of daâ—…knesse such great triumphs hath The powers of sinne and death he down doth mow In this strong arm of God have thou but faith That in great Daemons troups doth work so wondrous 〈◊〉 46 The simple girl believed every word Nor did by subtle querks elude the might And profer'd strength of the soul-loving Lord But answered thus Good Sr but reade aright When shall I then appear in Michaels sight When Gabriel had won her full assent And well observ'd how he had flam'd her spright He answered After the complishment Of his behests and so her told what hests he ment 47 She willingly took the condition And pliable she promised to be And Gabriel sware he would wait upon Her virginship
From the first simple Good obtains lesse blisse Sustains sharp pains inflicted by just Nemesis 24 But why do I my soul loose and disperse With mouldring reason that like sand doth flow Life close united with that Good a verse Cannot declare nor its strange virtue show That 's it holds up the soul in all its wo That death nor hell nor any change doth fray Who walks in light knows whither he doth go Our God is light we children of the day God is our strength and hope what can us then dismay 25 Goodnesse it self will do to us this good That godly souls may dwell with him for aye Will God forsake what of himself 's belov'd What ever lives may shrink into cold clay Yet good mens souls death hests shall not obey Where there 's no incompossibility Of things Gods goodnesse needs must bear the sway You virtuous brood take 't for sure verity Your souls shalt not fall short of blest eternity 26 But yet bold men with much perplexity Will here object against this principle Heaping up reasons strange fecundity Of ignorance that goodly might to quell Of my last argument so fairly well Set down right strongly the unsettled spright To have confirmed at my last far-well But contraire forces they bring into sight And proudly do provoke me with that rout to sight 27 Whence was 't say they that God the creature made No sooner why did infinite delay Precede his work should God his goodnesse staid So long a time why did he not display From infinite years this out-created ray The mighty starres why not inhabited When God may souls proportion to their clay As well as to this earth why not dispred The world withouten bounds endlesse uncompassed 28 Poore souls why were they put into this cave Of misery if they can well exist Without the body Why will not God save All mankind His great wisdome if it list Could so contrive that they 'd at last desist From sinning fallen into some providence That sternly might rebuke them that have mist Their way and work in them true penitence Thus might they turn to God with double diligence 29 Why be not damned souls devoyd of sense If nothing can from wickednesse reclame Rather then fry in pain and vehemence Of searching agony or why not frame Another form so with new shape and name Again to turn to life One centrall spright Why may 't not many forms in it contain Which may be wak'd by some magnetick might Cording as is the matter upon which they light 30 For when two severall kinds by Venus knit Do cause a birth from both the soul doth take A tincture but if free it were transmit Uncloth'd with th' others seed then it would make One simple form for then they could not slake One th' others energie Why 's the world still Stark nought through malice or through blind mistake Why had the first-made-man such a loose will That his innumerous of-spring he should fouly spill 31 Why was not this unlucky world dissolv'd As soon as that unhappy Adam fell I itch till of this knot I be resolv'd So many myriads tumble down to hell Although partakers of Gods holy spell Beside 't is said they that do not partake Of Christian lore for ever they must dwell With cursed fiends and burn in brimstone lake Such drery drad designes do make my heart to quake 32 One of a multitude of myriads Shall not be sav'd but broyl in scorching wo Innumerous mischiefs then to mischiefs addes This worlds continuance if that be so Ill infinitely more then good doth grow So God would show much more benignity If he the ribs of heaven about would strow Powder the earth choke all vitality Call back the creature to its ancient nullity 33 But thou who ere thou art that thus dost strive With fierce assault my ground-work to subvert And boldly dost into Gods secrets drive Base fear my manly face no'te make m'avert In that odde question which thou first did stert I 'll plainly prove thine incapacity And force thy feeble feet back to revert That cannot climb so high a mystery I 'll show thee strang perplexed inconsistency 34 Why was this world from all infinity Not made saist thou why could it be so made Say I. For well observe the sequency If this out world continually hath wade Through a long long-spun time that never had Beginning then there as few circulings Have been in the quick Moon as Saturn sad And still more plainly this clear truth to sing As many years as dayes or flitting houres have been 35 For things that we conceive are infinite One th' other no'te surpasse in quantity So I have prov'd with clear convincing light This world could never from infinity Been made Certain deficiency Doth alwayes follow evolution Nought's infinite but tight eternity Close thrust into it self extension That 's infinite implyes a contradiction 36 So then for ought we know this world was made So soon as such a Nature could exist And though that it continue never fade Yet never will it be that that long twist Of time prove infinite though nere desist From running still But we may safely say Time past compar'd with this long future list Doth show as if the world but yesterday Were made and in due time Gods glory out may ray 37 Then this short night and ignorant dull ages Will quite be swallowed in oblivion And though this hope by many surly Sages Be now derided yet they 'll all be gone In a short time like Bats and Owls yflone At dayes approch This will hap certainly At this worlds shining conflagration Fayes Satyrs Goblins the night merrily May spend but ruddy Sol shall make them all to fly 38 The roring Lions and drad beasts of prey Rule in the dark with pittious cruelty But harmlesse Man is master of the day Which doth his work in pure simplicity God blesse his honest usefull industry But pride and covetize ambition Riot revenge self-love hypocrisie Contempt of goodnesse forc'd opinion These and such like do breed the worlds confusion 39 But whither am I gone The eagre mind Impatiently expects I should proceed Unto the next objection that defin'd Then thorough on His vote it must not speed Danger of plenteous speech is the sure meed And Cynthius pulls me by my tender care Such signes I will observe with wary heed Therefore my restlesse Muse at length forbear Thy silver sounded Lute hang up in silence here ΑÎΤΙΨΥΞΟΠΑÎÎΥΞΙΑ OR A Confutation of the sleep of the SOUL after death ΑÎΤΙΜΟÎΟΨΥΞΙΑ OR That all SOULS are not one A Paraphrase on Apollo's answer concerning Plotinus SOUL By H. M. Master of Arts and Fellow of Christs Colledge in Cambridge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plotin Ennead 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 11. CAMBRIDGE Printed by Roger Daniel Printer to the Universitie 1642. THE PREFACE TO THE READER TO preface much concerning these little after-pieces of Poetry I hold needlesse having
beauty quite doth crop With its black claws Wisdome love piety Are straight dried up death doth their fountain stop This is those sleepers dull Philosophy Which fairly men invites to foul impiety 15 But if we grant which in my former song I plainly prov'd that the souls energic Pends not on this base corse but that self-strong She by her self can work then when we sly The bodies commerce no man can deny But that there is no interruption Of life where will puts on there doth she hie Or if she 's carried by coaction That force yet she observes by presse adversion 16 And with most lively touch doth feel and find Her self For either what she most doth love She then obtains or else with crosse unkind Contrary life since her decease she hath strove That keeps her wake and with like might doth move To think upon her self and in what plight She 's fallen And nothing able to remove Deep searching vengeance groans in this sad Night And rores and raves and storms with her self doth fight 17 But hearty love of that great vitall spright The sacred fount of holy sympathy Prepares the soul with its deep quickning might To leave the bodyes vain mortality Away she flies into Eternity Finds full accomplishment of her strong desire Each thing would reach its own centrality So Earth with Earth and Moon with Moon conspire Our selves live most when most we feed our Centrall fire 18 Thus is the soul continually in life Withouten interruption If that she Can operate after the fatall knife Hath cut the cords of this bulks sympathy Which she can do if that some energy She exercise immur'd in this base clay Which on this bulk hath no dependency For then the like she 'll do that done away These independent acts its time now to display 19 All comprehending Will proportionate To whatsoever shall fall by Gods decree Or prudent sufferance sweetly spread dilate Stretch'd out to embrace each act or entity That creep from hidden cause that none can see With outward eyes Next Intellect whose hight Of working 's then when as it stands most free From sense and grosser phansie deep empight In this vild corse which to purg'd minds yields small delight 20 Both Will and Intellect-then worketh best When sense and appetite be consopite And grosser phansie lull'd in silent test Then Will grown full with a mild heavenly light Shines forth with goodly mentall rayes bedight And finds and feels such things as never pen Can setten down so that unexpert wight May reade and understand Experienc'd men Do onely know who like impressions sustain 21 So far 's the soul from a dependency In these high actions on the body base And further signe is want of memory Of these impressions wrought in heavenly place I mean the holy Intellect they passe Leaving no footsteps of their former light When as the soul from thence descended has Which is a signe those forms be not empight In our low proper Chaos or Corporeall spright 22 For then when we our mind do downward bend Like things we here should find but all is gone Soon as our flagging souls so low descend As that straight spright Like torch that droppeth down From some high tower hold steddy clearly shone But in its fall leaves all its light behind Lies now in darknesse on the grail or stone Or dirty earth That erst so fully shin'd Within a glowing coal hath now its light confin'd 23 So doth the soul when from high Intellect To groveling sense she takes her stooping flight Falling into her body quite neglect Forget forgo her former glorious sight Grosse glowing fire for that wide shining light For purest love foul fury and base passion For clearest knowledge fell contentious fight Sprong from some scorching false inust impression Which she 'll call truth she gains O witlesse Commutation 24 But still more clear her independent might In understanding and pure subtile will To prove I will assay t' explain aright The difference ' cording to my best skill 'Twixt these and those base faculties that well From union with the low vitality Of this out-world that when my curious quill Hath well describ'd their great disparity To th' highest we may give an independency 25 The faculties we deem corporeall And bound unto this earthy instrument So bound that they no'te operate at all Without the body there immerse and meint Be hearing feeling tasting sight and sent Adde lower phansie Mundane memory Those powers be all or more or lesse ypent In this grosse life We 'll first their property Set down and then the others contrariety 26 This might perceives not its own instrument The taste discovers not the spungy tongue Nor is the Mundane spright through all extent From whence are sense and lower phansie sprong Perceived by the best of all among These learned five nor yet by phantasie Nor doth or this or those so nearly throng Unto themselves as by propinquity To apprehend themselves They no'te themselves descry 27 Nor ever learnd they their own energie The mind held somewhere else in open sight What ever lies unknown unto the eye It lies though there its image be empight Till that our soul look on that image right Wherefore themselves the senses do not know Nor doth our phansie for each furious wight Hath phansie full enough so full't doth show As sense nor he nor 's phansie doth that phansie know 28 Age potent objects too long exercise Do weaken hurt and much debilitate Those lower faculties The Sun our eyes Confounds with dazeling beams of light so that For a good while we cannot contemplate Ought visible thus thunder deafs the eare And age hurts both that doth quite ruinate Our sense and phansie so if long we heare Or see 't sounds not so sweet nor can we see so clear 29 Lastly the Senses reach but to one kind Of things The eye sees colours so the eare Hears sounds the nostrills snuff perfumed wind What grosse impressions the out-senses bear The phansie represents sometimes it dare Make unseen shapes with uncouth transformation Such things as never in true nature are But all this while the phansies operation Is bound to law of bodies such is her figurat on 30 This is the nature of those faculties That of the lower Mundane spright depend But in our Intellect farre otherwise We'st see it if we pressely will attend And trace the parallels unto the end There 's no self-knowledge Here the soul doth find Her self If so then without instrument For what more fit to show our inward mind Then our own mind But if 't be otherwise defind 31 Then tell me Knows she that fit instrument If the kens not that instrument how can She judge whether truly it doth represent Her self there may be foul delusion But if she kens this organ straight upon This grant I 'll ask how kens she this same tole What by another by what that so go on Till to infinity you
stringent bitternesse vexation Anxious unrest in this ill plight they live But they that do ascend to th' top yflown Be free yet fast unite to that fair vision 21 Thus purged souls be close conjoynd to God And closer union surer sympathie Wherefore so long as they make their abode In Him incorporate by due Unitie They liven in eternall energie For Israels God nor slumbers nor doth sleep Nor Israel lost in dull lethargie Must listlesse lie while numbing streams do steep His heavy head overwhelmed in oblivion deep 22 But here more curious men will straight enquire Whither after death the wicked soul doth go That long hath wallowed in the sinfull mire Before this question I shall answer to Again the nature of the soul I 'll show She all things in herself doth centrally Contain what ever she doth feel or know She feels or knows it by th' innate Idee She 's allproportion'd by her omniformitie 23 God heaven this middle world deep-glimmering hell With all the lives and shapes that there remain The forms of all in humane souls do dwell She likewise all proportions doth contain That sits her for all sprights So they constrain By a strong pulling sympathie to come And straight possesse that fitting vitall vein That 'longs unto her so her proper roon She takes as mighty Nemesis doth give the doom 24 Now which I would you presly should observe Though oft I have with tongue balbutient Prattled to th' weaker care lest I should sterve My style with too much subtiltie I nere ment To grant there 's any such thing existent As a mere body For all 's life all spright Though lives and sprights be very different Three generall sprights there be â—…ternall light Is one the next our World the last Infernall Night 26 This last lies next unto old Nothingnesse Hight Hyle whom I term'd point of the Cone Her daughter Night is full of bitternesse And strait constraint and pent privation Her sturdie ray's scarce conquer'd by the moon The earths great shade breaks out from this hid spright And active is so soon the Sunne is gone Doth repossesse the aire shotten forth right From its hid centrall life ycleep'd Infernall Night 26 In this drad world is scorching Phlegelâ—…n Hot without flame burning the vexed sense There hatefull Styx and sad Cocytus run And silent Acheron All drink from hence From this damn'd spright receiven influence That in our world or poyson do outspue Or have an uggly shape and foul presence That deadly poison and that direfull hue From this Nocturnall spright these uggly creatures drew 27 This is the seat of Gods eternall ire When unmixt vengeance he doth fully powre Upon foul souls fit for consuming fire Fierce storms and tempests strongly doth he showre Upon their heads His rage doth still devoure The never-dying soul. Here Satanas Hath his full swing to torture every houre The grisly ghosts of men when they have passe From this mid world to that most direfull dismall place 28 Did Nature but compile one mighty sphere Of this dark Stygian spright and close collect Its scatter'd being that it might appear Aloft in the wide heaven it would project Dark powerfull beams that solar life ycheckt With these dull choking rayes all things would die Infernall poyson the earth would infect Incessant showrs of pitchie shafts let flie Against the Sunne with darknesse would involve the skie 29 Nor is my Muse wox mad that thus gives life To Night or Darknesse sith all things do live But Night is nothing straight I 'll end that strife Doth nought impressions to the sense derive If without prejudice you 'll deigne to dive Into the matter as much realtie To darknesse as to coldnesse you will give Both Night and Coldnesse have their energie Both strike the sense they both have reall entitie 30 Again 't is plain that that nocturnall spright Sends forth black eben-beams and mirksome rayes Because her darknesse as the Sunne his light More clearly doth reflect on solid place As when a wall a shade empighten has Upon it sure that shade farre darker is Then is the aire that lies in the mid space What is the reason but that rayes emisse From centrall Night the walls reflection multiplies 31 The light 's more light that strikes upon the wall And much more strongly there affects the eye Then what 's spread in the space aereall So 't is with shadows that amid do lie In the slight aire there scarce we them descrie But when they fall upon the wall or ground They gain a perfect sensibilitie Scarce ought in outgone light is to be found But this Nocturnall ray's with like indowments crown'd 32 But why doth my half-wearied mind pursue Dim sculking darknesse a fleet nimble shade If Moses and wise Solomon speak true What we assert may safely well be said Did not a palpable thick Night invade The Land of Egypt such as men might feel And handle with their hands That darknesse ray'd From nether Hell and silently did steal On th' enemies of God as Scripture doth reveal 33 The womb of Night then fully flowred cut For that all-swaying endlesse Majestie Which penetrateth those wide worlds throughout This thin spread darknesse that dispers'd doth lie Summon'd by his drad voice and strong decree Much therefore of that spirit close uâ—…te Into one place did strike the troubled eye With horrid blacknesse and the hand did smite With a clam pitchie ray shot from that Centrall Night 34 This Centrall Night or Universall spright Of wo of want of balefull bitternesse Of hatred envy wrath and fell despight Of lust of care wasting disquietnesse Of warre contention and bloud-thirstinesse Of zeal of vengeance of suspicion Of hovering horrour and sad pensivenesse This Stygian stream through all the world doth run And many wicked souls unto it self hath wonne 35 Lo here 's the portion of the Hypocrite That serveth God but in an outward show But his drad doom must passe upon his spright Where it propends there surely must he go Due vengeance neither sleepeth nor is slow Hell will suck in by a strong sympathie What 's like unto it self So down they flow Devouring anguish and anxietie Do vex their souls in piteous pains alas they lie 36 Thus with live Hell be they concorporate United close with that self-gnawing spright And this I wote will breed no sleeping state Who here descends finds one long restlesse Night May this the dreaming Psychopannychite Awake and make him seriously prepare And purge his heart lest this infernall might Suck in his soul 'fore he be well aware Kill but the seeds of sinne then are you past this fear 37 Thus have I prov'd by the souls union With heaven and hell that she will be awake When she from this mid Nature is ygone But still more curious task to undertake And spenden time to speak of Lethe lake And whether at least some souls fall not a sleep Which if they do of Hell they do
Spirits Helios 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Sunne Heterogeneall is that which consists of parts of a diverse nature or form as for example a mans body of flesh bones nerves c. Homogeneall That whose nature is of one kind I IDea-Lond The Intellectuall world Idothea The fleet passage of fading forms from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Forma and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 curro Ida. See Pompon Mel. lib. 1. cap. 17. Isosceles A triangle with two sides equall Idiopathie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is ones proper peculiar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mine or thine being affected thus or so upon this or that occasion as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is this or that mans proper temper But this property of affection may also belong unto kinds As an Elephant hath his idiopathy and a man his at the hearing of a pipe a cat and an Eagle at the sight of the Sunne a dogge and a Circopithecus at the sight of the Moon c. Iao. A corruption of the Tetragrammaton Greek writers have strangely mash'd this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some calling it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is very likely that from this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 came Bacchus his appellation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Maenades acclamations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his Orgia Which sutes well with the Clarian Oracle which saith that in Autumne the Sun is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the time of vintage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Fullers Miscel. 2. Book L LOgos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The appellation of the Sonne of God It is ordinarily translated the Word but hath an ample signification It signifieth Reason Proportion Form Essence any inward single thought or apprehension Is any thing but matter and matter is nothing Leontopolis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lions city or Politie Lypon from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sorrow M MOnocardia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 single-heartednesse Myrmecopolis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The City or Polity of Pismires Michael Who like unto God from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 similitudinis and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deus Monad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is unitas the principle of all numbers an emblem of the Deity And so the Pythagoreans call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God It is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stable and immoveable a firm Cube of it self One time one time One remains still one See Ahad N NEurospast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Puppet or any Machina that's moved by an unseen string or nerve O ON 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Beeing Ogdoas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 numerus octonarius the number of â—…ight Onopolis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The asses City or Politie P PSyche 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Soul or spirit Penia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Want or poverty Physis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nature vegetative Proteus Vertumnus changeablenesse Psychania The land of Souls Philosomatus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A lover of his body Psittacusa The land of Parots Pithecusa The land of Apes Pithecus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Ape Phobon from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fear Phrenition Anger impatiency fury from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 phrensie or madnesse Ira furor brevis est Pantheothen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All from God Which is true in one sense false in another You 'll easly discern the sense in the place you find the word This passage of Panthcothen contains a very savory hearty reproof of all be they what they will that do make use of that intricate mystery of fate and infirmity safely to guard themselves from the due reprehensions and just expostulations of the earnest messengers of God who would rouse them out of this sleep of sin and stirre them up seriously to seek after the might and spirit of Christ that may work wonderfully in their souls to a glorious conquest and triumph against the devil death and corruption Pandemoniothen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All from the devil viz. all false perswasions and ill effects of them Panoply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Armour for the whole body Pteroessa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The land of winged souls from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wing Perigee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is that absis or ark of a Planets circle in which it comes nearer the earth Psychicall Though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be a generall name and belongs to the souls of beasts and plants yet I understand by life Psychicall such centrall life as is capable of Aeon and Ahad Parelies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are rorid clouds which bear the image of the Sunne Psittaco Don Psittaco from Psittacus a Parot a bird that speaks significant words whose sense notwithstanding it self is ignorant of The dialogue betwixt this Parot and Mnemon sets out the vanity of all superficiall conceited Theologasters of what sect soever having but the surface and thin imagination of divinity but truly devoid of the spirit and in ward power of Christ the living well-spring of knowledge and virtue and yet do pride themselves in pratling and discoursing of the most hidden and abstruse mysteries of God and take all occasions to shew forth their goodly skill and wonderfull insight into holy truth when as they have indeed scarce licked the out-side of the glasse wherein it lies Plastick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is that 〈◊〉 might in the seed that shapes the body in its growth Phantasme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Any thing that the soul conceives in it self without any present externall object Parallax 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the distance betwixt the true and seeming place of a starre proceeding from the sensible difference of the centre and the height of the superficies of the earth in reference to the starre and from the stars declining from the Zenith Protopathy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a suffering or being affected at first that is without circulation If any man strike me I feel immediately because my soul is united with this body that is struck and this is protopatâ—…y If the aire be struck aloof off I am sensible also of that but by circulation or propagation of that impression unto my eare and this is deuteropathy See Deuteropathy Periphere Peripheria it is the line that terminates a circle Q QUadiate A figure with foure equall sides and foure right angles The rightnesse of the â—…ngles is a plain embleme of erectnesse or uprightnesse of mind The number of the sides as also of the angles being pariter par that is equally divisible to the utmost unities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is in Aristotle intimates equity or â—…ustice The sides are equall one with another and so are 〈◊〉 angles and the number of the sides and angles equall one with another Both the numbers
rode up to heaven in a bright fierie wain 40 Thus naved stoutly rescued the soul From centrall death or pure mortalitie And from the listlesse flouds of Lethe dull And from the swallow of drad Unitie And from an all-consuming Deitie What now remains but since we are so sure Of endlesse life that to true pietie We give our minds and make our conscience pure Lest living Night in bitter darknesse us inmure FINIS A Paraphrasticall Interpretation of the answer of Apollo when he was consulted by Amelius whither Plotinus soul went when he departed this life I Tune my strings to sing some sacred verse Of my dear friend in an immortall strein His mighty praise I loudly will reherse With hony-dewed words some golden vein The strucken chords right sweetly shall resound Come blessed Muses let 's with one joint noise With strong impulse and full harmonious sound Speak out his excellent worth Advance your voice As once you did for great Aeacides Wrapt with an heavenly rage in decent dance Mov'd at the measures of Meonides Go to you holy quire let 's all at once Begin and to the end hold up the song Into one heavenly harmonie conspire I Phoebus with my lovely locks yâ—…ong The midst of you shall sit and life inspire Divine Plotinus yet now more divine Then when thy noble soul so stoutly strove In that dark prison where strong chains confine Keep down the active mind it cannot move To what it loveth most Those fleshly bands Thou now hast loos'd broke from Necessitie From bodies storms and frothie working sands Of this low restlesse life now setten free Thy feet do safely stand upon a shore Which foaming waves beat not in swelling rage Nor angry seas do threat with fell uprore Well hast thou swommen out and left that stage Of wicked Actours that tumultuous rout Of ignorant men Now thy pure steps thou stay'st In that high path where Gods light shines about And perfect Right its beauteous beams displayes How oft when bitter wave of troubled flesh And whirl-pool-turnings of the lower spright Thou stoutly strov'st with heaven did thee refresh Held out a mark to guide thy wandring flight While thou in tumbling seas didst strongly toyl To reach the steddie Land struckst with thy arms The deafing surges that with rage do boyl Stear'd by that signe thou shunn'st those common harms How oft when rasher cast of thy souls eye Had thee misguided into crooked wayes Wast thou directed by the Deitie They held out to thee their bright lamping rayes Dispers'd the mistie darknesse safely set Thy feeble feet in the right path again Nor easie sleep so closely ere beset Thy eyelids nor did dimnesse ere so stain Thy radiant sight but thou such things didst see Even in that tumult that few can arrive Of all are named from philosophie To that high pitch or to such secrets dive But sith this body thy pure soul divine Hath left quite risen from her rotten grave Thou now among those heavenly wights dost shine Whose wonne this glorious lustre doth embrave There lovely friendship mild-smiling Cupid's there With lively looks and amorous suavitie Full of pure pleasure and fresh flowring cheer Ambrosian streams sprung from the Deitie Do frankly flow and soft love-kindling winds Do strike with a delicious sympathie Those tender spirits and sill up their minds With satisfying joy The puritie Of holy fire their heart doth then invade And sweet perswasion meek tranquillitie The gentle-breathing aire the heavens nought sad Do maken up this great felicitie Here Rhadamanthus and just Aeacus Here Minos wonnes with those that liv'd of yore I' th' golden age here Plato vigorous In holy virtue and fair Pythagore These been the goodly of spring of Great Jove And liven here and whoso fill'd the quire And sweet assembly of immortall Love Purging their spirits with refining fire These with the happie Angels live in blisse Full fraught with joy and lasting pure delight In friendly feasts and life-outfetching kisse But ah dear Plotin what smart did thy spright Indure before thou reach'st this high degree Of happinesse what agonies what pains Thou underwent'st to set thy soul so free From baser life It now in heaven remains Mongst the pure Angels O thrice-happy wight That now art got into the Land of Life Fast plac'd in view of that Eternall Light And fitt'st secure from the foul bodies strife But now you comely virgins make an end Break off this musick and deft seemly Round Leave off your dance For Plotin my dear friend Thus much I meant my golden harp should sound The interpretation of the more unusuall names or words that occurre in the foregoing Poems IF any man conceive I have done amisse in using such obscure words in my writings I answer That it is sometime fit for Poeticall pomp sake as in my Psychozoia Othersome time necessitie requires it Propter egestatem linguae rerum novitatem as Lucretius pleads for himself in like case Again there is that significancie in some of the barbarous words for the Greeks are Barbarians to us that although not out of superstition yet upon due reason I was easily drawn to follow the Counsel of the Chaldee Oracle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not to change those barbarous terms into our English tongue Lastly if I have offended in using such hard names or words I shall make amends now by interpreting them A AHad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One or The One. The Platonists call the first Originall of all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for these reasons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or One because the multitude or pluralitie of Beings is from this One as all numbers from an unite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or The Good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because all things are driven drawn or make haste to partake of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Procl Theolog. Plat. lib. 2. cap 4. Abinoam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pater amoenitatis Father of delight Autocalon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The very beauty Arachnea hath its name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spider Adonai 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord or the sustainer of all things from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Basis or foot of a pillar Autaestthesid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Self sensednesse Adamah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Earth The earthly or naturall 〈◊〉 abode Autophilus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lover of himself Anthropion The same with Adamah Onely Adamah signifies earthlinesse Anthropion from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uprightnesse of body or looking up Alopecopolis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The foâ—…es citie or politie Autaparnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simon Autaparnes and Hypomene are but the soul thrice told over Autaparnes is the soul denying it self Hypomone the soul bearing the anguish and agonie of this deniall of it self From these two results Simon the soul obedient to the