yet aside From what thou did'st command I did believe You stil who 'ld think that you would me deceive You nor my Guardian here â— blame you both Concerning this place told me all the Truth Thouâ—h what you spake is true that 's not enough For what things find I you nâ—'r told me of Accuse us not replyed Truth again I hope you are noâ— such a Tyrant grown For to require us that we should declare Those things to you which past our reaches are 'T is not the Tongues of Angels that the joys And pleasures can declare of Paradise And as it was beyond our power to shew So past our reach to comprehend them too Then blame us not dear Pilgrim if we be Beyond and better than our Word to thee With this th' affresh embrace but then came up To clip him too all the nymphean Troop Round him they run and it a great while was E're his embraces to them all could pass There Wisdom clipt him Innocency hung Upon his arm whilst Peace and Meeknesse wrung His fingers Faith and Zeal held fast his Hand Light Ioy Hope Life together round him stand Uprightnesse and the fair Nymph CHASTITY Obedience LOVE and pure Virginity Embrace him too so Lowlinesse and she Nymphs-Courage and sweeâ—-look'd Humility Did their devoyrs Then Resignation And Prophesie with others to him run All do him hug he doth as much desire The free embraces of this Virgin Qâ—â—re As long as ardent their embraces were Nor could these outward signes their joyes declare As fael lay'd upon the rising flames A while depresses but in higher streamâ— It causes strait the depress'd flames to rise So Love encreases by what satisfies After their eyes had their tongues place supply'd A while that charming Organ they unty'd And sprightly Ioy the first of all must know Whether that place would not a Taedium grow For every man his native Countrey best Said she esteems though he should daily feast In highest pleasures in another yet His native home though homely cann't forget Can Paradise make you forget the Earth A place so hugg'd by man your place of birth The Pilgrim smiling to the quaerent then Sweetly and nimbly thus return'd ag'en Terrestrial things to those which heav'nly are Noâ— Earth to Paradise must we compare Such difference is betwixt Earth's joys and them As is betwixt Aeternity and Time Were I in Aegypt or in Palestine With all delights it may be I as mine Own native Albion though there poor and mean I still should dwel should not so well like them But now I 'm come upon this blessed shore I can long after Albiâ—n no more Than those who in the highest Heavens be Can wish or long the lower Orb to see So far transcendent are these joyes that I Account the whole World worthless vanity But your own Argument shall speak for me And prove that this place can no Taedium be Man loves his native Countrey best And where Is that I pray you if it be not here He is a Pilgrim in the Orb below His Soul from higher Sphears came down we know Therefore so restless is she there to come From her low prison to her native home Then can I of this Countrey weary be The genuine place of my Nativity For Sin Man 's banish'd let him â—anish Sin And to his home he may return agen No think not Nymphs that I can weary be Of Paradise and your bless'd Company But whilst this fair Corona stood about Discoursing sweetly with our Pilgrim out Of a bright silver Cloud an Angel â—â—ept Whose flaming Wings the spiced Aether swept So Lightning breaks from the unparted Clouds So â—ol himself from 's nightly Robes unshrouds But he did swifter then the Lightning run And shew'd more glories then the Earthly Sun His flaming Wings him swifter than a thought From the imperial skies among them brought Unto him bow'd the Graces all and the Guardian vail'd both his Wings and bow'd his knee The Pilgrim also would have bow'd but that Excess of lustrous Glories struck him flat Unto the Earth for Mortal eyes could bear Not half those Beauties he about him ware His Wings seem'd flames of Fire or burnish'd Gold His Garments which down from his shoulders rould Unto his feet composed of pure Light Thinner than ayr than Phâ—bus far more bright Unutterably bright the splendrous Sun Was that in 's eyes and Lovely Visage shun Volumns of streaming Gold hung on his neck A Crown of tadiant Stars his front did deck Meadows of Violets Woods of Roses know No such perfumes which in his breath did flow But above all such Heav'nly Majesty And Power commanding sparkled in his eye That had a World of Mortals seen his face As dead they must have fal'n in the place But this Throne-Angel for the Pilgrim's sake A Cloak of silver Clouds flung on his back To hide his radiant Beams which yet did flow Th'rough it and made it like the Iris show Such pleasing Tinctures to that Cloak they gave That though less dazling yet it shew'd as brave Repressing to his face's radiant flood He shew'd in beauty like to flesh and blood But Nature yet with her diviner art In her best pieceâ— of his face came short The Angel then stretch'd out his snowy right Hand sâ—ow for softnesse and for perfect white To th' Pilgrim and lifting him up he brake Silence and thus in Heav'nly Accents spake Th' Immortal Prince of Glories who of this Fair Orb is King and of the Thrones of Blisse At whose dispose ten thousand Crowns do lye Of Glories Blisse and Immortality From whose free bounty we those Beams receive Which such irradiant lustrous brightnesse give About whose Throne ten Millions such as I Stand ready on his Embassies to flye Hath sent me to thee mighty Saint that so Thou's Will and pleasure from my mouth mightst know He hath Commissionated me that thou Mightst tast his matchlesse Love and Bounties now Therefore a Nuncius from the highest Sphear I come to thee this happy news to bear It is his Will and pleasure now to prove Himself indeed the matchlesse King of Love Thou precious art in his immortal Eyes And Heav'n it self he counts too small a prize For thee therefore to bright SOPHIA he Intends that thou in Heav'n espous'd shalt be For this end therefore am I hither prest To celebrate this Heavnly mariage Feast Down fell the Pilgrim on his humble knees And bowing thrice his head re-echo'd these If Heavens servants so perstringe the sight Of mortals who can see the Fount of Light What Beauties doth the King immortal wear When that his servants such high Lustre bear If that one beaming of a Star's so bright What is the Sun the Ocean of Light But what am I that Heavens immortal King Should notice take on me so vile a thing That from his Palace the bâ—ight Court of Day He should send down a high 〈◊〉 Whom I 'm more fiâ— to serve such news to
be too Lest they with pinguitude his Soul imbue And make's lesse apt to search those hidden arts Which Hell to his obedient ones imparts But if he in them Master will Commence He must attain it by obedience To whatsoever Hell commands for he Must gain the Will then act by sympathy He now it may be for some yeares hath serv'd This Principle nor from his Laws hath swerv'd But still obedient been nor his desire Thereto doth slack implete with hellish fire His serving Dâ—emon still attending too With Stygian vigor doth his heart imbue Pleases his fancy with some stranger art Hels sacramental Mysâ—eries impart He doth till at the last he doth bequeath To him the fruits of the black Tree of Death Rough hairy Satyrs with their cloven feet And staring eyes if that a stranger meet Should all alone in some dark Wood and night How pitifully would they him affright â— Or any other ill-shap'd monster yet A fâ—equent sight no wonder would beger And should such Satyrs often be with him No whit at all affrightful would they seem So those dark Spirits apparitions might Man 's weaker sences at the first affright But after some familiarity No fear at all would be especially To those whose natures as their natures be In a strict league with Hell and would be such Did not their Souls in a flesh'd body couch Toads are not venomous to Toads nor is The Lion truculent to those of his Kind nor are Monsters frightful unto theirs Satyrs to Satyrs not are Bears to Bears So Man whose Soul 's drench'd in the Stygian pool Thinks not Hel's worst deformed spiriâ—s soul. And this they know or else I do suppose They'd not so boâ—dly their strange shapâ—s disclose Hel's mighty Prince sees now his servant â—it To see his Kingdoms pomp he doth commit The charge thereof to some great Prince who goes To him and thus his message doth disclose Hel's mighty Monarch Prince of Acherâ—n Great Duke of Styx Primate of Phlegiton Of Lethe Earl great Lord of Cocyâ—â—â— of deep Avernus Orcus Eâ—ebus And of the whole dark world best part of this Gain'd by his forces and now joyn'd to his My soveraign Leige hath sent me unto you His faithful servant with his leave to shew Our Kingdom 's glory whereby you may see That you do serve no petty Majesty Our high and mighty Prince hath had regard To all your services he now reward Will your fidelity he Crowns and thrones As well as LOVE hath for his faithful ones A Throne and Crown he hath prepar'd for thee And of our Kingdom thou a Peer shalt be When thou this Body shalt put off and set Thy Soul at liberty which now doth let Perfect enjoyment In the mean time tho This favour 's granted that I thee may show Our pomp and Glory art thou willing say To whom Hel's servant thus without delay Great Prince and servant to our soveraign King What joyful news is this that you do bring I scarce contain my Soul What shall I see The glory of his Stygian Majesty E'r I depart this VVorld this favour would More strictly bind me his and if I could Be more his than I am what in this Ball I have I willing am to part withall To purchase this Love's great inticements I Abhor and do spontaneously deny Come let us go I burn with strong desire For to be in and see this Orb of Fire Hel's Nuncio thus speaks Valiant heart delay I will not thou thy hearts desire enjoy Shalt and when thou hither returnest then Thou shalt be Hel's highest Magitian Such gifts we will bestow and thou shalt see Before thou back returnst what Gifts they be Your staffe is needlesse nor your Horse-you need For I am able to make greater speed For whilst that you can ride a League assoon I can be mounted higher than the Moon I can transport your Corpse no need of that There is at this time for our Journey 's not So great only make fast your Closer door That none may enter to disturb you for Your Body here shall lye Then shall you see How nimble Spirits without Bodies be You misse it shall not for you 'l think you bear It still but feel it lighter than the Ayr. Alasse that is a prison to the Soul She free from that is then without controul Nor could that bear indeed what you will feel Be'ing made of flesh nay were it made of steel It could not 't would consumed be your sp'rit Can bear the punctions of eternal Night Being in union with us and may passe Into our Kingdom for your Nature as Ours is your sences will be open too You 'l think you see feel hear as now you do But why do I forestal you thus Delay I will no longer Come I 'le lead the way This spy'd his hand upon his eyes he lay's To which Ethaean stupor he conveighs Down falls his Carcasle like a Trunck bereft Of Life no sence is in his Body left His Spirit 's fled and by Hel's Fiend is brought Into that Kingdom swiâ—ter than a Thought Thus then he felt himself He was like one Who in his sleep sees some strange Vision And dreams himself awake but yet doth find Some kind of misty Aâ—oms which do blind His sight from a clear view He thus at first Did find himself untill he farther thrust Was from 's attractive Corpse He nimbly than And with a clearer sight to mount began Thus then his Jornal was Nor Moon nor Sun Nor any other Star upon him shon But yet not quite of Light devoy'd he had Such as wherewith a misty ev'ning's clad A kind of twylight Earth nor raging Seas Nor any thing but misty ayr he sees A circling Cloud darker then pitch appears Vast and of huge extent aloft it rears In forms of Cliffs and pointed Rocks The Sp'rite Thus speaks these pitchy cloudy mounts in sight Impale our Kingdom 'T is Avcrâ—â—â— call'd With such continued Rocks our Kingdom 's wall'd This is the Entry Here involved lies Continual Light none there a Ray espies Of any Light part of this Rock God threw In't Aegypt when that thicker darknesse flew Th'row out the Land our dearest servants he With our own weapons plagues continually 'T is not so dark within the pale now this Is caused by Antiperistasis And that cold Region which ingendreth hail And thunder which when Icy clouds assail Each other's made becomes so violent From two contraries which from both sides sent Causes its forces shrink together so More violent pent in lesse room they grow This darknesse then flies from that Light within And from the Light Woâ—ld's shine so lies between Shrouding together pressing close and thick Fast cleaving closely doth together stick These palpable dark clouds they enter where He doth a thousand shrecks and howlings hear Cursings Blasphemings swearing murmuring voycâ—â— Bellowing with a thousand ugly noyses But horrid darknesse so encompas'd him That who these noyses made could not be seen
things trodden down Under the glorious Lamb who once was slain But now in triumph doth for ay remain Death's and Hel's darts were broke o're whom he stood Incompassed with an illustrous flood Of Light ineffable displaying there His Conquest written in a Banner fair The blessed Crosse in Heav'n's bright Ensign shon With streaming Gold far brighter than the Sun So what was once contemptible and base Now stands in Glory in the highest place There also seen were those who had put on Their new Bodies and gain'd thâ—ir royal Crown And Scepter whom great Iesus did instal Princes and Kings and mighty Lords of all Sharing his Royal Scâ—pter and his Crown Such is his matchlesse Love with every One. Thrice bow'd the Angâ—ls thrice the Graces and Took up their places then on either hand Awaiting when they should Commanded be To any Office by his Maâ—esty Th' amazed Pilgrim as yet prostrate lay Too weak to view the Godhead's glorious Ray But the same Light which his weak eyes annoys His Soul fil'd with incomparable â—oyes And still the flames of ardent LOVE did roul Upon the Altar of his sacred Soul But by and by his Guardian Angel Came By Iesus first b'ing bid to do the same Who rais'd him up and spread his downy Wing Before his feeble sight and so did bring Him to the Throne of Iesus at whose Seat He fell and ravish'd kiss'd his sacred Feet Th' immortal Kingâ—strait took him from the place And honour'd Him with a divine Embrace Seal'd all the Joys the Pleasures Blisses sweets Upon his ravish'd Soul an Angel meets With in his blessed station O high Exalted Pleasures of Aeternity The Pilgrim then to Iesus would have Cry'd 〈◊〉 that the Rapt his Tongue had chain'd and ty'd That he unworthy was of all that Bliss Those favours and that matchlesse Love of his And 〈◊〉 he would have had his Tongue confesse His constant frailty and unworthinesse His Heart confess'd it but his Tongue was mute For Joys and Pleasures would not let him do 't For that Embrace unto his Soul did move Enflaming more and more the Fire of Love Whose heats at last unto that hight did come That he received there a Martyrdom Such matchlesse pleasures now enjoy'd this Saint That neither mine nor Angels Pens depaint Can nor Man think who never felt the same Who ne'r into Love's Armes and bosom came But such they were and of such price to Him That thouâ—and Worlds should not have purcha'st them Nay such they were he 'd be content to gain Such Pleasures with ten thousand years of pain Therefore O Man be wise and let not this World's pleasures rob thee of Aeternal Blisse Muse breath a while and give me leave to pray That I a Pilgrim too may once enjoy Such happinesse and high exalted Blisse Such Pleasure Rapture and such Joy as this Then shalt thou sing touch'd with Caelestial Fire Of LOVE Divine in sacred Notes much higher Than these low straines Thy Lively measures then Shall quicken up the drowsie Hearts of Men From their Lethargic sleep True Joy and glee Shall sweetly Couched in thy Numberâ— be True Joy's true Peace's Rest's and Blisses King I 'le sigh and mourn ' til thou say'st rise and sing 'Till thou say'st rise and sing I 'le Sigh and Mourn By me the Crosse not yet the Crown is worn Lord when thou pleasest Crown my Soul that I In Joy may Sing thy Prayse Aeternally The end of the Second Part. THE EXPLANATION OF AN Hieroglyphical Figure SHEWING THE MYSTERIES OF THE External Internal Eternal WORLDS The third Part. ONce more my sacred Muse doth take her flight And on the top of glorious SION light Where she beholds those glorious wonders which For ever the Aeternal World enrich Those Wonders and those Miracles of Grace Which beautifie and splendorize the place Those Wonders that are past her Skill to shew Which if she could it were not fit to do For there such glorious Wonders may be read As are not lawful to be uttered But what she may and what she Can express She shews unto you in a homely dress Accept I pray this Offering she brings For Rapt with Wonders all amaz'd she sings O Thou Aeternal Everlasting Day Illuminate my darker Soul I pray O let her eyes be fixed upon thee Thou King of Glories and of Majesty Grant that she may behold those Wonders that Th' Aeternal World thy bless'd Seat decorate O now inspire me with a Power divine Put Life into my Numbers sacred Trinâ— That whilst Heav'n's beautious Glories here I sing Unto your Throne I Souls may ravish'd bring That whilst my own wâ—apt in these Heaâ—s doth see Heav'n's Splendor and thy glorious Beauty she May be united to the Lord so close That nor the World nor Hell the tye may loose That while to others thus I sing I may O Lord not be my self a Cast-away Ho! Moâ—us cease to Carp Ho! Zoilus Cease Your scoffs and taunts Ho! Criticks hold your peace And say not now I Miracles reherse Beyond the lofâ—y Limits of a Verse Say not I write my Brainsick-Whimsies Lies Or Fables or I meerly Poâ—tize Ye are the Swine who grunting in the mire Would spoyl the musick of the sacred Quire But for your dissonance and grunt'ling noyse The World might often hear a Seâ—â—ph's voyce Piggs think their whining best the jetting Crows Themselves the fairest of Heav'n's Fowls suppose The Owles and Cuccows think their Notes to be 〈◊〉 sweet as Philomel's sweet harmony So you suppose your Canting best and then Like snarling Currs do Carp and snap at Men. You 're Swine indeed whose dull eyes stil below Behold the earth and hunt and scent your trough Your necks are too too short to view the Skye How come you then to judge of things so high Because some Wind-fals on the ground you see Think you no fairer Fruit hangs on the Tree Swine cann't look up it is a Man alone Not slothful Beasts can pull the fair Fruit down Buzzards are blinded by Sol's glorious Rayes Eagles unhurt against his splendor gaze Here then are Pearls but unto wise Men such But wrapt in pitch least Swine such gemms should touch Pearls must not naked be expos'd to Swine So say'd that mouth that wholly was divine Least that they trample and despise the same And Him who so unwisely offer'd them Therefore a wise Man cautiously shrouds Gemms of great value in obscurer Clouds And in the Pitch of Words those Pearls divine Hides from the eyes of such perverting Swine Which in their spendrous beauties otherwise Should Vail-less be exposed to their eyes But now me thinks I hear them Carp and say How come you thus Heav'n's beauties to display And the Arcana's of the Aeternal Sphear When you your self never arrived there If you should tell us that you were we cry We are assured that it is a lye For none to Heav'n ever can attain Whil'st his kept-Soul doth in his Corpse remain For when the Body's
tâ—y Which got they straight send to Hel's Treasury Sometimes he this makes use of sometimes that This serves for this that for another Plot. Sometimes the Starres and their â—ad inâ—luence As instruâ—ents he uses and from whence He oft assaults poor Man MARS stirs to wrath And blood Sâ—â—Tâ—R to Avaâ—ice and sloth MERC'RIE to Theft Ambition IUPITER VENUS to Lust and the cold MOON to err His wayes innumerable are and mount Unto infinity the starres you count May first or sands that on the shore do lye He 'l suit all Humours By their humours try To work for his advantage To excesse Of feeding this man that to drunkennesse He doth provoke Leads this to Pride to Lust Another this to doing things unjust To lying Theft Adâ—ltery Perjury And to all manner of iniquity But meets he with a studious Man or one Who hath got conquest o're his passion Unto grosse sins he doth not tempt them he Their strength doth know therefore with policy His shape he changes and with subtle guile Corrupts their knowledge and with errours vile Their Brains doth fill if in Theology Their study be their errours are more high A prying mind finds he in men of Parts He subtlely draws them to his blacker Arts Where with most strange delusions them delude And thus himself in every one intrude He will and suting to their inclination With cunning Art unseen work their destruction But sees 〈◊〉 some who in earnest be To leavâ— the World who would their Spirits free From his sad bondage bid this Earth adiew And woâ—ld with Heav'n a stricter league renew Uprightly walk and very closely presse To find that Gate that leads to happinesse Out of this Earth thus cunningly be deals So soon as he their working pulses feels A mighty Circle 'fore the gate he draws The which scarce touched is with Heaven's Rayes Those then who presâ—e toward this Gate anon Fall into this Fantastic Region For so it is they in a Circle run Blinded and groping wanting heat and Sun A little Light as at a crevice flows Into the place the which these umbra's shows Unto their hood-winck'd eyes Formes Government Words Literal sence Disputes and Cavilment Concerning Ceremâ—â—ies Iudging and Self-gathering in a more righteous Band. With these they sport themselves who like that fire That in the Night leads people th'row the mire And 'bout the Field do cause these blind ones stray In oblique pathes and hinder from the way They should have ta'n In this same Region All Sâ—cts as in a misty Circle run Here gropes the Presbyter whose rigid sp'rit Is took for zeal beclouded too with night In this dark Region's th' independant who Hath a more pleasing sp'rit and better hue The Dippers here do wash their scaly eyes And round about the bolder Ranter flies Here the severer 〈◊〉 and here Fist 〈◊〉 Eâ—thusiasts appear With other Sâ—cts and Fâ—â—â—aticks and all Who pressing forward stay or catch a â—all For such whose love to heaven caus'd them press Towards that gate that leads to happiness Once enter'd here it is more hard to finde Then 't was before they entered this blinde Phantastic place passe this forme that try there Another â—ound them all yet where you were At first you are nor are more neer the gate In this same sect now then you were in that Help't by soâ—e Angel or some brighter ray Of all these Sâ—cts some may invene the way Out of this Region and may finde the gate Which all that Heaven find must enter at All it endeavour can we justly blame Them when they grope about to find the same Alas though some do almost touch it yet Through blindnesse they can have no power to see 't The way 's not Sects nor formes of pleasing sence But Truth and Life to Christ obedience Tho Satan tempteth all men unto sin And doth desire they should inhabite in His harsh-dark principle and rather then He 'd any loose a thousand wayes for men He trys as by this worlds law pleasures yet He 'd rather man should like a Prince be set Then like a slave in his great Kingdom there Both high and low degrees of places are They nearer to or farther from his Throne Are set as they with him have union Those whom this worlds low pleasures catch or those Who by Lust Lying Wrath or Envy goes To this dark world are kind of underlings And are like Subjects to Hells greater Kings But those who to greater perfection Arrive and who have stricter union With Hell and those who knew his Mâ—gic's might Advanâ—'d are and their states are higher pight These do become Pâ—inces in Wrath and these He loveth most for they his nature please Are one with him these do his Wonders show And make his mighty power known below These are his Agents Saints beloved ones Are more than servants these become his Sona Heav'n thirsts not more to have one perfect here To make his Glory and his might appear Than Hell who as thâ— Elder Brother show His Magic first shall on this Earth below Therefore it first I will describe and tell The Power Nature Might and Pomp of Hell Mundus tenebrosâ—s vel tartareus SUppose the mighty Prince of darknesse wou'd Himself incarnate vail with with fleshly Hood His Stygian Face to shew the power and might Of the vast Kingdom of Aeternal Night Upon this Earth He finds a man propense From genial starres to ill a mind immense After abstruser prying piercing Wit Grave look and studious such a Man is fit For this his high design First then he strait Causes his Princes on his elbow wait With all Hel's agents who in clusters presse T' imbue his Soul with deep dy'd wickednesse By their infernal Magic they convert The mortal Tree's fruit to the Evil part He feeds on ill the which his Soul doth stain His freer will unto themselves they gain And by degrees his sences please that he Desireth they should his Companions be They promise then if he 'l obedient Be with what power and Regiment They will indue him His high mind doth come And Hel's disciple doth at last become Some Angel then Hel's mighty Prince assignes To wait on him he good converse declines The Daemons laugh to see him captivate And scoâ—f the Angels of the other state Seeing that he obedient is they now Cause him unto Hel's Image for to bow And as the â—â—â—nce of Heav'n commandeth his A way to gain the same to shun Heav'ns blisse Hel's Prince commands He from the World abstract Must be lest that his deeper thoughts detract From that high work he doth intend him for He fastings vigâ—â—s doth command him nor Lesse prayers than the other World requires Washings and Ceremoies he desires And also that he should be Celebate Thus like an Ape he God doth imitate In all his biddings th' better to beguile Man with his high deceits and cunning vile He spares him in grosse sins it may
and pain A Language or some Rhetorick to gain The juice of this fine fruit did Herod lick When he a God was styl'd for 's Rhetorick And that round apple which hangs dangling there Will make you be a cunning Sophister You apple which is so variegate Will make you cunning in mechanicks strait This Apple here which hangs so fair to view With Mathematick cunning will imbue See what Cylindres and Rhamboides What Quadrats Dâ—agâ—amms Isoce'les With other lines and â—gures printed in Black red and yellow streakes upon the skin These shew its Nature But yon with a Star So fairly mark'd makes an Astrologer Should'st thou eat this which hangeth over us More cunning then was Aeculapius thou 'ldst be and skilfull too in Chirons art If that which hangeth on that bow a th'wart But yon fair fruit which takes up so much room Will make you know before what is to come Of this did Baalam often fâ—ed when he Did by our divination Prâ—pheâ—â—e In former time this Apple was in use Much when Delphean Priests did suck the juice And on the next they fed when they in verse Their Oracles â—id uâ—ually reherse But you five Apples which I shew you now And which do triumph on the upper bough Shall be thy food See here I 'le reach them down Make much of them for now they are thine own Well may'st thou prize them Heav'n nor Earth such fruit Can give which may so well thy nature suit These with thee take and feed upon below But first to thee I will their vertues show This purple colour'd one more cold than Ice Or Riphae an snow extinguish in a trice Will that Scintilla Love hath plac'd in thee Then shalt thou wholly from his chaines be free Flouds of temptations nor whole streams of sin Nor pleasures which the World may draw you in Are strong enough to dout that little spark Which closely gloweth in thy hollow ark Well may they cloak it that it may not flame But 't is this fruit that must put out the same This next although more black than pitch it be Will firmly glew together Hell and thee A thousand chaines shall sooner break than this Resolve thee of so strong a nature ' t is With all Hel's Peers and our great Prince you wil By it hold highest Correspondence still By this third snaky-colour'd one below Thou shalt most strange-amazing Wonders do Th' Eternal flames which wend above the sky Unto the Earth thou may'st call by and by The Hyperborean sconce thou mayst command To aestuate the Sea to Mountains and Mayst at thy bidding Taurus rend in twain Or Atlas fling into the Western main This reddish one bespotted thus with jet The lock'd gates of thy sences ope will set Your quicker eyes although on Earth you stand Shall pierce the Centre of our darker Land Then shall you see us when you please and know How that your Prince and we your Brothers do Our shriller voyces shall assault your ear Your nose shall smell the sulphur of our Sphear And our hot breaths feel blowing in your face Our Kingdom 's dainties tast in every place Banquet and deeply drink with us so you May be on Earth and in our Kingdom too By this last teter one all evil Sprites That b'longs to Hell to please you with delights You when you please may call nay if you will Ten thousand Legions shall attend you still All that belongs toth ' Necromancy Art And Conjuration 't will to you impart That at your beck from hence you may adjure The blackest Fiend to be your servitour Iannes and Iambres Simon and Faustus eat Tho not to fill them of this pretious meat See now what power thou' rt indued with By these rare fruits pluck'd from the Tree of Death The gold of In'd nor Peru not the Seas Rich Treasure purchase may such Fruits as these The fabuliz'd Hesperian fruit of old Were durt to these although they were of Gold Come now thou great Magitian thou shalt go Unto the Body which remains below Our Pomp and Power thou hast seen and I To you our Kingdom 's nature did descry You need no conduct hither now for when You please you my come visit us agen This said he strait his body reassumes And thus Hel's great Magitian becomes My Muse returned from the darker Sphear Her garments rank of Sulphur smell I fear Which may offend with those strange sights which late She saw affrighted now shel'd titubate Should she proceed Like one which newly come From long restraint in some dark Dungion Cannot indure the splendid Light nor dares Sol's beams behold so with my Muse it fares Who newly flown out of the house of Night Dares not as yet describe the Orb of Light Till that in Iordan she hath bath'd her eyes And Virgin Limbs that she may brighter rise New modulizing of his Harp again To sing Heaven's Blisses in a higher strain The end of the first Part. THE EXPLANATION OF AN Hieroglyphical Figure SHEWING THâ— MYSTERIES OF THE External Internal Eternal WORLDS The second Part. LOng mayst thou Phoebus pull my tender 〈◊〉 E'r I will my exalted notes for â—ear My Muse belongs not to thy miteâ—'d Hill Nor to thy teachings dos she owe her skill She from the double-top't 〈…〉 Unto the flow'r-spread Hills of Paradise And there inspired by the Angels notes Her self and Musick to their King devotes Who with the verdant Wreath of Love not Bayes Crowns the choice accents of her tender layes Great Prince of LOVE dain but to touch my tonguâ— With some small coal from off thy Altar flung Inspire my Soul ah let my words bespeak Thy Glory th'row them Hearts assunder break Glaâ—'d o're with steel Here highest Complement 'T is to become thy happy instrument O so intrance me that in Raptures I May sing the glory of thy Majesty The misty horrors of Eternal Night I 'ave shewn the far surpassing joyes of Light Let 's visit now a sight of much more worth May then my teeming Muse with ease bring forth An happy issue May my Numbers show The way to Heaven from this Earth below How deare's Man's Soul unto the Prince of Light Who all doth to his blessed Home invite Where all the pleasures and blest joyes of Hea'vn To crowned Saints by his own hand are given Who would not Heav'n acquire if 't only were T' avoid the terrors of the darker Spheat Where howling Devils spitting fire and flame In Wrath and fury 'gainst bright Heaâ—'n blaspheâ—e Where nought but Sulphur Fire and brimstone hurld About gives light unto that impious World Where pains Eternal in dark cares below With ugly Devils thou must undergo But what allurements hath blest Heav'n to give To Souls that Chastly and divinely Live What Joys what pleasures what true happinesse Do those blest Souls in Paradise possesse One single grain whereof more value holds Than all the pleasures that this World enfolds Ah! these are mix'd with sorrows those have none
at any time deny If they sincerely ask my Company I Queen am of that place of such delight Whose heav'nly Beauty recreates the sight Of all that enter there and now I come To let you see unto Ierusalem The heav'nly the true Way such guides I 'le leave That if you 'l follow none can you deceive With false illusions nor draw aside But be you sure to follow still your Guide Although you able are to comprehend The whole World in a thought yet if you bend Yoâ—r whole Imagination to conceive The Glory of Ierusalem bereave The Earth the Seas the Skies of all what e're May glorious or beautifull appear And with them frame a glory all shall seem Unto the glory of Ierusalem But as a grain of dust to mighty Gemms Or as a Candle to the Sun 's bright beams That I may give thee some small glimpse of that Most glorious House I have a Picture brought With me of it and that I may invite Thee with its beauty to attain't a sight Thou shalt have of 't APOCALYPSIS then She call'd a Nymph that 's much desir'd of Men. Her tresses hung like waves of gold upon Her shoulders her transparent garments shon With far more lustrous beauty than a gemm Diaphanous Earth's Beauties were in them With Heav'n's intermixt a curious Hand Had here the Sea and there the stable Land With Groves and Rivers Gardens Founts and Springs With all Earth's pleasures and all living things Express'd The Sun the Moon and Stars he might With all the Beauty of the Heav'n's delight Fully behold wrought with Stones highly priz'd The Heavens and Earth were there Epitomiz'd So that she shon like the bright Evening Star Or Phoebus mounted in his high-noon Carr. A Chrystal Key with which the inward sight She did unlock her left hand held her right A scroul of Paper This GRACE did unfold That he might there Ierusalem behold His greedy eyes fix'd on the Scroul did wait VVhen her blest hands would ope the picture straightâ— VVayes the unfolding it more dazling beams Than could proceed oâ—t of a masse of gâ—mms Flew thence and like the agill Lightning strook His eyes perstâ—ng'd them and his Body shook Prostrate he fell not being able to Bear all those Beauties which together Flew From thence This splendor is too great he cries For to be look'd upon by mortal eyes Heav'n's Eaglets only can behold this Sun And without striking blind their eyes upon It gaze How wil't perform thy word to me Unlesse thou giv'st new eyes I cannot see If that a shadow of its glory does Perstring thine eyes says Grace and ' maze thee thus VVhat will the full fruition of it do VVhen in its hâ—ghest lustre it by you Shall be beheld An Alabaster box Her snowy Hands with a cold Key unlocks From whence she drew a Sov'raign eye-salve made Of Purity upon his eyes she lai'd The same and bid him boldly view the Light For that pure Salve from hurt would guard his sight At her Command his baulmed eyes he now Erec'ts and doth that glorious splendor view VVhich doth proceed from the bright radiant gemm Of which is made the new Ierusalem A glorious City there he saw the Pen Nor Heav'nly Tongues of Angels nor of Men Can it expresse or half its Glory tell Its beauties other beauties all excell More than the brightest gemm dark glasse or far More than Gold durt or Sol the meanest star Rap't in a kind of extasie he moves In that bright splendor round the City roves He with his eyes taken with so much blisse His Soul out of his body wrapped is Himself among the Thornes he sees and there Views what his tongue to utter doth not dare O glorious Beauty cries he out one graâ—â— Of thee will more than recompence all pain And trouble that we on the Eard endure For to possesse thee O bless't Light immure My Soul for ever here where reigns true Blisse Where is true Joy and where true pleasure is Adiew vain Earth and all thy foolish pleasure Worser than Dung compared to this Treasure And Joys I find Ah what are Crowns to thee Least particle of true Felicity Lighter than chaff of lesse esteem they are Than dung if they with heav'n's bright Crowns compare O how I 'am rapt O how I now esteem The glorious Vision of Ierusalem Grace smiling at his Rapture warbled forth These words This sight of such esteem and worth Is that to very few it granted is The favour to behold this sight of Blisse Amongst those very few thou seest thou art For ever then record it on thine heart And let this Beauteous sight attract thee 〈◊〉 That thou astray mayst not hereafter go Nor think that thou already art in Blisse This but a sight and at a distance is Of futâ—re happinesse which gain you may If you persever in the stricter way But if backslide and in your sins remain This Heav'nly City you shall ne'r attain How vain the choysest of Earth's pleasures are If with the least of these you them compare Let this consideration beget A fire of constant sacred Love to it So that thou mayst with greater ease presse on Till thou the harder way hast overcome For if thou dost heav'n's Beauties contemplate Earth's in compaâ—ison to them thou'lt hate Whilst to this sight thine Eyes are married The way thou se'st not that doth thither lead It s glorious Beams o'te-shadow it but I By vailing them exhibit to thine eye The way that leads unto this City will A thick mist strait doth her command fulfill Which like a Vail hid those illustrous Beams And now the way pourtray'd he sees it seems To lye here over Rocks th'row Vallies there Here dark black Caves there Seas of Blood appear Here precipices thick here thornes here steep And stony places there strong Watchmen keep The passages a thousand dangers show Themselves along the way that he must go If he to Salem will attain His eye About he cast no other way espy He could so that necessity compells He that wayes must when there is no way else Nor Rocks not precipices nor cries he Sanguineous Seas now shall discourage me Since I have seen those Beauties which do Court My Soul for which all dangers seem a sport Will for 't is fitting that Aeternitie With fleshe's hazzard should attained be Come I'm resolv'd and ready am to tread This narrow Path which doth to Sion lead I 'le leave this World and for my future good Fly over Rocks swim thorow Seas of blood This said APOCALYPSIS then withdrew And GRACE her hand did to the Pilgrim shew A hearty Kisse on which he straight inferr'd Unto the path from which he lately err'd She him conducted where stood HOPE and FAITH Who ran to him assoon as in the Path He came To whom themselves the' excused thus For your deviating pray blame not us 'T was your own fault for whilst we with you kept We know not how into a
is of her store But thou this Mount despise must and be poor Desie Earth's Riches 'Till from Heav'ns blest done Thou dost receive them then they are thine own When Heav'n adorns thee with Earth's pride then thou Shalt like an Angel truly shine below Thou then shalt honour God and every gemm Shall glory but to touch thy Garments hem All what thou dost here in thy passage meet To stop thy way shall tumble at thy feet No power have they then to hurt And thou Regard them shalt no more than dunghills now 'Till then thou leave them must and follow the Most rare Example of Humility With that she from her sacred Bosom drew A Picture and reposâ—d it to the view Of the Caelestial Traveller where one The best skill in the Graphic Art had shown The Pencil guided by some hand divine Had there trick't out the fruitfull Palestine Had shew'd Iuâ—aea and Ierusalem The famous Temple Iordan's Christal stream All Gâ—lâ—ee the Hamlet Nazareth And Bethlehem where God in flesh had Birth His Life his Miracles his Death and where He â—uried was was rarely pourtray'd there Beâ—old said Alathia here 's the story Of the great King of Meeknesse and of Glory Who cloath'd himself with mortal flesh and blood And shed the same to do poor sinners good This is the Pattern of Humility View this fair Copy thou the ectype be Consider the immensity of Love Past the poor reach of Man and far above His most capacious thoughts to Comprehend The depth of it which to the very end Of AEternity doth reach Immensity Of Love and Oceans of Humility With pious reverence turn here thine eye Thy Saviour view in 's Infant Majesty See how Heav'n smileth in his eyes what Grace Already beameth in his sacred Face Those Rayes divine though vaild with flesh and blood Break through their Closure and make bright their Cloud O depth of Meeknesse O great Caesars fling Your Crowns and stately Robes aside The King Of great Olympâ—s and of all the Earth Humility doth â—each you by his birth See where he lies his high-roof'd Chamber is A despicable Stable look how this Poor Crib supplies a Cradle's place you see No gilded Cradle here no Couches be This Hay grown soft by 's sacred touch doth own A happinesse serves for a bed of Down The Crib's hard side a pillow is alasse His Chamber-fellows are the Ox and Asse Darknesse surrounds the Earth and whilst 't is hurâ—d Through Hearts as well as Eyes into the World The Sun of Righteousnesse doth come 't is he That Day and Light and Sun to all must be His Winter too snow hangs on every bough Tearts had their Ice their â—nows and Winter too But in the midst of Hyems is the King Born that to Hearts and to the World 's the Spring See Where his Mother the blest Virgin on Her bended knees doth wait upon her Son Nought but Humility can here be seen In all the World 's great King and Earth's blest Queen See where the Virgin-mother 〈◊〉 about His sacred limbs a clean but homely clout You see no Tyrian-tiâ—cted mantle there Shining with Gold no uselesse Vailes appear Brodeâ—'d with Lace a piece of home-spun cloth Is Vaâ—l is Mantle Rug and Blanket both For lack of better Aâ—as see where spreads Upon the walls busie Arachne's threads See with what pains that careful Animal With her best art labours to hang the Wall Nought but Humility can here be seen In all the World 's great King and Earth's chast Queen Although this birth with so much lowlinesse Accompan'ed simplicity expresse And of small value seem t' ambitious Earth Heav'ns Choresters rejoycing at his birth Sâ—ng this Antiphona Salvation is Come unto Man by this blest Genesis VVhilst others answer with a high-tun'd voyce Rejoyc O Earth both Eâ—â—â—h and Heav'n rejoyce Salvation now is come to you below At Jesu's Name all heaâ—ts and knees shall bow VVhilst thus his great Name the Caelestial Quire Râ—sound his mystic Birth they all admire AEâ—ernity before nor eâ—er shall Again a Wonder see so mystical Th' AEternal God takes humane flesh and blood And all what Man has sin excepting had O Wonder wonderfull indeed it is The greatest Wonderâ—â— e'r told was this His â—nd was to redeem fall'n man but you May see his Life to be exâ—â—plar too O â—ioâ—s lowlinesse See where he stands To be Baptiz'd by Iohn's lesse worthy Hands See how the Chrystal Streams his Limbs do kisse From whence they take a far more purer Blisse And if that any staines they have from thence The sacred touch of his blest flesh doth rince Them clean see how part of those gentle Streams Loath to depart are chang'd to Chrystal Gemms Which from his skin receive their lustre they Melt into Tears when that they glide away You see no glaring Gold no gaudy Lace Upon his back no Pedlars shops embrace His Holy wast one seamlesse Coat supplies To hide his Beauties from prophaner eyes All Ornaments O single Poverty The Wing'd inhabitants of ayr they be Not destitute of Nests the Foxes they Have Dens but he whereon his Head to lay Has not a place Heaven and Earth's great Lord Earth don't the favour of a Home afford Now view his Court they like himself are clad Two coats two scrips two pair of shoos forbad They were poor Fisher men such chose he they Happy forsake the VVorld themselves deny All things The sinners and the Publicans Are oftentimes made his Companions The Supercilious Scribe and Pharisee Scorn him and he his blessed Company Denies to them their Pride and wickednesse Are opposite to 's Worth and lowlinesse See here the mirror of Humility See where he humbly on his knees doth lye And though he Lord be yet â—e thinks it meet For our example to wash clean the Feet Of his Disciples the slaves office thus He takes who is Lord o're the World and us See where he doth his Body break O that You had but eyes to see the blessed meat He gives under those Elements of Bread And Wine His Body and his Bloud is shed Thereby into their Souls though from your eye 'T is hid he gives his blest Humanity They on his Body feed and I must tell You here he wrought a mighty Miracle All those who truly do receive this sood Do feed upon his Body and his Blood Not by a notion really they do A Sacramenâ— indeed yet known to few The mirroâ—r of all Paâ—ience see he that The Angels thought a Happinesse to wait Upon and at whose Call ten Legions would His foes have into thousand pieces pull'd Is bound and fetter'd see what Majesty Reignes in his eyes mixt with Humility See with what meeknesse he doth turn his cheek Whilst it the wicked multitude do strike See how he bears their buffets where they spit Upon his Face â— see how he beareth it Speaks not a word but rather pitties them Who slay their own Souls in their muâ—thering him
hours doth run By three times fifty and sixteen degrees Exceeds the World But who that Planet sees Deems him but smal How far beyond that Star As they account th' Emperial Heav'n's are You may imagine when the space they ' count 'Twixt Earth and the eighth Heav'n to surmount Sev'nteen hundred millions of Miles and more How vast a distance did Steven's eye therefore Behold our Saviour But that eye by which He say no bounds to it can distance pitch Paul's eyes were closed with what eye saw He The Glory then of Heav'n's bright Majesty Peter entranc'd was with what eye Beheld He then the sheet with clean and unclean fill'd And lastly with what Eye and with what Ear did divine Iohn in Patmos see and hear If thus the Eye may Heav'n see also The Body of that Eye may thither go It is not strange to them therefore that are Acquainted with true notions of that Sphear Wherein Iâ—hovâ—h and the Angels be That Man on Earth th' Aeternal Heav'n's may see For such do know how Souls abstracted may Be from their House of impediting clay And that whilst in their Bodies they remain May Heav'n by Faith not only here attain And be conversant in the highest Sphear Abstracted from the World though they dwell here But least because I here so stifly plead You should suppose I have been there indeed I will confess as ' counting it great shame To be accounted better than I am That I not worthy have accounted been O no I cleans'd am not am enough from Sin I am a Pilgrim and do thither wen Strong is my Faith I shall come there Amen! Assur'd I am although a very few Attâ—in whilst here on Earth this Court unto That here on Earth it may attained be Though Flesh and Blood impeed its clarity But you that ask me how I come to know Those things of Heaven which I here do show Since as I do confess I have not been There nor those myst'ries that I speak of seen Pray tell me also then how you come by Your knowledge of a Heav'n beyond the sky Were you e're there Yet confidently you Discribe the place affirm your notion true You 'l tell the Joys of everlasting Blisse Describe the Glory that in Heaven is And will you then if you did never see The place you speak of angry be with me For doing what your selves do daily do You say 't is UP to Heav'n and that is true And is 't not also INTO Heav'n you 'l grant That God's the Centre of all things and sha'nt The Centre which is inmost highest be Or Up or In it is all one to me But this I know that Heav'n and also Hell Though separate in every place do dwell Although as I confess I have not been In Heav'n nor there its spendid glories seen Yet I account it grace enough to be The Praecâ— of his heav'nly Majesty I may the Candle hold and light the way Into the place of everlasting Day I may the Mercury be to guide aright Caelestial Pilgrims with my glimmering sight We may see right unto the Mountain's top And point the way whilst we are getting up Unto our fellow-Travellers that they if faster go they can may see the Way We Joy if by our means aright they move Those that see more may thank us for our Love That upper Globe which you see pourtrai'd there Doth represent the high Eternal Sphear This is the highest Noblest brightest best The Glory Life and Centre of the rest The place of mighty Wonders the divine Seat of the sacred everlasting Trine The habitation of the blessed Saints Where glorious Angels spread their heav'nly Tents Where stands Mount Sion and the glorious Lamb Where is SOPHIA and Ierusalem This is the everlasting place of rest The Heav'n the habitation of the blest This Man may find in the deep Centre and How this through all devolveth understand Here is the spatious glassie Sea and the Crystalline Earth the Ayr of Purity The purest fire which conjoyn'd in one The matter is of the Caelestial Throne Of Everlasting Joyes This place it is The Empyreum and the Seat of Blisse GOD out of Nature Comprehended may Not be a Nothing so to us I say He seemeth but as he Himself doth show In the Eternal Forms of Nature so We apprehend him can The Father then Hath from Eternity begot the Son This Birth 's the Heart of God which ever was And though begot yet 't no beginning has From whence proceeds the sacred Spirit who From both begotten is Eternal too All three distinct in Person yet but One Aeternal GOD in a strict Union This is the Mysterie of the sacred Trine Which in this everlasting Orb doth shine But now the Father with a strong desire Thirsts for the Son from whence springs up a Fire Which Fire not reaching God's most sacred Heart Is full of Anguish Bitternesse and Tart. This is the Fire that inkindleth Hell Where all the damned and the Devils dwell But the same Fire when that sacred LOVE Or Heart of God it self to it doth move Strait blazeth forth into a meek and Bright Joy and desire of Aeternal Light This is the Light of Heav'n and pleasant Joy In which all Blisse is not the least annoy And thus O Reader if thou are not blind Heav'n's Blisse and Joy Hel's pain and torment find Thou wilt to come from one deep Root and even Perceive the true cause both of Hell and Heaven And thus thou seest how they together dwell Hell hid in Heav'n Heav'n in the midst of Hell And yet so great a Gulf between that they In Hell behold not the least glimpâ—e of Day Nor they in Heaven feel the least of wo Their separation's thus Eternal too Though Similies are too too base to shew This Mystery of Mysteries of Mysteries to you But that our weak and duller eyes may see More clear by them think on this Simile Take thou a lighted Tapor put it out The week thou ' lt see with Fire glow thr'owour From whence a stinking vapour and a Fume Displeasing to thy nosethrils fills the room The stinking glowing weik gives little light And the Fire far doth differ from a bright And burning Tapor Light the same and then Thou 'lt see the former darknesse fled agen Thou 'lt see a blaze which from the weik doth rise With a bright splendid Glory 'fore thine eyes Which Blaze without the Fire could not be made The Fire 's without that blaze a deady shade The Heat and Light distinct and several be Though joyntly they do in the blaze agree Nor can the 〈◊〉 without the Heat have being But joyntly in 〈…〉 agreeing They make that Glory brighter than the Gold Which in a lighted Taâ—or we behold But Heav'n's splendrâ—â—â— Light doth not contain Such scorching heat as 〈◊〉 such Lâ—ghâ—â— remain The Application's very 〈◊〉 'T is â—ven Thus 'twixt the Fire of â—ell and Light of