you to read Should I but mention every horrid deed Of evil Spirits which in History Is noted who shall doubt this verity But one I 'le here recite Niderius His Pen the same made known hath unto us Upon the Confines of Bohemia lies A Stygian Vale where shady Mountains rise â—urden'd with aged trees whose bushy heads Fill th'under-lying Vale with horrid shades Denying Phaebus in the brightest Day Leave amply there for to project his Ray. Here every Night after that Sol was gon To court Queen Thetis in the Ocean And that the horrid shaddows of the Night With pitchy Vailes had muâ—â—led up the Light Hell and its Princes mustered their Forces Their bands of Foot-men and their Troops of Horses And in disport to Exercise and play Their Stygian Troops imbattel'd in array They did divide meeting with strange effort Pel-mell they joyn'd and skirmish'd thus in sport â—he Mountains eccho'd and the Vallies rung With the strange noises of this Stygian throng The ayr re-ratled with their Canons noyse Their armours clashing and the horrid voyce Of fighting roaring howling hissing Fiends Like to the loud-mouth Thunder when it rends The tallest Cedars and the strongest Rocks With unresistible and deadly knocks Here flakes of fire here curled Clouds of Fume With Sulphur mix'd and other stinks did come From out the Vale as if that Aetna there Had spet his fiery entrals in the ayr And by and by they such a yell would send As if at once they Heav'n and Earth would rend Pompey and Caesar on the fatal Plaine Of Pharsalia or great Tamerlaine And Baâ—azet great Alexander and Darius who all Asia did command Met with lesse clamor and lesse noyse of armes Then made these Devils with infernal Charmes Thorow the gentle air these â—lamours flye Which gave Alarums to the dwellers by The fearfull ran away the stoutest dare Not go to see what fighting Foes these were Until at last two stout and hardy Knights Alaâ—um'd with these noyses several Nights Accounting it disgrace for them who were The Sons of Mars for to admit of Fear Resolv'd to go into the Vale and see Who those noctarnal Combatants might be The night appointed arm'd and mounted they Dauntlesse and stout together take their way Fair Phaebe tripping th'row the azure skies Favour'd with smiles of light their enterprize And on the Rode her silver beams doth shed Which to this Close and haunted Valley led By whose fair beams of Light discry they might Two Armies battail'd and prepar'd to fight Their Troops well marshal'd prest and ready bent And Colours streaming in each Regiment The Foot prepar'd the Horsemen mounted and Th' Artillery fitted and in order stand Here Drumms were beat here Fifes were play'd upon Here the shril-sounding Trumpets strongly blown Tantara go and other musick that Men prest to blood and rage doth animate This seen the heart of one strong fear subdues And farther on to go he doth refuse I 'ave seen enough said he nor is it good To match with Friends for feeble Flesh and Blood Let 's now retire while that we may from these Fiends and not dally with such Prodigiâ—s Coward stay thou the other strait replies Iâ—le try their mettal e'r I go Then hies Upon the gallop to these Armies but He in the midst is by a Champion met They draw their Weapons stoutly fight but he Strait loses both his head and Victory The other lesse Fool-hardy flies relate He doth next day this Champions desperate Fate The People thither go by heaps The dead Body they find some furlongs from his Head But neither print of mens feet nor of Horses Nor any sign of all these warlike Forces Were to be seen Sâ—ch stories Histories Afford in plenty And let this suffice Nor are the sacred Acts of Spirits good Inferior or lesse frequent than the Bad â—or they do mortals help as often still As those black Fiends appear to do them ill Doth not the sacred Writ most clearly shine In every place with Angels Acts divine What were those Sacred Nuncio's that came And eat and drank and Talk'd with Abraham They eat and drank not that they needed it For unto nothing soon resolv'd their mâ—at And who were those who Lot protected from The Sulph'ry flames which did on Sodâ—m come That the Aegyptians first-born slew and that Which did Senac'hrib's Host exterminate That which with Manoa commun'd and he Which Daniel help'd in his extremity Which talk'd with Esdras and those five that fought In golden armes for Machaâ—eus stout And what was he who Mary visited And he who Peter from his prison led Full every where are holy Histories Of holy Acts of Angels like to these Who by the Mandate of their masters Will Attend the good of Fragil mortal still This one I 'le cite to them who more would know The Ecclesiastic Histories will show When Christianism's fair and sacred Light Contested with the foul and cursed Night Of Paganism Then the raging Fiends Brought many Saints unto most cruel ends And then the holy Angels of the Lord Bestirr'd themselves to propagate his Word And in the Christians great extremities Apply'd choyce comforts to their Miseries So that with hearts undaunted evermore The Rage and fury of Hel's Prince they bore Among the rest stout LAURENTINUS and His valiant brother PERGENTINUS stand As Champions stout and bid defiance to Hell their pernicious and immortal Foe Their holy Tongues fiered with Zeal decry The Heathens Idol and Idolatry Their holy charmes enchain the Peoples hearts And Sathaa's wounded by the sacred darts Shot from their pious mouthes and fearing now To be o're-come voweth their overthrow TIBURTIUS then Areciam's Lord is bent To be the Prince of STYX his Instrument He these seeks to disswade but all in vain They scorn his hony'd words and sugar'd traine The more TIBURTIUS lauds his Iupiter The more he up their holy zeal doth stirr Enraged he as Sathan did command Caus'd them with cruel cords for to be bound And then with batts for to be beaten â—ore Till their white backs were covered with gore But mark an Angel with a steely wand And frowning brows doth by these Martyrs stand Unseen he strikes their Executioners Which blow its dyre effects full soon infers For strait their armes who beat these Martyrs so Are now not able for to strike a blow Dry'd up they are like sticks their sinnews shrunk And dryth hath up their strength and vigor drunk Cruel Tiberius then to prison hales These Brothers Hell now claps on all his Sailes Blown with the blasts of Rage fell mischiefs barque Seeks to o'rewhelm the Christian 's new-built Ark There as it were within the jawes of Hell Where horrid Night and Stygian stinks did dwell Where mire and filthy durt and stinking dung Bespread the floor and the black wall 's behung There are the Brothers noble Brothers put And there from food as well as Light are shut But
214. 215 An Hymn of Mortification p. 215. 216 The triumph of Death p. 216. 217 The Olive bough of Peace p. 217. 218 The bloody Garment of Christ The souls Resurrection p. 218. 219 Purgaâ—ory p. 219. 220 221 222 223 224 No Imperfection can enter Heaven p. 222. 223 Tâ—e Heathens sâ—lvation p. 224. 225 The Pilgrims passage thorough Hell or the dark Kingdom p. 225. 226 227 228 What the Cherub is that God plac'd at the entrance of Paradise p. 229. 2â—1 The Devil overcome p. 228. 229 The Partition-wall p. 229. 2â—0 231 The Power of Christ extol'd p. 229. 230 Adam's fall the cause of the Partition-wall p. 230. 231 Christ our Saviour's work p. 231 Christ our Saviour only The way to Paradiâ—e is through Hell and how there 's no redemption from Hell p. 231. 232 Christ's descention into Hell p. 232 How it was typified p. 233. 234 The great work of salvation wrought alone by Iesus Christ that dyed at Jerusalem p. 234 The Paradifical world p. 235 The souls resurrection or the new Birth p. 235. 236 The souls study after Regeneration p. 236 The two Principles explain'd p. 236. 237 What Paradise anâ— the second Principle are p. 237. 238 Christ possesses the throne of Lucifer p. 238 How Hell came to be And Lucifers fall The waters above the Firmament p. 238. 239 240. The Aeternity of the world The worlds Creation sucâ—inctly describ'd Adam creatâ—d in Lucifers stead p. 239 The Earth whâ—reof Adam's Body was made p. 240 Adam soul p. 240 Paradise opened in one place of the Earth and why p. 240. 241 What the forbidden tree was p. 241 Of Christs Body after the Resurrection p. 141. 242 Christ gain'd what Adam lost p. 242 The soul prohibited union with the spirit of the outer world p. 242 Paradise p. 243. 244 245 c. The clouds of Paradise p. 243. 244 The Iâ—ea's of all thiâ—gs in this world in their purity in Paradise p. 244 The Flowers and p. 244. 245 246 247 The â—rees of Paradise The Saints Harmony in variety p. 245 The River of Life p. 245 its virtue 246 The fruit of Paradise p. 248. 249 The perfumes of Paradise p. 247 The trâ—â— of Life p. 248. 249 Its virâ—ue The Graces that inhabit Paradise and p. 249 The S ouls â—wrodâ— wiâ—h the Graces p. 250. 251 No◠〈…〉 Paradise p. 251. 252 Aâ— Aâ—gel deâ—crib'd p. 254 Sophiâ— promis'd p. 254 The celebration of the mariage feast p. 256 The inner senses feasted p. 257. 258 259 c. The feast describ'd p. 256. 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 c. The Epithalamium p. 257. 258 259 The Feast of Love p. 261. 262 263 264 Miracles not ceas'd p. 268. 269 The Fruits and p. 269. 270 271 272 273 c. The Gifts of the tree of Life Gifts of T ongues p. 269 Gifts of Reason p. 369. 270 Gifts of Wisdom p. 270. 271 272 Gifts of Healing p. 272. 273 274 Gifts of Prophesie p. 274 Of interpretation of Scripture p. 274 Of Dreams and p. 274 Of Prayer p. 274. 27â— Gifts of Poetry p. 285. 276 277 Gifts of discerning of Spirits p. 277. 278 Gifts of union and Communion with holy Spirits departed p. 278. 279 Of uniou and Communion with holy Angels p. 279. 280 281 Of Miracles p. 281. 282 Gifts of seeing p. 282 Of Hearing p. 282. 283 Of Smelling p. 283 Of T asting p. 283 Of T ouching p. 283 Of divine Magic p. 283. 284 The Abuse of Magic and how the divine Magic comes to be lost p. 284. 285 286 87. 189 290 Why so many lost their labour in search of the S tone p. 290. 291 292 The way to gain â—â—e divine Magic p. 292. 223 What a divine Magitian is p. 293. 294 295 His power and knowledge p. 294. 295 Of those skil'd in 〈◊〉 Magic p. 295. 296 The sacred wine of Love p. 297. 298 The Soul drunk with Lâ—ve p. 298 The Daunce of Love p. 299 The Soul 's râ—pt of Love p. 299. 300 301 302 The Soul's Hymâ— The â—oul the Maâ—tyr of Love p. 302 303 The Baptism of Fiâ—e â—â—d â—he Holy Ghost The glorious humanity of Christ appears in Paradise p. 303. 304 335 The Soul's ravishment in the Armes of Love p. 305. 306 The Conclusion p. 306. 307 In the third Part. ENtrance and Invocation p. 309. 310 Carpers inveigh's against p. 310 Pearls not to be cast before Swine p. 310. 311 That Hâ—av'n may be attain'd on Earth p. 311. 312 Heaven every where both within and without Man p. 312 Heaven not locally beyond the starres only p. 312 Heaven the Câ—ntrâ— of all things p. 313 The Soul sees not without a Body p. 313. 314 The outward Body a prison to the Soul p. 313. 314 The true Body of the Soul p. 314 The true Elements not seen p. 314 Most Visions mentioned in Scripture not seen by the outer Eyes p. 315. 316 A Confession p. 316 Hell and Heaven separated and yet one in another p. 316. 317 A great Happinesse to be the Instrument of Good and converting of Souls p. 317 The Aeternal world p. 317 God not to be known out of Nature p. 318 The Mysterie of the Trinity p. 318 The cause of Heaven and Hell p. 318. 319 And of the torment of Hell and the Ioyes of Heaven p. 318. 319 The Gulf between Heaven and Hell p. 318 How Heaven and Hell are in one another p. 318. 319 The innumerable Wonders of Heaven p. 319. 320 Man the Aepitomy of all worlds p. 320. 321 Christ carries the soul into the Aeternal world p. 321 322 The Gifts of the Graces p. 322. 323. 324 The inexpressable Ioy and ravishment of the Soul p. 324 The entrance into the Eternal World p. 324 Three distinct Mansions or Orbs in the Aeternal World p. 325 The first the still Aeternity p. 325 The farther ascension of the Soul into the Sphear of Angels p. 325. 326 Angels superiority and inferority p. 326 The unexpressable pleasure the Soul receives in this place from the Heart of God p. 326 The Sanctum Sanctorum or fixed Glory p. 327 The Habitation of the Trinity p. 327 The new Jerusalem describ'd p. 327. 328 329 The Soul cloath'd with the new Body p. 330 The Soul's union and Gâ—orificaâ—ion p. 330 God out of Nature unsearchable p. 331 God not to be figured in the Imagination p. 331 Man prohibited to look into the hidden secrets of God p. 331 Conclusion p. 331. 332. The ERRATA in the First Part. PAge 8 verse 19 read 〈◊〉 p 9 v 9 r one VII r once p 13 v. 35 some p 14 v 3 r his p 16 v 29 r Orpine p 19 v 13 〈◊〉 v 19 r mâ—nv p 25 â— 4 r or Ameriâ—â— v 37 â— Sathans p 2â— v 20 r justling v 38 r ore p 31 in the Margert r p 09 v 1â— r â—â—â—us v 30 r soul v 33 â— so p 32 v 30 r fill p 33 v 18 r Asphaltes v 19 r such p 3â—
troop of Faâ—â—ies come Which round him dance triumphingly while some Anoint his eyes with Poppy-Juice and other With Soperiferous fumes his nosethrills smother And out of Bottles some pour down his throat Somniferous liquor from black Lâ—thâ— brought Long mayst thou sleep Long mayst thou sleep they cry And never wake out of this Lethargy But now the Time is come that all these Charmes Must be dissolv'd rap'd out of Sathans armes His Soul must be A mighty clap of Thunder As if the Heav'n's and Earth were rent assunder He hears affrighted up he heaves his head And as if newly risen from the dead He looks about rubbing his scarce-op'd eyes When in a flash of light'ning from the skies An Angel with an angry Countenance Descends his hasty steps he doth advance Unto this supine Soul one hand a goad Held in the other a sharp-scourging Rod. With a loud voyce I CONSCIENCE am cries he Who must awake thee from this Lethargy The pointed Goad into his flesh he â—lirks Whilst with the other hand he soundly jerks His naked Breast This sleepy Soul at first Scarce feels the stripes he then doth farther thrust The pricking Acus of his tort'ring Goad And with his Scourge lays on a heavier load Till that the blood from 's flesh begins to spin And still the Angel cries awake from sin Throughly awak'd he now begins to feel The tort'ring anguish of the pricking Steel He now cryes out What shall I do Oh! I Cann't bear this pain and up he starts to flye But round about a Mist as dark as Night Fills all the place only a little Light About the Angel shines by which he sees His sad condition and his miseries But up he starts and in the dark doth run Here up and down but yet he cannot shun The Angels strokes who where some e'r he goes Renews his torments with reitterate blows And now all 's former sins take shapes and do Where e'r he goes appear unto his view Against his face they flye Tormented he Cryes LORD from this sad HEL deliver me Whilst thus tormented up and down he flyes At length a little shining Light he spies On his right hand to that he runs and there He finds a passage from this Valley where When he had enter'd by that Light he saw His former sins ty'd on both sides the way In black and ugly shapes he loathes them now And fain would shun their sight could he tell how Amaz'd he stands What did by bosom dain Cryes he such ugly shapes to entertain Where were my eyes that their deformity And blacker shapes I could no sooner see O wretch that I did ever these commit Hel's sharpest torments I deserve for it O I am in the Wrath of God! my eyes Pour forth your teares How didst Apostarize My Soul In this deplorable estateâ— Expect no Mercy but Gods deepest Hate Oh with what anger the severer Judge Beholds me now I cannot go nor budge Where shall I flye O! which way shall I run Or where can I God's sharper Justice shun I won't go back Nor can I further go And in this place I am as loath to stay Drove to these straits what shall I do too weak Frail flesh and blood and frequent sins bespeak Me to perform those things the Law requiâ—es O sad condition O tormenting fires Of Wrath O which way which way shall I turn Hel's scorching flames within my bosom burn He thus perplext a little farther goes When that a Silver torrent doth oppose His hasty steps No other way there was If he 'l proceed but th'row those streams to passe Must I no farther go cryes he Constrain Me not O Bâ—ook for to return again No rather here I 'le dye upon the brink Thereof the lets his feeble body sink Here shall my brinish tears encrease your tide And shall as fast as your dull waters glide My eyes shall be your springs you need not fear A want of waters whilst that I am here If cold your streams with frosty fetters chain My warmer sighs them soon shall melt again Eyes ope your sluces Cataracts of Tears Fall down preserv'd you have these many years Your sullen waters 'gainst this time of need For to bewail my sad estate O speed Into this gentle River furrows make Upon my cheeks where you your Currents take Ah! Sins 't is ye that cause these Tears to flow Ye only are the cause of all my wo. 'T is ye who brought me to this sad estate I now repent me tho I fear too late My blubber'd eyes now turn from you I will I hate you all and flye you Eyes your fill Now take of Teares encrease this River so That 's streams may bigger than his Channel grow Whilst he for 's former sins a Ransom payes In Pearly Tears and'spanting Heart doth raise Within his Breast a tempest with his sighs A Man he in the gliding River ' spies When to the Wast the greedy waters had Devour'd his upper part was meanly clad With a rough jacket made of Camels hair Which with a leathern Zone upon his bare And tender skin was girt By this he knew 'T was Iohn the Baptist the Brook Iordan too Whilst with his vest the sporting waters play'd Two Crimson leaves disclosing thus he said Art thou a Pilgrim to the holy Land In which the New Ierusalem doth stand This then 's the Way no other way there is But th'row this River to Eternal Blisse Here in these waters must thou oftentimes Thy Body lave from all thy former crimes Here wash thy Soul from all the stains of sin If thou intendest Heav'n's high Race to win This Baptism by me thou first must prove E'r thou attainest that of Fire and Love This doth prepare thee for the other this Will cool that Fire which now raging is Within thy Bosom for thy former sin Here thou 'lt â—ind Peace and Rest Step quickly in His lips scarce clos'd were when the penitent Leap'd in and gladly to the Baptist went Who there immerg'd him in the Christal Tide A many times when on the other side Which melting Chrystal in round bulla's fall From 's hair and garments placing him he all Alone there leaves him But within his mind He far lesse trouble and more ease doth find As if disloaded from a heavy weight Of gives and fetters which he bore of late He feels himself and like a Porter now Discharg'd of what his back did underbow Himself doth stretch for ease But by and by A winged Post down from the Skie doth flye In 's Hand a sealed Parchment this he doth To him present th' outside a while he view'th But opening it these words he written finds We whose right Hand at pleasure all things binds And loses both in Heav'n and Earth Great King Of all the Worlds who unto Hell can fling All Mortals and thence raise again We do For our Son's sake who fupplicates for you Remit and Pardon all those
depraved and fallen This world and the things thereof falling under the senses whereby they are busied and the Soul hinderâ—d from more internal Contemplations is indeed the great Engine whereby the Devil captivates so many that they have not time to consider the nature of their souls or the state of other worlds They have some slight and supâ—rficial Notions and Ideas of them which they receive froâ— the dictates of others and with which they content themselves and rest satisfieâ— never understanding the deep mysteries contained in themselves Did man search the profundity of himself he would find a great mysterie and then â—his Hieglyphical Figure would not seem so great a Paradox as I question not but it will do to some There are some things in it which will seem stâ—aâ—ge and new and which doth not quadrate wholly with what is generally receiv'd but since there is no difference in any fundamental pâ—rt of our faith in Christ Iesus all may read it though of different opinions without offence CHRIST the great Exemplar of Holinesse and of Cobriety is here set out to be the Pattern of all Christians to walk after and though it is not to be expected tâ—at any can arrive to so sublime a pitch which â—e in being both God and man arrived at yet Man may attain to that degree of perfection in this Life as to walk uprighâ—ly holily and devoutly before God and justly and blamelesly beforâ— men Religion is not a mâ—eâ— notional knowledge of God but a practical feâ—ling of him non magna Ioquimur sed viâ—iâ—ur â—t us live well ratâ—er than talk well for knowledge without practise will but encrease our condâ—mnation in that great day and will but witnesse against us to our prejudice Nor can Ignorance be an excuse to any since God has given and Understanding and Capacity as a tallâ—nt to every mâ—n to know and do enough for his own salvation and which ought to be improved more or lâ—sse according to the value of his Tallent and not sluggiâ—hly to be cast aside in a Napkin or layed out in fâ—volous and unprofitable Thingâ— The great helps Christians have above others for that improvement will call for a greater â—ncrease of their Tallents and greater will their condemnation be for their neglects It is therefore out of that consideration and not ouâ— of any phantastick desire and itch of writing that I have pâ—nn'd this following discourse being the explanation of an Hierogliphical Figure of the Worlds which came into my hands another being the Author That I might not stifle that internal motion which prompted me to it though it was done without intention of making it publike But having pâ—ssed the test of better Iudgements than my own and approvâ—d I have sent it forth in that rude drâ—ss as it fell from my hasty Pen without other Ornaments and flatteries of Rhetoâ—ick and Lang age than what was natural and becoming 〈…〉 more secret parts from rude and profaâ—e eyes If that my good intention of awakening others to look after those Worlds most still ignore and blindly grope after and seriously to consider the immortality of their souls and of the Eternal felâ—cities or everlasting Torments they hereafter mâ—st enjoy take effect I shall think my self happy if not I have done my duty and my peace will be my Reward Casta placent superis purâ cum mente venite Et manibus puris sumite fontis aquam Tibul. Elg. AN ENCOMIUM On I. B. and his Interperer I. Sparrow Esq wrote in Latine and thus rendred into English GReat Saint tho I not in the Rubric see Thy Name in verse I may remember Thee By whom we profit it is good to own By thee I must confesse I much have known Of God Heav'n Nature we the secrets know By thy choyce works they mystic Wonders show Thy Works do shew the way to Paradise To the blest Kingdoms of Aeternal â—oys The Sons of Wisdom only read thee right By Day the Wise read thee th' unwise by Night Treasures and Gemms are open'd to their mind Whilst these an Abysse of thick dâ—â—knesse find Nor let them blame thee for the faults their own T is their dark minds see not when plainly shown â—â—oud Man and Covetous Sophist vain take heed â—ost thou the sacred Works of Behman read 〈…〉 Worldâ—ing you The 〈…〉 too The outside of the Book yoâ— only see Nâ—â— Bâ—hâ—â—n's mâ—nd nor sacred Mysterie O're 〈…〉 hang pâ—â—chy Vaâ—les what there You see to you ou◠〈…〉 Bâ—â— when yoâ— wâ—se and 〈◊〉 read his mind A 〈…〉 and Lighâ— you find For you the pâ—tchy 〈…〉 ay 〈…〉 God 's Spiâ—it's the Key th' 〈◊〉 insâ—â—ration's shew'd Dâ—vâ—ne he was in humane Science rude Thâ— sâ—cred Flame within his Breast did shine When that Hâ— pen'd such mysteries Divine 'T was God himself who dâ—d his Hand direct Who doâ—â— the Infant and the wise respect God was his Master it was he alone That made to him such mystic Wonders known And the â—â—cana's of the Woâ—lds did â—heâ— Boâ—â— of the Light the Dark and this World too To Him the mystic Tongue of Nature's given Thaâ— and the true Cabal â—s shew'd from Heav'n Tha mystic Tongue was Known in Paradise And He like Aâ—am Knew those mysteries Wâ—thin the Centre of his Breast dâ—vine 〈…〉 the Sun of Righteousnesse did shine Wâ—en that he wrote his châ—â—st Bâ—east us'd to be Fil'd with the Spirit of the Deity Fâ—e biting Crâ—tick and evil tonâ—ues that Prate ' Gainâ—t Behman and his Works Calumniate Wo to Bâ—asâ—â—emers To the â—â—ting Tongue Wâ—o to the Saâ—â—ts and all good men do wrong Becaâ—sâ— a simple Laick shall he be Mayn't God choose whom he please contemn'd by thee Do not his Works for new-Coyn'd Words dâ—spâ—se Mayn't God who all words made new Words devise Wilâ— Wise men Gemms in earthen Platters scorn Or Wisdom ' cause her Robes are old and torn Bark on â—ll Tongues that Him bespaâ—ter so Yet 〈◊〉 â—alm under its â—eight â—hall grow His â—alm â—hall flouriâ—â— and it 〈◊〉 mâ—y 〈…〉 Shew nâ—gâ—t to ill Men and to gooâ— Men Day To hoâ—y Men with their 〈◊〉 lâ—ght They â—hew the â—ay to 〈◊〉 and Heav'n aright I warn the scoffâ—r 〈…〉 Thou Behman's 〈…〉 no more Now holy Soul thes◠〈…〉 Whâ—ch at thy shrine is offer'd by my Love And though these perish may thy Nâ—me shall be A living Monument as well as thee In Heav'n thou liv'st for ever there But here Whilst the World lasts thou in thy works shin'st clear Great Saint we thus siâ—g forth out thanks below Which are just debtâ— foâ— what thou didst bestow And learned Sparrow we thy praises too Will sing Rewards too small for what is due The gifts of Glory and of Praise we owe The English Behman doth thy Tâ—ophies shew Whilst English men that great Saints praise declare Thy Name shall joyn'd with Hiâ— receive a share The Time shall come when hâ—s great Name shall rise Thy Glory also shall ascend the Skies Thou mad'st him
behold The sacred Secrets that the Worlds enfold But if that holy Ray of Light you want You may in darkness sit and ignorant Despise the Knowledge of the Truth divine Rich Pearls unfitting for the snouts of swine Are and unlesse God with a pow'rfull Gale Of Love shall draw aside th' obscuring Vail Their puzling brains dull'd with the Earth below May still ignore those things we plainly show But you whose hearts concentred are in Love Whose eyes withdrawn from Earth are fix'd above Whose minds plac'd on Coelestial Objects free From mortal cares and carnal pleasures be And you who rancour have disâ—el'd your breasts Who shun all fruitless and most vain Contests I here invite accept my homely fare And freely grant your pardon where I err I look for kindnesse from the learn'd and wise But scorn from those that Carp and Criticise The Hieroglâ—phick see my Muse alone Travels in Numbers for to make it known PROAEMIUM ISing no Hero's douty gests in warrs 〈…〉 With glozing prayses Nor unto the Skies Advance some common Justice in a King Nor the dread fury of the Wars I sing Nor with bewitching Layes 〈…〉 The Sacred the base toyes of wanton Love Nor praise the Courtly beauties of the times With Wine-inspired and lascivious Rhithmes With Mâ—rs or Venâ—s doth my Muse coâ—â—oyn◠〈…〉 I Sing fill'd with Eâ—bean â—age the way To Heav'n above and everlasting Joy The vanity of cursed Earth beneath Where we poor helpless Mortals live and breath Th' Eternal horrors of the larger Sphear Where great Beelzebub and his Princes are The constant Joyes and everlasting Bliss Of the light World or blessed Paradise The holy Myst'ries of the Worlds above The lasting pleasures of the Sphears of Love These are the holy subjects of my Song Which doth the quavers of a sweeter Tongue Then mine deserve But yet accept my Will Which better would had I had better Skill The Hieroglyphical FIGURE Of the WORLDS THE EXPLANATION OF AN Hieroglyphical Figure SHEWING THE MYSTERIES OF THE External Internal Eternal WORLDS The first Part. SAd and deplorable's the state of man Whose day 's a vapour and whose life 's a span Whose years a bubble and whose bliss is pain Whose joyes are trouble and whose hopes are vain Should there indeed no other Worlds but this Terrestrial be in which he dwelling is Vain were the hopes of just and righteous men Than they none were more miserable then For who indeed more miserable seem More wretched and despis'd forlorn then them Earth's fat and bounty often is with-held Oft they 're deny'd the riches of the feild A life here poor and needy oft they have And oft return aâ—flicted to the grave Whilst the unjust and wicked man the while Flows with his Hony Butter Milk and Oyl Whilst that his Wine-press gusheth forth a stream Of purple juyce to feed and fatten him Whilst bounteous earth doth plenty him afford Whilst fill'd with pleasures both of bed and bord Unpunisht he afflicts the just and poor And empty turns the begger from his door Grindeth the face of needy men Commits Murthers and Whoredomes yet triumphing sits Till he returneth to the greedy grave And yet is seen no punishment to have Sure this most plainly other Worlds doth shew To be where each of these shall have his due God's alwayes equal ever just we see His acts in number weight and measure be Dives in plenty Lazarus in pain Yet God is just shall in this world remain A world of pain there for the rich man is For Lazarus another full of bliss Let Atheists scoff and seeing these things declare Profanely that no other worlds there are Let them cry pish and mock them to their face Who threat them judgement in another place Let them accurst cry May we live but here In pleasures God nor your vain Hell we fear See we not all men to the grave return Their dusty ashes gather'd in their urn Their flesh consume their harder bones to rot Their fames and names both perish'd and forgot Who like the beasts unto the earth do go Their souls in t ' air dissolv'd are seen no moe Deceit the mother of this folly is To think there 's any other world but this For Sophisters to tye men to their Law Them with Religion and a God did aw And with invented worlds hereafter where They answer should for what they had done here Where good and just men should in pleasures dwell The wicked be perplex'd with torments fell Let Atheists argue thus Let them alone For at the last the worst will be their own When to their sorrow and eternal pain They find the notion of a God 's not vain When they shall find when they this world forego Another world of torment pain and woe I mean not therefore with them to dispute Nor strive with arguments for to confute Their cursed Tenents for the stourest doth Oft' times when scar'd in 's heart misdoubt the truth Of what he holds who by his conscience aw'd Is forced to confess there is a God Who boldly dares deny the same in light The same again doth doubt the same at night When fearfull darkness reigneth o're the world And fear and horror in each corner's hurld When dreadfull lightnings through the world do fly When roaring thunders rattle in the skie When blustring storms do rend the stoutest oakes When mighty mountains rend with thunder strokes When the great Moles of the earth doth quake When roaring seas with dreadfull murmurs speak Th' Almighty's power the Atheist struck with fear Crying aloud for help runs here and there And will he nill he then his thoughts do flie For hepl to and think there 's a Deity Like that poor Godling who ran under bord And cry'd I am no God when thunders roar'd â—f then these wretches doubtfull are sometimes â—o obstinate me thinks they in their crimes Should not be for it that it doubtfull were This way more safe than that it is to err For to believe there is a God and him To fear no damagement can bring to them No hurt at all when on the other side They'n dangerous seas of Death eternal ride For if a God there be as we well know There is into damnation's pit they throw Themselves so whilst their wisdom they 'd expresse They damn themselves by their own foolishnesse But that there is a God we need not prove When all things shew his matchlesse Pow'r and Love For wheresoever we shall cast our eye Sure tokens of a mighty God we spy The glorious Splendor of the Lamp of Day The Mistresse of the Night 's resplendant Ray. The silver Spangles of the azure Skie The winged folk which in the ayr do flie The spangle-coated fishes of the Sea The Brutes the herbs the flowr'rs and every tree Do daily tell us that they being had And life and growth from an immortal God For who but diligently noteth them Must needs as GALEN did confesse the
World's Spirits injuries To Man did do has them restrained so That they appear not as they 're wont to do To him they bow'd where e're he came their heads And ever since where his bright Gospel spreads They 're not so frequent for the glorious Rayes Of it with splendor doth them much amaze In â—ormer time the Heathen swallow'd were More into th' Spirit of this outer Sphear Then men are now and yet more wickednesse Abounds now in the World I do confesse Because Hell's Centre now is open'd more Within this World than e'r it was before Because the wrath of God's more irritated Because through Light our sinnes are aggravated Therefore these Spirits were more frequent then Appear'd to and conversed more with Men. Men now more near conjoyn to Hell therefore They Men frequent not as they did before Not now by Vice-Royâ—s but now Hell commands In person and in theâ— Hearts Centre stands The Devil like a subtle Captain deals Who from 's Foe 's actions still advantage steals And strives to make his Foe 's brave Policies Prove helps to him to himself injuries Sathan perceiving the high hand of Heaven For to restrain the power it had given To Spirits and that now they in this Sphear Did not as they did formerly appear He strait suggests to Man that there are none And so to think a vain opinion Makes him believe it is Through which sad Evil He might induc'd be to believe no Devil And so no Hell nor Heav'n for by this mean He hopes Atheism to bring in again That he Mens souls might get But who believe This great Impostor do themselves deceive Laugh not at Fairies Pigmies Gnomies Sylfes Mâ—losinae Sylvestres Syrens Elfes At Lemures Neuferanâ— Diamae At Nymphs Penates Durdalâ—s Undâ—nae For name them what you will or as you please Baptize them there such Spirits are as these As likewise Planetary Spirits and Such as do Places and the Winds command With thousand other mundane Spirits that God did when he did this great World create But who their Power and Mysteries would know May to Agrippa and Trithemius go But ah how many scoff at Spirits and Deride the things they do not understand For more then ever Hell in this Prevailes That Truth 's are ' counted old-Wives idle Tales You self-conceited who so slyly jere 'T is happy for you Spirits disappear That God for to convince you don 't affright You with the horrors of Aeternal Night With those black â—hades sprung from the Stygiâ—â— Sphear Which are tho' unseen by you conversant here You ignorants it is a sign you know Scarce what belongs unto this world below Much less to those which from your blinder eye In vails of Pitch and night enfolded lye Had I the Key that could your eyes unloc Had I the art to pull those Curtains back Or rub those scales off which before them be You Truth and Hell 's black swarms at once should see You 'd startle then into belief and cry Wâ—'l never more that Spirits are deny Beside the numberless spiritual throng Which do unto this outer world belong Within the Region of this world there are Vast troops which come from the internal sphere Both from the dark Tartarean Centre and From that Orb where doth Loves great Prince command Being this world of good and bad 's compos'd Spirits both good and bad are here disclos'd For as these seek the hurt of man so those Their vertue to their venom do oppose Innumerable are the Sulphâ—y swarms Hell belches forth to cause poor mortal harms Vast teter Troops continually from thence Are sent to fight the battles of their Prince Who ranging thorow out the world contrive How they may man of bliss and rest deprive Go count the motes that in the Sun-shine fly Go count the sands that on the shore do lye Go count the rolâ—ing billows of the sea Go count the stars that in the heavens be Number me those and thou perhaps mayst tell The Legions which do hither come from Hell Scarce is a place throughout this world so wide But where ten Millions of these spirits ' bide But now to match these evil spirits come There do as many from the sacred womb Of the Light-world which sacred spirits do Equal their numbers and their powers too So that the world divided is betwixt Them both and of them good and bad is mixt These seek to spill kill hurt and destroy man Those comfort please ease help him all they can Nay gaze not round so with thine outer eye As if thou mean'st to give this truth the lie And 'cause thou blinded can'st not spirits see T' affirm and boldly â—wear that none there â—e You Linccus tell me canst thou see the wind If not a spirit how that 's more refin'd Winds blasts thou feelest if not made of steel So spirits dire effects I 'm sure most feel Although they ignorant may be from whence Proceeds their felt tho unseen influence Nay spread not so thine hands and arms abroad Thinking to feel and catch them 'cause I said They every where did stand forbear forbear Open thine hand and see how much of air Thou hoâ—dst spirits can pass thy body thorow Lye in thy bosome yet not felt by you Nay gape not so not snap at every blast As if thou spirits hadst a mind to taste For they into thy mouth themselves can put Its ruby gates and strong porcullis shut Nor snuff the wind as if thou meanest to smell Them out if near thee by the stink of hell To find them out thou surely now dost think By their sulphurious smell and Stygian stink They can deceive thee with the sweeter air Or fume themselves in thy perfumed hair But hell and all its stinks lye round about Thee yet thou sensless canst not smeel them out Nay prick not up thy ears to hear the noises They make in going nor to hear the voices Of those that talk they softly whisper so That thou not hear them canst on wool they go They talk can by thee yet thou ne're the near And never move the air unto thine ear We by our outer senses understand Nothing but what 's compos'd of matter and Form and what is corporal and what Not of a simple essence is but that Which of a mixture doth partake I wis Each Spirit of a simple nature is And therefore not t' our outer sences subject Except connexed to some outer object Where there is Matter Form or coâ—poâ—eity Which not in Spirits nor the sacred Deity Are simply Spirits to our outer eye And th' other sences then do subject lye Mistake me not that Spirits bodies have I 'le not deny but these I do believe Spiritual and incorporeal are And of their Natureâ— very much do share These also to our outward sences be Not Subject As I said the Deity No form nor matter has a body tho It has for Christ God's Body is we know Spirits not made of
form and order laid This huge vast Molâ—s or live creature some So have affirm'd I'n this a Sceptic am That there no disagreeing seeds appear'd All was by order weight and measure rear'd Heav'n Earth Ayr Seas Fire Water Land and all Beasts Fishes Serpents Birds the which this Ball Iâ— habâ—ted they so created were That they partak'd of each internal Sphear And though those Kingdoms ever disagree Were in the World in compleat harmony So had the great Creator order'd it And them so in their place and order set That there was no disunion for that seed Of disagreement conquer'd was and hid The lighter World was Master th' other did Obey as servant and all things were good To what serv'd this the brutish Animal God's mighty Wonders in their earthly Ball Contemplate could not God Almighty then In his own holy likenesse formed Man His shape it may be somewhat like to this We now do bear But his pure Body was Compos'd of Sulphur Mercury and Sal Out of the inward ground spiritual It s nature was as all things then create Most pure and good and in a perfect state Into this new-made Form God breathed then The breath of Life which gave a Soul to Man Which Soul Eternal is so fram'd by God That from three Kingdoms it its being had Three Essences do it compose so made That it may stand or be to hell betray'd Or like an empty Vacuum which is Capable to be fill'd with Wo or Blisse For what the Soul cleaves most unto when she Puts off this case she to Aeternity Enjoys Nor is she God as some do deem But 's express'd Word or Breath to me doth seem Or a shot Ray from that diviner Sun Who is in all things and is yet but One. Adam thus made perfect and good by God In Paradise is plac'd a bless'd abode Then was the golden age indeed Earth gave Nor Weeds nor Thorns but cloath'd in liv'ry brave Had a perpetual spring continual green In ev'ry place on ev'ry tree was seen No dainty Flower which art makes now to flourish But then the Earth did naturally nourish A constant verdure it retain'd and then With thousand flowers spotted was the green Each tree at one time bore both fruit and flower Each herb to heal but not to hurt had power No sharpnesse in the fruit no naughty smell The worst fruit then our best now did excel No hurtful herb no poysonous Root grew there Of 'ts own accord the Earth all things did bear No Summer's parching heat nor Winter's cold There was one temperature did all infold Boreas broke not his Hyperboreaâ— den Nor did wet Auster or that Eurus wen From theirs A pleasing Zepher only kist The waving trees No cloud nor foggy mist Caus'd from the Earth's ill vapours she had none No Sea-got cloud arose between the Sun And th' pregnant Earth no sudden storms of Rain No snow no hail nor thund'ring was there then Tempestuous Orion threatned not the Seas Nor shew'd the time to sail the Pleiades Saturn had then no naughty influence A fructifying power came from thence The Planets not in opposition mov'd The Heav'ns the Earth the Earth the Heav'ns lov'd Heav'n sent no storms Earth's beauties to deface Earth with dull mists dimm'd not Heav'ns brighter face No starr there was that had ill influence All Rays were blest that were projected thence All things in perfect Harmony agreed In Heav'n nor Earth was there discording seed The Lion with the Lamb did play the Bear Rob'd not the Bees nor sheep the Wolf did fear The crested Cock undauntedly stood by The Fox as then devoy'd of sublety The Toad no venom had nor poysonous sting The Scorpion Nor did then the Birds great King Feed on the rest nor did the Falcon prey Upon the Dove nor Fishes in the Sea Did feed the Cormorant the lesser fry Fed not the greater nor was enmity Then found in Birds in Fishes or in Beast LOVE all conjoyn'd in Love all still did feast ADAM is Lord and King each animal Comes at his beck and doth obey his call All bow their lofty heads if he comes near The Hart nor timerous Hare his presence fear The shaggy Lion Bear the Bull the Bore Couch at his feet him as their God adore He wanted not then as we now do want Help from the Beasts nor physick from the plant Meat from the Fowles and Fishes nor had he So grosse a Body to be fed as we Upon the tree of Life he only fed No vapours then arose to dull his head No sleep e'r clos'd his watchful eyes nor knew He want of it no hunger did accrew His soul like ours was not parturient He saw th'row all things knew what all things meant Gave names to all the Creatures and did frame Them as their natures so he gave their Name Nor did he want the Camel nor the Horse To carry him he in himself had force Enough to move his Body and to bear It where he list o're Sea or th'row the Ayr. No water could his Body drown nor fire Consume nor subject was 't to Death 's dread ire It then immortal was imperishable Corporeal and yet unalterable He such a Body had as Christ had on After his glorious Resurrection In this state ADAM stood but God foresaw The wo that he soon on himself would draw Therefore he thus forewarns him New made Soul Work of my Hands in whom no pheeces foul Remain a second Deity O thou For ay mayst live Thou art immortal now Thou art an Angel and I thee prefer For to possesse the Throne of LUCIFER For this end did I thee Create that the Voy'd Throne of LUCIFER possess'd might be Thou shalt enjoy and if thou stand'st upright Th' Eternal mansions of ne're fading Light Look to thy self therefore for thou mayst guesse LUCIFER envy will thy happinesse He 'l strive to overthrow thee and to gain Thee to the mansions of â—â—ernal pain Thou' rt now in Paradise thy soul doth move In my bright Kingdom of Aeternal Love Now take thy choyse I thee a free-will give Whether thou 'lt mortal be or ever live The way â—'le tell thee 〈◊〉 thee what to do If then thou fall'st the faâ—lt shall lye on you Thou' rt now in Paradise a second God If then thou would'st 〈◊〉 this bless'd abode Put not thy will into thaâ—â—ingdom where Reignes in my wrath thâ—â—allen LLUCIFER Instead of Light an Angâ—l thou wilt be Of darknesse then unto Aeternâ—ty Nor put thy mind into this â—â—rth below Lust thou not after it if thou dost so Thou shalt a carnal Body have 〈◊〉 be Subject to Death lose Immoâ—â—lâ—â—y But put thy Mind thy Will tâ—y Fâ—culties In my Light-Kingdom exercâ—â—â— thou these There Feed not on the Tree of death nor on The mortal fruit but feed thou still upon The Tree of Life Th' one darknesse th' other death But this doth true Aeternal Life bequeath Thou seest now what
next march thou forth With thy brave cohorâ—s against Astaroth Show thou to man our glory and our skill Our abstruce secrets with light Magic fill Him give him knowledge understanding and Wit to eschew Astaroths subtle band Guard thou his health divert the fatal knife And keep off all attempts against his life Next Haniel your Legions compleat Let your battalions 'gainst Abaddons meet With equal courage fight you band to band Provoke to piety bring comfort and Solace Root out 〈◊〉 image in its place He instrumental to infer my Gâ—ace Strong Gâ—briel with courage meet thy Foe And with thy Troops 'gainst mighty Mâ—mmon go Dissolve Man's fear inject the fear of me Loose from the World his Soul and set him free From 〈◊〉 exhibit to his eye Heav'n's glorious Riches and vast Treasury Observe the motions of great Mammon fight At every turn with that stiff opposite Under your Banners to the Oâ—b below May brightnesses and beams of Glory go Light apparitions sweet and pleasing noyses Tinkling of Bells and other sacred voyces For to attract the mind to our bless'd Sphear T' expel Teares sadnesse and disturbing Fear Let every Country have a Guardian And let a Genius wait on every Man Give way and let these Pâ—iâ—ces Congregate Who with your help will Man felicitate And bravely strive with all those Troops that ride So daringly under the Flag of Pride Humility Prince of this Tâ—ain first go Into the Earth confront thy prideful Foe With all thy force whilst he elates do thou Inâ—lect mens hearts make them not scorn to bow To thee Prince Love â—â—joyn whose power and might Makes Hel's black bands to tremble at his sight O how they â—ear him I Against all I send Thee chiefly though thy force 'gainst â—â—vy bend Rush on their blacker Troops let Malice Hate 〈◊〉 Companions â—eel thy Force's weightâ— ' Gaâ—nst Aâ—â—â—ice march Libâ—ralâ—ty And Trâ—th against twy-fac'd Hypocrisie 〈…〉 meer thou steâ—◠〈◊〉 Strength Courage Hope Do 〈…〉 sad Dâ—spair most bravely Cope 〈…〉 Faith wing the Souls 〈…〉 them higher than the Poles 〈…〉 this Kingdom e're 〈…〉 have left the â—ther Sphere By thee Hel's poyson shall dispelled be Custom of sinning ' â—ore thy Troops shall flee Go Wisdom with your Trooâ—s And Innocâ—â—ce With Resignation joyn Obedâ—â—â—ce With Uprigh nesse oppose to gâ—â—lâ— and guile To stuâ—bornnesse and disobediâ—nce vâ—le Go Continence and chast Vâ—ginity Resist thou Lust thou wanton Luxury Light vanquish thou dark mistâ— and clouds of Error Ioy bitter Sadnâ—sse peace dâ—urbing Terror Go bravely now Hel's force and strength resist My Power and Magic shall you sâ—ll assist Strait from their Centre these light Troops do go To help poor Man against his Stygian Foe Who else would be devoured soon all still Do eagre strive to do their Master's will Magic opposeth Magic Spirits Spirits Man's will can not be forc'd He still inherits A Kingly freedom neither World Constrain Man to do what he does they seek to gain His full assent or else 't is nothing worth For what if one should with a sword in Wrath Destroy my Corpse or fling me in the Sea From some high Rock What should I guilty be Unlesse that I with my free will had gon And voluntary sought destruction Sinn 's not without assent Nor lyes it in B'ing tempted but in yielding lyes the sin â—s God so hard to punish us think you For sin if we no otherwise can do Have we no power to will the good O fad If God should punish if we will the bad And yet you see most wills seem captivate To ill in this we 'r like an Infant that Chooseth some baublâ— when a Jewel too With it expos'd was to his choyce and view He 's not constrain'd he chuse may which he will So we through ignorance oft chuse the ill Man's will is free Both Words strive with their might For this their powers so eagerly do fight Hell tempâ—â— allures attract and craws and still A thousand wayes seeks for to gain man's will Love with his agents draw the other way Exhibite Glory Brightnesse Riches â—oy Spiritual To this man now doth bend His will anoâ— doth to the other tend The more that S 〈◊〉 gains of him the less His will he doth unto the good express The more heav'n gains of him the more he still â—schewes the bad turns to the good his will In this there are degrees coaction may Befall me when my Will another way Propends like one who to the place doth go Where he must executed be ye know Without his will his body would not move And yet that thing he wills he doth not love His will 's yet free that cann't be forc'd refuse He cannot Death yet it he doth not choose So often times to Man it may befall That he may do what he not wills at all Mâ—n wills not wholly ill untill that he With Hell in union and conjâ—nction be Then he 's a devil Hell to ill propends Wholly as God to good for ever tends The powers of both the worlds now being sent Iâ—to this Oâ—b begin their bickerment Wâ—aâ—h's sorces strive and ADAM's fiâ—t born Cain Tâ—â—y get the light world's forces ABEL gain Since when they still have fought their forces faile Not nor e'te shall stout wrâ—th seem'd to prevail Cont nuaâ—â—y Under his power the world He qâ—â—ckly got therefore God's Iustice. hurld The 〈◊〉 ng waters o're the Faâ—th which drown'd 〈◊〉 creatures but what in the Ark were sound How many men had he in Sodom got When Love amongst them had but one poor Lot Thus Hell prevail'd until the Prince of Love Himself came down from his bright Throne above Indu'd with humane flesh an overthrow He gave to Hell who tues that fatal blow For since that time Loves banners were display'd Th'rowout the Oâ—b Hells strength and force decay'd Whilst thus these powers for man contend and be In sharpest Wars upon the mortal tree Man lives his food which to his pallate suits Best are its various and delicious fruits This is the Tree of Good and Evil for The Fruits themselves tho' good nor evil are Yet as the Plannet Mercury incline To either as they are to whom they joyn 'T is not the grosser part that feeds thereon But 't is the soul the highest part of man The flesh hath fleshly food the soul likewise Feeds but on choice and more varieties This Tree is good for food such choice of fruits It hath that it conveniently suits With every soul so large and fairly spread That with its branches East and West are wed These then the fruits are Here hangs natural Wit And Iudgement which humane affaires doth fit Here a propriety in goods and Lands Self Interest Love to relations hangs On this Bow here an innate doing right Pâ—nds here hangs Riches you ' unto the sight Appears the lovely fruit of Beauty there Spoâ—ts to refresh the mind and Body are Here Honouâ—s hang and high promotions
Those are Aeternal these are quickly gon When that Earth's vainer Pleasures I behold To Heav'n's they seem like dung to mounts of Gold Or like a pibble to rich Diadems Beset with Diamonds and more costly gemâ—â— Ah let me woo you from this Sphear to move Unto that glorious Orb of Light and Love What tho the way be thither somewhat strait The end ten thousand times will Compenâ—atâ— All Labour 'T is unwilling minds alone Find so much trouble others they find none Thine Eyes turn to the Hieroglyphic see On the right hand the Orb of Majesty Of Light of Love this Paradise is call'd Which is with flameing Sword 's of Cherubs wall'd Which none can enter but those flames must passe Which cleanse the soul This manifested was Once in the Earth and here another Day Its Royal Beauties shall again display It has a being and the Heav'nly wise Vpon his Earth yet fire in Paradise Where they like Angels tho in flesh they move Enjoy the pleasures of Eternal Love Here is the second Principle here is The Orb of Light of Love of Heav'nly blisse Here is the Sun to New Ierusalem Which is the Light of it the brighter gemm Whereof it is compos'd this is the Day Which th'row the Eternal Mansions display Doth its Caelestial Light Heav'n's King he is As are the Saints and Angels cloath'd with this Long'st thou to dwell in this Caelestial place The way I 'le shew help'd by the Spirit of Grace Which if thou follow'st certainly arrive Thou wilt where Christ as King doth Reign and Live That we may shew more plain untâ— your eyes This milky way that leads to Paradise We will suppose as in the darker Sphear We did so now we will exhibit here One as a Pattern by whose foot-steps yâ— May view the way unto Aâ—ternity An Angel's task it is an Angel shall Conduct him therefore to the highest 〈◊〉 And to that highest Pitch tho reach'd by few That on this Earth may be attained to One then who doth in Truth desire to leave This mortal World and to th' immortal cleave Desireth Heav'n unfaignedly but yet Knows not which way his seeking face to â—et Like one who lost upon a wild Heath â—ees A hundred wayes and yet among all these He knows not which to chuse nor whether they May bring him home or cause him farther stray Now this he treads but by and by retreads The same again when that he sees it â—eads Him false now this he tries now that but when He sees them false retreads them back agen Thus labours still in vain but his desire To home doth not although his 〈◊〉 do tire Night now approaches now no 〈◊〉 he spieâ— Quite lost he grieveth 〈◊〉 down and â—ries So 't fares with him he â—ain his Soul conveiâ—h Would unto Heav'n but cannot find the way Benighted he 's with sins and errors 〈◊〉 So that no way appeareth in his view To lead him home all Sects h' has tryd his eâ—e More blinded is by â—heir formality Thus lost he is yet will not he give over Seeking desire 〈◊〉 it self discover His heart and 〈◊〉 still running 〈◊〉 His mind to Heav'n he thus 〈…〉 O glorious Prince of Light in whom there is Aeternal Comfort and 〈…〉 By whom alone all World's consist my cryes Lord hear acâ—ept my Heart 's 〈…〉 Hast thou not promisâ—◠〈…〉 I truly seek thee Lord although I 'm blind Out of the mid'st of hâ—rrid darknesse I To thee eternal Light it self do cry Lord I desire t' apprâ—ath the Throne of Grace To view the brightnesse of thy glorious facâ— All wayes 〈◊〉 but all wayes me deceive And short of what I do desire me leave Dark clouds 〈…〉 Earth weight 〈◊〉 down so that I cannot 〈◊〉 But in this black obscurity I gropâ— Having still with me my Companion Hope Lord from thy splendor send one 〈…〉 Which from this 〈…〉 Unto the Orb of Light My 〈◊〉 hear Send one to guide me to this happy Sphear What ever thou requirest 〈◊〉 obey I come O Lord did I but know the way A Heavenly 〈◊〉 strait comes 〈…〉 Joy in his eyes Love in his looks 〈◊〉 seen His sudden coming 〈◊〉 him his â—ight Soon fear expels and bring extreme delight About his Head a 〈◊〉 Glory flyes Enough to dazzle more than 〈…〉 His own fair Orbs like 〈…〉 Under two fair 〈…〉 Pierch'd doth in 〈…〉 A thousand arrows into 〈◊〉 Hearts Which tip'd with sacred 〈…〉 Of Love to Heav'n and Hate to Earth beget His yellow locks like 〈…〉 Upon his 〈…〉 From whence each 〈…〉 Than all the Odor that â—sapnâ— Upon his lovely Front the 〈…〉 Who admoration in all 〈…〉 The new-fall'n Snow 〈…〉 As his soft flesh 〈…〉 Compare with 〈…〉 His whiter Hand 〈…〉 Two downy Wings upon his 〈…〉 And which more colours than the 〈…〉 His Body was 〈…〉 Which as he went the 〈…〉 With hasty steps 〈…〉 The Ruby 〈…〉 Unlock'd from whence these sweet words issued O man Thy wing'd 〈◊〉 have sped Before the Throne of Grace Heav'n's Majesty Hath sent me to thee on his Embasie Heav'n's King hath made thee a free Denisoâ— Of the Caelestial Ierusalem Where all wear Crowne Therefore prepare to go And I the way that thither leads will show Narrow and strait at first appear it will And flesh will such asperities take ill It will both tedious and unpleasing seem To flesh but yet a Will resolv'd will deem It nothing for the way to Heav'n is After some time both full of Joy and Blisse Such happinesse deserves some pains yet set Great price on what you do with danger yet This Earth alone doth make the way seem hard Therefore resolve this first to disregard If thou resolv'd art come procrastinate Not now thy Time next day may be too late The then resolv'd cries out I 'le not defer The Time I 'm ready sacred Messenger Under the Covert of his downy Wing He takes him up and th'row the ayr doth fling Unto a Valley which high Rocks surround Here he discharges him upon the ground A pleasant Tempe did it seem to be Here grew the Olive and the Cedar Tree The shady Beach under whose Canopy Banks cushen'd with the verdant grasse did lie Adorn'd with flowers and sweeter herbs he thoughâ— The first flight him to Paradise had brought But thus the Angel cries You now are in The natural condition of sin This place the World doth represent and these Fine things you see its Fonder vanities From hence a way you must find out which found Proceed be sure and do not lose your ground Nor make a stay I at your greatest need Unseen will help you now I hence must speed This sai'd fanning the gentle ayr his flight He takes and quickly passeth out of sight The left alone a while the place doth view But by and by upon a Bank he threw Himself supinely in the grasse doth creep And e'r he was aware falls fast asleep Whilst thus he sleeps 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
did A Dove and Serpent seemed to be hid Her right hand bore a Dove her left did hold A Serpent which iâ—s tail about her rowl'd Meeting the Pilgrim from his hands she took The slack'ned reines and thus her mind she broke Sâ—â—y zeal-sparr'd Pâ—lgrim if thou safe wilt be Thou must commit the Reines of Zeal to me In this rough paâ—â— and 'tween the Mountains let Me be your guide least that you danger meet Zeal drives so fast that he will quickly crr Unlesse my Dove and Serpent draw the Carr. Those who without me go become forlorne Lose the right Path prove to the World a scorn Cast Pearls before the snowts of Swine and feed The ravenous Dogs with holy Childrens breadâ— Dangers incur which they might fairly shun Do what they by and by wish were undone Admit of me and I will be your guide I know which Way how where and when to ride â—rust me and I will bear you in my armes Untouched through the Multitude of Harmes That Majesty which beamed in her Face Constrain'd the Pilgrim to consent a place Upon his right hand for her he provides And now he soberly and softly rides Prudence is joyn'd with Zeâ—l nor does this want It s former heaâ— but lesse extravagant By that is made He who will rightly move Must first conjoyn the Serpent and the Dove Now safely goes our heav'nly Traveller Nor from this blest though rugged path doth err Nothing appears that may obstruct hisâ— Way But it he even with the Earth doth lay Dame Vigilantia all about doth seek For â—s foes which found Zeal doth their powers break Conquers them quite and by their fall doth raise Trophies of Honour and immortal praise By halves God will not have his work be done Nor must those faulter who this Race do run Clean must the house be swept to find the groat All must be sold before the Pearl be bought No Delilah must shave thy Locks but she Must be o'recome lest that she conquer thee Though thus far thou art gone as yet there may Some Delilah be left for to betray Thee to thy foe let Vigilantia find Her out then let Zeal all her powers bind And cast her from thee whatsome'r it be Thou 'rt loath to part with Delilah's to thee But when she conquer'd is faster thou ' â—t move On wings of speed unto the Gates of Love Thus Vigilantia to our Pilgrim brought His Delâ—lah the which he little thought For to have parted with and must she dye Cryes he who did within my bosom lye Yes answer'd Zeal God will with none dispence Slain on the Altar of Obedience She must be e'r we farther passe she slain He posteth forward without stop amain With full Carere he runs and full of Joy Leaveth behind him all the rugged Way He enters now a place where all about Light like the Sun from bright Clouds issues ouâ— By this clear Light he now begins to see What hurtfull rebels all the Passioâ—s be And how the Sences hurt irregular Affections also how they hurtful are Therefore he these now takes to task and first The Rebel Passions that oppose him durst He conquereth these now his slaves become Who had so often Lorded over him He will not kill them quiteâ— because they may Be useful to him whilst they him obeyâ— Not meerly Stoical in order he Keeps them He 's Lord and they his servants be Then all the Sences he doth Regulate And their excursions wisely moderate Makes them to know that he 's their Lord and they Are forced now his pleasure to obey Carnal affections stoop These Crucifie He doth lest they should draw his mind awry Where he God's Image seeth most he there Doth his affections as in justice share By this same Light he also sees that he Can in the Earth own no propriety All that he hath he offers to the Lord He 's but a Steward and must nothing hoard Contrary to his Master's Will but here Pâ—udence directs him how his Goods to share Else subtle Sathan would step in the while And with his tricks would him of all beguile By this Light also he espies his flesh To be a Case made up of Earthly trash A prison to his Soul now he espies Another Body in that Body lies The inward man which as the outward dies Lives gathers strength and doth in triumph rise This Body now he longeth to attain And by the death of all things it to gain Now every motion opposite must die Flesh and its Members he doth crucifie All things are sacrific'd by Diligence Upon the Altar of Obedience â— The fleshly body every hour dies The sp'ritual doth as fast in triumph rise He 's now diswedded from the World He knows He 's not to be now at his own dispose Therefore his Body Soul and spirit he Doth consecrate to Heav'ns high Majestie All that he has to Heav'n he offers and All he retains comes from its bounteous Hand Now joyes surround him Comfort is the Way Nor Night is seen all is a mystic Day The Sun of Righteousnesse his brighter Beams Displays and th'rough his Heart his sweetest streams Of brightnesse run his spiritual foes stand off And dare not venture for a Counter-buff They tremble now and fear the world's grand tye Will be assunder burst by Chastity For she appears unto the Pilgrim now Who to her feet his humble Head doth bowâ— Her eyes gave â—lames as pure as those which lye Beyond the blew Seas of the azuâ—e Skie Her countenance a brighter Light did grace Than that which â—hineâ—h in Diana's Face But when her virgin Lips she opened Th' incircling ayr with purity was spread Thither their Purple Wings the Turtles move To draw the ayâ— in of the purest Love The joyning Corals happy Kisses break She did and thus did to the Pilgrim speak Hail happy Pilgrim who thus far art from Earth's durty soyl and foul pollutions come Not far thou art from the blest City but Before thou thither come 't is requisite That thee and I should joyn therefore receive From me the Bounties that I daily give Unlesse thou with my Mantle cover'd be Thou never shalt the heav'nly Salem see Polluted eyes polluted hearts and hands Must not come there Heav'n will admit no stains Flesh must not enter Heav'n nor can you come Cloathed with that into the secret Room Where the grand Mysteries are revealed by Heav'n's gracious Prince the Son of Majesty The fleshes quickly-vanish'd pleasures foul With spots the cloathing of the purest Soul Spread clouds before her eyes so that she may Not see the brightnesse of the purest day And hang a Vail between her â—elmed eyes And the blest Ark of sacred Mysteries 'T is I that must make white the Soul and that Dark Cloud before her dull eyes dissipate 'T is I must draw aside this Vail 't is I That lead the Way to Heav'ns great Mysterie Christ doth all this by me 't is I that am Sent for
That she is overwhelm'd with the delight Earth's duller Musick or that of the Sphears â—o this would be discordant in his ears If they mens souls chear with their melody How more exceeding shall Heav'ns Harmony Th' inner AEthmoides being open'd wide Whole clouds of Musk strait th'rough the passage slide Paradysaical Odors the Perfumes Which from the Body of our Saviour comes Presse in sweet Amber-greece perfuming Myrth Which fills the inner World doth enter there Pinks Violets Roses are lesse odorate Than these sweet Odors which assault the Gate The Gust unlock'd the dews of Sion Hill And Paradise upon his Tongue distil The Heav'nly Manna the Caelestial Cates Of Blisse more sweet than Honey fare he eats Nectar glides th'rough his Lips where more sweets reign Than the Hymetian Honey-dews contain Haphe unlock'd the heav'nly touch of Love Like gentle fire over his heart doth move Th' Anoynted's Hand which doth distempers heal Upon him lay'd he sensibly doth feel The Tincture which doth from Christ's Body flow With great delight he feels on his to grow Thus he in his five sences ravish'd is He sees hears smells tasâ—eth and toucheth Bliâ—â—e Ravish'd with the excesse of his delight In Seas of pleasures he 's immerged quite His soul drinks in the sweets too much upon These Cates feeds his Imagination But whilst he banquets at his fuller feast His Angel to him from the Heavens preit Taking Sophia's servant by the Hand His mind by these he let him understand Blest Pilgrim and Sophia's servant thou Must not rest here but farther still must go These are but streams and Rivulets of Blisse Sophia she the only Fountain is Here thou mayst bath thy self but canst not swim Untill thou comest to the Fountains brim There are vast Oceans there thou mayst remain These are but easements for your griefs and pain These are but objects at a distance these Are but refreshments and to give you ease To make thy Way the sweeter till thou art Hid in the Closet of Sophia's Heart Take not thou then too much complacency In these which only but the Conducts be To greater happinesse and do but shew The tythe of Blisse which thou art going to Presse on therefore ' count every thing but â—elf To the enjoyment of Sophia's self Rous'd by his Angel thus the Pilgrim hies And t'wards the perfect mark he faster flies But far he had not gone before he meets An adversary who upon him sets VERTUMNUS 't was lesse constant than the Wind In every shape seeks to disturb the mind A slye Ulysses cunning to deceive Leading to error if you him believe His cloathes were of all sorts of Feathers made With Windinesse and swiftnesse under-laid About his wast hung certain Looking-glasses Which represented strange disguised faces Upon his left arm certain Pictures hung In which those things which to the World belong Were pictured there Beauty was display'd There Castles Forts Rivers and Seas were made There Cities Towns Countreys Villages Wars Battails Peace and such like things as these What e'r Imagination's Pencil cou'd Expresse in lively figures there were shew'd On his right arm Caelestial Pictures hung And whatsomever did to Heav'n belong There pourtray'd was There Angels Seraphims There Thrones there Saints and fieâ—y Cherubims â— There Paradise there Light Stars Suns were seen And all Caelestial Forms and Bodies drawn Accouter'd thus he meets our Pilgrim and To stop his passage stretch'd out his left hand This sight was not like to his other foes No valour this but shifts and cunning knows He is no Champion but o'recomes by guile And e'r his foe thinks on him gives the foil Like to the wicked Pontic Bithiae that Children and Beasts with their looks facinate He doth bewitch skil'd in Cyrcean arts From every Picture he his charmes imparts And whilst they strangely draw our Pilgrim's eyes He in the mean time makes of him a prize Our Pilgrim meeting this fine fellow thought The Weaponlesse could have no mischief wrought He takes great pleasure to behold the charmes Which dangling hung at both his feather'd armes Those Pictures yield content his wandering mind Treads in those Mazes and no end can find Thus he delayes his Journey and this let His hasty Voyage maketh him forget But his good Angel putting him in mind Of 's Journey bid him this Deceiver bind For that he was a Foe and sought to keep Him back by causing him awake to sleep On him he set but a hard task he found This Proteus would not be so quickly bound Stoutly they wrestle but if on his armes He cast his eyes â—e's taken with those charmes He varies shapes and do he what he can No sooner bound but he is loos'd agen A Champion who hath often won the field By Custom knows not how at last to yield Each Conquest adds new Life and courage to His animated Soul and makes him do More than can be hop'd for Our Pilgrim so Oft Victor now will not faint-hearted grow Here Faith assists him and Perseverance Upon his Foes arms doth Ir'n chaines advance At last they bind his left arm when his right He stretched out before the Pilgrim's sight Those heav'nly Pictures now he dotes upon And brave Chimera's in his thoughts do run They 're all Caelestial cryes he who can chuse But on such heav'nly Subjects alwayes muse These are but shadows sayes his Angel thou Unto the very substance must presse to And therefore first of all thou must o'recome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IMAGINATION The Pilgrim seeing that he stop'd his Way And longing still SOPHIA to enjoy After much strugling flung him on the ground And with Perseverances chaines him bound This Adversary being cast he bent His course to Paradise and forward went Not far from thence his hasâ—y steps did move Under the shadow of a silent Grove The place was sacred to a Deity Who with still silence would adored be No babling Echo in that Grove did dwell No whistling Blackbiâ—d no sweet Nightingal No Bird at all came near those sacred boughs The grasse nor bleating Sheep nor mowing Cows Did feed no living Creature did that blest Place enter to disturb its quiet rest No â—â—bble chiding-Brook ran murmering there No Wind to move those silent Leaves did dare About the middle of this silent place Pâ—tch'd on a mossie Hill a Couch there was To this the Pilgrim went and gently hurl'd Himself on it As if another World He enter'd had he found himself a rest Seiz'd on his working mind both bad and bestâ— Thoughts banish'd were disturbing fancy or Imagination did not there discur Asleep he was not nor yet did he dream Alive he was but yet he dead did seem His mind work'd not on this nor that but he Rap'd was into a heav'nly Lethargy This is the Silent passive state in which God with his Finger Souls doth often touch This is the sleep of Iacob this the Trance Of Paul when he did to the Heav'ns advance This is the state in which the
opportunity did stay To poyson him and VIGILANTIA did No sooner turn her back and step aside But to the Boul he stept for she alasse The noble Pilgrim's chief Pincerna was And in he pour'd that Hellish juyce among Heav'ns blest Nectar mixing that poyson strong Th' unawary Pilgrim by and by the Cup Takes and in 's Nectar drinks Hell's poyson up Anon the several poysons 'gin to work Whilst Sathan laughing in his sleeve doth lurk Unseen to see the sport Oh! how he smil'd At the conceit of Man's being thus beguil'd The Pilgrim did not feel that he was ill Or that Hel's poyson did his Nectar spill But now it 'gan to work he did not cast His eyes unto the Fountain but embrac'd Too much the streams Too much Complacency He took in the fruition of those high Gifts of the Spirit too much dotes upon Visions Voyces Spirits union He fears to lose them and cannot resign To Heav'n his Nectar or his gifts divine Now to himself all Spirits he 'd engrosse He Covets gifts and ' counts no greater crosse Than for to lose them thus doth Coâ—etousnesse Spring in his Soul in its refined dresse Pride started up and though spiritualiz'd A curious cloathing for his Soul devis'd Wherein he prides himself he 's not content Except that others know he 's eminent In all the Gifts and graces of the Spirit He loves to be sought after for his merit Cloath'd with Heav'ns Pride of gifts and graces he Aspires and would accounted something be Next Selfishnesse did operate and that Self-Int'rest and Propriety begat In Spirits Gifts and Graces This doth seem For to belong to him and none but him Then Envy work'd and he is not content To see another be more eminent In Visions Raptures or the like or that Others enjoy them and he go without Then Iealousie spread thorow every vein It s virulent poyson fuming in his Brain He every one suspects and jealous is Left others rob him of what he Calls his He fears to lose a Spirit that another His gifts or Graces shining Light should smother He jealous is lost his Lights be out-shon Or that another's should eclipse his own This Hell 's refining poyson spreading through His Breast e'r he aware was brought him to And thus the noble Stone was almost spoil'd When for't the Pilgrim had long stoutly tovl'd That eye whose Rayes pierce the Earth's Centre and Sees to the bottom of the Stygian strand Which spite of Night and Hell 's calliginous Mantle beholds what ever Satan does That Eye which every secret thought betrays And to its self hid actions open layes That Eye behel'd the spight of Hell and saw Upon the Pilgrim's heart his poyson gnaw Nothing so soon as th' objects of the eye Pity attracts for others misery The ear so soon doth not affect the Heart With generous pity as the Optic part He that 's all Eye and every thing doth see Can he w'hout pity view man's misery No he 's all pity and his Bowels roul At every pang of an afflicted Soul Poyson i' th' Pilgrim's Breast no sooner flows But he his pity and his mercy shows His Angel-guardian is Commission'd strait To shew to him the Stygian Prince 's hate And 'gainst that poyson which so strongly wroughâ— In 's breast to offer him an Antidote Glad of the message down the Angel flies Whilst sparkling Joy beam'd from his sacred eyes Glad to do service to Heav'ns Servitour He shews himself clad with refulgent ayr In 's hand he brought a Crystal Glasse which â—â—ll'd Was with pure Light from Heav'ns Alimbeck still'd This he unto the Pilgrim gave and bid Him drink it up The which he strait wayes did No sooner had he gulp'd it down but he Beheld his Error and Hell's treachery He saw the infestous poyson though 't was clear By this draught now his eyes far purer are And can behold all its impurities Which had caus'd all irregularities This draught the Vail pull'd off and he espies Where Hell 's strong poyson in Heav'ns Nectar lies So had he seen a noxious Serpent dwell I' th' green grasse and Toads in a Crystal Well Startl'd at this sight seal my eyes again He cryes or else from me this poyson drain 'T is better I were blind and could not see Then to behold an helplesse misery It is a double pain hard haps to bear And seeing them remedilesse to fear An unseen harm lesse dâ—ead doth cause I pray Or take my eyes or this foul Ill away It is thy self the Angel doth reply That to thy self must give the remedy There is a pill will do 't I 'le shew it thee If thou wilt take it freely follow me The willing Pilgrim soon consents they go Strait forward without turning in Heav'ns Way Now far they had not gone e'r they came to A pleasant Green whose lustâ—ous verdant hew Cheered the Pilgrim's Sp'rite and in the midst Thereof he saw a flaming Altar plac'd And coming nearer fairly wrote upon The sides he saw TRUE RESIGNATION 'T was to this Altar that blest Abraham The Angel said to offer Isaac came And here it is and in thâ—se flames divine And on this Altar thou must offer thine Here what somever thou dost dearly prize To Heav'n must prove a pleasing sacrifice 'T is true thou didst pleasures and sins once bring Unto the Fire A fairer offering Now must th' Oblation be As Earth by you Was offer'd up so offer Heav'n too Not only Earth's but Heav'ns fair gifts divine Thou on this Altar must to God resign Amongst those Flames which were Aetherial The Angel put his hand and cull'd a coal A Carbuncle set in a Ring of Gold Glow'd as the Coal between his fingers hold Lo here a Pill sayes he that doth contain An Antidote against that deadly Bain Thou hast drunk down in this one Pill there are The Lemnian Earth and precious Bezoar Treacle and Metridate lock'd up This pure Pill will effect not an Acâ—sian Cure Not all the drugs of Aâ—sculapius Or Galen can do half so much as this The joyful Pilgrim takes the flaming Pill Which from his mouth down to his heart did thrill No sooner was it â—in his Breast but straight He Hel's soul Poyson did Evacuate That glowing Pill fir'd from his heart 's fast hold And utterly destroy'd Hel's bainful Cold. Thus by the Heav'nly Therapâ—utick he Receives by Heat for cold a Remedy Now basâ—el'd Sathan with an hideous roar To Hell flyes vex'd more than he joy'd before Shall Servants grumble to repay their Lord His own or not be willing to afford Him back what he lends them Shall Stewards grieve When their Lords at their hands their own receive Why then doth man so often shrug and pine When God bids him his lendings to resign A carefull Father that hath sent unto His Son some sums honestly to employ Is it not requisite he should be still Exactly subject to his Fathers Will And that the money back be paid again
resign Do what thou pleasest Lord with me For I am truly slain I being subject unto thee At thy dispose remain This is the state which Reason's foolish Schooles Do nominate the Paradise of Fools Because their high adored Deity Reason 's cast down and on the Earth must lye When the holy Ark enters the Temple then Dagon must fall and break his Neck so when Wisdom divine its Beauties doth display Upon our Souls Reason much pack away That is too shallow for to Comprehend Those things which WISDOM'S Wisdom doth Command It 's a false Judge and cannot truly see Beyond the dark Clouds of Moâ—tality The first degree in wisdom's sacred School Is to be Wise by first becoming Fool Fool to the Earthly Reason in Divine Wisdom a Wise man by subjection shine Mistake me not I 'l not have you put out The Souls bright Eye and so become a Bruit I 'ld not have Reason banished from Men Meer Animals indeed they would be then But that our Reason passe not those Bounds given To terminate it by the Hand of Heaven But that our Reason should its weaknesse own Confesse that Heav'ns Arcana's are unknown To her That her weak eyes cann't gaze upon The glorious splendor of bright wisdom's Sun And not to dare with a proud scrutiny To search Heav'ns secrets with her pur-blind eye Our eyes are Lights unto our steps but shoot Their Balls against the Sun he ' l put them out Reason's our Guide below but when she flees 'Gainst wisdom's Sun she loseth both her eyes Reason's illuminate and soar's on high When wisdom lendeth unto her an eye Then her eye passeth to the highest Sphear Searcheth the deeps and seeth Wonders there But before Reason can this eye attain She must acknowledge that her own are vain This Lesson now Heav'ns Pilgrim learn'd and He Subjects his Reason to Divinity He knows he must be born a new and then He knows he must become a Child agen With such Heav'ns Kingdom is implete you know Children are Innocent and harmlesse too They 'r pretty Lambs poor Tenderlings their eyes The seats of Innocence of Smiles the prize They have no wills you may do what you list To them they are not able to resist But if you hâ—rt them the defence you have Their Tongâ—â—s are which with cryes for pity crave Set them down here they cannot stir or go Till you remove them they no evil know The Devil cannot hurt them they defie With pretty Innocence his subtilty They know no guile they know no evil nor Sin They made fit for Heav'ns Mansions are The 〈◊〉 â—o such who gain the Child-like state 〈◊〉 hath already read their woful fate Thâ—se who offend such Babes had better be 〈◊〉 with a Milstone cast into the Sea They are his Care his tender Lambs who these Offend do highly Châ—ist himself displease Oâ—r truâ—-resign'd and child like Pilgrim now His to 〈◊〉 's highest will doth bow But whilst he at his Altar prostrate lyes His Angel speaking thus Commands him rise Arise thrice happy Pilgrim Let us still Proceed for that I 'm sure is Heav'ns Will Thou almost fitted art for to behold Those glories which by Tongues cannot be told Thâ—â—ce bow'd the Pilgrim not to him but God And on they went in Heav'ns illustrious Road. But by and by two flying Coursers brought Thither at th' Angels beck a Chariot Into 〈◊〉 they went no sooner seated they Were but th'row th' Ayr the Coursers Wings make way Earth 's left behind and now they launched are Into the calm Sea of the gentle Ayr. The Angels Pilot guide and Charoteer Who upward drives and from the Earth doth steer A place there is not view'd by mortal eyes Which 'twixt four Worlds just in the middle lyes Thither the Angel took his Course and on A rising Hill to Land his Chariot came Alighting there they mount unto the top Where was an antique Crosse erected up After the Pilgrim round had view'd the place And with his eyes su'd to know where he was The Angâ—l then his long-kept silence brake And this unto the holy Pilgrim spake This Hill on which thou stand'st doth lye between The four great Worlds from hence all may be seen Cast down thine â—ye that which thou seâ—st below Is th' outward World from which we came but now Where yoâ— ' dark mist is upon thy lest Hand The Devils dark internal World doth stand Where yon bright Light on thy right hand doth shine Is the Light World or Paradise divine Over thy head from whence that glory springs The Mansion is of the great King of Kings Th' Aeternal World and thither 't is I know Thou pressest and desiâ—ous art to go Th'rough Paradise the way doth thither lye Which e'r thou cann'st attain thou here must dye Here thou must crucified be for that Through Hell thou must passe e'r thou canst come at Blest Paradise and dangerous it is To passe th'rough Hell before you Death do kisse Death will disrobe thee of whatever may In Hell's dark Kingdom thy brave progresse stay Thou must to all things crucified be And no impediment retain with thee For if thou bearest any thing on which Wrath 's mighty King his iron claws may pitch He will torment thee and inforc'd by pain Thou to this Crosse return must back again Thou canst not passe his Kingdom until thou Thy Head to blessed Death dost freely bow For by this Death thou gain'st thy Saviour's blood Which thorow Hell thy passage will make good Wrath 's King may threaten then but dare not dâ— For 's eares the least of injuries to you But if thou ventur'st th'row his Kingdom and Noâ— Crucified here thou can'st not stand Thou se'st the Way now if thou can'st embrace A happy 〈◊〉 here is the Crosse and place Châ—â—st made Death easie fear not then to dye But let this Mount be thy Mount CALVARY This said the Angel bid the place adiew And th'row the smooth ayr in the Chariot flew Leaving the Pilgrim to encounter Death And to gain Life by yieldâ—ng mortal breath The Pilgrim being left alone unto The Crossâ— he ran and his sweet lips did glew Unto its hard sides from his mouth there came Blessings and hearty kâ—â—â—es mix'd with them About its sides his grasping armes did twine Enclosing it as Elmes the tâ—nder Vine Bless'd instrument by Death of Life cry'd he Man's gain Hel's pain losse to Mortality The zeal of Heav'n the blessed sâ—oyl of sin The Key that shuts Hell out and lets Heav'n in The Way to glory and of Crowns the gain The Bar to Death and everlasting pain To Death but 't is of Flesh and Sin the Way The Road to Life and everlasting Ioy. Come Death come Death I now prepared am To Dye Come nail me to this Crosse O come Come strike me with thy killing Dart for I To give the Ghost up of mortality Of Flesh of Sin do long Come here 's my Heart Prepared to receive thy
Mundos OAvarice for Gold and Silver 's prize The golden Truth thou ' ast turn'd to drossy Lyes Best things corrupted prove the worst of all By Rome's false Limbo doth true LIMBO fall The Christian Churches first blest Founders sure Their Streams delated from the Fountain pure Heav'n put that breath into their mouths which they Inspired thus to others did conveigh The holy Ghost upon them breath'd nor was Their Words corrupted by an humane glosse Then flourish'd Truth and all our Hyerarchie Rejoyâ—'d so pure a Church on Earth to see No pitchy clouds of error then did presse 'Twixt their eyes and the Sun of Righteousnesse The Truth shon then as clear as doth the Sun Mounted in 's golden Chariot at noon Christs Church sees clearly still where e'r it be Scatter'd through others and the Head is he But envious Sathan when he saw Truth so Extreamly spread and o're the World to grow He sew'd his Tares of Errors and did blind With clouds of darknesse Man's true eye the Mind These faster than the true Wheat grew this crop Of evil weeds did soon the Wheat o're-top Darknesse grew on apace anon the Day Could not its Light but here and there display Th'rough the small cranies of dark clouds then 't was Pride and Ambition in Rome's Church took place Then crept in all those Ceremonies then The Truth gave place unto the wiles of Men. Then Avarice with her hook'd Talons made Such Laws which turn'd Religion to a Trade And for the Love of Money did disguise Fair Truth and cloath'd her with a pack of Lies Something of precious Truth something of Day Under disguise under the clouds there lay Your Silver ISIS about Chelsy's not The same as where his bubling springs do put First forth their Crystal Heads near Thorlton for Churne's wondrushe's and Cherwell's waters there And Tame's Coln's Brents with his clear streams do run So on the other side he entertain Doth Ock Lad Kâ—nnâ—t Surrie's Rivers too Whose severe Waters with his mingle do Yet with these may at Châ—lsy run the same Pure waters which from his clear spâ—ing-head came So pure Religion's streams by this time had With many of Hel's Stygian stream lets spread Which were polluted with their Waters yet Amongst them Truth 's pure Crystal streams did â—â—iâ— But so bemudded that they scarce were seen But by those clear eyes who did dive for them The snowy flow'r is mixed with the Bran The chaff with Wheat one sift the other faâ— We must not â—â—ing them both away and make Th' â—ne uselesse for us for the other's sako We must beware when that the Tares we cull Lest we with them the wheat up also pull Fifteen Cent'ries and two decades of years After Christ's death from Isleben appears A Light by which Rome's muddy streams were seen By which the Truth men strove to câ—ll between Error 's black clouds But Zeal them so possest They her rejected 'cause by Rome's hands drest So fearful were they of a Romish dresse That Truth they ' ad rather leave than her possesse In that false Habit many Truth 's despis'd Were thus because by Rome they were disguis'd Among the rest and not the least this place This Region which thou now behold'st one was And 'cause Rome's fopperies had obscur'd the Light Of it forsooth they it discarded quite And by the ears it from existence whorry For fear of entertaining Purgatory The Truth of it now testifie thou mayst To others now thy self thou seen it hast It is not such thou seest as Rome doth fain For th' all-corrupting Gold and Silver 's gain This is the middle Region and doth hide It self between four Worlds on every side They bound this place Would'st thou know who those be Who yonder up and down you wandering see They are departed Souls who had begun The holy Race to Sion's Hill to run Who had Hel's broad Rode left and who in this Heav'ns Path some progress made had towards Blisse But e'r their Natures purified were E'r they attain'd had to that happy Sphear Which unto Paradise immediate leads Paâ—ca assunder cut their vital thread Their parted souls then to this Region flew Where they must perfect what they had to do VVhere they 'till purified must remain E'r they to Paradise admittance gain Th'rough Hel's deep Centre must the Soul first pass And th'rough a Sea of Fire to that of Glass Th'rough the first Principle as thou anon Shalt see Now if the Soul 's not cloath'd upon With Christ's sanguinous Robe the second and Most holy Principle she cannot stand But there is captivate or beaten back Unto the Crosse t' endure the holy Rack By putting off the first that so she may With th' second Principle her self array Then may the passe and not before Those who In flesh this holy Robe do not indue But dying hold by Faith 's strong clue are brought Hither to finish what remains unwrought The Way to Heav'n is not so easie as By poor beguiled Man imagin'd was Straight is that Gaâ—e and narrow is that Way Which Mortals doth conduct to perfect Day He that to presse th'row this straight Gate would seâ—k Must fling the World and flesh from off his neck They cannot enter Heav'n with him nor can Some Notions prove a Saviour unto Man The Work must somewhere finish'd be if on The Earth to Heav'n they go if not 'till done It fully be they here remain But those Wend straight to Hell who Hel's high-way had chose Man calls God merciful yet makes the same God the third part of all mankind to damn Hard-hearted Man dost thou not know there is An armed Cherub 'fore the Gate of Blisse Dost thou not know that Paradise is kept By Armes unwearied Eyes that never slept By a bright flaming Fauchon which enough Of terrour strikes to keep the wicked off Or tell me Man hast thou yet never heard That Imperfection cannot passe this Guard Nor flesh nor blood can enter Heav'n nor can Ever come there the least imperfect man No Imperfections enter Paradise If Man 's not perfect then before he dyes A some by no means grant where shall he then Be perfect made but in this Region 'T is true degrees â—ere in perfection are None throughly perfect still he comes where Mortality of immortality Is swal ow'd up where he beholds the Eye And Face of God without a Screen to this None can attain whilst in the flesh he is How few are there that to a perfect State Arrive before Death Life doth terminate To such a State I mean in which they may To Paradise go and make here no stay When their Souls fly their Bodies Souls must clear Be purg'd on Earth from what they drunk in there It is not Notions that the Work must do It must be real and done throughly too This Work not in tâ—e Head but Heart doth lye That 's most regarded by th' all-seeing Eye If they with Christ are truly risen
they When Dye passe by this purging Region may But tell me Man what shall those Pilgrim's do VVho in Heav'ns Way have gone but come not to Be dead and risen with our Lord when by The Way they lose their mortal Life and dye They are not fit for Paradise What then Must they be hurled to the Stygian Den Must they be damn'd with God's great Mercy rather Doth it not stand to bring their Spirits hither Where they may finish what they had begun And to the end of Sion's Race may run Dost say 't is by Christ's Blood they 'r purg'd we know 't But dost thou know what time he ' l take to do 't 'T is he that doth it here 't is by his Blood And in this place that they are purifi'd It was dear Pilgrim Man's stupidity That me enforc'd to this Apostrophe But now I 'le tell thee more This is the place Which by Christ's Sermon once made happy was When he to those who perish'd in the flood Repentance preach'd and made predictions good 'T was to the dead departed souls that he Bestov'd his blessed bounteous Charity After his own death when he had in one By an Hypostatical Union His humane Soul and Deity conjoyn'd And not in Noâ—h's time as some divin'd To Spirits not to Men in flesh he spake And did their Prison then a Temple make I would a question ask of peevish man Who doth to Death those you call Heathen damn Se'ing God all-mighty did with those souls bear Who 'fore the flood would not his servant hear But perish'd by the Waters and did them Not to an everlasting Death Condemn But to this Region brought their souls where they Their Ransom might with true Repentance pay Whither the Gentiles who but ' bate their name Do in morality most Christians shame Who before Christ's time liv'd by Nature's Law And conscientious unto what they saw Who had indu'd a moral Honesty Studious of that and all Sobriety Seeing that their Nature's dim taper had Only to walk by though their Light was bad They walk'd as well as that could guide and though They wanted that bright Sun which we do know They God in some part knew whether these be Condemn'd to Hell for all Aeternity Or whether God his Mercy has not shown To them and brought them to this Region Where they by Christ might saved be se'ing none Are saved but by blessed Him alone Seeing the Lord 's more merciful than to Require of them more than they ever knew Being Transgression's not without a Law And none damn'd for breach of what he ne'r saw This I would ask Man but I think that he Sarcasmes would return not answer me Let not the World presume nor yet surmise Because the Heathens works they equalize That they shall hith ' â— attain God has an higher And brighter Light gi'n to the World Require He therefore now doth at the Hands of Men Far greater things than he expected then Man's Talent's greater now the Stars upon The Heathens only now on Men the Sun Doth clearle shine Who falls for want of sight God pitty'd but will not now men have Light But let 's proceed for I have stai'd too long To speak of what the World doth count a Song The Pilgrim hearing this his eyes withdrew And bid the Spirits Eâ—gaâ—lule adieu Now hand in hand they went but straight they were Come to the entrance of another Sphear The place seem'd like a grave 't was where such dead As he was used to be buried The Pilgrim looked in but in the place Nothing but a most horrid darkness was Which equaliz'd the pitchy clouds which fume At black Avernus from Hel's horrid womb 'T was Taenâ—â—us or th' entrance into Hell Or from the third to the first Principle But thus the Angel to the Pâ—lgrim said This is the grave in which no man was laid Before the mighty Son of God 't was here His sacred Virgin Limbs first layed were Here was he buried here must also thou Into this Grave as he did enter too I 'le be thy Guide fear not thy Coat will keep Off all the vapours of th' internal deep From hurting thee This said they both into That Cave of darksome Night together go Fancy not Reader that our Pilgrim crept Into some Cave or down some Cavern stept Or that the Worlds by outward distance are Disjoyn'd they are contingent every where And yet there is a Gulf between but this The entrance is into that dark Aâ—ysse A sinking down from the third Principle Towards the Centre of the deepest Hell The darkest pitchy Night that ever was Her saâ—ses could not to this horrid place Compare This is the Fountain when she lacks Whence she expromes her jetty deep-dy'd blacks Here 't is she dips her inky Mantles Here In soot or pitch she dyes what she doth wear Hence she those black Screens has which from our sights Oft times do hide Heav'n's little twinkling Lights But th' happy Pilgrim and the Angel here In spight of all Hel's pitch their Way see clear No Carbuncle whose fiery Rayes doth Night Chase from his presence ever gave such Light As that Purpurean Garment he had on Which like ten thousand joyned Rubine's shon And those bright Rayes which from the Angels Face Calligenous Night did from their presence chase Backward she flew as they approach'd and â—ell Just at the Feet of the great Prince of Hell But as they onward went a pointed Ray Beam'd neer the place where all the Devils lay Hell started back and all the damned Crew Under dark inky waves together flew Nothing moâ—e terrible is to their sight Than the least beaming or a Ray of Light Great PLUTO trembled and his Throne did shake He fear'd least Christ another Voyage make Might th'rough his Kingdom to aâ—d pains to pains Câ—oser Confinement and more chaines to chaines But having drunk a draught of Stygian Nectar He â—wrodâ— grows Am not I Hell's PROTECTOR 〈◊〉 he Did not I dare at once to flye 'Gainst Heav'n's own Face and all his Hierarchie Do I so many Legions Command And do I here sneaking and trembling stand And dare not venture to see who these be That dare to venture on my Hell and me That dare in Hostile manner thus invade My Realm and Captivate with Light my shade I 'le see who 't is If 't be not him I fear So much my looks shall hence all others scare With that an hideous rore he gave and from All parts of Hell Legions of Devils come These hellish Troops follow their Princely Lord Cloath'd with the darkest pitch Hell could afford Each had a shield lin'd with ten thousand shades To keep off Light when it their eyes invades Yet not secure each musâ—les up his sight With Tartarus's black Lawnes and furrs of Night These met the Pilgrim but no sooner had His eyes and garment their bless'd Beamings shed Upon these Troops but they fall back and
rend Hel's strong Foundations with the cryes they send From their black throats Rage issu'd from their eyes And from their mouths and tongues fell Blasphemies They knew that bloody Dye that Robe was fear'd The sight of it Dis and his Troops thus scar'd O who can paint the noise of Hell the roar Great Sathan gave the neighbour Pillars tore Ten hundred thousand ratling chaines did clink Th'rough the place flew a Sulphurian stink Thinking the Pilgrim with the stinch to choak From their mouths flew Volumns and clouds of smoak This sight amaz'd our Traveller the smell Of Sulphure Brimstone and of Nitre fell Out of those clouds and all the stinking fume Fly'ng th'rough the place did to his nosethrils come His eares with curses and with Blasphemy VVere fil'd the clouds which all about did flye Prest th'rough his lips and touching there his tongue VVith bitter horrid acritude it stung Strange pricking atoms which did touch his skin Invisibly annoy'd him with their sting VVhole streams of venom rouled at his feet Which mighty Pluto from his mouth had spit But all this while with hideous roars and cryes All the black Troops of Hell before him flies Ratling their chaines and to avoid his sight Wrapping themselves in smoaky clouds of Night But â—el's insernal mâ—ghty Prince once more His flying Troops stops with an hideous roar And Sakâ—ng his dire snaky Locks he cry'd Yâ—a mighâ—y Sons and I great Prince of Pride Why flee we thus By my great Iron Rod My Head and Throne 't is not the Son of God Who loaded these Imperial Hands with chaines And whose great Power m' imperial might restraines This is some puny Saint some counteâ—feit Whom Zeal hath hither brought with hasty feet To pass our Kingdom unto Paradise Mâ— thinks we should not daunted thus agnize Hiâ— power Ah! wer 't not for that curs'd Coat He wears how soon l'd cut his Saintships throat But seeing 't is not Christ himself I vow I 〈◊〉 to any of his Train to bow He cannot hurt us let us shew him then That we have power to drive him back ag'en Let 's ' sright him if we can Torment alass To see our Foes th'rough our own Realm to pass Spite of our teeths I am resolv'd to try 't With him and though I â—al I 'le shew my spight This said his rallied Troops their Horns do whet Upon a Rock of Adamant and set Their stoutest courage up great LUCIFER A beam of Iron in his hand doth bear His eyes like Lamps were from his nosethrils flew Black clouds of smoak his Whale-like mouth did spew I â—ames like a Furnace and an hundred shoales Of melting bullets and red glowing coals His Iron Mace against a Rock he strook And a great Lake of fire and brimstone took â—â—s rise from thence which spreading all about Up to the knees he wadeth hurtlesse th'rough't Thus he appears and thinks by this to ' fray Thâ— unmoved Travellâ—â— out of his Way â—ut that blessâ—d Robe in which he was bewrap'd The Pilgrim dauntlesse and in safety kept The hellish light'ning from his Head was beat Back by the golden Bayes that compass'd it And maugre Hell and all its power could do Victoriously unstop'd he passed th'rough For Hell still dazeled at the Light he bore Flung down his fires and â—led as onâ—e before There was no Guilt for Hell to fasten on For if there had Hell had the Conquest won And if there had the Cherub's flaming Sword To Paradise no passage would afford For now he saw the passage fill'd with flame Which from a supercilious Angel came A mighty Sword he held from whence a stream Of flaming Fire th'rough the place did beam Into 't our Pilgrim went and bravely bold Walk'd th'rough the midst and like seven times tri'd Gold Shon brighter than those flames Untouch'd his hair Was and the garment which his shoulders bare To him bow'd down the Angel-Centinal And gave free passage to the brazen Wall Now was his heart amazed when he saw The separation plac'd by Heav'n's hard Law 'Twixt man and Paradise on heaps there was A mountanous ruine of the sellid'st Brass Which like huge Mountains heap'd together and As Monuments lay of some mighty Hand For part of that great Wall which was so high That its proud top our Pilgrim with his eye Could not attain it was now down a Gap It left which never could be mended up After the Pilgrim all amaz'd had view'd That Sconce of Brass he to the Angel su'd To let him know by what Hand built it was And what strength had broke down that league-thick Brass The Angel who such favours ne'r deny'd To him after a little pause reply'd You stand amazed at these ruines I As much amaz'd at Man's impiety Do stand for this immense and mighty breach To thankless man Aeternal Love doth preach And yet ingrateful He abase the Power Doth of his only and great Saviour I tremble now I think how some men dare Speak slightly of him who is Heav'ns own heir How some men dare O horrid to deny His Godhead fearful fearful Blasphemy How some Men dare to say blest Iesus did Do nothing for them when h' at Salem dy'd Would all such now were here to see the Power He had and how he was a Saviour To all that ever saved were VVould Heaven Had me to trumpet This Commission given Th'rough all the quarters of the World I' d sound This act th' effect of Love and Strength profound Would now the Winds th'rough every Land might blow My words that all what I tell thee might know That so they might ne'r hear blest Iesu's Name But their proud Hearts and Knees bow at the same Consider well this brazen VVall your eyes Are too too weak unto the top to rise How thick it is Behold how vast VVhat one Could ever climb o're it or break it down Could all the World and if they hither came VVith Catapults or Tower-shaking Rams Or their vast Bombards damage this great Wall Or a thousand shot make any sign at all How vain would all their strength be Iesus then As more Love so more strength had than all Men 'T was his own Hand and his own Hand alone That made this breach that pul'd this Brass-wall down Pilgrim attend The Protoplast once did On Earth behold that Realm which now lies hid That Realm to which we press bless'd Paradise Adam beheld on Earth with virgin Eyes The first and second Principles did lie Conjoyned to the third in Harmony These were disjoyn'd by Adam's wretched sin And Harmony stept out and discord in A sensual â—ast it was by which he lost That place which Iesu's dearest Blood hath cost For to redeem again for us God's Wrath And Justice be'ing awak'd against them both Both Adam and his Eve He them cast out From thence then wall'd it with this Wall about The Guardian Cherubim be placed then VVith a versatile Sword to keep out Men. O how
Paradisiacus HEre lacks an Angel's Tongue to Trumpet forth In his best Layes blest Paradise's worth That by those sweet straines he a tast might give To you what pleasures there for ever Live Here lacks a Tasso or a Bartas or A Spencer's Muse a Quarles or Silvester Or some such Laureate But since their skil Is wanting to my Pen accept my Will For though my Muse cann't reach their lofty vein Child-like the Truth speaks in a stammering strain Thus far sh' has waded and she th'rough must go Although the style is for the Theame too low The horrid Mansion of Aeternal Night Our Pilgrim now forsakes the blessed Light Of Paradise his eyes salutes the smell Of Arabie drives back the sent of Hell Thorow that breach made by the Hand of Love Still by the Angel guided he doth move And mounting up from that infernal pit Upon the skirts of Paradise doth sit O blessed rise no foes he now may fear For over Hell and Death he 's Conquerour This Resurrection is the first and He That rises thus may ever happy be Our Pilgrim's nosethrils which Hel's horrid stink Of Sulphur had drunk Odors now do drink Of Paradise now from Aelysium Clouds of perfumes and rapting smels do come But whilst upon the very verge they stay'd Th' Angel unlock'd his Ruby Lips and said O new-born Pilgrim thou the Grave hast seen Thou know'st now what 't is to be born again This is the happy and the blessed state Where thou may'st say thou art Regenerate Thou art a child become and now must learn Those Lessons which thy eyes did ne'r discern Whilst in the World and in thy sins thou wert Christ is thy Master thou his Scholar art But in one moment thou shalt profit more Now than in all thy Life thou didst before Thou here shalt gain more in an hour than all The Scholars in their great Lycaeums shall No vain Disputes shall studied be by thee But God and Nature shall thy study be To such as thee he giveth leave to go Among his Treasures and his secrets know There 's not a Leaf there 's not a spire of Grass There 's not a clod of Earth nor Tree but has A Tongue to speak which doth Arcana's show But th' ignorant doth not their Lauguage know Nor can they know the cloathing they have on Till they wash in the Fountain of the Sun O're which the Golden Apples hang but this By a ne'r sleeping Dragon watched is Defiled persons never can come to 't Polluted hands can never tuck those fruit To thee and such as thee these things are shown Who live in Paradise unseen unknown But let me warn thee Pilgrim that thou mayst Not of that Tree as once did Adam tast Lest thou dost lose those Blessings which the Lord If thou fal'st not will unto thee afford Those secret blessings which we do not dare For fear of curses to the World deelare The Triâ—une God hath generated from Aeternity in 's own Aeternal Womb Two Principles so cal'd because they be Th' out-spoken Word of the great Deity So their PRINCIPIUM is else they have none Their breathing out or manifestation The Dark and Light That we call First and This The holy Light World and the Second is God in the First is known a Judge severe Angry and Jealous Wrathful and Austere But in the Secoâ—d he doth solely move In Light in Meekness gentleness and Love The First gives being to the Dark-world and The Light doth in the Second's Essence stand Nor can that be cal'd Evil Harmonize The Second with 't and it makes Paradise For 't is as 't were the Life of it its seat And office there is as in Man the heat Or Spirit which his body quickens and Maketh the joynts so nimbly move and Bend But let this be w'thout its due Temprament Unharmoniz'd and th' other humours spent How soon it Rages and to fâ—â—e doth turn And with intolerable Feavers burn Distemper'd Man So the first Principle If separate and that the Second quell Doth not its acritude it then is like Nay 't is the Fire which doth the damned strike In discord Sulphure Salt and Mercury Is Hell but Paradise in Harmony For this end therefore did the mighty Lord Them Generate that they might still accord And Harmoniz'd might make this Paradise In which should spring Aeternal Loves and Ioyes Thus did the Tri-une God himself display In making of this place this Orb of Day For here the Spirit 's influence doth flow And the great Wonders of the Godhead show God will'd not Hell then for the damned crew Although their Fate Aeternally he knew Nor the black Devils did he so Create In the first Principle or Wrathful state No one he made But a transcendant bright And mighty Prince He in the Orb of Light Or second Principle Great LUCIFER Created here also created were All other Angels But he on the Throne Sat as a King with great Dominion To him we â—ll did Homage do and he Ruled the Princes of each Hierarchy And this was Heav'n th' Aeternal mansion Of God where standeth blessed Iesu's Throne Now here and in this Principle of Light He only should have shown the Power and might Of Love in Paradise which then was and Where the External World does now did stand But this great Prince of Light now Hel's great King Into that dismal Realm himself did bring For in the fiers mighty strength he flew Scorning the Second Principle subdue The same he would into the First therefore He and his following Angels hurled were Where they in Anguish and the Fier's might Between the third and second have their site Where they for ever must endure with those Souls who with that same Principle do close Thus Hell did come to be But we who stood Enjoy unutterable Sweets the Food Immortal eat the Heart of God for that For ever seal'd to us our blessed State But now when Lucifer in Pride did rove The first and second Principles did move From whence a Third then came the First did then To operate upon it strait begin And like it self by its attracting force It Rocks and stones did form its bitter source The whole masse into such stuff would have brought But that the second Principle then wrought And harmonizing of the First begat A watry fluid substance on which sat And mov'd the blessed Spirit and from that He Heav'ns did create and separate From the subsiding Earth The upper Sea He from the lower did divide That 's the Material Water did divide from those VVhich being gave to them from whence arose All that on Earth doth spring It 's truly say'd God made from Water all that e'r was made And yet we cann't it Water call but yet Nothing can better be compar'd to it The lower waters Congregate The Earth Then to all Plants gave an apparant birth Thence Essence visible became for these Stood in their forms in blessed Paradise As the
bear That mortal Man could never better hear O I 'm unworthy of the Dignity But yet I daâ—e not Heav'n's high Gifts deny Since 't is his pleasure that it should be so To him I passive bow my Head full low Who can deny the blessed Gifts of Heav'n When Crowns and Thrones and blisse Aeternal's given O Lord thou knowest what is hest for me Since thou ' lt exalt me I le exalted be As thou my joyes O Lord dost higher frame So greater strength grant me to prayse thy Name More would the Pilgrim there have said but that The Angel rais'd him up to Celebrate Love's glorious Banquet which blest Banquet was The Confarreation 'twixt him and his Spouse Under the Covert of Life's blessed Tree Upon the Leek-green grass this Company Sat down each blade its top doth bow to them Each flower seeks to kiss their garments hemm There 't was as if the flowers conspired had To starr the place or with their bravery clad This little spot above the rest for here Mâ—y's Iune's and Augusts flowers together were An hundred teeming Springs seem'd here their flowers To have brought forth help'd by the Midwife-showers Their bowing Heads which did in clusters 〈◊〉 Their gallant tufts to purple Cushions fit Heav'n's Paranymphus first sat down and theâ— The Pilgrim and his Loving Guardian The Paradysical Bevy in a Ring Upon the inviting flowers themselves did fling Making a circle in whose midst was seen A round spot cover'd with Smaragdine green Which Carpet garnish'd was with flowers which 〈◊〉 Into true True Loves Knots conspired were A thousand Crystal drops of dew the grass Lading did silver Gemm and Pâ—â—â—l the place More pleasing Objects far our Pilgrim's sight To feast and Banquet to the full invite A Troop of Heav'nly Dapifers they were Surcharg'd with Chargers who the Feast infer And with Caelestial art the Dishes plac'd The Pilgrim they with their attendance grace'd The Pilgrim's greedy eyes now on the meat They brought now on the bringers ravish'd eat Sometimes to that sometimes to these he tost Them and them in Beauties Meandres lost By 's feeding eyes his Soul took her first tast Of the rare Sweets of this delicious Feast Where the five Sences altogether dine And filled are at once with meat divine These were a Chore of Angels of that Sphear Who in their brightest Robes to day appear To grace Love's Banquet and themselves they clad With all the glories the Aelisium had Yellow Electrum hung upon their hair Whose aubourn threads conspir'd in t ' Circles were Amongst whose gold-Rings silver spangles lay Whose Star-like twinkling made a kind of day And rais'd an Halos round about their Heads Which Cynthian lustres gave to those bright threads Whose golden Woods whilst the Zephyrian shocks Ruffle the Volumns of their Amber-locks Yield such a fragor that all Arabie With all her sweets cann't reach the tenth degree Chaplets of Roses mixt with Lillies fair And purple Violets bound their goldâ—n Hair Under whose blushing shades the Day did rise From the bright beamings of their sparkling eyes But in their cheeks Roses and Lillies be Wedded together in just Harmony And 'cause the Lily reigned in their hands In their sweet Lips the Rose as Mistress stands Upon their Fronts dwelt the all-charming Graces An everlasting Hebe in their Faces Their youth and beauty strove but by their strife As friends not foes they gave each other Life But the fair Robes with which they then were clad Of Paradises silver Clouds were made Garnish'd with divers colours less the bow Oâ— fair Thaumant is to the World doth show And far less Beauties doth it give than those Which sweetly triumph'd in their splendid cloaths In these fair Mazes lost our Pilgrim was And to draw thence his eyes no power he has But whilst in Beauties Labyrinth his eyes Do tread melodious sounds his eares surprize Which prove a cliew to lead him from his gaze And out of that into another Maze His Soul but now did issue at his eye Out of both eyes and eares she now doth flye For th' Angel having ta'ne their Cue by pairs The Hymenaeum sung in sweetest ayres The Waters Groves and birds do all agree Ecchoing their Melos to their Symphonie The sweet Symplones with the Angels joyn Marying their voyces in a Tune divine They sing this Hillulim mortals below Did ne'r such sweet Harmonious Voyces know The schreeking Sphears were silent at that time And by their musick learn'd a better Chime THE EPITHALAMIUM AFter sad Winter springs the Spring The Day thrusts out the Night Storm past the pretty Birds do sing The Skies their musfling Mantles fling Away and cheer Earth with their sight After the floating Ship hath past A thousand dangers she Thorow the surging Waves at last Doth Anchor in the Haven cast And there rests in Security So after an hard Pilgrimage Th'row Earth and Hell there is Joyes that the Travellers engage For to forget their Earthly stage And evermore remain in Blisse This is the Day the Sun doth rise The cheering Morn appears And Light springs from SOPHIA'S eyes Which blesseth all our Paradise And joyes unto this mariage bears This is the Time of Joys and Prayse True Laud therefore be given To Him who is the Light of Dayes Who to himself the Soul doth raise And Earth despised Wed to Heav'n SOPHIA is the Queen of Love Her Joyes Aeternal be Bless'd Souls within her bosom move For ever tast the Blisse above Enjoying all Felicity This is the mariage of the Lamb The Lamb of Purity Who from the highest Heavens came Brought forth Aeternity in Time That Souls this Wedding day might see Fears are for ever wip'd away Sighs from their Breasts are fled And happy evermore are they Who can attain this mariage Day And are unto SOPHIA Wed. All happinesse attends on thee No sorrows shall annoy Sophia's Armes thy Comforts be Her Breast thy true Felicity And in her eyes rests all thy joy Blest be this Day thrice blessed is This hour this mariage Feast For thou shalt Live in Paradise In everlasting Joyes and Bliss And be by thy Love ever blest Prayse to SOPHIA then we give And Hallalujah's sing By whom we in this Sphear do Live Who Souls from Earth to Heav'n reprieve And deignes them to her home to bring Let Hallalujah's be our Song O may Sophia deigne With her all-quick'ning Breath among Us now to cast her odors strong And on us her spic'd shewers rain Hallalujah's to the bless'd Name For evermore we sing May it our warbling Tongues inflameâ— O thou who didst this mariage frame Accept these offerings that we bring Hallalujah Hallalujah Hallalujah we cry Hallalujah Hallalujah Our Tongues for ever warble may Thus unto all Aeternity Their Heav'nly voyces charm'd the Pilgrim's eaâ—es With such like Songs and animated ayres But now they double their sweet melody And wrap him in t ' an higher extasie For every one takes his caelestial Lyre And runs divisions
degenerate That Miracles are ceas'd dost praedicate E're since the World did from a Chaos spring Upon its Theatre God still did bring His acts of Wonder spreading them abroad As Witnesses to all there was a God All ages of the World can testifie Those matchless Wonders of the Dcity But why less frequent in these later times Is cause of Mortals unbelieving Crimes Faith now is wanting whosoever hath That may do Wonders with a grain of Faith Rocks may be mov'd the Seas divided and Earth's floted o're the Ocean made dry Land Man's unbelief and much unworthiness Has caus'd exuberant Miracles to cease But yet these later dayes so barren grown Are not but they true miracles have shown The Romish Church although Priests oftâ—n fain Some through the cursed thirst of rotten gain True miracles has seen O Man despise Not all because some Priests have forged Lyes For nothing is to thee more dangerous Than to say what God doth Belzebub does But to that pass men now adayes are grown That they no miracles at all will own But if ought pass beyond their apprehension They strait cry out it is black Hel's invention As if th' Immortal King to Hell had given The glorious Wonder-working Power of Heaven Or had resign'd to him his right or swore Never to shew his Arm of Wonders more Long shall not Man retain these thoughts for why As Lightning breaketh th'rough the Crystal Sky So shall miraculous Wonders have a birth And with new Light illuminate the Earth And shew that Heav'n's Magâ—tians can do More than Belzebub or his Magâ— too For those who eat shall on these fruits you see Shall only God's true sacred Magi be And these shall make them so thou shalt be one Their several virtues therefore shall be shown Seest thou that Dish those fruits in Scarlet dy'd Who seem to brave it in Pomona's pride Such is their virtue that they far excel In giving Eloquence the Clarean Well Hermes himself less Eloquent shall be Than those whose Tongues these tip with swavity These tasted strait the Tongue-ty'd sweetly speaks And all impediments assunder breaks Tongues stammering strings are scru'd to Heav'nly strains The blattering Mouth the highest Measures gains They to the Eater straitwayes do dispence The divine accents of true Eloquence Rhetoric Honey through their Lips do speed And such are termed golden-Mouth'd indeed Their virtue 's ty'd not to one Tongue alone It the true Grammar of all Tongues makes known And in a Moment the unlearned'st Man Can teach the deepest Characters to scan And make him speak all Languages that are More smoothly than his own vernacular To Mose's Mouth the fluent Aâ—â—on this Fruit granted was for the Isachians Blisse This sacred Fruits high Virtue did imbue A many of the holy Prophets too Whereby in charming Notes they did diffuse God's sacred Word unto the stubborn Jewes The holy Spirit when in cloven flame He on the Heads of the Apostles came Touched their Tongues with this Fruits sacred juyce And of all Tougues they straitwayes had the use Such is the virtue of this matchlesse Fruit Unless by those that are adjoyning to 't But mark that next Dish where green Leaves inclose Fruit which in scarleâ— Robes out-braves the Rose So fulgent Rubies court and charm the eye When with clear Smuragds they invelop'd lye The Pestum flower peeps th'row her infant Skreen With paler blâ—â—hes wrap'd with duller green The jayce of these impregnates strait the Brain Not with discourses Kicksie nor with vain Disputes true Logic art it doth diffuse And teaches Syllogisms how to use For Heav'n's own int'rest True Dilemma's too Can by infusion to the Taster shew This doth the understanding purge the eye O' th' Soâ—l the Mind from Motes do purifie This Reason doth illuminate and shews How the true Dialectic Art to use Reason's corruptions spots and fallacies This purgeth out and gives it purer eyes This givâ—th Armes unto Truth 's Champions and Inables them in Dispute's Wars to stand This unto Paul was borne by some of us When He with Beasts battail'd at Ephesus By this at Athens to the Schoole he flew And th' Epicures and Stoicks overthrew With solid Arguments This means did show His persecutors how to overthrow The Iewish Rabbies Gentile Doctors Mute At last were made 'gainst him was no dispute That third Dish where in Seas of Beauties wallow The slick-skin fruits bestrip't with Red and Yellow Screening their Virtues in a double fold Of Crimson Satin and of yellow Gold The ground is Gold upon whose face is spread A thousand striplets of a grain-dy'd Red. That Dish contains fruit of unvalued prize Whose sacred virtue makes man truly wise That Magic makes and true Phiâ—â—â—hers That â—isdoâ— and true Knowledge still infers Those Fruits unlock the fast-shut Cabinet Of Nature and her Treasures open set Nature's true â—ewels rol'd in pitch do lye Not to 〈…〉 by an Heav'nly Eye And such an one these give an Eye that looks Upon and reads her most mysterious Books An Eye that thorow Neptune's Region goes And all things in his brinish Kingdom knows An Eye that walketh thorow all the Mines An Eye that to Earth's solid Centre shines An Eye which doth perspicuously see What virtues in all Vegitables be That the true Nature of all things that grow From the tall Cedar to the shrub doth know An Eye that from the Earth to Heav'n doth rise And rangeth th'rough the myst'ries of the Skies That views the stations of the Wanderers That sees the mansion of the Northern Bears That knows the nature of those glittering Fires That reads their Lectures and Heav'n's Hand admires That knows their good and evil influence They on the World and Mortals do dispence That knows the causes of all natural things Seas and Earth's motions and the Winds swift wingâ— The streaming Metours and the blazing Stars The hairy Comets sad predicts of Wars That truly sees and knoweth all the parts O' th' Ptolomic and Eucledean Arts. These sacred Fruits besides all these disclose Nature's hid Magic which th' unwise oppose The Ancients wisdom whereby they could do Things wonderful yet natural and true Not jugling tricks nor by ill Spirits might But by Dame Nature's just and sacred Light Almost extinct now in the World unknown 'Cause men have sought praestigiae of their own And following airy Notions caught the shade Whilst the true substance did their hands evade Such are the Virtues of these Fruits divine Which with such matchless lustrous Beauties shines Of these the Father of the Faithful eat Sucking true Wisdom from the blessed meat And those who liv'd nine Ages to descry The Planets dances iâ— the azure Skye Great Salomon that mighty Magus had His Wisdom and his Rnowledge from this food This sacred Fruit was lovely to his eyes For he this more than 's Crown or Gold did prize He wisely said For all things there a Time Was did but Mortals on the Earthly clime Exactly
know the same they would not err So oft and toys to precious Gemms prefer Of Wisdom it no Mean part is to know The means not only but the Time to do For what these blessed Fruits so freely give Men in all A ges after deeply dive Nor is 't unlawful for them to do so Did they true Time take and right Wayes to go Else all is vanity For what 's all this If Man should know 't and yet ignore his Blisse On this the King pitched his Mind's clear eye When he cry'd out all things are vanity What are these Jewels though they Jewels be If Man 's not sure of Aeternity These are no means to gain the Heav'nly Race These are but Crowns for those that gaine the space They are unwise who first do seek those Arts Before that they have circumcis'd their Hearts For what they gain before is vanity What afterwards our King doth sanctifie What men acquire they usually abuse it What Heav'n himself gives he shews how to use it Let Man therefore the Time observe and see To gain Heav'n first these but additions be The World's eye who in twice twelve hours and four The mighty Moles of the Earth views o're In all her choysest Hort-yards cannot see Fruits half so fair and precious as these be Which in that neighbour Dish inchant the eye With painted Robes and fulvid bravery Those are Panchresta's for all ills of Man And who shall tast them shall Physitian Be to himself and others these impart Both Esculapius his and Chiron's Art As the Heraclian Stone draws iron and To rubbed Steel imparts the same Command So these with perfect Health do Man imbue And t' others make him Health's Physitian too Simples from his Hand â—a'ne more virtues hold Than Bezoar or dissolved Pearl or Gold His touch or Breath or Word or healing Eye May Physical Medicaments supply The Taster gaineth from these Fruits alone The healing virtue and the med'cinal Stone Raphiâ—l this jâ—yce 'mong the Fishes Gall did scruse Which Tobit t' heal his Fathers sight did use Part of this Fruit was mix'd with that Perfume Which did the evil Spirit overcome King Hezekia's Figs which heal'd his sore This Fruits blest Liquor in their intrails bore By this Aelia's Life bestow'd upon The widow of Zarepta's stone-dead Son By this Elishâ— did represse Life's flight And rais'd the Son of the good Shuâ—amite Some of this juyce he mingled with the Meal Which did the Propâ—ets poyson'd Poâ—tage heal This in the crystal streams of Iordan lay When they wash'd Na'man's Leprosie away This mix'd was with the Salt which cur'd the so Unwholsome Springs of pleasant Ierico This to the hâ—mm of our King's garment dropâ— When by its touch the bloody issue stop'd This in his healing Spittle hidden lay When that he an Opthalmic made of clay Which eyes restored to the born-blind and This in his Breath made whole the wither'd Hand Great Iesus our thrice blessed King did feed On all these Fruits which are before thee spâ—ead When he did flesh indue But He that Food Lik'd best which most was for poor Mortals good Therefore he this us'd much for through his Breath Diffusing it to Life he rais'd from Death He toth ' Blind Lame Deaf Dumb Dead power did give To see to walk to Hear to speak to Live To the 〈◊〉 Pool once eveâ—y year One of my Brothers of this Fruit did bear Whose virtue to those Waters virtue gave The sad afflicted from their pains to save Legs to a Cripple through this viâ—tue Paul At 〈◊〉 gave Cur'd Eutichus his fall Healed himself cur'd a possessed Maid Made Vipers hurtless cur'd where 's hand 's were laid So the Disciples all by this alone Became Physitians unto every one That next Dish prest with its exuberance Of matchless Treasures which their heaps advance Above the low sides of the Pattin seems The chiefest Archive of Caelestial gemms How thrust it is that it can scarcely hold Those silver apples in its purest Gold Preachers upon this sacred food should feed This makes Divines to be divine indeed This keeps the Eaters Mouth from speaking wrong Gives sacred Truth a dwelling in his Tongue So chimes that Member that she utters what â—o pass in after agâ—s shall be brought Makes Her so swift in Her predicting chime That she out-flyes the swiftest wings of Time By anti-Chronicles of things not done Forestals the ages of the World to come Making his Lincâ—ous eyes to see so far Things yet to come like God as if they were This to the Eater gives the golden Key Which doth unlock the Letter's mysterie Which doth unseal the most mysterious Wells Whâ—ch doth reveal Gemms hid in Parables This doth unfold the mysteries of the Night Visions appearing to th' internal sight When the eyes double-guarded porâ—a's be Fast locked up with Morpheu's Leaden Key When Night o're half the World in silence reignes Then noted Dreams Court undisturbed Brains These Fruits give oyl which oynt the Tongue and make 〈…〉 fervent daily speak To Heav'n and render Essences so strong That in stout ardoâ—s move the heated Tongue And with such fervoâ—r call on Heav'n that she Ev'n forces him with importunity Such flagitations don't with Heav'n dissute When they rise from the virtue of this Fruit. The Patriarch IACOB of this fruit did tast Before he gave unto his Sons his last Prophetic Blessings wherein he relates In Hieroglyphicks all their future fates This fruit of Naâ—oh all the Propheâ—s fed When Saul's fierce Nuncio's also prophesied And Saul this though unseen when pressing through His Lips was also made a Prophet too This all those eat who to the Iews foretold That Mortals should their God in flesh behold This gave them spiritual eyes to see before He came that Iesus whom we all adore This Fruit was rolled in Ezekiels Role This fruit was squeezed into Esdra's Bole This in the Leaves lay of Iohn's Book which He Eat with the promise He should Prophesie This Fruit Christ his Disciples granted too Whereby his words profunditly they knew Ioseph and Danâ—el also of it eat When of Kings Dreams interpreters they sat Elâ—sha eat of this when he by Prayer Stop'd up the watery Fountains of the ayr When he again by fervent prayer's power Chear'd the dry Earth with a continual showre When he from Heaven with like fervent cryes Fetch'd Fire to consume the Sacrifice When he from Heaven Caelestial Flames twice drew The which two Captains and their fifties slew Such is the virtue of that fruit you see A Gemm more rich than all Mortality But view the next Dish Did a greater prize And less than Heav'n it self e'r bless thine eyes Could Aretusa's tempting fruit more please Spectator's eyes with greater gay than these Doâ— golden 〈◊〉 rising from the main The gray-ey'd Morn with deeper Scarlet stain Thâ—â— thâ—â—hich bluâ—hes on their cheeks or may Hâ—s â—â—ams gild with a better Gold the Day What â—harmes upon
is known Here could our Heav'nly Joys permit us grieve I could Threnoda's sing 'cause Men deceive Themselves to think its any's Fault but their Own that we do not now so oft appear As we have done in former Ages No The fault 's not Ours but theirs we do not so The Reason why so oft we do not presse From Heav'n to Earth is Man's unworthinesse What else can Mortals think that it should be Cann't we be cloath'd with visibility With as much ease as then think they or now Grown old with Time do also lasie grow Think they the space 'twixt Earth and Heav'n more Large and wide drawn than in times before Or do they think our Love diminished Or that they of our helps now have no need Or do thâ—y on our Maker lay the blame That he to former Ages than to them More Love did shew think they him partial that We did on those and not on them do wait Or do they think our King has more to do In Heav'n for us that he cann't spare us now What is 't that peevish Moâ—tals think what e're They think it is their sins that keep us here Seal'd from their eyes which hide this blessed Fruit So that they know not which way to come to 't For could they eat of it they often would With â—leasure us familiarly behold In Ages past when we so frequent were With Men and did in Humane shapes appear Simplicity and Innocency reign Did amonâ— Mâ—n they knew not how to gain By lying Miracles their Natures all Most like to ouers were Angelical But after Sathan broach'd his vanities Which men suck'd in he under our disguise Of them deceiv'd so his delicious food They fed upon supposing it was good So as their sins encreas'd we disappear'd Whilst Sathan of his Conquests Trophies rear'd Which he by feigning Angels shapes did gain Whereby we did to Man obscure remain This now continues so man thought at last Our dispensat'on of Appearing past And now he boldly if we do appear As we were wont averrs we Devils are But blinded he is ignorant that this Fruit God's most sacred Fruit and blessing is Which still is free as e'r it was for Man Were he but worthy to obtain the same Of this fruit 't was those holy Men did tast With whom we had in all the ages past Communion for who do eat of it We are for them and they for us made fit We then to such shall not as strangers be But much frequent each others company That Royal Fruit which in that Dish doth lye Whose very looks with Wonders maze the eye In beauty and in virtue shall give way To none which fed thy blessed eyes to day See but what charmes are spread upon their cheek Their hew and make their wondrous virtue speaks This fruit indeed a faithlesse Faith expels And giveth one of working Miracles The Eater shall nothing too hard suppose To be effected by him for by those Mountains may be remov'd Seas made a Plain And all the Champain floated with the Main All living Creatures and inanimate Obey his Word who of this Fruit have eat He miracles shall truly do although Beelzebub's servants will not own them so Or if they do with belching Mouthes outright They cry they 're done by their own Master's might When by this Fruit they 're down which you behold As also were true miracles of old By this great Moses Power had to divide The blushing Seas by this was Iordan dry'd Twice by Elisha's Mantle The Command Of Ioshua still enforc'd the Sun to stand By this Fruit also great Amozides Repel'd the Dayes great Giant ten degrees Of this Fruit also blessed Iesus eat When he so many Wonders did Compleat That many Volumns cannot comprehend The tythe of them his Wonders have no end By this the bless'd Apostles did effect Their Miracles Wonders with Wonders backt Great Thaumaturgus when the VVord he spake By this Fruits Virtue dryed up a Lake By this the latter â—ges not a few Have Wonders done and VVonders more shall do For time draws nigh wherein this Fruit shall then Not such a stranger be to Mortal Men. The next Dish holds five glorious Apples that Man's five internal Sences animate The first whose beauties are so excellent That plunge Spectators into ravishment Unlocks the crystal pyla's of the eye Permitting it Heav'n's Beauties to descry By that the inner eye hath oft a sight In sacred Visions of Aeternal Light Of this bless'd place and of the Throne of blisse Where our great King 's immortal Splendor is By that we may be seen by that the eyes Behold the inner-VVorld's varieties And all the Spirits that created be In all the World 's perspicuously see By this Elisha's servant's eyes unbarr'd Were when he saw his Master's fiery guard Iohn's Iame's and Peter's when th' on Tabor saw Elias Christ the Giver of the Law The second that in yellow Ornaments Doth ravish with a thousand blandishments Continually a golden Key doth bear VVhich opes the Portals of the inner ear Through which the Sounds of Paradise do go And the caelestial Harpers musique flow Th'row which the inner World's sweet Harmony And all the Angels mystic voyces fly By this young Samuel's tender eares were bor'd When he the voyce heard of our Soveraign Lord. And divine Ioha's when he did hear the voyce Like to the rushing of enraged Seas The third which doth the Indian Nard excel Or all the spice of Arabie in smell The inner smelling Sence's gates doth wide Set ope th'row which Caelestial Odors slide Th'row which the sweet Perfume of Paradise To cheer the Brain and Spirits sweetly flyes The fourth whose sweetnesse Honey far exceeds With dews of Paradise the Eater feeds By that the Manna of Ierusalem To tast is often granted unto him By that his tongue on food divine doth tast And 's inner Palat on Heav'n's sweets doth feast The last whose slicknesse far exceeds the silk Whose snowy whitenesse far the purest milk Gives to the Eater sensibility Of the Contactions of Divinity By it he feels those pleasant thrillings which His Soul with the extreamest Joyes enrich Those burning tinctures of the deepest Love Which round his Heart with matchlesse pleasures move Of these three last the holy Saints did feed Be'ing granted to them in the time of need When persecution's mouth with all its power Sought them with cruel torments to devour Those then were Cordials to support the Hearts 'Gainst persecution's cruel Flames and Darts The lowest Dish which doth conclude the Feast Though it comes last yet is it not the least The Fruit it holds is of such price and Worth That it will lose much by my setting forth Not all the Rhetoric an Angel has Sufficient is this pretious Fruit to praise This is the Fruit that maketh Mortal Man To be Iehovah's great Magitian Art Magic this doth to the Eater shew And him with Heav'nly
What mystic Monad perfect Quadrats Trines What double Numbers and unlucky Signes Of odd conjoyned Figures and the like They have which in 't amaze the unlearned strike But some whose patience worn out with their Book Into Pythag'r as can no longer look Whose suppositious pamphlets in his Name Which bring to that Philosopher great shame Cry out all is Deceit that Numbers be And all the Art but mystic Knavery And thus the World by witnesse testifies Against the Truth hid in all mysteries Others notorious in their Notarie Art juggle with as simple Foppery Thinking this noble Magic may be took From the Loines of some suppositious Book Of Apollonius or of Salomon Which these blind Dotards dote too much upon These superstitious make a wondrous doe With mystic Names of God and words not true Meerly invented with full sounds to awe The Ignorant with superstition's Law But when they see themselves beguiled by This pious-fac'd-deceitful Theurgy They to the World with open mouth proclaim Their own Ablepsie ignorance and shame Whereby the sacred Hebrew mysteries In Names too deep for them the blind despise Another sort of Men there is who do Long earnestly to be Magitians too Tritemiu's and Agrippa's Books they get By which each Note and Character they set In their due place their Crosses Lamens and Their Pentacles must all in order stand Their Tapors Swords and consecrated Oyl With other stuff the easier to beguile Themselves they fit assaulting by and by The Camp of Devils with their Geocy How eas'ly to them doth the Devil yield And let them for his gain to win the Field Being commanded for a while that he At last a Tyrant o're their Souls might be But some repenting timely did impart Hel's cunning and the Follies of that Art By which the World so fearful grew and fell To think all natural Magic came from Hell So Paracelsus nor Agrippa nor More skil'd in natural Magic could prefer Its Wonders to the World but for their pains They branded were for Hel's Magitians But others whom Hel's wretched Prince can gain With a black union their dear Souls to stain Dive to the botton of Hel's Arts and there Indeed great dark Magitians appear These Necromancers freely he indues With Wonder-working Pow'r his Kingdom shews To them and triumphs greatly that he can Make known his Power by the arm of Man These can do Wonders and the World amaze Such might on Man mighty Belzebub â—ays Such was great Iannes such was Mambres or Black Elymas the wicked Sorcerer And such was Simon who oft back'd a Cloud And th'row the Ayr rode in his Chariot proud These Men the World with such great fear infected That mysteries divine became suspected Science was lost and Ceremonies all Accounted were or Diabollical Or superstitious and the very Name Of Magic tainted odious became Thus divine Magic was obscured and Men won't believe that Heav'n's all-mighty Hand Can by his proper instrument disclose His mighty Pow'r Hel's Magi to oppose And that great Man by Heav'n enabled shew Can as great Wonders as all Hell can do But if such should appear the World would strait Them Hel's black Necromancers nominate Call us black Devils or base Incubies If they but hear that Man our Faces sees Thus you may see how Men themselves do cheat With Fear and the opinion of Deceit Thus Truth and the true magic that 's divine Wrap'd o're with pitch alone doth inly shine And is a Jewel lock'd up from the VVorld That so much Durt and mire at it has hurl'd But don't you wonder what the reason is That all or most men of their aym do misse And that this sacred Magic still in spite Of all their searchings is obscur'd in Night Labour all things o're-comes you think and they Investigated it have Night and Day VVith toyl and sweat pains indifagitable And all the forces that their wits were able To muster for This searched have and yet The knowledge of this Magic cannot get The Fault 's their own for they wrong wayes have took And the true Road to Blisse and it forsook their selfish wit and wisdome this have wrought And from fair Truth 's to errors paths have brought Them 'Cause they saw the way that to it led Simple and plain therefore the same they fled They this forgot TRUTH doth all coverings flee That to be Wise is first a Fool to be Money noâ— Wit may be the purchasers Of it Obedience chiefly this infers This Magic 's sacred holy and Divine By God himself hid from the World 's dull eyne Does Man then think that all his witlesse wit And prying's able to discover it Unlesse God with his Finger shew 't himself In vain they wast their wits their Time their Pelf This then is one cause why so many fail Because they do to their own wits intail The knowledge of it for they never doubt But by their Wisdom for to find it out But this Pearl God hath hidden from the eyes In ten-fold pitch of all such VVorldly-wise And sooner may they crack their troubled Brain Than one poor glimpse of this deep myst'ry gain God doth it to a seav'n-sold Chest commit And Prayer is one holy Key of it Another Reason why this Pearl they misse Because they slight the sacred Scriptures is Trusting more to the Heathens Scriptures than Those which contain all happinesse for Man As if because their vain Philosophy They cannot in that blessed Writ descry The true Philosophy that is divine Therein with sacred Lustre did not shine But those will find who pierce the mysterie A Philosophic high divinity The way to Blisse and to this Magic there Unseal'd to eyes enlightn'd will appear Man's Heart 's deceitful full of subtle wiles Both others and himself he oft beguiles His Heart 's corrupt for though he seeks for Blisse A foul Colluvies at the bottom is God this beholds and whatsoe're he seems To man he sees his close intents and Aimes Many investigate this Pearl But why Some some selfish aimes close in their Hearts do lye But such must know all self must lay'd aside Be or they else shall ever be deny'd FAME and Renown infuse some short-liv'd hear Which causes some upon this Work to set Poor blast of Ayr which shuffles Man to Pride That Man expect should to be satisfied That God should yield to him and not deny His Lust and Humours vain to satisfie He who hath aimes besides God's glory shall If clime unto this Art but gain a Fall How many 〈◊〉 the Pâ—iloâ—ophers Stone Part of this Aâ—t and but the meanest One Out of meer Avarice and hope of gain Hoping it will be their God Aeschylane These are the Spurs wherewith themselves they rouze When they th'rough Pains their dulled Spirits loâ—se But such at last when their Spurs dulled are Tire and yield up themselves unto despair Who have no better Spurs than these the mire They must go th'row their lazy jades shall tyre But
the true seekers of the noble Stone Have golden Spurs to spurious such unknown These be the Reasons why so many misse The STONâ— and their investigated Blisse To thee dear Pilgrim need I not to shew The way to Magic 't is the Way which you Have come and there 's no other Path which guides To this Caelestial Art of Arts besides 'T is not the selfish Wise man this can gain 'T is not the Covetous shall this attain 'T is not the thirsty after Glory shall Be able once to touch this Magical And happy Fruit from such it 's safely kept By an huge Dragon whose eyes never slept Those who this Fruit will gain must first outright O're-come this Dragon in a single Fight O man thou must Regenerated be Before thine eyes this happy Fruit can see Foâ— none but Children gain this Diadem Children of Love it is preserv'd for them Châ—ldren of Innocence who washed are In blâ—st Regeneration's Lavar fair This happy Fruit by the free Hand of Heav'n To such Regenerated Babes is given By which from Babes to an exalted pitch They ' â— rais'd and so become Men wise and Rich Rich in those Treasures whose most simple Gemm The World doth and its richest Riches shame Thâ—s gift is Free and yet it must be sought Yet by true Resignation 't is bought God gives a portion small at first but so As it Man uses shall his Talent grow But never let Man hope for this estate ' Til 's heart is pure and Regenerate You know great Riches and high Honours are The Devil's strongest unresisted snare By which oft-times he Souls doth overthrow Who pious were e'r they those Bâ—â—ts did know Think you that God thâ—n in t ' Man 's hands will put So sharp a Weapon his own Throat to Cut Think you he will to him the Stone disclose ' Til how to use it for his good he knows Nor knows Man how to use it 'till that he First truly Dead Regenerated be Then let all who this Art investigate In Soul and Body be regenerate Then if they ask they shall receive the prize If Knock the sealed Door assunder flyes If seek they find if pray they 'r heard Thus I Have shew'd the true way to Felicity The way whereby this Fruit may be attain'd Whereby the much desired STONE is gain'd He then who pure is and Regenerate And blessed so that he may freely eat Of this beatifying Fruit he then Becomes Heav'n's SOPHUS or Magitian O those bless'd Bonds which fast together tye God and the Soul Man and the Deity Nothing 's impossible for him to do Who this blessed state and pitch attain'd has to For if to him to God it must be so His Will is God's they are no longer two He willeth nothing but by Heav'n's own Will Then what shall dare not his Command fulfill He now is Soveraign over the World and all Things that therein are shall obey his Call For by this Art of divine Magic he May shroud him in invisibility Walk on the Clouds stand in a flame of Fire And th'row the walls if dores be shut retire May walk upon the sâ—â—liest Seas while they Smoothing their rugged Fronts his feet obey To him diseases bow their eager heads And at his touch they leave their nasty beds And fly to Hell from whence they came for by His touch and Word restor'd is Purity Of Vegitables the true use he knows The poyson in each herb away he throws And perfect Chymist by Spagyric Art Hell from Heav'n's Essence Drosse from Gold can part Both Aâ—â—mals and Minerals also He not by guesse but perfectly doth know As Man may in a Mirrour see his Face So he their virtues through their outward Case No thing 's unknown to him all Arts that be Unmask'd are and he views their Verity Metals he may transmuâ—e the Stone by which They are exalted to theâ—r highest pitch Of persectnesse he has which will unfold The way to change all Mettals into Gold Not only Bodies are at his Command But all created Spirits also stand To do his Will The sneeking Devils are If he Commands enforced to appear VVith louting Heads and trailing Tails and eyes Dejected to behold themselves made prize To see that Man whom they triumph'd upon Now to have Rule and be a Lord o're them O they had rather to the darkest place Of Hell run than behold their own disgrace For if he cometh where they be they run Into the lowest darknesse headlong down For they his eyes as much now hate to see As the bright splendor of Aeternity For they behold him with that glory clad As once themselves before they lapsed had All Earthly Spirits also prest do stand Ready to do what he shall them Command Those in the Fire yield a joynt consent To wait upon him in their Element Those in the Water and the deepest Sea All his Commands are ready to obay Those in the Ayr and Astral Regions too Their constant service at his beck do shew The holy Angels also do rejoyce And pleasure Him who is the Highest's choyce Thus all conspire to be his servants and VVith speed obay what he shall them Command Besides all these to him permitted 't is To enter Gods own Treasury of Blisse In which he doth Arcana's deep behold Not fit unto the World for to be told The great Archaeus of all things that be He doth in ev'ry World and Astra see Divinely taught divinely learn'd indeed He Heav'n's Caâ—al and mysteries doth read And thus is Heav'n's Magitian a King Upon the Earth to whom all Creatures bring Their homage due unto that Image that In him appears of the Incorporat And increated Deity And thus Man is co-equal with nay more than us What Adam lost he gains by this new Birth And is new-Crowned King and God on Earth And such a Godlike King was Adam All So should have been but for his fatal Fall But few and very few attain to this Great Pearl of Wisdom Fruit of matchlesse Blisse Now in these latter dayes But Mortals may E're long behold the mighty lustrous Ray Of this fair Fruit which I may call the Best For in it is contained all the rest Heav'n's great Magitian mighty Moses had Upon this Fruit by God's donation fed When â—e those VVonders in the Name of God Did do in Aegypt with his Magic Rod That Rod which to a Sâ—rpent changed was And which again into a Rod did passe By this Fruit he God's MAGUS did become Performing VVonders in his mighty Name By this on Phaâ—oh and all Aegypt too He sev'n fold Plagues and seav'n-fold Wonders threw By this the Seas he parts which Crystal waâ—ls Become the Israclites by this with Qualos And Manna bright he feeds By this a knock Opens the Springlets in the solid Rock By this he Gold makes potablâ— his face With royal Rayes by this incircled was Mosâ—'s successor by this Magic too The strong-built walls of Ierico
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
dead the Soul then flyes To Heav'n and not before above the Skie To such whose Breasts are with such thoughts implete I shall and in a word this Answer â—it Paul was alive and yet to Heav'n he flew Where he such wondrous mysteries did view That as they were unutterable so They were not fit â—or to be told below The Patriarch Aenoch walk'd with God and there Is Heaven doubtless where he doth appear In Love and Glory so Aelias went To Heav'n before his mortal Spirits were spent But such whose thoughts are thus do heaven tye Unto a place above the starâ—y Sky Such don't believe the Scriptures which declare That also they within Man seated are Indeed th' Aeternal Heav'ns are boundless they In Man and out of Man themselves display I say they 're boundless for the God of Blisse Is boundles and they are where e're he is Nay Heav'n though strange it seem is too in Hell And there doth as Lâ—ght doth in darkness dwell As Night cann't Day as Darkness cann't the Light So cann't Hell e'r comprehend the bright Aeternal Heav'n as 't cann't excluded be So not included by Demensity Did Man himself but truly throughly know He 'd find all Woâ—lds that are within Him flow Man 's a deep study and who Mâ—n doth see Truly and throughly knows all Worlds that be 'T is very true if Heaven only were Beyond the blew Seas of the starry Sphear Our Souls enchain'd below could never come Thither till they had left their fleshly home For that our Elemental Bodies are Too heavy to be carried so far But Aenoch walk'd with God on Earth and so May Man on Earth be and see Heav'n too O thou that gazeth on the Olympic Court Fancying beyond it the Majestic Port And Restful Haven of departed Souls Whose bredth extendeth unto either Poles Where mighty Mansions for the Saints do lye Spread over the vast and starry Canopye Carnal Conceits of splendid Palaces 〈◊〉 grosly Brain-deluded Images Did'st thou but know the Nature of a Soul Such fancyful Idea's thou'dst controul For nothing is more near than Heav'n to thee Wert thou not blind had'st thou but eyes to see The deeper into thy self dost go The nearer thou still Heav'n approachest to For what 's indeed a Souls departure hence But motion from the Circumference Unto the Centre let it Centre where It will or in the Light or darker Sphear Had'st thou a Poâ—er granted thee to flye Ten thousand tâ—mes as far beyond the Skie As it is to 't as far from Heaven thou Might'st be God's Seat I mean as thou art now Heav'n is spiritual yet real too So that our outward carnal Eyes cann't view Its Seat The Soul which is a Spirit may Yea whilst it's pris'ner in this house of Clay Though I confess this Clayie Vail is such That intervening it doth hinder much These outward eyes can nothing view but what Is gross material and Corporate Rather more truâ—y they do nothing view No more than the Perspective we look through Is said to see for 't is the eye so 't is The Soul and nothing else that views and sees What sees the Body when the Soul is fled The Organ still remains the same though dead Yet it no visive Power has for why The Soul once gone of no use is the eye So likewise 't is as plainly it appears The Soul that feels that smels that tasts that hears But now the Soul without a Body may Nor see nor hear touch tast or smell I say Mistake me not I pray I mean not now This Flesh and Blood this gross out-garment though For this indeed is as it were a foul Garment unto the Body of the Soul Which is its prison and the fruit which all Men bear of Adam's fell and fatal Fall For this Imagination did indue This Body when he put his mind into This extern Principle which once shall be Int 's Aether swallow'd to Aeternity Suppose you had a Robe of Lead made fit Unto your Body and that put in it Your Face and Hands all parts covered o're Against your eyes thick Glasses as before You could not see how dim the World would show How heavily should you then move and go Could you so nimbly scud across the Plain Or sprightly swim within the silver Main As you before did should a wedg of Steel Fall hard upon you should you not it feel And should your glass eyes stopped be with clay You could not then behold one glimpse of Day But should you freed be from that Prison then How fair and clear would all things show agen Just so 't is with the Soul a heavy foul Garment unto the Body of the Soul This fleshly Case is whilst it fouly decks It she doth labour under its defects And must be subject unto them then she If that the eyes be d'outed cannot see The outward World let any part of this Organic Body be but ought amiss She is afflicted with it by this tye Of flesh she thus endures misery But the Soul's Body is another thing Which in and through this fleshly Case doth spring Not to be seen with fleshly eyes so you May see the Sun but not that Body view Which gives it splendor so you view the flame But not that Body which Lives in the same For the true Elements they are not seen By eyes Corporeal 't is an outer Screen You view the Body of the Soul likewise From the unmixed Element doth rise This is the Body that to Heav'n doth flye Who gains this Body gains the Mysterie For thorow it he Heav'n may view though he In his corporeal Clayie House still be Who fixes this may there for ever dwell For he those Wonders views that Worlds excel 'T is in this Body that the Soul doth see Th' immortal Glories of Aeternity 'T is plain that all or most great Visions that The sacred Scriptures t' us do nominate Not with the outer were beheld but by The Heav'n-beholding and internal eye What outward Eye can see a Sp'rit unlesse He doth himself in t ' form and matter press What outer eye is able then to see The Form or glory of Heav'n's Majesty An Angel's fain to vail his splendid beams With some gross matter when himself it seems He will discover to th' extern eye of Man What extern Eye can see the Heav'n's glories then With what eye did Elisha's Man behold The fiery Host that did them safe enfold With what Eye was it that Ezeâ—iel spy'd That glorious Vision by clear Chebar's side With what Eye did he see Ierusalem When he in Chaldâ— captive did remain With what Eye was it that great Daniel saw Himself though then at Shushan at Aelai By what sight saw he when sleep seal'd his eyes The great Creator in th' Aeternal Skies And how could Steven with his outer eye See Iesus sitting in th' Aemperial Sky At God's right Hand You know the glorious Sun Which round this Orb in twice twelve
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
lowermost See pag. * That is iâ— that Principle * The Kingdom of 〈◊〉 rath * This is out of the Eternal nature the â—nsearchable ens increatum or nothing abysse But God is God only in the second Principle or Love * From this sight tho not clearly comprehending it the Ranters fell into that erroneous notion of all things proceeding from God aswell the evil as the good and that they serv'd him in all manner of wickednesse and sins aswell as in uprightnesse and Love seeing he was the Author of all Indeed they ferv'd the first Principle and unlâ—sse they repent may therein serve to Aeternity * The first Principle describ'd * For Hell is the privation of Heaven and were there no joy ease and pleasure there could be â—nowâ— no sorrow pain and Tâ—rment Should the second Principle shed â—t self thorow out the first that would also become Heaven so the absence of that causes Hell The â—all of Lucifer with his Angels * The Devil is able to impart all Arts and Sciencâ—s by iâ—fâ—sioâ— into tâ—ose whâ— aâ—â— in a sâ—rict uâ—â—on with him â—e hath a power permâ—ttâ—d him to do very great wonders fo 't is said that there shall be signes and wondeâ—s wrought by him even bringing down of 〈◊〉 from Heaven with other strange signes and miracles before the second Principle ofâ— Love shall come to act his for though many have arrived at a great height in wickednesse yet they have not come 〈◊〉 that unio◠〈◊〉 the Devil here described which may be attâ—â—ned nay shall be by some and for which the Devil earnestly longs that be might â—e exaâ—â—ing his mighty power in the earth that he might deâ—ude the people with the strangenesse and greatnesse of his Arts which must be overcome by those of the second Principle * Christ's Humanity * The second Principle which is the Life and light of Paradise Natural states of man is sin Conviction Acts 2. 37. Horrour of Consâ—ience Repentance Pardon of sin * Christ. * Their Affections * Vision * Truth * Watchfulnesse Lustâ— Chasâ—iâ—y Pride Wrath. Meeknesse Envâ— Charity * A scarf 2 Cor. 13. Patience * The world * The way of self-denial moâ—nification * The Cross. * The pleasures of the world Deceit See these objectionsâ— answered pag. Truthâ— Mâ—t. 6. 33. Mat. 19. 24. Mat. 10. 37. * The Inâ— And tellect Luk. 14. 33. Luke 9. 58. Matthew ch 10. v. 9 10. See p. * That it signifies some great mystâ—rie not but that it was really acted and done upon the Earth and on the flesh of Iesus our Saviour Iohn 8. 56. * Exod. 20. 18. * Ioshua or Jesus is all one nâ—me Ioh. 16. 28. Ioh. 14. 6. Ioh. 3. 13. Eph. 4. 8. Psal. 61. 18. * In the Anger and wâ—ath of God which being quenâ—hed as it were by the Light and Love of the second Person shâ—dding it self abroad and by his Soul standing in the stâ—â—d of the whoâ—e worâ—â—s or Adam's in the anger of God indured the same â—till it had answered the Fathers Iustice or till that pricking sting of the Wrath was abated through the penetration of the Love or second Principle and then the Devil Hell was more strictly compressed and remained in the anger of God and shall to all AEternity but a Gate then was opened by Christ into Paradise and the second Principle which was not before and his breaking thorow with an humanâ— Soul recovered what Adam had lost and so unbaâ—'d that way which before was shut up for all those that shall follow him words extreaâ—nly darken this mystesteâ—ie but to an understanding and pure mind it shall be given * Forty hours * Wrath of God * Ioh. 8. 59. * Iob. 20. 19. * i. e. Before he was Glorified or ascended to the Father * Into his glorified Body into a state beyond Adams in Paradise which Adam lost by joyning to the spirit of the outward great world Now Christ would not be touched by Mary because he was not yet glorified Iohn 20. 17. * If you ask where these were all this Time questionlesse they were 〈◊〉 a quiet rest and Peace or still silence not where any pain or Aâ—â—â—â—sh was which is the bosom of Abraham the Father of the faithful But wheresoever they were it is plain by Scripture that they were not entered into Paradise where they are now till they entered with Christ and had not he dyed and broke this gate of Wrath shut by the fall of Adam we could never have entered the holy place Zeal Luk. 14. 26. Prudence Mat. 10. 16. â—hastityâ— cant * Sophia Imagination or phansie * i. e. Gods Col. 2. 5. Ezek. â— Pauls Epâ—stle to 〈◊〉 Corinth 1 co◠〈◊〉 18. Mâ—â— â—8 6. 〈…〉 15. 26. Heb. 12. 4. Paul to the Romans Rom. 6. 9. Rev. 20. 6. Optima corruptio est pessima Mat. 7. 14. â— Cor. 15. 50. * And stay Donec longa dies profecto temporis Orbe concretam exemit labem purumque reliquit Aethereum sensum atque auraï simplicis ignem Virg. * 1 Pâ—t 46 * 1 Pâ—t 3â— 19 19. * Zach. 9. 11 12. Esay 61. 1. Mat. 12. 22. Nor in this world nor in the world to come shall they have pardon * Scaliger See more page 7 2. Gen. 3. 24. Noctes atque dies patet atria Janua Diâ—iâ— * Gaza in the Heb. signifies Strength Rev. 20. 6. * First Principle * In the inward ground of Nature from whence our outward Sulphure Salt and Mercury as also other external things proceed according to the opinion of that highly illuminated Man J. B. â—ev 21. Gifts of the Tree of Life Gift of Tongues Of Râ—â—son Of wisdom Of Healâ—ng Of Propâ—esie 〈…〉 Oâ— Dreams 〈…〉 Of Poetry Oâ— discerâ—ing of spiriâ—s Acts 16. Of union and Communion with holy spirits depaâ—ted * Dyonsius Arcopagita iâ— Epâ—st ad Tim. Of Union and Communâ—oâ— with holy Aâ—gâ—â—s This is the opinion of some of others See P. 49. 50. Here is 〈…〉 and sigâ—â— Gifts of Miracles Euseb. Eccles Hist. lib. 7. c. 25. Gifts of seeing Of Hearing Of smeling Of tasting Of touching Gifts of divine Magic The abuse of Magic and how the divine Magic comes to be lost Why so many have lost their labour in the search of the Stone The way to gain the divine Mâ—gâ—c What a divine Mâ—gitian is Those skil'd in divine Magic * Gidion * The Soul * The first Principle * The second Principle * Second Principle * I mean in the Tapor for otherwise it were false for heat may be without Light and Light without Heat contrary to the opinion of the Peripateticks learnedly proved by Sir Christopher Heyden Iohâ— 15. I am the Door * Moâ—s oeuli câ—bâ—l Rev. 12. 16 17 c. Augustine in Civitate De.