to be As it is plain and manifest Thereby most happy and most blest As men by Justice Just are said By Wisdome men are Wise men made So likewise of necessity Men Gods are by Divinity Then who does gain this Blessedness He then a God can be no less I but there can but one God be That 's true in nature verily But yet there may be more then one By God's participation Call you this a Corollary A precious one it is said I. But there is one more precious yet Which Reason does perswade to knit What 's that said I. Since it seems plain That Bliss does many things contain Whether all these do conjugate In Parts to make this Blessed state Or one Part of them does compleat For all the rest this Bliss so great I would said I that thou wouldst clear These things more in particular Why we averre that Blessedness Said she is the chiefest Goodness 'T is true said I. The same thou may'st Said she adde unto all the rest For it is chief Sufficiency Chief Power and chief Dignity Chief Honour and chief Pleasure too And what have all these Goods to doe This Power and Sufficiency And all the rest of that degree Are they but parts of Blessedness Or do they Good intire comprise I see what 't is you go about But how said I will you make 't out Why thus If all these members be Of ever-bless'd Felicity Then each from other far escarts For this the nature is of Parts Of many one entire to frame But these are all one and the same For these indeed no members be For if then this Felicity Would of one member be conjoyn'd Which cannot be That 's true I find But what remains I do desire 'T is plain that all things do aspire To Good therefore Sufficiency Is sought ' cause Good therein does ly And Power deem'd Good to procure The same of Honour Fame Pleasure The summe and cause of all desire Is this then Good for to acquire For what nor Good nor Good is like That has a general dislike And contrary what are not so By nature if they make a show They as true Goods desired are So that the Summe the Scope the Care Of whatsoe're desired is Must be believ'd to be Goodness For for what cause a thing is sought That end to compass must be thought As if a man for Health do ride Though pleas'd his prauncing Horse to guide Yet more th' effect his health does take So all things sought for Goodness sake Are not themselves so much desir'd As Goodness self to be acquir'd But we already did profess That same for to be Blessedness For which all other things are sought That therefore they are sought we taught By which it plainly does appear Goodness and Bliss the same things are I see no reason but 't is so But we did also plainly show That God and Bliss is the same thing You did said I. Thence then does spring That God's whole substance placed is In Goodness self that 's perfect Bliss Come hither all you that are ta'ne In Lust's deceitfull wicked chain Whose minds mind nought but for to gain things terrestriall Here from your labours you may rest Here is a port with quiet blest Here is the refuge that is best for wretches all The Gold that Tagus does afford Nor what rich Hermus banks has stor'd Nor Gemms of which the Indian's lord the Mind can clear But rather it obnubilate For that which here gives best estate And does mens minds most elevate from earth they tear In mines cannot be found that light Which does adorn the Heavens bright And which does pierce with so much might the souls impure Which Light to whom it shall appear Will his dark soul so fully clear That thenceforth he may justly swear the Sun 's obscure With strongest Reason I agree All things said I composed be But how much more wouldst it esteem If Goodness self said she were seen Why infinitely said I then Because by it I God should ken Who Goodness is Why this said she By reasons true I 'le shew to thee Let but those things remain which I Already prov'd have certainly They shall said I. I 've shew'd said she Those things which by most sought for be Nor true Goods nor yet perfect are Because amongst themselves they jarre For if one from another swerve They cannot perfect Good preserve Which only then is true and right When in one form they do unite For that which is Sufficiency The same is Power Dignity Fame and Pleasure If then that these Ben't all the same they 've nought that please Then this a truth all must confess What 's discrepant is not Goodness And if by being one they do Goodness become then it is so That therefore they come good to be By the obtaining Vnity So 't seems said I. Then all that 's good To be good by thee 's understood By Good 's participation So 't is said I. Then to be one And to be good you do declare To be the same for those things are Of the same substance whose effects By nature have the same respects I can't deny 't Know'st thou said she That all that is so long will be As it is one but perishes When Vnity in it does cease As how said I. Why thus said she In Living creatures we it see It does a living thing remain While Soul and Body are the same But if that these asunder fall No longer we do so them call The Body too while we it find With all the parts in one conjoyn'd The humane species seems to be But if divided Vnity Being distraught it is no more The thing that it appear'd before And so all other things we see Are lost by losing Vnity In all things I can think upon This is no supposition Why is there any thing said she That does desire naturally To leave to be and for to come To nothing or destruction In Living creatures then said I Who have nature's activity To will and nill I do not find Unless some outward force them bind For to obey any ' ntention Of free and willing destruction All living things their health defend Shunning to come unto their end But what of things call'd vegetal To think I do not skill at all But this too thou may'st also know When Herbs and Trees thou find'st to grow In Places for their nature fit Wherein if they be firmly set Their nature will not let them dry Nor but by course of Nature dy In Plains on Hills in Fens some spring Others hard Rocks some Sands forth bring Transplant but these and presently They wither do away and dy For Nature every thing does give What 's fit and willingness to live And do not all these things get birth By thrusting down their heads i' th' Earth The which does nourishment infuse To th' Root and that does strength diffuse To th' Stock what part most tender is Within like marrow
will be a great curse In him ability is worse Upon it too we may reflect When ill does come unto effect And who is guilty of these three Endures a threefold misery I grant said I but would to God That they this misery had not Or that they quickly might it lose Sooner perhaps then you would chuse Said she or they do think 't will be And yet compare Eternity Nothing in this life can be long And if ost-times design of wrong Be frustrate by untimely end This to their pain some ease does lend For if that Wickedness do reign The longer wicked more the pain Then he more wretched sure would be If Death from ill did not him free For if that we do right profess O' th' misery of Wickedness As 't is eternal so 't is right That it is also infinite This thy illation then said I By me can hardly granted be And yet I think it is no more Then has been granted heretofore Thou rightly think'st but whosoe're To make Conclusion shall forbear Must shew the Premisses not true Or that they do not raise a due Conclusion or else otherwise What from the Premisses arise If he do grant he has no cause On the Conclusion for to pause There 's one thing more I will conclude Which will no less seem strange and rude Yet follows necessarily From what is agreed already What 's that said I. Why wicked men When punish'd are more happy then If they at all not punish'd were Nor do I goe about to rear Up a position that to all Is known that wicked manners are By Punishments restrain'd and Fear Men to be honest does compell Beside th' Example does do well But for another reason I Judge them unhappy do go free Though of Example there were none Nor of Correction reason shown What may that other reason be Have we not granted this said she The bad unhappy good are blest Why yes said I. Then if some rest From Misery some good do come Is he not better then such one To whom no good does come at all But lives in pain perpetuall Why yes But if to 's misery More pain and greater added be Is he not more unhappy yet Then he that does some easement get Why yes said I. Then wicked men When they are punish'd do find then Something that 's good for Punishment Is good b'ing Justice instrument And then not punish'd for to be Is further ill Impunity To be an ill by thee 's confest Cause Right it does and Justice wrest I can't deny 't The wicked then Are far more miserable when That pain does them unjustly spare Then when they justly punish'd are For this to Justice does belong The other is to Justice wrong None can deny 't Nor none said she One good the other ill to be All this does follow then said I From what before we did agree But after Death for Souls dost thou No punishment at all allow Yes marry and that great said she And them two-fold I think to be One sharp and a dire punishment The other a mild purgament But these to treat of I not mean The ground and reason of this theam Was only that it might be seen What thou didst most unworthy deem In wicked men no Power to be And further too that thou might'st see That they who ills do perpetrate Do never punishments escape And also that thou may'st conceive The Power for which thou didst ask leave Soon for to end not long to be If long 't were the more unhappy And most unhappy yet of all If that it were perpetual I said before the wicked then Are far more miserable when That pain does them unjustly spare Then when they justly punish'd are The consequence of which is this Their punishment most grievous is When they seem punish'd not to be To so great reasons I agree But if to men they be reserr'd who 'l judge them worthy to be heard 'T is true said she for their dim eyes To the clear light of truth can't rise So like they are unto the Owle Whose sight Night brightens Day does foul For while they on their own lusts look And not into the secret book Of things they judge impunity Of Ill a Happiness to be But know this as a firm award Thou need'st no Judge thee to reward If Vertue thou and Good follow Thou on thy self dost it bestow Again if thou thy self apply To Vice thou need'st no enemy Thy self to judge thou wilt be free Thou wilt thine own tormentor be As if by turns thou should'st uprear Thy sight unto the Heavens fair And then again should'st cast it down Upon the filthy miry Ground Even the very sense of Sight Would now shew dark and then shew light I but the vulgar thus don't see I prithee what is that to me Must we be rul'd or with them joyn Who to be Beasts we do define What if a man that lost his sight Forget should that he ere saw light And should believe that he has all Perfection that is natural If I should unto this agree I surely were as blind as he But when will this be credited By those who don 't believe what 's said That they are much more unhappy That doe then suffer injury The reason I would know said I. Thou canst not sure said she deny That who with a wicked intent Does ill does merit punishment And it does many waies appear The wicked miserable are All this is true Then it is plain They are unhappy deserve pain So 't is said I. If then said she The case referr'd were unto thee Which would'st thou punish him that did The wrong or him that suffer'd it No question I would certainly Him punish did the injury Then more accurst he seems to thee Who did then took the injury It follows so From this therefore And from like reasons many more 'T is plain that who does injury Upon himself brings misery What need then Orators make mone Judges to move to compassion Oâ—… them that in afflictions are And the wrong-doer not to spare Whereas in truth they pitty ought All those that have injustice sought Who should a mild not angry way Accused be that so they may By counsel as to patients foul Cut off a part to save the whole Who this considers would not use Defence but rather would accuse Himself and he who wicked is If he of Vertue and of Bliss Could but a little glim'ring see And know he might deliver'd be From Vice's filth by punishment Would suerly be well content To suffer pain and would refuse At all an Advocate to use But would to his Accuser's hate And Judge's doom himself prostrate By which he wholy would abate In wise men all invet'rate hate For none but Fools the Good decry And they 're more fools the Bad envy As by disease the Body 's pin'd So Vice does macerate the Mind And if that Sickness stir up love Much more should they compassion move Where
them so Like as old Pictures do appear In smoaky rooms their colour were And in the lower bordering The letter II was weav'd in green And in the upper see you might The letter Θ weav'd in white Between the letters there were set As 't were a ladder up to get So climbing the degrees to move From Earth below to Heaven above But some rude hand her Robe did tear And every one catcht for a share In her Right hand a Book she held A Sceptre did her Left hand wield When she the Muses had descry'd They standing all by my bed's side As willing for to comfort me On them she cast an angry eye And Who unto this languishing Sick man said she these whores did bring With poisons they his fancy please But give no Physick him can ease These these are they that Reason's corn Destroy with planting fruitless thorn These trouble not relieve the mind And could you none but this man find Had you but only drawn apart A rude prophane or vulgar heart I had not car'd but to insnare Him who has been my only care In Wisdome's School brought up and nurst Go go ye Sirens go accurst And leave this sick man's cure to me This said th' whole quire did agree In one sad look confest that they For shame did blush so went away Tears dazled had my eyes and I Affrighted all this while did lie Wondring who this same should be Commanded with such majesty And silently I did me bear Expecting what next I should hear She me approach'd and did sit down On my bed's side then with a frown She me beheld who griev'd did lie And on the ground had fixt my eye But thus she seeing me in pain Of mans disquiet did complain O how cast down with care Mens minds oppressed are Who leaving bright day-light Run groveling in the night While clogg'd with things below Vexations on them grow He while he lived free The heavenly Orbs did see The splendor of the Sun And course of the cold Moon What course each wandering Star Thorough each Orb did bear All these he firmly knew And all the causes true How shrill loud Winds do make The Pontick Sea to quake What spirit roules the world How Hesperus that 's hurl'd Down nightly shines each morn Who 't is that does adorn The Earth i' th' Spring with Flowers Who giveth fertile Showers Makes Autumn's grapes to swell He wonted was to tell Dame Nature's secret laws But now knows not the cause Why he opprest does lie With sad and down-cast eye The foolish world him took Thence on it he does look What boots it though said she to chide 'T were better Physick were apply'd Then fiercely she on me did look Art thou the child said she I took Fed thee with milk and many a cate Untill thou cam'st to man's estate Then gave thee Arms which had kept thee Hadst thou kept them unconquer'd free Dost know me what is' t shame or fear Does make thee silent would it were Ingenuous Shame but I do see 'T is stupid Fear oppresses thee But when not only silent I But speechless seem'd then she to try My health upon my breast she lai'd Her hand Danger there 's none she said A lethargy the common ill Of mindes seduc'd from good to ill He has he 's stupefi'd but lo When come to 's self he will me know Let 's wipe from 's eyes that so he may This cloud of mortal things away Her vestment then folding in plies She wip'd therewith my watry eyes Darkness left me now and night my sight came to me clear Just as when bright Phoebus light at noon cannot appear For that clouds have round about the hemisphaere beset So fixt that it is a doubt the Heaven's motion 's let Boreas sent from Thracian den i' th' evening retrives The light o' th' Sun whose beams then strike the beholders eyes So sorrow's clouds being dispell'd I looking up found I beheld And knew the face that brought me cure Then looking on her Thou art sure My Nurse that brought me up said I Th' all-powerful Philosophy Art thou from heaven also sent To exile that thou dost frequent These solitudes or art thou come Me to accuse as falsly some Already have Darling said she Why shouldst thou think I will leave thee And not part of the burthen take Which thou dost bear for my names sake Philosophy would sure be shent If she should leave the Innocent Fear would me seise as if in sight Some hideous thing did me affright What 't is but now as it has been Wisdome full often has been seen By wicked manners to be torn Of old our Plato not yet born How oft have I with Foolishness Had strong contests wise Socrates His Master for me did see dy Yet dying gain'd the victory Stoicks and Epicures by name Unto his wisdome have lay'd claim And others too what came to hand Though I did call and did withstand Did catch as prey they tore my Coat Which with my own hands I had wrought And every one did get a part Believ'd they 'd all they did depart ' Mongst these ' cause something did appear Like me Imprudence thought they were Of mine so the mad multitude She did pervert with Errors rude Perhaps thou dost not know the flight Of Anaxagoras nor spight That Socrates endured nor The torments Zeno suffer'd for That they were strangers yet thou know'st That glorious memory can boast The Canii Soran's Seneca's Recent are the fames of these Why was 't these Vertuous men did fall ' Cause in my manners they were all Instructed loose minds could not like Their manners so to theirs unlike So that no wonder 't is at all If in the conflict they do fall Whose Maximes are for to displease The bad whose number 's numberless Yet to be scorn'd for that no guide But ERROR who draws them aside They have who if ' gainst us in sight He do draw up and us does fright Our chieftain presently does place Her forces in a secure place They instantly in vain imploy Themselves our strength for to destroy While we above sit and deride Their plunderings and foolish pride Thus from their fury we retire Sit safe where Folly can't aspire Who in a quiet state With an undaunted look Can trample on proud Fate Good and bad Fortune brook Not him the foaming threats Of rough Seas yelling death Nor Vesuvus fierce heats That strive to stop his breath Nor Lightning wild which coming from above Full oft high towers does consume can move Do not for Tyrants care Who without force do rage Nor hope thou nor yet fear Their fury thou l't asswage But who does trembling stand Wishing for what 's not sure Has left for to command And must inslav'd endure The fool has made a Chain and 't is most fit That he that made it should be bound with it Do'st thou yet understand or do I to a Goose yet velvet show Why do'st thou weep
torn One evil more not to be born Was that most men did think it right They not the Cause but Fortune's spight Beholding crying all things down But what th' Event does happy crown Who Fortune leaves it haps to those Their good esteem they first do lose To think on 't is vexation great How busily the Vulgar treat And 't is most true The heaviest weight Of adverse Fortune is that strait Who is accus'd and falls thereby Is thought to suffer worthily And I from my estate thrust out Stript of my honours and no doubt Of my good name thus suffer must For goodness punishments unjust Besides methinks I plainly see The wicked making jollity And egging each trapanning knave No matter how the good t' enslave Who by my fall deterr'd do ly Open unto their villany Who dare doe mischief ' cause that they Unpunish'd are and will for prey This to the innocent is hard Not only for to be debarr'd Of safety but of his defence Then loud to cry is no offence O thou most High that sitt'st on thy eternal Throne Who to th' whole Sky gav'st rules for it to move alone That mad'st the Moon by th' Sun's reflex to shine so bright Small Starrs to drown he from her hid to lose her light One Star thou mad'st t' attend the Sun each night new born Which then invades the circle to bring up the morn When Winter does the trees devest to have short light When Summer cloaths them then thou dost contract the night Throughout the year the seasons rul'd are by thy power What 's nipt by th' Bear the West-wind's fresh again restore And when benigne Arcturus gravidates the earth Then thou dost bring hot ripening Sirius to the birth All things we see by thy fixt law thou dost direct And can it be that Man alone thou should'st neglect How or from whence is' t fickle Chance does him pursue And Innocence receive the hire to th' wicked due That wicked men set in high place the good deride Whil'st in a den bright Vertue 's forc'd her head to hide And the Just man a villain 's deem'd whil'st perjuries Do him crapan and neatly-close-composed lies But if that they get strength insulting they none spare But make a prey of mighty Kings whom all do fear Thou that guid'st all behold this miserable Earth And the no small part of it Man thy dearest birth Fortune 's his foe but thy great power her rage can lay Then us below as thou above dost rule we pray When I with grief had this snarl'd out She smil'd and nothing mov'd No doubt Said she I made when I did see Thee weep thou wert in misery And banish'd but how far from home Hadst thou not told me I 'de not known But from your Country as you 've said You are not banish'd but have strai'd Or if you 'd rather think it true T is you your self has banish'd you For no man living else could doe 't Remember that your off-spring's root Is not Athenian Anarchy But in one King blest Monarchy Who joys in many Subjects free Does none thrust out by 's laws to be Guided and 's justice to obey Is the full summe of all we pray Dost thou not of thy Country know The ancient law the which does show That no man can be banish'd thence That there would make his residence For who within its bounds does keep Can't fear he can deserve to sleep In exile but who would it quit Quits therewithall desert and wit So not the place but thy disguise Me moves For why I do not prize Thy Library so richly wrought But thy own Mind with Vertues fraught Which not of Books but Knowledge great I once with care had made the seat Thou hast with truth spoke thy good will To th' common good but with small skill Thou hast thy own deserts lay'd out That thou art honest none do doubt All know the falshood they did use Thou hast done well not to accuse But gently thy accusers hate Because all tongues do it relate Thou blam'st the Senate's foul decree Thou griev'st they have accused me Bewail'st the loss of my good name And then Fortune dost exclame With bitterness thou dost complain That Vertue 's recompens'd with pain At last thou thy sharp verse dost close With praier on earth for heaven's repose By all which plainly we may see Sadness and grief distracteth thee So that in this mind thou art in With easie things we must begin Those perturbations that thee swell A gentle handling may dispell So fitted them for to endure With sharper med'cines we 'l thee cure Who seasons does not know But does i' th' Solstice sow 'T is fit he should want Bread And be with Acorns fed No Violets you 'l find When Frost the earth does bind Nor on the wither'd tree Fresh branches will you see 'T is Autumn all can tell When Bacchus clusters swell God does unto each time A proper use assigne And it so fast has bound Nothing can it confound But what does it forsake A sad account does make With a few questions first must I With your good leave you move and try That so I may know your disease Ask me said I e'ne what you please I 'le answer make Then she reply'd Dost think that Chance this world does guide Or think'st thou Reason does it rule Then said I I am no such fool To think rash Chance at all can move Such certainties 't is God above To his own work does sure preside Nor will nor have I it deny'd 'T is true said she you so did sing When Man you griev'd to be the thing Only from care Divine left out But of the rest you made no doubt And truly I do wonder how You can be ill that this do know But we will higher seek to find For that I guess something 's behind Then tell me since thou dost believe That God to th' world does order give By what means does he govern it I cannot frame an answer fit Since scarce thy scope by me 's conceiv'd Then I said she was not deceiv'd Thinking a breach was open left By which disturbances in crept But can'st thou tell of things the ends Or unto what whole Nature tends I 've heard but grief makes me forget Dost know who all things did beget Yes God said I. And how can't be That you the Rise yet End don't see Troubles of mind 't is often found Do man in 's Reason much confound But not destroy Answer me than Dost thou remember thou' rt a Man Why yes said I most perfectly And can'st thou tell what 't is to be A Man Strange question askt as though Me rational I did not know And mortal too I do confess Dost thou said she know nothing else Why no Then thy disease is plain Self-ignorance does cause thy pain And now the cause I have found out Thee for to cure I do not doubt Confounded by Oblivion vile Thou griev'st thy plunders
swell'd with this vain-glorious Pride Injuriously he did contend With one who Vertue did pretend Call'd himself a Philosopher And now said he it shall appear Whether that name you rightly use And more and more did him abuse All which he patiently did bear Seeming no whit for it to care At last insultingly said he Now that 't is true you plainly see But bitingly he did reply Thy foolish tongue does thee descry But at what is' t brave men do aime Such as by Vertue only claim For these are only worth my breath What is' t that they gain after death For if the which we credit not Men in the Grave do wholy rot No Glory sure the Grave retains If nought of him whose 't is remains Bu if a soul unspotted free From this Earth's prison upward flee Enjoying Heaven she 'l despise All earthly sought-for vanities Who headlong does upon vain-glory run And does suppose chief Good to build thereon Let him behold the spacious Heaven fair And the pinfold of Earth with it compare And if with Fame this spot he cannot fill He will with shame condemn his towring will Why should fond Pride its self aim for to free From that which try'd no mortal man can be Though Fame do fly to Regions far remote With titles high death Glory values not But high and low suffer alike Death's groans Who now can show Faithful Fabricius bones Where 's Brutus wit and rigid Cato's care In some small script 't is only said they were Then by Records a Name is only shown A toy of words the Man lies still unknown But thee to quell if thus to live thou chuse Let me thee tell a second Death pursues But lest that thou shouldst think that I Am Fortune's utter enemy I 'le grant there is a time that she Deserves of men esteem'd to be When she her self does open lay Well understand me what I say For 't is a wonder I relate The which I scarce can explicate To be great truth I do averre Then Good Bad Fortune's better far For She deceives most certainly In promising Felicity But This does Fortune truly show Inconstant changing to and fro She falsly cheating men does fool But This presides in wisdome's school She does mens minds in fetters bind Falsly pretending to be kind But This from bondage sets them free By making known th' uncertainty So One you see to be a blast The Other sober and stedfast One foolishly deceiv'd with lies The Other grown by practice wise In fine the Happy man still straies From the direct into by-waies Whereas the Other to the right Reduces men by a clear light And dost thou think it a small thing That this harsh fortune thee does bring To know who faithful is to thee Discovers false friends treachery She parting with her goes her train But thy true friends do still remain This to have known at how dear rate Would'st thou have bought when fortunate Then leave to moan that thou hast lost Thy Wealth since thou canst truly boast That thou thy faithful Friends canst tell Which does all Treasure far excell Constant though the world Change does evermore Seeds i' th' earth though hurl'd Forc'd are to restore Phoebus to make Day Riding gloriously Phoebe for to sway The small light o' th' sky Seas bounded to be Though the Earth above This rare Concord he Made that is all Love Let him loose the rein All things Love combine Hurry do amain To warres intestine Social Loves are lost Which fair order keep And the World is toss'd As Ships in the deep People joyn'd in peace He for them does care Jarrs he makes to cease 'Twixt the Married pair Laws he does prescribe Binding faithfull friends Which them fairly guide Vnto honest ends Happy are they sure That thus guided are By that Love so pure Guides the Heavens fair THE THIRD BOOK HER Song did so much ravish me That stupefy'd I seem'd to be But recollecting O thou blest Said I reducer unto rest How have these thy instructions free And pleasant singing cherish'd me So that henceforth I think I shall Fell Fortune's strokes not fear at all And those Remedies the which thou Both harsh and bitter call'dst but now I do not henceforth hate to prove But cordially I them do love Then she reply'd When I did find That thou didst my instructions mind Then did I know thou wouldst comply Not onl ' in form but seriously Those which remain that nature bear Tasted they bite sweet swallow'd are But that which thee does now invite With so much pleasure and delight How much wouldst thou it more intend If thou the scope didst comprehend Why what 's the final drift said I. What perfect true Felicity Which thou dost dream for to attain But cheated art with fancies vain Then I reply'd I th' humbly pray Me this to shew without delay Most willingly I will said she But first I must declare to thee Things contrary that thou thereby Maist know true Bliss more perfectly Who will a good Ground till All Weeds he first must kill And then most certainly He shall grow rich thereby Who sweet would tast he must His palate first disgust Starrs then do shine most bright When darkest is the Night And when Morn does appear The Sun does shine most clear So thou from darkness free Most clearly then wilt see Dark Error laid aside Bright Truth will be thy guide Then she a while did six her eye Her thoughts retiring inwardly At last O how are men she said With many cares disquieted All several waies do play their game Yet all at the same End do aime That is chief Good which I define To be Man's ultimate design The which indeed the chief Good is All others being compris'd in this But if in all it don't agree The chiefest Good it cannot be For that there 's something left without The which may cause desire and doubt By which 't is evidently shown Chief Good has all Perfection This for to get men sev'rally As I have said themselves apply To which mens minds most certainly Have natural propensity But Error makes men to esteem What is not such so such it seem So Plenty some esteem the ground Thence toyl in Riches to abound Others high Honours and great Place Not spoke to but If 't please your Grace Others with Power and Command To rule do love or near to stand But who of Fame make most account In Peace and War seek to surmount Many in Mirth chief Good would find These to all Pleasures are inclin'd There are which seek for to acquire All these with different desire As some do Riches love only That Power and Pleasure they may buy Some Power seek thereby to gain Great Riches or a lasting Name To these or other the like end All humane actions do intend As Honour or a pop'lar name Thereby for to advance a fame A Wife and Children pleasure bring But Friendship 's such a holy thing Not to
known Whence she all single things beholds or them divided knows Whence 't is that she all things enfolds What from the highest Heaven flows And what on the Earth's surface grows With this same knowledge she repleat with Truth does Falshood gall No Knowledge sure can be so great Which does from outward Objects fall As that which comprehends this all Yet living creatures Passions have which do the Mind excite Each Object does attention crave Both of the Hearing and the Sight And this their forms does bring to light And thus the Mind to outward things her knowledge does apply Not that the outward Object brings Vnto it any novelty For it knâ—w all intrinsicly And if in Bodies it be so Their outward forms by Sense to know The outward Object must reflect Upon the Sense and it affect And that we do the Passions find Precede the Actions of the Mind And do provoke the Soul to stirre Those inward forms ly hid in her If that these bodies right to know The Mind to Passions this does ow Although she Passions do at length Subdue by her own force and strength How much more do those things that be From Corporal Affections free The outward Objects not attend But to the Mind their powers bend Wherefore there is of Knowledges Like diff'rence as of Substances Some creatures motionless have Sense But they want all other science As Shel-fish which to rocks stick fast And thence do nourishment exhaust The Beasts and Birds that use motion Have Sense and Imagination By which they fit things covet do And seek all dangers to eschew Reason does only Man define And Vnderstanding is divine So that same Knowledge excels sure Which excells of its own nature And does not only its own show But does all others Objects know If Sense and Imagination Then should rise up against Reason And this same their contest should be There 's no Vniversality As Reason thinks she does behold And thus their argument should hold Whatever thing is Sensible Or that is Imaginable That Vniversal cannot be If Reason's judgment true then be Then nothing can be Sensible No nor yet Imaginable For many things to her are known Subject to Imagination And Sense then vain is the conceit Of Reason which does Objects treat That in their natures Single be With her Vniversality Thus Reason's answer would be free That in Universality She does behold what 's Sensible And what is Imaginable But their weak Knowledge cannot fly Up to Vniversality ' Cause they no Knowledge have at all 'Bove Figures and Forms Corporeal Then certainly we must affirm That Knowledge for to be most firm As also to be most perfect Which knows both Form and the Effect In this contention surely we Indu'd with Reason's faculty That have Imagination And Sense also to work upon Cannot in reason but attest That Reason's cause is much the best Just so it is when Reason does Think that God's Vnderstanding knows Things yet to come no otherwise Then she does think she them descries For thus thou say'st If th' event be Not certain and necessary Then a Foreknowledge of the same Also can no way be certain Hence of these things thou dost alledge That there can be no Foreknowledge And if there be nought certainly Can hap but of necessity If as we have of Reason part God Judgment would divine impart As we already did conclude All Sense and Thought for to be rude ' Cause they to Reason would not yield So Reason must submit the field To th' Vnderstanding Divine Mind Then granting that our Reason's blind Let us unto that height aspire Where Reason when she has got higher Will see those things and plainly too Which in her self she could not do Which is that those things which have no Certain event God does Foreknow And that Opinion this is none But rather highest notion bound up in that Simplicity That by nothing can bounded be On earth what sev'ral kinds of creatures are Poison the Serpent lines yet he is fair His skin no soil will take though he does creep Yet he does furrows make and dust does sweep Birds use their wings to fly upon the wind And in the air full high a passage find Beasts going on the ground their steps appear By which in Woods oft found they hunted are All sev'ral form'd you see in Nature's book Yet all in this agree on Earth they look Man only does erect his stately crown To th' Earth gives no respect nor eye throws down If Earth don't thee inchant thy Form does teach For all things thou canst want to Heav'n to reach But if thou Earth do love and to it trust Thy Body will above thy Soul be thrust Then as to thee before was shown Whate're is known it is not known By its own nature but by his By whom it comprehended is Let 's now the Divine substance see With care and with sobriety That seeing it we may also Know what it is that he does know First then God is confest by all That Reason have to b' eternal The thing that must consider'd be Is what is this Eternity For this will unto us declare What 's knowledge and what 's nature are Eternitie's full possession Of life without conclusion This unto us will plain appear If temp'ral things we do compare All things that live do proceed from Times past go on to time to come And there 's no one that can embrace At one instant all the whole space Of his whole Life knows not next day Nor is what he was yesterday Nor in this very present day Does he of 's Life more time enjoy Then one moment transitory In which to Move or Speak or Die Then none of time can be more free Then Time can make himself to be Though that as Aristotle said O' th' World it no Beginning had No End shall have if Life I say With Time enduer should for aye It could not rightly be a thing That might be call'd Everlasting For though that Life were infinite It could not at one time unite All its whole course being barr'd from All the whole time that is to come Then that same which does comprehend All that whole Life which has no end All that is past knows certainly All that 's to come does plainly see That same must the Eternal be And this is of necessity For that he in himself alone Has all perfect possession Makes all things present him assist And also carries in his fist The all and whole infinity Of Time that has mobility But very largely they mistake Who from Plato's opinion take This frame to be coeternal With him that framed this same All Because that Plato this has penn'd It nor Beginning had nor End And they do think to prove by this The World as God Eternal is For it is one thing for to have Life without end which Plato gave To th' World and it is another As 't is easie for to gather At one instant