Barriere also attempted the murthering of Henry the fourth suborned and animated by the Jesuite Varade Iohn Chastell also a Scholar of the Iesuites for the obtaining Remission of his sins and eternal Life as he was instructed attempted to kill the said King but he struck out one of his teeth onely with his Dagger But that wicked Wretch Ravaillac animated by the Iesuite Aubigny did that horrid Execution that was so oft attempted before and stabb'd the King to the heart in his Coach in the streets of Paris alledging upon his Examination that the King would make war against God meaning the Pope Cuph. Iesu bless us I did not think Philopolis there had been such mad doings in the world The Pope I perceive is a very dangerous enemie Sophr. Cuphophron has been so mewed up in his Philosophical and Metaphysical Cock-loft that he could never yet vouchsafe to cast down his eyes upon the outward transactions of this lower world Cuph. And I tell you Sophron I think it is no small point of wisedome to continue thus mew'd up and to rest satisfied in the silent Solaces of Philosophy and Vertue For I perceive that Religion is a very quarrelsome thing Philoth. O Cuphophron Cuphophron deceive not your self with any vain pretences to the Solaces of Vertue unless you have the Life in you nor presume you have the life in you unless you feel an hearty Antipathy against Vertue 's enemies against all manner of Vices and villainous Actions and the greatest against the greatest And think both this Life and Antipathy in vain unless you have Fortitude whereby you dare look out to finde the abode of Truth and Righteousness and own them where-ever they are in open defiance to all their enemies He that has not Fortitude Cuphophron carries a Traitour in his heart to God to his Prince to all Truth and Vertue Cuph. Nay Fortitude is a good thing Philotheus if a man knew how to come by it But I pray tell me at once and compendiously what are the most ugly and Antichristian Enormities in the Papal Hierarchy Philoth. Their foul Idolatries gross Impostures and direful Murthers Hyl. I 'le pawn my life Cuphophron is so frighted into a fit of good nature that he 'l turn Advocate-general for the Papists now as he did for the Paynim before Sophr. And I believe with like success in both Cuph. I pray you let me try a little XXX Cuphophron 's Apologie in the behalf of the Romish Idolatries For this noise of Idolatry in men that have a true Notion and belief of God seems to me sometimes to be more a scare-crow then any such dangerous evil I mean briefly this That he that professes the onely true God cannot be capable of committing Idolatry forasmuch as he can worship nothing beside with the same intended honour he does him and that 's the onely peculiar honour done to God which they call Latreia Philop. But this O Cuphophron the Papists give to the consecrated Host which is not God Cuph. It 's true they say they do But unless they took the Host for the true God they would not worship it So that the Worship is really meant to the true God and passes to him Philop. Why Cuphophron did ever any Pagan or is it possible for any man living in good earnest to give that supreme Worship to any thing he thinks not the supreme God Wherefore if mistake will excuse from Idolatry there never was nor ever can be any Idolatry committed in the World by a consciencious Worshipper but onely by him that worships for fear or for filthy lucre Cuph. It may be so Philopolis examining Idolatry by the true Philosophicall and Metaphysicall touchstone and all the better if there be not Sophr. Did not I tell you what a successful Advocate Cuphophron would prove for the Romanists being driven to those streights that he can no ways excuse them from Idolatry but by admitting there never was nor ever can be any such thing as voluntary or consciencious Idolatry in the world This had gratified both his beloved Paynims and the Papists at once But our Charge of Idolatry upon any party or our acquitting of them must not be according to the shifting subtilties of a Metaphysicall wit but according to the intimations of Scripture in such a sense thereof as is obvious to the vulgar capacity who judge more solidly in these cases then such as are cunning to pervert Scripture for their own Interest He that said in the Decalogue Thou shalt not bow down to any Image nor worship it that is to say worship any Image by bowing down unto it and still forbids Idolatry in the New Testament without declaring a new definition thereof certainly intends the Christian world should take such Actions as these for Idolatrous especially considering the Purity and Spirituality of Christian Religion Cuph. And for the Invocation of the Saints O Philopolis it seems to me free enough from all suspicion of Idolatry and rather a greater acknowledgement of God's Goodness that has so highly advanced the Faculties of his Servants the Saints departed that they hear and see all things from the highest Regions of the Air or Aether that are transacted on the face of the Earth Which being granted there is no incongruity in invoking them more then in speaking to any good man upon Earth to assist what he can in a time of need Philop. But to answer you Cuphophron in a way of Law I conceive as Tully somewhere intimates that Religion is that part of Justice that respects the Deity and that one main Right of God that highest invisible Power is Invocation founded in his Omniscience which Omniscience for distinctness sake let us distribute into Terrestriall Aereall and Heavenly which including all places includes the whole compass of the Divine Omniscience cast as it were into these three shares Now if he has declared none Tenants in common with him in any of these shares making it over to them by deed of Gift as we see he has not they wanting this foundation of the right of being invoked our Invocation of them is an acknowledging such an excellencie in them as is no-where but in God and so the giving that right of Worship to others that is due to God alone becomes that piece of Injustice against God which is termed Idolatry aggravated with the circumstance of a very saucy reproch to God's Wisedome and Goodness in presuming that to have been more wise and good which God has omitted What think you of this Cuphophron Cuph. I think it is much that a Lawyer should prove so subtile a Divine I must confess supposing it clear that God has made no such donation to the Saints departed if there be such a thing as Idolatry the Invocation of Saints would be one part thereof Philop. The silence in Scripture touching this Gift in my judgement Cuphophron is a sufficient argument against the lawfulness of Invocation For if God has given them
of Christ the murthering of his members of which the earliest example is this of Abel and Christ you know Acts 9.4 cried out to Saul Saul Saul why persecutest thou me when he onely persecuted his Members Euist. O Bathynous how kindly could I embrace thee for the great ease and pleasure thou hast done me in this Notion I have been infinitely puzzl'd at the Grammatical sense of this Passage and could never be driven into the allowance of false Greek for all the Authority of that great Critick Hugo Grotius I could never understand that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can be all one upon any terms And therefore I am highly delighted with the starting of this new Notion or signification of the Lamb according to the Prophetick style And even that other sense you offer'd at is far more tolerable then to make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have the signification of futurity Bath XII Of Christ 's appearing in humane shape to the Patriarchs before his Incarnation It would be so indeed Euistor if the Soul of the Messias had preexisted before his Incarnation Euist. Why the Fathers do expressly declare that it was Christ that appeared to Abraham to Moses to Ioshua and to others if that will help on the credibility of the second sense Bath But I believe that they may understand it of the Preexistence of the Eternal Word which they say was also employ'd in the ordering of the World at the Creation as well as in the superintending of the affairs of the ancient Patriarchs and the people of Israel appearing notwithstanding ever in humane shape as he did particularly to Ioshua and under the title of the Captain of the Lord's Host Josh. 5.13 14. when there was close siege laid to Iericho Hyl. But when this Doctrine could pass so glibly with the ancient Fathers without the taking notice of the Preexistence of the Soul of the Messias how glib how easie and how natural would it have been upon this Hypothesis and how credible would that second sense be of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world he suffering so timely in his Members But it is more harsh to conceive that the pure Eternal Word can suffer any thing Euist. I confess Hylobares that the Word appearing so often in humane shape it were very natural in that regard to suppose also that it was joyn'd with the humane Soul of the Messias But that the humane Soul of the Messias had ought to doe with the six days Creation that again seems more hard and incredible Hyl. Why Euistor why should this seem so hard and incredible that the same Messias that shall put a period to this stage of the Earth as at the Conflagration should be allow'd to have been active at the ordering of the Foundations thereof that He from whose mouth must proceed the last Pereat should have pronounced the first Fiat he being also styled so frequently in the * Apoc. 1.8 and 11. Ch. 21.6 also 22.1 Apocalypse Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the Ending the First and the Last Besides what is expresly said in the Epistle to the Hebrews in a complex sense of the Messias not of the separate Word Heb. 1.2 God in these last days has spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath appointed heir of all things by whom also he made the Worlds And of the same Christ or Messiah he cites that of the Psalmist Heb. 1.10 11 12. Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the Earth and the Heavens are the works of thy hands They shall perish but thou remainest and they shall wax old as doth a garment and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up and they shall be changed But thou art the same and thy years shall not fail Here both the Creation and the Conflagration of the World seems to be given to the Messias Philop. What strange and unexpected fluskering conceits flie up into the youthful imagination of Hylobares upon his late persuasion of the Soul's Preexistence But what is this to our present purpose or what use at all of such Curiosities Sophr. The usefulness of this Theory O Philopolis I conceive is more apparent then the truth thereof because it conciliates more honour to the Person of our Saviour and is a firm barr against the abhorred boldness of some high-flown Enthusiasts who once phansying themselves to be partakers of the Divine Nature though but in a moral sense straightway set up for an equality with Christ and will be as much God as he some of them more and pretend themselves the Beginners of a more holy Dispensation then the Son of God himself brought into the world whom they could not thus confront and vilifie by either equalizing themselves to him or preferring themselves before him if that of the Authour to the Hebrews were understood in such a sense as Hylobares drives at But the ordinary recourse to the Communication of Idioms breaks the force of all the Arguments he offers at though I must confess it does not destroy their Concinnity Insomuch that I should think it hard for any one upon the concession of this double Hypothesis namely the Pre-existence of Souls and the continual Literal truth of the six daies Creation to stick at the Conclusion Hylobares aims at But I am too heavy to be haled into the belief or concern of such needless Curiosities Philop. And so am I too O Sophron and therefore I must take the freedome to give a stop to this digression and hasten Philotheus again into the way Philoth. XIII Thy Kingdome come in what sense meant in our Saviour's time and afterwards I have stood in it all this time O Philopolis expecting your commands I have carried on briefly the Succession of the Kingdome of God till our Saviour's time What do you demand farther Philop. I pray you tell me Philotheus if the Kingdome of God was in the world when Christ came into it why did he teach his Disciples to pray Thy Kingdome come Or why does he encourage his little flock saying Fear not Luke 12.32 little flock for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdome Or why is he said to preach the Gospel of the Kingdome Mark 1.14 15. declaring that the time is fulfilled and the Kingdome of God is at hand I know not what Kingdome he means Philoth. You are to understand O Philopolis that the Kingdome of God in the New Testament signifies variously Sometimes Physically as I may so speak and is the same with that externall happiness we hope to enjoy in Heaven sometimes Morally as where it is said to consist in righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 and sometimes Politically in which sense also I conceive it to be understood in all those places you alledge And it is that very Kingdome upon Earth which Daniel foretells of Dan. 2.44
exceeded But I cannot get out of Queen Elizabeth's time against whom Sixtus Quintus renew'd the Excommunication in favour of the enterprize of Philip the second upon England This Pope also excommunicated Henry the third of France as Gregory the fourteenth Henry the fourth which Excommunication Clement the eighth renewed against him I have wittingly omitted many Deprivations and Excommunications of the Pope against lesser Princes and will close all with that remarkable Observation That the Gunpowder-plot which was in Paul the fifth's time was the effect of the Pope's Excommunications and Interdicts as was acknowledged by the very Conspiratours Have I not wearied you by this time Hylobares Hyl. XXVIII The Bishop of Rome how bugely guilty of the effusion of bloud in Christendome You have satisfied me Euistor but not wearied me But is it possible there should be such frequent Excommunications and Deprivements of Kings and Emperours but a world of War and bloudshed must follow Euist. Therefore that is very remarkable in History that the Pope's Thunderings were usually accompanied with great showrs of bloud For how can it possibly be otherwise when the Excommunicated Princes Territories are ipso facto given up by the Pope to the Invasion of others or to the Insurrection of their own Subjects as being absolved from their Oaths of Fidelity thereby At least he does what in him lies to set all together by the ears Iulius the second by his pragmatical planting and plucking up and transplanting is said to have been the occasion of the slaughter of two hundred thousand Christians in the space of seven years And it is observed by Historians that those two Emperours alone Henry the fourth and Frederick the first were enforced to fight at least threescore bloudly Battels against the enemies of the Empire stirred up to Arms by the Popes of Rome If two or three Instances amount to so much what will the compute of the whole what will all the Massacres committed upon the poor Protestants adjoyned to that summe when that one Massacre of France within the space of three months amounted to an hundred thousand Nay P. Perionius averrs that in France alone in that great Persecution against the Albigenses and Waldenses there were murthered no less then ten hundred thousand men From that time to the Reformation no small number was made away by Sword by Fire and other Tortures From the beginning of the Order of the Iesuites till the year 1580 Balduinus reports there were about nine hundred thousand of the Orthodox Christians murthered that is within the space of thirty or forty years Within a few years in the Low-Countreys alone the Duke of Alva cut off by the hand of the Hangman thirty six thousand souls of the Protestants And the Holy Inquisition as Vergerius witnesses one well acquainted therewith in less then thirty years space consumed an hundred and fifty thousand with all manner of cruelties Insomuch as that learned and Judicious person M r. Ioseph Mede is of opinion that the Papal Persecution does either equalize or exceed the destruction of men made upon the Church by those Ten famous Persecutions under the Pagan Emperours and yet there has been a considerable Accession made since to this bloudy Catalogue in Piedmont and Ireland if not in other places Bath The consideration of this horrible destructive Tragedie Philopolis acted by the Pope has many times cast me into a confidence that that bloudy Bishop is as well concerned in the Vision of the King of Babylon as of the Whore Isa. 14.19 20. But thou art cast out of thy Grave as an abominable branch as a carcass troden under foot because thou hast destroy'd thy Land and slain thy People Philop. Like that touching the Whore of Babylon Apoc. 18.24 And in her was found the bloud of Prophets and of Saints and of all that were slain upon the Earth As if the Pope were the very Pest and Trouble of Christendom Cuph. Certainly Philopolis if there be any truth in History the Pope is a very Sinful man at the least if not that Man of sin Philop. XXIX Their murtherous attempts by Poisoning and Stabbing of Princes And if he cannot have his will on Princes by this Thundering and Lightening and raising of War then their Attempts are by a closer way by Poisoning and Stabbing Some venomous Serpent is sent crawling out of the shades of their Monasteries to poison or sting a Prince to death Thus was King Iohn poison'd by a Monk and Ludovicus Bavarus as they say by some secret Minister of the Pope And more and more pertinent Instances of the like nature might be produced could I so easily recall them to minde Euist. But this way of Poisoning of Princes Philopolis is managed with a great deal of niceness and caution Philop. What do you mean Euistor that they are very careful and circumspect that in tampering with such mortiferous Poisons they unawares mischieve not themselves Euist. That they poison not the Soul of the Prince by making him accessory to his own death And therefore that King-killing Jesuite Mariana advises not to poison his Meat or Drink because by putting the Cup or Meat to his own mouth he would become guilty of Self-murther but rather infuse some strong and subtil Poison into some Garment of his or into his Saddle Bath As if the Prince were not as guilty of Self-murther by putting on his Cloaths or mounting into his Saddle as by lifting his hand to his mouth to feed himself O the execrable Hypocrisy of accursed murtherous Villains or rather the damnable Contempt of the bloud and life of Princes when they stand in competition with the Interest of the Papal Tyranny What is this but to flear and to jear and tacitly to insult in that false and detestable liberty they think they have in behalf of their Holy Father the Pope to kill and murther the most Sacred Persons in the world Philop. I profess Bathynous I think you have light upon the right sense of that passage of Mariana It seems to smell rankly of an affected Hypocrisy and base Contempt of the Sacred bloud of Princes Cuph. But is it possible Philopolis that they should stab thus as you talk of That is not the garb of Religious persons but of Hectors and of High-way men Philop. You know Cuphophron whose saying that was Joh. 10.10 The thief cometh not but to steal and to kill and to destroy Christ the good Shepherd lays down his own life for the sheep It is no wonder then that Antichrist in opposition to Christ murthers the sheep for his own gain and Interest Cuph. But these Examples surely Philopolis are very rare Philop. The attempts of this kinde against that glorious and blessed Queen Elizabeth were many though through the protection of the Almighty they took no effect But it is notoriously known in History that Iames Clement a Dominican Friar stabb'd Henry the third of France with a poison'd Knife Peter
meaning therefore of those Philoth. These are parallel to the Description of that Heros on the white Horse Apoc. 19.12 15 13. whose eyes are said to be as a flame of fire and a sharp sword to come out of his mouth and whose Name is also The word of God These Voices therefore and Thunderings and Lightnings are the Divulgations of the Law of Christ with an allusion to that terrible way of the Promulgation of the Law of Moses on Mount Sinai that is of the Gospel of Christ in the power of the Spirit which is resembled to fire By these I say is set out an extraordinary efficacious preaching of the Word in the power and demonstration of the Spirit under this last Vial. Analogous to which is that Vision in Esdras 2 Esdr. 13.10 of the Man who sent out of his mouth as it were a blast of fire and out of his lips a flaming breath and out of his tongue he cast out sparks and tempests which is there expresly interpreted of the Law of the Son of God 2 Esdr. 13.38 which is like unto fire Now this Thundering and Lightning is accompanied with a mighty Earthquake as it is said of mount Sinai at the thundring out of the Law that the whole Mount quaked greatly Exod. 19.18 and again in the Psalms Psalm 77.17 18. The air thundred and thine arrows went abroad the voice of thy Thunder was heard round about the Lightnings shone upon the ground the Earth was moved and shook withall Philop. Well but what in the mean time Philotheus becomes of that pitch'd Battel that those impure spirits the Frogs called the whole World to in the field of Armageddon For there is neither Fight nor Victory mentioned as if the Vision were left imperfect Philoth. Their Success is intimated in the signification of the word Armageddon as I told you before And the Vision is completely continued though under a new representation For you are to take special notice how this large pitch'd Camp the Symbols naturally leading to it is by a Commutation of Iconisms on a sudden turned into a mighty great City which signifies still but the same thing that is to say the Comprehension of those three Parties I numbered up to you before But this Tripartition is more plainly and elegantly declared in the Cortex of the Prophecy upon the mention of the Earthquake as if it were an Effect of it Apoc. 16.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philop. The Elegancy indeed is very admirable Philotheus very pleasing and harmonious Philoth. Nor is there any harshness in resembling that great Conflux of people in Armageddon to one great City because the Kings of the Earth and of the whole World are said to be gathered together there in that Symbol of a Camp which being turned into the Iconism of a City that City must needs be said to be a great one for it is in a manner the City of the whole World Matt. 4.8 in such a sense as all the Kingdoms of the world were said to be shewn to our Saviour which therefore must needs be the Comprehension of a world of Cities though the whole World be but as one great City Philo Jud. lib. de Ioseph as Philo speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And though every Kingdome of it self be a Sea yet the Comprehension of abundance of Kingdoms together is in the Prophetick style termed one great Sea as it is in Daniel 7. where the four winds of Heaven are said to strive on the great Sea Wherefore as the great Sea consists of a great many Seas so in like Analogie may one conceive this great City in the inward sense to consist of a great many Cities and these great many Cities which is the thing I drive at to be divided into three parts or parties the Cities of the Infidels conceited Deists and mere Moralists the Cities of the true Christians and the Antichristian Cities viz. Babylon with her daughters Philop. Well I confess Philotheus this is not unnatural But what execution in the mean time is there done in that Battel of the great day of God Almighty Philoth. The Cities of the Nations fell that is to say the Cities of the Gentiles Infidels or Unbelievers Philop. I suppose by the edge of the sword Philotheus Philoth. By the edge of that sword that comes out of the mouth of the Rider of the white Horse I mean by the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God Or rather to keep to the present Vision they fell being Thunder-struck by the powerfull Boanergesses of the Gospel under the last Vial they were convinced and subdued and brought under the Sceptre of Christ and were adjoyned to his Kingdome Philop. Very good news I pray God it may so come to pass But Babylon it seems stands it out Philoth. Did not our Saviour of old tell the chief Priests and Elders that the Publicans and Harlots would goe into the Kingdome of God before them Matt. 21.31 But Babylon stands it out to her utter ruine and destruction She is forced to drink of the wine of the fierceness of God's wrath Apoc. 16.19 20. and every Island flies away she shall not be possess'd of any of her Churches or consecrated places and the Mountains are not found all her Ecclesiasticall Honours and Dignities shall vanish For great showrs of Hail out of Heaven shall fall upon her Ver. 21. every stone about the weight of a Talent that all her goodly Trees will be spoiled and stripp'd of their both leaves and fruit their boughs broken down and their stocks beaten bare even to the inmost bark Apoc. 18.6 7 8. Then shall it be doubled unto her double according to her works and how much she hath glorified herself and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow will be given her For strong is the Lord God that judgeth her Philop. But will not all this misery reclaim her Philotheus Philoth. Ask Solomon that question Philopolis and he will tell you roundly Though thou shouldst bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestill Prov. 27.22 yet will not his foolishness depart from him A considerable part of her may be thus obstinate for ever These are the fools that will be found to walk naked and all will see their shame which if themselves could see as well as others they would be converted But being struck with superstitious Blindness in stead of acknowledging the Truth and giving glory to God it is said Apoc. 16.21 they blaspheme God because of the plague of the Hail for the plague thereof was exceeding great Philop. So far then as I see Philotheus neither the Vision of the Rider of the white Horse where the Beast and the false Prophet are said to be cast alive into the Lake of fire nor this last Vial nor the Vision of the Wine-press signifie the destruction of the Persons of the Antichristian Kingdome but
as Falshood is from Truth Euist. Why Philotheus Ionathan Ben Vzziel is expresly of this opinion as you may see in Moses Aegyptius his More Nevochim Part. 3. c. 4. And he brings no small reasons for it For he shews how in the repeated Narration of the Vision a Wheel is called a Globe or Sphear Ezek. 10.13 which makes him alwaies render Ophannim by Galgallim Wherefore to have a Sphear in a Sphear as it will then run what can be more significative of the celestiall Orbs This is very notable Besides that they are said to have eyes which answer to the Stars and their colour to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Seventy also translate it which the Latine renders ut visio Maris which is a caeruleous colour correspondent to that of the Heavens Philoth. This I confess Euistor besides the authority of the Rabbi bears in it self a special prettiness with it But it has no force nor solidity at all For though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie a globe or sphear yet it signifies a wheel also and therefore is interpretable in that same sense that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is viz. a wheel Besides that one wheel is said to be on the Earth Ezek. 1.15 but no celestiall Orb is on the Earth And all the Wheels for ought I know may be intimated by that one Wheel and by the Earth all the terrestriall Regions of the Universe For all the four Cherubims or Animals are said also to be but one Ezek. 10.15 And what this means in the Cabbalisticall style is easie enough to conjecture And that there may be a wheel in a wheel in such a sense as Ben Vzziel would have a globe in a globe There are lesser and bigger Circuits of Providence in humane affairs the one surrounding the other and the Completions of the lesser Circuits are antecedaneous to those of the greater Which is of notable observation in the Church of God and in the fulfilling of Types and Prophecies And those of the farthest reach and largest Compass are those Wheels that are so dreadfull and stupendious for their vastness Ezek. 1.18 as the Vision describes them And such is that large voluminous Period of Providence which beginning with the first Fiat Lux in Genesis ends not till the last Thunder-clap intimated in the Revelation And whereas the colour of the Wheel is said to be tanquam visio Maris that ratifies our former Exposition that those Wheels are the Circumvolutions of Providence and Periods of Kingdoms and People and Nations which the Prophetick style compares to the Sea And lastly in that they are said to be full of eyes it denotes the assistence of the Angelicall Orders in humane affairs their intermingling themselves and meddling with them they being those numerous eyes of Providence watching over the terrestriall Regions and carrying all things on according to their own purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cuph. These Wheels of Ezekiel have made my minde all this while run upon the Wheel of Fortune that vulgar expression so often in mens mouths now-adays Euist. Not onely now-adays O Cuphophron Clio cap. 207. but as ancient as Herodotus in whom this is the very language of Croesus to King Cyrus in his speech touching his encountring with Tomyris Queen of the Massagetae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cuph. This Conceit of the Wheel of Fortune I perceive is far more ancient then I was aware of Philoth. But the Conceit being so early and so common it is an indication how naturally expressive it is of the thing and therefore a farther ratification of the easiness and naturalness of our exposition of that part of the Vision which makes these Wheels the periodicall Circumvolutions of humane Affairs But here is the difference betwixt this Divine Vision and that prophane History that in the one it is the Wheel of Providence or of Divine Fate in the other the Wheel of Fortune if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must needs imply that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But this onely by the bye The main thing to be urged against Ben Vzziel's exposition of the Wheels is that it implies a false systeme of the World Besides the meaning of Ezekiel's Mercavah is not Physicall but Moral Spiritual or Divino-politicall if I may so speak Philop. I pray you then hold on your Interpretation Philotheus in that sense and give us some more Remarks upon this Vision What say you to the number and form of the Cherubims and the Man enthroned on this Cherubick Chariot Philoth. As for the number of the Cherubims which is four I conceive it intimates the universal Comprehension of the Angelicall Orders or of those at least that are ministring Spirits For the Pythagorick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is comprehended in the Tetractys And in that their faces are said to be four it seems to signifie so many sorts of natures or offices in this Angelicall Polity which it may be are more grossly distinguishable in the Polities of men and with an eye whereunto this Angelicall Type perhaps has been exhibited to Prophets and holy men of God I conceive therefore that the four distinct Faces of a Lion Man Oxe and Eagle signifie those four main parts that make up their Polity the Lion the Military part the Man all that part employ'd about the hearing of Causes and peaceable administration of Iustice the Oxe the Labouring part whether in Agriculture or what other usefull employment in things done by the hand and the Eagle the Sacerdotal and Philosophicall part the Speculative and Devotionall This general Quadripartition of Genius's or Employments may not unfitly be conceived some way to belong to both men and Angels But every Beast is said to have all these four Faces because every Beast is a fourth part of the whole Comprehension of the Angelicall Host and these sorts are mingled one with another Moreover in that their whole body and their backs and their hands and their wings were full of eyes Ezek. 10.13 it signifies that all their strength and activity is guided by Knowledg and that they see whither they goe and whence and act not out of blinde obedience but out of the light of Life And in that their faces are set all one way Ezek. 1.9 it notes that they are without distraction all of one mind and purpose as being one over-ruled Cherub-chariot of God Ver. 4. And that they drive from the North the Region of darkness and coldness toward the South the signification is obvious As also why the face of the Man is placed toward the South in the Van Ver. 10. the Lion on the East-side the Oxe on the West and the Eagle on the North to bring up the Rere For it seems the Van and the Rere are the two most honourable places according to that of Isay Isa. 52.12 For ye shall not goe out with haste nor go by flight for the Lord will go before you
Religion in their Dominions Which yet was an Event beyond the conceit of all the Papal Politicians that Church accounting herself impregnable and saying in her heart Apoc. 18.7 I sit as a Queen and am no widow and shall see no sorrow What shall God thus effectually permit the Degeneracy and Apostasie of the Church till a certain time and shall he not more irresistibly effect that promised Recovery of her into Righteousness and Glory For these great and Oecumenicall Graces as I told you before he dispenses not according to our Merits but for his own Name 's sake that his Glory may be known And how inglorious a thing would it be Philopolis to make so express so vast so illustrious and absolute Promises and then ex flamma dare fumum to let all vanish into smoak Or what a piece of gross Diffidence and Unthankfulness is it in us when that he has unexpectedly fulfilled in a considerable manner that Prediction of the Ruine of the Papacy already in the ten Horns hating the Whore and burning her with fire which is the close of the sixth Trumpet and that we are proceeded to the third Vial in the seventh as I told you and know as it were in what Longitude and Latitude we are in this Voiage that we should seeing the steddy steering of Providence hitherto in the Affairs of the Church from the beginning to this very day have any mistrust or doubt but the same Providence will bring us safely at last to the desired Haven Philop. You would almost persuade a man that it is impossible but that it should be so in the conclusion But what will you say to those that pretend that these glorious Promises are fulfilled already XIII That the glorious Times predicted by the Prophets have not yet appeared on the face of the Earth Philoth. Why Philopolis has the Devil as he is expresly so called been laid hold on bound with a chain and cast into the bottomless pit and seal'd up there for the space of a thousand years since Christ's time From the beginning of the Christian Church to Constantine's time did not this old Dragon fight with Michael in Heaven Apoc. 12.7 and was beat and cast down to the Earth not till under the sixth Seal And were not the ten bloudy Persecutions of the Church during that Battel And after Constantine's time to say nothing of Iulian the Apostate what a Torrent of Bloud and Contention did the Dragon spew out of his mouth in the Arian Persecution Apoc. 12.15 to have swept away the Church if he could which was not quite extinguished for about an hundred years or more after it had begun About three hundred years after Constantine did that great Impostour Mahomet begin the Saracenicall Kingdome How close then think you was the Devil sealed up in his Prison from deceiving the Nations Apoc. 20.3 If we should run through all the six Trumpets are they not so many testimonies of the Devil 's being still then loose For who but he raised that mighty Tempest of Hail mingled with bloud and fire under the first Trumpet Apoc. 8.7 I mean that bloudy Irruption of the barbarous Nations into the Empire that wasted all with fire and sword Both these under Alaricus and those that after followed under Radagaisus the Scythian as also others in the year 406 no man can imagine what a raging Tempest they were but he that reads the story The second Trumpet also how direful a fate did it sound under which the Empire was dilacerated into so many Kingdomes Apoc. 8.8 upon Alaricus and Gensericus's casting the burning Mountain into the midst of the Sea After which under the third Trumpet the sorrowful Western Caesareate Ver. 10. compared to a Star or Lamp but fed with the oyl of wormwood in its sliding condition drew on along with it much trouble and Calamity and was in a short time quite extinct in Augustulus the last Western Emperour vanquish'd by Odoacer the Herule who thereupon made himself King of Italy Euist. But after sixteen years Reign he was overcome and slain by Theodorick King of the Ostrogothes who besides Dalmatia and Rhaetia which were the Provinces of Odoacer added also Sicily to the Kingdome of Italy and with a vast expense repaired the Walls and buildings of Rome administred the Affairs of his Kingdome with great wisedome and moderation retained the ancient Dignities and Offices of the City as Consuls Senate and other known Magistracies of Rome insomuch that bating the infamie of her having been so sadly burnt and spoil'd she seemed plainly to have recovered her ancient splendour and glory Philoth. You say true Euistor But this state of things lasted but a few successions of those Kings of Italy and was quite blown away at the blast of the fourth Trumpet Apoc. 8.12 For upon the War that Iustinian raised against them under the conduct first of Belisarius and after of Narses the Consulship and Senate and other Orders of Magistracy were quite abolished and the City governed by a Duke substituted by the Exarchs of Ravenna to whom Rome was also made Tributarie Thus were their Sun and Moon and Stars smitten and the glory of their City turned into baseness and Obscurity And lastly what infinite Devastations the Locusts C. 9. ver 1. that is the Saracens under the fifth Trumpet Ver. 14. and the Euphratean Horsemen that is the Turks under the sixth both which are called Wo-Trumpets did upon the Empire both the Title of the Trumpets and the description of the Visions do abundantly declare So that certainly all being so full of Wars and bloudshed and that in the Empire that was denominated Christian and look'd upon as the visible Kingdome of Christ through all the first six Trumpets the Devil as he is a Murtherer could not be then sealed up in his Prison And if you consider how the reign of the two-horned Beast or false Prophet synchronizes with these six Trumpets you must acknowledge him also loose as an Impostour not onely deceiving the Nations but that people which is called the Church of Christ. Philop. This to me O Philotheus is very demonstrative that the Millennium wherein that old Serpent Apoc. 20.3 the Devil and Satan is said to be bound has not yet begun upon Earth And therefore I must ingenuously confess that nothing is so plain according to Scripture as that the glorious Times there predicted and so described in those places you have produced are yet to come Nothing is more demonstrable out of Scripture then this But are there not also Arguments of a lower allay that Reason and prudent Sagacity may suggest Philoth. XIV What grounds in Reason for the coming of those glorious Times I will tell you rather O Philopolis what Life and Experience doth suggest To me I must confess it is a wonder the World is no better then it is Vice and Wickedness to my sense seeming so harshly
repugnant to humane Nature and Vertue and Righteousness so harmoniously agreeable thereunto For this Rectitude of spirit that belongs to the true Israel of God is the possession of so perfect Pleasure and Happiness that the Soul of man feels it to be her peculiar Satisfaction and that the state of Vice and Sin is a state of Diseasement and Unnaturalness not onely plainly and demonstratively repugnant to right Reason but most hideously and harshly grating against that inmost and most Divine and delicious sense of the Soul which is the Repullulation of the pure Love and is the Excitation of the Life of God in the humane Nature whereby we have a natural delight in all the ways of Goodness Purity and Righteousness This is the natural Sanity of the Soul the contrary her Disease this her state of Sobriety the other a mere fit of Drunkenness And therefore methinks the World should not continue in it for ever but that even the Misery and Confusion of this drunken state should forcibly awaken them at length to follow Peace and Righteousness Which time methinks the Prophet Isay may seem to point at Isa. 24.18 c. where he saith The windows from on high are opened and the foundations of the Earth do shake The Earth is utterly broken down the Earth is clean dissolved the Earth is moved exceedingly The Earth shall move to and fro like a Drunkard and shall be removed like a Cottage and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it and it shall fall and not rise again And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall punish the Host of the high ones that are on high and the Kings of the Earth upon the Earth This I conceive Philopolis is under the effusion of the last Vial. Then the Moon shall be confounded and the Sun ashamed when the Lord of Hosts shall reign in Mount Sion and in Ierusalem and before his Ancients gloriously that is to say Apoc. 4.4 in the new Ierusalem before the four and twenty Elders in white Raiment and with golden Crowns on their heads And in this Confusion the Earth will be not onely upon the account of their Wickedness but Ignorance also and gross Errours in Religion For mankinde are held down in these things by an hard violence to their own Reason and Nature as well in Popery as Turcism and Paganism those Religions being not onely groundless but foolishly fabulous and contradictious to all sound Reason But when the windows from on high shall be opened upon them and the heavenly Grace and Truth showred down and the pure Light of the Gospel let in upon them the Foundations of the Earth shall shake under them and they will finde the falseness and unstableness of the Fundamental Frauds and Lies of men which shall utterly perish and all those that cleave to them This therefore Philopolis by way of Prudence and Sagacity may be presumed That those days having shone upon us that Daniel has foretold when many shall run to and fro Dan. 12.4 and Knowledge shall be increased this liberty of searching after Truth and the success of finding it will contribute very much to the ruine and subversion of those stately Structures of Lies which Superstition or false Policy has so magnificently built up and would have all men to bow to as to the golden Image Nebuchadnezzar had set up But that Illustrious Heros on the white Horse Apoc. 19.11 13. the Word of God and right Reason will trample this Image under foot And the meaning of the Scripture even in the Propheticall passages thereof will be so plainly understood against Turcism Papism Paganism and Iudaism or what-ever Religion in the world or Irreligion even against Atheism it self that I am persuaded this very Advantage alone will be of infinite consequence for the converting of Souls to Christ. There will be such an assured sense of all the Visions of the Apocalypse besides those of Daniel that this one peculiar Privilege of Christianity in having the whole Scene of Divine Providence and of all the Affairs of the Church of God and indeed of all the World so far forth as they respect the Church so lively set off and prefigured for so many hundreds of years nay for some thousands this I say alone must of necessity drive all the world to a firm belief that Iesus is the Messiah the Saviour of the World and that there is a God whose Providence watches over the Affairs of mankinde and that there is a Life to come and a blessed Immortality for all true Believers I tell you succinctly Philopolis the clear Completion of so many so weighty Prophecies and so many hundred years distant from the Event seems to me to be a more convictive ground of the truth of Christianity then all the Miracles done by Christ and his Apostles to those that liv'd in those days especially to as many as did not see them themselves and observe the Circumstances of them Philop. This is very considerable that you say Philotheus and I should be absolutely of your minde could I persuade my self that the Prophecies would be so vulgarly and universally understood by Christians For this skill added to Sobriety of Life and a sincere Zeal for the Gospel would be a marvellous Engine in their hand to bear down all before them and subdue all Nations under the feet of the Lord Christ. Philoth. Do not doubt of that Philopolis Wisedome is easie to him that understands Pro. 14.6 And the times are coming and will be at hand before the pouring out of the last Vial wherein the understanding of the Divine Prophecies touching the Affairs of the Church will be as common and ordinary as of the Childrens Catechism The ways of God and the faithfulness of his Providence corresponding to the Divine Predictions or Prophecies will be known to all from the greatest to the least And it will be an easier task to their Capacities then many of those things that have been heretofore Catechistically put upon them XV That there is no fear that either Familism or Behmenism will supplant the expected glory of the Apostolick Church Sophr. This Conjecture of yours Philotheus in my judgement is not at all extravagant as to the unhinging of the World from the false Religions they have been so long held captive under But when I have been thinking with my self on these things I have been often cast into a fear that the pure Apostolick Christianity may not then take place for all that but some other mode of Christianity which some pretend to be the Reign of the Spirit but is as errant a Nulling of that Christianity which was taught by the Apostles as that Christianity was of Iudaism if not more or as Mahometism is of both Euist. I believe Sophron has in his eye the Love-service of the Modern Nicolaitans with their more visible Off-spring the Quakers For indeed their Prophet in his Prophecy of
through the Week you shall finde this orderly reckoning necessarily give such Names to all the Days of the Week as they bear Bath You might as well have begun with Sol to Mars he being the most eminent Planet and giving Name to the first Day of the Week Sophr. Undoubtedly Bathynous Bath I must confess this Consideration O Sophron made me smile when I observed how nimble the inspired Philosopher was in his Mysterium magnum to communicate some of his own skill in the Language of Nature discovered in the Names of the Planets unto the Ancients as if they had been acquainted with the Mosaicall Mystery of the Creation from affixing the names of the Planets to such days of the week when God wot they dreamed of nothing more then this orderly piece of Astrologicall Superstition which you have so judiciously taken notice of But there are also several other palpable Indications to the impartial and intelligent Reader that what the Teutonick Philosopher writ was not by an infallible spirit Sophr. XVII Farther Indications that J. Behmen did not write from an infallible spirit I pray you produce some few of them For it can be no unbecoming office to unbewilder some over-serious souls that may be too much captivated with such kind of Writers Bath I will give you one Instance for all O Sophron. He did not understand the true Systeme of the World as appears by his Story of Lucifer in whose place he substitutes the Sun and declares that all the Stars take light and power from him Denies that there is any Morning or Evening above the Moon though the four Moons moving about Iupiter plainly witness against it Tells us how the six other Planets are Sol's six Counsellers wherein he does not dream of Tellus's being as good a Planet and consequently as good a Counseller as the rest especially as the Moon which will make seven and those four about Iupiter four more and as good Wives for the Sun and Stars as our Moon is Which considerations break a pieces all his fine Conceits touching the Harmonie and Analogie betwixt the seven Planets and his seven Properties of Nature Whence I profess I am very well assured he is not divinely inspired Euist. How then Bathynous should he come by such unheard-of Mysteries As one especially that does most of all astonish me because I find some profess they know the truth thereof by experience I mean the distribution of all into three Kingdoms or Worlds The dark-fire-dark-Fire-World the holy light-Light-World and this mixt Out-World Bath Yes Euistor and that Mystery is the more strange to me in that he declares in a Physicall sense That all these lie in one another That Heaven is in Hell and Hell is in Heaven as to place Which he would illustrate from Darkness and Light being in the same place together Darkness presently discovering it self at the removal of the Light Sophr. But certainly it was not actually there while the Light was there Bath One would think so Sophron. Besides his dark and light Kingdoms must be purely spiritual if they lie in the same space with this Out-world as the Inhabitants also of them who yet he admits can see one another I mean those of the same Kingdome though those of different Kingdoms cannot Euist. Luk. 16.23 How then is Dives from out of Hell said to have seen Lazarus in Abraham's bosom as if the framer of that Parable had been ignorant of this Behmenicall Mysterie And how came Michael and the Devil to dispute about the body of Moses Jude 9. Can Devils and Angels hear one another talk and yet not see one another being so hard by Bath That in the Parable is something hard to salve But supposing these three distinct Worlds to have their distinct Spirits of Nature as they may be called in virtue of union wherewith the Inhabitants of each World discern all Beings that are united with its spirit it will be consequentiall enough to conceive that while the Angels are in union onely with the Spirit of the Light-world and the Devils with that of the dark-Fire-world they can have no discernment of one another though as to space they be hard by and if they were corporeall might rush against one another as deaf men in the dark But admitting they have a Capacity for a time of uniting with the Spirit of this mix'd Out-world in this conjuncture they may see one another and discourse with one another But I confess Euistor the Theorie is something remote and strange Euist. And yet that which is stranger Bathynous there are some that profess which were a great Attestation to the truth of the Teutonick Philosophy if it were certain that they have such openings of their brains or eyes that they can see into both those internall Kingdoms and view the marvellous shapes of the Inhabitants of them both Bath That I must confess Euistor is still more wonderfull though upon the Hypothesis I even now hinted not simply impossible But we must take heed how we become over-credulous in such things He that will averr he has discovered those internall Worlds by Sense must first assure himself that he is not imposed upon by his Imagination For Phancy becomes sometimes presentificall as in Mad-men and those in high Fevers whose Phantasms seem real externall Objects to them Nay it is sometimes so in them that are well and in their wits either arbitrariously as in Cardan or surprisingly as in severall others I have conversed with but are so wise as to know it is a phancy and give it the stop But if they did believe there were such an internall World and did vehemently desire to converse there how exceeding credible is it that these people would take their inward Phantasms for externall Objects in that Inward World Euist. But how shall they rid themselves of the errour Bathynous Bath If some number of them that conceive they have recovered the inward eye which was put out by Adam's Fall whereby they can see through the outward eye into the internall Worlds would experiment the seeing of the same Object together For if they do not see it together in the same place and circumstances it is a shrewd presumption all is but internall phancy Sophr. But suppose they do see the same Object together invisible in the mean time to ordinary eyes Bath Yet they are not secure but they may be imposed upon by false Reason For it does not follow for all this they see the Inhabitants of such an Internall World as the Teutonick Philosophy declares for but the more subtil Inhabitants of the Externall For both Air and Aether are the Elements of this Externall world not of the Internall And fallen Spirits purely Immaterial are to me I must confess a great Paradox or that having material Vehicles they should not have their abode in a material Element Which Element being the Dark world it is evident that the Dark world cannot be in one place
deface Teach us our Lusts to mortify In virtue of thy precious Death That while to sin all-dead we lie Thou maist infuse thy Heav'nly breath To Righteousness our Spirits raise And quick'n us with thy Life and Love That we may walk here to thy Praise And after live in Heav'n above Grant we in Glory may appear Clad with our Resurrection-Vest When thou shalt lead thy Flock most dear Up to the Mansions of the Blest An HYMN Upon CHRIST's Ascension The Historicall Narration GOd is ascended up on high With merry noise of Trumpet 's sound And Princely seated in the Sky Rules over all the World around The Tabernacle did of old His Presence to the Jews restrain But after in our Flesh enfold A larger Empire he did gain For suffering in Humane Flesh For all he rich Redemption wrought And will with lasting Life refresh His Heritage so dearly bought Sing Praises then sing Praises loud Unto our Universal King * Act. 1.9 He who ascended on a Cloud To him all Laud and Praises sing Captivity he captive led Triumphing o're the Powers of Hell And struck their eyes with glory dread Who in the Airy Regions dwell In Humane Flesh and Shape he went Adorned with his Passion-Scars Which in Heav'n's sight he did present More glorious then the glittering Stars O happy Pledge of Pardon sure The Application to the Emprovement of Life And of an endless blissful State Since Humane Nature once made pure For Heav'n becomes so fit a Mate Lord raise our sinking Minds therefore Up to our proper Country dear And purifie us evermore To fit us for those Regions clear Let our Converse be still above Where Christ at thy right hand doth sit And quench in us all worldly Love That with thy self our Souls may knit Make us all Earthly things despise And freely part with this World 's good That we may win that Heav'nly prize Which Christ has purchas'd with his Bloud That when He shall return again In * Act. 1.11 Clouds of Glory as he went Our Souls no foulness may retain But be found pure and innocent And so may mount to his bright Hosts On Eagle's wings up to the Sky And be conducted to the Coasts Of everlasting Bliss and Ioy. An HYMN Upon the Descent of the Holy Ghost at the day of Pentecost The Narration WHen Christ his Body up had born To Heav'n from his Disciples sight Then they like Orphans all forlorn Spent their sad days in mournfull plight But he ascended up on high More Sacred Gifts for to receive And freely showr them from the Sky On those which he behind did leave He for the Presence of his Flesh To them the Holy Spirit imparts And doth with living Springs refresh Their thirsty Souls and fainting Hearts While with one minde and in one place Devoutly they themselves retire In rushing Wind the promis'd Grace Descends and cloven Tongues of Fire The house th' Amighty's Spirit fills Which doth the feeble Fabrick shake But on their Tongue such power instills Acts 2. That makes th' amazed Hearer quake The Spirit of holy Zeal and Love The Application And of Discerning give us Lord The Spirit of Power from above Of Unity and good Accord The Spirit of convincing Speech Such as will every Conscience smite Act. 2.37 And to the Heart of each man reach And Sin and Errour put to flight The Spirit of refining Fire Searching the inmost of the mind To purge all foul and fell desire And kindle Life more pure and kinde The Spirit of Faith in this thy Day Of Power against the force of Sin That through this Faith we ever may Against our Lusts the Conquests win Pour down thy Spirit of inward Life Which in our Hearts thy Laws may write That without any pain or strife We naturally may doe what 's right On all the Earth thy Spirit pour In Righteousness it to renew That Satan's Kingdome 't may o'repow'r And to Christ's Sceptre all subdue Like mighty Winde or Torrent fierce Let it Withstanders all o'rerun And every wicked Law reverse That Faith and Love may make all one Let Peace and Ioy in each place spring And Righteousness the Spirit 's fruits With Meekness Friendship and each thing That with the Christian spirit suits Grant this O holy God and true Who th' ancient Prophets didst inspire Haste to perform thy Promise due As all thy Servants thee desire An HYMN Upon the Creation of the World WHen God the first Foundations laid The Narration Of the well-framed Universe And through the darksome Chaos ray'd The Angels did his Praise rehearse The Sons of God then sweetly sung Job 38.7 At first appearance of his Light When the Creation-Morning sprung To deck the World with Beauty bright Within six Days he finish'd all What-ere Heav'n Earth or Sea contain And sanctify'd the Seventh withall To celebrate his Holy Name Then with the Sons of God let 's sing Our bountifull Creatour's Praise Who out of nothing all did bring And by his Word the World did raise O Holy God how wonderfull Art thou in all thy Works of might Astonishing our Senses dull With what thou daily bringst in sight The fit returns of Night and Day The gratefull Seasons of the Year Which constantly man's pains repay With wholesome fruit his Heart to chear The shape and number of the Stars The Moon 's set course thou dost define And Matter 's wilde distracting Iars Composest by thy Word Divine The Parts of th' Earth thou holdest close Together by this sweet Constraint Thou round'st the Drops that do disclose The Rain-bow in his glorious Paint Thy Clouds drop fatness on the Earth Thou mak'st the Grass and Flow'rs to spring Thou cloath'st the Woods wherein with mirth The chearfull Birds do sit and sing Thou fill'st the Fields with Beasts and Sheep Thy Rivers run along the Plains With scaly Fish thou stor'st the Deep Thy Bounty all the World maintains The Application All these and all things else th' hast made Subject to Man by thy Decree That thou by Man might'st be obey'd As duely subject unto thee Wherefore O Lord in us create Clean hearts and a right spirit renew That we regaining that just state May ever pay thee what is due That as we wholly from thee are Both Gifts of Minde and Bodie 's frame So by them both we may declare The Glory of thy Holy Name An HYMN Upon the Redemption of the World through CHRIST in his Re-introduction of the New Creature THe Lord both Heav'n Earth hath made The Narration His Word did all things frame And Laws to every Creature gave Who still observe the same The faithfull Sun doth still return The Seasons of the Year And at just times the various Moon Now round now horn'd appears The Plants retain their Virtue still Their Verdure and their Form Nor do the Birds or Beasts their guize Once change or shape transform 'T is