"But how shall we thisunionwell expresse?Nought ties thesoule; her subtiltie is suchShe moues the bodie, which she doth possesse,Yet no part toucheth, but byVertue'stouch.Then dwels shee not therein as in a tent,Nor as a pilot in his ship doth sit;Nor as the spider in his[120]web is pent;Nor as the waxe retaines the print in it;Nor as a vessell water doth containe;Nor as one liquor in another shed;Nor as the heat doth in the fire remaine;Nor as a voice throughout the ayre is spread:But as the faire and cheerfullMorning light,Doth here and there her siluer beames impart,And in an instant doth herselfe vniteTo the transparent ayre, in all, and part:Still resting whole, when blowes th' ayre diuide;Abiding pure, when th' ayre is most corrupted;Throughout the ayre, her beams dispersing wide,And when the ayre is tost, not interrupted:So doth the piercingSoulethe body fill,Being all in all, and all in part diffus'd;Indiuisible, incorruptible[121]still,Not forc't, encountred, troubled or confus'd.And as thesunneaboue, the light doth bring,Though we behold it in the ayre below;So from th' Eternall Light theSouledoth spring,Though in the body she her powers doe show.
"But how shall we thisunionwell expresse?Nought ties thesoule; her subtiltie is suchShe moues the bodie, which she doth possesse,Yet no part toucheth, but byVertue'stouch.
Then dwels shee not therein as in a tent,Nor as a pilot in his ship doth sit;Nor as the spider in his[120]web is pent;Nor as the waxe retaines the print in it;
Nor as a vessell water doth containe;Nor as one liquor in another shed;Nor as the heat doth in the fire remaine;Nor as a voice throughout the ayre is spread:
But as the faire and cheerfullMorning light,Doth here and there her siluer beames impart,And in an instant doth herselfe vniteTo the transparent ayre, in all, and part:
Still resting whole, when blowes th' ayre diuide;Abiding pure, when th' ayre is most corrupted;Throughout the ayre, her beams dispersing wide,And when the ayre is tost, not interrupted:
So doth the piercingSoulethe body fill,Being all in all, and all in part diffus'd;Indiuisible, incorruptible[121]still,Not forc't, encountred, troubled or confus'd.
And as thesunneaboue, the light doth bring,Though we behold it in the ayre below;So from th' Eternall Light theSouledoth spring,Though in the body she her powers doe show.
How the Soul doth exercise her Powers in the Body.
But asthe[122]world'ssunnedoth effects beget,Diuers, in diuers places euery day;HereAutumnestemperature, thereSummer'sheat,Here flowrySpring-tide, and thereWintergray:EereEuen, thereMorne, hereNoone, thereDay, thereNight;Melts wax, dries clay, mak[e]s flowrs, som quick,[123]som dead;Makes theMoreblack, and th'Europœanwhite,Th'Americantawny, and th'East-Indianred:So in our little World: thissouleof ours,Being onely one, and to one body tyed,Doth vse, on diuers obiects diuers powers,And so are her effects diuersified.
But asthe[122]world'ssunnedoth effects beget,Diuers, in diuers places euery day;HereAutumnestemperature, thereSummer'sheat,Here flowrySpring-tide, and thereWintergray:
EereEuen, thereMorne, hereNoone, thereDay, thereNight;Melts wax, dries clay, mak[e]s flowrs, som quick,[123]som dead;Makes theMoreblack, and th'Europœanwhite,Th'Americantawny, and th'East-Indianred:
So in our little World: thissouleof ours,Being onely one, and to one body tyed,Doth vse, on diuers obiects diuers powers,And so are her effects diuersified.
The Vegetatiue or quickening Power.
Her quick'ningpower in euery lining part,Doth as a nurse, or as a mother serue;And doth employ heroeconomicke art,And busie care, her houshold to preserueHere sheattracts, and there she dothretaine,There shedecocts, and doth the food prepare;There shedistributesit to euery vaine,There sheexpelswhat she may fitly spare.This power toMarthamay comparèd be,[124]Which busie was, thehoushold-thingsto doe;Or to aDryas, liuing in a tree:[125]For euen to trees this power is proper too.And though the Soule may not this power extendOut of the body, but still vse it there;She hath a power which she abroad doth send,Which views and searcheth all things euery where.
Her quick'ningpower in euery lining part,Doth as a nurse, or as a mother serue;And doth employ heroeconomicke art,And busie care, her houshold to preserue
Here sheattracts, and there she dothretaine,There shedecocts, and doth the food prepare;There shedistributesit to euery vaine,There sheexpelswhat she may fitly spare.
This power toMarthamay comparèd be,[124]Which busie was, thehoushold-thingsto doe;Or to aDryas, liuing in a tree:[125]For euen to trees this power is proper too.
And though the Soule may not this power extendOut of the body, but still vse it there;She hath a power which she abroad doth send,Which views and searcheth all things euery where.
The Power of Sense.
This power is Sense, which from abroad doth bring[126]Thecolour,taste, andtouch, andsent,[127]andsound;Thequantitie, andshapeof euery thingWithin th' Earth's center, or Heauen's circle found.This power, in parts made fit, fit obiects takes,Yet not the things, but forms of things receiues;As when a seale in waxe impression makes,The print therein, but not it selfe it leaues.And though things sensible be numberlesse,But onely fiue theSenses'organs be;And in those fiue, all things their formes expresse,Which we cantouch,taste,feele, orheare, orsee.These are the windows throgh the which she viewsThelight of knowledge, which is life's loadstar:"And yet while she these spectacles doth vse,"Oft worldly things seeme greater then they are.
This power is Sense, which from abroad doth bring[126]Thecolour,taste, andtouch, andsent,[127]andsound;Thequantitie, andshapeof euery thingWithin th' Earth's center, or Heauen's circle found.
This power, in parts made fit, fit obiects takes,Yet not the things, but forms of things receiues;As when a seale in waxe impression makes,The print therein, but not it selfe it leaues.
And though things sensible be numberlesse,But onely fiue theSenses'organs be;And in those fiue, all things their formes expresse,Which we cantouch,taste,feele, orheare, orsee.
These are the windows throgh the which she viewsThelight of knowledge, which is life's loadstar:"And yet while she these spectacles doth vse,"Oft worldly things seeme greater then they are.
Sight.
First, the twoeyesthat haue theseeingpower,Stand as one watchman, spy, or sentinell;Being plac'd aloft, within the head's high tower;And though both see, yet both but one thing tell.These mirrors take into their little spaceThe formes ofmooneandsun, and euerystarre;Of euery body and of euery place,Which with the World's wide armes embracèd are:Yet their best obiect, and their noblest vse,Hereafter in another World will be;When God in them shall heauenly light infuse,That face to face they may theirMakersee.Here are they guides, which doe the body lead,Which else would stumble in eternal night;Here in this world they do much knowledgeread,And are the casements which admit most light:They are her farthest reaching instrument,Yet they no beames vnto their obiects send;But all the rays are from their obiects sent,And in theeyeswith pointed angles end:If th' obiects be farre off, the rayes doe meetIn a sharpe point, and so things seeme but small;If they be neere, their rayes doe spread and fleet,And make broad points, that things seeme great withall.Lastly, nine things toSightrequirèd are;Thepowerto see, thelight, thevisiblething,Being not toosmall, toothin, toonigh, toofarre,Clearespace, andtime, the forme distinct to bring.Thus we see how theSouledoth vse the eyes,As instruments of her quicke power of sight;Hence do th' Artsoptickeand fairepaintingrise:Painting, which doth all gentle minds delight.
First, the twoeyesthat haue theseeingpower,Stand as one watchman, spy, or sentinell;Being plac'd aloft, within the head's high tower;And though both see, yet both but one thing tell.
These mirrors take into their little spaceThe formes ofmooneandsun, and euerystarre;Of euery body and of euery place,Which with the World's wide armes embracèd are:
Yet their best obiect, and their noblest vse,Hereafter in another World will be;When God in them shall heauenly light infuse,That face to face they may theirMakersee.
Here are they guides, which doe the body lead,Which else would stumble in eternal night;Here in this world they do much knowledgeread,And are the casements which admit most light:
They are her farthest reaching instrument,Yet they no beames vnto their obiects send;But all the rays are from their obiects sent,And in theeyeswith pointed angles end:
If th' obiects be farre off, the rayes doe meetIn a sharpe point, and so things seeme but small;If they be neere, their rayes doe spread and fleet,And make broad points, that things seeme great withall.
Lastly, nine things toSightrequirèd are;Thepowerto see, thelight, thevisiblething,Being not toosmall, toothin, toonigh, toofarre,Clearespace, andtime, the forme distinct to bring.
Thus we see how theSouledoth vse the eyes,As instruments of her quicke power of sight;Hence do th' Artsoptickeand fairepaintingrise:Painting, which doth all gentle minds delight.
Hearing.
Now let vs heare how she theEaresimployes:Their office is the troubled ayre to take,Which in their mazes formes a sound or noyse,Whereof her selfe doth true distinction make.These wickets of theSouleare plac't on hieBecause all sounds doe lightly mount aloft;And that they may not pierce too violently,They are delaied with turnes, and windings oft.For should the voice directly strike the braine,It would astonish and confuse it much;Therfore these plaits and folds the sound restraine,That it the organ may more gently touch.As streames, which with their winding banks doe play,Stopt by their creeks, run softly through the plaine;So in th' Eares' labyrinth the voice doth stray,And doth with easie motion touch the braine.It is the slowest, yet the daintiestsense;For euen theEaresof such as haue no skill,Perceiue a discord, and conceiue offence;And knowing not what is good, yet find the ill.And though thissensefirst gentleMusickefound,Her proper obiect isthe speech of men;But that speech chiefely which God's heraulds sound,When their tongs vtter what His Spirit did pen.OurEyeshaue lids, ourEaresstill ope we see,Quickly to heare how euery tale is proouèd;OurEyesstill moue, ourEaresvnmouèd bee,That though we hear quick we be not quickly mouèd.Thus by the organs of theEyeandEare,TheSoulewith knowledge doth her selfe endue;"Thus she her prison, may with pleasure beare,"Hauing such prospects, all the world to view.These conduit-pipes of knowledge feed the Mind,But th' other three attend the Body still;For by their seruices theSouledoth find,What things are to the body, good or ill.
Now let vs heare how she theEaresimployes:Their office is the troubled ayre to take,Which in their mazes formes a sound or noyse,Whereof her selfe doth true distinction make.
These wickets of theSouleare plac't on hieBecause all sounds doe lightly mount aloft;And that they may not pierce too violently,They are delaied with turnes, and windings oft.
For should the voice directly strike the braine,It would astonish and confuse it much;Therfore these plaits and folds the sound restraine,That it the organ may more gently touch.
As streames, which with their winding banks doe play,Stopt by their creeks, run softly through the plaine;So in th' Eares' labyrinth the voice doth stray,And doth with easie motion touch the braine.
It is the slowest, yet the daintiestsense;For euen theEaresof such as haue no skill,Perceiue a discord, and conceiue offence;And knowing not what is good, yet find the ill.
And though thissensefirst gentleMusickefound,Her proper obiect isthe speech of men;But that speech chiefely which God's heraulds sound,When their tongs vtter what His Spirit did pen.
OurEyeshaue lids, ourEaresstill ope we see,Quickly to heare how euery tale is proouèd;OurEyesstill moue, ourEaresvnmouèd bee,That though we hear quick we be not quickly mouèd.
Thus by the organs of theEyeandEare,TheSoulewith knowledge doth her selfe endue;"Thus she her prison, may with pleasure beare,"Hauing such prospects, all the world to view.
These conduit-pipes of knowledge feed the Mind,But th' other three attend the Body still;For by their seruices theSouledoth find,What things are to the body, good or ill.
Taste.
Thebodie'slife with meats and ayre is fed,Therefore thesouledoth vse thetastingpower,In veines, which through the tongue and palate spred,Distinguish euery relish, sweet and sower.This is the bodie'snurse; but since man's witFound th' art ofcookery, to delight hissense;More bodies are consum'd and kild with it,Then with the sword, famine, or pestilence.
Thebodie'slife with meats and ayre is fed,Therefore thesouledoth vse thetastingpower,In veines, which through the tongue and palate spred,Distinguish euery relish, sweet and sower.
This is the bodie'snurse; but since man's witFound th' art ofcookery, to delight hissense;More bodies are consum'd and kild with it,Then with the sword, famine, or pestilence.
Smelling.
Next, in the nosthrils she doth vse thesmell:As God thebreath of lifein them did giue,So makes He now this power in them to dwell,To iudge all ayres, whereby webreathandliue.Thissenseis also mistresse of an Art,Which to soft people sweete perfumes doth sell;Though this deare Art doth little good impart,"Sith[128]they smell best, that doe of nothing smell.And yet goodsents[129]doe purifie the braine,Awake the fancie, and the wits refine;Hence oldDeuotion,incensedid ordaineTo make mens' spirits apt for thoughts diuine.
Next, in the nosthrils she doth vse thesmell:As God thebreath of lifein them did giue,So makes He now this power in them to dwell,To iudge all ayres, whereby webreathandliue.
Thissenseis also mistresse of an Art,Which to soft people sweete perfumes doth sell;Though this deare Art doth little good impart,"Sith[128]they smell best, that doe of nothing smell.
And yet goodsents[129]doe purifie the braine,Awake the fancie, and the wits refine;Hence oldDeuotion,incensedid ordaineTo make mens' spirits apt for thoughts diuine.
Feeling.
Lastly, the feeling power, which is Life's root,Through euery liuing part it selfe doth shed;By sinewes, which extend from head to foot,And like a net, all ore the body spred.Much like a subtill spider, which doth sitIn middle of her web, which spreadeth wide;If ought doe touch the vtmost thred of it,Shee feeles it instantly on euery side.ByTouch, the first pure qualities we learne,Which quicken all things,hote,cold,moistanddry;ByTouch,hard,soft,rough,smooth, we doe discerne;ByTouch,sweet pleasure, andsharpe paine, we try.
Lastly, the feeling power, which is Life's root,Through euery liuing part it selfe doth shed;By sinewes, which extend from head to foot,And like a net, all ore the body spred.
Much like a subtill spider, which doth sitIn middle of her web, which spreadeth wide;If ought doe touch the vtmost thred of it,Shee feeles it instantly on euery side.
ByTouch, the first pure qualities we learne,Which quicken all things,hote,cold,moistanddry;ByTouch,hard,soft,rough,smooth, we doe discerne;ByTouch,sweet pleasure, andsharpe paine, we try.
These are the outward instruments of Sense,These are the guards which euery thing must passeEre it approch the mind's intelligence,Or touch the Fantasie,Wit's looking-glasse.
These are the outward instruments of Sense,These are the guards which euery thing must passeEre it approch the mind's intelligence,Or touch the Fantasie,Wit's looking-glasse.
The Imagination or Common Sense.
And yet these porters, which all things admit,Themselues perceiue not, nor discerne the things;Onecommonpower doth in the forehead sit,Which all their proper formes together brings.For all thosenerues, whichspirits of Sencedoe beare,And to those outward organs spreading goe;Vnited are, as in a center there,And there this power those sundry formes doth know.Those outward organs present things receiue,This inwardSensedoth absent things retaine;Yet straight transmits all formes shee doth perceiue,Vnto a higher region of thebraine.
And yet these porters, which all things admit,Themselues perceiue not, nor discerne the things;Onecommonpower doth in the forehead sit,Which all their proper formes together brings.
For all thosenerues, whichspirits of Sencedoe beare,And to those outward organs spreading goe;Vnited are, as in a center there,And there this power those sundry formes doth know.
Those outward organs present things receiue,This inwardSensedoth absent things retaine;Yet straight transmits all formes shee doth perceiue,Vnto a higher region of thebraine.
The Fantasie.
WhereFantasie, neerehand-maidto the mind,Sits and beholds, and doth discerne them[130]all;Compounds in one, things diuers in their kind;Compares the black and white, the great and small.Besides, those single formes she doth esteeme,And in her ballance doth their values trie;Where some things good, and some things ill doe seem,And neutrall some, in herfantasticke[131]eye.This busie power is working day and night;For when the outwardsensesrest doe take,A thousand dreames, fantasticall and light,With fluttring wings doe keepe her still awake.[132]
WhereFantasie, neerehand-maidto the mind,Sits and beholds, and doth discerne them[130]all;Compounds in one, things diuers in their kind;Compares the black and white, the great and small.
Besides, those single formes she doth esteeme,And in her ballance doth their values trie;Where some things good, and some things ill doe seem,And neutrall some, in herfantasticke[131]eye.
This busie power is working day and night;For when the outwardsensesrest doe take,A thousand dreames, fantasticall and light,With fluttring wings doe keepe her still awake.[132]
The Sensitiue Memorie.
Yet alwayes all may not afore her bee;Successiuely, she this and that intends;Therefore such formes as she doth cease to see,ToMemorie'slarge volume shee commends.Thelidger-bookelies in the braine behinde,LikeIanus'eye, which in his poll was set;Thelay-man's tables, store-house of the mind,Which doth remember much, and much forget.HeereSense's apprehension, end doth take;As when a stone is into water cast,One circle doth another circle make,Till the last circle touch the banke at last.[133]
Yet alwayes all may not afore her bee;Successiuely, she this and that intends;Therefore such formes as she doth cease to see,ToMemorie'slarge volume shee commends.
Thelidger-bookelies in the braine behinde,LikeIanus'eye, which in his poll was set;Thelay-man's tables, store-house of the mind,Which doth remember much, and much forget.
HeereSense's apprehension, end doth take;As when a stone is into water cast,One circle doth another circle make,Till the last circle touch the banke at last.[133]
The Passions of Sense.
But though theapprehensiue[134]powerdoe pause,Themotiuevertue then begins to moue;Which in the heart below dothPassionscause,Ioy,griefe, andfeare, andhope, andhate, andloue.These passions haue a free commanding might,And diuers actions in our life doe breed;For, all acts done without true Reason's light,Doe from the passion of theSenseproceed.But sith[135]thebrainedoth lodge the powers ofSense,How makes it in the heart those passions spring?The mutuall loue, the kind intelligence'Twixt heart and braine, thissympathydoth bring.From the kind heat, which in the heart doth raigne,Thespiritsof life doe their begining take;Thesespiritsof life ascending to the braine,When they come there, thespirits of Sensedo make.Thesespirits of Sense, in Fantasie's High Court,Iudge of the formes ofobiects, ill or well;And so they send a good or ill reportDowne to the heart, where all affections dwell.If the report beegood, it causethloue,And longinghope, and well-assurèdioy:If it beeill, then doth ithatredmoue,And tremblingfeare, and vexinggrief'sannoy.Yet were these naturall affections good:(For they which want them,blockesordeuilsbe)IfReasonin her first perfection stood,That she mightNature'spassions rectifie.
But though theapprehensiue[134]powerdoe pause,Themotiuevertue then begins to moue;Which in the heart below dothPassionscause,Ioy,griefe, andfeare, andhope, andhate, andloue.
These passions haue a free commanding might,And diuers actions in our life doe breed;For, all acts done without true Reason's light,Doe from the passion of theSenseproceed.
But sith[135]thebrainedoth lodge the powers ofSense,How makes it in the heart those passions spring?The mutuall loue, the kind intelligence'Twixt heart and braine, thissympathydoth bring.
From the kind heat, which in the heart doth raigne,Thespiritsof life doe their begining take;Thesespiritsof life ascending to the braine,When they come there, thespirits of Sensedo make.
Thesespirits of Sense, in Fantasie's High Court,Iudge of the formes ofobiects, ill or well;And so they send a good or ill reportDowne to the heart, where all affections dwell.
If the report beegood, it causethloue,And longinghope, and well-assurèdioy:If it beeill, then doth ithatredmoue,And tremblingfeare, and vexinggrief'sannoy.
Yet were these naturall affections good:(For they which want them,blockesordeuilsbe)IfReasonin her first perfection stood,That she mightNature'spassions rectifie.
The Motion of Life.
Besides, anothermotiue-power doth riseOut of the heart; from whose pure blood do springThevitall spirits; which, borne inarteries,Continuall motion to all parts doe bring.
Besides, anothermotiue-power doth riseOut of the heart; from whose pure blood do springThevitall spirits; which, borne inarteries,Continuall motion to all parts doe bring.
The Locall Motion.
This makes the pulses beat, and lungs respire,This holds the sinewes like a bridle's reines;And makes the Body to aduance, retire,To turne or stop, as she them[136]slacks, or straines.Thus thesouletunes thebodie'sinstrument;These harmonies she makes withlifeandsense;The organs fit are by the body lent,But th' actions flow from theSoule'sinfluence.
This makes the pulses beat, and lungs respire,This holds the sinewes like a bridle's reines;And makes the Body to aduance, retire,To turne or stop, as she them[136]slacks, or straines.
Thus thesouletunes thebodie'sinstrument;These harmonies she makes withlifeandsense;The organs fit are by the body lent,But th' actions flow from theSoule'sinfluence.
The intellectuall Powers of the Soule.
But nowI haue awill, yet want awit,To expresse the working of thewitandwill;Which, though their root be to the body knit,Vse not the body, when they vse their skill.These powers the nature of theSoule declare,For to man'ssoulethese onely proper bee;For on the Earth no other wights there areThat haue these heauenly powers, but only we.
But nowI haue awill, yet want awit,To expresse the working of thewitandwill;Which, though their root be to the body knit,Vse not the body, when they vse their skill.
These powers the nature of theSoule declare,For to man'ssoulethese onely proper bee;For on the Earth no other wights there areThat haue these heauenly powers, but only we.
The Wit or Understanding.
TheWit, the pupill of theSoule'scleare eye,And in man's world, the onely shiningstarre;Lookes in the mirror of the Fantasie,Where all the gatherings of theSensesare.From thence this power the shapes of things abstracts,And them within herpassiue partreceiues;Which are enlightned by that part whichacts,And so the formes of single things perceiues.But after, by discoursing to and fro,Anticipating, and comparing things;She doth all vniversall natures know,And alleffectsinto theircausesbrings.[137]
TheWit, the pupill of theSoule'scleare eye,And in man's world, the onely shiningstarre;Lookes in the mirror of the Fantasie,Where all the gatherings of theSensesare.
From thence this power the shapes of things abstracts,And them within herpassiue partreceiues;Which are enlightned by that part whichacts,And so the formes of single things perceiues.
But after, by discoursing to and fro,Anticipating, and comparing things;She doth all vniversall natures know,And alleffectsinto theircausesbrings.[137]
Reason, Vnderstanding.
When sheratesthings and moues from ground to ground,The name ofReasonshe obtaines by this;But when by Reason she the truth hath found,Andstandeth fixt, sheVnderstandingis.
When sheratesthings and moues from ground to ground,The name ofReasonshe obtaines by this;But when by Reason she the truth hath found,Andstandeth fixt, sheVnderstandingis.
Opinion, Judgement.
When her assent shelightlydoth enclineTo either part, she isOpinion[138]light:But when she doth by principles defineA certaine truth, she hathtrue Judgement'ssight.And as fromSenses,Reason'sworke doth spring,So manyreasons understandinggaine;And manyunderstandings,knowledgebring;And by muchknowledge,wisdomewe obtaine.So, many stayres we must ascend vprightEre we attaine toWisdome'shigh degree;[139]So doth this Earth eclipse our Reason's light.Which else (in instants) would like angels see.Yet hath theSoulea dowrie naturall,Andsparkes of light, some common things to see;Not being ablanckewhere nought is writ at all,But what the writer will, may written beFor Nature in man's heart her lawes doth pen;Prescribingtruthtowit, andgoodtowill;Which doeaccuse, or elseexcuseall men,For euery thought or practise, good or ill:And yet these sparkes grow almost infinite,Making the World, and all therein their food;As fire so spreads as no place holdeth it,Being nourisht still, with new supplies of wood.And though these sparkes were almost quencht with sin,Yet they whom thatIust Onehath iustifide;Haue them encreasd with heauenly light within,And like thewidowe's oylestill multiplide.
When her assent shelightlydoth enclineTo either part, she isOpinion[138]light:But when she doth by principles defineA certaine truth, she hathtrue Judgement'ssight.
And as fromSenses,Reason'sworke doth spring,So manyreasons understandinggaine;And manyunderstandings,knowledgebring;And by muchknowledge,wisdomewe obtaine.
So, many stayres we must ascend vprightEre we attaine toWisdome'shigh degree;[139]So doth this Earth eclipse our Reason's light.Which else (in instants) would like angels see.
Yet hath theSoulea dowrie naturall,Andsparkes of light, some common things to see;Not being ablanckewhere nought is writ at all,But what the writer will, may written be
For Nature in man's heart her lawes doth pen;Prescribingtruthtowit, andgoodtowill;Which doeaccuse, or elseexcuseall men,For euery thought or practise, good or ill:
And yet these sparkes grow almost infinite,Making the World, and all therein their food;As fire so spreads as no place holdeth it,Being nourisht still, with new supplies of wood.
And though these sparkes were almost quencht with sin,Yet they whom thatIust Onehath iustifide;Haue them encreasd with heauenly light within,And like thewidowe's oylestill multiplide.
The Power of Will.
And as thiswitshould goodnesse truely know,We haue aWill, which that true good should chuse;ThoughWildo oft (whenwitfalse formes doth show)Takeillforgood, andgoodforillrefuse.
And as thiswitshould goodnesse truely know,We haue aWill, which that true good should chuse;ThoughWildo oft (whenwitfalse formes doth show)Takeillforgood, andgoodforillrefuse.
The Relations betwixt Wit and Will.
Willputs in practice what theWitdeuiseth:Willeuer acts, andWitcontemplates still;And as fromWit, the power ofwisedomeriseth,All other vertuesdaughters are ofWill.Willis theprince, andWitthe counseller,Which doth for common good in Counsell sit;And whenWitis resolu'd,Willlends her powerTo execute what is aduis'd byWit.Witis the mind's chief iudge, which doth controuleOfFancie'sCourt the iudgements, false and vaine;Willholds the royall septer in thesouleAnd on[140]the passions of the heart doth raigne.Willis as free as any emperour,Naught can restraine hergentlelibertie;No tyrant, nor no torment, hath the power,To make vswill, when we vnwilling bee.
Willputs in practice what theWitdeuiseth:Willeuer acts, andWitcontemplates still;And as fromWit, the power ofwisedomeriseth,All other vertuesdaughters are ofWill.
Willis theprince, andWitthe counseller,Which doth for common good in Counsell sit;And whenWitis resolu'd,Willlends her powerTo execute what is aduis'd byWit.
Witis the mind's chief iudge, which doth controuleOfFancie'sCourt the iudgements, false and vaine;Willholds the royall septer in thesouleAnd on[140]the passions of the heart doth raigne.
Willis as free as any emperour,Naught can restraine hergentlelibertie;No tyrant, nor no torment, hath the power,To make vswill, when we vnwilling bee.
The Intellectuall Memorie.
To these high powers, a store-house doth pertaine,Where they all arts and generall reasons lay;Which in theSoule, euen after death, remaineAnd noLethæan[141]flood can wash away.This is theSoule, and these her vertues bee;Which, though they haue their sundry proper ends,And one exceeds another in degree,Yet each on other mutually depends.Our Witis giuen,Almighty Godtoknow;OurWillis giuen toloueHim, beingknowne;But God could not beknownto vs below,But by Hisworkeswhich through the sense are shown.And as theWitdoth reape the fruits ofSense,So doth thequickningpower thesenses feed;Thus while they doe their sundry gifts dispence,"The best, the seruice of the least doth need.Euen so the King his Magistrates do serue,Yet Commons feed both magistrate and king;The Commons' peace the magistrates preserueBy borrowed power, which from the Prince doth spring.Thequickning powerwouldbe, and so would rest;TheSensewould notbeonely, butbe well;ButWit'sambition longeth to thebest,For it desires in endlesse blisse to dwell.And these three powers, three[142]sorts of men doe make:For some, like plants, their veines doe onely fill;And some, like beasts, their senses' pleasure take;And some, like angels, doe contemplate still.Therefore the fables turnd some men to flowres,And others, did with bruitish formes inuest;And did of others, make celestiall powers,Like angels, which still trauell, yet still rest.Yet these three powers are not threesoules, but one;As one and two are both containd inthree;Threebeing one number by it selfe alone:A shadow of the blessed Trinitie.
To these high powers, a store-house doth pertaine,Where they all arts and generall reasons lay;Which in theSoule, euen after death, remaineAnd noLethæan[141]flood can wash away.
This is theSoule, and these her vertues bee;Which, though they haue their sundry proper ends,And one exceeds another in degree,Yet each on other mutually depends.
Our Witis giuen,Almighty Godtoknow;OurWillis giuen toloueHim, beingknowne;But God could not beknownto vs below,But by Hisworkeswhich through the sense are shown.
And as theWitdoth reape the fruits ofSense,So doth thequickningpower thesenses feed;Thus while they doe their sundry gifts dispence,"The best, the seruice of the least doth need.
Euen so the King his Magistrates do serue,Yet Commons feed both magistrate and king;The Commons' peace the magistrates preserueBy borrowed power, which from the Prince doth spring.
Thequickning powerwouldbe, and so would rest;TheSensewould notbeonely, butbe well;ButWit'sambition longeth to thebest,For it desires in endlesse blisse to dwell.
And these three powers, three[142]sorts of men doe make:For some, like plants, their veines doe onely fill;And some, like beasts, their senses' pleasure take;And some, like angels, doe contemplate still.
Therefore the fables turnd some men to flowres,And others, did with bruitish formes inuest;And did of others, make celestiall powers,Like angels, which still trauell, yet still rest.
Yet these three powers are not threesoules, but one;As one and two are both containd inthree;Threebeing one number by it selfe alone:A shadow of the blessed Trinitie.
An Acclamation.
O! what is Man (great Maker of mankind!)That Thou to him so great respect dost beare!That Thou adornst him with so bright a mind,Mak'st him a king, and euen an angel's peere!O! what a liuely life, what heauenly power,What spreading vertue, what a sparkling fire!How great, how plentifull, how rich a dowerDost Thou within this dying flesh inspire!Thou leau'st Thy print in other works of Thine,But Thy whole image Thou in Man hast writ;There cannot be a creature more diuine,Except (like Thee) it should be infinit.But it exceeds man's thought, to thinke how hieGodhath raisdMan, sinceGod a manbecame;The angels doe admire thisMisterie,And are astonisht when they view the same.
O! what is Man (great Maker of mankind!)That Thou to him so great respect dost beare!That Thou adornst him with so bright a mind,Mak'st him a king, and euen an angel's peere!
O! what a liuely life, what heauenly power,What spreading vertue, what a sparkling fire!How great, how plentifull, how rich a dowerDost Thou within this dying flesh inspire!
Thou leau'st Thy print in other works of Thine,But Thy whole image Thou in Man hast writ;There cannot be a creature more diuine,Except (like Thee) it should be infinit.
But it exceeds man's thought, to thinke how hieGodhath raisdMan, sinceGod a manbecame;The angels doe admire thisMisterie,And are astonisht when they view the same.
That the Soule is Immortal, and cannot Die.
Nor hath He giuen these blessings for a day,Nor made them on the bodie's life depend;TheSoulethough made in time,suruives for aye,And though it hath beginning, sees no end.Her onelyend, isneuer-endingblisse;Which is,th' eternall face of God to see;WhoLast of Ends, andFirst of Causes, is:And to doe this, she musteternallbee.How senselesse then, and dead a soule hath hee,Whichthinkshissouledoth with his body die!Orthinkesnot so, but so would haue it bee,That he might sinne with more securitie.For though these light and vicious persons say,OurSouleis but a smoake, or ayrie blast;Which, during life, doth in our nostrils play,And when we die, doth turne to wind at last:Although they say, 'Come let us eat and drinke';Our life is but a sparke, which quickly dies;Though thus theysay, they know not what to think,But in their minds ten thousand doubts arise.Therefore no heretikes desire to spreadTheir light opinions, like theseEpicures:[143]For so the staggering thoughts are comfortèd,And other men's assent their doubt assures.Yet though these men against their conscience striue,There are some sparkles in their flintie breastsWhich cannot be extinct, but still reuiue;That though they would, they cannot quite beebeasts;But who so makes a mirror of his mind,And doth with patience view himselfe therein,HisSoule'seternitie shall clearely find,Though th' other beauties be defac't with sin.
Nor hath He giuen these blessings for a day,Nor made them on the bodie's life depend;TheSoulethough made in time,suruives for aye,And though it hath beginning, sees no end.
Her onelyend, isneuer-endingblisse;Which is,th' eternall face of God to see;WhoLast of Ends, andFirst of Causes, is:And to doe this, she musteternallbee.
How senselesse then, and dead a soule hath hee,Whichthinkshissouledoth with his body die!Orthinkesnot so, but so would haue it bee,That he might sinne with more securitie.
For though these light and vicious persons say,OurSouleis but a smoake, or ayrie blast;Which, during life, doth in our nostrils play,And when we die, doth turne to wind at last:
Although they say, 'Come let us eat and drinke';Our life is but a sparke, which quickly dies;Though thus theysay, they know not what to think,But in their minds ten thousand doubts arise.
Therefore no heretikes desire to spreadTheir light opinions, like theseEpicures:[143]For so the staggering thoughts are comfortèd,And other men's assent their doubt assures.
Yet though these men against their conscience striue,There are some sparkles in their flintie breastsWhich cannot be extinct, but still reuiue;That though they would, they cannot quite beebeasts;
But who so makes a mirror of his mind,And doth with patience view himselfe therein,HisSoule'seternitie shall clearely find,Though th' other beauties be defac't with sin.
Reason I.
Drawne from the desire of Knowledge.
Firstin Man's mindwe find an appetiteTolearneandknow the truthof euery thing;Which is co-naturall, and borne with it,And from theessenceof thesouledoth spring.With thisdesire, shee hath a natiuemightTo find out euery truth, if she had time;Th' innumerable effects to sort aright,And by degrees, from cause to cause to clime.But sith our life so fast away doth slide,As doth a hungry eagle through the wind,Or as a ship transported with the tide;Which in their passage leaue no print behind;Of which swift little time so much we spend,While some few things we through the sense doe straine;That our short race of life is at an end,Ere we the principles of skill attaine.Or God (which to vaine ends hath nothing done)In vaine thisappetiteandpowerhath giuen;Or else our knowledge, which is here begun,Hereafter must bee perfected in heauen.God neuer gaue apowerto one whole kind,But most part of that kind did vse the same;Most eies haue perfect sight, though some be blind;Most legs can nimbly run, though some be lame:But in this life nosoulethe truth can knowSo perfectly, as it hath power to doe;If then perfection be not found below,An higher place must make her mount thereto.
Firstin Man's mindwe find an appetiteTolearneandknow the truthof euery thing;Which is co-naturall, and borne with it,And from theessenceof thesouledoth spring.
With thisdesire, shee hath a natiuemightTo find out euery truth, if she had time;Th' innumerable effects to sort aright,And by degrees, from cause to cause to clime.
But sith our life so fast away doth slide,As doth a hungry eagle through the wind,Or as a ship transported with the tide;Which in their passage leaue no print behind;
Of which swift little time so much we spend,While some few things we through the sense doe straine;That our short race of life is at an end,Ere we the principles of skill attaine.
Or God (which to vaine ends hath nothing done)In vaine thisappetiteandpowerhath giuen;Or else our knowledge, which is here begun,Hereafter must bee perfected in heauen.
God neuer gaue apowerto one whole kind,But most part of that kind did vse the same;Most eies haue perfect sight, though some be blind;Most legs can nimbly run, though some be lame:
But in this life nosoulethe truth can knowSo perfectly, as it hath power to doe;If then perfection be not found below,An higher place must make her mount thereto.
Reason II.
Drawn from the Motion of the Soule.
Againehow can shee but immortall bee?When with the motions of bothWillandWit,She still aspireth to eternitie,And neuer rests, till she attaine to it?Water in conduit pipes, can rise no higherThen the wel-head, from whence it first doth spring:Then sith to eternallGodshee doth aspire,Shee cannot be but an eternall thing."All mouing things to other things doe moue,"Of the same kind, which shews their nature such;Soearthfalls downe andfiredoth mount aboue,Till both their proper elements doe touch.
Againehow can shee but immortall bee?When with the motions of bothWillandWit,She still aspireth to eternitie,And neuer rests, till she attaine to it?
Water in conduit pipes, can rise no higherThen the wel-head, from whence it first doth spring:Then sith to eternallGodshee doth aspire,Shee cannot be but an eternall thing.
"All mouing things to other things doe moue,"Of the same kind, which shews their nature such;Soearthfalls downe andfiredoth mount aboue,Till both their proper elements doe touch.
The Soul compared to a Riuer.
And asthe moysture, which the thirstie earthSuckes from the sea, to fill her emptie veines,From out her wombe at last doth take a birth,And runs aNymph[144]along the grassie plaines:Long doth shee stay, as loth to leaue the land,From whose soft side she first did issue make;Shee tastes all places, turnes to euery hand,Her flowry bankes vnwilling to forsake:YetNatureso her streames doth lead and carry,As that her course doth make no finall stay,Till she her selfe vnto theOceanmarry,Within whose watry bosome first she lay:Euen so theSoulewhich in this earthly moldThe Spirit of God doth secretly infuse;Because at first she doth the earth behold,And onely this materiall world she viewes:At first hermother-earthshe holdeth deare,And doth embrace the world and worldly things:She flies close by the ground, and houers here,And mounts not vp with her celestiall wings.Yet vnder heauen she cannot light on oughtThat with her heauenlynaturedoth agree;She cannot rest, she cannot fix her thought,She cannot in this world contented bee:For who did euer yet, inhonour,wealth,Orpleasure of the sense, contentment find?Who euer ceasd to wish, when he hadhealth?Or hauingwisedomewas not vext in mind?Then as abeewhich among weeds doth fall,Which seeme sweet flowers, with lustre fresh and gay;She lights on that, and this, and tasteth all,But pleasd with none, doth rise, and soare away;So, when theSoulefinds here no true content,And, likeNoah'sdoue, can no sure footing take;She doth returne from whence she first was sent,And flies toHimthat first her wings did make.Wit, seekingTruth, from cause to cause ascends,And neuer rests, till it thefirstattaine:Will, seekingGood, finds many middle ends,But neuer stayes, till it thelastdoe gaine.Now God, theTruth, andFirst of Causesis:God is theLast Good End, which lasteth still;BeingAlphaandOmeganam'd for this;AlphatoWit,Omegato theWill.Sith[145]then her heauenly kind shee doth bewray,In that to God she doth directly moue;And on no mortall thing can make her stay,She cannot be from hence, but fromaboue.And yet thisFirst True Cause, andLast Good End,Shee cannot heere sowell, andtruelysee;For this perfection shee must yet attend,Till to herMakershee espousèd bee.As aking'sdaughter, being in person soughtOf diuers princes, who doe neighbour neere;On none of them can fixe a constant thought,Though shee to all doe lend a gentle eare:Yet she can loue a forraineemperour,Whom of great worth and power she heares to be;If she be woo'd but byembassadour,Or but hisletters, or his pictures see:For well she knowes, that when she shalbe broughtInto thekingdomewhere herSpousedoth raigne;Her eyes shall see what she conceiu'd in thought,Himselfe, his state, his glory, and his traine.So while thevirgin SouleonEarthdoth stay,She woo'd and tempted is ten thousand wayes,By these great powers, which on theEarthbeare sway;Thewisdom of the World,wealth,pleasure,praise:With these sometime she doth her time beguile,These doe by fits her Fantasie possesse;But she distastes them all within a while,And in the sweetest finds a tediousnesse.But if upon the World's Almighty KingShe once doe fixe her humble louing thought;Who by Hispicture, drawne in euery thing,Andsacred messages, herlouehath sought;Of Him she thinks, she cannot thinke too much;This hony tasted still, is euer sweet;The pleasure of her rauisht thought is such,As almost here, she with her blisse doth meet:But when in Heauen she shall HisEssencesee,This is hersoueraigne good, and perfect blisse:Her longings, wishings, hopes all finisht be,Her ioyes are full, her motions rest in this:There is she crownd with garlands ofcontent,There doth she manna eat, and nectar drinke;That Presence doth such high delights present,As neuer tongue could speake, nor heart could thinke.
And asthe moysture, which the thirstie earthSuckes from the sea, to fill her emptie veines,From out her wombe at last doth take a birth,And runs aNymph[144]along the grassie plaines:
Long doth shee stay, as loth to leaue the land,From whose soft side she first did issue make;Shee tastes all places, turnes to euery hand,Her flowry bankes vnwilling to forsake:
YetNatureso her streames doth lead and carry,As that her course doth make no finall stay,Till she her selfe vnto theOceanmarry,Within whose watry bosome first she lay:
Euen so theSoulewhich in this earthly moldThe Spirit of God doth secretly infuse;Because at first she doth the earth behold,And onely this materiall world she viewes:
At first hermother-earthshe holdeth deare,And doth embrace the world and worldly things:She flies close by the ground, and houers here,And mounts not vp with her celestiall wings.
Yet vnder heauen she cannot light on oughtThat with her heauenlynaturedoth agree;She cannot rest, she cannot fix her thought,She cannot in this world contented bee:
For who did euer yet, inhonour,wealth,Orpleasure of the sense, contentment find?Who euer ceasd to wish, when he hadhealth?Or hauingwisedomewas not vext in mind?
Then as abeewhich among weeds doth fall,Which seeme sweet flowers, with lustre fresh and gay;She lights on that, and this, and tasteth all,But pleasd with none, doth rise, and soare away;
So, when theSoulefinds here no true content,And, likeNoah'sdoue, can no sure footing take;She doth returne from whence she first was sent,And flies toHimthat first her wings did make.
Wit, seekingTruth, from cause to cause ascends,And neuer rests, till it thefirstattaine:Will, seekingGood, finds many middle ends,But neuer stayes, till it thelastdoe gaine.
Now God, theTruth, andFirst of Causesis:God is theLast Good End, which lasteth still;BeingAlphaandOmeganam'd for this;AlphatoWit,Omegato theWill.
Sith[145]then her heauenly kind shee doth bewray,In that to God she doth directly moue;And on no mortall thing can make her stay,She cannot be from hence, but fromaboue.
And yet thisFirst True Cause, andLast Good End,Shee cannot heere sowell, andtruelysee;For this perfection shee must yet attend,Till to herMakershee espousèd bee.
As aking'sdaughter, being in person soughtOf diuers princes, who doe neighbour neere;On none of them can fixe a constant thought,Though shee to all doe lend a gentle eare:
Yet she can loue a forraineemperour,Whom of great worth and power she heares to be;If she be woo'd but byembassadour,Or but hisletters, or his pictures see:
For well she knowes, that when she shalbe broughtInto thekingdomewhere herSpousedoth raigne;Her eyes shall see what she conceiu'd in thought,Himselfe, his state, his glory, and his traine.
So while thevirgin SouleonEarthdoth stay,She woo'd and tempted is ten thousand wayes,By these great powers, which on theEarthbeare sway;Thewisdom of the World,wealth,pleasure,praise:
With these sometime she doth her time beguile,These doe by fits her Fantasie possesse;But she distastes them all within a while,And in the sweetest finds a tediousnesse.
But if upon the World's Almighty KingShe once doe fixe her humble louing thought;Who by Hispicture, drawne in euery thing,Andsacred messages, herlouehath sought;
Of Him she thinks, she cannot thinke too much;This hony tasted still, is euer sweet;The pleasure of her rauisht thought is such,As almost here, she with her blisse doth meet:
But when in Heauen she shall HisEssencesee,This is hersoueraigne good, and perfect blisse:Her longings, wishings, hopes all finisht be,Her ioyes are full, her motions rest in this:
There is she crownd with garlands ofcontent,There doth she manna eat, and nectar drinke;That Presence doth such high delights present,As neuer tongue could speake, nor heart could thinke.
Reason III.
From Contempt of Death in the better Sort of Spirits.