rectified Souls which have alwaies the most serene apprehension it is in vain to offer Appearances for Truth For they will examine whether that which is call'd Good be True and will try whether that which is commended for the Best be so indeed and will not judge of things as they are represented by the false light which Passion holds or as they are coloured by Tentation Be gone Juggler or else I will break all your false glasses you shall not inslave the Liberty of my Will to brutish Appetite I will not for the vain jollity of soon-fading Pleasures lose the sprightly Temper of a Holy Soul nor be depriv'd of the true Joy of one that hath refus'd to sin when it was pleasant When Nicomachus had done speaking Peirastes vanish'd Nynhapanta turn'd away with great indignation Narke fell down in a swoon and as Nicomachus went away Orexis follow'd him at some small distance with a dejected countenance intending as she afterward declared to submit her self to the Lady Arete Bentivolio and his fellow-travailers having patiently awaited the conclusion of the Combate and much rejoycing at so happy an issue of a doubtful Tryal made haste after Nicomachus and when they had overtaken him congratulated the happy Victory which he had lately obtain'd which they did the more passionately because they had been spectators of the Fight He return'd thanks to them after such a manner as show'd that his Triumph was only in God to whose Grace he ascribed his Conquest They understanding his purpose for Theoprepia gladly encreas'd their number with one more whom they had good reason to admit for a fellow-Travailer In a few houres they pass'd the Valley of 〈◊〉 and enter'd into the borders of Theoprepia When they had gone but a little way into the Country they perceiv'd such a change of the Soile and Aire that they seem'd to be come into another world Though the ground was not high for that part of the Country was call'd The humble Valley of Tapinophrosyne yet it was not clouded with such thick Foggs as infested Pammelaena and made it both dark and unhealthful It was blest with a serene Aire ever free from Storms neither was it troubled with the stifling heates of Agazelus but was sweetned with fresh Breezes which came from those healthful Hils which lay round about it Though it was low it was firm and had no Boggs The Earth was wonderful fertile being watered with many streams which descended from a great common Spring which by and by I shall have occasion to describe As they sate upon the green banks of a little Rivolet and had refresh'd themselves with crystal liquor Nicomachus having first demanded leave express'd the joy of his late successe in a short Song whilst the silver Brook did courteously accompany his voice with a purling noise and supplied the want of a Through-Base with a kind of Hydraula I think it will not be amisse to give a Character of the Inhabitants of Tapinophrosyne for by that the Reader will see that Pride is not in that esteem every where which it hath unjustly gotten among us These people were of a Modest Temper and discreet Carriage they had a sedate Calmnesse in their Spirits and a solid Joy painted it self with true colours in the lively chearfulness of their faces They were so courteous to all that one would think it to have been a Law of their Country to prefer all others to themselves for when others were such as they could not give them Preeminence in the estimations of severe Judgment yet they would do it in Expresses of Affection and all offices of Love The greatest amongst them were the most civil not in word but in deed for it was a receiv'd Opinion with them that The more any Person is rais'd above others the more he ought to stoop to do them good They would perform the meanest services for one another without grudging nay with that prompt affection that one would have thought that of a Servant a chief Office among them Though they do much undervalue such Complements and respects as are made up only of words yet they express their heartiness with all civility of language and proportionable deportment When they were demanded any thing concerning their Country they gave such answers as sufficiently prov'd that they did not overvalue themselves and when others prais'd them for any thing they would blush and utterly refuse to speak any more of that matter and say that they could not receive that as their due which others gave them in courtesie They never vainly boast of their Excellencies or make a show of them as if they were going to sell them as some 〈◊〉 spirits do As it is criminal with them in the highest degree to pretend to what they have not so it is next to that to praise themselves for what they have They wonder at the folly of those who please themselves with those childish plumes and straw-hats with which ordinary Pride doth adorn it self because the instances have no worth in them and they do also condemn the Pride of those that are endow'd with truly-noble Gifts because Humility is a part of that Thank fulness which we owe for what we have receiv'd They admire the 〈◊〉 of the Stoicks who give no thanks but to themselves for their 〈◊〉 and ascribe their Felicity to themselves alone They 〈◊〉 that since God hath made things worthy to be chosen though a man doth freely select them from others which are not so good that a creature hath nothing to pride it self in for that but that God is more adorable who could make such an Excellent Creature and since that acts not neither according to its nature but as it is under the assistance of his almighty 〈◊〉 the mistaken reason of others Arrogance becomes to them a rare instrument of Humility Though they persorm 〈◊〉 things that are worthy in themselves and make for the 〈◊〉 of him that deserves all praise they make no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at it then that the Streams do run into the Sea from 〈◊〉 they came They count it but Justice to serve him who 〈◊〉 them something by his meer pleasure And when they have further'd any of his designs they are glad because they could have done nothing so good but they count it Poverty of Soul to expect thanks of him to whom we owe more then we can perform This Temper makes them resent their own Worth no more then if they had none and they 〈◊〉 it so much the greater a favour from God and worth in them if when they have done well they attribute nothing to themselves Their external Garb was significative of an inward 〈◊〉 neither men no nor women nor young men dress'd themselves as if they desired to be valued for their apparel for they cloth'd an inward worth with true Humility If any of them spied a Fault in another he would be 〈◊〉 to cover it till he could show it to him 〈◊〉 private
God which was able to supply more necessities then humane Nature was ever troubled with I went away fully resolv'd in my Mind because I saw it was no disparagement to God to make the world after the forementioned manner since though he had not given them all things immediately or at once yet he had put all necessary additions so far within their reach that the want of more perfect Happiness should not be laid upon him and that he had most justly resolv'd the Condition of men should be Imperfect if they were Slothfull or Malicious I perceiv'd also that Want was requisite to make us understand the Benignity of his Supplies and that without complaining since he had provided them in abundance and created the courteous hands of Charity to bestow them where they were needful I understood 〈◊〉 that God had by this means cast a great honour upon us that he would not so complete every thing which belong'd to the excellency of his work but that he did leave something undone that we might be co-workers with him towards the perfecting of the Universal good and so have a more honourable share in it Whilst by this means I saw a Divine lustre reflected upon the condition of Men yet I could not but take notice that Charity was the great Globe of light where all those beams were fix'd and that whilst it did glorifie Vertuous persons by shining in them that of all the Vertues it self was most glorified Who can consider the Nature of Charity and not see that God hath singled it out of all the rest of his creatures and made it his Vicegerent in the Royal Office of Love and as trusting it above others hath made it the sole Treasurer of those Mercies which he intended mediately to bestow How can I but extoll that Vertue which God hath magnified and which is of such important use that it seems necessary to support the defence of the Supreme Goodness For though that hath prepar'd all Blessings in plentiful measures not only with sufficiency to correspond with Want but also with superabundant fulnesse to administer to Delight yet without this key which unlocks those Repositories where they are laid up the Poor which most need them would never be able to come at them The truth of this is manifest if we look into those parts of the world where Charity is not entertain'd for in those places Ignorance Poverty Sicknesse Complaint Disorder War and all manner of defects ruine the Happiness of Mankind But where she is received there Knowledg Plenty Health Amity Peace and all good things abound for she carries her Treasures with her and doth most freely impart her Stores because she counts not her self a jot the richer for them till they are distributed She plaines all the unevennesses of Fortune with a merciful hand and smooths all the Wrinkles which seem to be in the inequality of worldly 〈◊〉 and so answers those Objections which otherwise would be made against Divine Providence whilst one man hath more then another and makes the Poor content that the Rich should be their Stewards and the Rich much more Rich whilst they make themselves poorer by giving away a considerable part of what they have Upon Hunger and Thirst she bestows her Corn and Wine She would esteem her Wooll good for nothing if the naked did not want Clothes She frustrates the dreadful threatnings of Beggery with her Money and makes the Iron fetters of Captives to fall off with the force of Gold and Silver The Sick want no Visits whilst she can go her self nor Medicines or Attendance as long as she is able to procure them Strangers have not leave to ly in the Streets for she takes them into her House or a convenient Hospitall provided for them with all necessary Accommodations The cold Winter prevailes not against such as have no Fewel because she hath lard up enough for them in warm weather Desperate Debtors are hindred from cursing God and their Creditors in Prisons for she either perswades those to whom they owe to forgive them or payes their Debts She bestows Knowledg upon the Ignorant with meekness formes the rude and composes the disorder'd with prudent instructions She passeth by Offences committed against her self and hides with candid Hope such faults as she cannot presently mend and where any Good is begun she helps it forward toward perfection She reconciles the differences of Mankind with discreet interpositions and having done what good she can to particular persons she seeks out waies to advance the Publick Good And by a divine Fulness would like an inexhaustible Spring send forth Streames continually to replenish all the Wants of men but that they obstruct their passage with unworthy Damms and yet she makes a shift to get over them conquering all Evil with Good The World shall sooner want empty Pitchers then Charity will want Liquor or Affection to fill them up all times being her Opportunity all occasions an Invitation and whosoever pleases her Guests Charity makes her self a great high Priestesse offering up prayers continually for all the World for whose Good she is not unwilling to become also a Sacrifice and having made all that dwell in the same Nature her Children she would gladly like a true Pelican feed them with her bloud And as she lives to no other as her main End but to do good for she esteems it all Glory to be an instrument in Gods hand to further the good of others so she counts it but congruous to her Nature to be willing to dy not only as Pylades for his friend 〈◊〉 but rather as Damon for the more useful Pythias taking it for a sufficient price of death to lose her own to save their lives which will be more beneficial to the world This makes all the World in love with a Charitable person when they see him they behold the true Volto divino drawn upon his face and think that God is come down to them in the shape of Men. This puts an awe upon his presence and makes his Example reverenc'd They cannot think upon him without love and admiration they know he is worth ten thousand Vulgar Souls and strive for him as their common possession expecting as great a darkness to seize upon them by his loss as the Earth would suffer if God should extinguish the Sun and is so endear'd to the Neighbourhood that if any place should endeavour to wooe him from them they would esteem it as great a wrong as to divert a common River This Grace tun'd the Harp of Orpheus and was the life of the Pythagorick Musick which made the dull Stones dance into order and sweetn'd the very Beasts out of their roughnesse There was nothing in those dayes which durst be so ill as to disobey the precepts of one that was so good Finally Being sensible that this was the highest obligation of which humane kind is capable though they are naturally afraid of Death as the
entrance of this cursed place by a way which leads to a duskish wood he met two women which by their habit seem'd to be Furies of Hell but were indeed attendants of Ate. Their names he learn'd to be Sdegna and Vendetta and they expressing their hearts in words which did not fit them would needs entreat him to accept of such accommodation as that place would afford Bentivolio well knowing what that must needs be if the inside corresponded with what he had seen and the entertainment were to be given by such Ministers made at first such refusall as might be interpreted Modesty and Complement but at length appearing to be plain Denyall after the vain repetition of many entreaties they appear'd like themselves For after some ill language they hasten'd away through the dark shade of the thick Grove designing a Revenge of their slighted offer though it was not so much a neglected Civility as a frustrated Malice Bentivolio being thus delivered from an ugly Invitation made haste to seek a place where better people might more probably be expected being come to a neighbouring Town he had been there but a little while before he found that the subjects were too like the Devilish Tyrant that commanded them After some indignities receiv'd for which he knew no reason but that those which offered them had nothing else to give as he was casting in his mind what to do and after many thoughts resolv'd to abandon that den of Devils he receiv'd a Letter from Astraea who the day before was sent thither to take vengeance of such a Villany as the Divine Justice without a seeming neglect of Government could not suffer to be unpunished and that hasten'd the Execution of his purpose The Letter contain'd these words BENTIVOLIO I am not ignorant who you are and whence you come and peradventure know where you are better then you do having been here longer then your self In this place dwells keen Hatred and unrelenting Spite The Inhabitants as I understand by order of the most wicked Ate have a design to murder you I have sent you herewith a Sword which you will need before you come into your own Country if you forgoe it not you will perceive in time that it was not an unfit expression of a friends good-will As soon as you have read this Letter be gone from this Earth which I also will immediately leave ASTRAEA Bentivolio having return'd such an answer as so great a Civility requir'd deeply griev'd with the cries of the oppress'd and more with the incorrigible misery of those who esteem'd all wrongs lawful which furthered their own interest retir'd to a Port which was not far off intending if he might to imbarke himself from thence for Argentora for he meant to return home that way having receiv'd strange reports concerning that Country of whose Truth he desired to be certified and there he found a ship which was driven in by storms weighing anchor not onely because the wind blew fair to carry them off but because the inhospitable temper of the people made their stay undesired Bentivolio giving them notice of his desire and making it acceptable with offers of money they took him in Before they had sail'd many leagues a new Storm arose and the West wind blew so tempestuously that they could not manage the ship after a while the wind being somewhat appeas'd they had also the comfort to make land and a Port happily presented it self Bentivolio hoping that it might possibly be Argentora urg'd the Pilot by all means to put in which they had no mind to do fearing that it was the place from which not above a year before they had stolen a ship where they were sure to find such welcome as that kind of guests doth deserve Bentivolio not knowing the grounds of their unwillingness offer'd to their Consideration the uncertain event which this Storm might have it had a bad beginning and for ought they knew might make a worse conclusion however it would be a great consolation and security to see it blow over in a Harbour The Mariners neither minding his reasons nor regarding the worth of his person for they knew him not stood off till at last the Boatswaine came running up into the Masters Cabbin and told them that the Ship had sprung a leake which he could not stop and that the water came in so fast that they must either seek preservation ashore or sinke Upon this they chang'd their minds and made what way they could to get into the Harbour where they were no sooner arriv'd but the vessel was almost full of water and by that time the Passengers and Sailors were got ashore it sunk before their eyes Bentivolio understanding by one of their Confessions the justnesse of the Punishment which by reason of the place where they suffered did soon call to mind their Sin gave them his charitable directions to help them to make the best of so bad a matter and discovering the place to be Argentora after he had receiv'd notice of his way went up to a high cliffe that he might from thence please himself with a view of the Country which was hid from his Eye by a row of Hills which ran along the sea-coast and when he had reach'd the top he found a place fit for his purpose It was that season of the Year when the Earth puts on her most gorgeous Apparrell to entertain the Sun which doth then bestow longer visits upon that then the other Horizon and that presented him with the loveliest Prospect that Imagination acquainted with such kind of things can desire It was so far beyond ordinary Perfection that he thought sure he was deceived and that in stead of some true piece of Natures work he beheld a delectable Contrivance of Curious Art or else that Sleep which had abandon'd him for some nights before had unawares surpriz'd him and that he was now in a Dream where his Fancy taking those rare works which he had seen any where in pieces and adding such others to them as she could devise had united them all in one Glasse to represent the bravest show of a fair Country that is possible either to exist or to be fancied Having pleas'd himself a while with these amusements at last he recollected himself and by such ordinary tokens as do assure us that we are awake he perceived that this was no Dream and remembring that Art doth but imitate Nature and is so far from out-doing that it can never equall it he was satisfied as to the reality of the sight but withall from the newness of it so incomparably perfect beyond all that he had seen before he concluded that this was the Originall exemplar of Prospect and therefore comprehended and exhibited all the possibilities of its Excellence at once Looking straite forward he saw a Valley set forth with all the Embellishments that low ground is capable of The rich fields of Corn and green Meadows lay in severall
would allow the night being come they resolv'd to put off the determination of what was to be done in the case till Morning and after the repast of a moderate Supper each of them betook themselves though with an unwilling willingness to their necessary repose In the morning urania rising not long after the Sun went out of her Chamber and understanding that Bentivolio was walking in the Garden having gone down a little before she sent a servant to desire him to come to her After the passing of mutuall gratulations and good wishes she acquainted him with her Purpose which she would not put in Execution without his advise which was to see Plutopenes not so much to repay the Visit which he pretended to have made to her the day before or to condole his Misfortune which she deem'd too 〈◊〉 a Punishment for the mischievous rashness by which he fell into it but to take this opportunity of administring some Counsel which she had to give him doubting whether she might ever meet with the like again Bentivolio approv'd her Design and having accompanied her over the River she desired him to trouble himself no further for that she and Panaretus would soon accomplish that small business which she had to do and return to him ere many houres were expir'd As soon as they were gone out of sight Bentivolio employ'd himself in Enquiry after the dead bodies of Lazarillo and the rest which were drown'd He had not gone far before he understood that they were stop'd at a Bridge being catch'd in nets not laid for such purposes and having given order for their decent buriall he return'd towards the Ferrie intending to divert himself upon the banks of that fair River till urania's return The thoughts of the niggardly Plutopenes being fresh in his mind he imploy'd the remainder of his time to draw the ugly Picture of Covetousnesse in a Copy of Verses which I am willing to insert here because in them he hath shown how Poverty comes into the World not withstanding Gods bountifull provisions and prov'd that the Benignity of his Intentions is made ineffectuall to our Happinesse onely by the Uncharitablenesse of Men. They began thus It is but just We 〈◊〉 since that I cease From quarrells 'T was a Blessing to encrease Though now a Curse The teeming Earth doth breed More then the Fruits which it brings forth will feed It seems of late God hath resum'd the Curse And for our Sins grown greater made it worse Then we had Bread though it was bought with Sweat We sweat still but it doth not earne our Meat Men live too long perhaps or some too soon Come before those which should make roome are gone If Death were not grown Idle we should thrive We are too many all at once alive No that 's not it They had Enough of Old Yet liv'd till our short Age they ten times told He which made All things knew what they would want And did not give Allowances so scant That men could think their Maker was but Poor Or which is worse through Envy hid his Store No no Rich Bounty thy kind hands did make Thy Gifts Great like the Giver for our sake The Measures are large-siz'd which thou dost fill And though they are press'd down run over still But we are greedy and through Avarice carve Such Portions to our selves that others starve Whilst we are glutted nay though they complain Whom we have rob'd we count their losse just gain And jostling others cry All scrambling's fair Some All some Nothing is an Equall share Thus our Sins further others Faults and Woe Whilst God is Curs'd by us and for us too And with our Wants we falsly charge the Earth Engrossers Barns are full in Yeares of Dearth Thus wicked Murmurs which seem just by such Are caus'd who seek more though they have too much But part with Nothing You with far more ease Might rob the Gardens of th' Hesperides I' th Dragons stead had we look'd to the Fleece The Argon auts had sail'd in vain from Greece We make an Iron Chest the fatall Urne Whence Gold once buried never doth return The Love of Having is that Wide-mouth'd Pit Which hath no ground God's Plenty's lost in it Or like those Monsters which fat Kine destroy'd Is Hungry and Leane still fill'd but not cloy'd For when our true Necessities are suppli'de Rather then wee 'l the Overplus divide We frame phantastick needs and so desraud Those Stomachs which for want of Meat are gnaw'd And think we do a good Excuse devise We have our Bellies fill'd but not our Eyes Then Luxury makes Artificial Feasts As if we meant to pose not feed our Guests Having contriv'd such curious sorts of Meat They know not what they do which they should Eat Then Gold which answers all the Poore's behoofes Shines to small purpose in the glistring Roofes Of Stately Dining-Roomes or on the Dore Where they ask Almes it is bestow'd before Our Native Wool which made that Home-spun stuffe Which our Brave Ancestors thought good enough When Hospitality was clad in freeze Doth not become such handsome times as these Though we might know it fits our Climate best It must be shipt to fetch us from the East What fits our Humors We find Silks too full Of Heat when some are Cold for want of Wooll Thus we affront the Grounds of Ancient Praise And scorn the Patterns of more sober dayes Hydropick Beast will nothing quench thy Thirst Here try a Recipe Drink Tagus first And then Pactolus if these will not doe Then take the Ocean and drink that up too But all the Virtue of Unfathom'd Seas Cannot relieve the Thirst of this Disease Urania being come to the Gate Panaretus knock'd The Porter looking forth of his little Window they demanded entrance as having some business of importance to communicate to Plutopenes and withall gave him some money which was currant at the same value with the servants that it was with the Master and was a generall key which open'd any lock of the house When they came almost to the Hall door Plutopenes alarm'd with the opening of his Gates came forth like one frighted with Thunder but seeing only a Woman and one man and having some servants in the house he made a shift so far to subdue his feares as to bid them come into his Hall where Urania began thus to accost him Sir said she I come not to beg any thing of you he was very glad of that but to repay you a Visit he had been as well pleas'd if she had said nothing and to inform you of what may make to your singular benefit I shall acquaint you with some particulars in which you suffer a great Dammage which no body doth reveal to you and give you some advice concerning the Improvement of your Estate At these words which he understood to speak Profit he lift up his 〈◊〉 and partly to show a little forc'd civility partly to
assigne his Tenants their parts and take to themselves only so much as they needed and he could well spare and of these measures they would be judges and so they began with their Spades to cast up little marks of Division They undertook this business more confidently because of some Dreames which one or two of them had concerning this Mode of Reformation by which they made their Neighbours believe that it was revealed to them and that as the Benefit of the Design was Universall so the Successe was out of Doubt Philapantas wondring at such a strange device of which he was inform'd by some of his Tenants made hast to know the bottom of the businesse As soon as he was come to this wild company he desired to talk with their Leader if they had any for that he had something to communicate unto him They not doubting but it was some Vision received him the more contentedly and brought him to one ononeirus who was made their Chief because he dream'd that he should lead them and having found that trick so serviceable made constant use of it to dream in the night what he would have done the next day They never daring to disobey what themselves had approv'd of for a Divine guidance though it was such as by which they might be made to do or suffer any thing Philapantas having ask'd him the Reason of their present Undertakings ononeirus hearing that word Reason was ready to have commanded his Myrmidons to slay him which of themselves they were willing enough to have done for they could not abide Reason neither but the fear of 〈◊〉 his attendants restraining his Zeal he answer'd that they had a Revelation for it of which he was not to receive an account Say you so quoth Philapantas If you have a Revelation concerning these Lands I am interested in it and therefore I do desire some assurance of the truth of your Allegation that I may warrant my obedience to it The matter which you are upon is of great moment and concerns so many besides your selves that you have need of a good Commission for what you do All that know God perceive him to be a lover of Righteousness and those which pretend Communion with him must be just Many Wise men who see you invade others Proprieties will fear that you are rather driven by the Disturber of mankind and instigated with covetous desires then inspired by God who hath no where given encouragement to make havock of the Interests of our Neighbours He hath commanded us to be content with our own though it be but little acknowledgeth the distinctions of poor and rich and hath call'd the taking away of other mens goods without their consent Theft He doth allow Propriety as a fountain of Charity and Nurse of civil Commerce and Industrie And although some men do neglect the duty of relieving others necessities with their superfluity and oppress the poor to inrich themselves yet this is not the way to reform the Remedy being manifestly worse then the Disease Then offering the assistance of his particular Charity as far as he should be able to supply those wants which might oppresse some of them he advis'd them to return to their Homes not doubting but many honest-minded people were seduced by the Delusions of cunning Hypocrites These last words made the slame break out which his whole Discourse kindled in their hearts and then without any warning they fell upon him with their Spades making their tooles instruments of war which they pretended to have brought for other uses But philapantas his Retinue soon chastised their folly and having kill'd ononeirus and a few more of them the rest vanish'd with his Dreames and left their Mattocks to dig graves for their Companions who were then content with a less share of Earth then before they had measured out This Mist being thus clear'd up we lived in great serenity for a good while till new clouds arose from the Covetousness of two envious Neighbours potent in Argentora who had a great desire to become possessors of other mens Estates though their own was too much for them especially because it gave them ability more effectually to disturb the Innocent One was a Gentleman call'd Forzario of a fierce Temper who us'd to satisfie his greedy mind with a lawless Force He would compell all those which held any thing of him to do whatsoever his surly disposition appointed and this produc'd a continuall Vexation to my Fathers Tenants He stop'd up the waies which led to their grounds if they lay among his pretending they were but granted upon sufferance to make them go two miles about for the quarter of one and if they offer'd to break his unjust Hedges they should be sure to be well beaten He would make his men drive our Tenants Cattell upon his grounds and then sue them for Trespassers and they not daring to go to Law with him were fain to compound with him and so obtain at unreasonable rates a forgiveness of those Trespasses which he himself committed It were insinite to speak of his Wickedness but one thing I may not omit which he did to day He arm'd divers of his Tenants which were most suitable to his wicked designs and made them burn down the house of an Excellent Lady which dwelt not very far off for no reason but that he had heard great reports of her Excellent Vertues especially Charity He is of a bloudy Temper naturally and trusts so much in his strength that he will fight with any one hath challeng'd many and kill'd some but by corruption of a great Courtier or two he saves his own most unworthy life The other was a Lady whose name is Inganna and she took another way more agreeable to her sex what he did by Force she effected by Fraud cheating the people with crafty Bargains counterfeit Deeds and Promises which she kept no longer then till she had opportunity to break them But in all her transactions she made such fair show of desiring to promote their good and got so far within them by their plain Credulity that they were never more perniciously hurt then when they thought their Welfare most secured The Tenants of these two vile persons made use of those unworthy wayes in their converse with others which they had not only learn'd from their Superiors but saw warranted by their greater Examples And when they could not secure themselves under one Landlord they would forthwith turn Tenants to the other and sometimes serv'd Forzario and sometimes were all for Inganna In fine the two Oppressours jealously emulating each others adherents a Marriage which I dare say was none of those which are made in Heaven was contrived between Forzario and Inganna which was speedily accomplish'd but to our unspeakable discomfort for now they began to try all the arts which Fraud united with Force can put in execution to work our ruine After many attempts made in vain
mischief to mankind then the raging Sea is to a Country when it hath broke through the guard of the Banks But well knowing how comfortless that Pity is which doth not relieve those of whom we have compassion he resolv'd to undertake the pursuite of Inganna and if he possibly might to take her once more or to hunt her so close as to drive her out of the Country and at least as he went along to undoe her works to undeceive the people and having tryed his utmost to hasten according to his promise towards Vanasembla That he might overtake the Fox before she had Earth'd her self he thought it was not amisse to send Hue and Crie after Inganna and that she might be more easily known one of Kalobulus his servants put into it this short Description of her Person and Manners If any chance to meet the famous Inganna lately broke loose from her Keeper let them take heed they be not cheated themselves and for the benefit of others bring her prisoner to the Castle of Haplotes where they will find a great reward for their paines She is known by these marks She hath such squint Eyes that none can tell which way she looks She hath two Tongues and a great faultring in her speech She is covered with a party-color'd Mantle which she changeth continually into divers fashions She often wears a Religious Mask and goes very seldom with naked Breasts but it is not for Modesty sake yet sometimes she doth She loves to walk in the night and is never without a dark Lanthorn In the day-time she may be seen in Tradesmens shops especially such as have half-lights She attends all sorts of Manufactures and teacheth Artificers to adulterate every second pattern of their works She frequents all places of Commerce for few bargains are made without her You will not fail of her where you see any take up great summs of money with an intention to break If you hear any man give another such Counsel as serves his own ends but hurts his friend that ask'd it no doubt he is one of her acquaintance There is no servant that hath learn'd to cheat his Master but is one of her Disciples If you meet any that complain of divulging their secrets or the denyall of money which they bad intrusted with a false friend they can tell you where she dwells If you find broken promises scatter'd upon the ground you may track her by them Be sure to enquire for her of such as speak with many protestations and forget not to search where you perceive great shows of Honesty So having sent a discreet messenger to raise the Beast which he purpos'd to Hunt in order to his design he declar'd his Resolutions to Erotocleus and Kalobulus and having given them thanks for the noble Courtesies with which they had entertain'd him he pray'd them to dismisse him with the same good Affection assuring them that whereever he should be he would never forget the Obligations which their Friendship had put upon him Whosoever had been present when Erotocleus and Kalobulus heard this unwelcome newes they might have seen in a lively Representation how hard a thing it is to Ingenuous Spirits to part with such a Friend whose singular Vertues have engag'd their Affections For they having plac'd Bentivolio in the most inward room of their Hearts when they saw that the time of his departure was come complain'd against the rigid Lawes of Place which confine us to such a narrow compass that many times we have not liberty to be where we most desire They resented a separation from Bentivolio not only as a streight Imprisonment but as a Cruell sort of Death But though by reason of their Passion they forgot that it is not by Chance but Design that Good men are disper's upon the Earth that like greater Stars mingled with smaller they may Illuminate and Adorne the ruder parts of the World yet when they recollected themselves they made use of their Philosophy and were Obedient to those Precepts which require us to preserve an Equality of Temper in all the Changes of our Life lest by repining when we are deprived of some Benefits which we formerly enjoy'd we take an unjust Occasion to neglect our Gratitude for having been happy so long And perceiving that Bentivolio's stay was burdensome where he thought his presence not so usefull they gave him a constrain'd leave to prosecute his own most noble Resolutions only Thrasymachus who could not so suddenly bear a Divorce from one whose Vertues had stollen away his heart had leave to accompany him so long as till Bentivolio should desire him to return Inganna kept on her former Course being entertain'd by some of her old Acquaintance where she remain'd undiscovered a great while and by her secret negotiations corrupted the Inhabitants of Argentora of which Bentivolio was forc'd as he went along to be sad a Witness As he and Thrasymachus were riding through the Woods with which that Country doth abound in a place where the Bushes were thick and tall they heard a dolefull cry which by reason of the feeble softness of it they guess'd to be the last breathings of some dying person Spurring forward as they were directed by that sad call they soon perceived a dismal occasion of such a lamentable sound which was a young Virgin in the hands of two cruell Murderers who were appointed for the Concernments of another to take away her life and hide her Body where it should be in vain for any to seek it Being come to a place which they judg'd meet for the purpose one of the Villains having base desires of another sort which he meant to satisfie first was attempting that dishonour which the Hangmen of Rome us'd to perform upon Virgins before they were executed because till then their Law permitted them not to be put to death The Lady was so enfeebled with crying and striving and fear that she was scarce able to defend her self any longer Bentivolio with a loud voice call'd to the Traitor saying Hold thy hands or I will cut them off At these words he being somewhat startled and forc'd at present to give an unwilling obedience without the least respect to one whom he judg'd much unworthy to speak after that manner to him resolv'd to make him eat them up again but a few blowes which he received made him very sensible of the folly of his thoughts though the death that went along with them made Repentance too late for him The other Villaine would have saved himself by flight but Thrasymachus pursuing him spoyl'd his running by a blow upon his right Leg. They preserv'd his life both that he might be a Witnesse of the Wrongs intended and a means to discover the Wicked Authors of such a barbarous Plot. The Gentleman who had appointed this Murder had ordered three Horsemen to follow at an undiscern'd distance to know whether the design took effect which they were to secure if
Son if the plot fail'd and she not discovered or for her self if she should happen to be reveal'd So doing Execution upon her self with this she prevented the Judges Sentence The Father was clear'd as to the murderous Plot only rebuk'd for a doting Credulity and ordered for a prevention of such other mischiefs as his Son had already suffered to settle his Estate upon him and to marry no more whil'st he lived Bentivolio interceded for Abulus because he was betrayed whom the young Gentleman also freely forgave Doulogynes was condemn'd to be put into a Sack with the companion of his treachery and to be thrown down from the Tower of the City into a great Lake which was before it Bentivolio having seen a good conclusion of a troublesome businesse and being now near the borders of Vanasembla his desires to meet his Friends grew vigorous much after the manner of Travailers who mend their pace when they come within sight of their wish'd Home But the Heat of the day having spent his spirits he was compell'd by wearinesse to make a small stay upon the way and spying a Rock out of whose side a Spring pour'd it self upon a broad Stone which with a continued Stream it had hollowed into the form of an Artificiall Cistern and kept it still full with liquid Crystall in stead of the stone which it had worn away and seeing a Poplar which invited him with a delectable shade he sate down and as he was considering the beauty of his solitary Retirement and giving thanks to the benigne Lord of the World who had by his mercifull Wisdom made so many comfortable Receptacles for the weary he was diverted by the sound of a Voice from the further side of the Rock so form'd that it was a lively Expression of Sorrow and Anger A Gentleman and his Wife great sharers in those sufferings which very few could escape in that unjust Country had by chance repos'd themselves in that place The Gentlewoman deeply affected with their present Calamity which was much encreas'd with a fresh remembrance of their former Happinesse and looking upon the Impunity of their Oppressours as a great scandall to the Divine Government she transcended the common affectionatenesse of her Sex and delivered the resentment of her own and others Afflictions in such unusuall Language that it did sufficiently declare that she was transported with extraordinary Passion Her Words were these O sluggish Earth canst thou bear the Vnrighteous with so much Patience Open thy mouth and swallow up the Wicked O dull Sea why dost thou not as of old break through thy Flood gates and drown the Vngodly Hide these sinners in your Ruins ye mighty Hills But these Rocks are deaf Fall down from Heaven thou Fire of God Where are you Hot Thunderbolts You mortall Plagues whereever you sleep awake and seise upon Hypocrites not worthy to be spared a minute longer Rise up you wildest of the Beasts and make your prey of such as are more Beasts then any that range in Forrests How slow they come Alas Alas O Horrible and generall Revolt of the Ingratefull and Cowardly Creation when none dare appear to revenge the wrong'd Creator O foolish Sun dost thou vouchsafe to shine and warm such as sin in defiance of Patience O Moon be thou turn'd into a Sea of Bloud and then fall down upon the Incorrigible Earth Ye fiery Stars poure out your most destructive influences upon such as sollicite punishment with the last proofes of extreme Disobedience But sinners must be confirm'd by Impunity when those which ought to inflict Punishment have joyn'd in their lewd Conspiracy O God! O God! There she ceas'd for her Husband interrupted her with a voice which was gentle in it self and carried such words as one would never have expected for an answer to the foregoing Exclamations which seem'd not only passionate but just He spoke thus Hold hold Nemesis Let none be so angry in Gods behalf It becoms him to be merciful and also to endure the Vnthankfull Must He strike just at those Minutes which Sinners point to with the follies of disobedience Feeble Woman He can bear with Fooles more easily it seems then thou canst consider it Those Vnrighteous people of whom thou dost complain have abus'd Goodness but that Goodnesse is not so impotent as to fly to immediate Revenge He takes not the forfeitures of carelesse debtors but will accept of payment though it come after the day when it is first due He will not ruine the Trespasser as soon as he hath given him Cause no though he have put Wilfulnesse into the offence if he break his heart with the consideration of his Vnworthinesse and seek Mercy with a chang'd soul. It becoms him to forgive who hath commanded others to do so and what He remits who shall require He knows when it is fit to punish the Impenitent and if they sin longer have they not suffered a great part of their Misery He will 〈◊〉 this Wicked World the Prosperity of the Vngodly hath its Period Before He end all things He will overcome the Evill spirit which now reigns All-powerfull Goodness and invincible Charity shall cast Force and Fraud into a bottomlesse pit but because He hath not a mind to do these things presently let us depart with silence Bentivolio discerning the Reasonablenesse of this Answer to have taken off all those Objections which disquieted his mind when he considered the vile state of Argentora dismiss'd his troublesome thoughts and was now only sollicitous how he might sind the nearest way to the Metropolis of Vanasembla THE SECOND BOOK OR PIACENZA URania having dismiss'd Bentivolio taking with her the most Vertuous Panaretus in whose company she had perfect confidence went the higher way which leads towards the pleasant Hills of Piacenza The fresh Breezes of healthfull Aire joyn'd with the pleasure of a most delectable Situation and the fertility of rich Fields assured them that the Country was call'd by a most proper name When they were come a few miles within the Borders Urania began to be oppress'd with such an extraordinary Drowsiness that she could very hardly keep her eyes open Whilst they wondred what should be the cause they spied the Grounds before them all covered with Opium which grew there in such plenty that it was sufficient to cast all the World into a dead sleep To keep themselves awake they were forc'd to mend their pace which soon brought them to the edge of a Plain from whence they might behold a City which was one of the most beautiful as they could guesse at that distance that ever they beheld That they might understand the Conditions of the People and furnish themselves the better for a wary Passage through the Country Urania desired Panaretus to goa little before to try what discovery he could make She repos'd her self in the mean-while under the covert of some broad Sycamores whither she appointed him to return to her Having sate down upon
chief instance of their Religion Upon a broad Table which was before the Chair they had plac'd abundance of Books which were fill'd with Definitions Divisions Restrictions Corollaries Irrefragabilities Quiddityes Entityes and Non-entityes with many more strange words I ask'd Amphisbeton what they did contain He said most learned Expositions of Hierographon and that he had heard men say that those which made them had gathered all the hard words out of it to expound the easie and put in some of their own more hard then any that they found there whereupon they were grown at last so obscure that he verily believed if those which wrote that book should rise from the dead they would not be able to understand them I ask'd him what they were good for He protested he could not tell but as far as he could guesse they were good for nothing but to make differences amongst honest men to puzzle Truth and to inable men in the opinion of the wise to talk extraordinary nonsense and to present words so subtiliz'd that they are past the understanding of their Auditors and that he had observ'd one strange quality in them which was that they did usually reflect such an amusement upon those that spoke them that they did not understand their own talk Sure then replyed I it was great pity that the AEgyptians of old wanted these Books they would have saved them the labour of inventing Hieroglyphicks for these uncouth forms of Speech would have sufficiently preserv'd their Mysteries from the contempt of Vulgar Understandings I ask'd him the use of those divers rowes of 〈◊〉 He said since that was the Room where the chief business of the House was managed they were appointed to receive the Citizens of Agazelus without whose grave deliberation nothing was determined though he had observ'd that after many dayes busily employed in serious debates and sometimes in hot contests for the most part their work was as far from a conclusion as at the beginning and that after a years Consultation matters were so ineffectually toss'd from one side to the other that they seem'd to weave Penelope's web and that from this fruitlesse issue of much toyle the House was called Mataeoponus Sure said Urania interrupting his discourse you make me think of a Mine in Amphilogia which is haunted with a company of busie Spirits which seem to resort thither with desire of employment and work with such diligence as if they had been hired for daily labourers The poor Miners at first were glad of such help for when they look'd upon them they seem'd to dig up their Ore to separate it from the Earth to melt it into usual form but when they were gone they found nothing done for all the great stir and show of Labour You could not have found a fitter Comparison said Ontagathus to have represented the busie Vanity of these idle attempts I remember that I stood once not far from the Door and a sudden knock made me turn about to know who it was that demanded entrance Sundry people of stern gravity came in and when two Ladies that were in the rear were about to enter Antilegon forbad them They were modest and would not intrude but quietly retir'd I whisper'd Antilegon in the eare to know their names and he told me one was call'd Alethea the other Charinda An ingenuous person of good note having taken notice of Antilegon's refusal to let them in made a complaint of the Incivility and said that disinterested people could not but suspect that some unworthy actions were to be perform'd amongst those who admitted many that would without doubt have been deservedly stopp'd both upon a scrutiny of Knowledg and Goodness and yet excluded two Ladies of known Wisdom and Exemplary Charity An angry man of the company replyed that Alethea might come in if she would he knew no body that desired her to be kept out and mov'd that she might be sent for The rest consenting to the motion Amphisbeton went for her She was utterly unwilling to go in without her sister Charinda and ask'd if she might not take her in I have no order for that said Amphisbeton but she may stay here a vvhile and see if you can procure her leave Go sister said Charinda I vvill expect your return vvhich I am affraid vvill be too speedy When she vvas enter'd they vvere in a hot dispute and though they had sent for her never took any notice of her coming so she stay'd in the crovvd vvithout any observance each Disputant eying his Opposite more then her though she vvas in the middle betvveen them and as the parties grevv vvarmer they jostled her from one side to the other after such a rude manner that her being there vvas little to her content And at length being troubled vvith their quarrelsomenesse and vvearied vvith noise she quitted the Room nobody so much as desiring her to stay By vvhich I perceiv'd that though they had sent for her in a Complement and pretended to desire nothing so much as her company yet that her room vvas as acceptable and that they vvere as much pleas'd vvith a disputation concerning her as the enjoyment of her presence She and Charinda vvalk'd together into the cool grove of Hesychia vvhich borders upon Theoprepia After she vvas gone they continued the noise rubbing their eares and talking vvith such eager loudnesse that it vvas hardly sufferable they vvere not ashamed to speak all at once though that Custom is so barbarous that it is despis'd by the vvild Indians yet having a good mind to see the end I held out supposing that such Violence vvould not last long As I look'd about I savv many little doors in the Wall of the Room much like to Sally-ports For what serve these said I good Antilegon You must know said he that these Doors are of great use for the more quiet departure of the Assembly for many times those who come in all together at that great Gate do so fall out before they have done talking that they will not go forth with such as came in with them and each having a private key to those little doors one goeth this way and another that Amongst other things I perceiv'd also that each party for the Agazelians were divided into many Factions had a Desk by themselves and a Scribe which attended diligently with pen and paper I guess'd it was because they did so highly value the discourses which were made that they would not permit any syllable of a word to be lost No said Antilegon each side makes use of these to note all the suspicious words of their opposite party and every saying that is capable of misconstruction that by these when they have put them together in a Satyrical Pasquil they may render the party odious against whose opinions they have entertain'd dislike For each side doth write as well as speak against another and this at such a rate that when they have once differ'd they
Imprudence do often besides their Time waste also their Estates in that most hurtful sort of Idleness they please themselves with expressing the Rules of Rhetorick in Masculine Orations and sometimes 〈◊〉 themselves with Musick and when they use their Voice they set good Notes to Moral and Historical Ditties and so practise Musick and Poetry both at once They neglect no Art that hath any Worth in it but they care not for Science falsly so call'd by what Title soever it be magnified of such Arts as make only for Pomp and serve Vanity they are not curious They esteem none learn'd for knowing a few odde words but such as are enrich'd with useful Notions They let alone the trifling niceties of Questionists because they have not yet learn'd what they are good for They condemn some mischievons Arts which are allow'd in other careless Nations as Divination by the Stars A Judicial Astrologer would be punish'd for a Cheater among them and they esteem his profession but a black Art Here Phronesia being almost tired and fearing lest her Auditors should be as weary of hearing as she was with speaking said I have so oft excus'd my tediousness that I have encreas'd my fault with Apologies but I must entreat your patience because you have set me a task which I could not finish sooner As they bestow a great care upon Youth that it may be fit to serve so they neglect not old Age because it hath done its work and therefore as part of their Reward they dispose their old people in a convenient house built with plenty of Rooms where they have company and all necessaries provided to alleviate the burden of their decrepit time and to prepare them for a better world In the same House they lodge their Sick where they have Diet Physick and Attendance proportion'd to their Distempers The Poor which are but few in Theoprepia because Rapine doth not dwell there are accommodated after such a sort that their Poverty doth not grieve them though they have nothing of their own they are so supplied by the Publick Charity discreetly managed that they are neither forc'd to steal nor die for hunger as they do in other Countries These offices of Love towards the Necessitous are perform'd with a great willingness because it is made a part of their Religion to comfort the Fatherless and relieve Wido wes in their affliction and to sympathize with those which are bound as if they were tied with them in the same cords of Adversity they count it also a base thing to afford only good Wishes to such as need those further assistances which they are able to allow As they are thus passionately affected with the Sufferings of Humanity not knowing how soon they may need some or all the Courtesies which they bestow so they are most punctual observers of those sacred Obligations which God hath laid upon men in Natural and Civil Relations This sort of Righteousness must needs be secure because that which is elsewhere perform'd by the necessity of Consanguinity is here the choice of Love Those Silver cords by which other Societies are tied together are here chang'd for golden chaines and multiplied to an inviolable strength The particular Vertues of every distinct Relation are so display'd in the Theoprepians practise that you would think their Conversation a Mirrour made only for their lively representation It were too long to name them The Prudence and Fidelity of Vigilant Magistrates the chearfull Submissions of Loyall Subjects the wise Deportment of Loving Husbands the modest Observance of Obedient Wives the indulgent Affections of Carefull Parents the ingenuous Gratitude of Dutifull Children the discreet Commands of Gentle Masters and the ready Performances of Willing Servants Such as are not related to each other in the foremention'd Respects are yet so much made one by their common Union that you would esteem their carriage not an expression of ordinary behaviour but rather a School where those Vertues which concern the general condition of Mankind were form'd by industry and design to give notice to learners to what height they may come Courtesie is natural and Kindness habitual They are abundantly Civil though regardless of those Ceremonies which are necessary complements to hide the Defects of true Love among other people Men having not so far put awav the remembrance of themselves but that in most places they keep on the Form of Humanity What is but a show otherwhere is Substance here declar'd in fewer words but more good deeds Simplicity is at the bottom of all their converse why should they hide their Hearts from such as love them or how can they make a show of what is not in their Hearts to such as they themselves love Friendship is at a high pitch Never was there a more noble Communion of Souls upon Earth Their Joyes must needs be doubled by the Good of others whose Calamities they reckon their own Love must needs be firm in its Nature and rais'd in its Worth where it is not soldred with Lust or base Interests Humility is in great Honour Why should such express Arrogance in word or deed who remember how unacceptable it is to themselves to be affronted and think none so worthy of honour as those which most willingly give it Covetousness is easily avoided where Want is not feared where Worth is not measur'd by the largeness or number of great Chests and where those which gain unduly make account that the more they oppress or circumvent into want the more they must relieve This Spirit like an all-soveraign Balsam frees them from those noisome Plagues which do ordinarily infest the Societies of men Hatred Envy bitter Zeal Malice Suspicion Cruelty Morosity Strife and Revenge How can they hate others who count all men their Brethren and have charg'd themselves with such a noble exposition of Love that they esteem it Hatred not to love them Envy hath no room with them for they see if it should it would be misplac'd upon such as either they themselves should have endeavoured to make happy or by whose happinesse they see their own Good promoted Bitter Zeal is contrary to their Temper for when it is most warm it is still sweet never stirr'd but with just Motives and ever accompanied with great Charity They hate Malice both because they will not be afflicted with such a scurvy Passion and because their endearment of their Neighbours welfare doth not permit them to think how to afflict him They are far removed from all Cruelty for they have forbidden themselves rash Anger They abandon all Morosity being so candid and affable that they have a peevish Sowreness in the same disgrace with sordid Flattery They are free from Suspicion ever believing that their Neighbour is good or hoping that he will be so and whilst they endeavour to make him better they know this is one means to cover and bear with his Infirmities They easily avoid Offence in their language and deportment
thy Footstool Earth the Sea Some drops from thy great Spring The chearful Day Glances from thy bright Eyes the Starry Night Takes from the Spangles of thy Vest its Light All Orders of Created Being say With different tongues thy praises as they may Whatever is or growes or useth Sense Reason embodied pure Intelligence Whatever swimms or creeps or goes or flies Doth when we blesse Thee eccho to the skies us be Thy Works will praise Thee whilst Thou makst At once we find our selves Great God and Thee Men And we poor Men through whose great fault the World Vnhing'd by sin was into Ruines hurl'd Curst because sinners have more cause then you Blest Angels as we can this work to do The Son of God made Man for us forlorn That we might live disdain'd not to be born And when our Staines requir'd a Holy flood He saw our need and wash'd us in His Blood Heaven is new open'd He hath made a Dore For all that do repent and sin no more He by his Love ended the dismall strife Hell's hope is frustrate Death 's the way to Life Which growes Immortall from the hallow'd Grave How can we chuse but sing when God will save For since He designs the ruin'd World to raise It is but just it should fall down in Praise Angells All Heavenly Powers do in Thy Praises meet Archangels throw their Crowns before Thy feet Men Old Patriarchs and Prophets bow before Thee Apostles and the Holy Church adore Thee Angells We offer praise because we kept our Place Men Because we are Restor'd we thank thy Grace Angells 'T is One great Sun whose Glory shines so bright In Heaven Men. And fills this lower world with Both By Thy blest Influence O Holy Dove Light Men Men are inspir'd Ang. And Angels taught to love CHORUS We blesse Thee God the Father of us all And celebrate the Worlds Originall The Heavens and Earth made and restor'd by Thee Joyne Praises in a gratefull Harmony Accept our thankfull Hymne though such poor laies Fall infinitely short of worthy Praise And since Great sourse of Being we can never Praise Thee enough we 'l sing and praise Thee ever After the Song was ended they spent the rest of the Afternoon in the spacious walks of a fair Garden and by various discourse made Theosebes bring forth those rich Treasuries of Divine Knowledg which he had laid into his Soul by frequent Meditations in the same place When the Evening began to spread her duskish wings they hasten'd to Phronesia's house and took Theosebes along with them When Supper was ended Nicomachus desired leave that he might propound two or three Questions to Theosebes which being chearfully granted he begun thus I have been told quoth he in Vanasembla that if one do but desire and entertain a purpose to go into your Country that he shall be carried thither immediately without any more adoe No quoth Theosebes all Forreigners must take the paines to travaile or else their Wishes and Resolutions will never bring them hither If I be not misinform'd your Experience will witness what I have said to be true you found not the passage free from all difficulty But the Borderers especially one call'd Hemicalus who though he dwells near unto us would never come among us hath rais'd many ridiculous and false tales concerning Theoprepia Others quoth Nicomachus say that you live a very Melancholick life in Eusebia They were never there which told you that quoth Theosebes you have seen the contrary They are unreasonable people who condemn such as they do not know We do not live discontentedly for then we should be miserable neither do we abandon Joy for so we should become Stones if we would live without the sense of humane things we should be forc'd to pull our Hearts out of our Bodies But we know that there is a sort of Masculine Pleasure which doth recreate and ennoble the Soul and we dare not sink our selves in the Voluptuousnesse of Sense lest we should stick fast in Mire as we have understood that they all do who will know no reasons or Delight but such as are derived from brutish Rellishes and dull correspondencies with the Worse part You take great paines for Knowledg quoth Nicomachus Is Wisdom so difficult or must you needs know every thing why do you do it Because we believe quoth Theosebes that God will not accept of Ignorance for a good Plea But they say quoth Nicomachus that your labour is never at an end There is good reason for that quoth Theosebes for our state consists in habitual Goodnesse and that is not to be attain'd without many Acts and besides this we seek a noble prize of our diligence Eternal Blessednesse Is that then quoth Nicomachus the great End of all your Industry Yes quoth Theosebes But methinks we need not doubt said Nicomachus but God will give us that although we should not strive so much for it because he knows that we are weak No said Theosebes we have no hope to make Imbecillity the refuge of Idlenesse since we find God is ready to help us to do all things that he requires of us But what need you be so careful every day said Nicomachus Because quoth Theosebes we shall be judg'd for every day But what need you do this more then others said Nicomachus Many do not trouble themselves so much Because we see said Theosebes that many are stupid and mind not their concernments and we have no such esteem of those whom we pity for their Errours as to make them exemplary to our selves Why quoth Nicomachus do you often vilifie the Interests of this world as they say you do Because quoth Theosebes we see them desert those who have courted them with most servile affections Since you have attain'd a great Perfection quoth Nicomachus why do you trouble your self any further Some think you are more burdensome to your self then you need to be To this Theosebes replied They which do but imperfectly understand their own condition cannot so well pronounce concerning others but I am assured that if I should slack my endeavours to grow better I should wax worse and so fall into a doubtful hope of Happiness and after that into a certain fear of Misery Those which resolve to sit down upon the Hill side will never reach the Top and if they fall asleep there peradventure they may tumble down again I despair of obtaining my End which I have told you but by Perseverance and I have no hope of that but by vigilant Care and constant Progressions There Nicomachus broke off his discourse praying pardon of the Company that he had continued it so long and by his speech occasion'd their silence and since it begun to be late Phronesia acquainted the Company that if they pleas'd she would waite upon them the next morning to the healthful Plaines of Sophrosyne and desired Theosebes to make them one more with his company The Noble Travailers
value Knowledg is in respect of Love we may perceive also by the Divine permissions which have given us leave to bestow it upon the meanest Creatures but Love is a hallow'd Faculty which he hath consecrated by reserving it for himself and is ever jealous lest any Idolatrous corrival should share with him in that facred Affection We have leave to know and use other things but not to love them except in such minute degrees that they may well think that we would rather make them believe that we do counterfeit an affection then love indeed Wherein God doth not only secure his own right but also expresses a great care of us because Love conteining the Virtue of Union if we should bestow it upon Creatures we should debase our selves by a conjunction with many things worse then our selves and so make our selves unmeet to be exalted into Union with God We have prophaned the Affection which was due to God by uniting it with every contemptible Object As by that which I said before concerning the Subserviency which Knowledg performs to Affection Love appear'd to be the Exaltation of Knowledg from which if it were separated it would be discarded by Mankind as a thing of no use or else mischievously applicable so lest any should think that Love is beholden to Knowledg for this service I will prevent that mistake for she is not only well rewarded for her labour but it doth so redound to the encrease of her own Interest that in the very way wherein she serves she is requited It s true a bare Knowledg doth give some small directions to the Love of God but the Divine Beauty of the Godhead is not clearly visible till Love have kindled a fire in the inamor'd heart The Light which shines from the flames of Love is like the noon-day beams Bright and Hot. This heavenly Fire doth shine with Vital light and with a potent heat doth dry up those fumes of Lust which would cast a cloud upon the eyes of the Soul Whosoever sees by any other light hath only some cold reflexion of wan Moon-beams upon glistring Snow Though he may brag of Knowledg he sees only with Owls eyes and if he talk must needs speak at random of that which he never saw but in the twilight He may make some Fancies proportionable to what he hath heard others say but is so devoid of the grounds of certain Knowledg for want of Experience that he doth but guesse at Heavenly things as blind men do at Colours By this Argument it is manifest that the Soul through Love ascends not higher into the ineffable Joyes of Heaven then into the Serenities of the Beatifick Vision and is as far from being in debt to Knowledg here below as he which payes his Creditor with Gold for Silver and that in greater weight then he receiv'd But why do I weary your Patience whilst I ballance Love with this Rival who is but its Harbinger and so though it goes before to the same place is but sent to provide Entertainment for another The Glory of this Vertue is better reveal'd if we consider the Noblenesse of its Descent accompanied with a correspondent Deportment Love is the Natural Child of Celestial Goodness and to produce it the God of Love vouchsafes to condescend to appear in the world not only cloth'd with the Essential Lustres of his Natural Beauty but also to superadd those adventitious Attractives of Bounty and Mercy proportion'd to the Wants and Miseries of our Condition The Divine Goodness designing our promotion chose this as the best Means to make us Happy and Good both at once For as God's Love brings his Goodness into view to produce our Love so when our Love is brought forth it becoms our Goodness As we must of necessity have continued miserable if God had not loved us so he permits us not to be happy but in loving him That God will be loved by such as we are is his great Condescension but that we love the Divine Goodness is the highest Exaltation of our Affections So that Heavenly Love being the Flower of the Reasonable Soul full blown and confirm'd in holy vigour by the same Goodness that produc'd it we may well think it the chief Faculty for which we should please our selves that we have receiv'd Souls Love is the Correspondent of Goodnesse for which God is pleas'd with himself Whilst the Best Good is the Parent and Object of our Love our Affections are made Divine and we led to Blessedness by a most pleasant way since in the Constitution of our Happiness Love is so great an Ingredient Thus Love is become that holy Ladder by which the Spirits of good men go and come between Heaven and Earth with reciprocal Motions Nothing comes from above that will rest long below The participations of this Spirit are like waters of Life deriv'd through invisible Channels from the great Sea filling the Hearts of men as so many little Springs but never forgetting the way home nor unmindful whence they came the overflowing Stream makes little Rivolets which never rest till they return into the bosome of the beloved Ocean I have often admired the noble Spirit of Love whilst I have seen how all that are possess'd with it it make way to God with an irresistible Vigour through all hindrances both carefully performing all services which are acceptable to him and for his Love despising all the glistring allurements of the flattering World and making use of a rare advantage which it hath in its own Nature for in Love all the Passions are seated as in their common Root it doth with it self offer up all the Affections of the Soul to God Taking constant Motives from the Generousness of its own Temper it doth that which none but Lovers can perform Where languid Souls enfeebled by the want of this assistance find impossibilities complain of impotency and make a stop it goes on and conquers with an invincible power It so passionately desires to please whom it loves that it doth not only such things as are required by Explicite Commands but never staying till it be bidden by words complies with the most secret notices of the Beloved's pleasure and doth whatsoever it thinks may please when it is perform'd whether it was commanded or no and having done all that it can counts nothing too hard to suffer and yet hath so poor an estimation of its own Merits that it doth not rate all that it hath done or can suffer at the value of one Smile from God As a Holy Lover sees that nothing can be added to the Greatness of the Divine Goodness which needs not what he can wish because it hath that already and infinitely more he is much pleas'd with the contemplation of such Perfections and makes proportionable Adorations and is conformably thankful since that Supreme Goodnesse would love or be loved by Him And whilst the Lover perceives that the Divine Goodness is only worthy of
thanks and Glory from Mankind unto which they have notwithstanding their Brags done so little good that they have left us unprovided of Supplies for our greatest Necessities They can try Gold and Silver and discover Counterfeit Jewels and make a Judgment upon such like Trifles but they are ignorant in that which should resolve our more concerning Doubts Which of them hath found out a Touchstone for Fidelity It is a poor Art which can neither make men good nor teach us to know those which are bad For want of this Skill and he spoke true though with a wrong Application we are apt to give Credit to those which endeavour to betray us and many times doubt when we have the greatest reason did we but know it to be assured I do not now begin to be acquainted with that Mutability which domineers in this lower World but it astonisheth my soul to experiment new mischief from such an unexpected Instrument Sure my Son doth think that God to be dead who made the Laws which injoyn Obedience to Children and Loyalty to Subjects and imagines vainly that some Devil Reigns in his stead who regards not such things But how can I believe Alethion to be so impious He hath acknowledg'd a Divine Authority by his long Obedience It may be for all that some violent Storm of evil Imaginations hath overcome his Vertue Who could have dream'd that any thoughts so wickedly potent could find Harbour in the Minds of the now-Apostate Angels as to make them fall at once from their Allegiance and Heaven As I am griev'd for thy 〈◊〉 so I pity thy folly Alethion Dost thou impotently long for a Crown Ah! thou dost not know how oft my Head hath been wearied with it Dost thou think it such a glorious Pleasure to govern others Alas Thou art Ignorant that the greatest Prince is but a Royal Slave and doth perpetually serve those whom be commands and is constantly rewarded with Fears and Jealousies so great that no private person is capable of them O poor Princes Happy indeed if they estimate their estate by the opinion of others but when they judge by what they feel they cannot find it so Crowns and Sceptres Purple Robes and all the other pompous Circumstances of Majesty are ever so much greater then the Substance that Kings find themselves Men still and that notwithstanding all those bright Glories which make their Outside shine to the dazeling of the Beholders Eyes it doth often lour and rain within Ignorant people would soon see that they have little cause to grudge their Obedience if they did but know what it is to endure the troublesome Care of Princes Here Anaxagathus changing his Tone delivered words with a more passionate Air and added But all this I could bear being but a common Lot incident to all Princely Fortunes but that my Son but that Alethion should endeavour to ascend the Throne by my Fall it is intolerable If wickedness grow according to this proportion it will be impossible that the world should subsist God must provide some other Earth and transport good men thither for this will be so overspread with Violence that they will not be able to find any quiet Habitation in it When Antitheus perceiv'd that the King had made a Pause knowing that it was his time to strike whilst the Iron was so hot he prayed the King to retire to his own Prudence and rather wisely to think what he ought to doe himself for the defence of his Interest then to complain so passionately of what was design'd against it by others and seasonably to stop that which was ill begun from taking any further Effect What then should I doe said Anaxagathus You may replied Antitheus immediately secure Alethion in one of your Castles remote from the City by which means you will discourage his Accomplices and gain time without danger to search to the bottom of his Design The King appoved his Advice and gave charge to Dogmapornes to carry Alethion to the Castle which was under his Command Dogmapornes not a little glad that their Plot had taken so far made haste and with a select Guard of his friends march'd presently to the Prince's Palace and having secured the Avenues of the House went in to deliver his Message with a countenance which did more become some friend who resented the Prince's Condition then him that was the principal cause of his Affliction When he had told the Prince that it was the King's pleasure that he should prepare himself to go to that Castle whereof he call'd himself at that time the unhappy Governour the Prince being of a Magnanimous Temper and taught by Prudence to receive without Amazement the most unexpected Events ask'd Dogmapornes what time was allow'd for preparation You must be gone presently answer'd Dogmapornes But may I not see my Father first said the Prince No replied Dogmapornes the King is much 〈◊〉 and charg'd me upon my Life to see his Command answer'd with present Obedience I will perform it by God's help said the Prince for how much soever he is mistaken in the Cause of his Anger I will embrace the Effects of it with Patience adding But Dogmapornes do you not guesse the occasion of this sudden Order No said Dogmapornes for being hastily sent upon this unacceptable Errand I only heard some of those which stood by talk of a Letter which being intercepted reveal'd something of a Design against the King in which I suppose that they imagined that you are interess'd Though the Prince could not divine what they meant by the Letter yet he saw plainly that some had abus'd the King and did endeavour to ruine himself whereupon his thoughts concerning this Affair gave themselves breath in these words Proud Errour Will no other lodging serve thee but the Breasts of Kings Is it not Victory enough to abuse all the Inferiour World with mistakes unless thou dost also shew the malicious power of Triumphant Lies in the Ruine of Innocent Princes How hard is it for Kings not to be deceived who are forc'd to see with other mens Eyes or to use such colour'd Spectacles as they are pleas'd to provide for them who never meant that they should have a true sight of things Modest Truth which is alwayes Generous and had rather be banish'd then intrude where she is sure not to be welcome doth so rarely appear in Courts that Princes are fain to disguise themselves sometimes to get into her Company Flatterers are so unhappily cunning that they can make Falshood pass currently for Truth and represent Truth so disadvantageously that it is disbeliev'd and make honest men disfavoured as the Prince's Enemies It were happy for my Father if those which attend his Person lov'd his Interest but I am afraid be is inviron'd with Sycophants and that those which wish him well dare not save him from the prejudice of Misinformation lest they lose themselves in the plausibility of Falshood I have great
of some that have risen from the Dead put them many times into such agonies that they would be glad to be assured of their Annihilation after this Life When they venture to think seriously which they dare but seldom doe they have such an unacceptable remembrance of what they have been and so much assurance that if there be any happiness afterward they shall have no share in it that to comfort themselves they vote That there is nothing after this Life These suffrages signifie indeed their strong desires but are no Arguments of a true Opinion concerning the Future state but that uneasie Temper of Soul which makes them wish so proves what I assert That they are not happy at present It may be this is true replied Apronaeus and if it be I confess that those whom you call Wicked are very unhappy yet it seems still a kind of slur to that Government you speak of that if they deserve that Punishment they have it not sooner It is something which you say of the former sorts of Tormeut which you have mention'd but they are invisible and so little notice is taken of them by others but if they were hurried to Execution as soon as they sin it would strike a Terrour upon By-standers but since Vengeance is so long in coming they are incourag'd to sin by delay Good mens Hopes are weaken'd and they are ready to say If God neglect his servants why should they worship him Justice is blasphem'd and the Force of Law enervated If some happen to be struck sooner it is but as Thunderbolts fall by chance And who can imagine but they do for they often cleave a gallant Oak and sometimes tear an useful Sail or kill a harmless Traveller when those which sin boldly arrive at gray Haires without any considerable Misfortune and in appearance die peaceably Poor Apronaeus said the Prince smiling what slight devices art thou constrain'd to use to support a false plea Must there be no Providence unless those which sin be presently Condemn'd and immediately Executed Those which sin are alwayes Condemn'd and God is so merciful that he thinks it punishment enough that for a while they carry their heavy crosses to which you would have them presently nail'd He is 〈◊〉 Gracious that he doth usually respite their irreversible Doom in expectation of Amendment and so both saves sinners and teacheth those which look on to imitate his merciful Example Those which have deserved the blow fear that he will strike too soon and shall any be weary of the Divine Patience which comforts others because they love to see sinners fall I must also tell you Apronaeus that he is not so gentle as to neglect Justice God doth make Examples enough in every Age to let all the World see their danger and though some be spar'd that deserve present Punishment it is both a Glory to his Forgiveness that some of those which escape Repent and if he let many go in 〈◊〉 of their Emendation may he not as well and much better doe it then a General decimate his Regiments for a Mutiny of which they are all guilty God is not endamag'd by delay those which continue their Rebellion can never get out of his reach he is not willing to dispeople the Earth by sudden Executions But because men are apt by long Impunity to imagine that either they are not obnoxious or that none regards what they doe God many times is forc'd to confute their Imaginations by Great Plagues Pining Famine Cruel Wars to unburthen the Earth of its wicked Load and takes away such as had too long oppress'd Vertue and supported Wickedness with the most vile Examples by which means he shews both how unreasonable Sinners are whom no forbearance will reclaim and how just he is when he useth severity because those which suffer it sinn'd so long against one that was loath to punish and by his Punishments asserts his Providence By some words which you have deliver'd you seem to be willing to think Apronaeus that God doth not manage his Justice with Prudence because he doth not inflict all Mulcts upon the persons of sinners But must this piece of his Goodness also be made an Argument against his Providence and shall we think he doth punish by chance because he is mercifully Just Was it not esteem'd a Favour to the Persians when their Emperour commanded only their Turbans to be beaten Did the World use to grumble at the Charge of their Sacrifices when God requir'd only a Beast for a Man But I spare to urge this any further because those which are ready to sink must be permitted to catch at Reeds Here Apronaeus made such a pause as signified that he had no mind to proceed any further but Diaporon craving leave to continue the Discourse added I have so great satisfaction most Excellent Prince in your Answers to the Objections which Apronaeus hath made that I have nothing to renew a Reply yet other things which he hath not quoted disturb my belief in this Point For if God be Almightily Good and Rule this World by an unerring Prudence how came this Unlucky thing Sin which 〈◊〉 so much trouble into it You say it is Evil and assert that nothing but Good comes from God whence is it then What did some envious Anti-God put this flaw upon his Work There is no Question replied the Prince but Sin is Evil for nothing else doth properly deserve that name and it is as indubitable that the most good God is not the Author of it and yet to defend his Honour we need not run to that old Fable of Oromasdes and Arimanius whom the Ancients not knowing how otherwise to answer the Question concerning the Original of Evil set up as two Gods and made one the Author of Good and the other of Evil for this matter is determinable by ascribing Evil to its proper Cause which will clear the doubt and reflect no disparagement upon the All-Good God Men brought in Evil by the foolish abuse of that Free-will which God had given them It is the Glory of the Creatour that he could make such a Noble Automaton as Man who moves spontaneously and according to an innate Liberty of Election determines himself to his Actions He put this Liberty into the hands of an Intelligent Creature whom he both made able to know that which is Good and fitted his Nature to the Love of it He made it so much his Interest to be Obedient that he promis'd him great Rewards for doing small Duties unto the performance of which he gave him sufficient Assistance He told him wherein Evil consisted forewarn'd him of its mischievous Nature forbad him to introduce it and by a most rightful Authority threaten'd him severely if he transgress'd the Orders which he had receiv'd But Man by a perverse abuse of his Freedom chuseth that which is worse will not take pains to distinguish that which is truly Good from that which is
Teeth you have Hands and Eyes can you not look to your self What would you never go alone Child You are troubled that you have not a perpetual Keeper assign'd to you This is a foolish objection God hath made Day in vain for such as are offended with the Light of the Sun and laid Rewards to small purpose before such as hate Action and we must needs think that all those do whom every trifling Accident tempts to be Idle When the Prince had said these words he left his Chair and walk'd up and down the Room but perceiving a melancholy in Diaporon's Countenance he ask'd him if he was troubled with any thing which was spoken No Excellent Prince replied Diaporon but I have some scruples yet from which if it were not uncivil I should be glad to be delivered by your gentle hands Propound them then said the Prince and we will discourse walking Then Diaporon proceeded thus I should acquiesce in the Reasons which you have alleged concerning the state of Vertue and Vice but that I am told there is no such Liberty as you have mention'd in that all things are moved by the Laws of an Invincible Necessity and that all Causes are chain'd to their Effects by such a Fatal Connexion that no Election Wit or Power can break the least Link which if it be true your fair Discourse concerning Choice is but a pleasant Imposture Particularly they say That we are made in our Natures what we are and determin'd in our Actions to what we doe by the Influences of the Stars from which also by an inevitable Order we are to expect our Condition of Life for all the time that we are in Being The Prince replied To resolve the first part of your Objection Diaporon I would have you to consider whether it be likely that Men are no more Authors of their Actions then those Automata which are mov'd with springs of Steel or whether we do no more deserve blame for Irregular Actions then a Watch ought to be beaten when it goes wrong When men live Vertuously are they no more to be prais'd then the Tools of an Artist which have been imploy'd in making an excellent Machine Did the Hellespont deserve as much to be whipt for breaking the Ships of Xerxes as a Parricide to suffer Death for Murthering his Father Or was it as rationall in that proud Persian to write Letters to Mount Athos as for Atossa to have reprov'd her Son for that Folly What difference can there be between any of the foremention'd Instances if all things be tied by the Laws of invincible Destiny and are extrinsecally determin'd to all their Actions Those who can swallow such Absurdities need make no scruple of throwing Vertue and Vice out of the World and indeed by entertaining the foresaid Opinions they are oblig'd to doe it But God forbid Diaporon that you should engage in such monstrous wickednesse Let me tell you also added the Prince that what you said concerning the Stars is most extravagant If you can imagine such Fancies to be Credible you are prepar'd to believe all those Ridiculous Fables which idle Dreamers have reported concerning the Stars These pretenders to new Principles of knowledge which scorn the old because they did not invent them and it may be because their necessary Consequences are altogether unacceptable to their debauch'd Humour would have us think that by the Motions of the Heavens and various Circumrotations of the Stars a Matter was generated at first which being spred and sown in the Earth gave a Being to Men. A story of the same Credibility with Lucian's Dendritae and may pass in the same Rank with the Fable of Deucalion and Pyrrha If by these omnipotent Influences men became Rational Creatures I suppose some piercing Effluxes which proceeded from the Bull 's Horns boar'd their heads with two holes before and one of each side that they might hear and peep through them and that their Masculine irradiations make Boys as the Feminine do Girles To what other Cause should we ascribe the Difference of Sexes I guess also that from some extraordinary Illapses their Rival Fortune-tellers the Gypsies took their Original But which will they say Diaporon that these potent Stars produce these admirable effects Ignorantly or Knowingly If they doe it Ignorantly we must suppose that they run round like blind Horses tied to a Mill-wheel But for Honour sake I suppose they will say that they doe it Knowingly and so every Star is an understanding person and it is no great boldness to affirm that for some old doting Nations made them Gods and bestow'd as it was fit divine Worship upon them as they did also upon every Earthly Being which was beneficial to them committing not only stupid Idolatry but ingrateful Sacrilege for they robb'd the Master of his Honour to give it to his Vassals We may now easily imagine what other rare feats these knowing Stars do perform Certainly the Sun and Moon no mean persons have excellent Discourses when they talk together in their Conjunctions The Turks those grand Masters of Learning have inform'd us that they lie together in the Eclipses and beget Stars A fair solution of the Phaenomenon of new Stars which are sometimes observ'd by Astronomers The Sun is Hot and therefore every Night goes to bed in the cool waters of the Atlantick Ocean and makes oblique Motions toward the Tropicks to refresh himself at the Fountains of Cold the Poles and by his nearer approches visits one of them in Summer and the other in Winter left they should take his too-long absence unkindly for they are very sensible especially of Civilities It is very likely that the Moon is the Sun's Wife and that with his leave she doth sometimes officiously supply his absence in the Night left the darken'd Hemisphere should fall out with her Husband It would trouble us to guesse what these living Creatures do feed upon for they must needs be hungry and thirsty but that we may remember that the Earth and Sea not unthankful for the daily Courtefies which they receive from them do continually exhale Tributary Vapours to keep their Benefactours alive These are the Great Princes which domineer over this lower World who by the Sidereal Influences which are sent down from their high and mighty Powers do raise Humane Spirits and Affairs as easily as the full Moon swells a Cat 's Eyes These Potentates dwell in those magnificent Houses which Judicial Astrologers have built for them founded not much unlike to Castles in the Air. Without question they have an excellent Polity among them and the Greater Powers give order to those which are Inferiour who dare not be disobedient to them whatsoever it costs them It is manifest in that poor Diana lost her Temple which was burnt at Ephesus that night when Alexander was born because she was sent by order of some higher Intelligence to be Olympia's Midwife These sensible Stars may well be those Wheels upon which
observ'd how variously this sort of men use their Wit to excogitate devices by which they may cast dis-respect upon God whilst some deny his Being and others disallow his Providence some say that God is a Benefactour to us in that possibly he governs the World though he did not make it only orders things which had an eternal Existence from themselves Those which have read the story of Vaninus know how little Atheists desire to be believed when they speak any thing in favour of God This new Notion is no great favour I confess but it is the less because it is incredible How shall God obtain such a Dominion over that which he did not make It was either given to him or lent or else he took it by force or bought it or it was pawn'd to him He came to it by Succession or Right of Occupancy or possibly was hired to govern it for some other But these are such Impious Vanities Diaporon that we cannot imagine they were design'd to any other purpose but to deprive God of all Title to Creation or Government But Epicurus knowing it was a slur upon the Divine Prudence if God being acknowledg'd to have made the World should have left it without Government bestow'd the honour of Creation upon Democritus his Atoms by which he hath sufficiently discover'd what he esteem'd to be the Cause of all things and though it was Glory enough to his Mock-God to confesse jocularly the Excellency of his Divine Being and look'd upon it as no small Courtesie that he exempted his Delicacy from the care of any thing but Pleasure pretending as you say that the Government of the World is a thing below the Divine Majesty or too troublesome to his Happiness These two Allegations might signifie something more then they do Diaporon if we did not know that Ingenious persons want not various pretences to dismiss that Company with which they are not pleas'd Why should it be below a God to Govern the World Is it not worthy of a Creatour to overlook those things which he hath made The Creation was not unworthy of God and it is no less becoming him to preserve then to make You may as well say that it is below God to be Good as to say that he is above a Charitable Regard to his Creatures The most Benign Father of the Creation doth not abandon the Orphan World to the careless disposal of blind Chance or to be commanded by the savage Passions and turbulent Humours of exorbitant men who would soon make it unhabitable to those who are most worthy to live in it nor doth he despise their Concernments in it but doth find reasons for his continued Care in his own innate Goodness The Corporeal World is not contemptible for it is a visible Image of the Divine Perfections and whilst God doth order all affairs in it by his Almighty Wisdom he doth illustrate that Glass from which his Glories are reflected That goodly Machine the Universe the regular Motions of the Heavens the Vicissitudes of Seasons the alternate Mutation of Bodies the safety of the whole System notwithstanding the rude Clashings of turbulent Matter and the Symmetry of all the parts preserv'd intire notwithstanding the frequent concurses of contrary Principles shew not only the power and presence of a Great Mind but assure us that God pleaseth himself to take care of his Works Because Goodness is essential to God he is not wearied with Ingratitude he makes his Sun to shine upon Atheists That which was Courtesie at first to the Ignorant continues till it grow Mercy to the Unthankful Selfish Spirits are unacquainted with this Divine perfection and think all labour lost which is bestow'd upon the Good of others and being indigent Souls stand in need of all that they can doe for themselves But God is inexhaustible in his Sufficiency and infinite in his Good will and can supply the Necessities of all his Creatures expecting no return but what is their Benefit which give it Why should men phansie this employment below God For as none is so stupid as not to acknowledge many of his Greater Works to be Excellent that is Products of great Skill and vast Power so those which are but small in bulk testifie as much Art and are valued proportionably by such as have judgment in things and they are convinc'd that it was more then a little Skill that made them since their Composition is so Mysterious that it requires a great knowledge to understand it That many things which seem but mean have no excellent Uses because the Ignorant know not what they are is no more just a Consequence then that a Lute is only fit to carry Ashes because a poor Woman doth so mis-employ that rare Utensil sometimes for want of a Dust-barrel Those Imperfect pieces of the Creation that is which are so esteem'd by undiscerning persons could no more have been spar'd then little pins can be rejected which hold together the Frame of a curious Watch. It may be we think some things little because we have conceived our selves to be greater then we are All things are but small if we compare them with God's Being but to say that any thing is too little for his Care is to reproch him for labour ill bestow'd in the making of it But whereas you say it is Civil to exempt the Divine Majesty from an Employment so troublesome to his Happiness It is an Officiousness so far from Civility that it is the greatest Dishonour imaginable and shews with what mean Conceptions they have bounded the Divine Power which speak such poor words concerning it God is an omnipresent Goodness piercing through all things with his powerful Wisdom with more facility then the Sun can dart Light and Heat through the Air Water and Earth A Man which is no great thing can govern a Ship amongst raging waves can guide a Chariot drawn by fierce Horses can rule an Army consisting of vast Multitudes of valiant Souldiers and by the assistance of a little borrow'd prudence can manage the Affairs of many Kingdoms and wrap up their principal Concernments in a few thoughts And shall not he which made Man doe much with Ease as well as he can doe a little with Trouble Cannot he accomplish his Designs without any disturbance when his Creature only fails for want of Skill or Power to force the Spirits of those whom he doth govern into Obedience God needs not to send Scouts into forein Parts for Intelligence he wants to help to obstruct the Machinations of his Enemies he can make them destroy one another He is not distracted with cares he never suffer'd any Disappointment He dwells in the midst of a serene Light and sees all things at one view and with a powerfull Hand keeps an indisturb'd Order in his Affairs This is the Reason of that perfect Consort which is between the Parts of the Creation and his Government is no more interrupted by some Accidents
head which was so far effectual as to astonish him for a while but withall broke his sword and as Diaporon recovering himself was aiming a thrust which would have ended the controversie if it had been prosecuted the Prince hoping by Trisanor to understand the Affairs of Polistherion commanded him to hold his hand whereupon Diaporon riding close up to him 〈◊〉 him out of his saddle which being perceiv'd by the rest who were four they fled taking the way which leads to Misopseudes house This Storm being thus blown over the Prince gave the Charriot to be driven by the Messenger whose Life he had spar'd who had seiz'd upon the Horses which perceiving themselves destitute of a Guide began to run wildly up and down the Field They had advanc'd but a little way in their intended Journey but they were forc'd to return again to their postures of Defence and put themselves in order for a new encounter perceiving six arm'd Horsemen to make all possible haste towards them whom they suppos'd to come to secure the Captivity of Misopseudes They were only some of Misopseudes his kinsmen whom his Lady had procur'd to endeavour the Redemption of her Husband and as they were going to Charge each other both found themselves happily mistaken Misopseudes led the Party and though they were his friends they also suppos'd that they saw him but being much distracted between Wonder and Joy could neither tell what to say or doe till Misopseudes imagining what doubts possessed their Minds resolv'd them by crying aloud Alight alight my true friends your love to me is infinitely 〈◊〉 you doe not receive me but our Prince These words were such an Addition to the former unexpected Happiness that they began to think that they were asleep and therefore put these strange things together in a Dream which could never be enjoy'd waking However having the use of their Eyes and the Prince doing them the Favour to pull off his Vizard they threw themselves from their Horses and ran to perform their Homage The Prince gave them his hand to kiss but not without Tears for he could not conceal the sentiments which he found in his Soul of those Affections which his Friends had for him in his extreme Adversity Amongst all these clashes of various occurrences one thing fell out happily for Misopseudes his friends kill'd all Trisanor's Souldiers that fled except one whom they took prisoner by which means the Prince had a more safe opportunity to escape out of the Power of their Enemies The Prince having now a little more leisure was willing as he rode along to acquaint Misopseudes and his Companions with the manner of his escape from the Castle of Dogmapornes and was going to express to them the Obligations which he had from Apronaeus and Diaporon but the deep Impressions of dutiful Love which were fix'd in his Soul for the King his Father made him first call for Trisanor by whom he hoped to be inform'd concerning the state of his Father the Court and Kingdom Trisanor was now grown so near unto Death with loss of Bloud by reason of many wounds that he could scarce speak and only said with a low voice Anaxagathus is dead and Antitheus is proclaim'd King This News as an unexpected Allay took off the lushious Relish of their late good Fortune Though they did not fully believe what Trisanor reported yet they had but too many reasons to cause them to believe the truth of that which he said besides this that Bad news is seldom false The Prince's Faith was stronger in this point then that of his Companions and his passion prevail'd so proportionally that he was forc'd to give it leave to exhale it self in this exclamation How unserene are all the Joyes which we possesse upon Earth Certainly mortal men are uncapable of pure pleasures How is every grain of Contentment which we are allow'd in this World blended with a much greater quantity of Sorrow There is no time so proper for us to expect Affliction as that wherein we think our selves most secur'd against it We have no confirm'd Peace but only a short Truce made with Adversity and that never well kept for our escape from one mischief is but a short delay that another makes which is design'd to overtake us But to what purpose do I speak after this manner we must not refuse what God presents and since we are yet uncertain what his pleasure is let us placidly await it Misopseudes perceiving that the Prince had ended his Discourse continued a Reflexion upon their present estate after this manner The afflictive sense which I have of the Condition of Theriagene cannot equal Yours most Excellent Prince my presumption is not so bold as to come near such a great Comparison but it gives precedence to none else for as my Obligations urge it as the highest Duty which is now possible so that knowledge which I have of the effects which must needs ensue upon this strange conjunction of unlucky Accidents doth awaken whatsoever I possesse of pious Affection But as I am fortified against what may happen with that magnanimity by which your self most concern'd in these Dangers makes your Courage exemplary so I find all reason to hope when I consider the strength of those Principles upon which your Felicity was alwayes founded Who hath not observ'd that in Extraordinary Cases the Design of Providence is laid so intricately that we may have just occasion to wonder but none to doubt It is to me a sufficient Argument that an Almighty Knowledge attends the Concernments of Good men because though they are frequently permitted to come near those Pits which their Adversaries have prepar'd for them yet they seldom fall into them There are two States in the World Good and Bad and when that which is worse hath cunningly contriv'd the destruction of Vertuous persons whose multiplication is the Welfare of the World and is assisted in this most unworthy Attempt by vast numbers of those who are sworn Vassals to Wickedness it is a great Testimony of the over-ruling Power of Supreme Goodness that it is able to make their Designs abortive when the distance is but small between the Contrivance and the Execution We thought most Dear Prince that your Life and your Friends Interest in Theriagene must needs be blown up when a Train was so privately laid against it and so many hands ready to give Fire to it but by our mistake we gain this Assurance That when good men are not successful it is not because God is defective in his Care or wants Ability to assist them or when the Designs which are made against them take effect in part it is not because he could not have frustrated them totally but because he gives ground for a time as prudent Commanders make their men retreat with a seeming Flight that they may make way for the employment of their Ambush and then by a more complete overthrow destroy the vain hopes of
to sit at his 〈◊〉 with the lowest Reverence and receive his Doctrines as the indisputable Commands of a Catholick Dictator in Knowledge and yield Obedience to his Precepts as proceeding from the great Father of all Art He wonders that the Ignorant Nations do not flock to him being the Infallible Oracle by whom Nature is at last pleas'd to speak and doth often say That though the present rebellious Age doth not perform their duty yet he makes no doubt but after-times will understand themselves better and deploring their long Ignorance expunge out of their Souls those Erroneous Principles by which before they misguided their Actions and keep an anniversary Festival as a solemn Commemoration of him the Redeemer of Knowledge He esteems all Books Ancient and Modern except two or three of his own but Rhapsodies of such insignificant words as Mountebanks deliver upon their Stages and compares those which reade them to the dull Multitude which is abus'd with their impertinent Medicines He is much displeas'd that the Ancients were born before him and by way of revenge will sometimes say that Pythagoras Plato Aristotle Hippocrates Plotin Simplicius and the rest of that Rank are but the Names of doting Fools whom the World hath sillily admired and that Epicurus and it may be one more lived till they began to know something but not much which also by the Malice of Time and the Ignorance of latter Ages is almost lost but that He hath taken the Ashes of buried Knowledge out of their Urns and to the joy and wonder of men hath made it live again It is a great part of his ordinary Discourse to reproch the Neotericks and then he makes use of such a scornful Carriage as if he were switching one of his Lacquaies with a Riding-rod and will protest that those who do not confess that they have learn'd whatsoever they know from him are proud and ingrateful Dunces yet sometimes in a better humour he will express a pity for such as do not believe his Opinions because none can understand his Books but himself He esteems Schools the Nests of purblind Owls where nothing is learn'd but Ignorance and says that the Universities cure the Imperfections of their Disciples after no other manner but as Tinkers mend pots It may be you will laugh if I should tell you what he said not long since to one of his Confidents Nature hath made me her privy-Councellour and done me the Honour to see her undress'd a favour bestow'd upon none but my self She hath led me through all her Territories and being not a little proud of my Company talk'd with me all the way and resolv'd me all Questions in Natural Philosophy Divinity the Doctrine of Manners and Rules of Civil Government hath intrusted me with the Key of her Secrets She hath shewn me the Pillars upon which Truth is founded and expos'd to my view the essential Connexions of all things She hath conducted me with a dark Lantern through the Subterranean Labyrinths of this Earthen Globe and let me see those hidden Floud-gates by which the Sea steals into the under-ground Rivers as also the back-stairs by which they climb up to the tops of Hills where they make Springs She hath led me into the entrails of the deepest Mines and shewn me the great Caldrons where Earth is refin'd by Subterranean Fires She hath walk'd with me through the greatest Seas and acquainted me with the whole Nation of Fishes and leading me round the outward part of the Earth hath discover'd to me the nature of all things which appear upon the surface of that Globe hath shewn me the various contextures of different Atoms into several forms of Being and let me see those strange figures by which the little particles hang together which other men have not as yet heard named She hath told me why it was impossible for some things to grow and how some came to have Sense and why others are honour'd with Reason the highest of all Bodily Faculties After this she carried me through the Air and acquainted me with all its various Modifications taught me the doctrine of Vapours by Experiments let me stand by whilst she gave fire to Thunder dissolv'd congeal'd Clouds and squeez'd thick moisture into Rain Here we sate down upon a Rainbow and she resolv'd all difficulties that arise from the Nature of Matter told me what Light is and how Colours are produc'd and answer'd all Questions that concern Motion Then she transported me into the AEthereal Regions and shew'd me the Motion of every Orb without those Artificial Spheres which ordinary Mortals are fain to use and that to small purpose She gave me the proper names of the Stars in a Book and a Catalogue of their distinct Qualities by which means I can tell the true nature of every particular Influence At last she let me see the utmost Wall by which the World is inclos'd Here Bentivolio making an interruption to the Discourse said smiling I thought Philalethes that you would have told us among other things that Antitheus was Complemented by all the Signs in the Zodiack as he rode through the Heavens upon the back of the stately Asse Alborach and that as he was passing by the Lunar Orb the Moon over-joy'd to see this new Endymion crept into his sleeves to embrace him and went out in two pieces at his Neck and that he by the great Skill which Nature had then taught him souldred it together again in requital of so great a Civility But to be more serious Pray good Philalethes acquaint us with some of those deep Mysteries which he pretends to have learn'd by such a miraculous Method I know not yet what he hath perform'd replied Philalethes but he brags that the Civil World was not known till he discover'd it having descended from the Mountains of Light and that the Principles of true Policy are no older then his Books that he hath rectified the Notion of Religion to the unspeakable Benefit of the World that there is nothing worth Observation in the Mathematicks which is not entirely due to him that he hath reform'd the whole System of Natural Philosophy and so perfectly discover'd the Impostures of Ethicks that he hath prov'd the Doctrine of Vertue and Vice to be a mere Fiction by a new way of Reasoning which he hath invented in short that he hath so advanc'd Mechanical Skill that the best Artists esteem it their happinesse to become his Apprentices I beseech you Philalethes said Bentivolio what hath he reveal'd concerning Divinity I can more easily give you an accompt of his words replied Philalethes then tell you what he would have us believe to be his meaning for at different times he doth express himself in such contrary Language that it is difficult to suppose that he hath any resolv'd thoughts concerning God This Great Phoebus looks at all his Dictates as Oracles but they are useless to manking till some other Apollo rise up to unriddle them
resolve those Questions which are propounded to them I suppose Roger Bacon's Brazen head was some such thing By this Art the Brachmans whom we must not think to have been Magicians made Boys of Brass which serv'd in their Meat and fill'd Wine to the Table when they entertain'd Apollonius It may be that by a Resemblance of this rare Philosophy the Laplanders make Iron Frogs which hop upon a little Drum whose Head is fill'd with many barbarous Characters drawn with bloud and as they rest upon different Figures enable those which look upon them to divine concerning Wind and Weather and direct them concerning Fishing and Hunting Why may not the Laplanders fansy some of the Figures in 〈◊〉 Zodiack to be Frogs as easily as others can see Fishes there Who knows but the Piper of Halberstade was of this Profession and had some Talismans in his Pocket when he drove the Rats into the River and the Boys into the Hill Thus Nectanabo a glorious Instance of this Heavenly Skill made Ships of Wax no doubt under the Influences of Argo and then drown'd them by which means he sunk those of his Enemies as Witches make Images of wax under some Malignant Aspect and then prick them with Pins or melt them when they would afflict or destroy those persons which are represented by them As Experience doth manifest the Truth of these Effects so he says the Reason is evident from the Nature of Resemblance which draws the Power of the Stars to Bodies which are imprinted with like Figures to themselves imagining vainly that because some Inanimate things do bear the Images of others that have Life that the Figure doth both form the Matter because Toads are sometimes found in the midst of a firm stone and give it Operation because Plants are sometimes Medicinal to that Member of Humane Bodies which they resemble not considering that those small particles of Matter which have a Vegetative Power are also endued with a plastick Virtue by which they form themselves into those Figures which are suitable to their Natures So the Seminal Atoms which are preserv'd in the Ashes of a Rose in a Glass are rais'd through the assistance of Fire into the colour and figure which the Flower had before it was reduc'd to Powder He doth not mind also that many things which are mark'd have no Operation upon those living Creatures to which they are like and that where they have it is God's care of our Good who by these external Signatures hath given us notice of the Virtue which he hath put into the Nature of things as by the red Drops which are visible in the Stone call'd Heliotropium he hath shew'd us with what we may stop bloud and without which Natural power the Figure which he talks of would doe no more good then soft Butter will stab a man being made up in the Figure of a Dagger But that which he says concerning their deriving a power from above by the similitude which they have of some Celestial Figure is most ridiculous for who knows not that hath ever look'd upon the face of the Heavens that the Scorpion in the Zodiack is no more like the Scorpion in the Earth then a Cat and that the sign call'd Aries resembles a Bull as much as a Ram And what thing is so different from another but they will be able to reconcile it in their great Fancy who imagine the Seven Stars to be a good picture of a Bear So a Jewish Astrologer pretending to reade the Destinies of Kingdoms in the position of the Stars form'd each Star into such a Character as fitted the Notions which he would have express'd by the word which was to be made up of them and another possess'd with a different Imagination makes other Figures of them and so spells the same Stars into other Syllables and at last reads them into a quite contrary sense to the former But Anopheles supplying the Defect of Real similitude with Imaginary is so abus'd with this idle Fancy that he thinks those men to have but a weak Faith and small Learning that do not believe that all such as are born under the sign of the Ram will be meek like Sheep and those which had the Lion for their sign will be valiant So all that had the ill luck to be born under the Dart of Sagittarius must be kill'd and all those suffer Shipwreck whose Nativity was so dispos'd by the Bucket of Aquarius He tells the World that all and only such as receive influence from Virgo in their Birth shall have disshevel'd Hair be Beautiful and Modest and have no Children giving us leave to infer that no Ethiopian no Mother no Whore ever had the Virgin in their Horoscope I should have wonder'd that any man could found a Belief of such strange things upon so weak Principles but that I remember how this vain Resemblance fansied against all sober Reason hath abus'd conceited people in other Cases So Ananias Jerancurius thought he could explain the Prophecies of Daniel and St. John by the Figures of two Fishes which were taken up not very long since one upon the Coast of Norway the other of Pomerania which he might undertaken as rationally as another could perswade himself that we are to reckon just so many years from the Death of our Saviour to the World's End as there are Verses in David's Psalter Thus some have pretended under a pleasant Influence from some jocund Constellation to frame a piece of Iron which should make a Woman that pass'd over it to laugh and sing and have boasted that from a sad Planet I suppose it must be Saturn they will draw such a Melancholick influence into a Load-stone that being laid under the bed of a Woman that is not Chaste it will make her talk in her sleep and confess her sins or fall out of her bed especially if she put off her left shoe before her right I am glad said Philalethes continuing his Discourse that these Fancies make you merry for Bentivolio and Amyntor could not forbear laughing I was afraid you would have been wearied for I made my story the longer because Anopheles will not converse freely with such as you are and takes a great pride in concealing the Mysteries of his Admirable Art and will by no means profane them or expose them to Contempt by Communication for the supposeth they are Curiosities unheard-of before his time and which none knows but himself But since your Patience holds out so well I will also give you an accompt of Scepticus He is one of the Buffoons general to this wild Company and hath accustomed himself so long to believe or dis-believe any thing that he is now not much unlike those people who having lost their Palate by the Malignity of some Disease are not able to distinguish the various Relishes of good or bad Meat His chief Employment is to make a strange kind of Balance according to some Rules which he hath
this I view the neighbouring Earth which checquers it self with the Sea to make one Globe of both I esteem it no small occasion for Admiration to see that which is heavier fall under the lighter Water only in some places How could it have been but that the All-knowing Creator having priviledg'd some Spots charg'd the Sea not to molest them with Water lest there should be wanting a convenient Habitation for many sorts of living Creatures which cannot subsist but upon dry Ground It is a great pleasure to me to see it emboss'd with goodly Mountains which by their Height defie the proud Flouds and oppose the barrenness which seems to reproch their scorch'd Out-sides with their full Veins of rich Minerals and the Quarries of noble Marble which they contain in their great Bellies But this is nothing in comparison of that Admirable Position by which the Earth is made a pleasant Habitation capable of all possible Advantages from Heat and Light For its Axis keeping parallel to its self and inclining in so fit a Proportion to a Plane going through the Centre of the Sun frees those who dwell upon it from the tedious Darkness of too long Nights and the trouble of over-hot Dayes Sure the dull Earth was not so discreet as to make this Order nor the rambling Atoms so lucky as to execute it in their fortuitous Concourse I should be in danger of losing my self if I venture to lead you through those infinite Wonders which Divine Skill hath shewn in those different Orders of Being with which this small Globe is grac'd God hath made the Earth an Archetypal Patern of a natural Embroidery border'd with Water-work but it is so inimitably perfect that the best Workmen have sought praise only by coming near it in some faint Resemblances He hath made the Bottom as all Artists use to employ their courser Stuff because it is not seen of Rubbish common Earth Clay Sand Coals or Stones To raise plain Being to the order of growing Life he hath adorn'd the Ground-work with green Grass The colour being chosen with much Prudence for it is so convenient to our Eyes that they are not hurt with looking upon that which they must often see Above these we may discern the most proper Artifice of Forest-Work but not only done better to the Life but more profitably for use then that in Arras For the great Trees appointed for other Designs then to grace the Picture supply us with Timber which is one of the chief Materials requisite to build stately Houses magnificent Ships and Sacred Temples Whilst they stand they have real Shades which please more senses then the Eye and when they are cut down lest the Work should be defac'd others by a natural Art are made to grow up in their room Because Trees cannot remove from their places to fetch Provision they are made with their Heads downward and being fasten'd to the Earth they have their Mouths alwayes in their Meat and though they cannot make themselves Cloths they have no reason to complain because God hath inclos'd them in Bark and arm'd them against Injuries with Prickles and taught the weaker Branches to clasp about stronger Boughs and the Trunks of more robust Trees and so to support themselves by laying their feeble Arms upon Crutches He hath beautified them also with broad Leaves fair Blossoms and delicious Fruits and plac'd them to a great advantage of his Work among infinite Varieties of sweet-smelling Herbs and rare-colour'd Flowers useful for Diet and Medicine and mark'd with Signatures which give notice of their Virtues and teach those who need them their particular Uses and before they go from their places which many of them can hold but for a Year they leave Seeds which grow up and supply their Vacancies That this Divine piece might not want any proper Ornament God hath beautifi'd it with such Imagery as is not to be found any where else for by an excellent Disposition of rare parts visible in the Composition of all sorts of living Creatures as by a pleasant admirableness of Experiment God hath shewn there how many wayes they may be made bred fed and taught to defend themselves Motion also is there represented to the Beholder's Eye for the Universal Parent having made Life to move gave his Creatures leave to go whither they please and hath also assisted their Motion with Sense that the walking Animals might know where it was best to bestow themselves and as occasion requir'd provide supplies necessary to maintain their Life Thus he instructed Birds to make proper Nests for their Young and to hide them in Bushes and those which are destitute of these Accommodations he hath furnish'd with as proper securities instructing them to lay their Young in warm Sand or in the clefts of Rocks and order'd them to feed them there till they are able to work for their own Living Whilst such Impotent things relieve their weakness with so much Discretion it is a rare Document that they are taught by a Nature which is more wise then they Amongst these Considerations I cannot forget the Earth's Fruitfulness which being appointed for a general Magazine of Provisions doth not only satisfie the Necessity of its Numerous Inhabitants but support their Delight with supernumerary Additions Indeed hereby shewing not so much its own inexhaustible Fecundity as God's equal Liberality Thus the World is made a most commodious Habitation furnish'd with all Necessaries set off with all pleasant Ornaments peopl'd with variety of noble Inhabitants and in short is such a perfect Contrivance that nothing could have been more specious for Beauty or fit for Use. Yet I do not wonder that many men are not much affected with the Glory of the Divine Works because they have seen them long for it is well known that Fools are more apt to be taken with the sight of things which happen seldom then of others far more admirable which have been long before their Eyes It is another piece of their Folly also that when any new thing is shewn to them they alwayes look over that which is most to be wonder'd at of which none can make any doubt who doth remember what ill luck poor Zeuxis had when he expos'd that Incomparable Picture of his Centaures to the view of the dull Athenians If I had time continued Bentivolio to shew you the principal Jewel which God hath lock'd up in this fair Cabinet whose outward Case is seen by many its self but by very few it would not only perfect my Argument but as I think make it impossible to doubt who was its Author But since my Discourse hath been too prolix already I will break it off here not doubting but that if it hath been tedious to be heard yet it is as difficult to be answer'd Do not you believe said Eugenius with an obliging Air that any in this Company can be tired with hearing whilst you are willing to speak We have time enough and shall
of their places and clashing continually in as great a variety of contrary Motions as there are cross lines upon a Globe if some Potent God did not interpose the Forms of Matter by the dissolution of their Parts would be continually alter'd as Wrinkles are upon the face of water by a ruffling Wind. The Nature of things being thus constituted can we imagine that the Permanency of the World should be resolv'd into no other Principle then the fore-mention'd Hypothesis or that Chance is the glue which hath united its parts so long and lock'd the Sun and Moon in their whirle-pools We may as rationally suppose that Astronomers have made a league with these wandring Atoms that for some certain time they should not desert their stations hired some to watch others or at least have agreed with them that they should appear in set places and postures at appointed seasons and make good their Predictions how else could they foretell the Eclipses of the Sun and Moon many years before-hand By which we may perceive that though such as say the World did exist of it self do conformably to their own Opinion affirm that it is its own preserver and hangs together by the power of its own Nature not of God and subsists without the help of any Extrinsecal Principle yet they have no firm ground for their Assertion but it is very rational to say that he who made Motion and continues it still because it is useful hath given it Laws doth so regulate it whilst it rebounds from one thing to another that the World is no more disturb'd from persevering in that Rest which enables it to resist those Motions which would change its Form then the Sea is permitted to overflow the whole Earth Yes yes If that Omnipresent Goodness which is spread through the Creation did not sustain the whole it would fall in pieces for all things knocking rudely against one another must needs break themselves as blind-men arm'd with bows and arrows and shooting at Rovers would kill one another If the Government of the World were permitted to blind Chance or the turbulent humours of Degenerate men it is not to be imagin'd how it should be tolerably habitable The wheels of Humane affairs would soon be taken off or broken if created Beings were not guided by an 〈◊〉 Power which both directs them in the Road and stops their extravagant Motions as it pleaseth and so preserves the great Chariot of the World from being overturn'd The wisest of men have thought it more rational to suppose that a Ship without a Pilot may live at Sea in a tempest when it is toss'd with waves among Rocks then that Mankind which is often miss-led with dangerous Errours and is usually hurried with violent Passions should not quickly bring the World to a miserable end by mad practices if there were not a God who to preserve the Order which he hath constituted keeps up those Banks which if they were once broken would drown the World with a Deluge of inexpressible Calamity As God is the Founder of Order so prudent men in all Ages have look'd upon Religion which is a just Observance of him as one of the chief Principles by which the Happiness of the World is supported and which being destroy'd would necessarily infer the ruine of all civil Societies They have esteem'd it that sacred Knot which being cut in pieces lets loose Disorder accompanied with Contempt of Law and subversion of Right and follow'd with common Destruction I cannot but wonder that some who pretend to Philosophy have thought that excellent Order which is manifest in the Regular Motions of the Celestial Orbs and the Vicisitudes of Seasons which are admirable by reason of those Advantages which they produce may be resolv'd into the disposal of an undiscerning Principle because the Sea ebbs and flows at set times and because they observe that Agues have Periodical Fits Those that argue after this manner seem to challenge God at his own weapons and we may guesse at their Success by their Folly Is it fit to be quoted as an Argument against him that he hath made that great Body of Navigable Waters and subjected it to the influences of the Moon which at certain seasons doth make constant Tides which are not more useful to Merchants and so to all men by Importing and Exporting Materials of Trade then they are applicable to the Proof of a Deity whose Skill by such an Excellent Work is clearly demonstrated Or if we must think that there is no God because one who is sick of a Quartan Ague is troubled with Periodical Fits why may we not as well say that there is no God because two Armies do sometimes make a Truce and cease fighting No you say that is done by the Appointment of humane Discretion Well but is it not in the power of Divine Prudence to appoint a neighbouring Enomy to infest us at set times If a Disease be a conflict of our Nature with that which infests us it is a Courtesie that we are not put to the trouble of fighting continually for our lives but have time allotted to recruit our spent Forces and are taught in those Intervalls to provide against the next approch of our Enemy Is it an Argument against God that he hath made a creature which cannot fight alwayes without weariness Besides that the Paroxysms are exactly constant in their returns is false for they change in time and operation according to the variety of many Accidents and return oftner and stay longer as the Body in which they lodge is differently indispos'd The Objection which you cited last of all is so extravagant that no Fable is more incredible and we may justly wonder what should bring it into any mans mind You would have said if you had explain'd your self a little further that our Grand-mother Earth cast out of her bowels Bags like Wombs I think you might more properly have said Secundines and these breaking by degrees Children came forth at last who were nourish'd by a kind of Milky Juice till they became great Boys and Girles and so made a shift to live upon herbs and when they could catch them upon their fellow-Animals The consideration of this Poetical phancy assures us how those who disown a God are distress'd for want of ability to give any tolerable account of the Production of living Creatures and withall shews us the Disingenuity of 〈◊〉 who not believing a Truth so naturally plain admit things which are not only very improbable but highly absurd and indeed are well content that any thing should be impos'd upon them though never so unlikely if it do but absolve them from the belief of a Deity How else could it be possible that they should reject the most credible story of the Creation and believe that men grew out of the ground like Mushromes or that Stars did sow the Earth with a Celestial Sperm which afterwards grew up into Men and Women
been told that within a few dayes the Princess Agape was married to Alethion that Theosebes prevail'd with Urania to become his Queen that Bentivolio and Theonoe Panaretus and Irene were married also the same day and that the magnificent Pomp of these Weddings was so Illustrious that Truth and Love Wisdom and Goodness Righteousness and Peace seem'd to have taken Bodies and to have descended from their Celestial Mansions to celebrate their Nuptials upon Earth It was reported also that Bentivolio and Panaretus after some dayes spent with great delight in Alethion's Court retir'd with Theosebes and Urania into the lower Theoprepia and that after Alethion had settled his Kingdom he and Agape made a Journey to Phronesium to visit their Brother and all his 〈◊〉 Company and after some time spent there in the Praises of that God who had confirm'd them in so much Happiness and in the rare Contentments of a most delightful Conversation they went away all together to the Royal Court of the great King Abinoam which is in the Higher Theoprepia But because I am not yet perfectly inform'd concerning the Ceremonies which were us'd at those Glorious Marriages the manner of their Reception by Abinoam and the way of their Life in his Court I must entreat my Reader to have the Goodness to pardon me though I break off my History and sit down here for at present I am able to follow my Hero's no further The End of the Sixth Book AN ALPHABETICAL INDEX In which the obscure Words of this Book are explained and Directions given by the Letters in order concerning the principal Subjects which are particularly discours'd of that so any may reade what they please For though I do not think the Meaning of this Treatise any Abstruse business yet because the sense of some Words may peradventure be lock'd up from some Readers who understand Things better then Names I have put this Key with the Book Since the Treasure is but small which is hid here I am unwilling that any should be put to much trouble in seeking after it This also I thought fit to adde That those things which are more largely discours'd of are mark'd in the Index with an Asterisk prefix'd and that where the Letter b is put to the Figures it signifieth the Second Part of this History A ABaddon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Destruction but Apoc 9.11 it is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Destroyer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 murtherous Spirit who was as our Saviour saith John 8. 44. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for he murhered Mankind with a Lie A Name properly expressing the Nature of the Devil who is a malicious Enemy to Humanity See Asmodaeus pag. 251 b Abinoam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father of Pleasures God the spring of Delight pag. ult b Abulus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Inconsiderate rash man one that acts without due deliberation 59 Achamoth from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wisdom A name of which the old 〈◊〉 made an arrogant use for they boasted themselves to be Children of Election 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and born of Achamoth Epiphan Lib. 1. Tom. 2. and therefore thought themselves so much better then others that the worst of them was worthy to be a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Teacher of Wisdom to all the World 301 b Acephalus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one whose Discourses have neither Head as we say nor Feet There are many such talkers in Agazelus 174 Achrestus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an unmerciful cruel man Bentivolio's Jailour Good will is imprison'd in hard Hearts 117 Achthedon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grief 23 b Acolastus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Intemperate person undisciplin'd and of unsubdued Passions 80 Acrasia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Intemperance Incontinence Impotence of Soul 83 Adicus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Unjust man 333 b Adynaton 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Impossibility one of the Hypocrites false Pleas who when he sins thinks to excuse the matter by saying that it is not possible to obey God's Commands and that Christ's yoke is heavy and pincheth his neck 153 Affliction no just cause to doubt of God's Providence To Good men they are alwayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 82 b Publick Afflictions disburthen the World of the heavy load of Incorrigible sinners so Eurip. in Hel. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So God makes his Judgments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 common Antidotes against the Poison of Wickedness which is increas'd by Impunity 96 b Aganacton 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that is angry 167 Agape 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Love the Daughter of Phronesia Wisdom True Prudence is never destiture of Divine Charity 201 Agatha a Good Woman Agathorryton 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flowing with Goodness a proper Epithet for God who is an inexhaustible Fountain continually sending forth waters of Life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Synes Plotin calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spring of Life the Beginning of Being the Cause of Goodness the Root of the Soul as Pythagoras before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Fountain of everlasting Nature 200 Agazelus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full of Emulation In the III. Book it is put to expresse those Intemperate Heats which do often scorch mens Spirits when they are set on fire with uncharitable Contentions about Matters which are of lesse moment in Religion 115 Agerochus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a proud and Insolent Person 167 Agnoea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignorance 122 Agon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strife The Valley of Tentation is so call'd in the beginning of the IV. Book in which there is a large Description of the Contest and Victory of a Good man over bodily and spiritual Tentations 178 Akeraea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Unmix'd pure Here it is put for Simplicity the Inseparable Companion of true Godliness 137 Alazon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Vain-glorious Boaster 167 Alborach Mahomet's Asse upon which he pretended that he rode into Heaven 131 b Alcinous from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one who hath Strength of Mind Greatness of Understanding 182 b Alethea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth the Sister of Charinda Charity 158 Alethion from the fore-mention'd word In his Person you have an Excellent Prince describ'd a Defender of Truth and Lover of Vertue represented 47 b Alethologus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 True Reason the loving Brother of Pistalethes i. e. True Faith Their good agreement is declared 203 Alexander that subtile Cheat who abus'd the Paphlagonians He is painted to the Life by Lucian in his Psoudomantis 310 b Allusions by which Familistical Enthusiasts endeavour to corrupt the Gospel of our Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Epiphanius complain'd of the old Gnosticks and which made the good Polycarp say in Epist. ad Phil. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that frames the words of the Lord to his own private fancies is the first-born of Satan 312
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a very Good man 317 b Arpinum the place of Tullie's Nativity 6 b Asemnus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unhandsome not agreeing with Gravity 333 b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Destroyer Tobit 3. 8 17. one of those Name which do fitly represent the Devil 's malicious temper of the same signification with Abaddon and Apollyon The Septuagint translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wicked Spirit the Talmudists call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prince of Destroyers 134 b Asotus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Prodigal a waster 80 Aspasia from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to salute ibid. Asphaltites from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pitchy sulphureous Clay The lake call'd the Dead Sea suppos'd to be the place where Sodom and 〈◊〉 stood 149 Aspremont a rough Hill full of Bushes and uneven way yet very passable to good men and which leads to Happiness and therefore they call it Roccabella 86 Astorgus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 destitute of Natural Affection 92 Astriatrus from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pretender to the skill of Curing Diseases by Astrology one of the vain Companions of 〈◊〉 298 b Astromantis from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that would make the World believe he can prophesy by the Stars You may find something said against the Folly of Judicial Astrology pag. 105 b. But those who desire to see the Vanity of that pretended Art fully discover'd may reade Dr. More his Mystery of Godliness Book 7. Chap. 15 16 17. 151 b Asynetus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Insipiens one that is not prudent one of Antitheus his pitiful Judges but good enough for his Designs 152 b Ate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Harm Mischief It denotes a state of prevailing Violence in the first Book 3 Athanasius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Immortal 341 b Atheism See it disparag'd in the Preface as also in Bentivolio's Discourses with Pasenantius in 6. Book beginning pag. 187. and in other places I thought it was not fit to let such a pestilent Principle pass without a just Disgrace it being as Pindar calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wicked craft and seems to make Atheists Wits when indeed it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Clemens Alexandr says the Height of Folly Atheophilus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lover of Atheists 317 b Atimia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Disgrace which with Sorrow doth usually follow a Voluptuous Life 80 Autautus from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that acknowledgeth none but himself that would owe nothing to God himself 152 b Authades 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that pleases and admires himself as all proud persons do who are also offended if others do not greatly observe them 196 Autocatacritus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Self-condemn'd 131 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men of themselves springing form the Earth as the Arcadians describ'd their own Original See 〈◊〉 145 b Axiarchus from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one worthy to Command 335 b B BAthypogon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that hath a great Beard 18 b Bellezza Ital. Beauty 80 Bentivolio here denotes Good will from the Italian 〈◊〉 It is us'd by them for a proper Name and so it is here for the Brother of Vrania i. e. Heavenly Light from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Light By Celestial Wisdom and Divine Love the Soul passes happily through all States in this World to Immortal Perfections and Glories 1 Bevanda from Bevere to drink 83 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a good Life which is the only way to Heaven and is therefore call'd the great Rode extended according to the whole length of Theoprepia 202 Borborites from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mud. A Name by which the filthy Gnosticks were of old disgrac'd a Sect that wallowed in fleshly Lusts Ranters 197 C 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Evil Spirit 139 Cacodulus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Evil Servant 151 b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Evil Example one of the chief means by which Wickedness is propagated in the World 29 b Callicarpus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a place adorn'd with beautiful Fruits 384 b Calliphon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that hath an elegaut voice one of the two things which are principally requisite in a good Oratour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 289 b Calliroe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a River flowing with pleasant streams Callistus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Excellent Son of a good Father 341 b Cantharus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Tankard a Drunken Fellow a Boraccio one good for nothing but to hold Drink 152 b Carezza Caresses 80 Catasarkus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fleshly Corpulent It signifies the Jew in the Third Book because his Religion doth much consist in bodily Observances 131 Caulomucetes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some of those Warriours whom Lucian saw in the Country of the Moon whom he call'd by that Name because as he says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. their Shields were 〈◊〉 and their Spears Blades of Asparagus 230 b Centaurus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Horseman driving away Cattel from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pungo and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taurus 170 Charinda from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Charity 158 Charistion from the same Root a charitable person 318 b Charity describ'd and prais'd in Euergesia's Speech 260 Chelidones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Swallows a name properly applied where it is us'd because of their troublesome Noise 25 b Chrematophilus from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lover of Riches 16 b Chronus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Time 32 b Chrysalides from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gold I have given this name to a famous Aurelian in Plutocopia 22 b Chrysus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gold 9 b Colax 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Flatterer the great Friend of Tuphlecon 153 * Colpia the pretended Mother of one of 〈◊〉 his She-Enthusiasts They boast that they receive all their Conceptions from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the word of the mouth of God Such was the Foolery of him in Eusebius who desiring to speak of new things told a story of Colpia and Bau that is Bohu corrupted Pannychis might have done well to have told us of AEon and Protogonus her Brethren to have made her Genealogy more splendid But notwithstanding their vain Boasts they are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as speak out of their own Bellies and seek their Living by 〈◊〉 See Engastrimuthus 299 b Ill Company see the mischiefs of it 88.92 b * Conscience a natural Principle not to be eradicated by any Art of man a severe Reprover and sharp Corrector of those bold Sinners who offer violence to it It hath been call'd by great Philosophers by the most Venerable names as 〈◊〉
was a part of Prudence to endeavour to escape the inconveniences of this present life by honest means and to passe as quietly as we could through this wicked world Our desire was to sit down where we should find such a People as would best sute with our main Design which we thought to be the principal End of Humane Life and of this I will give you a brief account My Husband observ'd by frequent consideration that the All-wise Creator had bestowed different sorts of Being upon his Creatures and that as the Nature of any thing was more Noble it was design'd to more excellent purposes and amongst the several ranks of Created Being with which we converse he found none equal to Mankind the Reasonable Soul being the greatest Name of Honour in this lower world By this he could not but understand that the Felicity of humane Nature must needs exceed that which is allotted to other Creatures and after many thoughts concerning it he perceiv'd that it was this To live conformably to the dignity of a Rational Soul and to serve the noblest End of which such a Being is capable He learn'd the End of every thing by tracking the proper Actions of each distinct Nature for having consider'd these narrowly he saw what Mark they aim'd at This Rule served him to discover his own highest End whilst he view'd every thing that he was good for he suppos'd that the best Actions of which he was capable would point unto it and when he had demanded of all his Powers what were the best things which they could do they answered with an unanimous voice To Know and Love Hereupon with a strict scrutiny he enquir'd into the Objects of those Faculties that he might discover about what these Actions should be conversant and that if there was better and worse he might employ his Mind upon the Contemplation of the most excellent Truth and fix his Love upon the best Good After he was gone abroad he met with different entertainment for some things bore great respect to bodily Nature and gratified that part to which they were nearer allied but gave so little satisfaction to his other half that he found it still complaining Searching into the reason of this difference he found himself to be of a double constitution a kind of middle thing between the Spiritual and Visible world and that there was good cause that those things which had affinity with his Worsepart might very well content it and that it could not reasonably dislike that which was as good as it self that is Fleshly and Mortal But for the same reason his Better part was dissatisfied for that being acquainted with the Meliority of its constitution and having a clear fore-sight of the Immortality of its Duration form'd Appetites proportionable to its more refin'd Temper and was not content to glut it self with material and perishing things Upon this he resolved to try if there was not some Better thing then what lay in open view which was reserv'd for worthy Souls which would take the paines to find it out and he had no sooner drawn the vail of Fleshly Being with a quick hand but he espied behind it the lovely Image of Spiritual Truth and Goodnesse Then he went up and down the world hoping to meet something which would tell him the name of that Spiritual Being He had not gone very far but many rare contrivances of Wisdom great effects of a mighty Power and infinite testimonies of an unspeakable Goodness inform'd him that the beautiful Picture which he had in his fancy did represent the First Essence which had created all the rest and that his Name was GOD. They pointed also to him so directly that he could not but see him and whilst he look'd upon him the Divine Perfections display'd themselves so gloriously in his countenance that he could not take off his eyes from his face and when his Mind began to be satisfied with Light and his Will with Love he concluded that he had now found out the true North because the quick point of his Soul which did so scornfully disdain all other Rest had fix'd it self here Whereupon he resolved to bestow the Remainder of his life in the Contemplation and Love of the Increated Goodnesse and to consecrate all his Powers to the service of his and the worlds Creator and to make him who was the Beginning of all things the Last End of his life especially since he saw that whatsoever contributed to the happinesse of it depended entirely upon the First Good and was wholy due to his Benignity But I remember and I think I shall never forget it he told me that when the joy of these thoughts began to grow 〈◊〉 he seem'd to hear a soft whisper which delivered words to this sense If you dwell alwaies upon the top of this Hill what will become of those Friends whom you have left below If it be so good to be here go down and endeavour to bring them up with you Whilst he mus'd upon the meaning of this advice he took notice that he was so constituted by his Maker that he was obliged by natural ties to many more besides God and himself and that as Knowledg doth lead to Action so the Beams of Heavenly Light which shin'd in his Soul were by a good part of that Action to reflect themselves upon others and that there were several waies by which he might enjoy God and himself amongst them to whom he should both make God known whilst they learn'd of him and more fully serve the Glory of his great Master by procuring the help of so many more Hands to work with him to such Ends as pleas'd him best and by consequence refer the Gifts which he had received with much more advantage to the praise of his Benefactor Then looking further into humane Nature he saw all men so fram'd as to have in their Souls a good foundation of mutual Love which is also encreas'd by the reciprocal necessities which they have one of another and that they have particular Gifts bestow'd upon each by which they may help the whole By this he discern'd that it was not God's will that he should live alone but rather take such a course of life which would correspond with that Universal Sympathy with all the world which was proportionable to his relation to it which he was to expresse in those Acts which would further all others in the pursuit of their great End which is Happinesse in the Knowledge Love and Praises of God the First and Greatest Good a true accomplishment of their better capacities with Wisdom and Vertue and a right enjoyment of those worldly portions in which God hath condescended to gratifie our lower Faculties With these Meditations he came down the Hill but when he was at the bottom and began to consider the forlorn state of the degenerate world and took notice how most Nations upon the Earth by the prevalent customs of a
vitious life were naturalized to Folly and Wickedness he was sore griev'd for the misery of his fellow-creatures and was ready to despaire of doing any great good with his best Charity He saw every where the Lawes of Nature perverted the Dignity of the Soul violated the order of our Faculties disturb'd and that men had chang'd the true values of things by false Opinion enslav'd the sublimity of the Mind to Sense and dethroning Reason had set up the basest Affections By this means the Beauty of Holinesse which shone in Vertuous Habits and Actions was obliterated the consent of the Will and Appetites with the Understanding disannull'd and Humane Nature so far from being rais'd to those heights of which it is capable in another world that it is depress'd and hindred from what it might enjoy in this Men chusing to act only such unworthy parts that it is a shame they act them so well because it is too clear a Testimony that they have mis-bestowed their time through deplorable Ignorance of their own worth and God's good intentions One personating a Rich Fool another an Honorable Slave a third a Voluptuous Beast a fourth some malicious Fiend And when they have for a long time carefully endeavour'd to act them to the life the Passions which they have represented by Custom become so natural to them that they are good for nothing else Thus Humanity tumbles down from its Happiness and loseth even congruity with such things as were design'd for its Perfection the glory of Divine Wisdom the Tranquillity of pure Souls and the Praise of worthy Actions Men keep no decorum in their Counsels Affections or Manners measuring themselves by no Rule they let all run at random So that they have in a great measure banish'd Prudence and Piety Honesty and Charity out of the world and having abolish'd the harmony of Truth and Practise they live at such rates as if they had listed themselves to wage daily war against Reasonable Nature and had conspir'd either to bring Humanity into subjection to Beasts or else in complyance with the Devil had agreed to do what mischief they could to disturb the quietness of the world Upon this sad consideration he look'd into History to see if he could find that happy place if there was any such where he might discover upon the tops of some Hills any few that had escaped this unfortunate Deluge Seeking there for Examples of a better state he happen'd to meet with those which were cryed up for infallible Patterns fit for an universal Imitation but upon perusal he found such eminent flawes and Errors in some and others so contracted and narrow that they left out the greatest instances of Perfection But that which troubled him most was the absurd practise of the world which did for the greatest part chuse such things for their Last End which he judg'd so unworthy of that Dignity that he did not esteem them necessary Means for the accomplishment of his Designs Alas he sought not the Garlands of Olympus the Triumphs of Rome or the Pleasures of Asia he took no thought who should dig down the walls of Babylon he wanted no Ships to transport him to the shores of Barbary he desired not to travaile through the Sands of AEthiopia to discover or winne either of the Indies he knew well enough that men often go to such places as these to seek the Happiness which they have left behind them When I have ask'd him sometimes the reason of his Teares which were oft mingled with his Meditations he would answer That he could not but weep when he took notice that the chief aime of most ranks of men in all Nations was so poor a thing as Riches and he would profess that he was ashamed of the Basenesse of men who made themselves Servants to Money thinking by that to become Masters of every thing else Sometimes he would say that he was at once seiz'd upon with Wonder and Pity both because in generall he saw they were much tormented with a confounded hope of some great good but knew not what it was and in particular because they did not perceive that the End could not be Noble which was to be attain'd with such Contemptible Means and because they were not awaken'd to a sense of their Folly by all the Sin Trouble and Uncertainties which they endured in the wearisome pursuite of so mean a prize But they were desperately resolv'd upon their businesse and would go through the way which led to their Journeys End though it was never so bad For this he saw some Princes stuffe their Crowns with Thorns For this Subjects dethron'd those whom God had set up hoping to rise to riches by the Fall of such whom they could rob when they were down This made the Grandees take part with either side as they best hoped to improve and secure what they had already acquired The Citizens toil'd infinitely because they thought there was no reason for which men should be judg'd worthy of Great Titles but that they had been so wife as to become richer then their Neighbours For this the Plowman strives to out drudge his beasts that he may grow a wealthy Yeoman upon this account the Merchant ventures all and his Wife and Children are content that he should hazard himself too in hopes of going to the Sea-side when he returns and of receiving him enrich'd with the gaines of his Adventures though it may be he and his Jewells are cast away upon some malicious Rock in sight of the Shore This fills all sorts of Labourers with daily cares the High-waies and Prisons with Thieves and the Courts of Law with endless Suits For this the Land is oppress'd with Souldiers and the Sea covered with Fleets and infested with Pirates Princes Houses infected with Flatterers and Hypocrites and the City throng'd with Cheaters For this Women despise their Chastity and Men their Honor. In short This makes the Miner dig into the entrailes of the Earth and the Mariner dive into the bowells of the Sea to fetch up more noble Chaines to inthral his Soul Upon this he perceived plainly that Riches were the one General End that all aim'd at though they took divers waies to come at it and before they could arrive at it plung'd themselves in unspeakable miseries which it is impossible that they should escape since being destitute of inward Worth they sought to make it up with such an unworthy Compensation and whilst they pretended to admire Happinesse slighted the true means to obtain it nay though they see their Labour lost and their Liberty enslaved and find their Minds gall'd with the falshood of Flatterers their Hope 's unsecure in the uncertainty of Riches and that they are tired with beastly Pleasures and kill'd with rotten Luxuries to which their great heapes of Money administer sewel though they see that they have taken their way through Precipices and fallen into bottomlesse Pits and are judg'd mad by the