And smiling thus unto the Will she spake What is the reason that you would forsake The Pilgrim to his Blisse Shall pleasures sence And Passions strong conspiracy from thence Detain you 't is the World and Sathan that Hatâ— circumvented you into this Plot. All what they promâ—se are meer shaddows know That all things â—e so that are here below Why fear this Gate This will indeed conduct You to a higher Sphear your Way obstruct Back to the Dunghill Earth what then if here You pleasures find much more in that bright Sphear You shall unto Eternity enjoy And there where is an everlasting Day You shall reside inthron'd in 〈◊〉 shall be One with that Will which first created thee Shall Earth to Heav'n be prefer'd below How full of uglâ—nesse do all things show To eyes which heav'n's Beauties see dung ne're Did unto Jewels half so vile appear Wilt thou not then forsake this world and passe Thorow this Gate unto this blessed place Let my entreats of Love prevail so far When for your happinesse they spoken are Be not a Captive to the world but be One unto Heav'n and that is to be free A thousand Rayes fled from her eyes as fast As from her mouth flew Word with which they past Into her Heart wherewith such melting Love Like soft oyl mixt with Wâ—ne about they move Down falls the will and by her looks doth show That now she 's willing th'row the Gate to go The Will thus gain'd the Pilgrim values not The Sences not the Passioâ—s weaker plot By her he ' d tame them whensoever they Shall dare t' appear for to obstruct his Way Now Faith and Hope anew their plumes do â—ear And from him with their Wings brush Doubt and Fear No longer now the World nor Sathan can With-hold him their intreats and Threats in vain Are now he is resolv'd and though they fling Themselves upon his neck and 'bout him cling He passes on and th'row the Gate doth presse Those Hooks and Sythes his heavy load redresse One pulls off Sathan by the heels The Sp'rite Of the Great World another â—ook doth light All grosser sinnes and vainer pleasures by A Sythe cut off jumbled together lye Upon the ground a I anâ—e the flâ—sh rips up And noughty thoughts cuâ— from the head do drop Unto the Earth Flesh feels the worser smart Which pierced is unto the very Heart Past through he views himself extuberancies Which obvious were are all cut off he sees But smaller wenns stack closer to his skin And other hidden Griefs lay close within Which hooks nor Sythes had yet cut off but these A haâ—der task par'd must be by degrees For now he knows Mortality he must Loose ere he sees Ierusalem the blest No sooner past this narrow Gate but they Enter an asper and a narrow Wâ—y At first nor Trees nor grasse he found nor did See any place for to repose his Head Both sides with Rocks were wall'd Asperity The one side pav'd the other Poverty The way of SELF-DENIAL this they call'd The VValk of Trial where Obedience dwell'd The Stygian Proteus varies shapes more than The cloudy Pictures in the Sky a Man There you may see and by and by the same A Lion Horse and then a Bear become So he who at the Circumcising Gateâ— In shape of Grosser sinns pull'd off of late More Spiritualâ—z'd becomes like Anicus grows More strong by 's falls whilst to the Earth one throws Him in one shape he rises up anon Cloath'd in another and as strong agen Like Pâ— lius therefore with him we must Cope With chaines of Persevâ—rance bind him up Or else like Hercules this Anteus Croud To Death betwixt the Armes of Fortitude We must not think but he will tempt us still Untill we come unto that sacred Hill Where we may say Sathan avoid and know A Deity commandeth thee to bow Then otherwise he shall not dare to do Us then shall Angels minister unto Long in this path our Pilgrim had not gon But on a sudden he is set upon By a great Satyr on his back he wore The bristly Jacket of a new-slain Bore His sleeves were hispid Goat-skins and upon His Crest a great bunch of Satyrion Orchis and Southernwood instead of plumes Wav'd All his garments stunk of strong perfumes The juyce of Ash his Face besmear'd his hair With Nutmegs powder'd was his right hand bare A Shield in which was pourtrai'd Pasipha Faustina Messalina Hellena I who have made the mightiest Monarchs bow Must I fight with so small a Pigmy now I 'le stop thy farther passage cries he out The first blow of this fair-fac'd Sword shall do 't Straight this sallacious Monster from his side A Weapon drew whose strength he oft had tri'd At him he ran with it But from the Sword His head the Pilgrim with the Crosse to guard Did think when straight the Sword converâ—ted to A naked Nymph who in that shamelesse hew Yet full of a fictitious Beauty flung Her Ivory armes about his Neck and clung Close to his Body wrestling all the while To trip him up yet in his face did smile In the mean time the Satyr with his clawes Endeavoured to ope his closed jawes Having a poys'nous Filtre in his hand The which he meant to make him swallow and Fescinan Songs singing with Goatish breath The Pilgrim h' almost stifled had to Death Great danger was he in both Faith and Hope Strove till they weary were The Will did Cope Be'ng now resolv'd most strenuously and now Her armed courage did to purpose shew But in his greatest danger almost spent With this certation GRACE assistance sent A Nymph doth one of her bright Train appear Whom purple Wings of chasest Turtles bear From the polluting Earth More white than snows Her garments were a Lillied Crown her brows Precing'd her neck a chain of Saphirs and No spots had ever her pure garments stain'd In her sweet eyes Rare Modesty kept Court Alternate blushes on her Cheeks did sport Sâ—lence sat on her Tongue and Beauty spread A lovely splendor all about her Head Of all the Nymphs the Pilgrim yet had seen This in his eyes for Beauty seem'd the Queen Hearts could not chuse but do her homage not If Heav'n Love refrain from loving her Day ne'r came forth out of the Eastern Gate With so bright face or so immaculate A Shield one hand did bear where you might see Ioseph Diana and Penelope Susaâ—na and the Apostles Maid who bare The World's Redeemer and Him pourtrai'd there Green Lettice sugared with Continence Upon a snow-white plate of Abstinence Sharpned with Laboâ—â—r in her other hand She brought and did close by the Pilgrim stand As fair Aurora with the brush of Light Strikes down the Cobwebs of the â—ordid Night From off the face of Heaven every morn The Light which did this Nymphs bright face adorn Strook from the Pilgrim those black clouds of Lust And to the Earth both Nymph and Satyr
Idea's of what ever was Or shall upon this Earthly Globe take place Thus is the World Aeternal and shall be Never dissolved to a nullity For the great God will ne'r annihilate The least thing that he ever did create But yet the substance perish shall but the Forms shall remain unto Aeternity Some in one Principle some in the other VVhen all things shall return to their first mother On the fourth Day after the Third-Dayes even The Sun the Moon and all the Lights of Heaven Created were the first Day 's flitting Light Now fixed was and in the Sun took site The Heav'n impregnates then the female Earth And first her Seas to Fish and Fowl gave birth Assoon as God his mighty FIAT spake Then from the Earth all living Creatures brake Made by the same Hand that the Earth had made And from the Earth's own Mother being had And yet the Earth was their own Mother too They from her Mother in her womb indue Four Elements which when the FIAT was Spake Essence into living Forms did pass And thus the World and all things God had made VVas Good and in 't no evil being had But the bright Throne from whence the Prince of Hâ—ll As I have told you into darkness fell Stood empty still and to supply his place There not one Angel ' counted worthy was Therefore conspire the Holy Trinity To make an Image of the Deity This Man we call to whom a Soul was giv'n The perfect Image of the God of Heav'n He was ordain'd for God did him prefer â—or to possâ—ss the Throne of â—uciser Had he but stood Of Earth this man was made But not of such on which you Mortals tread It is an Earth which may in secret ' bide Under the covering of your fleshly hide 'T is such an Earth that Stone can penetrate 'T is such an Earth as has in Heav'n a seat 'T is such an Earth as Man's blest Saviour Put on when he rose from the Grave in Power As clear as câ—ystal and aâ— thin as ayr As bright as Venus or the Morning Star Fâ—om the same Mother of your Earth it came In which there harmonized doth remain The quintessence of the four Elements In which there are no disagreeing rents Such was the Body of the first made Man Such cloathing his ennobled Soul had on In this the Soul the Image of our God By th' Holy Spirit breathed in abode His Soul as you'rs are was created from Three Principles and from three Worlds did come Of all she did partake and seem'd to be Conjoyn'd Rays or one Beam made out of Three Man being thus created our great King The Lord of all things him to Earth did bring Unto the new-made World and there his God In Aeden bid him to make his abode Then in that place this inner World so gay It s everlasting Beauties did display This place to which thou now art come did there With all its lovely Beauties then appear In this did Adam live this is the place Which ever since was called Paradise God had appointed this Felicity In Aeden only at that time to be Because he knew that Adam there would fall Which made him not to spread it over all The new made World If â—dam had brought forth In innocence then over all the Earth Had this World open'd been and which one day Th'rough all the whole Globe shall it self display Aeden was not the Paradise for there All sorts of Beasts and other Creatures were Sathan had power to enter there but in Bless'd Paradise he nor the Beasts were seen Adam alone did dwell in Paradise In Aedâ—n Aeden held this World of Joys Here Adam dwelt and happy had he stood For neither evil nor the mundaâ—e good Should he have known for whilst he here abode He should have press'd after the Heart of God His mind to the Aeternal World alone Should have and not unto the dark World flown Nor to the earthly Orb He should indeed The Wonders of the Light World have display'd But down a precipice himself he hurl'd After the Soul of the terrestâ—ial Woâ—ld He long'd which was the Tree forbid and when He tasted the material fruit he then Was captiv'd by the Spirit of that Orb And was indued with a fleshly garb And had his Soul not lived in that suit He had been mâ—tamoâ—phiz'd to a Brute Thus Adam fell thus Paradise and all His issue feel the effects of his sad fall Thus Adam lost that Body which he had Bâ—fore he with his fleshly one was clad And so 's Soul was as all the Souls of Men Imprison'd are within a fleshly Den. To gain that Body then Man's work should be Which Adam lost by the forbidden Tree The which must cloth the Soul when she doth flye The Tabernacle of Mortality If not she naked goes to Hell and there Doth some black horrid ater garment wear Thus our King Iesus when he triumph'd had O're Hell and Death his humane Soul he clad With that bâ—igâ—t â—ody th◠〈…〉 Which coâ—ld â—ppear alâ—ho the dooâ—s were fast Among his Lov'd Discâ—ples In this place He 〈◊〉 dayes aâ—ter his rising was Herâ— in thâ—s Oâ—b he stay'd tâ—ll he did move Into the bosom of 〈◊〉 Love Tâ—ll his â—sâ—â—nsion dâ—y till he on high 〈◊〉 into Heav'n's Aeternal Gloâ—y flye Tâ—en 〈◊〉 Humanity he in the Thâ—one That 〈◊〉 diâ— once posâ—â—ss â—at down And there he 〈◊〉 at God's right Hâ—nd and makes Atâ—onâ—ment for his dear Beloveds sakes O blâ—ssâ—d Iesus were it not foâ— thee Not â—ne poor moâ—tal e'r could saved be â—ha◠〈◊〉 lost thou hast regain'd and now The Woâ—ld waits when thou thy great Power wilt shew When 〈◊〉 in Glory wilt come from the skies An◠〈◊〉 â—â—nveâ—â— into a Paradise Dâ—ar 〈◊〉 I declâ—re these thâ—ngs to thee That thoâ— fore 〈◊〉 also fore-â—rm'd might'st be Foâ—t 〈◊〉 thou caâ—'st not here as Adam did 〈◊〉 to moâ—tality yeâ— here forbid Tho◠〈◊〉 to joyn unto the â—oâ—ld's great Sp'right For tâ—oâ—gh thoâ— cann'st noâ— to Eternal Night Faâ—â— back yâ—â— thou that Body may n't indue Whâ—ch otherwâ—se may grâ—nted be tâ— you Yoâ— may not pass into the uppeâ— Sphâ—ar To 〈◊〉 the â—lories and the Wonâ—eâ—s there If tâ—at you should uâ—on the Oâ—b below Offeâ— yoâ—r Will and thirsty mind to throw Till 〈◊〉 shall flesh put off Your mind and will After 〈…〉 press forward still 〈◊〉 foâ— there 〈◊〉 fixâ—tion and â—here In â—lâ—â—y all the 〈◊〉 new Bodies wear 〈…〉 the â—lâ—asure of that â—ove Which 〈◊〉 time thy fleshly cloathâ—s remove Wâ—ll aâ—d tâ—at thoâ— mayst never garments want Unto thy Soul a â—lorious Body grant 〈◊〉 thy mind upon 〈◊〉 set That thou in brightnesse to her Court mayst get She questionâ—ess whilst thou art here will spread Her Bâ—untiâ—s and showr down upon thy Head Her everlasting Graces nought deny'd Shall be by her who is design'd thy Bride But now surveigh thou shalt with thy own eyes The splendid Beauties of our PARADISE PARADYSUS
bear That mortal Man could never better hear O I 'm unworthy of the Dignity But yet I daâ—e not Heav'n's high Gifts deny Since 't is his pleasure that it should be so To him I passive bow my Head full low Who can deny the blessed Gifts of Heav'n When Crowns and Thrones and blisse Aeternal's given O Lord thou knowest what is hest for me Since thou ' lt exalt me I le exalted be As thou my joyes O Lord dost higher frame So greater strength grant me to prayse thy Name More would the Pilgrim there have said but that The Angel rais'd him up to Celebrate Love's glorious Banquet which blest Banquet was The Confarreation 'twixt him and his Spouse Under the Covert of Life's blessed Tree Upon the Leek-green grass this Company Sat down each blade its top doth bow to them Each flower seeks to kiss their garments hemm There 't was as if the flowers conspired had To starr the place or with their bravery clad This little spot above the rest for here Mâ—y's Iune's and Augusts flowers together were An hundred teeming Springs seem'd here their flowers To have brought forth help'd by the Midwife-showers Their bowing Heads which did in clusters 〈◊〉 Their gallant tufts to purple Cushions fit Heav'n's Paranymphus first sat down and theâ— The Pilgrim and his Loving Guardian The Paradysical Bevy in a Ring Upon the inviting flowers themselves did fling Making a circle in whose midst was seen A round spot cover'd with Smaragdine green Which Carpet garnish'd was with flowers which 〈◊〉 Into true True Loves Knots conspired were A thousand Crystal drops of dew the grass Lading did silver Gemm and Pâ—â—â—l the place More pleasing Objects far our Pilgrim's sight To feast and Banquet to the full invite A Troop of Heav'nly Dapifers they were Surcharg'd with Chargers who the Feast infer And with Caelestial art the Dishes plac'd The Pilgrim they with their attendance grace'd The Pilgrim's greedy eyes now on the meat They brought now on the bringers ravish'd eat Sometimes to that sometimes to these he tost Them and them in Beauties Meandres lost By 's feeding eyes his Soul took her first tast Of the rare Sweets of this delicious Feast Where the five Sences altogether dine And filled are at once with meat divine These were a Chore of Angels of that Sphear Who in their brightest Robes to day appear To grace Love's Banquet and themselves they clad With all the glories the Aelisium had Yellow Electrum hung upon their hair Whose aubourn threads conspir'd in t ' Circles were Amongst whose gold-Rings silver spangles lay Whose Star-like twinkling made a kind of day And rais'd an Halos round about their Heads Which Cynthian lustres gave to those bright threads Whose golden Woods whilst the Zephyrian shocks Ruffle the Volumns of their Amber-locks Yield such a fragor that all Arabie With all her sweets cann't reach the tenth degree Chaplets of Roses mixt with Lillies fair And purple Violets bound their goldâ—n Hair Under whose blushing shades the Day did rise From the bright beamings of their sparkling eyes But in their cheeks Roses and Lillies be Wedded together in just Harmony And 'cause the Lily reigned in their hands In their sweet Lips the Rose as Mistress stands Upon their Fronts dwelt the all-charming Graces An everlasting Hebe in their Faces Their youth and beauty strove but by their strife As friends not foes they gave each other Life But the fair Robes with which they then were clad Of Paradises silver Clouds were made Garnish'd with divers colours less the bow Oâ— fair Thaumant is to the World doth show And far less Beauties doth it give than those Which sweetly triumph'd in their splendid cloaths In these fair Mazes lost our Pilgrim was And to draw thence his eyes no power he has But whilst in Beauties Labyrinth his eyes Do tread melodious sounds his eares surprize Which prove a cliew to lead him from his gaze And out of that into another Maze His Soul but now did issue at his eye Out of both eyes and eares she now doth flye For th' Angel having ta'ne their Cue by pairs The Hymenaeum sung in sweetest ayres The Waters Groves and birds do all agree Ecchoing their Melos to their Symphonie The sweet Symplones with the Angels joyn Marying their voyces in a Tune divine They sing this Hillulim mortals below Did ne'r such sweet Harmonious Voyces know The schreeking Sphears were silent at that time And by their musick learn'd a better Chime THE EPITHALAMIUM AFter sad Winter springs the Spring The Day thrusts out the Night Storm past the pretty Birds do sing The Skies their musfling Mantles fling Away and cheer Earth with their sight After the floating Ship hath past A thousand dangers she Thorow the surging Waves at last Doth Anchor in the Haven cast And there rests in Security So after an hard Pilgrimage Th'row Earth and Hell there is Joyes that the Travellers engage For to forget their Earthly stage And evermore remain in Blisse This is the Day the Sun doth rise The cheering Morn appears And Light springs from SOPHIA'S eyes Which blesseth all our Paradise And joyes unto this mariage bears This is the Time of Joys and Prayse True Laud therefore be given To Him who is the Light of Dayes Who to himself the Soul doth raise And Earth despised Wed to Heav'n SOPHIA is the Queen of Love Her Joyes Aeternal be Bless'd Souls within her bosom move For ever tast the Blisse above Enjoying all Felicity This is the mariage of the Lamb The Lamb of Purity Who from the highest Heavens came Brought forth Aeternity in Time That Souls this Wedding day might see Fears are for ever wip'd away Sighs from their Breasts are fled And happy evermore are they Who can attain this mariage Day And are unto SOPHIA Wed. All happinesse attends on thee No sorrows shall annoy Sophia's Armes thy Comforts be Her Breast thy true Felicity And in her eyes rests all thy joy Blest be this Day thrice blessed is This hour this mariage Feast For thou shalt Live in Paradise In everlasting Joyes and Bliss And be by thy Love ever blest Prayse to SOPHIA then we give And Hallalujah's sing By whom we in this Sphear do Live Who Souls from Earth to Heav'n reprieve And deignes them to her home to bring Let Hallalujah's be our Song O may Sophia deigne With her all-quick'ning Breath among Us now to cast her odors strong And on us her spic'd shewers rain Hallalujah's to the bless'd Name For evermore we sing May it our warbling Tongues inflameâ— O thou who didst this mariage frame Accept these offerings that we bring Hallalujah Hallalujah Hallalujah we cry Hallalujah Hallalujah Our Tongues for ever warble may Thus unto all Aeternity Their Heav'nly voyces charm'd the Pilgrim's eaâ—es With such like Songs and animated ayres But now they double their sweet melody And wrap him in t ' an higher extasie For every one takes his caelestial Lyre And runs divisions
and pain A Language or some Rhetorick to gain The juice of this fine fruit did Herod lick When he a God was styl'd for 's Rhetorick And that round apple which hangs dangling there Will make you be a cunning Sophister You apple which is so variegate Will make you cunning in mechanicks strait This Apple here which hangs so fair to view With Mathematick cunning will imbue See what Cylindres and Rhamboides What Quadrats Dâ—agâ—amms Isoce'les With other lines and â—gures printed in Black red and yellow streakes upon the skin These shew its Nature But yon with a Star So fairly mark'd makes an Astrologer Should'st thou eat this which hangeth over us More cunning then was Aeculapius thou 'ldst be and skilfull too in Chirons art If that which hangeth on that bow a th'wart But yon fair fruit which takes up so much room Will make you know before what is to come Of this did Baalam often fâ—ed when he Did by our divination Prâ—pheâ—â—e In former time this Apple was in use Much when Delphean Priests did suck the juice And on the next they fed when they in verse Their Oracles â—id uâ—ually reherse But you five Apples which I shew you now And which do triumph on the upper bough Shall be thy food See here I 'le reach them down Make much of them for now they are thine own Well may'st thou prize them Heav'n nor Earth such fruit Can give which may so well thy nature suit These with thee take and feed upon below But first to thee I will their vertues show This purple colour'd one more cold than Ice Or Riphae an snow extinguish in a trice Will that Scintilla Love hath plac'd in thee Then shalt thou wholly from his chaines be free Flouds of temptations nor whole streams of sin Nor pleasures which the World may draw you in Are strong enough to dout that little spark Which closely gloweth in thy hollow ark Well may they cloak it that it may not flame But 't is this fruit that must put out the same This next although more black than pitch it be Will firmly glew together Hell and thee A thousand chaines shall sooner break than this Resolve thee of so strong a nature ' t is With all Hel's Peers and our great Prince you wil By it hold highest Correspondence still By this third snaky-colour'd one below Thou shalt most strange-amazing Wonders do Th' Eternal flames which wend above the sky Unto the Earth thou may'st call by and by The Hyperborean sconce thou mayst command To aestuate the Sea to Mountains and Mayst at thy bidding Taurus rend in twain Or Atlas fling into the Western main This reddish one bespotted thus with jet The lock'd gates of thy sences ope will set Your quicker eyes although on Earth you stand Shall pierce the Centre of our darker Land Then shall you see us when you please and know How that your Prince and we your Brothers do Our shriller voyces shall assault your ear Your nose shall smell the sulphur of our Sphear And our hot breaths feel blowing in your face Our Kingdom 's dainties tast in every place Banquet and deeply drink with us so you May be on Earth and in our Kingdom too By this last teter one all evil Sprites That b'longs to Hell to please you with delights You when you please may call nay if you will Ten thousand Legions shall attend you still All that belongs toth ' Necromancy Art And Conjuration 't will to you impart That at your beck from hence you may adjure The blackest Fiend to be your servitour Iannes and Iambres Simon and Faustus eat Tho not to fill them of this pretious meat See now what power thou' rt indued with By these rare fruits pluck'd from the Tree of Death The gold of In'd nor Peru not the Seas Rich Treasure purchase may such Fruits as these The fabuliz'd Hesperian fruit of old Were durt to these although they were of Gold Come now thou great Magitian thou shalt go Unto the Body which remains below Our Pomp and Power thou hast seen and I To you our Kingdom 's nature did descry You need no conduct hither now for when You please you my come visit us agen This said he strait his body reassumes And thus Hel's great Magitian becomes My Muse returned from the darker Sphear Her garments rank of Sulphur smell I fear Which may offend with those strange sights which late She saw affrighted now shel'd titubate Should she proceed Like one which newly come From long restraint in some dark Dungion Cannot indure the splendid Light nor dares Sol's beams behold so with my Muse it fares Who newly flown out of the house of Night Dares not as yet describe the Orb of Light Till that in Iordan she hath bath'd her eyes And Virgin Limbs that she may brighter rise New modulizing of his Harp again To sing Heaven's Blisses in a higher strain The end of the first Part. THE EXPLANATION OF AN Hieroglyphical Figure SHEWING THâ— MYSTERIES OF THE External Internal Eternal WORLDS The second Part. LOng mayst thou Phoebus pull my tender 〈◊〉 E'r I will my exalted notes for â—ear My Muse belongs not to thy miteâ—'d Hill Nor to thy teachings dos she owe her skill She from the double-top't 〈…〉 Unto the flow'r-spread Hills of Paradise And there inspired by the Angels notes Her self and Musick to their King devotes Who with the verdant Wreath of Love not Bayes Crowns the choice accents of her tender layes Great Prince of LOVE dain but to touch my tonguâ— With some small coal from off thy Altar flung Inspire my Soul ah let my words bespeak Thy Glory th'row them Hearts assunder break Glaâ—'d o're with steel Here highest Complement 'T is to become thy happy instrument O so intrance me that in Raptures I May sing the glory of thy Majesty The misty horrors of Eternal Night I 'ave shewn the far surpassing joyes of Light Let 's visit now a sight of much more worth May then my teeming Muse with ease bring forth An happy issue May my Numbers show The way to Heaven from this Earth below How deare's Man's Soul unto the Prince of Light Who all doth to his blessed Home invite Where all the pleasures and blest joyes of Hea'vn To crowned Saints by his own hand are given Who would not Heav'n acquire if 't only were T' avoid the terrors of the darker Spheat Where howling Devils spitting fire and flame In Wrath and fury 'gainst bright Heaâ—'n blaspheâ—e Where nought but Sulphur Fire and brimstone hurld About gives light unto that impious World Where pains Eternal in dark cares below With ugly Devils thou must undergo But what allurements hath blest Heav'n to give To Souls that Chastly and divinely Live What Joys what pleasures what true happinesse Do those blest Souls in Paradise possesse One single grain whereof more value holds Than all the pleasures that this World enfolds Ah! these are mix'd with sorrows those have none
Those are Aeternal these are quickly gon When that Earth's vainer Pleasures I behold To Heav'n's they seem like dung to mounts of Gold Or like a pibble to rich Diadems Beset with Diamonds and more costly gemâ—â— Ah let me woo you from this Sphear to move Unto that glorious Orb of Light and Love What tho the way be thither somewhat strait The end ten thousand times will Compenâ—atâ— All Labour 'T is unwilling minds alone Find so much trouble others they find none Thine Eyes turn to the Hieroglyphic see On the right hand the Orb of Majesty Of Light of Love this Paradise is call'd Which is with flameing Sword 's of Cherubs wall'd Which none can enter but those flames must passe Which cleanse the soul This manifested was Once in the Earth and here another Day Its Royal Beauties shall again display It has a being and the Heav'nly wise Vpon his Earth yet fire in Paradise Where they like Angels tho in flesh they move Enjoy the pleasures of Eternal Love Here is the second Principle here is The Orb of Light of Love of Heav'nly blisse Here is the Sun to New Ierusalem Which is the Light of it the brighter gemm Whereof it is compos'd this is the Day Which th'row the Eternal Mansions display Doth its Caelestial Light Heav'n's King he is As are the Saints and Angels cloath'd with this Long'st thou to dwell in this Caelestial place The way I 'le shew help'd by the Spirit of Grace Which if thou follow'st certainly arrive Thou wilt where Christ as King doth Reign and Live That we may shew more plain untâ— your eyes This milky way that leads to Paradise We will suppose as in the darker Sphear We did so now we will exhibit here One as a Pattern by whose foot-steps yâ— May view the way unto Aâ—ternity An Angel's task it is an Angel shall Conduct him therefore to the highest 〈◊〉 And to that highest Pitch tho reach'd by few That on this Earth may be attained to One then who doth in Truth desire to leave This mortal World and to th' immortal cleave Desireth Heav'n unfaignedly but yet Knows not which way his seeking face to â—et Like one who lost upon a wild Heath â—ees A hundred wayes and yet among all these He knows not which to chuse nor whether they May bring him home or cause him farther stray Now this he treads but by and by retreads The same again when that he sees it â—eads Him false now this he tries now that but when He sees them false retreads them back agen Thus labours still in vain but his desire To home doth not although his 〈◊〉 do tire Night now approaches now no 〈◊〉 he spieâ— Quite lost he grieveth 〈◊〉 down and â—ries So 't fares with him he â—ain his Soul conveiâ—h Would unto Heav'n but cannot find the way Benighted he 's with sins and errors 〈◊〉 So that no way appeareth in his view To lead him home all Sects h' has tryd his eâ—e More blinded is by â—heir formality Thus lost he is yet will not he give over Seeking desire 〈◊〉 it self discover His heart and 〈◊〉 still running 〈◊〉 His mind to Heav'n he thus 〈…〉 O glorious Prince of Light in whom there is Aeternal Comfort and 〈…〉 By whom alone all World's consist my cryes Lord hear acâ—ept my Heart 's 〈…〉 Hast thou not promisâ—◠〈…〉 I truly seek thee Lord although I 'm blind Out of the mid'st of hâ—rrid darknesse I To thee eternal Light it self do cry Lord I desire t' apprâ—ath the Throne of Grace To view the brightnesse of thy glorious facâ— All wayes 〈◊〉 but all wayes me deceive And short of what I do desire me leave Dark clouds 〈…〉 Earth weight 〈◊〉 down so that I cannot 〈◊〉 But in this black obscurity I gropâ— Having still with me my Companion Hope Lord from thy splendor send one 〈…〉 Which from this 〈…〉 Unto the Orb of Light My 〈◊〉 hear Send one to guide me to this happy Sphear What ever thou requirest 〈◊〉 obey I come O Lord did I but know the way A Heavenly 〈◊〉 strait comes 〈…〉 Joy in his eyes Love in his looks 〈◊〉 seen His sudden coming 〈◊〉 him his â—ight Soon fear expels and bring extreme delight About his Head a 〈◊〉 Glory flyes Enough to dazzle more than 〈…〉 His own fair Orbs like 〈…〉 Under two fair 〈…〉 Pierch'd doth in 〈…〉 A thousand arrows into 〈◊〉 Hearts Which tip'd with sacred 〈…〉 Of Love to Heav'n and Hate to Earth beget His yellow locks like 〈…〉 Upon his 〈…〉 From whence each 〈…〉 Than all the Odor that â—sapnâ— Upon his lovely Front the 〈…〉 Who admoration in all 〈…〉 The new-fall'n Snow 〈…〉 As his soft flesh 〈…〉 Compare with 〈…〉 His whiter Hand 〈…〉 Two downy Wings upon his 〈…〉 And which more colours than the 〈…〉 His Body was 〈…〉 Which as he went the 〈…〉 With hasty steps 〈…〉 The Ruby 〈…〉 Unlock'd from whence these sweet words issued O man Thy wing'd 〈◊〉 have sped Before the Throne of Grace Heav'n's Majesty Hath sent me to thee on his Embasie Heav'n's King hath made thee a free Denisoâ— Of the Caelestial Ierusalem Where all wear Crowne Therefore prepare to go And I the way that thither leads will show Narrow and strait at first appear it will And flesh will such asperities take ill It will both tedious and unpleasing seem To flesh but yet a Will resolv'd will deem It nothing for the way to Heav'n is After some time both full of Joy and Blisse Such happinesse deserves some pains yet set Great price on what you do with danger yet This Earth alone doth make the way seem hard Therefore resolve this first to disregard If thou resolv'd art come procrastinate Not now thy Time next day may be too late The then resolv'd cries out I 'le not defer The Time I 'm ready sacred Messenger Under the Covert of his downy Wing He takes him up and th'row the ayr doth fling Unto a Valley which high Rocks surround Here he discharges him upon the ground A pleasant Tempe did it seem to be Here grew the Olive and the Cedar Tree The shady Beach under whose Canopy Banks cushen'd with the verdant grasse did lie Adorn'd with flowers and sweeter herbs he thoughâ— The first flight him to Paradise had brought But thus the Angel cries You now are in The natural condition of sin This place the World doth represent and these Fine things you see its Fonder vanities From hence a way you must find out which found Proceed be sure and do not lose your ground Nor make a stay I at your greatest need Unseen will help you now I hence must speed This sai'd fanning the gentle ayr his flight He takes and quickly passeth out of sight The left alone a while the place doth view But by and by upon a Bank he threw Himself supinely in the grasse doth creep And e'r he was aware falls fast asleep Whilst thus he sleeps a
Mundos OAvarice for Gold and Silver 's prize The golden Truth thou ' ast turn'd to drossy Lyes Best things corrupted prove the worst of all By Rome's false Limbo doth true LIMBO fall The Christian Churches first blest Founders sure Their Streams delated from the Fountain pure Heav'n put that breath into their mouths which they Inspired thus to others did conveigh The holy Ghost upon them breath'd nor was Their Words corrupted by an humane glosse Then flourish'd Truth and all our Hyerarchie Rejoyâ—'d so pure a Church on Earth to see No pitchy clouds of error then did presse 'Twixt their eyes and the Sun of Righteousnesse The Truth shon then as clear as doth the Sun Mounted in 's golden Chariot at noon Christs Church sees clearly still where e'r it be Scatter'd through others and the Head is he But envious Sathan when he saw Truth so Extreamly spread and o're the World to grow He sew'd his Tares of Errors and did blind With clouds of darknesse Man's true eye the Mind These faster than the true Wheat grew this crop Of evil weeds did soon the Wheat o're-top Darknesse grew on apace anon the Day Could not its Light but here and there display Th'rough the small cranies of dark clouds then 't was Pride and Ambition in Rome's Church took place Then crept in all those Ceremonies then The Truth gave place unto the wiles of Men. Then Avarice with her hook'd Talons made Such Laws which turn'd Religion to a Trade And for the Love of Money did disguise Fair Truth and cloath'd her with a pack of Lies Something of precious Truth something of Day Under disguise under the clouds there lay Your Silver ISIS about Chelsy's not The same as where his bubling springs do put First forth their Crystal Heads near Thorlton for Churne's wondrushe's and Cherwell's waters there And Tame's Coln's Brents with his clear streams do run So on the other side he entertain Doth Ock Lad Kâ—nnâ—t Surrie's Rivers too Whose severe Waters with his mingle do Yet with these may at Châ—lsy run the same Pure waters which from his clear spâ—ing-head came So pure Religion's streams by this time had With many of Hel's Stygian stream lets spread Which were polluted with their Waters yet Amongst them Truth 's pure Crystal streams did â—â—iâ— But so bemudded that they scarce were seen But by those clear eyes who did dive for them The snowy flow'r is mixed with the Bran The chaff with Wheat one sift the other faâ— We must not â—â—ing them both away and make Th' â—ne uselesse for us for the other's sako We must beware when that the Tares we cull Lest we with them the wheat up also pull Fifteen Cent'ries and two decades of years After Christ's death from Isleben appears A Light by which Rome's muddy streams were seen By which the Truth men strove to câ—ll between Error 's black clouds But Zeal them so possest They her rejected 'cause by Rome's hands drest So fearful were they of a Romish dresse That Truth they ' ad rather leave than her possesse In that false Habit many Truth 's despis'd Were thus because by Rome they were disguis'd Among the rest and not the least this place This Region which thou now behold'st one was And 'cause Rome's fopperies had obscur'd the Light Of it forsooth they it discarded quite And by the ears it from existence whorry For fear of entertaining Purgatory The Truth of it now testifie thou mayst To others now thy self thou seen it hast It is not such thou seest as Rome doth fain For th' all-corrupting Gold and Silver 's gain This is the middle Region and doth hide It self between four Worlds on every side They bound this place Would'st thou know who those be Who yonder up and down you wandering see They are departed Souls who had begun The holy Race to Sion's Hill to run Who had Hel's broad Rode left and who in this Heav'ns Path some progress made had towards Blisse But e'r their Natures purified were E'r they attain'd had to that happy Sphear Which unto Paradise immediate leads Paâ—ca assunder cut their vital thread Their parted souls then to this Region flew Where they must perfect what they had to do VVhere they 'till purified must remain E'r they to Paradise admittance gain Th'rough Hel's deep Centre must the Soul first pass And th'rough a Sea of Fire to that of Glass Th'rough the first Principle as thou anon Shalt see Now if the Soul 's not cloath'd upon With Christ's sanguinous Robe the second and Most holy Principle she cannot stand But there is captivate or beaten back Unto the Crosse t' endure the holy Rack By putting off the first that so she may With th' second Principle her self array Then may the passe and not before Those who In flesh this holy Robe do not indue But dying hold by Faith 's strong clue are brought Hither to finish what remains unwrought The Way to Heav'n is not so easie as By poor beguiled Man imagin'd was Straight is that Gaâ—e and narrow is that Way Which Mortals doth conduct to perfect Day He that to presse th'row this straight Gate would seâ—k Must fling the World and flesh from off his neck They cannot enter Heav'n with him nor can Some Notions prove a Saviour unto Man The Work must somewhere finish'd be if on The Earth to Heav'n they go if not 'till done It fully be they here remain But those Wend straight to Hell who Hel's high-way had chose Man calls God merciful yet makes the same God the third part of all mankind to damn Hard-hearted Man dost thou not know there is An armed Cherub 'fore the Gate of Blisse Dost thou not know that Paradise is kept By Armes unwearied Eyes that never slept By a bright flaming Fauchon which enough Of terrour strikes to keep the wicked off Or tell me Man hast thou yet never heard That Imperfection cannot passe this Guard Nor flesh nor blood can enter Heav'n nor can Ever come there the least imperfect man No Imperfections enter Paradise If Man 's not perfect then before he dyes A some by no means grant where shall he then Be perfect made but in this Region 'T is true degrees â—ere in perfection are None throughly perfect still he comes where Mortality of immortality Is swal ow'd up where he beholds the Eye And Face of God without a Screen to this None can attain whilst in the flesh he is How few are there that to a perfect State Arrive before Death Life doth terminate To such a State I mean in which they may To Paradise go and make here no stay When their Souls fly their Bodies Souls must clear Be purg'd on Earth from what they drunk in there It is not Notions that the Work must do It must be real and done throughly too This Work not in tâ—e Head but Heart doth lye That 's most regarded by th' all-seeing Eye If they with Christ are truly risen
yet aside From what thou did'st command I did believe You stil who 'ld think that you would me deceive You nor my Guardian here â— blame you both Concerning this place told me all the Truth Thouâ—h what you spake is true that 's not enough For what things find I you nâ—'r told me of Accuse us not replyed Truth again I hope you are noâ— such a Tyrant grown For to require us that we should declare Those things to you which past our reaches are 'T is not the Tongues of Angels that the joys And pleasures can declare of Paradise And as it was beyond our power to shew So past our reach to comprehend them too Then blame us not dear Pilgrim if we be Beyond and better than our Word to thee With this th' affresh embrace but then came up To clip him too all the nymphean Troop Round him they run and it a great while was E're his embraces to them all could pass There Wisdom clipt him Innocency hung Upon his arm whilst Peace and Meeknesse wrung His fingers Faith and Zeal held fast his Hand Light Ioy Hope Life together round him stand Uprightnesse and the fair Nymph CHASTITY Obedience LOVE and pure Virginity Embrace him too so Lowlinesse and she Nymphs-Courage and sweeâ—-look'd Humility Did their devoyrs Then Resignation And Prophesie with others to him run All do him hug he doth as much desire The free embraces of this Virgin Qâ—â—re As long as ardent their embraces were Nor could these outward signes their joyes declare As fael lay'd upon the rising flames A while depresses but in higher streamâ— It causes strait the depress'd flames to rise So Love encreases by what satisfies After their eyes had their tongues place supply'd A while that charming Organ they unty'd And sprightly Ioy the first of all must know Whether that place would not a Taedium grow For every man his native Countrey best Said she esteems though he should daily feast In highest pleasures in another yet His native home though homely cann't forget Can Paradise make you forget the Earth A place so hugg'd by man your place of birth The Pilgrim smiling to the quaerent then Sweetly and nimbly thus return'd ag'en Terrestrial things to those which heav'nly are Noâ— Earth to Paradise must we compare Such difference is betwixt Earth's joys and them As is betwixt Aeternity and Time Were I in Aegypt or in Palestine With all delights it may be I as mine Own native Albion though there poor and mean I still should dwel should not so well like them But now I 'm come upon this blessed shore I can long after Albiâ—n no more Than those who in the highest Heavens be Can wish or long the lower Orb to see So far transcendent are these joyes that I Account the whole World worthless vanity But your own Argument shall speak for me And prove that this place can no Taedium be Man loves his native Countrey best And where Is that I pray you if it be not here He is a Pilgrim in the Orb below His Soul from higher Sphears came down we know Therefore so restless is she there to come From her low prison to her native home Then can I of this Countrey weary be The genuine place of my Nativity For Sin Man 's banish'd let him â—anish Sin And to his home he may return agen No think not Nymphs that I can weary be Of Paradise and your bless'd Company But whilst this fair Corona stood about Discoursing sweetly with our Pilgrim out Of a bright silver Cloud an Angel â—â—ept Whose flaming Wings the spiced Aether swept So Lightning breaks from the unparted Clouds So â—ol himself from 's nightly Robes unshrouds But he did swifter then the Lightning run And shew'd more glories then the Earthly Sun His flaming Wings him swifter than a thought From the imperial skies among them brought Unto him bow'd the Graces all and the Guardian vail'd both his Wings and bow'd his knee The Pilgrim also would have bow'd but that Excess of lustrous Glories struck him flat Unto the Earth for Mortal eyes could bear Not half those Beauties he about him ware His Wings seem'd flames of Fire or burnish'd Gold His Garments which down from his shoulders rould Unto his feet composed of pure Light Thinner than ayr than Phâ—bus far more bright Unutterably bright the splendrous Sun Was that in 's eyes and Lovely Visage shun Volumns of streaming Gold hung on his neck A Crown of tadiant Stars his front did deck Meadows of Violets Woods of Roses know No such perfumes which in his breath did flow But above all such Heav'nly Majesty And Power commanding sparkled in his eye That had a World of Mortals seen his face As dead they must have fal'n in the place But this Throne-Angel for the Pilgrim's sake A Cloak of silver Clouds flung on his back To hide his radiant Beams which yet did flow Th'rough it and made it like the Iris show Such pleasing Tinctures to that Cloak they gave That though less dazling yet it shew'd as brave Repressing to his face's radiant flood He shew'd in beauty like to flesh and blood But Nature yet with her diviner art In her best pieceâ— of his face came short The Angel then stretch'd out his snowy right Hand sâ—ow for softnesse and for perfect white To th' Pilgrim and lifting him up he brake Silence and thus in Heav'nly Accents spake Th' Immortal Prince of Glories who of this Fair Orb is King and of the Thrones of Blisse At whose dispose ten thousand Crowns do lye Of Glories Blisse and Immortality From whose free bounty we those Beams receive Which such irradiant lustrous brightnesse give About whose Throne ten Millions such as I Stand ready on his Embassies to flye Hath sent me to thee mighty Saint that so Thou's Will and pleasure from my mouth mightst know He hath Commissionated me that thou Mightst tast his matchlesse Love and Bounties now Therefore a Nuncius from the highest Sphear I come to thee this happy news to bear It is his Will and pleasure now to prove Himself indeed the matchlesse King of Love Thou precious art in his immortal Eyes And Heav'n it self he counts too small a prize For thee therefore to bright SOPHIA he Intends that thou in Heav'n espous'd shalt be For this end therefore am I hither prest To celebrate this Heavnly mariage Feast Down fell the Pilgrim on his humble knees And bowing thrice his head re-echo'd these If Heavens servants so perstringe the sight Of mortals who can see the Fount of Light What Beauties doth the King immortal wear When that his servants such high Lustre bear If that one beaming of a Star's so bright What is the Sun the Ocean of Light But what am I that Heavens immortal King Should notice take on me so vile a thing That from his Palace the bâ—ight Court of Day He should send down a high 〈◊〉 Whom I 'm more fiâ— to serve such news to
degenerate That Miracles are ceas'd dost praedicate E're since the World did from a Chaos spring Upon its Theatre God still did bring His acts of Wonder spreading them abroad As Witnesses to all there was a God All ages of the World can testifie Those matchless Wonders of the Dcity But why less frequent in these later times Is cause of Mortals unbelieving Crimes Faith now is wanting whosoever hath That may do Wonders with a grain of Faith Rocks may be mov'd the Seas divided and Earth's floted o're the Ocean made dry Land Man's unbelief and much unworthiness Has caus'd exuberant Miracles to cease But yet these later dayes so barren grown Are not but they true miracles have shown The Romish Church although Priests oftâ—n fain Some through the cursed thirst of rotten gain True miracles has seen O Man despise Not all because some Priests have forged Lyes For nothing is to thee more dangerous Than to say what God doth Belzebub does But to that pass men now adayes are grown That they no miracles at all will own But if ought pass beyond their apprehension They strait cry out it is black Hel's invention As if th' Immortal King to Hell had given The glorious Wonder-working Power of Heaven Or had resign'd to him his right or swore Never to shew his Arm of Wonders more Long shall not Man retain these thoughts for why As Lightning breaketh th'rough the Crystal Sky So shall miraculous Wonders have a birth And with new Light illuminate the Earth And shew that Heav'n's Magâ—tians can do More than Belzebub or his Magâ— too For those who eat shall on these fruits you see Shall only God's true sacred Magi be And these shall make them so thou shalt be one Their several virtues therefore shall be shown Seest thou that Dish those fruits in Scarlet dy'd Who seem to brave it in Pomona's pride Such is their virtue that they far excel In giving Eloquence the Clarean Well Hermes himself less Eloquent shall be Than those whose Tongues these tip with swavity These tasted strait the Tongue-ty'd sweetly speaks And all impediments assunder breaks Tongues stammering strings are scru'd to Heav'nly strains The blattering Mouth the highest Measures gains They to the Eater straitwayes do dispence The divine accents of true Eloquence Rhetoric Honey through their Lips do speed And such are termed golden-Mouth'd indeed Their virtue 's ty'd not to one Tongue alone It the true Grammar of all Tongues makes known And in a Moment the unlearned'st Man Can teach the deepest Characters to scan And make him speak all Languages that are More smoothly than his own vernacular To Mose's Mouth the fluent Aâ—â—on this Fruit granted was for the Isachians Blisse This sacred Fruits high Virtue did imbue A many of the holy Prophets too Whereby in charming Notes they did diffuse God's sacred Word unto the stubborn Jewes The holy Spirit when in cloven flame He on the Heads of the Apostles came Touched their Tongues with this Fruits sacred juyce And of all Tougues they straitwayes had the use Such is the virtue of this matchlesse Fruit Unless by those that are adjoyning to 't But mark that next Dish where green Leaves inclose Fruit which in scarleâ— Robes out-braves the Rose So fulgent Rubies court and charm the eye When with clear Smuragds they invelop'd lye The Pestum flower peeps th'row her infant Skreen With paler blâ—â—hes wrap'd with duller green The jayce of these impregnates strait the Brain Not with discourses Kicksie nor with vain Disputes true Logic art it doth diffuse And teaches Syllogisms how to use For Heav'n's own int'rest True Dilemma's too Can by infusion to the Taster shew This doth the understanding purge the eye O' th' Soâ—l the Mind from Motes do purifie This Reason doth illuminate and shews How the true Dialectic Art to use Reason's corruptions spots and fallacies This purgeth out and gives it purer eyes This givâ—th Armes unto Truth 's Champions and Inables them in Dispute's Wars to stand This unto Paul was borne by some of us When He with Beasts battail'd at Ephesus By this at Athens to the Schoole he flew And th' Epicures and Stoicks overthrew With solid Arguments This means did show His persecutors how to overthrow The Iewish Rabbies Gentile Doctors Mute At last were made 'gainst him was no dispute That third Dish where in Seas of Beauties wallow The slick-skin fruits bestrip't with Red and Yellow Screening their Virtues in a double fold Of Crimson Satin and of yellow Gold The ground is Gold upon whose face is spread A thousand striplets of a grain-dy'd Red. That Dish contains fruit of unvalued prize Whose sacred virtue makes man truly wise That Magic makes and true Phiâ—â—â—hers That â—isdoâ— and true Knowledge still infers Those Fruits unlock the fast-shut Cabinet Of Nature and her Treasures open set Nature's true â—ewels rol'd in pitch do lye Not to 〈…〉 by an Heav'nly Eye And such an one these give an Eye that looks Upon and reads her most mysterious Books An Eye that thorow Neptune's Region goes And all things in his brinish Kingdom knows An Eye that walketh thorow all the Mines An Eye that to Earth's solid Centre shines An Eye which doth perspicuously see What virtues in all Vegitables be That the true Nature of all things that grow From the tall Cedar to the shrub doth know An Eye that from the Earth to Heav'n doth rise And rangeth th'rough the myst'ries of the Skies That views the stations of the Wanderers That sees the mansion of the Northern Bears That knows the nature of those glittering Fires That reads their Lectures and Heav'n's Hand admires That knows their good and evil influence They on the World and Mortals do dispence That knows the causes of all natural things Seas and Earth's motions and the Winds swift wingâ— The streaming Metours and the blazing Stars The hairy Comets sad predicts of Wars That truly sees and knoweth all the parts O' th' Ptolomic and Eucledean Arts. These sacred Fruits besides all these disclose Nature's hid Magic which th' unwise oppose The Ancients wisdom whereby they could do Things wonderful yet natural and true Not jugling tricks nor by ill Spirits might But by Dame Nature's just and sacred Light Almost extinct now in the World unknown 'Cause men have sought praestigiae of their own And following airy Notions caught the shade Whilst the true substance did their hands evade Such are the Virtues of these Fruits divine Which with such matchless lustrous Beauties shines Of these the Father of the Faithful eat Sucking true Wisdom from the blessed meat And those who liv'd nine Ages to descry The Planets dances iâ— the azure Skye Great Salomon that mighty Magus had His Wisdom and his Rnowledge from this food This sacred Fruit was lovely to his eyes For he this more than 's Crown or Gold did prize He wisely said For all things there a Time Was did but Mortals on the Earthly clime Exactly
dead the Soul then flyes To Heav'n and not before above the Skie To such whose Breasts are with such thoughts implete I shall and in a word this Answer â—it Paul was alive and yet to Heav'n he flew Where he such wondrous mysteries did view That as they were unutterable so They were not fit â—or to be told below The Patriarch Aenoch walk'd with God and there Is Heaven doubtless where he doth appear In Love and Glory so Aelias went To Heav'n before his mortal Spirits were spent But such whose thoughts are thus do heaven tye Unto a place above the starâ—y Sky Such don't believe the Scriptures which declare That also they within Man seated are Indeed th' Aeternal Heav'ns are boundless they In Man and out of Man themselves display I say they 're boundless for the God of Blisse Is boundles and they are where e're he is Nay Heav'n though strange it seem is too in Hell And there doth as Lâ—ght doth in darkness dwell As Night cann't Day as Darkness cann't the Light So cann't Hell e'r comprehend the bright Aeternal Heav'n as 't cann't excluded be So not included by Demensity Did Man himself but truly throughly know He 'd find all Woâ—lds that are within Him flow Man 's a deep study and who Mâ—n doth see Truly and throughly knows all Worlds that be 'T is very true if Heaven only were Beyond the blew Seas of the starry Sphear Our Souls enchain'd below could never come Thither till they had left their fleshly home For that our Elemental Bodies are Too heavy to be carried so far But Aenoch walk'd with God on Earth and so May Man on Earth be and see Heav'n too O thou that gazeth on the Olympic Court Fancying beyond it the Majestic Port And Restful Haven of departed Souls Whose bredth extendeth unto either Poles Where mighty Mansions for the Saints do lye Spread over the vast and starry Canopye Carnal Conceits of splendid Palaces 〈◊〉 grosly Brain-deluded Images Did'st thou but know the Nature of a Soul Such fancyful Idea's thou'dst controul For nothing is more near than Heav'n to thee Wert thou not blind had'st thou but eyes to see The deeper into thy self dost go The nearer thou still Heav'n approachest to For what 's indeed a Souls departure hence But motion from the Circumference Unto the Centre let it Centre where It will or in the Light or darker Sphear Had'st thou a Poâ—er granted thee to flye Ten thousand tâ—mes as far beyond the Skie As it is to 't as far from Heaven thou Might'st be God's Seat I mean as thou art now Heav'n is spiritual yet real too So that our outward carnal Eyes cann't view Its Seat The Soul which is a Spirit may Yea whilst it's pris'ner in this house of Clay Though I confess this Clayie Vail is such That intervening it doth hinder much These outward eyes can nothing view but what Is gross material and Corporate Rather more truâ—y they do nothing view No more than the Perspective we look through Is said to see for 't is the eye so 't is The Soul and nothing else that views and sees What sees the Body when the Soul is fled The Organ still remains the same though dead Yet it no visive Power has for why The Soul once gone of no use is the eye So likewise 't is as plainly it appears The Soul that feels that smels that tasts that hears But now the Soul without a Body may Nor see nor hear touch tast or smell I say Mistake me not I pray I mean not now This Flesh and Blood this gross out-garment though For this indeed is as it were a foul Garment unto the Body of the Soul Which is its prison and the fruit which all Men bear of Adam's fell and fatal Fall For this Imagination did indue This Body when he put his mind into This extern Principle which once shall be Int 's Aether swallow'd to Aeternity Suppose you had a Robe of Lead made fit Unto your Body and that put in it Your Face and Hands all parts covered o're Against your eyes thick Glasses as before You could not see how dim the World would show How heavily should you then move and go Could you so nimbly scud across the Plain Or sprightly swim within the silver Main As you before did should a wedg of Steel Fall hard upon you should you not it feel And should your glass eyes stopped be with clay You could not then behold one glimpse of Day But should you freed be from that Prison then How fair and clear would all things show agen Just so 't is with the Soul a heavy foul Garment unto the Body of the Soul This fleshly Case is whilst it fouly decks It she doth labour under its defects And must be subject unto them then she If that the eyes be d'outed cannot see The outward World let any part of this Organic Body be but ought amiss She is afflicted with it by this tye Of flesh she thus endures misery But the Soul's Body is another thing Which in and through this fleshly Case doth spring Not to be seen with fleshly eyes so you May see the Sun but not that Body view Which gives it splendor so you view the flame But not that Body which Lives in the same For the true Elements they are not seen By eyes Corporeal 't is an outer Screen You view the Body of the Soul likewise From the unmixed Element doth rise This is the Body that to Heav'n doth flye Who gains this Body gains the Mysterie For thorow it he Heav'n may view though he In his corporeal Clayie House still be Who fixes this may there for ever dwell For he those Wonders views that Worlds excel 'T is in this Body that the Soul doth see Th' immortal Glories of Aeternity 'T is plain that all or most great Visions that The sacred Scriptures t' us do nominate Not with the outer were beheld but by The Heav'n-beholding and internal eye What outward Eye can see a Sp'rit unlesse He doth himself in t ' form and matter press What outer eye is able then to see The Form or glory of Heav'n's Majesty An Angel's fain to vail his splendid beams With some gross matter when himself it seems He will discover to th' extern eye of Man What extern Eye can see the Heav'n's glories then With what eye did Elisha's Man behold The fiery Host that did them safe enfold With what Eye was it that Ezeâ—iel spy'd That glorious Vision by clear Chebar's side With what Eye did he see Ierusalem When he in Chaldâ— captive did remain With what Eye was it that great Daniel saw Himself though then at Shushan at Aelai By what sight saw he when sleep seal'd his eyes The great Creator in th' Aeternal Skies And how could Steven with his outer eye See Iesus sitting in th' Aemperial Sky At God's right Hand You know the glorious Sun Which round this Orb in twice twelve
hours doth run By three times fifty and sixteen degrees Exceeds the World But who that Planet sees Deems him but smal How far beyond that Star As they account th' Emperial Heav'n's are You may imagine when the space they ' count 'Twixt Earth and the eighth Heav'n to surmount Sev'nteen hundred millions of Miles and more How vast a distance did Steven's eye therefore Behold our Saviour But that eye by which He say no bounds to it can distance pitch Paul's eyes were closed with what eye saw He The Glory then of Heav'n's bright Majesty Peter entranc'd was with what eye Beheld He then the sheet with clean and unclean fill'd And lastly with what Eye and with what Ear did divine Iohn in Patmos see and hear If thus the Eye may Heav'n see also The Body of that Eye may thither go It is not strange to them therefore that are Acquainted with true notions of that Sphear Wherein Iâ—hovâ—h and the Angels be That Man on Earth th' Aeternal Heav'n's may see For such do know how Souls abstracted may Be from their House of impediting clay And that whilst in their Bodies they remain May Heav'n by Faith not only here attain And be conversant in the highest Sphear Abstracted from the World though they dwell here But least because I here so stifly plead You should suppose I have been there indeed I will confess as ' counting it great shame To be accounted better than I am That I not worthy have accounted been O no I cleans'd am not am enough from Sin I am a Pilgrim and do thither wen Strong is my Faith I shall come there Amen! Assur'd I am although a very few Attâ—in whilst here on Earth this Court unto That here on Earth it may attained be Though Flesh and Blood impeed its clarity But you that ask me how I come to know Those things of Heaven which I here do show Since as I do confess I have not been There nor those myst'ries that I speak of seen Pray tell me also then how you come by Your knowledge of a Heav'n beyond the sky Were you e're there Yet confidently you Discribe the place affirm your notion true You 'l tell the Joys of everlasting Blisse Describe the Glory that in Heaven is And will you then if you did never see The place you speak of angry be with me For doing what your selves do daily do You say 't is UP to Heav'n and that is true And is 't not also INTO Heav'n you 'l grant That God's the Centre of all things and sha'nt The Centre which is inmost highest be Or Up or In it is all one to me But this I know that Heav'n and also Hell Though separate in every place do dwell Although as I confess I have not been In Heav'n nor there its spendid glories seen Yet I account it grace enough to be The Praecâ— of his heav'nly Majesty I may the Candle hold and light the way Into the place of everlasting Day I may the Mercury be to guide aright Caelestial Pilgrims with my glimmering sight We may see right unto the Mountain's top And point the way whilst we are getting up Unto our fellow-Travellers that they if faster go they can may see the Way We Joy if by our means aright they move Those that see more may thank us for our Love That upper Globe which you see pourtrai'd there Doth represent the high Eternal Sphear This is the highest Noblest brightest best The Glory Life and Centre of the rest The place of mighty Wonders the divine Seat of the sacred everlasting Trine The habitation of the blessed Saints Where glorious Angels spread their heav'nly Tents Where stands Mount Sion and the glorious Lamb Where is SOPHIA and Ierusalem This is the everlasting place of rest The Heav'n the habitation of the blest This Man may find in the deep Centre and How this through all devolveth understand Here is the spatious glassie Sea and the Crystalline Earth the Ayr of Purity The purest fire which conjoyn'd in one The matter is of the Caelestial Throne Of Everlasting Joyes This place it is The Empyreum and the Seat of Blisse GOD out of Nature Comprehended may Not be a Nothing so to us I say He seemeth but as he Himself doth show In the Eternal Forms of Nature so We apprehend him can The Father then Hath from Eternity begot the Son This Birth 's the Heart of God which ever was And though begot yet 't no beginning has From whence proceeds the sacred Spirit who From both begotten is Eternal too All three distinct in Person yet but One Aeternal GOD in a strict Union This is the Mysterie of the sacred Trine Which in this everlasting Orb doth shine But now the Father with a strong desire Thirsts for the Son from whence springs up a Fire Which Fire not reaching God's most sacred Heart Is full of Anguish Bitternesse and Tart. This is the Fire that inkindleth Hell Where all the damned and the Devils dwell But the same Fire when that sacred LOVE Or Heart of God it self to it doth move Strait blazeth forth into a meek and Bright Joy and desire of Aeternal Light This is the Light of Heav'n and pleasant Joy In which all Blisse is not the least annoy And thus O Reader if thou are not blind Heav'n's Blisse and Joy Hel's pain and torment find Thou wilt to come from one deep Root and even Perceive the true cause both of Hell and Heaven And thus thou seest how they together dwell Hell hid in Heav'n Heav'n in the midst of Hell And yet so great a Gulf between that they In Hell behold not the least glimpâ—e of Day Nor they in Heaven feel the least of wo Their separation's thus Eternal too Though Similies are too too base to shew This Mystery of Mysteries of Mysteries to you But that our weak and duller eyes may see More clear by them think on this Simile Take thou a lighted Tapor put it out The week thou ' lt see with Fire glow thr'owour From whence a stinking vapour and a Fume Displeasing to thy nosethrils fills the room The stinking glowing weik gives little light And the Fire far doth differ from a bright And burning Tapor Light the same and then Thou 'lt see the former darknesse fled agen Thou 'lt see a blaze which from the weik doth rise With a bright splendid Glory 'fore thine eyes Which Blaze without the Fire could not be made The Fire 's without that blaze a deady shade The Heat and Light distinct and several be Though joyntly they do in the blaze agree Nor can the 〈◊〉 without the Heat have being But joyntly in 〈…〉 agreeing They make that Glory brighter than the Gold Which in a lighted Taâ—or we behold But Heav'n's splendrâ—â—â— Light doth not contain Such scorching heat as 〈◊〉 such Lâ—ghâ—â— remain The Application's very 〈◊〉 'T is â—ven Thus 'twixt the Fire of â—ell and Light of
depraved and fallen This world and the things thereof falling under the senses whereby they are busied and the Soul hinderâ—d from more internal Contemplations is indeed the great Engine whereby the Devil captivates so many that they have not time to consider the nature of their souls or the state of other worlds They have some slight and supâ—rficial Notions and Ideas of them which they receive froâ— the dictates of others and with which they content themselves and rest satisfieâ— never understanding the deep mysteries contained in themselves Did man search the profundity of himself he would find a great mysterie and then â—his Hieglyphical Figure would not seem so great a Paradox as I question not but it will do to some There are some things in it which will seem stâ—aâ—ge and new and which doth not quadrate wholly with what is generally receiv'd but since there is no difference in any fundamental pâ—rt of our faith in Christ Iesus all may read it though of different opinions without offence CHRIST the great Exemplar of Holinesse and of Cobriety is here set out to be the Pattern of all Christians to walk after and though it is not to be expected tâ—at any can arrive to so sublime a pitch which â—e in being both God and man arrived at yet Man may attain to that degree of perfection in this Life as to walk uprighâ—ly holily and devoutly before God and justly and blamelesly beforâ— men Religion is not a mâ—eâ— notional knowledge of God but a practical feâ—ling of him non magna Ioquimur sed viâ—iâ—ur â—t us live well ratâ—er than talk well for knowledge without practise will but encrease our condâ—mnation in that great day and will but witnesse against us to our prejudice Nor can Ignorance be an excuse to any since God has given and Understanding and Capacity as a tallâ—nt to every mâ—n to know and do enough for his own salvation and which ought to be improved more or lâ—sse according to the value of his Tallent and not sluggiâ—hly to be cast aside in a Napkin or layed out in fâ—volous and unprofitable Thingâ— The great helps Christians have above others for that improvement will call for a greater â—ncrease of their Tallents and greater will their condemnation be for their neglects It is therefore out of that consideration and not ouâ— of any phantastick desire and itch of writing that I have pâ—nn'd this following discourse being the explanation of an Hierogliphical Figure of the Worlds which came into my hands another being the Author That I might not stifle that internal motion which prompted me to it though it was done without intention of making it publike But having pâ—ssed the test of better Iudgements than my own and approvâ—d I have sent it forth in that rude drâ—ss as it fell from my hasty Pen without other Ornaments and flatteries of Rhetoâ—ick and Lang age than what was natural and becoming 〈…〉 more secret parts from rude and profaâ—e eyes If that my good intention of awakening others to look after those Worlds most still ignore and blindly grope after and seriously to consider the immortality of their souls and of the Eternal felâ—cities or everlasting Torments they hereafter mâ—st enjoy take effect I shall think my self happy if not I have done my duty and my peace will be my Reward Casta placent superis purâ cum mente venite Et manibus puris sumite fontis aquam Tibul. Elg. AN ENCOMIUM On I. B. and his Interperer I. Sparrow Esq wrote in Latine and thus rendred into English GReat Saint tho I not in the Rubric see Thy Name in verse I may remember Thee By whom we profit it is good to own By thee I must confesse I much have known Of God Heav'n Nature we the secrets know By thy choyce works they mystic Wonders show Thy Works do shew the way to Paradise To the blest Kingdoms of Aeternal â—oys The Sons of Wisdom only read thee right By Day the Wise read thee th' unwise by Night Treasures and Gemms are open'd to their mind Whilst these an Abysse of thick dâ—â—knesse find Nor let them blame thee for the faults their own T is their dark minds see not when plainly shown â—â—oud Man and Covetous Sophist vain take heed â—ost thou the sacred Works of Behman read 〈…〉 Worldâ—ing you The 〈…〉 too The outside of the Book yoâ— only see Nâ—â— Bâ—hâ—â—n's mâ—nd nor sacred Mysterie O're 〈…〉 hang pâ—â—chy Vaâ—les what there You see to you ou◠〈…〉 Bâ—â— when yoâ— wâ—se and 〈◊〉 read his mind A 〈…〉 and Lighâ— you find For you the pâ—tchy 〈…〉 ay 〈…〉 God 's Spiâ—it's the Key th' 〈◊〉 insâ—â—ration's shew'd Dâ—vâ—ne he was in humane Science rude Thâ— sâ—cred Flame within his Breast did shine When that Hâ— pen'd such mysteries Divine 'T was God himself who dâ—d his Hand direct Who doâ—â— the Infant and the wise respect God was his Master it was he alone That made to him such mystic Wonders known And the â—â—cana's of the Woâ—lds did â—heâ— Boâ—â— of the Light the Dark and this World too To Him the mystic Tongue of Nature's given Thaâ— and the true Cabal â—s shew'd from Heav'n Tha mystic Tongue was Known in Paradise And He like Aâ—am Knew those mysteries Wâ—thin the Centre of his Breast dâ—vine 〈…〉 the Sun of Righteousnesse did shine Wâ—en that he wrote his châ—â—st Bâ—east us'd to be Fil'd with the Spirit of the Deity Fâ—e biting Crâ—tick and evil tonâ—ues that Prate ' Gainâ—t Behman and his Works Calumniate Wo to Bâ—asâ—â—emers To the â—â—ting Tongue Wâ—o to the Saâ—â—ts and all good men do wrong Becaâ—sâ— a simple Laick shall he be Mayn't God choose whom he please contemn'd by thee Do not his Works for new-Coyn'd Words dâ—spâ—se Mayn't God who all words made new Words devise Wilâ— Wise men Gemms in earthen Platters scorn Or Wisdom ' cause her Robes are old and torn Bark on â—ll Tongues that Him bespaâ—ter so Yet 〈◊〉 â—alm under its â—eight â—hall grow His â—alm â—hall flouriâ—â— and it 〈◊〉 mâ—y 〈…〉 Shew nâ—gâ—t to ill Men and to gooâ— Men Day To hoâ—y Men with their 〈◊〉 lâ—ght They â—hew the â—ay to 〈◊〉 and Heav'n aright I warn the scoffâ—r 〈…〉 Thou Behman's 〈…〉 no more Now holy Soul thes◠〈…〉 Whâ—ch at thy shrine is offer'd by my Love And though these perish may thy Nâ—me shall be A living Monument as well as thee In Heav'n thou liv'st for ever there But here Whilst the World lasts thou in thy works shin'st clear Great Saint we thus siâ—g forth out thanks below Which are just debtâ— foâ— what thou didst bestow And learned Sparrow we thy praises too Will sing Rewards too small for what is due The gifts of Glory and of Praise we owe The English Behman doth thy Tâ—ophies shew Whilst English men that great Saints praise declare Thy Name shall joyn'd with Hiâ— receive a share The Time shall come when hâ—s great Name shall rise Thy Glory also shall ascend the Skies Thou mad'st him
case In PLUTO'S Court they would usurp a place For when the outward body doth consume In Hell such take their Hell-prepared room Their souls there having some such shape or hue Of beasts whose actions they inclined to Assuming there some hideous form or feature Rarely resembling their deformed Nature Thus may you see within this outward place We 're either Men or Beasts when here our race Is run we shall to the Tartarean den Go if we beasts are but to Heav'n if Men. Man was a Man created and a King And Lord and Ruler over every thing But now that state h 'as lost for which he groans Having gain'd dunghils for his Crowns and Thrones Now of a King he is a servant made Who once immortal now to Death betray'd Therefore behold him pourtrai'd to thine eye See where himself his Crown and Scepter lye The Lamb the Type of Innocency too Which LUCIFER with ADAM overthrew Under the great and massy Globe of Earth As if deprived both of Life and breath This is the fallen state of Man who must His Crown not unregarded in the Dust Permit to lye but what sum e'r it cost Strive for to gain the Scepter that he lost And tho he now lyes slain depriv'd of all Crush'd with the weight of this terrestrial ball Yet shall this fallen Man at last arise And o're his now lost Kingdoms Regalize O man with joy expect this blisseful day Rouze up thy self enquicken'd with the ray Of life divine Shake off this clogging Earth And strongly presse after another birth For that attained once thou shalt be then As once thou wast a Lord and King agen In the Hieroglyphic see the lowest Globe Which represents this vast terrestrial Orb This World wherein we Live this outward Earth Where we poor mortals draw a fading breath Where Souls immortal in a mortal case As in an Ergastule remain a space Which World 's a mighty Prodigie and those Who it consider in its Mazes lose Themselves for every thing perspicuously The power shews of Heav'ns High Majesty How admirable is her Form and Nature How beautiful and well compos'd each Creature How full of beauty and of Lovelinesse How sweetly brave is she in Nature's dresse So that the eyes of man do dote upon her And Highest Trophies raise unto her honour How various and delightful are her climes Some smiling later some bedress'd betimes Some wearing all the year a liv'ry green Some diversly with painted mantles seen While others dress'd in mantles made of snows Themselves as'twere in silver garbs expose How variously delightful dressed is Each clime and Countrey with a native blisse How variously through ev'ry Region are Her happy riches and her costly ware Her helps and her commodities for Man Her treasures and her pleasures too which can Delight her heart spread by a bountioâ—s hand And all exposed unto his command Aspiring mountains here their heads do show Their pleasant dales empal'd with woods below Here th'row the midst of them the silver streams Run trickling o're the stony pearly gems Here pleasant Hills adorn'd with lofty pines With Oakes and Cedars there the Elms and Vines Sweetly embracing all the Hillocks side Towards the East fill with their branches wide Here stand the Laurels with a verdant hue Here spreading Beaches lofty Ashes too There by the Brooks grow brittle alder stems Willows and Sallows love the silver streams A thousand other trees here make a Grove Where the sad Tuttle murm'ring wooes his love Where the sweet Nightingalls compose their layes Where other Songsters sing on several sptayes Praising their great Creator with their Notes Proceeding from their pretty warbling throtes Hard by are Meads in ammelled with flowers Cover'd with grass sprung from Zephyrian showers Where seems to be an everlasting spring Where Grashoppers in their shrill notes do sing Where feed the branched stag the fair horn'd Ox The clambring Goats the silver fleeced flocks The fair spread Mare and the couragious horse Who kicks the rocks down with his heel's strong force Among the woods the several beasts of prey The roaring hests of their strong Prince obey The fowl Ioves mighty Bird doth rule Within The Chrystal river several fishes swim And all these for the use of man were made Good who oft times converts them into bad About the Earth the liquid Ocean beats Scareing his sister with his boistrous Threats Athough she knows JEHOVAHS word is gone That she shall never drowned be ag'en Within whose liquid depths such wonders are As with the Earths or heavens may compare But round this Globe with a vast azure bent Is bended round the starry Firmament Wherein the twinkling Lamps beday the nights Where are fixt wandring less and bigger lights There Cyathâ—a ruleth Mistriss of the night With the clear splendor of her borrowed light The Sun day's King and Lord of all the rest The clearest hottest brightest and the best Bâ—gilds the day and with a glorious splendor His dayly service doth to mortals tender Thus hath the great Creator full of Love His wondrous blessings poured from above Upon this world that on this earthly stage Man comfort take might in this pilgrimage And not abuse them as most men have done And souls and bodies by them overthrown But if that now such outward bliss remains After the change of Adams faulty stains What was the beauty and the comliness The splendor and incomparable dress The Earth had when she from her Maker first Came e're that she was by his mouth accurst E're that she had put on inglorious weeds And cherished accurs'd and banefull seeds Should I lanch out into this endless main My shallow Barque could n're return again Sâ—ch seas of water and of wonder too Appear and shew themselves unto my view My eyes no objects on this earth do meet But they my globes do with their wonders greet For not the smallest fly nor creeping Ant Do wonders and what 's admirable want So that I am amazed and must cry Great is the power of his Majesty Great are the wonders that this Globe doth hold So great that they 're not able to be told Therefore expect not at my hands that I Should open here Dame natures Mystery Or that the nature of all things below I here should in this Epique Poem shew Or that I here the mighty wonders tell That in this Orb terrestrial do dwell This were an endlesse task would Ages tyre Not Books of Worlds but Worlds of Books require This would for not the heat-born gnat in truth Or worm but of 't deserve a Poem doth A glorious study 't is to study Nature To read the great IEHOVAH in the Creature To meditate his mighty wonders here And Trophies to his Name thereby to rear The great Creator made all things that be For profit pleasure and commodity Of man alone therefore His holy Name He ought to praise and thank him for the same Let some therefore dive to Earth's Centre and The secrets of
quaere In what by-corner of the Earth it stands Whether in Peru or by â—anges sands Whether it under the Aatartic lyes Or where the Riphean snowy Mountains rise In what place lyes this blessed part which is The Realm of Joyes and the state of Blisse We know that once five thousand years ago It was where rapid Euphrates doth flow But where it ever since has hid its head Into what Kingdom or what Countrey fled We do not know I 'le tell you then where lyes The happy Regions of bless'd Paâ—adise To find this place you need not cut the seas You need not travel to clear Euphrates You need not passe th' Arabian sands nor go Over the craggy Alpes uneven brow Nor visit TEMPES fragrant bosom nor Th' Atlantides nor other Regions for Tho' round the world you go search every Câ—eek And ev'ry Land and every corner seek Of this great Universe your labour lost May be and you reap pains for all your cost Know then that it in every Land doth lye But yet the place none but the Wise can ' spy Vails double dy'd in pitch are thrown thereon And yet it is as naked as the Sun Th'row out the world it is and seems to be Fast link'd unto the other part of the Great World but yet an endlesse Gulf remains Between this Land of Blisse and that of stains Rivers they are not that do bound this Land Nor massive Mountains that do justing stand Nor Woods nor Heaths nor Planes nor Hils nor Seas Nor Groves nor Vales nor Piles nor Pales nor Trees This place from th' other part of Earth divide Nor yet doth it in Caves or Vallies hide It self nor doth between the Mountains lye Whose craggy tops aspiring touch the sky It 's wall is fire which bounds it round about Which keeps the wicked and unrighteous out It 's Ianitor or Centinal doth stand Arm'd with a flaming weapon in his hand But without clouding it it in a word A mighty Cherub only has for guard As Day dwels in the shadows of the Night As darknesse doth involve the splendid Light As the bright flame lyes hidden in the coal So lurking lyes this holy place in all The Universe So lies Ierusalem And SION clouded are with Babylon But yet the Gulf 'twixt them 's as great I say As betwixt Light and Darknesse Night and Day For tho in one another hid they be They yet together cannot stand you see For when the Darknesse spreads its wings the Light Flyes So bright Day doth chase away the Night When Night comes she involves the shining Day When Day comes it hides Night within it's Ray. Thus dwell the Principles in one another Thus Hell and Heaven blended are together Thus is the Good part of the Earth hid in The Evil part the spacious Realm of sin Then wonder not if I to you relate That while you dwell in Babylonish state In midst of Babel and her wickednesse Priding your self in all her whorish dresse Your next near neighbour in the world's account May dwel upon thrice sacred SION'S Mount And in bless'd Paradise for tho he may In Night seem He in Night has found the Day He plows he sows he reaps the Earth so you The Gleab do plow sow reap and husband too But yet your aym and end and his infers He is God's Stuart you are Lucifers From several principles you act and he Is in the second in the first you be He dwells in EDEN and IERUSALEM But you in Aegypt and in Babylon Thrice happy is the Man that thus hath found In midst of Babel this thrice hallowed ground The purest Chrystal nor the whitest snow Nor candid'st Lilies fairest flowers that grow Nor splendid Phoebus nor the nitid ayr Nor shining Phoebe half so bright nor fair Nor half so pure nor immaculate Are as the Soul of this great World yet that Before Man fell lesse pure and divine Than Man was and under his feet did shine But since he joyn'd with it and by it fell He gave admittance also unto Hell And its Magia to infect it so That man by it is oft made subject to Hel's Prince and Law for whilst he in this Room Of flesh remains he 's easily o'recome By the World's spirit Sathan wholly bent To mischief Man makes it his instrument So that what 's pure of it self â—e still Distaines and so converteth Good to Ill. Heav'n also for the good of man doth use The same for by the same he doth diffuse External blessings Wisdom Wit and Wealth Riches and Honors Plenty Pleasures Health But this more plainly shall explained be VVhere we speak of the Good and Evil Tree I do admire that man should ignorant Be of this great World's Soul so greatly want The true sight of 't being so nearly he To it is fastned by a Sympathie For 's outward body cometh from that womb That very LIMYS whence this Earth did come Being that by the same such strange things brought May be to passe such mighty wonders wrought Such miracles of Nature shewn For by The same he may do wonders Prophesie Be by infusion Learn'd in Tongues and Arts And thousand others which this Sp'rit imparts In so much that amazed Man has thought The Devil only such great things had wrought For not the Devil as most men suppose But this world's Seal those Oracles inclose Did of the Heathen So the Sybills So The Dâ—uids did what came to passe foreknow And to those Priests fill'd with Prophetic rage By the same Sp'rit did future things presage So famous actions done by Ganges strand The same day known in the Ausonian Land Were and might well be by this Sp'rit made known As what on all parts of our body 's done We at the instant know this world's Soul so What 's done in any part of th' Earth doth know And so impart the same to Mortals may And Wonders which I mention not display And all this by Man's close conjunction With this great Spirit not the Devils 's done Yet I confesse that oftentimes the Devil That great Imposter Father of all evil Hath had his Oracles and Prophets too That he thereby might his dark Magic shew From whence much ill produc'd was So that all Count him the Father of what 's Mâ—gical Now to this World 's great Spirit there belong Of Spirits an innumerable throng Which only to this outer world pertain With it created and shall dye again When it 's dissolv'd These nothin have to do With those black Spirits that are subject to Hell's horrid Prince and different from those Whom the Prince of the lighter Orb hath chose To be 's peculiar servants These controul Doth being its Instruments the great World's Soul Of these some in the fiery Element Inhabit some within the azure bent Among the starres And others daily sport Within the flameing Rooms of Vulcan's Court Such are within Vesuvius's sulp'ry womb And great Enseladus's fiery ' tomb Such in flame-belching
tâ—y Which got they straight send to Hel's Treasury Sometimes he this makes use of sometimes that This serves for this that for another Plot. Sometimes the Starres and their â—ad inâ—luence As instruâ—ents he uses and from whence He oft assaults poor Man MARS stirs to wrath And blood Sâ—â—Tâ—R to Avaâ—ice and sloth MERC'RIE to Theft Ambition IUPITER VENUS to Lust and the cold MOON to err His wayes innumerable are and mount Unto infinity the starres you count May first or sands that on the shore do lye He 'l suit all Humours By their humours try To work for his advantage To excesse Of feeding this man that to drunkennesse He doth provoke Leads this to Pride to Lust Another this to doing things unjust To lying Theft Adâ—ltery Perjury And to all manner of iniquity But meets he with a studious Man or one Who hath got conquest o're his passion Unto grosse sins he doth not tempt them he Their strength doth know therefore with policy His shape he changes and with subtle guile Corrupts their knowledge and with errours vile Their Brains doth fill if in Theology Their study be their errours are more high A prying mind finds he in men of Parts He subtlely draws them to his blacker Arts Where with most strange delusions them delude And thus himself in every one intrude He will and suting to their inclination With cunning Art unseen work their destruction But sees 〈◊〉 some who in earnest be To leavâ— the World who would their Spirits free From his sad bondage bid this Earth adiew And woâ—ld with Heav'n a stricter league renew Uprightly walk and very closely presse To find that Gate that leads to happinesse Out of this Earth thus cunningly be deals So soon as he their working pulses feels A mighty Circle 'fore the gate he draws The which scarce touched is with Heaven's Rayes Those then who presâ—e toward this Gate anon Fall into this Fantastic Region For so it is they in a Circle run Blinded and groping wanting heat and Sun A little Light as at a crevice flows Into the place the which these umbra's shows Unto their hood-winck'd eyes Formes Government Words Literal sence Disputes and Cavilment Concerning Ceremâ—â—ies Iudging and Self-gathering in a more righteous Band. With these they sport themselves who like that fire That in the Night leads people th'row the mire And 'bout the Field do cause these blind ones stray In oblique pathes and hinder from the way They should have ta'n In this same Region All Sâ—cts as in a misty Circle run Here gropes the Presbyter whose rigid sp'rit Is took for zeal beclouded too with night In this dark Region's th' independant who Hath a more pleasing sp'rit and better hue The Dippers here do wash their scaly eyes And round about the bolder Ranter flies Here the severer 〈◊〉 and here Fist 〈◊〉 Eâ—thusiasts appear With other Sâ—cts and Fâ—â—â—aticks and all Who pressing forward stay or catch a â—all For such whose love to heaven caus'd them press Towards that gate that leads to happiness Once enter'd here it is more hard to finde Then 't was before they entered this blinde Phantastic place passe this forme that try there Another â—ound them all yet where you were At first you are nor are more neer the gate In this same sect now then you were in that Help't by soâ—e Angel or some brighter ray Of all these Sâ—cts some may invene the way Out of this Region and may finde the gate Which all that Heaven find must enter at All it endeavour can we justly blame Them when they grope about to find the same Alas though some do almost touch it yet Through blindnesse they can have no power to see 't The way 's not Sects nor formes of pleasing sence But Truth and Life to Christ obedience Tho Satan tempteth all men unto sin And doth desire they should inhabite in His harsh-dark principle and rather then He 'd any loose a thousand wayes for men He trys as by this worlds law pleasures yet He 'd rather man should like a Prince be set Then like a slave in his great Kingdom there Both high and low degrees of places are They nearer to or farther from his Throne Are set as they with him have union Those whom this worlds low pleasures catch or those Who by Lust Lying Wrath or Envy goes To this dark world are kind of underlings And are like Subjects to Hells greater Kings But those who to greater perfection Arrive and who have stricter union With Hell and those who knew his Mâ—gic's might Advanâ—'d are and their states are higher pight These do become Pâ—inces in Wrath and these He loveth most for they his nature please Are one with him these do his Wonders show And make his mighty power known below These are his Agents Saints beloved ones Are more than servants these become his Sona Heav'n thirsts not more to have one perfect here To make his Glory and his might appear Than Hell who as thâ— Elder Brother show His Magic first shall on this Earth below Therefore it first I will describe and tell The Power Nature Might and Pomp of Hell Mundus tenebrosâ—s vel tartareus SUppose the mighty Prince of darknesse wou'd Himself incarnate vail with with fleshly Hood His Stygian Face to shew the power and might Of the vast Kingdom of Aeternal Night Upon this Earth He finds a man propense From genial starres to ill a mind immense After abstruser prying piercing Wit Grave look and studious such a Man is fit For this his high design First then he strait Causes his Princes on his elbow wait With all Hel's agents who in clusters presse T' imbue his Soul with deep dy'd wickednesse By their infernal Magic they convert The mortal Tree's fruit to the Evil part He feeds on ill the which his Soul doth stain His freer will unto themselves they gain And by degrees his sences please that he Desireth they should his Companions be They promise then if he 'l obedient Be with what power and Regiment They will indue him His high mind doth come And Hel's disciple doth at last become Some Angel then Hel's mighty Prince assignes To wait on him he good converse declines The Daemons laugh to see him captivate And scoâ—f the Angels of the other state Seeing that he obedient is they now Cause him unto Hel's Image for to bow And as the â—â—â—nce of Heav'n commandeth his A way to gain the same to shun Heav'ns blisse Hel's Prince commands He from the World abstract Must be lest that his deeper thoughts detract From that high work he doth intend him for He fastings vigâ—â—s doth command him nor Lesse prayers than the other World requires Washings and Ceremoies he desires And also that he should be Celebate Thus like an Ape he God doth imitate In all his biddings th' better to beguile Man with his high deceits and cunning vile He spares him in grosse sins it may
With th' apprehension of his Saviour's smile Ravish'd chaunts forth his praises and with Joy Poures forth his Soul which feeleth no annoy And whilst that lively apprehension lasts How over-sweet his fâ—eer Bounty tasts In this delightfull way our Pilgrim now On each side held by Faith and Hope doth go With so much ease and pleasure moves he that He thinks that he to Paradise is got Already little dreams the Rocks that he Must passe before he there instated be All things for to enjoy he seems and saith He union has with Christ and that by Faith He Heav'n possesses that the work is done Before that it in Truth is scarce begun His present Joys and sweeter frame of spirit Makes him suppose he doth all things inherit Thinks himself safe and carried thus at ease Betwixt two Nymphs the way doth greatly please So that by little and by little he About his heart feels a stupidity His eyes are heavy and his sences dul'd With ease e'r he 's aware to sleep he 's lull'd And whilst he sleeps he dreams he travels on With that swift pace with which he first begun This drowsie nap not lasting long he ' wakes Rubbing his eyes his lither limbs he shakes And looks about his sees himself alone And those two Nymphs which him supported gone The place of pleasure 's vanish'd too and now Dark clouds and sadnesse hang on every bough New troubles now arise a deadnesse he Sees all about more in his Soul doth see But not unmindfull of his journey still He would proceed but when he forward will Instead thereof he backward steps or else Upon one side he knows not what he ailes Nor how to help himself Anon he ' spies A Troop of fluttering Imps into his eyes Some flye and others perch upon his tongue Some pierce into his braines while othâ—â—s clung Unto his Fingers end This Troop they call The Troop of shadows meerly notional His eyes more dark with Notions see the Hull And nothing else His busie brains now full Of these pert impes do set his tongue on wheels Which tyring straight his fingers itch he feels For to be venting of these Notions that His over-busie working brains begat And now he talks of Christ his blood his death His Life and his Ascention and doth VVander into the heights mysterious He others and himself beguileth thus Our Pilgrim having slipt into this path And having lost the Sisters Hope and Faith Begins to wander and to rome about When on a sudden from a Bowre slipt out A comely Dame who thus bespeaks him Know My name's Misapprehension Sir you go Along with me and I 'le bring you where A many of your fellow Pilgrims are He taken with Her beauty and her speech Without delay his Hand to her doth reach Strait they pass'd th'row the Bowre of Deceit Into a place where many sat their feet By the World's Sp'rit chain'd to their chaires which she Told him were call'd Seats of Security Before his eyes each had a picture plac't That represented all their Voyage past By whom stood False-Persuasion wite his cheat That their Regeneration was compleat And that if they ne'r shirred from that place They'd done enough They could not fall from Grace Charm'd by Persuation he 's about to seat Himself in those bird-limed Chaires his feet They are about to shackle when his faire Tutelar Angel beat the gentle ayr With his displayed Wings his radient brows His glorious presence to our Pilgrim shows Betwixt a frown and smile his Wings he shook About his eyes and thence all Notions strook The Scene straight vanish'd and the comely Dame Misapprehension slunk away for shame What Pageant 's this cry'd he how cam'st to stray Into this Falâ—e from Heav'n's directâ—r VVay Wouldst thou have been insnaâ—ed thus Is this The New Ierusalem or Paradise Diâ—st thou not tast Hâ—av'n's sweet Ambrosia Whilst thou continuedst in its righter Way How cam'st thoâ— thence how didst thou lose that Path VVhere are thy Virgin-guides true Hope and Faith Dost thou not see the cheat thou wert about To enter art thou willing to go out From this deadnesse of Spirit and proceed In that true Path where thou must die indeed His Knees strait kist the Earth his words with sighâ— Were intermix'd â—is tears â—an from his eyes I' ave err'd indeed I must confesse but how I hither came I do not rightly know I thought I had to Paradise attain'd So great the pleasure was the which I gain'd Whilst in that Path I did my voyage make That 't lull'd to steep and whilst I slept forsake Me Hopâ— and Faith both did sure whilst I slept Ouâ— of that Path into this way I crept How willing am I to retrive the way I trod before would Heav'n its Light display To help me hence To beg can I begin Who was so lately pardon'd for my sin O Heav'n I beg would if I dare to do 't My crime and my unworthinesse strikes mute My Fault'ring Tongue yet if it be thy Will O Lord from begging shame my lips sha'n't still Shew me the way and with thy Light direct My steps and though a thousand Mounts obstruct My progresse I if strengthned by thy Grace Th'row all will presse unto thy holy place Though I am weak yet I am willing Lord Thou can'st and if thou pleasest help afford Prostrate upon the ground he falls his cryes With true contrition winged mount the skies Hea'vn hears and pity takes Immediatly From thence desâ—ending he doth GRACE espy With her a troop of heav'nly Nymphs whose Rayes With their bright lustre his weak eyes amaze Sol shews lesse glory when he heaves his head Dressed with Roses from his Eastern bed Than this great Queen her eyes more beamings than He when he mounteth the Meridian 〈◊〉 chiefest splendor gives than Cynthia When at the full she makes a second Day More â—air she is And she that troop of hers Surpass'd as Cynthia all the lesser starres Her garments far more white than Riphaean snow Hid a more candid skin her lips did show Nothing but sweetnesse and when e'r she spake Ten thousand chaines fell from her tongue which take All Souls that hear her captive never yet Our Pilgrim's eyes so sweet a sight had met Those glorious beams which shon about her Face Perstring'd his weaker eyes and made him place Them at her feet which she perceiving drew Over those dazling beams a Vail that view Her he the better might Two Rosie leaves Expanding by the which her breath receives More than a Roseal sweet perfume as it Passes those Portals she these words did fit Unto's attentive eares No sooner move Can Man Petitions to the Prince of Love But they are granted and sometimes are seal'd Before his tardy tongue has them reveal'd Nothing but Love mercy and pity he Is unto all and can no other be Part of himself I am and ever stand Prest for these Embassies at his right hand To none will he
Wrath of God Then sweat he drops of Blood this agony Endured was so that you all might be Sav'd from the Wrath he underwent for Mâ—n Unto the Fathers Justice was he then A Sacrifice his Soul for you abode In Hell and there quenched the Wrath of God Through it a Way he made for every one That after him to Paradise shall come So long as Adam slept when Eve was made So long he in the Grave and Anger staid But then that Body pure angelical That Earth of which Adam was made the fall Not having yet Cloath'd him with such as you And other Mortals sprung from him indue This Body Christ assum'd the which did straight His Crucified Body penetrate And wholly swallow'd up so that it then Could passe th'row Walls and walk unseen by men But when he pleas'd to shew himself so all Bodies shall rise this flesh and blood and all Such flesh and blood shall enter heav'n Now four Times ten dayes he remain'd just and no more In Paradise there tempted he withstood VVhat flung down Adam like a rushing flood Confirmed now to Heav'n he ascends In his Disciples sights and there remains See where they gazing stand see where a Cloud His Body from their mortal eyes doth shroud Now he to Glory goes in 's Company The Patriarchs and holy Prophets be And all those who before him dy'd who on The promis'd seed did trust which was to come Abraham the Father of the faithfull Band Dischargeth now his holy Bosom and Close follows Iesus with his blessed train And so th' Imperial Court of Heav'n they gain And thus Angelical Bodies getting rise With joy and with him enter Paradise VVhere they in Heav'n remain In Heav'n he is The cause oâ— joys of happinesse of blisse 'T is he makes Heav'n and there where he doth stand Is Paradise which is at God's right Hand O mount not now beyond the clouds for where The second Principle remains 't is there That Heav'n is nor can it be confin'd Nor comprehended in thy darker mind So that a local place thou in thy head Imaginest when that its Court doth spread Th'row out the World a way to Paradise And Heav'n there is and yet not th'row the Skies Tâ—â—s Path â—ill lead thee thâ—â—â—er thou shalt know The Way not out but into Heav'n doth go 'T is to the Centre thou must presse for there Heav'n and the glorious Angels will appear There Iesus is and when he comes again Not as before shall he in flesh remain No more be Crucifi'd but then â—e shall VVith his bright Glory swallow up this Ball. Then Paradise shall manifested be This is the Day all Saints do long to see Keep safe this Picture and be sure that thou Continually do this bright Pattern view Him only imitate see now if that These things which here are offer'd by Deceit Are worth a grain of Dust compar'd unto Those Riches that in Paradise do grow Kick down Decâ—it and all her toyes despise Follow thou Me I 'le shew thee Paradise Thus Alatâ—ia ends the while his eyes The Pilgrim to the perfect Pattern ties On it they dwell where they such sweetnesse found That to a meditation so profound And deep as may be they his soul attract That Life so spotlesse and so pure to act He now desires Christ now his Pattern is And in his steps he seeketh after Blisse Whilst thus his busie eyes 〈◊〉 to and fâ—o On that which Alaâ—â—â—a did bestow Upon him all the circumambient ayr Began to glow and seemed all on fire The Pilgrim 'gan to feel the glowing heat His Cheeks grew red his Face and Temples sweat About he looks to see from whence it came When that he spies a Chariot all on flame Which two swift Coursers drew their flaming breath Threatning to all that should oppose them Death VVith a Iehuan pace on wheels of speed Down the next Rock Horses and Chariot slide And up another ran e'n to the top Before hot Zelus could 's swift Coursers stop Doubling their sturdy necks he back again Inforces them with much ado refrain At last he did his furious Steeds and from His Chariot did unto the Pilgrim come His Robes were flames of fire pouder'd with Hearts Winged with flames struck th'rough with flaming Darts His eyes a piercing ardor sent his Hand Bore both a steeled Lance and flaming brandâ— The Pilgrim he accosts and easily got VVith him to mount his flaming Chariot Now glows his heart and now a Champion For God he is with sury he upon Deceit doth set against the Mountain flings His Spear tramples upon her siner things Scatters her Gold and silver doth despise Her Honours Dainties Pleasures Braveries Under his feet he tramples that at last His flaming Brand amongst them all he cast The fire takes hold consuming them to nought The Mount it to a heap of ashes brought VVhat cryes the Pilgrim shall a mount of dust To stop my passage unto Heav'n thrust It self between me and my God so shall This brand what e'r opposes cause to fall Nought stand 'tween me and Heav'n shall if it do This Spear this Brand this hand shall make it â—ow The World and all things I 'le forsake and I Father and Mother also will deny And hate them too if they opposers be And stand betwixt blest Paradise and me Heav'n 's in my eye its Beauties are my prize Heav'n 's a Reward for him that Earth denyes My Way I am resolved to make Good Although I stand up to the chin in blood A fire agitates my Limbs and now Both World and all things Zeal shall make to bow This said he hurries up and down the Way His furious Steeds cannot stand still nor stay What e'r appears the hot-spur'd Pilgrim now Without examination makes to bow The furious Steeds over the Mountains flye Feeling the Reines loose on their necks to lye And ready to praecipitate their Guide Down the steep ridges of the Rocks they slide Sometimes they 're in the Way sometimes they 're out Someâ—imes they backward run sometimes about And o're the Rocks their heady coâ—â—se they take Th'rough fire and water they their voyage make The next Way that appears he takes and what He thinks is Good others must bow to that This furious Course makes him to lose the Way And up and down at every turn to stray What e'r he sees under his Censure comes As well in Iudgâ—mâ—â—ts as in Zeal he fumes But whilst with Zeal he runneth up and down A Matron met him on whose awfull frown Sat a most comely Gravity Serene And free from tempests her clear face was seen Her eyes something of Majesty did bear And over hearts did sweetly domineer Her face enough of Beauty had and she In all her make bore a just symmetrie Her cloaths were grave and decent neither were They cut to all modes nor yet singular Her pace was grave in every thing she
did A Dove and Serpent seemed to be hid Her right hand bore a Dove her left did hold A Serpent which iâ—s tail about her rowl'd Meeting the Pilgrim from his hands she took The slack'ned reines and thus her mind she broke Sâ—â—y zeal-sparr'd Pâ—lgrim if thou safe wilt be Thou must commit the Reines of Zeal to me In this rough paâ—â— and 'tween the Mountains let Me be your guide least that you danger meet Zeal drives so fast that he will quickly crr Unlesse my Dove and Serpent draw the Carr. Those who without me go become forlorne Lose the right Path prove to the World a scorn Cast Pearls before the snowts of Swine and feed The ravenous Dogs with holy Childrens breadâ— Dangers incur which they might fairly shun Do what they by and by wish were undone Admit of me and I will be your guide I know which Way how where and when to ride â—rust me and I will bear you in my armes Untouched through the Multitude of Harmes That Majesty which beamed in her Face Constrain'd the Pilgrim to consent a place Upon his right hand for her he provides And now he soberly and softly rides Prudence is joyn'd with Zeâ—l nor does this want It s former heaâ— but lesse extravagant By that is made He who will rightly move Must first conjoyn the Serpent and the Dove Now safely goes our heav'nly Traveller Nor from this blest though rugged path doth err Nothing appears that may obstruct hisâ— Way But it he even with the Earth doth lay Dame Vigilantia all about doth seek For â—s foes which found Zeal doth their powers break Conquers them quite and by their fall doth raise Trophies of Honour and immortal praise By halves God will not have his work be done Nor must those faulter who this Race do run Clean must the house be swept to find the groat All must be sold before the Pearl be bought No Delilah must shave thy Locks but she Must be o'recome lest that she conquer thee Though thus far thou art gone as yet there may Some Delilah be left for to betray Thee to thy foe let Vigilantia find Her out then let Zeal all her powers bind And cast her from thee whatsome'r it be Thou 'rt loath to part with Delilah's to thee But when she conquer'd is faster thou ' â—t move On wings of speed unto the Gates of Love Thus Vigilantia to our Pilgrim brought His Delâ—lah the which he little thought For to have parted with and must she dye Cryes he who did within my bosom lye Yes answer'd Zeal God will with none dispence Slain on the Altar of Obedience She must be e'r we farther passe she slain He posteth forward without stop amain With full Carere he runs and full of Joy Leaveth behind him all the rugged Way He enters now a place where all about Light like the Sun from bright Clouds issues ouâ— By this clear Light he now begins to see What hurtfull rebels all the Passioâ—s be And how the Sences hurt irregular Affections also how they hurtful are Therefore he these now takes to task and first The Rebel Passions that oppose him durst He conquereth these now his slaves become Who had so often Lorded over him He will not kill them quiteâ— because they may Be useful to him whilst they him obeyâ— Not meerly Stoical in order he Keeps them He 's Lord and they his servants be Then all the Sences he doth Regulate And their excursions wisely moderate Makes them to know that he 's their Lord and they Are forced now his pleasure to obey Carnal affections stoop These Crucifie He doth lest they should draw his mind awry Where he God's Image seeth most he there Doth his affections as in justice share By this same Light he also sees that he Can in the Earth own no propriety All that he hath he offers to the Lord He 's but a Steward and must nothing hoard Contrary to his Master's Will but here Pâ—udence directs him how his Goods to share Else subtle Sathan would step in the while And with his tricks would him of all beguile By this Light also he espies his flesh To be a Case made up of Earthly trash A prison to his Soul now he espies Another Body in that Body lies The inward man which as the outward dies Lives gathers strength and doth in triumph rise This Body now he longeth to attain And by the death of all things it to gain Now every motion opposite must die Flesh and its Members he doth crucifie All things are sacrific'd by Diligence Upon the Altar of Obedience â— The fleshly body every hour dies The sp'ritual doth as fast in triumph rise He 's now diswedded from the World He knows He 's not to be now at his own dispose Therefore his Body Soul and spirit he Doth consecrate to Heav'ns high Majestie All that he has to Heav'n he offers and All he retains comes from its bounteous Hand Now joyes surround him Comfort is the Way Nor Night is seen all is a mystic Day The Sun of Righteousnesse his brighter Beams Displays and th'rough his Heart his sweetest streams Of brightnesse run his spiritual foes stand off And dare not venture for a Counter-buff They tremble now and fear the world's grand tye Will be assunder burst by Chastity For she appears unto the Pilgrim now Who to her feet his humble Head doth bowâ— Her eyes gave â—lames as pure as those which lye Beyond the blew Seas of the azuâ—e Skie Her countenance a brighter Light did grace Than that which â—hineâ—h in Diana's Face But when her virgin Lips she opened Th' incircling ayr with purity was spread Thither their Purple Wings the Turtles move To draw the ayâ— in of the purest Love The joyning Corals happy Kisses break She did and thus did to the Pilgrim speak Hail happy Pilgrim who thus far art from Earth's durty soyl and foul pollutions come Not far thou art from the blest City but Before thou thither come 't is requisite That thee and I should joyn therefore receive From me the Bounties that I daily give Unlesse thou with my Mantle cover'd be Thou never shalt the heav'nly Salem see Polluted eyes polluted hearts and hands Must not come there Heav'n will admit no stains Flesh must not enter Heav'n nor can you come Cloathed with that into the secret Room Where the grand Mysteries are revealed by Heav'n's gracious Prince the Son of Majesty The fleshes quickly-vanish'd pleasures foul With spots the cloathing of the purest Soul Spread clouds before her eyes so that she may Not see the brightnesse of the purest day And hang a Vail between her â—elmed eyes And the blest Ark of sacred Mysteries 'T is I that must make white the Soul and that Dark Cloud before her dull eyes dissipate 'T is I must draw aside this Vail 't is I That lead the Way to Heav'ns great Mysterie Christ doth all this by me 't is I that am Sent for
his wantâ—n wast Binding his Hands that oft had prisners made With his own Scaâ—â— he to a Tree him ty'd Robbing a 〈◊〉 of its boughs a Rod He â—â—deâ— and soundly whipt this wanton God He flea'd his back and with his wanron blood Dy'd all the grasse in ' Crimson where he stood Then broke his bow and arrows His fine Quiver And Crown of Roses flung into the River This done he let him loose since which disgrace He ne'r was seen to come anear this place Lost in the Face which he did contemplate Oâ—r Pâ—lgrim was nor would he extricate Himself and if he could He ne'r did prize â—nough before the blessing of his eyes Ravish'd he was but blessed CHASTITY Spake to her CUPID with her speaking eye He understood the Dialect and drew A Golden arrow from his Quiver Blew The Feathers were the point was living flame This notch'd in 's silver Bow he took his aym Like a good Archer of the Pilgrim's heart And th'rough the same he shot the flaming dart A gentle Fire and sweetly glowing heat The Pilgrim feels his quicker pulses beat Th'row his Limbs the living flames do spread With pleasures joyn'd not to be uttered No blood ran from the Wound he feels no smart Although the shaft had cleft in two his Heart Those flames made Wounds of Joy heal'd those of pain Dispel'd all ills did Life and Health retain A constant ardor now burns in his Breast Being with th' immortal fire of Love possest And wholly swallow'd up in them he fryes In pleasing Flames becomes Heav'ns Sacrifice He lives in Flames but they 'r chast flames of blisse He is in Love but with SOPHIA ' t is Is not it madnesse to indulge a Foe Do men cry when they from their prisons go Do men love chaines and fetters to suppresse Their eager flight unto their Happinesse Yea sure they do all this who here do move In chaines of flesh and do such prisons love The free-born soul were it not chain'd below Above the Stars its nimble Fires would throw See all the World at once and swiftly run About the Heav'ns and clearer than the Sun Had not the Pilgrim had a fleshly case He longer might have seen SOPHIA'S Face Alasse our Souls enchain'd to Dust and Nighâ— Cannot behold the splendors of that Light Too strong for flesh and blood Whose flames will be To flesh as â—ove prov'd once to Semele Our eyes without apparent hurt cann't gaze Against the Sun Nor can those heav'nly Rayes Of high Beatitude the Soul see here Maried to flesh long 'cause that cannot bear The Soul 's high flight but that she suffers so She holds the Soul lest she should from her go Apocalypsis well man's frailty knew Therefore she blest Sophia's Face withdrew And vail'd it from the Pilgrim's eyes To whom Thus Chastity whose words flew in perfume Is not one glimpse of thy Caelestial Bride More glorious than all the World beside Didst ever tast in those dull streamâ— of Blisse The World affords a pleasure like to this Thou hast received by a Vision then How far more great wil 't be how ample when Thou full fruition shalt enjoy and be Blest with her Blisses to AEternity When that thy Soul cloath'd with immortal Day Has shaken off these shackling Robes of clay In Vailes she now is forced to appear 'Cause Flesh câ—nnot her ample Beauty bear See that she only Mistresse of thy Heart Remain for she ' l not be content with part Thou must not share it 'tween Mortality and Her she ' l bear no such indignity If ever Mistresse Hearts intire deserv'd If ever to be punctually serv'd 'T is she see then although thou canst not merit One grain of what thou shalt by her inherit That thou prove faithful to her Love and she Hers with Heav'ns Kingdom will return to thee Down bows the Pilgrim to the ground his Breast And in these Words his constancy exprest I know my frailty and my weaknesse and That I alone and of my self can stand Not one poor moment By the help of Grace Supported First the Sun shall change his Face And glorious splendor into pitchy Night Flames first shall cease for to ascend upright The brinish Seas shall over Atlas flow The Vine and Olive in Asphaltes grow First Sol shall rise out of the Western main And in the Iapon Sea his flaming Wain At evening drench December shall be May And Trees in Iune shall sheets of snows d'splay Noon shall be Night Nature inverted be Before I yield unto Inconstancy Before I leave her whom my Soul hath chose And her forgetting to another close Those ardent flames which now surround my Heart Will so dispose me that I ne'r shall start From her to whom whilst in this flesh I breath I do my Life Heart Acts thoughts all bequeath O noble Resolution which doth move From those bright flames of Zeal and ardent Love Hell trembles when he hears th' inspired tongue Of valiant Souls resolv'd to speak such strong Hel-battering Words such sounds do quickly go Both to the Angels and the Devils too Piercing both Worlds sound quickly in their ears Fill those with Joy these with disturbing Fears If the dull flames of the Idalian brat In tired Souls most strangely operate Making them bow unto their Idol-toy That from her presence they receive no Joy And ' count the pleasures of a Crown lesse bliâ—â—e Than those they gain when they her Lips do kisse If they so strangely Man can alter so As for to make him all the World forego For this one Idol never feeling ease Longer then while he doth his Mistresse please Doth she but frown Hell nor AEternal Night In their worst shapes could scarce so much affright The trembling Lover for her wrinkled brow More terrible than doth Avernus show 'T is not her power he fears But yet he can Not disobey Love's a Magician If by his power men dare to undertake The hardest things and nothing of them make If for their Loves their Lives they 'l venture and Be proud to spill their blood at their Command Dye if they bid them if such Love can cause So great obedience to his giddy Lawes If by his hidden and abstrucer Art Knowledge he doth to ignorants impart Make Clowns prove Eloquent nay Poâ—ts too If thus and much more this blind-God can do What shall that Love do unto which this seems As the worst Pibbles to the best of Gemms That Love divine whose fires immortal be Whose constant Pleasures never changes see That Love immense which filleth to the brim Capacious Souls where may whole Oceans swim Of Joyes divine unutterable then Shall not this draw Obedâ—ence from Men Shall not this sweeten whatsoe'r may seem Bitter make easie what is hard to them Fear can do much but Love much more can do Fear false obedience gives Love just and true Heav'n's Pilgrim now with these diviner flames Possess'd h' alone to please Sophia aimes Love regulates him now
Soul 's blest tye Sees God beyond Thoughts Intellectually This is the stâ—te in which SOPHIA will Souls emptied thus with her blest Spirit fill Then is the Soul made fit for to receive Those Bounties which Heav'ns blessed Hand doth give For whilst thoughts do her empty vessels fill Receive she cann't Heav'ns higher Bounties well A Cup fill'd to the brim can hold no more Nor stomachâ— meat desire if full before Then is the Soul fit to be wrought upon And to receive Heav'ns seal's impression What in this state she doth or hear or see Must needs be true she cann't deceived be Unutterable were those Sweets which here Our Pilgrim felt before his eyes appear The Beauties of the inner Worlds and on His Soul divine irradiation Is pour'd and now his soul with Constant eye Beholds true glances of AEternity Pens are too weak for to expresse the Blisse Which in this silent state enjoyed is Thunders and Whirâ—winds are not Heav'ns choyce He softly whispers in a silent Voyce The Souls eares then are eyes what Heav'n then shows The Soul both hears sees â—eels and truly knows Deep is the sight when that no thoughts controul For Heav'n then gives eyes to the passive Soul Past reach of Reason then she flyes and there With a new Light sees demonstration clear But on our Pilgrim passes and to ease Himself oft rests in such blest Groves as these Which thick stood in the Way there quiet rest From working thoughts his passive Soul possest And now unto this World he bids adiew The inner World appeareth in his view No new relations he receives who from Spiritual tyes and Heav'ns kind hand doth come Those who do travel in the Way with him By Heav'ns Venter are his Bretheren And Sisters tyed by a neerer Bond Than ever Earth or Nature yet had don'd They are his Brothers be they rich or poor Who in their Hearts his Father's Image bear Those are his Fathers and his Mothers that Into Regeneration begot His Soul Nature's Children do ne'r to their Parents the Love which Heav'ns to theirs do bear Though he Loves all yet there 's degrees in Love Some are more near and some do farther move As in the building of an House you see Some stones do touch while others farther be Some are more near some keep a distance yet All to the Structure are exceeding fit So Spirits joyned are in that divine And heavn'ly building they do thus Combine Some they are nearer knit than others thus Iohn unto Christ the most beloved was Here Spirits signatur'd alike conjoyn And in a mystic union combine Here Spirits be espous'd and here they see That they meet helps unto each other be Some cann't receive from every vessel though Their thirsty souls drink what from others flow One gives another he receives and he Gives to another here 's the harmony Saints thus combin'd are like a Tower that Unshaken stands against the Devils shot He fears such unions therefore all his Art And cunning he still uses them to thwart O blessed union whom God thus doth joyn Let no man venture for to discombine This doth produce a Love implete with Blisse Which far above natural affection is No Man but he that has 't the Virtue knows Of this Love which from pure union flows Words cann't exprest that heart which feels it doth Know certainly that here I speak a Truth The highest love of Friendship which doth shine So bright 's the Image of this Love divine The Stars alone that doth concatinate Nature and Grace bind fast this firmer state He who this Love Possesses would rejoyce And with great joy ' count it an happy choyce To dye and suffer torments for his Brother And loose his blood with joy to free another In this state two are one one cannot smart Feel but it thrilleth th'rough the other's heart One cann't be sad but by a Sympathie The other's sinking Soul doth almost dye Joy never bloometh in the Face of one But gladnesse in the other's eyes doth shine Although â—eas and a thousand Leagues do part Their Bodies yet by sympathetic Art Their Spirits meet and kisse and do declare At the same moment how each other fare In the black lines writ by each others handâ— A flowing Fire of constant Love thy find No sooner can their eyes be plac'd on them But th'rough them to their hearts a flaming stream Of sweetest Fire runs and every Line Unto that Fire doth new fewel joyn O blessed Love which from true Union flows Thy sweetnesse none but those that tast thee knows Base Earthly Lust and wanton Love's alloy Is all but dâ—oâ—â—e and counterfeited joy Is mix'd with them hut here true sweetnesse is True Joy and an unutterable Blisse Our Pilgrim tasted this felicity Whereby he found all earthly Harmony Below this sweetnesse Sweets Affection But far more sweet is heav'nly Union In Bodies joyning is Earth's Lovers blâ—sse In Souls uniting Heav'ns true Lovers is Most justly did the Holy Spirit Call The Serpent the most subtle Beast of all And though in subtilty he doth excel His envy runneth with it parallel This sets abroach that this desires the ill That 's the Instrument for to perform it still And where he cann't do what he would to Man He ' l shew his Teeth and do what e'r he can Think you our Pilgrim though so far he be Gon past the reach of his fell Subtilty No Hell must shew his envy still and to The very last try what his power can do When he had try'd all Stratagems in vain The Pilgrim's union with the Saints to strain To burst that League which breaks the Leagues of Hell And their united Forces oft repel To spoil that mariage of Spirits from Whose happy juncture sacred Powers do come Which overthrow those Legions of the Great Prince of Hell and all Impiety To break that true-Loves Knot which only can Bind fast the hands of this fierce foe to Man When he in vain to hinder this had try'd And saw our Pilgrim by an happy Guide Had it attain'd he seeks some other Way In midst of all his Sweets him to betray His envious eye beholds the Pilgrim's Soul Oft to carouse it in Loves sacred Boul Where she whole streams of Nectar gulped down Sweeter than Honey or the Honey-Comb Down to his Stygian Kingdom goes the Foe And there assembles all his Cooks below Makes them to cull the fairest Fruit the Tree Of ills doth bear First then Complacency Then Covetousnesse then Pride then Sâ—lfishnesse Envy and Iealousie and such as these He takes and by a cunning Chymistry Draws out their blacknesse and deformity Extracts their bitternesse and makes them fair Refin'd like Crystal and as pure as ayr But yet the poyson still was left behind Which stronger grew the more they were refin'd From these a juice he drew most fair and clear And up he mounteth to the Pilgrim's Sphear Sculking behind a cloud this Serpent lay And for an
opportunity did stay To poyson him and VIGILANTIA did No sooner turn her back and step aside But to the Boul he stept for she alasse The noble Pilgrim's chief Pincerna was And in he pour'd that Hellish juyce among Heav'ns blest Nectar mixing that poyson strong Th' unawary Pilgrim by and by the Cup Takes and in 's Nectar drinks Hell's poyson up Anon the several poysons 'gin to work Whilst Sathan laughing in his sleeve doth lurk Unseen to see the sport Oh! how he smil'd At the conceit of Man's being thus beguil'd The Pilgrim did not feel that he was ill Or that Hel's poyson did his Nectar spill But now it 'gan to work he did not cast His eyes unto the Fountain but embrac'd Too much the streams Too much Complacency He took in the fruition of those high Gifts of the Spirit too much dotes upon Visions Voyces Spirits union He fears to lose them and cannot resign To Heav'n his Nectar or his gifts divine Now to himself all Spirits he 'd engrosse He Covets gifts and ' counts no greater crosse Than for to lose them thus doth Coâ—etousnesse Spring in his Soul in its refined dresse Pride started up and though spiritualiz'd A curious cloathing for his Soul devis'd Wherein he prides himself he 's not content Except that others know he 's eminent In all the Gifts and graces of the Spirit He loves to be sought after for his merit Cloath'd with Heav'ns Pride of gifts and graces he Aspires and would accounted something be Next Selfishnesse did operate and that Self-Int'rest and Propriety begat In Spirits Gifts and Graces This doth seem For to belong to him and none but him Then Envy work'd and he is not content To see another be more eminent In Visions Raptures or the like or that Others enjoy them and he go without Then Iealousie spread thorow every vein It s virulent poyson fuming in his Brain He every one suspects and jealous is Left others rob him of what he Calls his He fears to lose a Spirit that another His gifts or Graces shining Light should smother He jealous is lost his Lights be out-shon Or that another's should eclipse his own This Hell 's refining poyson spreading through His Breast e'r he aware was brought him to And thus the noble Stone was almost spoil'd When for't the Pilgrim had long stoutly tovl'd That eye whose Rayes pierce the Earth's Centre and Sees to the bottom of the Stygian strand Which spite of Night and Hell 's calliginous Mantle beholds what ever Satan does That Eye which every secret thought betrays And to its self hid actions open layes That Eye behel'd the spight of Hell and saw Upon the Pilgrim's heart his poyson gnaw Nothing so soon as th' objects of the eye Pity attracts for others misery The ear so soon doth not affect the Heart With generous pity as the Optic part He that 's all Eye and every thing doth see Can he w'hout pity view man's misery No he 's all pity and his Bowels roul At every pang of an afflicted Soul Poyson i' th' Pilgrim's Breast no sooner flows But he his pity and his mercy shows His Angel-guardian is Commission'd strait To shew to him the Stygian Prince 's hate And 'gainst that poyson which so strongly wroughâ— In 's breast to offer him an Antidote Glad of the message down the Angel flies Whilst sparkling Joy beam'd from his sacred eyes Glad to do service to Heav'ns Servitour He shews himself clad with refulgent ayr In 's hand he brought a Crystal Glasse which â—â—ll'd Was with pure Light from Heav'ns Alimbeck still'd This he unto the Pilgrim gave and bid Him drink it up The which he strait wayes did No sooner had he gulp'd it down but he Beheld his Error and Hell's treachery He saw the infestous poyson though 't was clear By this draught now his eyes far purer are And can behold all its impurities Which had caus'd all irregularities This draught the Vail pull'd off and he espies Where Hell 's strong poyson in Heav'ns Nectar lies So had he seen a noxious Serpent dwell I' th' green grasse and Toads in a Crystal Well Startl'd at this sight seal my eyes again He cryes or else from me this poyson drain 'T is better I were blind and could not see Then to behold an helplesse misery It is a double pain hard haps to bear And seeing them remedilesse to fear An unseen harm lesse dâ—ead doth cause I pray Or take my eyes or this foul Ill away It is thy self the Angel doth reply That to thy self must give the remedy There is a pill will do 't I 'le shew it thee If thou wilt take it freely follow me The willing Pilgrim soon consents they go Strait forward without turning in Heav'ns Way Now far they had not gone e'r they came to A pleasant Green whose lustâ—ous verdant hew Cheered the Pilgrim's Sp'rite and in the midst Thereof he saw a flaming Altar plac'd And coming nearer fairly wrote upon The sides he saw TRUE RESIGNATION 'T was to this Altar that blest Abraham The Angel said to offer Isaac came And here it is and in thâ—se flames divine And on this Altar thou must offer thine Here what somever thou dost dearly prize To Heav'n must prove a pleasing sacrifice 'T is true thou didst pleasures and sins once bring Unto the Fire A fairer offering Now must th' Oblation be As Earth by you Was offer'd up so offer Heav'n too Not only Earth's but Heav'ns fair gifts divine Thou on this Altar must to God resign Amongst those Flames which were Aetherial The Angel put his hand and cull'd a coal A Carbuncle set in a Ring of Gold Glow'd as the Coal between his fingers hold Lo here a Pill sayes he that doth contain An Antidote against that deadly Bain Thou hast drunk down in this one Pill there are The Lemnian Earth and precious Bezoar Treacle and Metridate lock'd up This pure Pill will effect not an Acâ—sian Cure Not all the drugs of Aâ—sculapius Or Galen can do half so much as this The joyful Pilgrim takes the flaming Pill Which from his mouth down to his heart did thrill No sooner was it â—in his Breast but straight He Hel's soul Poyson did Evacuate That glowing Pill fir'd from his heart 's fast hold And utterly destroy'd Hel's bainful Cold. Thus by the Heav'nly Therapâ—utick he Receives by Heat for cold a Remedy Now basâ—el'd Sathan with an hideous roar To Hell flyes vex'd more than he joy'd before Shall Servants grumble to repay their Lord His own or not be willing to afford Him back what he lends them Shall Stewards grieve When their Lords at their hands their own receive Why then doth man so often shrug and pine When God bids him his lendings to resign A carefull Father that hath sent unto His Son some sums honestly to employ Is it not requisite he should be still Exactly subject to his Fathers Will And that the money back be paid again
resign Do what thou pleasest Lord with me For I am truly slain I being subject unto thee At thy dispose remain This is the state which Reason's foolish Schooles Do nominate the Paradise of Fools Because their high adored Deity Reason 's cast down and on the Earth must lye When the holy Ark enters the Temple then Dagon must fall and break his Neck so when Wisdom divine its Beauties doth display Upon our Souls Reason much pack away That is too shallow for to Comprehend Those things which WISDOM'S Wisdom doth Command It 's a false Judge and cannot truly see Beyond the dark Clouds of Moâ—tality The first degree in wisdom's sacred School Is to be Wise by first becoming Fool Fool to the Earthly Reason in Divine Wisdom a Wise man by subjection shine Mistake me not I 'l not have you put out The Souls bright Eye and so become a Bruit I 'ld not have Reason banished from Men Meer Animals indeed they would be then But that our Reason passe not those Bounds given To terminate it by the Hand of Heaven But that our Reason should its weaknesse own Confesse that Heav'ns Arcana's are unknown To her That her weak eyes cann't gaze upon The glorious splendor of bright wisdom's Sun And not to dare with a proud scrutiny To search Heav'ns secrets with her pur-blind eye Our eyes are Lights unto our steps but shoot Their Balls against the Sun he ' l put them out Reason's our Guide below but when she flees 'Gainst wisdom's Sun she loseth both her eyes Reason's illuminate and soar's on high When wisdom lendeth unto her an eye Then her eye passeth to the highest Sphear Searcheth the deeps and seeth Wonders there But before Reason can this eye attain She must acknowledge that her own are vain This Lesson now Heav'ns Pilgrim learn'd and He Subjects his Reason to Divinity He knows he must be born a new and then He knows he must become a Child agen With such Heav'ns Kingdom is implete you know Children are Innocent and harmlesse too They 'r pretty Lambs poor Tenderlings their eyes The seats of Innocence of Smiles the prize They have no wills you may do what you list To them they are not able to resist But if you hâ—rt them the defence you have Their Tongâ—â—s are which with cryes for pity crave Set them down here they cannot stir or go Till you remove them they no evil know The Devil cannot hurt them they defie With pretty Innocence his subtilty They know no guile they know no evil nor Sin They made fit for Heav'ns Mansions are The 〈◊〉 â—o such who gain the Child-like state 〈◊〉 hath already read their woful fate Thâ—se who offend such Babes had better be 〈◊〉 with a Milstone cast into the Sea They are his Care his tender Lambs who these Offend do highly Châ—ist himself displease Oâ—r truâ—-resign'd and child like Pilgrim now His to 〈◊〉 's highest will doth bow But whilst he at his Altar prostrate lyes His Angel speaking thus Commands him rise Arise thrice happy Pilgrim Let us still Proceed for that I 'm sure is Heav'ns Will Thou almost fitted art for to behold Those glories which by Tongues cannot be told Thâ—â—ce bow'd the Pilgrim not to him but God And on they went in Heav'ns illustrious Road. But by and by two flying Coursers brought Thither at th' Angels beck a Chariot Into 〈◊〉 they went no sooner seated they Were but th'row th' Ayr the Coursers Wings make way Earth 's left behind and now they launched are Into the calm Sea of the gentle Ayr. The Angels Pilot guide and Charoteer Who upward drives and from the Earth doth steer A place there is not view'd by mortal eyes Which 'twixt four Worlds just in the middle lyes Thither the Angel took his Course and on A rising Hill to Land his Chariot came Alighting there they mount unto the top Where was an antique Crosse erected up After the Pilgrim round had view'd the place And with his eyes su'd to know where he was The Angâ—l then his long-kept silence brake And this unto the holy Pilgrim spake This Hill on which thou stand'st doth lye between The four great Worlds from hence all may be seen Cast down thine â—ye that which thou seâ—st below Is th' outward World from which we came but now Where yoâ— ' dark mist is upon thy lest Hand The Devils dark internal World doth stand Where yon bright Light on thy right hand doth shine Is the Light World or Paradise divine Over thy head from whence that glory springs The Mansion is of the great King of Kings Th' Aeternal World and thither 't is I know Thou pressest and desiâ—ous art to go Th'rough Paradise the way doth thither lye Which e'r thou cann'st attain thou here must dye Here thou must crucified be for that Through Hell thou must passe e'r thou canst come at Blest Paradise and dangerous it is To passe th'rough Hell before you Death do kisse Death will disrobe thee of whatever may In Hell's dark Kingdom thy brave progresse stay Thou must to all things crucified be And no impediment retain with thee For if thou bearest any thing on which Wrath 's mighty King his iron claws may pitch He will torment thee and inforc'd by pain Thou to this Crosse return must back again Thou canst not passe his Kingdom until thou Thy Head to blessed Death dost freely bow For by this Death thou gain'st thy Saviour's blood Which thorow Hell thy passage will make good Wrath 's King may threaten then but dare not dâ— For 's eares the least of injuries to you But if thou ventur'st th'row his Kingdom and Noâ— Crucified here thou can'st not stand Thou se'st the Way now if thou can'st embrace A happy 〈◊〉 here is the Crosse and place Châ—â—st made Death easie fear not then to dye But let this Mount be thy Mount CALVARY This said the Angel bid the place adiew And th'row the smooth ayr in the Chariot flew Leaving the Pilgrim to encounter Death And to gain Life by yieldâ—ng mortal breath The Pilgrim being left alone unto The Crossâ— he ran and his sweet lips did glew Unto its hard sides from his mouth there came Blessings and hearty kâ—â—â—es mix'd with them About its sides his grasping armes did twine Enclosing it as Elmes the tâ—nder Vine Bless'd instrument by Death of Life cry'd he Man's gain Hel's pain losse to Mortality The zeal of Heav'n the blessed sâ—oyl of sin The Key that shuts Hell out and lets Heav'n in The Way to glory and of Crowns the gain The Bar to Death and everlasting pain To Death but 't is of Flesh and Sin the Way The Road to Life and everlasting Ioy. Come Death come Death I now prepared am To Dye Come nail me to this Crosse O come Come strike me with thy killing Dart for I To give the Ghost up of mortality Of Flesh of Sin do long Come here 's my Heart Prepared to receive thy
they When Dye passe by this purging Region may But tell me Man what shall those Pilgrim's do VVho in Heav'ns Way have gone but come not to Be dead and risen with our Lord when by The Way they lose their mortal Life and dye They are not fit for Paradise What then Must they be hurled to the Stygian Den Must they be damn'd with God's great Mercy rather Doth it not stand to bring their Spirits hither Where they may finish what they had begun And to the end of Sion's Race may run Dost say 't is by Christ's Blood they 'r purg'd we know 't But dost thou know what time he ' l take to do 't 'T is he that doth it here 't is by his Blood And in this place that they are purifi'd It was dear Pilgrim Man's stupidity That me enforc'd to this Apostrophe But now I 'le tell thee more This is the place Which by Christ's Sermon once made happy was When he to those who perish'd in the flood Repentance preach'd and made predictions good 'T was to the dead departed souls that he Bestov'd his blessed bounteous Charity After his own death when he had in one By an Hypostatical Union His humane Soul and Deity conjoyn'd And not in Noâ—h's time as some divin'd To Spirits not to Men in flesh he spake And did their Prison then a Temple make I would a question ask of peevish man Who doth to Death those you call Heathen damn Se'ing God all-mighty did with those souls bear Who 'fore the flood would not his servant hear But perish'd by the Waters and did them Not to an everlasting Death Condemn But to this Region brought their souls where they Their Ransom might with true Repentance pay Whither the Gentiles who but ' bate their name Do in morality most Christians shame Who before Christ's time liv'd by Nature's Law And conscientious unto what they saw Who had indu'd a moral Honesty Studious of that and all Sobriety Seeing that their Nature's dim taper had Only to walk by though their Light was bad They walk'd as well as that could guide and though They wanted that bright Sun which we do know They God in some part knew whether these be Condemn'd to Hell for all Aeternity Or whether God his Mercy has not shown To them and brought them to this Region Where they by Christ might saved be se'ing none Are saved but by blessed Him alone Seeing the Lord 's more merciful than to Require of them more than they ever knew Being Transgression's not without a Law And none damn'd for breach of what he ne'r saw This I would ask Man but I think that he Sarcasmes would return not answer me Let not the World presume nor yet surmise Because the Heathens works they equalize That they shall hith ' â— attain God has an higher And brighter Light gi'n to the World Require He therefore now doth at the Hands of Men Far greater things than he expected then Man's Talent's greater now the Stars upon The Heathens only now on Men the Sun Doth clearle shine Who falls for want of sight God pitty'd but will not now men have Light But let 's proceed for I have stai'd too long To speak of what the World doth count a Song The Pilgrim hearing this his eyes withdrew And bid the Spirits Eâ—gaâ—lule adieu Now hand in hand they went but straight they were Come to the entrance of another Sphear The place seem'd like a grave 't was where such dead As he was used to be buried The Pilgrim looked in but in the place Nothing but a most horrid darkness was Which equaliz'd the pitchy clouds which fume At black Avernus from Hel's horrid womb 'T was Taenâ—â—us or th' entrance into Hell Or from the third to the first Principle But thus the Angel to the Pâ—lgrim said This is the grave in which no man was laid Before the mighty Son of God 't was here His sacred Virgin Limbs first layed were Here was he buried here must also thou Into this Grave as he did enter too I 'le be thy Guide fear not thy Coat will keep Off all the vapours of th' internal deep From hurting thee This said they both into That Cave of darksome Night together go Fancy not Reader that our Pilgrim crept Into some Cave or down some Cavern stept Or that the Worlds by outward distance are Disjoyn'd they are contingent every where And yet there is a Gulf between but this The entrance is into that dark Aâ—ysse A sinking down from the third Principle Towards the Centre of the deepest Hell The darkest pitchy Night that ever was Her saâ—ses could not to this horrid place Compare This is the Fountain when she lacks Whence she expromes her jetty deep-dy'd blacks Here 't is she dips her inky Mantles Here In soot or pitch she dyes what she doth wear Hence she those black Screens has which from our sights Oft times do hide Heav'n's little twinkling Lights But th' happy Pilgrim and the Angel here In spight of all Hel's pitch their Way see clear No Carbuncle whose fiery Rayes doth Night Chase from his presence ever gave such Light As that Purpurean Garment he had on Which like ten thousand joyned Rubine's shon And those bright Rayes which from the Angels Face Calligenous Night did from their presence chase Backward she flew as they approach'd and â—ell Just at the Feet of the great Prince of Hell But as they onward went a pointed Ray Beam'd neer the place where all the Devils lay Hell started back and all the damned Crew Under dark inky waves together flew Nothing moâ—e terrible is to their sight Than the least beaming or a Ray of Light Great PLUTO trembled and his Throne did shake He fear'd least Christ another Voyage make Might th'rough his Kingdom to aâ—d pains to pains Câ—oser Confinement and more chaines to chaines But having drunk a draught of Stygian Nectar He â—wrodâ— grows Am not I Hell's PROTECTOR 〈◊〉 he Did not I dare at once to flye 'Gainst Heav'n's own Face and all his Hierarchie Do I so many Legions Command And do I here sneaking and trembling stand And dare not venture to see who these be That dare to venture on my Hell and me That dare in Hostile manner thus invade My Realm and Captivate with Light my shade I 'le see who 't is If 't be not him I fear So much my looks shall hence all others scare With that an hideous rore he gave and from All parts of Hell Legions of Devils come These hellish Troops follow their Princely Lord Cloath'd with the darkest pitch Hell could afford Each had a shield lin'd with ten thousand shades To keep off Light when it their eyes invades Yet not secure each musâ—les up his sight With Tartarus's black Lawnes and furrs of Night These met the Pilgrim but no sooner had His eyes and garment their bless'd Beamings shed Upon these Troops but they fall back and
Paradisiacus HEre lacks an Angel's Tongue to Trumpet forth In his best Layes blest Paradise's worth That by those sweet straines he a tast might give To you what pleasures there for ever Live Here lacks a Tasso or a Bartas or A Spencer's Muse a Quarles or Silvester Or some such Laureate But since their skil Is wanting to my Pen accept my Will For though my Muse cann't reach their lofty vein Child-like the Truth speaks in a stammering strain Thus far sh' has waded and she th'rough must go Although the style is for the Theame too low The horrid Mansion of Aeternal Night Our Pilgrim now forsakes the blessed Light Of Paradise his eyes salutes the smell Of Arabie drives back the sent of Hell Thorow that breach made by the Hand of Love Still by the Angel guided he doth move And mounting up from that infernal pit Upon the skirts of Paradise doth sit O blessed rise no foes he now may fear For over Hell and Death he 's Conquerour This Resurrection is the first and He That rises thus may ever happy be Our Pilgrim's nosethrils which Hel's horrid stink Of Sulphur had drunk Odors now do drink Of Paradise now from Aelysium Clouds of perfumes and rapting smels do come But whilst upon the very verge they stay'd Th' Angel unlock'd his Ruby Lips and said O new-born Pilgrim thou the Grave hast seen Thou know'st now what 't is to be born again This is the happy and the blessed state Where thou may'st say thou art Regenerate Thou art a child become and now must learn Those Lessons which thy eyes did ne'r discern Whilst in the World and in thy sins thou wert Christ is thy Master thou his Scholar art But in one moment thou shalt profit more Now than in all thy Life thou didst before Thou here shalt gain more in an hour than all The Scholars in their great Lycaeums shall No vain Disputes shall studied be by thee But God and Nature shall thy study be To such as thee he giveth leave to go Among his Treasures and his secrets know There 's not a Leaf there 's not a spire of Grass There 's not a clod of Earth nor Tree but has A Tongue to speak which doth Arcana's show But th' ignorant doth not their Lauguage know Nor can they know the cloathing they have on Till they wash in the Fountain of the Sun O're which the Golden Apples hang but this By a ne'r sleeping Dragon watched is Defiled persons never can come to 't Polluted hands can never tuck those fruit To thee and such as thee these things are shown Who live in Paradise unseen unknown But let me warn thee Pilgrim that thou mayst Not of that Tree as once did Adam tast Lest thou dost lose those Blessings which the Lord If thou fal'st not will unto thee afford Those secret blessings which we do not dare For fear of curses to the World deelare The Triâ—une God hath generated from Aeternity in 's own Aeternal Womb Two Principles so cal'd because they be Th' out-spoken Word of the great Deity So their PRINCIPIUM is else they have none Their breathing out or manifestation The Dark and Light That we call First and This The holy Light World and the Second is God in the First is known a Judge severe Angry and Jealous Wrathful and Austere But in the Secoâ—d he doth solely move In Light in Meekness gentleness and Love The First gives being to the Dark-world and The Light doth in the Second's Essence stand Nor can that be cal'd Evil Harmonize The Second with 't and it makes Paradise For 't is as 't were the Life of it its seat And office there is as in Man the heat Or Spirit which his body quickens and Maketh the joynts so nimbly move and Bend But let this be w'thout its due Temprament Unharmoniz'd and th' other humours spent How soon it Rages and to fâ—â—e doth turn And with intolerable Feavers burn Distemper'd Man So the first Principle If separate and that the Second quell Doth not its acritude it then is like Nay 't is the Fire which doth the damned strike In discord Sulphure Salt and Mercury Is Hell but Paradise in Harmony For this end therefore did the mighty Lord Them Generate that they might still accord And Harmoniz'd might make this Paradise In which should spring Aeternal Loves and Ioyes Thus did the Tri-une God himself display In making of this place this Orb of Day For here the Spirit 's influence doth flow And the great Wonders of the Godhead show God will'd not Hell then for the damned crew Although their Fate Aeternally he knew Nor the black Devils did he so Create In the first Principle or Wrathful state No one he made But a transcendant bright And mighty Prince He in the Orb of Light Or second Principle Great LUCIFER Created here also created were All other Angels But he on the Throne Sat as a King with great Dominion To him we â—ll did Homage do and he Ruled the Princes of each Hierarchy And this was Heav'n th' Aeternal mansion Of God where standeth blessed Iesu's Throne Now here and in this Principle of Light He only should have shown the Power and might Of Love in Paradise which then was and Where the External World does now did stand But this great Prince of Light now Hel's great King Into that dismal Realm himself did bring For in the fiers mighty strength he flew Scorning the Second Principle subdue The same he would into the First therefore He and his following Angels hurled were Where they in Anguish and the Fier's might Between the third and second have their site Where they for ever must endure with those Souls who with that same Principle do close Thus Hell did come to be But we who stood Enjoy unutterable Sweets the Food Immortal eat the Heart of God for that For ever seal'd to us our blessed State But now when Lucifer in Pride did rove The first and second Principles did move From whence a Third then came the First did then To operate upon it strait begin And like it self by its attracting force It Rocks and stones did form its bitter source The whole masse into such stuff would have brought But that the second Principle then wrought And harmonizing of the First begat A watry fluid substance on which sat And mov'd the blessed Spirit and from that He Heav'ns did create and separate From the subsiding Earth The upper Sea He from the lower did divide That 's the Material Water did divide from those VVhich being gave to them from whence arose All that on Earth doth spring It 's truly say'd God made from Water all that e'r was made And yet we cann't it Water call but yet Nothing can better be compar'd to it The lower waters Congregate The Earth Then to all Plants gave an apparant birth Thence Essence visible became for these Stood in their forms in blessed Paradise As the
is known Here could our Heav'nly Joys permit us grieve I could Threnoda's sing 'cause Men deceive Themselves to think its any's Fault but their Own that we do not now so oft appear As we have done in former Ages No The fault 's not Ours but theirs we do not so The Reason why so oft we do not presse From Heav'n to Earth is Man's unworthinesse What else can Mortals think that it should be Cann't we be cloath'd with visibility With as much ease as then think they or now Grown old with Time do also lasie grow Think they the space 'twixt Earth and Heav'n more Large and wide drawn than in times before Or do they think our Love diminished Or that they of our helps now have no need Or do thâ—y on our Maker lay the blame That he to former Ages than to them More Love did shew think they him partial that We did on those and not on them do wait Or do they think our King has more to do In Heav'n for us that he cann't spare us now What is 't that peevish Moâ—tals think what e're They think it is their sins that keep us here Seal'd from their eyes which hide this blessed Fruit So that they know not which way to come to 't For could they eat of it they often would With â—leasure us familiarly behold In Ages past when we so frequent were With Men and did in Humane shapes appear Simplicity and Innocency reign Did amonâ— Mâ—n they knew not how to gain By lying Miracles their Natures all Most like to ouers were Angelical But after Sathan broach'd his vanities Which men suck'd in he under our disguise Of them deceiv'd so his delicious food They fed upon supposing it was good So as their sins encreas'd we disappear'd Whilst Sathan of his Conquests Trophies rear'd Which he by feigning Angels shapes did gain Whereby we did to Man obscure remain This now continues so man thought at last Our dispensat'on of Appearing past And now he boldly if we do appear As we were wont averrs we Devils are But blinded he is ignorant that this Fruit God's most sacred Fruit and blessing is Which still is free as e'r it was for Man Were he but worthy to obtain the same Of this fruit 't was those holy Men did tast With whom we had in all the ages past Communion for who do eat of it We are for them and they for us made fit We then to such shall not as strangers be But much frequent each others company That Royal Fruit which in that Dish doth lye Whose very looks with Wonders maze the eye In beauty and in virtue shall give way To none which fed thy blessed eyes to day See but what charmes are spread upon their cheek Their hew and make their wondrous virtue speaks This fruit indeed a faithlesse Faith expels And giveth one of working Miracles The Eater shall nothing too hard suppose To be effected by him for by those Mountains may be remov'd Seas made a Plain And all the Champain floated with the Main All living Creatures and inanimate Obey his Word who of this Fruit have eat He miracles shall truly do although Beelzebub's servants will not own them so Or if they do with belching Mouthes outright They cry they 're done by their own Master's might When by this Fruit they 're down which you behold As also were true miracles of old By this great Moses Power had to divide The blushing Seas by this was Iordan dry'd Twice by Elisha's Mantle The Command Of Ioshua still enforc'd the Sun to stand By this Fruit also great Amozides Repel'd the Dayes great Giant ten degrees Of this Fruit also blessed Iesus eat When he so many Wonders did Compleat That many Volumns cannot comprehend The tythe of them his Wonders have no end By this the bless'd Apostles did effect Their Miracles Wonders with Wonders backt Great Thaumaturgus when the VVord he spake By this Fruits Virtue dryed up a Lake By this the latter â—ges not a few Have Wonders done and VVonders more shall do For time draws nigh wherein this Fruit shall then Not such a stranger be to Mortal Men. The next Dish holds five glorious Apples that Man's five internal Sences animate The first whose beauties are so excellent That plunge Spectators into ravishment Unlocks the crystal pyla's of the eye Permitting it Heav'n's Beauties to descry By that the inner eye hath oft a sight In sacred Visions of Aeternal Light Of this bless'd place and of the Throne of blisse Where our great King 's immortal Splendor is By that we may be seen by that the eyes Behold the inner-VVorld's varieties And all the Spirits that created be In all the World 's perspicuously see By this Elisha's servant's eyes unbarr'd Were when he saw his Master's fiery guard Iohn's Iame's and Peter's when th' on Tabor saw Elias Christ the Giver of the Law The second that in yellow Ornaments Doth ravish with a thousand blandishments Continually a golden Key doth bear VVhich opes the Portals of the inner ear Through which the Sounds of Paradise do go And the caelestial Harpers musique flow Th'row which the inner World's sweet Harmony And all the Angels mystic voyces fly By this young Samuel's tender eares were bor'd When he the voyce heard of our Soveraign Lord. And divine Ioha's when he did hear the voyce Like to the rushing of enraged Seas The third which doth the Indian Nard excel Or all the spice of Arabie in smell The inner smelling Sence's gates doth wide Set ope th'row which Caelestial Odors slide Th'row which the sweet Perfume of Paradise To cheer the Brain and Spirits sweetly flyes The fourth whose sweetnesse Honey far exceeds With dews of Paradise the Eater feeds By that the Manna of Ierusalem To tast is often granted unto him By that his tongue on food divine doth tast And 's inner Palat on Heav'n's sweets doth feast The last whose slicknesse far exceeds the silk Whose snowy whitenesse far the purest milk Gives to the Eater sensibility Of the Contactions of Divinity By it he feels those pleasant thrillings which His Soul with the extreamest Joyes enrich Those burning tinctures of the deepest Love Which round his Heart with matchlesse pleasures move Of these three last the holy Saints did feed Be'ing granted to them in the time of need When persecution's mouth with all its power Sought them with cruel torments to devour Those then were Cordials to support the Hearts 'Gainst persecution's cruel Flames and Darts The lowest Dish which doth conclude the Feast Though it comes last yet is it not the least The Fruit it holds is of such price and Worth That it will lose much by my setting forth Not all the Rhetoric an Angel has Sufficient is this pretious Fruit to praise This is the Fruit that maketh Mortal Man To be Iehovah's great Magitian Art Magic this doth to the Eater shew And him with Heav'nly
the true seekers of the noble Stone Have golden Spurs to spurious such unknown These be the Reasons why so many misse The STONâ— and their investigated Blisse To thee dear Pilgrim need I not to shew The way to Magic 't is the Way which you Have come and there 's no other Path which guides To this Caelestial Art of Arts besides 'T is not the selfish Wise man this can gain 'T is not the Covetous shall this attain 'T is not the thirsty after Glory shall Be able once to touch this Magical And happy Fruit from such it 's safely kept By an huge Dragon whose eyes never slept Those who this Fruit will gain must first outright O're-come this Dragon in a single Fight O man thou must Regenerated be Before thine eyes this happy Fruit can see Foâ— none but Children gain this Diadem Children of Love it is preserv'd for them Châ—ldren of Innocence who washed are In blâ—st Regeneration's Lavar fair This happy Fruit by the free Hand of Heav'n To such Regenerated Babes is given By which from Babes to an exalted pitch They ' â— rais'd and so become Men wise and Rich Rich in those Treasures whose most simple Gemm The World doth and its richest Riches shame Thâ—s gift is Free and yet it must be sought Yet by true Resignation 't is bought God gives a portion small at first but so As it Man uses shall his Talent grow But never let Man hope for this estate ' Til 's heart is pure and Regenerate You know great Riches and high Honours are The Devil's strongest unresisted snare By which oft-times he Souls doth overthrow Who pious were e'r they those Bâ—â—ts did know Think you that God thâ—n in t ' Man 's hands will put So sharp a Weapon his own Throat to Cut Think you he will to him the Stone disclose ' Til how to use it for his good he knows Nor knows Man how to use it 'till that he First truly Dead Regenerated be Then let all who this Art investigate In Soul and Body be regenerate Then if they ask they shall receive the prize If Knock the sealed Door assunder flyes If seek they find if pray they 'r heard Thus I Have shew'd the true way to Felicity The way whereby this Fruit may be attain'd Whereby the much desired STONE is gain'd He then who pure is and Regenerate And blessed so that he may freely eat Of this beatifying Fruit he then Becomes Heav'n's SOPHUS or Magitian O those bless'd Bonds which fast together tye God and the Soul Man and the Deity Nothing 's impossible for him to do Who this blessed state and pitch attain'd has to For if to him to God it must be so His Will is God's they are no longer two He willeth nothing but by Heav'n's own Will Then what shall dare not his Command fulfill He now is Soveraign over the World and all Things that therein are shall obey his Call For by this Art of divine Magic he May shroud him in invisibility Walk on the Clouds stand in a flame of Fire And th'row the walls if dores be shut retire May walk upon the sâ—â—liest Seas while they Smoothing their rugged Fronts his feet obey To him diseases bow their eager heads And at his touch they leave their nasty beds And fly to Hell from whence they came for by His touch and Word restor'd is Purity Of Vegitables the true use he knows The poyson in each herb away he throws And perfect Chymist by Spagyric Art Hell from Heav'n's Essence Drosse from Gold can part Both Aâ—â—mals and Minerals also He not by guesse but perfectly doth know As Man may in a Mirrour see his Face So he their virtues through their outward Case No thing 's unknown to him all Arts that be Unmask'd are and he views their Verity Metals he may transmuâ—e the Stone by which They are exalted to theâ—r highest pitch Of persectnesse he has which will unfold The way to change all Mettals into Gold Not only Bodies are at his Command But all created Spirits also stand To do his Will The sneeking Devils are If he Commands enforced to appear VVith louting Heads and trailing Tails and eyes Dejected to behold themselves made prize To see that Man whom they triumph'd upon Now to have Rule and be a Lord o're them O they had rather to the darkest place Of Hell run than behold their own disgrace For if he cometh where they be they run Into the lowest darknesse headlong down For they his eyes as much now hate to see As the bright splendor of Aeternity For they behold him with that glory clad As once themselves before they lapsed had All Earthly Spirits also prest do stand Ready to do what he shall them Command Those in the Fire yield a joynt consent To wait upon him in their Element Those in the Water and the deepest Sea All his Commands are ready to obay Those in the Ayr and Astral Regions too Their constant service at his beck do shew The holy Angels also do rejoyce And pleasure Him who is the Highest's choyce Thus all conspire to be his servants and VVith speed obay what he shall them Command Besides all these to him permitted 't is To enter Gods own Treasury of Blisse In which he doth Arcana's deep behold Not fit unto the World for to be told The great Archaeus of all things that be He doth in ev'ry World and Astra see Divinely taught divinely learn'd indeed He Heav'n's Caâ—al and mysteries doth read And thus is Heav'n's Magitian a King Upon the Earth to whom all Creatures bring Their homage due unto that Image that In him appears of the Incorporat And increated Deity And thus Man is co-equal with nay more than us What Adam lost he gains by this new Birth And is new-Crowned King and God on Earth And such a Godlike King was Adam All So should have been but for his fatal Fall But few and very few attain to this Great Pearl of Wisdom Fruit of matchlesse Blisse Now in these latter dayes But Mortals may E're long behold the mighty lustrous Ray Of this fair Fruit which I may call the Best For in it is contained all the rest Heav'n's great Magitian mighty Moses had Upon this Fruit by God's donation fed When â—e those VVonders in the Name of God Did do in Aegypt with his Magic Rod That Rod which to a Sâ—rpent changed was And which again into a Rod did passe By this Fruit he God's MAGUS did become Performing VVonders in his mighty Name By this on Phaâ—oh and all Aegypt too He sev'n fold Plagues and seav'n-fold Wonders threw By this the Seas he parts which Crystal waâ—ls Become the Israclites by this with Qualos And Manna bright he feeds By this a knock Opens the Springlets in the solid Rock By this he Gold makes potablâ— his face With royal Rayes by this incircled was Mosâ—'s successor by this Magic too The strong-built walls of Ierico
Heaven For the first Principle alone makes Hell But Heaven when the Second in 't doth dwell The first is to the second even as The Fire which makes the glowing weik to blaze From whence proceeds the Light the Ioy the Blisse That in the high Aeternal Heaven is Here in this Sphear those mighty Wonders be Which 〈◊〉 the sporting of the Deity Themselves disâ—lay Wonders indeed they are Which do exceed Man's comprehension far Here'tis that God himself t' himself displays From whence the sence arises up in â—oys A thousand thousand things for aye arise AEternal Waters and Eternal Sâ—ies Hence Paradâ—â—e and the internal Orbs Do cloath themselves in their illustrous Garbs Should all the Stars for Counters serve they were Too few to number all the Wonders here Whilst I am wrap'd in meditating them I am amaz'd amazement stops my Pen. Here Loves and Glories do unite in one Here is that three-times sacred Union 'Twixt God and Man betwixt the Deity And the immaculate Humanity From whence the Lillies and the Wonders grow From whence the Joyes of Love and Blisse do flow This is the marriage of the sacred Lamb The Soul returneth here from whence it came With the additions of Aeternal Blisse SOPHIA to the Soul united is The Soul to Her the virgin Body here Such are the Joyes and Blisses of this Sphear Man of all Worlds is an Aepitomy And with all Worlds that are he doth agree Ah why should th' outward Captivate him so As he the rest should not so truly know That ah pâ—epostrous th' outward World should have Most rule in Him and all the rest in slave Or hide them from his eyes so deeply that He thinks those Worlds and He are separate The outer Case of Flesh doth represent The outer world in which the others vent Themselves th' internal worlds themselves do spread About the Heart th' Eternal in the Head So are they plac'd in Man and so they be In th' inner ground as all the Wise do see All outer pleasures of the World do stretch Themselves but to the Flesh and do but reach The outer sences Carnal pleasures flow In lower Regions and are left below Th' internal worlds are open'd in the Breast There Paradise and all its Joys exprest Are there likewise the darker Worlds harsh source It self in Anguish and in pain doth force The sence of feeling lyeth in that part And Paradise doth open in the Heart But what from this Eternal Sphear is shown Within the Centre of the Head 's made known For there the eye and ear are manifest To which all sights and heav'nly sounds exprest Are all the Wonders of this higher Sphear When they are shown are manifested there This is a Mist'ry unto those that know No other Worlds but this out world below But to our Pilgrim let us now return Whose progress shall to those who will not spurn The Truth make known some Myst'ries of this Sphear Which may be shown but those that thus appear For scorners sakes a little vail'd must be And yet our Vailes are made of Tiffany So that an Eye not altogether blind The sence and meaning of our words may find Our happy Pilgrim who in Paradise In Blisse and pleasure in Love's bosom lies Feeling those pleasures that do scorn annoy And breathing in the Fire of purest Joy Doth Heav'n already as it were possess Seated in Blisse and crown'd with Happinesse But Love's immortal Prince doth now relate To him the glory of an higher state He being fitted by the Prince of Love For this ascension now must farther Move O here it lyes not in the Will of Man For one step selfly forward move he can Not here it must be Iesus he alone Conveighs the Soul to this Caelestial Throne Who whilst 't is wholly passive swiftly whurl'd Is in Love's Coach into th' Eternal World The silver Clouds of Paradise do meet In a Conjunction and at Iesu's feet Conspire who with the Pilgrim back those clear Clouds mounting thence into th' Eternal Sphear But e're the Pilgrim went the Graces all Approaching him into his Lap let fall Their Royal bounties all desiring He T' accept those small Presents would pleased be For by their virtue he his subjects might Rule seated in his Royal Throne aright FAITH gave her golden Shield beset with Gemnis Whose sight Hel's mighty Monarch fears it seems As much as Mortals did that Buckler dread On which was pourtray'd curs'd Medusa's Head For when so e're he spies that glorious Shield Screeching and howling he deserts the Field A golden Anchor he receiv'd from HOPE Which not the force of Hell could e'r pull up When once 't was fix't upon the Billows ride He safely could and all Hel's storms abide Without the least of Danger and by this In mid'st of Stormes h' in mist of safety is ZEAL brought a Sword whose hilt with glittering Gold Shan from whose two-edg'd blade flames sprightly rold The Stygian Princes flesh no Weapon but This terrible two-edged Sword can cut This is the Sword of the bless'd Spirit and Hell for his furies can its force withstand A Royal Miter profer'd PIETY Which Crown'd the Pilgrim's royal brows on high The Helmet of Salvation it was O'relaid with Gold and fram'd of solid Brass Which all Hel's Thunderbolts could never pierce Nor all his shafts though they were ne'r so fierce COURAGE a Breast-plate gave of solid Steel Through which he Hel's black Arrows could not feel Of Righteousness it was whose shining glass Retorted Hel's black shafts into his face So that the more he seeks to wound his foes The more by 's own shafts shall his damage grow True IOY a Royal Robe presented where All Paradise's flowers embossed were Love fram'd the stuff and Innocency wrought Into true True-Love-Knots all that Ioy brought This Robe could not defiled be with sin If Hell flings Durt on 't it fals off ag'en An upright Staff UPRIGHTNESS gave for guide A golden pair of Compâ—sses beside By which all Actions measur'd ought to be Beyond whose bounds his steps ought not to flee Whilst by that Staff and Compasses he goes Hell nor the World did dare his Way oppose TRUTH she presented him the sacred Writ In which he might behold all things that fit Were to be done and what to be eschew'd HUMILITY a Van to sift the Proud Actions and Thoughts to sift the Chaff and the Cockle from the bright Wheat of Purity OBEDIENCE a silvet wheel presented By which all adverse Thoughts to be tormented Were and all Actions that did Rebels prove Unto the Laws and Crown of sacred Love By which close-grinding Wheel the flowr was ta'ne From the enclosure of the fruitless Bran. But RESIGâ—ATION gave a golden Crosse In which contain'd was not one grain of dross Love's glorious badge where all Opposers dy'd And where all humane Wills were crucifi'd A Crosse on which who hung were mounted ev'n From Death to Life from Earth to highest Heav'n 〈◊〉 WISDOM gave a
thrust Who getting up together slunk away From her as Night steals from th' approaching Day Then of the Salad to the Pilgrim she Gave who inamouâ—'d was immediatly Of her rare Beauty straight his armes he throws About her neck and till she had his brows Impal'd with her white Crown of Lilies kept Her pris'ner which b'ing done the ayr she swept With Wings that did a purity bestow Upon the ambient ayr where she did go Scarce had he finished an hymn of praise Unto that potent King of Victories But that an other opposite he saw Whose face seem'd both the Heav'n and Earth to awe Upon a Steed he mounted was whose hoofs Disdain the Earth the ayr he proudly snuffs And being rained in from 's champing chaps Of milky suds a frothy River drops The Rider far more proud had on his head The Helm of Insolence which was bespread With the fine train of the Iunonian Bird The Belt of Arrogance his sides did gird At which Ambition hung the weapon that Had oft laid many mighty Princes flat His looks spake full disdain scorn cloath'd his brows And haughtinesse his high-rear'd forehead shews Big language dwelt upon his tongue the Lance Of Pow'r he in his right hand did advance A Scarf of God besieg'd his arm the East Had lent its Jewels to adorn his breast He scorn'd to speak but with his lofty eyes From whence a flash of scornfull Lightning flies Which scard the Pilgrim but affrighted he For safeguard runs behind Humility She with the Crosse as this proud Foe came on With blows reitterated beat him down The Pilgrim then his glory and his pomp And 's Lance of Pow'r under his feet did stamp And so bemaul'd him with his Cross that he Feared no more this doughty Enemy Cyclopian darts now rend the tumid Rocks A horrid rore against their intrails knocks Where in the windings with a new rebound It sends forth more than a Stentorian sound The humble Valley quivers Earth seems now To totter and to be unstable too Th' amazed Pilgrim fears he thinks that Hell Could hardly have created such a Yell. The Sire of this he sees a Polypheme Who did with Clouds of smoak the Heavens dim A walking Tower from whose nosethrils came A scalding Whirlwind from his eyes a flame His right hand bore a Pine his left a Shield Where flaming Aetna in a sable field Was pourtray'd On his lofty crest he wore A scaly Dragon on his breast he bore A Tun of Iron the neighbouring Rocks he down Kickt that he might to walk have elbow-room He opes his mouth the Postern Gate of Hell And these words bellows with a rending Yell. Where goes this Dwarf did'st never hear of me My name is wâ—ath my left hand Cruelâ—y My right is Power to which all Hell below Obeys with which these Rocks like Balls I throw And what art thou poor Pigmee if I list To atoms I can crush thee with my fist Dost thou know what thou dost we did this Way Prohibit Men how darst thou disobey Thou hast awak'ned me and now my power Thy Soul and thee together shall devour 'T is time to make thee tremble for if thus Thou dost proceed thou 'lt Triumph over us A score of Canons which with Sulphur strout When they their flaming intrails vomit out Scarce make a sound like that the Cyclops made To periodize his speech when this h' had said Now thinks the Pilgrim I am dead who may Defend me or this Monster 's wrath allay He had no sooner thought but from the Skies A Nymph descending to his succour hies Smoother than Chrystal was her Skin more fine And soft than childrens or the Serâ—an twine With which she cloathed was Her badge a Lamb Was and like such a candid one she came Her eyes spoke Innocence her lovely looks Of Comity and Gentlenesse the books Were in her hand she held a glasse of oyl Which like a Zeilan Ruby shun the while The Glasse was Mercy the Oyl our Saviours blood Approacâ—ing near she by the Pilgrim stood This Pâ—ophylacâ—â—c Oyl alone Cryes she Can keep you from this Giants tyrannie 'T is he that did the Lamb of Life deprive But from that Death sprâ—ng this preservative Whereby you may spight of this furious one Passe on and shun him and by this alone The Pilgrim straight the Glasse of Mâ—rcy took And drunk the sacred oyl fear then forsook And blessed Ioy and Courage took the field Humility was his Aâ—acian Shield Meeknesse gave him her Vail and now the Wrath And all his menace were little worth For all his Thunders flye too high to hit Him who doth under Meeknesse ' umbra sit What ever wound the Cyclops gave was by That blood he drank recur'd immediatly Thus he pass'd on whilst that the Wrath in vain The ayr beat but could not the Conquest gain A little farther a strange Hag he met Whose mouth spat clouds of smoak as black as jet Her nose the chimney for her Hellish breath An Aetna seem'd her eyes sunk in like Death Two glaring Ovens were her shriv'led cheeks Sunk like two Vallies and as black as Styx Her tauny Breasts like falling Mountains hung Two mighty Serpents 'bout her middle clung Two in her hands she brought and from her head A thousaud Aspeâ— her Back and shoulders spread She did with scaly Wings of Dragons flye The one Detâ—action th' other Iealousie Hasty she came and from her mouth flew fumes Like smoak which from a Brewer's Furnace comes Ten Paces yet she lack't when that a dart From an unseen hand struck through her hellish heart Down fell this Tisiphone her black fumes fled and she in her own gore lay buried The Pilgrim cast his eyes behind to know From whose brave Hand she had receiv'd this blow Wâ—ere he beheld a Virgin at whose Feet All other Graces had took up their seat And she as Queen of all the rest up stood As a tall Cedâ—r 'mong the underwood Both Hope and Faith before her humbled were And did not scorn part of her Train to bare A Garland crown'd her Brows her Golden tresse Ty'd up through a laun Caul its Beams did presse Which Rayes about her sacred Visage spread So that always both Light and Heat she had Her garments loose about her were a flame Of harmlesse 〈◊〉 seem'd t' issue from the same And of so bright and gentle Nature that To be burnt by 't it a desire begat Her hand the Bow held whereby she had slain The foul Hag Envy and dissolv'd her train A Quiver hung by a Mitella ty'd Poudred with Opalls and with azure dy'd Under her left arm where her arrows lay Which nothing could excepting Envy slay Or sucâ— like evil Beasts she always wou'd Freely all others ills repay with Good Kind unto all never provok'd and still Loves all bears all things and can think no ill An Enâ—â—gn then where she her self display'd Saâ— she unto the Pilgrim