soul to sit at liberty Not wedg'd into this masse of earth but free Unloos'd from any strong necessity To do the bodies dictates while we see Clear reason shining in serenity Calling above unto us pointing to What 's right and decent what doth best agree With those sweet lovely Ideas that do show Some glimps of their pure light So Sol through clouds doth flow 41 How oft do we neglect this bodies life And outward comely plight for to adorn Our soul with virtuous ornaments and strive To fat our mind with truth while it 's forlorn Squallid half-nasty pallid wan deform Can this desire from the base body spring No sure such brave atchievements be yborn Within the soul tend to her perfecting See th' independent mind in her self circuling 42 Best plight of body hinders such like acts How doth she then upon the body pend To do those subtle high pure heavenly facts What doth the Sun his rayes that he out-sends Smother or choke though clouds that upward wend May raised be by him yet of those clouds That he doth congregate he no'te depend Nor doth the soul that in this flesh doth croud Her self rely on that thick vapour where she 's shroud 43 But still to prove it clearer If the mind Without the bodyes help can operate Of its own self then nothing can we find To scruple at but that souls separate Safely exist not subject unto fate Nothing depending on their carcases That they should fade when those be ruinate But first perpend well both their energies That we may better see their independencies 44 The living body where the soul doth ' bide These functions hath phansie sense memory How into sense these outward forms do glide I have already told Vitality And presentisick circularity Is spread through all there is one Mundane spright And body vitall corporality We have from hence Our souls be counite With the worlds spright and body with these herself she has dight 45 Our body struck by evolution Of outward forms spread in the worlds vast spright Our listning mind by its adversion Doth notice take but nothing is empight In it Of old Gods hand did all forms write In humane souls which waken at the knock Of Mundane shapes If they were naked quite Of innate forms though heaven and earth should rock With roring winds they 'd heare no more then sensles stock 46 Phansy's th' impression of those forms that flit In this low life They oft continue long When as our spright more potently is hit By their incursions and appulses strong Like heated water though a while but hung On fiercer fire an hot impression Long time retains so forms more stoutly flung Against our spright make deep insculption Long time it is till their clear abolition 47 Hence springeth that which men call memory When outward object doth characterize Our inward common spright of when that we From our own soul stir up clear phantasies Which be our own elicited Idees Springing from our own contrall life by might Of our strong Fiat as oft as we please With these we seal that under grosser spright Make that our note-book there our choisest notions write 48 But sith it is not any part of us But longeth unto the great world it must Be chang'd for course of time voraginous With rapid force is violently just Makes each thing pay with what it was intrust The common life sucks back the common spright The body backward falls into the dust It doth it by degrees Hence phancie sight And memorie in age do not their functions right 49 Often disease or some hard casualtie Doth hurt this spirit that a man doth lose The use of sense wit phansie memorie That hence rash men our souls mortall suppose Through their rude ignorance but to disclose The very truth our soul 's in safetie In that distemper that doth ill dispose Her under spright But her sad miserie Is that so close she 's tied in a prone Unitie 50 Leans on this bodies false vitalitie Seeks for things there not in herself nor higher Extremely loves this bodies company Trusts in its life thither bends her desire But when it gins to fail she 's left i' th' mire Yet hard upon us hangs th' Eternall light The ever-live Idees the lamping fire Of lasting Intellect whose nearnesse might Illumine were our minds not lost in that frail spright 51 That spright and we are plain another thing Which now I 'll clearly show that we may see Our independence on its existing Which I must prove by eithers energie That spright hath no preceptibilitie Of her impressions Phantasie nor sense Perceive themselves often with open eye We look upon a man in our presence And yet of that near object have no cognoscence 52 And so of Phansies that be fresh enough Even deeply seald upon that lower spright Unlesse we seek them out and pierce them through With aiming animadversion they in night Do lurk unknown to us though they be bright In their own selves Again some object may In its great vigour lustre sweying might This spirit wound by its fierce riving ray Our sight is hurt by th' eye of the broad blasing day 53 Beside the senses each one are restraind To its own object so â—…s Phantasie That in the spirits compasse is containd As likewise the low naturall memorie But sooth to say by a strong sympathie We both are mov'd by these and these do move As the light spider that makes at a flie Her self now moves the web she subt'ly wove Mov'd first by her own web when here the flie did rove 54 Like spider in her web so do we sit Within this spirit and if ought do shake This subtil loom we feel as it doth hit Most part into adversion we awake Unlesse we chance into our selves betake Our selves or listen to the lucid voice Of th'intellect which these low tumults slake But our own selves judge of what ere accloyes Our muddied mind or what lifts up to heavenly joyes 55 All the five senses Phansie Memorie We feel their work distinguish and compare Find out their natures by the subtiltie Of sifting reason Then they objects are Of th' understanding bear no greater share In this same act then objects wont to do They are two realties distinguish'd clear One from the other as I erst did show She knows that spright that sprigh our soul can never know 56 Sense Phansie Memorie as afore was said Be hurt by stronger objects or be spoild By longer exercise Our soul ne're fades But doth its spright commiserate long toild With agitation when it feels it moild Descends to comfort it and gives it rest But she grows quicker vaster never foild With contemplations that this spright molest The inward soul 's renew'd as cannot be exprest 57 How soul and spright be severed we see But how 't works by it self is not yet shown I mean without this sprights assistencie Though not quite by its self High light doth crown Its
Trip it with joy at the worlds harmony Struck with the pleasure of an amorous stound So dance they with fair flowers from unknown root ycrownd 14 Still falling short they never fail to seek Nor find they nothing by their diligence They find repast their lively longings eke Kindled continued by timely influence Thus all things in distinct circumference Move about him that satisfies them all Nor be they thus stird up by wary sense Or foresight or election rationall But blindly reel about the heart of lives centrall 15 So doth the earth one of the erring seven Wheel round the fixed sunne that is the shade Of steddy Good shining in this out-heaven With the rest of those stars that God hath made Of baser matter all which be array'd With his far-shining light They sing for joy They frisque about in circulings unstay'd Dance through the liquid aire and nimbly toy cloy While Sol keeps clear their spright consumes what may ac 16 Better the Indigent be mov'd then He That wanteth nought He fills all things with light And kindly heat through his fecundity Peoples the world by his exciting spright Wakens the plants calls them out of deep night They thrust themselves into his fostring rayes Stretch themselves forth stird by his quickning might And all the while their merry roundelayes As lightsome phansies deem each Planet sprightly playes 17 But sooth to say that sound so subtile is Made by percussion of th' ethereall fire Against our aire if it be not transmisse By its exility that none ought admire That we no'te heare what well we mought desire Heavens harmony ' Cording to others lear The sound 's so big that it cannot retire Into the windings of a mortall eare So cannot the Egyptian Niles Catadupa bear 18 There ought to be certain proportion Betwixt the object and the outward sense Rash man that dost inferre negation From thy dead eare or non-experience Then let them dance and sing raise influence From lively motion that preserves their spright From foul corruption motion 's the best fense To keep off filth in children of cold Night Whose life is in dull matter but the sunne's all Light 19 Therefore full safely he may steddy stond Unmov'd at least not remov'd out of place I 'll not deny but that he may turn round On his own centre So the steps we 'll trace Of Essence Plato's On which steddy stayes And moves at once that same Iao hight In that old Clarian Oracle that sayes It is the sunne This answer will aright To Iehova or first essence as Plato school desery't 20 That same first Being Beauty Intellect Turns to his father of whom he was born In a brief instant But who can detect Such hidden mysteries back mine eyes I 'll turn Lest in this light like fluttering moth I burn Enough is shown of correspondency Twixt this worlds sunne and centre of hid Morn The radiant light of the deep Deity Thus have I fairly prov'd the sunnes stability 21 Then must the earth turn round or we want day Or never be in night Now I 'll descend Cloth'd with this truth As wrathfull dogs do bay At spectres solemn Cynthia doth send So now I backward to the senses wend They 'll bark at th' shape of my disguised mind As stranger wights they wrathfully will rend This uncouth habit They no such thing find 'Mongst their domestick forms to whom they are more kind 22 And weaker reason which they wont misguide Will deem all this nothing mysterious But my strong-winged Muse feebly to slide Into false thoughts and dreams vertiginous And plainly judge us woxen furious Thus in our rage to shake the stable earth Whirling it round with turns prodigious For it doth stedfast stand as it appear'th From the unshaken buildings it so safely bear'th 23 If it should move about then would it sting From of it self those fair extructed loads Of carved stone The aire aloud would sing With brushing trees Beasts in their dark aboads Would brained be by their own caves th' earth strowd With strange destruction All would shatter'd lye In broken shivers What mad frantick mood Doth thus invade wary Philosophy That it so dotes on such a furious falsity 24 But still more subt'lie this cause to pursue The clouds would alwayes seem to rise from th' East Which sense and oft-experience proves untrue They rise from all the quarters South North West From every part as Aeolus thinketh best Again the earths sad stupid gravity Unfit for motion shows its quiet rest Lastly an arrow shot unto the sky Would not return unto his foot that let it fly 25 Adde unto these that contrariety Of motion when as the self same things At the same time do back and forward hie As when for speed the rider fiercely dings His horse with iron heel layes the loose strings Upon his neck westward they swiftly scoure When as the earth finishing her dayly rings Doth eastward make with all her might and power She quite hath run her stage at end of twice twelve houres 26 These and like phansies do so strongly tye The slower mind to ancient Ptolemee That shamefull madnesse't were for to deny So plain a truth as they deem this to be But yet alas if they could standen free From prejudice and heavie swaying sense That dims our reason that it cannot see What 's the pure truth enough in just defense Of Pythagore we find though with small diligence 27 One single truth concerning unity Of sprights and bodies how one spirit may Inact a various Corporeity Keep 't up together and its might display Through all the bulk make 't constantly obey The powerfull dictates of that centrall spright Which being one can variously play This lore if we but once had learnd aright All what was brought against us would vanish at first sight 28 For that Magnetick might doth so combine Earth Water Aire into one Animate Whose soul or life so sweetly't doth incline So surely easly as none can relate But he that 's exercis'd in every state Of moving life What Can the plastick spright So variously it and its bulk dilate Downward to hell upward to heaven bright And strangely figur'd leaves and flowers send into sight 29 Can one poore single Centre do all this In a base weed that suddenly decayes And shall not the earths life that is transmisse Through sea and aire and with its potent rayes Informs all this all this on that life stayes Shall 't not obtain the like variety Of inward ruling motion Your minds raise O sluggish men single centrality You 'l find shall do what ere 's admit by phantasy 30 Now see if this clear apprehension Will not with ease repell each argument Which we rehers'd with an intention For to refute The earths swift movement Because 't is naturall not violent Will never shatter buildings With straight line It binds down strongly each partic'larment Of every edifice All stones incline Unto that Centre this doth
ΨΥΞΩΔΙΑ PLATONICA OR A Platonicall Song of the SOUL Consisting of foure severall Poems viz. ΨΥΞΟΖΩΙΑ ΨΥΞΑΘΑÎΑΣΙΑ ΑÎΤΙΨΥΞΟΠΑÎÎΥΞΙΑ ΑÎΤΙΜΟÎΟΨΥΞΙΑ Hereto is added a Paraphrasticall Interpretation of the answer of Apollo consulted by Amelius about Plotinus soul departed this life By H. M. Master of Arts and Fellow of Christs Colledge in Cambridge Nullam majorem afferre solet ignaris inscitia voluptatem 〈◊〉 expeditum factidiosúmque contemptum Scal. CAMBRIDGE Printed by Roger Daniel Printer to the Universitie 1642. To the Reader But whom lust wrath and fear controul Scarce know their body from their soul If any such chance heare my verse Dark numerous Nothings I rehearse To them measure out an idle sound In which no inward sense is found Thus sing I to cragg'd clifts and hills To sighing winds to murmuring rills To wastefull woods to empty groves Such things as my dear mind most loves But they heed not my Heavenly passion Fast fixt on their own operation On chalky rocks hard by the Sea Safe guided by fair Cynthia I strike my silver-sounded lyre First struck my self by some strong fire And all the while her wavering ray Reflected from fluid glasse doth play On the white banks But all are deaf Unto my Muse that is most lief To mine own self So they nor blame My pleasant notes nor praise the same Nor do thou Reader rashly brand My rhymes 'fore thou them understand H. M. ΨΥΞΟΖΩΙΑ OR A CHRISTIANO-PLATONICALL display of LIFE Written in the beginning of the year of our LORD 1640. and now published for all free Phisophers and well-willers to the true Christian Life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Trismeg CAMBRIDGE Printed by Roger Daniel Printer to the Universitie 1642. TO THE READER upon the first Book of PSYCHOZOIA THis first book as you may judge by the names therein was intended for a mere Platonicall description of Universall life or life that is omnipresent though not alike omnipresent As in Noahs Deluge the water that overflowed the earth was present in every part thereof but every part of the water was not in every part of the earth or all in every part so the low Spirit of the Universe though it go quite through the world yet it is not totally in every part of the world Else we should heare our Antipodes if they did but whisper Because our lower man is a part of the inferiour Spirit of the Universe Ahad Aeon and Psyche are all omnipresent in the World after the most perfect way that humane reason can conceive of For they are in the world all totally and at once every where This is the famous Platonicall Triad which though they that slight the Christian Trinity do take for a figment yet I think it is no contemptible argument that the Platonists the best and divinest of Philosophers and the Christians the best of all that do professe religion do both concur that there is a Trinity In what they differ I leave to be found out according to the safe direction of that infallible Rule of Faith the holy Word In the mean time I shall not be blamed by any thing but ignorance and malignity for being invited to sing of the second Unity of the Platonicall Triad in a Christian strain and Poeticall scheme that which the holy Scripture witnesseth of the second Person of the Christian Trinity As that his patrimony is the possession of the whole earth For if it be not all one with Christ according to his Divinity although their attributes sute exceeding well For that second Unity in the Platonicall Triad is called Filius Boni The Son of the Good The Christian second Person The Sonne of God He 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first beauty or lustre He the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sometime 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As in Trismeg 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He the Truth That the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or true platform according to which every thing was made and ought to be made That Aeon He Eternall life He the wisdome of God That the Intellect He 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet the Platonists placing him in the same order and giving him the like attributes with the Person of the Sonne in Christianity it is nothing harsh for me to take occasion from hence to sing a while the true Christian Autocalon whose beauty shall adorn the whole Earth in good time if we believe the Prophets For that hath not as yet happened For Christ is not where ever his name is but as he is the Truth so will he be truly displayed upon the face of the whole Earth For God doth not fill the world with his glory by words and sounds but by spirit and life and realtie Now this Eternall life I sing of even in the midst of my Platonisme for I cannot conceal from whence I am viz. of Christ but yet acknowledging that God hath not left the Heathen Plato especially without witnesse of himself Whose doctrine might strike our adulterate Christian professours with shame and astonishment their lives falling so exceeding short of the better Heathen How far short are they then of that admirable and transcendent high mystery of true Christianisme To which Plato is a very good subservient Minister whose Philosophy I singing here in a full heat why may it not be free for me to break out into an higher strain and under it to touch upon some points of Christianitie as well as all-approved Spencer sings of Christs under the name of Pan Saint Paul also transfers those things that be spoken of Jupiter to God himself Arat. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those latter words he gives to the Christian God whom he himself preached I will omit the usual course of the Spirit of God in holy Writ To take occasion from things that have some resemblance of divine things under them to speak of the true things themselves All this out of a tendernesse of mind being exceeding loth to give any man offence by my writings For though knowledge and theory be better then any thing but honesty and true piety yet it is not so good as that I should willingly offend my neighbour by it Thus much by way of preparation to the first piece of this Poem I will now leave thee to thine own discretion and judgement Upon the second Book THis second Book before we descend to particular lives exhibits to our apprehension by as fit a similitude as I could light upon the Universe as one simple uniform being from Ahad to Hyle no particular straitned being as yet being made no Earth or any other Orb as yet kned together All homogeneall simple single pure pervious unknotted uncoacted nothing existing but those eight universall orders There God hath full command builds and destroyes what he lists That all our souls are free effluxes
fears do send 'T is true I cannot write without a quill Nor ride without an horse If chance that rend Or use make blunt o're-labouring this kill Then can I walk not ride not write but think my sill 6 Our body is but the souls instrument And when it fails onely these actions cease That thence depend But if new eyes were sent Unto the aged man with as much ease And accuratenesse as when his youth did please The wanton lasse he now could all things see Old age is but this fading bulks disease The soul from death and sicknesse standeth free My hackney fails not I my pen not sciencie 7 But as I said of things we do desire So vehemently we never can be sure Enough Therefore my Muse thou must aspire To higher pitch and fearfull hearts secure Not with slight phansie but with reason pure Evincing the souls independency Upon this body that doth her imn ure That when from this dark prison she shall fly All men may judge her rest in immortality 8 Therefore I 'll sing the tricentreity Of humane souls and how they wake from sleep In which ywrapt of old they long do ly Contract with cold and drench'd in Lethe deep Hugging their plantall point It makes me weep Now I so clearly view the solemn Spring Of silent Night whose Magick dew doth steep These drousie souls of men whose dropping wing Keeps off the light of life and blunts each siery sting 9 Three centres hath the soul One plantall hight Our parents this revive in nuptiall bed This is the principle that hales oâ—… Night Subjects the mind unto dull drow siehead If we this follow thus we shall be led To that dark straitnesse that did bind before Our sluggish life when that is sâ—… rivelled Into its sunken centre we no more Are conscious of life what can us then restore 10 Unlesse with fiery whips fell Nemesis Do lash our sprights and cruelly do gore Our groning ghosts this is the way I wisse The onely way to keep 's from Morpheus power Both these so dismall are that I do showr Uncessant tears from my compassionate eyes Alas ye souls why should or sâ—…eep devour Sweet functions of life or hellist cries To tender heart resound your just calamities 11 Thus may you all from your dead drow sinesse Be wak'd by inward sting and pinching wo That you could wish that that same heavinesse Might ever you o'represse and Lethe flow Upon your drowned life But you shall glow With urging fire that doth resuscitate Your middle point and makes it self to gnaw It self with madnesse while't doth ruminatc On its deformity and sterill vexing state 12 Continuall desire that nought effects Perfect hot glowing fervour out to spring In some good world With fury it affects To reach the Land of life then struck with sting Of wounding memory despairs the thing And further off it sees it self the more It rageth to obtain thus doth she bring More fewell to her flame that scorched sore With searching fire she 's forc'd to yell and loudly rore 13 Thus she devours her self not satisfies Her self nought hath she but what 's dearly spun From her own bowells jejune exilties Her body 's gone therefore the rising sun She sees no more nor what in day is done The sporting aire no longer cools her bloud Pleasures of youth and manhood quite are gone Nor songs her eare nor mouth delicious food Doth fill But I 'll have this more fully understood 14 Three centres hath mans soul in Unity Together joynd or if you will but one Those three are one with a Triplicity Of power or rayes Th' high'st intellection Which being wak'd the soul's in Union With God If perfectly regenerate Into that better world corruption Hath then no force her blisse to perturbate The low'st do make us subject to disturbing fate 15 But low'st gins first to work the soul doth frame This bodies fabrick imploy'd in one long thought So wholy taken up that she the same Observeth not till she quite hath wrought So men asleep some work â—…o end have brought Not knowing of it yet have found it done Or we may say the matter that she taught And suck'd unto her self to work upon Is of one warmth with her own spright and feels as one 16 And thus the body being the souls work From her own centre so entirely â—…ade Seated i' th' heart for there this spright doth lurk It is no wonder 't is so easly sway'd Aâ—… its command But when this work shall fade The soul dismisseth it as an old thought 'T is but one form but many be display'd Amid her higher rayes dismist and brought Back as she list and many come that ne're were sought 17 The soul by making this strange edifice Makes way unto it self to exercise Functions of life and still more waked is The more she has perfected her fine devise Hath wrought her self into sure sympathies With this great world Her ears like hollow caves Resound to her own spright the energies Of the worlds spright If it ought suffered have Then presentifick circles to her straight notice gave 18 We know this world because our soul hath made Our body of this sensible worlds spright And body Therefore in the glassie shade Of our own eyes they having the same might That glasse or water hath we have the sight Of what the Mundane spirit suffereth By colours figures or inherent light Sun stars and all on earth it hurâ—…eth To each point of it self so far as 't circuleth 19 And where it lighteth on advantages Its circulings grow sensible So hills That hollow be do audible voices Resound The soul doth imitate that skill In framing of the eare that sounds may swell In that concavitie The crystall springs Reflect the light of heaven if they be still And clear the soul doth imitate and bring The eye to such a temper in her shapening 20 So eyes and eares be not mere perforations But a due temper of the Mundane spright And ours together else the circulations Of sounds would be well known by outward sight And th' eare would colours know figures and light So that it 's plain that when this bodie 's gone This world to us is clos'd in darknesse quite And all to us is in dead silence drown Thus in one point of time is this worlds glory flowne 21 But if 't be so how doth Psyche heare or see That hath nor eyes nor eares She sees more clear Then we that see but secundarily We see at distance by a circular Diffusion of that spright of this great sphere Of th' Universe Her sight is tactuall The sunne and all the starres that do appear She feels them in herself can distance all For she is at each one purely presentiall 22 To us what doth diffusion circular And our pure shadowed eyes bright crystalline But vigorously our spright particular Affect while things in it so clearly shine That 's done continually in the heavens sheen The
stoutly all combine 31 Nor is lesse naturall that circular motion Then this that each part to the centre drives So every stone on earth with one commotion Goes round and yet with all right stifly strives To reach the centre though it never dives So deep Who then so blind but plainly sees How for our safety Nature well contrives Binding all close with down-propensities But now we 'll frame an answer to the loud-singing trees 32 Walls towers trees would stirre up a strange noise If th' aire stood still while the earth is hurled round As doth the switch oft shak'd by idle boyes That please themselves in varying of the sound But this objection we with reason sound Have well prevented while we plainly taught Earth water aire in one to be fast bound By one spermatick spright which easly raught To each part Earth sea aire so powerfully hath it caught 33 All these as one round entire body move Upon their common Poles that difficulty Of stirring sounds so clearly we remove That of the clouds with like facility We straight shall chace away In th' aire they ly And whirl about with it and when some wind With violence afore him makes them fly Then in them double motion we find Eastward they move and whither by those blasts they 're inclin'd 34 What they pretend of the Earths gravity Is nought but a long taken up conceit A stone that downward to the earth doth hy Is not more heavy then dry straws that jet Up to a ring made of black shining jeat Each thing doth tend to the loud-calling might Of sympathy So 't is a misconceit That deems the earth the onely heavy weight They ken not the strange power of the strong centrall spright 35 Were there a shiver cut from off the Moon And cast quite off from that round entire masse Would 't fall into our mouths No it would soon Make back to th' centre from whence forc'd it was The same in Mars and Sol would come to passe And all the stars that have their proper centres So gravity is nought but close to presse Unto one Magick point there near to enter Each sympathetick part doth boldly it adventure 36 Thus in each starry globe all parts may tend Unto one point and mean time turn around Nor doth that sway its circling ought offend These motions do not at all confound One th' others course The earth 's not heavy found But from that strong down-pulling centrall sway Which hinders not but that it may turn round Sith that it moves not a contrary way Which answer I will bend against the fifth assay 37 An arrow shot into the empty aire Which straight returning to the bowmans foot The earths stability must proven clear Thus these bad archers do at random shoot Whose easie errour I do thus confute The arrow hath one spirit with this sphere Forc'd upward turns with it mov'd by the root Of naturall motion So when back't doth bear It self still Eastward turns with motion circular 38 So 't is no wonder when it hath descended It falleth back to th' place from whence itflew Sith all this while its circular course hath bended Toward the East and in proportion due That arcuall Eastern motion did pursue Nearer the earth the slower it must go These Arks be lesse but in the heavens blew Those Arks increase it must not be so slow Thus must it needs return unto its idle bow 39 Nor ought we wonder that it doth conform Its motion to the circles of the aire Sith water in a woden bucket born Doth fit it self unto each periphere By hight or depth as you shall change the sphere So lowly set more water 't will contain 'Cause its round tumour higher then doth beaâ—… It self up from the brims So may 't be sayen The lowlier man the larger graces doth obtain 40 But now to answer to the last objection T is not impossible one thing to move Contrary wayes which by a fit retection I strongly will evince and clearly prove Take but the pains higher for to remove A clock with hanging plummet It goes down At that same time you heave it high above Its former place Thus fairly have we won The field 'gainst stupid sense that reason fain would drown 41 Now let 's go on we have well cleard the way More plainly prove this seeming paradox And make this truth shine brighter then midday Neglect dull sconses mowes and idle mocks O constant hearts as stark as Thracian rocks Well grounded in grave ignorance that scorn Reasons sly force its light slight subtile strokes Sing we to these wast hills dern deaf forlorn Or to the cheerfull children of the quick-ey'd Morn 42 To you we sing that live in purer light Escap'd the thraldome of down-drooping sense Whose nimble spirit and clear piercing sight Can easly judge of every conference Withouten prejudice with patience Can weigh the moments of each reason brought While others in tempestuous vehemence Blow all away with bitter blasts Untought In subtilties they shew themselves in jangling stout 43 I have the barking of bold sense confuted It s clamorous tongue thus being consopite With reasons easie shall I be well suited To show that Pythagore's position's right Copernicks or whosoever dogma't hight The first is that that 's wisely signifi'd By Moses Maymons son a learned wight Who saith each good Astronomer is ty'd To lessen the heavens motions vainly multiply'd 44 And the foul botches of false feigned Orbs Whose uselesse number reason must restrain That oft the loose luxuriant phansie curbs And in just bounds doth warily contain To use more means then needs is all in vain Why then O busie sonnes of Ptolemee Do you that vast star-bearing sphere constrain To hurl about with such celerity When th' earth may move without such strange velocity 45 What needlesse phansy's this that that huge sphere In one short moment must thus whirl around That it must fly six hundred thousand sheere Of Germane miles If that will not confound For pomp adde fourty thousand more that ' bound Three thousand more if it were requisite You might annex and more if they have found The measure right when as the earth's flow flight In that time of a mile goes but the sixteenth bit 46 But if this All be liquid pervious One fine Ethereall which reason right Will soon admit for 't is ridiculous Thus for to stud the heaven with nails bright The stars in fluid sky will standen tight As men do feigne the earth in the soft aire To be unmov'd How will proportion fit So vast a difference there doth appear Of motions in those stars that the same bignesse bear 47 Besides that difficulty will remain Of unconceivable swift motion In the Equinoctiall stars where some contain This earthy globes mighty dimension Ten thousand times twise told They hurry oâ—… With the same swiftnesse I set down before And with more pains A globes extension The bigger that it growes groweth still
put together are a number pariter par again and constitute the first cube which is eight That addes steddinesse and perseverance in true justice and uprightnesse toward God and man Hypomone bears all this that is all that dolour and vexation that comes from the keeping our perverse heart to so strait and streight a rule R RHomboides is a parallelogrammicall figure with unequall sides and oblique angles S SPerm It signifies ordinarily seed I put it for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ratio seminalis or the invisible plasticall form that shapes every visible creature Solyma or Salem from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peace Simon intimates obedience from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obedivit Semele Imagination from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imago Scalen a triangle with all sides unequall T TAsis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extension Tagathon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Good the same with Hattove U URanore The light or beauty of heaven from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lux or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pulchritudo Z ZEus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jupiter from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ferveo or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vivo THus have I briefly run through the more obscure terms in my Poems which I shall God willing hereafter if mens acceptance of these my first endeavours invite me to it and mine own occasions permit expound more sully and speak more determinately of those speculations which I now have but propos'd to mens more serious considerations to weigh freely and warily not so little a moment as the inconsiderable assent of the authour cast in to prejudice their judgements The drift of the whole book is this to stirre men up to take into their thoughts these two main points The heartie good will of God to mankind even in the life of this world made of the commixture of light and darknesse that he will through his power rescue those souls that are faithfull in this their triall and preferre the light before the dark that he will I say deliver them from the power of living Death and Hell by that strong arm of their salvation Jesus Christ the living God enthron'd in the heart of man to whom all the Geniâ—… of the Universe be they never so goodly and glorious shall serve They and all their curious devices and inventions shall be a spoil prey and a possession to Him that is most just and shall govern the nations in righteousnesse and equitie And that beside this happinesse on earth every holy soul hereafter shall enjoy a never-fading felicitie in the invisible and eternall Heaven the Intellectuall world Which if it be not true I must needs confesse it seems almost indifferent whether any creature be or no. For what is it to have lived suppose 70 years wherein we have been dead or worse above two third parts of them Sleep youth age and diseases with a number of poore and contemptible employments swallow up at least so great a portion That as good if not better is he that never was then he is that hath but such a glance or glimps of passing life to mock him And although the succession of â—…ighteousnesse upon earth may rightly seem a goodly great and full spread thing and a matter that may bear an ample correspondencie even to the larger thoughts of a good and upright man yet to say the truth no man is capable of any large inheritance whose life and existence is so scant that he shall not be able so much as to dream of the least happinesse once seised on by death But there are continually on earth such numbers of men alive that if they liv'd well it would be an heaven or Paradise But still a scant one to every particular man whose dayes are even as nothing So that the work of God seems not considerable in the making of this world if humane souls be extinguished when they go out of it You will say that those small particles of time that is thus scattered and lost among men in their successions aâ—…e comprehended and collected in God who is a continuall witnesse of all things But alas what doth the perpetuall repetition of the same life or deiform image throughout all ages adde to Him that is at once infinitely himself viz. good and happy So that there is nothing considerable in the creation if the rationall creature be mortall For neither is God at all profited by it nor man considerably And were not the Angels a great deal better employed in the beholding the worth of their Creatour then to diminish their own happinesse by attending those whom nothing can make happie looking on this troubled passing stream of the perishing generations of men to as little purpose almost as idle boyes do on dancing blebs and bubbles in the water What designe therefore can there be in God in the making of this world that will prove 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy of so excellent a goodnesse and wisdome but the triall of the immortall spirit of man It seems the deepest reach of his counsel in the creation and the life of this world but a prelude to one of longer durance and larger circumference hereafter And surely it is nothing else but the heavy load of this bodie that keeps down our mind from the reaching to those so high hopes that I may not say from a certain sense and feeling of that clear and undisturbd state of immortalitie I will close all with the praise of those two main indowments of the mind viz. Charitie and Humilitie which certainly will make us meet eternall mansions for the ever-living Deitie But without these mans soul after this life becomes but a den of devils a dungeon of dark and restlesse phantasms being incorporate into the ever-gnawing and corroding spirit of Hell An hymne in the honour of those two despised virtues Charitie and Humilitie FArre have I clambred in my mind But nought so great as loveâ—… find Deep-searching wit mount moving might Are nought compar'd to that good spright Life of delight and soul of blisse Sure source of lasting happinesse Higher then Heaven lower then hell What is thy tent where maist thou dwell My mansion hight humilitie Heavens vastest capabilitie The further it doth downward tend The higher up it doth ascend If it go down to utmost nought It shall return with that it sought Lord stretch thy tent in my straâ—… breast Enlarge it downward that sure rest May there be pight for that pure fire Wherewith thou wontost to inspire All self-dead souls My life is gone Sad solitude is my irksome wonne Cut off from men and all this world In Lethes lonesome ditch I am hurld Nor might nor sight doth ought me move Nor do I care to be above O feeble rayes of mentall light That 〈◊〉 be seen in this dark night What are you what is any strength If it be not laid in one length With pride or love I nought desire But a new life or quite t' expire Could I demolish with mine eye Strong towers stop the fleet starres in skie Bring down to earth the pale-fac'd Moon Or turn black midnight to bright noon Though all things were put in my hand As parch'd as dry as th' Libyan sand Would be my life if Charity Were wanting But Humility Is more then my poore soul durst crave That lies intombd in lowly grave But if 't were lawfull up to send My voice to Heaven this should it rend Lord thrust me deeper into dust That thou â—…ayst raise me with the just 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS ERRATA Psychozoia P. 5. l. 16. reade ybrent p. 17. l. 36. rage full rise p. 19. l. 24. with all p. 39d 31. drearyhead p. 47. l. 7. counts Psychathanasia P. 1. l. 11. to spring p. 6. l. 36. do p. 17. l. 23. mov'd p. 27. l. 291. where in p. 63. l. 9. fell discontent p. 71. l. 9. divisibilitie p. 9. l. 22. lap that p. 100. l. 15. is Antipsychopannychia P. 5. l. 20 -ruption if p. 9. l. 23. detect Antimonopsychia P. 43. l. 30. His. * This opinion though it have its moments of reason yet every mans judgement is left free and will ever be where there is no demonstration to bind it to assent