This Prodigie , this more then mounstrous Pride
This Soule's envenomn'd Botch , This Sourse of Sinne ,
Can nothing lesse then hir owne selfe abide,
When shee doth see her selfe another in:
If shee her selfe doth hate, what can shee wynne
But hate of all , that see her as shee is?
Still loth'd may shee be, for had shee not byn,
We stil had liv'd in earthly Heaven's blisse
And Lucifer held heav'nly Paradis .
Sith Man was made a creature sociable,
And that his liue's-ioy should therein consist,
What vice in man is more detestable,
Then that which doth this ioy of life resist?
For Pride , as if shee were with nature blist
That farre surmounted more then half-divine ,
Scornes al Humanity , if so, what is't
On Earth that shee thinks (be'ng so superfine)
Worthie to suite her, but alone to reigne?
Shee (swelling Toade ) lookes with disdainful Eyes
On highest things that are sublunarie ,
And ( Lunatick ) aboue the Moone doth rise
In minde, though she mindes nought but villany
So to aspire to highest Dignitie
Therefore the most prowde are most ignorant
Of wisedomes hid in blest Theologie ,
Because they meerely minde things miscreant,
As earthly pompe , and port extravagant.
If not impossible, yet hard it is,
For the most learn'd and lowly wel to know
Themselues in ev'ry part , and not to misse;
Then sith the Prowd doe never looke so low ,
That skil nere comes but with their overthrow:
For they by nature are most prone to pride
That know all but themselues; and yet doe show
They know themselues too wel, for, nought beside
They loue; which loue, that knowledge doth misguid.
For who so lookes with well-descerning eies
(If he be mortal, be he what he wil)
Into him selfe , he wil him selfe despise;
For in him selfe he findeth nought but ill
Corrupting Soule and Body, Minde , and Will
The best shall finde but matter too too bad
To humble them, and so to keepe them still;
The worst shal see ynough to make them mad,
Seeing themselues through Ill , so ill-bestad.
Al vnder Heav'n man's pride hath made so vile
So fraile, so ful of sorrow and vexation ,
That should a Man possesse al, yet the while
He should possesse but temporall damnation ;
And with it likely divine indignation
Can Men be prowde then, of an earthly hell ,
Affording nought but griefe and molestation ?
Or can their harts with Pride and Sorrow swell
When one puffes vp, the other downe doth quel?
If so they can, it is for want of sense
To feele the griefes that are most sensible;
And senselesse Soules haue no preheminence
Of humane Nature ; nor extensible
To brutish , which is not insensible:
Then what are proud Soules by this iust accounte
But either deade, or comprehensible
In that of Plants , which from Earth cannot mount,
But that a worthlesse Wren may them surmount.
The Eyes that Sunne -bright Robes , or smoke of praise
Doe dimme, are feeble-sighted, and such Eyes
Cannot themselues as high as Heaven raise,
Nor pierce to Hell which in their Owner lies:
For if they would or could in any wise,
Pride could not possibly surprise their Hart ,
For Heav'n they would admire, and Hell despise,
And from that Hell they would their Eyes convert,
To highest Heav'n , and from it nere divert.
But as the Toade to venome turnes her foode
(How pure so ere it be) shee feedeth on:
So Pride turnes Vertue to her venom'd moode ,
Then which no prid's more neere Damnation;
For sp'ritual pride God hates as he doth none:
Which pride is Luciferian , and the fall
Of those, whose Soules are with it over gon,
Shal be like Lucifer's , for no one shall
Be sav'd that weenes his vertue passeth all.
Pride is a winde that makes the Soule to swell,
And without Issue it the same wil rend:
Therefore the proude their owne perfections tell:
Yea, onely tell of what them most commend,
And with whom not, for praise they stil contend,
Which, if they misse, or others praised more,
Out goth that wind , (which they with thundrings send)
Against al those that are preferr'd before,
And as distracted, raile, and rave, and rore.
Doth Pride a Tenent hold, it must be so,
Although it cutt the Throate of Reason quite;
All her opinions can abide no No:
And though them to defend shee hath no might,
Yet to defend them shee wil rage and fight:
No time , no truth , nor no authoritie ,
Shal putt Pride , if shee wrong be, in the right ;
For shee desires to haue the masterie
In al, that al may give her dignitie .
Nothing so much shee dreades, as to be deem'd
Any's inferior in any thing ,
This makes her loth to learne , sith shee hath seem'd
To know much more then al, by her learning:
She scornes reproofes that information bring;
Her Vices shee wil haue for Vertues tane;
Or like a Serpent shee wil hisse and sting ,
Blaspheme and what not — for shee's most profane —
And if shee can, be her impugner's bane.
The frendshippe is as dang'rous as vnsure,
Where Pride hath any place in any frend
Pride wil the downfall of a friend procure
If by such fall the proude friende may ascend,
For al his frenshippe to himselfe doth tend;
Comes good from him, to him must goe the praise ,
As if good in him did begin and end;
So robbes God of his glorie many waies,
And faine aboue his God himselfe would raise.
If he with fained modestie doth vaile
His height of Pride , and doth himselfe dispraise
Tis but the higher to advance the Saile
Of swelling Pride , which he to Cloudes doth raise,
Nay thunder cracks the Clouds , that clouds his praise
The highest Heau'ns (he weenes,) must giue it way
Vnto the Throne where perfect glorie staies,
And there sitt cheeke by Iowle with Glorie ay;
This, Pride desires, and those that her obay.
If shee associate Learning , shee wil leade
That Heav'nly Lady into Hellish waies;
Then shee misledd, each Soule must needes misleade
That on her seeming-wel-stai'd Iudgment staies;
Hence spring al Heresies which Pride doth raise:
For lett a Scholer famous for his skill
Maintaine dam'd Error , he for peevish praise
Wil ransacke Bookes and Braines to do it still,
Though he thereby his Soule with Millions spill.
For should we harrow al the Soules of those,
The Soules of al the Heades of Heresies ,
We shal finde Pride did thereto them dispose,
That they might liue to al Posterities
In Mouthes of Men , though but for Blasphemies:
Knowledge puffes up , and if the dewes of Grace
Swage not the swelling, it so high wil rise,
That Earth nor Heav'n shal hold it in that case
Till Hell doth take it downe and it embrace.
The knowledge of the Best consists in show ,
This Man is wise compar'd with one more fond ;
Yet this great wise man nothing lesse doth know
Then he would seeme to know, and vnderstand:
Suffizeth him he beares the World in hand
That he is wise and learned , Nothing lesse:
But wise in this, that can Men's thoughts command
To thinke him wise, when should he truth confesse,
His wisedome were but wel-cloakt foolishnesse .
Latine and Greeke are but Tongues naturall,
Which helpe, but not suffise to make men wise;
For the effect of speech is al in all;
Sound Sentence , which from wise Collections rise
Of diverse Doctrines , which Witt wel applies:
Then he that hath but Tongues (though all that are)
And not the wisdomes which those Tongues comprise,
May amongst fooles be held a Doctor rare.
But with the wise al Tongue , and nothing spare
Giue me the Man that knowes more then a Man ,
Yet thinkes he knoweth no more then a Beast
Giue me him (quoth I) where is he? and who can
Give me that Gifte , sith such are al diceast,
Or if they bee , not to be found at least?
Sage Socrates is deade, and with him gon
His Pupills , that knew more then al the rest,
Yet thought they knew farre lesse then ev'ry one ,
But now al seeme to know, yet know doth none.
O! had a man al learning in his braine ,
And were to heare or see the wondrous Writt
Of some deepe Doctors , he should track them plaine
From place to place where they haue borrowed it,
And nought their owne (perhaps) but what 's vnfitt:
Yet as if all were theirs, they are admir'd,
As if their Sculls ensconst al skill and Witt ,
Or with some sacred furie were inspir'd,
When as (God wott) their Witt is al-bemir'd.
Yet all take on, as if all were their owne,
So tis, all thinke, or few know otherwise,
Which few perhaps as well as they haue stolne,
(Borrow'd I would say) but yet they are wise
Not to detect each others' pilferies
The greatest skill these present times affoord
Is others sayings cleanely to comprise
In ours , so that it be not word for word,
Which wit with moderne wisedome doth accorde.
But say a Man knew al, that Man can know,
Yet doth the Divell know more then that Man
What cause of pride then can it be to show
Lesse knowledge and more pride then dam'd Sathan
Who hath obseru'd all since the World began;
Nor doe the Elementes ' repugnance marre
His wits; for he of Aire consists, and can
Command the same: But in Man so they warre
That he is taken Follie's Prisoner.
Who knowes nought in the Cause but in th' effect
The Divel's knowledge to the cause extends,
Who enters Nature's Brest, and doth select
All secrets of the same, to secret endes :
For he th' Abysse of Causes darke descendes,
And with his Owle's -eies (that see best in darke)
Those Causes to the Causer comprehendes,
And how they are togither linckt, doth marke,
Yet is lesse prowde of this, then some meane Clarke .
Yet he can wonders worke amusing all,
For having view'd the forces of all thinges ,
Whether celestiall or terrestriall ,
And with most curious search their true workings .
Their forces he with sleight togither brings,
And actiue to their passiue powres doth binde,
Yea one another so togither minges,
That it brings foorth (by sympathie of kinde )
Wonders surmounting all conceite of minde .
No one excels him (but that Three-in-One )
In wondrous workes , which may amaze the wise ,
But that same onely-wise Trin-union
Workes Mira-cles , wherein all wonder lies;
For Miracles aboue all Wonders rise;
Sith they are truely supernaturall;
But Wonder's he to Nature's Secrets ties:
Then wonders simplie are but naturall,
But Miracles meere Metaphysicall.
But be it that some Begger can extract
By distillation or some other meane
The Quintessence of any thing; That Acte
Suffiseth him to be as prowde as meane:
And though the starueling be as lewd as leane,
Yet thinkes he Kings should feede and make him fat,
Nay, doe him homage: O base Thing vncleane!
Canst thou for this , thinke thou deservest that?
Or can a skill so base, thee so inflate?
What Brest coulde bound thy Heart then, if thou couldst
Make the Elixer , which so many marre?
It's past most probable, that then thou wouldst
Seeke to be Deifide , or els turne starre ,
That Dull-heades might adore thee from afarre:
It is a skill indeede of rich esteeme,
And worthy of the rar'st Philosopher ,
But could one doe the same, as many seeme,
Yet no great wise one he himselfe should deeme.
For al his wits to this should be restrain'd
(Sith to worke wonders the whole- man requires)
And though at length (perhaps) he it attain'd,
Yet should he bee to seeke that Wit desires,
In other matters , then these feates by fires .
Sage Salomon , whose wisedome wonder wan,
Knew al in all , which all in one admires,
Yet knew that all was vaine , and he a man
Vainer then Vanitie , that nothing can.
Our knowledge is so slender, and so fraile,
That the least pride cannot depend thereon;
Pride breaks our Conning's necke, which oft doth faile
To hold aright the nature of one Stone ,
Much lesse to know the kindes of ev'ry one
Compare the All we know, with the least part
Of that we know not, wee shall see, alone
That God is wise: And men are voide of Art ,
And blinde in wit and will , in Minde , and Hart
Be he a Pleader , and a wordie Man
(Whose Winde the true Elixer is; for it
The Aire to Aurum transmute lightly can)
If once he gets a name for law-ful wit ,
Hee thinkes high pride for him alone is fit:
Convoies of Angels , then must help the most
Vnto his speech; for he makes benefit
Of ev'ry word , for not one shal be lost,
Or if it be the next shall quit that cost.
Vp goe his Babell . Iowres of Pompe and Pride ,
That to the High'st he may next neighbour be;
No neighbour neeres him, his grounds are so wide,
Then not a Nod without a treble fee ,
An Angell (though most bright) he cannot see:
And yet to know the Law , is but to know
How Men should liue, and without Law agree:
Which, Reason to the simplest Soule doth show;
Then pride is farre too high, for skill so low.
But though the Lawyer liues by others losse,
And hath no place in Platoe's Common-weale ,
Yet if he will not crosse Law , for the crosse
That no Man hates, but all doe loue to feele;
Hee's worthy of the Crosse sweete Comfort's Seale
For Lawyers ought (like Lawes ) to make Men good
And who are in the wronge , or Right , reveale:
Then are they worthy of al liuelyhood ,
That make men live in perfect Brotherhood .
But, that a Petti-fogging prating patch ,
That gropes the Law for nothing but for Galles ,
Should be so prowde as if he had no match,
For tossing Lawes as they were Tennis- Bals ,
This vexeth God and Good-men at the Galles:
Yet such there are, (too many such there are,)
Who are the Seedes men of Litigious Bralls :
And are so prowde that by the Lawes they dare
Contend with Crassus , though they nought can spare.
I graunt the Law to bee an holy thing ,
Worthy of reverence and all regard ,
But the abuse of Law (and so of King )
By such as will abuse both for reward ,
Is dam'd; hard tearme! yet that course is more hard:
Can such finde patrones , such course to protect?
They can and doe, but would they might be barr'd
From Barres , or that ore Barres they might be peckt,
Els at Barres with as hard a doome be checkt
Hinc illae Lachrymae! o griefe of griefes!
My Muse be mute, defile not thine owne Nest :
O let the longest Largs be shortest Briefes
In this discordant Note , and turne the Wrest ,
So that this Note by thee bee nere exprest:
Canst thou, my Muse? canst thou my cruel Muse
Make Men , the Muse's Minions detest?
Forbeare, forbeare thy Soule's loue to abuse,
Or touch that tenderly which thou dost vse.
Is't possible a Poet should bee proude,
That for the most part is past passing poore?
That can paint Vice with & without a Cloude ,
And be'ng most vgly, make her vgly more,
Can he be proude? & only proude therfore!
It cannot be in sense , and Poets are
Sense-masters subtilized by their Lore ;
Yet tis too true that scarse one Poet rare
Is free from Pride , though Back be leane as bare .
I cannot but confesse the Skill's divine
For, holy Raptures must the Head entrance,
Before the Hand can draw one lasting Line ,
That can the glory of the Muse advance;
And sacred Furies with the thoughts must dance
To leade them Measures of a stately kinde,
Or iocond Gigges: Then, if Pride with them prance
Shee wil be foremost, then shame comes behinde,
Both which disgrace the motions of the minde .
Wilt thou be lofty, Muse? then scale the Mount
Where loue's high- Alter stands; and on the same
Offer thou lowly, that which doth surmount
The reach of Vulgars , in no vulgar Flame .
There sacrifize to Ioue thy fairest fame
In lowest depth of high'st humilitie ;
Humility that can advance thy name
To highest height of immortalitie .
Embosom'd by diuinest Diitie
Art great with yonge with numbers infinite
The least of which hath pow'r to peirce the Skie?
Yet lowly be, that the wombe of thy Witt
That rare Conception may yeeld readilie,
Their mother so to glad and glorifie;
Thou art from Heav'n my Muse , then be thou such,
As Heau'nly be, ful of humilitie;
Is thy skill much? be meeke then more then much ,
For Pride's most dam'd, that heav'nly thinges doth touch.
Plunge thee ore head and eares in Helicon ,
Dyue to the Bottome of that famous Fludd ,
Although it were as deepe as Acheron ,
Thence make thy fame vp-dive although withstood
With weeds of Ignorance , & Envie's Mudd:
But though thy fame faire Sol should equalize
For height and glorie , yet let al thy good
Consist in that, If thou woul[d]'st thou could'st rise,
But lou'st bum-basted mountings to dispise.
Yet let me giue this Caesar but his due
( Caesar of speech that monarchizeth Eares )
Sweete Poesie , that can al Soules subdue,
To Passions , causing ioy as forcing Teares ,
And to it selfe each glorious sp'rite endeeres:
It is a speech of most maiestike state,
As by a wel-pen'd Poim wel appeeres;
Then Prose , more cleanely coucht & dilicate
And if wel done, shal liue a longer Date
For, it doth flow more fluent from the Tonge
In which respect it wel may tearmed be,
(Having a Cadence musicall among)
A speech melodious ful of harmonee,
Or Eare -enchanting matchlesse melodee:
Succinct it is, and easier to retaine
(Sith with our sp'rits it better doth agree)
Then, that which tedious ambage doth containe,
Albe't the Witt therein did more then raigne.
It's deckt with Coulors fresh, and figures fine,
Which doth the Iudgment ay inveagle so
(Making the Eare to it of force incline)
That Iudgment often doth her selfe forgoe,
And like Waxe , bends Opinion to and fro;
In Prose the speech is not so voluble,
Because the Tongue in numbers doth not flo
Ne yet the accent halfe so tunable,
Then, to our spirites much lesse sutable.
And, for it's ofter vs'd, it cloies the Eare
Be'ng not contriv'd with Measures musicall,
And not alow'd that beauty Verse doth beare,
Nor yet the Cadence so harmonicall,
Much lesse the relish so Angelicall:
It's not adorn'd with choise of such sweete Wordes
( Words that haue pow'r to sweeten bitter'st Gall )
Nor licence't that fine Phrase, Arte Verse affords,
Which makes huge Depthes , oft times, of shallow Foordes .
Therfore the Poets from the World's first Age ,
As best persuaders, whose sweete Eloquence
(They playing best partes on this Earthly Stage )
Was the first retorick borne of Sapience ,
That glorie giues to Wisedome's influence:
Herehence it came that divine Oracles
( Apollo's speech of highest excellence)
Were stil exprest in measur'd Syllables
The voice of Wisdome's truest Vocables .
In which respect, t'was meet'st to make Records
Of memorable Accidents of Time ,
Of Princes ' liues and actions of great Lordes ,
Which Poets first did Chronicle in Rime;
And farre aboue Chronography did clyme:
For they were first of al that did observe
(Though Poets now are neither flush nor Prime )
The workes of Nature for Man's vse to serve,
But now gainst Nature their works make them sterve
They searcht the causes of things generable,
With their effects and distinct properties ,
And made them (by their skill ) demonstrable,
Mounting from thence vnto the loftie skies ,
To note their motions and what in them lies:
They first did finde the Heav'ns plurality,
And how they did each other so comprise
That in their motion they made melody,
Caus'd by their closnesse and obduracy .
Yea sought to finde each substance seperate ,
And in their search they were most curious
Of divine Essenses to know the state,
Which having found, were most laborious
Them to expresse in Poems precious:
They were therefore the first Astronomers
(That travell'd through the Heau'ns from house to house)
First Metaphisicks and Philosophers
Vnfolding Heav'n & Earth, Sun, Moone , & Starres
Thus much for Poets , and sweete Poesie ,
In whose praise never can be said too much:
Yet Pride their praise may blemish vtterly,
For she defiles like pitch what she doth tuch:
And maks both heau'n & earth at it to grutch:
For no Perfection can be toucht with pride
But it wil looke as if it were not such,
Deform'd in fauour, which none can abide;
For Grace is base being thus double dide
But that which grates my Galle , and mads my Muse
Is (ah that ever such iust cause should Bee )
To see a Player at the put-downe stewes
Put vp his Peacocke's Taile for al to see,
And for his hellish voice, as prowde as hee
What Peacocke art thou prowd? Wherfore? because
Thou Parrat -like canst speake what is taught thee
A Poet must teach thee from clause to clause,
Or thou wilt breake Pronunciation's Lawes.
Lies al thy vertue in thy Tongue stil taught
And yet art prowd? alas poore skum of pride!
Peacocke , looke to thy legs and be not haught,
No patience can least pride in thee abide;
Looke not vpon thy Legs from side to side
To make thee prowder, though in Buskine fine
Or silke in graine the same be beautifide;
For Painters though they haue no skil divine,
Can make as faire a legge , or limbe as thine.
Good God! that euer pride should stoope so low,
That is by nature so exceeding hie:
Base pride , didst thou thy selfe, or others know
Wouldst thou in harts of Apish Actors lie,
That for a Cue wil sel their Qualitie?
Yet they through thy perswasion (being strong)
Doe weene they merit immortality ,
Onely because (forsooth) they vse their Tongue ,
To speake as they are taught, or right or wronge
If pride ascend the stage (o base ascent)
Al men may see her, for nought comes thereon
But to be seene, and where Vice should be shent
Yea, made most odious to ev'ry one,
In blazing her by demonstration
Then pride that is more then most vicious,
Should there endure open damnation,
And so shee doth, for shee's most odious
In Men most base, that are ambitious
Players , I loue yee, and your Qualitie ,
As ye are Men, that pass-time not abus'd:
And some I loue for painting, poesie ,
And say fell Fortune cannot be excus'd,
That hath for better vses you refus'd:
Wit, Courage, good-shape, good partes , and all good
As long as al these goods are no worse vs'd,
And though the stage doth staine pure gentle bloud
Yet generous yee are in minde and moode
Your Qualitie , as farre as it reproues
The World of Vice , and grosse incongruence
Is good; and good , the good by nature Ioues,
As recreating in and outward sense ,
And so deserving praise and recompence
But if pride (otherwise then morally)
Be acted by you, you doe all incense
To mortall hate; if all hate mortally,
Princes , much more Players they vilifie.
But Pride hath skil to worke on baser Skils ,
For each Bagg-piper , if expert he be,
Pride fils his Soule , as he his Bag-pipe fils,
For he supposeth he and none but hee
Should be advanc'd; For what? For Rogueree
Hee can repine, and say that men of partes
Are not esteem'd; Goe base Drone , durtie Bee ,
Rest thou in dung , too good for thy deserts ;
For durt to durt should goe, and praise to Artes .
Though no man can more willingly commende
The Soule -reioycing sound of Musicke's voice
Faire figure of that blisse that nere shall end,
Which makes our sorrowing Soules (like it) reioice;
Yet at the best it's but a pleasure choise
To make vs game , when wee are woe-begon
It is too light graue Artes to counterpoise:
Then no cause is there to bee prowde thereon
Albe't thou wert as good as Amphion .
Pride , wilt thou still be subiect to my Muse?
Be subiect to her still, and so to me .
But now shee should (if shee did well) refuse
Longer to haue to doe with cursed Thee .
For shee hath found thee in the low'st degree ,
The Hangman sav'd, whose basenesse doth surpasse:
Yet he of London , that detested He
(Whose hart is made of Flint , and face of Brasse )
Of decollation brags, but let that passe
Then pride , farewel, base beastly pride , farewel,
Or fare farre worse, then ill in worst degree,
Sith thou scorn'st not in such an hart to dwell,
That by the fruit liues of the Gallow -tree:
Who wil not scorne now to be toucht by thee?
Sincke to Earthe's Bowels from her burd'ned Brest ,
(For on the Earth thou canst no lower bee)
Sith Hell's thy Spheare wher thou should'st ever rest,
For, on the Earth thou mov'st but to vnrest
Thus having past these Passions of the Soule ,
That are as founts from whence the lesser flow;
We are arrived (through faire waies and fowle)
Vnto the third Wombe situate below
The Midrife , where the growing pow'r doth grow:
But for it is so farre remov'd from thence
From whence the Soule doth her arch-wonders show,
(Namely the Seate of the Intelligence )
Wee'l balke the same for its impertinence .Referring it vnto Anatomists ,
Who marke each Mortesse of the Bodie's frame,
The Pynns , the Tenons, Beams, Bolts, Windings, Iists ,
All which they marke when they doe it vnframe:
To these Craft's-masters , I referre the same;
Suffizeth me to looke with my right Eye
(Though it dimme-sighted be and so to blame)
Into the Seate of each soule's facultie,
Fixt to Witt's -wonder-working Ingeny .
Yet as I could I haue the Soule exprest,
If not with proper Coulors , yet with such
As doe distinguish her kinde from the rest,
Which Kind , by kinde, Beasts & Plants doth couch:
But to paint her in each least part were much;
Philosophers haue beene to seeke heerein,
Although they sought but sleightly her to touch,
And haue through Error much abused bin,
When her faire Picture they did but begin .
For Crates said, there is no Soule at all,
But that by Nature, Bodies moued be:
Hipparchus , and Leucippus, Fire it call
With whom (in sort) the Stoickes doe agree:
A firie Sp'rite betweene the Atomee
Democritus wil haue it: and the Aire
Some say it is: the Barrell'd Cynick , hee
And with him others of another haire ,
Doe thus depaint the soule , and file her faire
The soule (say they) is Aire , the Mouth takes in
Boil'd in the Lights , and temp'red in the Hart ,
And so the body it throughout doth rin;
This is the soule (forsooth) made by their Art
Hippias would haue it water , all or part:
Heliodorus held it earth confixt;
And Epicurus said it was a ( )
Namely, a Sp'rite of Fire and Aire commixt:
And Zenophontes, earth and water mixt.
Thus (simple Soules! ) they make the simple soule
Of simple Elements , or els compound:
Meane-while they make her (most faire creature ) fowle
And dimme her glorie which is most renownd,
Through mists of Ignorance , which them surround.
Others, of other substaunce weene it is,
For Critias with bloud doth it confound,
Hippocrates (that went as wide as this)
Said twas a thin sprite spred through our Bodis
Some, Flesh would haue it with the senses ' vse;
Some the complexion of the Elements:
And Galen doth not much the same refuse
For to an hot Complexion he assents,
For so's the soule (saith he) and not repents:
Not that Complexion , (some say) but abides
In some point of it; and those Continents
They hold the Hart , or Braine , where it resides
As Queene enthron'd, and all the body guides.
Some Light would haue it, as Heraclitus :
Others, some thing tide to no certaine place ,
But wholy present in each part of vs;
Which, whether sprong from the Complexion's grace,
Or made by God , yet they weene cleer's the case,
From Nature's lap the same of force must fall
Some others said a Quintessence it was:
Some, an vnquiet Nature moving all:
A number , some, that it selfe moues, it call.
The Caldees say it is a formelesse Force ,
Which nerthelesse al forms doth apprehend
And Aristotle doth him selfe inforce
To make the same vpon the Corpes depend;
For these his words do sort out to that end:
It is (saith he) an high perfection
Of bodie, that life's powre doth comprehende,
Which vnderstanding giues it, sense, & motion
This in effect is his description
Plato (surnam'd divine) affirm'd it is
A divine substance which it selfe doth moue,
Indu'd with vnderstanding . He doth misse
Lesse then the rest, though Truth doth all reproue:
And Senec saith the soule is farre aboue
The knowledge of the most intelligent;
Which speech of his Lactantius doth approue:
Thus doe they all about the soule dissent,
Aswell for substance , as where resident.
For in the braines Hippocrates it puts,
And Strato , in the space betweene the eies:
In the hart's hollow veine the Dog it shuts,
That alwaies in a Tub enkenell'd lies:
The Stoicks say, the Hart doth it comprise:
In al the body , saith Democritus :
In al the brest , say others as vnwise:
In the braine's ventricles , saith Hierophilus:
Thus al in al were most erronious.
Empedocles in bloud the same doth bound:
Galen would haue each limb a soule to haue:
Renowned Galen , how wast thou renown'd,
That didst thy selfe so foolishly behaue!
Thus for the place they with each other straue,
And for the soule's continuance no Iesse
The Epicure the bodie makes her Graue ,
And dies and lies with it. But some confesse
Shee's capable of everlastingnesse
Pythagoras , by transmigration
Wil haue it everlasting, or at least
As long as beasts shal haue creation;
For it doth passe (saith he) from Man to beast
What Foole could more ridiculously iest?
Yet he disciples had, and not a few,
That this grosse doctrine did with ease disgest;
Therefore no Beasts , these more beasts , euer slue
Sith they their frends soules held, for ougth they knew.
The Stoickes , held the meane twixt Epicures
And Pythagoreans , for that soule (they say)
That's vicious , whilst the body it immures,
Doth die, and with the bodie quite decaie:
But if it vertuous be, it liueth aie:
Some partes of it (as Aristotle holdes)
That haue seates corp'ral with them fal away:
But vnderstanding which no Organ holdes
(As free from filth ) Æternitie infoldes.
Thus for their ending or continuance
Do they contend; & no lesse Christians striue
For their beginning: some, the same advance
To heav'n , and say they there did ever liue
Since Angels fel. And other some beleeue
That one soule doth another propagate:
Some others , their commencement do deriue
From time that first the Angels were create
Which sacred Austine doth insinuate.
Others there be, who constantly affirme
That soules created are from day to day,
Which he of Aquine boldly doth confirme:
For sith the soule doth forme the bodie's clay,
It with the bodie must be made, they say.
Whereto agrees each moderne Schoole-divine
So that these Men doe from each other stray
Touching the soule's birth, which they mis-assigne,
" For they speake ill that cannot wel define .
And Epicures the same doe mortal make;
The Pythagoreans it doe transmigrate;
Some say, the heavens do the same retake:
Some put it into hell , in endlesse date:
Others would haue it earth perambulate.
Some say there's but one vniversal soule ,
Whereof particulars participate;
Which saying Plato doth not much controle,
But that he would haue either to liue sole.
Some, make each Man two distinct soules to haue,
The Intellective , and the Sensitive ,
And that the Sensitiue the parents gave,
But the Creator the Intellective:
Others, the soule doe of the same deprive,
For they the soule and Vnderstanding part
Some make no difference, but doe beleeue
The Vnderstanding is the chiefest part;
Thus in Conceite they from each other start.
Some, held opinion Soules are bred in Heav'n ,
And of the divine Nature portions are,
Deckt with al vertue , by that Nature giv'n,
Togeather with al skill & knowledge cleare,
Which in that nature ever doe appeare:
From whence they did descend to animate
Men's bodies , which by nature filthie were;
Which did those pure Soules so contaminate
That they those Skills & vertues quite forgat.
So that they could not vse them further foorth
Then they were taught, which made them to suppose
That what skill, vertue , or what other woorth
The Soule bewrai'd, was but a minding those
It had in Heav'n , and so knowes al it knoes:
So that the portions of the divine fire
Be'ng wel neere quencht by Blood , which them orefloes,
Must be rekindled and made to aspire
By Doctrine , which the spirit doth desire.
Whereon they do conclude, that sith the soule
By entring in the Body most vncleane
Is made prodigious, and extreamely fowle,
To Heav'n cannot returne be'ng so obscene
Till it by Discipline , bee purged cleane;
And decked with the rights of her Birth-right ,
Which to regaine Instruction is the meane:
Or from the Body being parted quight,
They may be purg'd , some saie, though most vnright.
Now, when we ballance al these Arguments
In the sincere Scales of the Sanctuary ,
Wee finde them viler then Witt's Excrements,
And lighter then the Skumme of Vanity:
For true it is The Blinde eates many a Fly .
But that Man hath a Soule , none is so blinde,
But sees her almost with Eyes bodily:
And that shee's endlesse the dym'st Eyes of Minde
By Nature's dymest light , may lightly finde.
God is a sp'rite , the World a Body is,
Both which in Man are plaine Epitomiz'd,
Of God hee 's Abstract in that soule of his;
And in his Corps the World is close compriz'd:
As if the divine Wisedome had devis'd
To bring into a Center's Center all
His greatnesse , that cannot be circuliz'd,
And the huge magnitude of the Earthe's Ball;
For Microcosmos men Man fitly call.
Who in a Minute can the Earth surround,
And sincke vnto her Center , then ascend
And compasse, with a trice, the Heav'nly Round
Yea Heav'n & Earth at once doth comprehend
Not touching either; But doth apprehend
A thousand places , without shifting place ,
And in a moment ascend, and descend
To Heav'n & Hell , & each of them embrace;
It selfe being compast in a little space .
This, Man can doe without the Bodie's aide,
Then must he doe it as a Man he is;
And in respect of his soule he is said
To be a Man , for by that Soule of his
And onely by that Soule , he acteth this:
Which seeth when the Bodie's eyes be clos'd,
And when those Eyes bee ope, oft sight doth misse:
It travels when the Body is repos'd,
And rests when as the same by Toile's dispos'd.
Th' external senses may loose all their pow'r,
If but the Instruments of them decay,
Yet Life and Reason may continue sure;
But Senses stay not if Life doe not stay,
And Life the soule doth stay or beare away:
The more the Corpes decaies, so much the more
The soule is strengthned; which sick-men bewray,
Who when their Bodies are most weake and poore ,
Their Minds reveale most strength , and riches store.
Then it's a substance and no Qualitee ,
For Qualities in Substances subsist;
Then that which makes another thing to Bee,
No Quality can be, but doth consist
In its owne substance, which doth sole exist:
Then sith a man's a man , that is to say
A lyving Creature with right Reason blist,
He hath a soule that forms, & him doth sway,
Else were he but a livelesse Lumpe of Clay .
Which soule is Bodilesse, else could it not
Containe so many Bodies smal and great,
By some of which it would be over-shott;
For al this All , were it much more compleate,
In it may sit, without place for a Seate .
Yet doth our bodie bound it, which is smal,
But wer't a Corps it could not doe that feate ,
For that which can containe Heav'n, earth , and all
Which they containe, cannot be corporall .
The more it hath , the more it will receiue,
The more it holdes , the more it doth desire,
The more things bee, it best doth them conceaue,
Whether they be distinct or els intire;
All which at once may in the Soule retire
Without disturbing or annoying either:
All which t' effect doth such a Soule require,
That infinite had neede be altogither,
And in a sort the soule can bee no other.
We may in Minde conceaue another's Minde ,
Then, that which can conceaue things bodylesse
Can be no body (though pure as the winde )
But meerely Sp'rituall , which may haue egresse
Into each Sp'rite , and from thence make regresse,
Without those Sp'rites perceaving of the same.
Then must the substance that makes such accesse
Bee immateriall in deede and name ,
The soule therefore is of a sp'rituall frame.
Two formes at once of quite repugnant kinde
No Matter can receaue: but the soule can;
Black, White, Fire, Frost, Moist, Dry , these place doe finde
Without resistance in the soule of man;
Then soules wee see at Matter nere began:
Nay, sith the lesse with Matter we doe mell,
The more we vnderstand: it followes than,
That nought can more against the soule rebell
Then matter , which the soule doth hate as Hell .
For, wer't Materiall , whereof is't made?
If of the Elements , how give they sense
That never Life since their creation had?
Much lesse then can they giue Intelligence ,
In whom nor Life nor sense hath residence:
A Body's meerely Passive . But the Sp'rite
Is absolutely Active: And from thence
The Bodie's Actions doe derive their might,
Or els no Limbe could stirr or wrong, or right.
And that the soule is an immortall Minde
(Not mortall, like the Body ) doth appeere,
That whereas Time in his turnes , vp doth winde
The Bodie's substance, which those turnes doe weare;
Yet can those motions , the soule nothing steere;
But to more staidnesse , they the same doe turne,
And make her more immortall (as it were)
Who (like the Pow'r divine) can Time adiorne
Or make it stay, or it quite overturne.
The Time past, present , or to come , are all
(As to the soule's sire ) present to the soule ,
Which makes her matterlesse and immortall ,
For that which can stay Time , when he doth rowle,
Must be Divine , nought else can Time controule:
Then Time is subiect to the soule (wee see)
Which as his Sov'raigne him doth over-rule,
And though in Time the soule was made to Bee ,
Yet shee makes Time's turnes to her turnes agree.
Beside, her Food doth her immortall make,
For mortall Creatures feede on mortall things ,
As Beastes on Grasse , and Beasts men's hunger slake;
But shee doth feede on Truth , which truely bringes
Immortall state without al varyings:
For Truth's as free from al corruption ,
As from Tyme's Turnes, & restlesse alterings ,
Then sith the Soule doth feede on Truth alone,
It needs must be immortall in Reason .
What soule can doubt her immortality,
But such as is immortal? for that doubt
Doth rise from Reas'n's discourse ingeniously;
Then if by Reason shee brought that about
That souls are mortal: that soul's not without
The pow'r of Reason: & who hath that pow'r ,
Must needs be of that rare Caelestial Route ,
Which Iron Teeth of Time cannot devoure:
For Reas'n made Time , and past Time doth endure.
No Soule humane but covetts stil to Bee ,
Which could not be if shee but mortal were:
When shee lookes backe Æternitie to see,
Shee sees she cannot past beginnings beare;
But be'ng begun would faine past Time appeere:
Then how is it that Men are al so faine
If Nature therevnto all doe not steere?
But how is't naturall if it be vaine?
And vaine it is, if it doe nought obtaine.
If ever thou resolved wer't to dye,
Consider how thy Soule discoursed then:
Coulde shee perswade her selfe that shee must fly
(Sith shee was made of nought ) to nought agen
And as Beastes died, so did mortal Men?
Maugre thy soule while shee doth thus discourse ,
Shee slipps from al Conclusions , and doth ren
Quite from her selfe by Nature's proper force,
To weigh which way she wends, free'd from her Corse .
The damned Epicurean-Libertine
At Death's approach, (stirr'd vp by Nature's might)
To Life immortall would his Soule resigne;
And in his soule resistlesse reasons fight,
To proue the soule immortal by Birth-right:
Doe what he can his Thoughts to pacifie
Whiles they immortal striue to make his Spright
He cannot for his soule them satisfie,
But they wil stil beleeve shee cannot die.
If one weake thought say thy soul's but a Blast ,
That with thy Breath is vapored to nought;
A stronger thought saith it doth ever last,
For nought can mortal be, that hath that thought
By Reason thus the soule is inly taught.
If wandring thoughts perswade that Soules depend
On that which Nature in the Bodie wrought,
Domestick thoughts against those thoughts contend,
And say, Soules Bodilesse can never end.
They came from God , to him themselues they lift,
They mount as high as they dismounted bee;
Ev'n as a Fountaine doth her Current shift
As high, as it descended , naturallie:
So Soules doe mount to him of whome they Bee.
Beastes know no more but nature's partes externe
But our soules into Nature's secrets see;
Nay stay not there, but they thereby doe learne
Who gaue them sight such secrets to discerne.
Some say the Soule and Bodie are but one,
Because their outward Sense perceaues no more:
They might denie God too by like reason
Because they see him not: yet evermore
They see his deedes , for which we him adore.
Then let the actions of thy soule perswade
Thy thoughts thou hast a soule , & let the lore
Which God in her infus'd, when he her made,
Teach thee to know that thy soul cannot fade.
The soule consists not by the outward sense ,
But by the soule the outward sense consists:
The outward sense hath no Intelligence ,
(Which in and by an Instrument subsists)
But as an Instrument sense her assists:
The sense can see a Fort , but if w' inferre,
Men made the same , and it the Foe resists,
This doth surmount the outward senses farre,
And doth conclude, our soules aboue them are.
Our Reason often giues our sense the lye ,
When sense would misinforme the Intelligence
For sense gaine-saies the Heav'ns ' pluralitie,
But Reason proues the same by consequence:
The Moone at full hath greatest light, saith sense ,
But Reason by cleere Demonstration
Doth proue her then to haue least radience
Then Reason by this illustration
The soule , not sense , makes Her foundation.
The Sunn's one hundred sixtie six times more
Then the Earthe's Globe in compasse; but the sense
With Tooth and Naile with-stands it evermore,
And saies, (nay sweares) ther's no lesse difference
Then twixt the Center and Circumference
But Reason by right Rules them both doth meate
Which shee hath made by her experience:
And findes the Sunne (as erst we said) more great
By Demonstration more then most compleate.
We by our soules conceaue (as erst was said)
Wisedome and knowledge bee'ng incorporal:
But outward sense is altogither stai'd,
On qualities of things meere corporall .
The soule , by reason , makes rules general
Of things particuler: but sense doth goe
But to particulers material,
The soule by the effect the cause doth sho,
But sense no more but bare effectes doth kno.
The proper essence of things is obscur'd,
And by themselues of vs cannot be knowne:
Therefore the knowledge of them is procur'd
By accidents and actions of their owne,
Which to the soule by wit's discourse is showne;
For, she concludes by Reason's consequents
(Though of themselues they meerely are vnknown)
That thus they are; which high experiments
Lie farre aboue the reach of sense ascents.
In them which wil not vnderstand this Truth ,
Their ignorance is sinne most pestilent;
But they which cannot, (ah the more the ruth)
Their ignorance, of sinne's the punishment:
And who denies a Truth so evident,
Hath neither grace , nor sense; for all may see
The soul's immortal, and divinely bent,
And hath most force when shee from flesh is free,
Which proues her powre and immortalitee .
If soules and bodies then be so distinct,
And that the soule , as she of God was made,
Is free from sinne , and by her owne instinct
Shee hates that sense that doth to sinne perswade,
How is it then that shee should be so bad?
For from the soule, sinne doth her force deriue,
Which with her waight the body doth orelade;
Can shee both cause , and yet against sinne striue?
Shee may (quoth All ) but few doe it beleeue.
That is a Gulffe that swallowes vp the soule
And quite confounds her, if shee enters it:
This secret deepe, deepe wisedome did enroule,
In that still-closed booke of secrets , fit
For Her alone to know, not erring wit
Therefore the more presumption we show
In search hereof, the more are we vnfit
A secret so vnknowne as this, to know:
For they know most thereof whose sp'rits are low.
The lesse sobrietie we vse herein,
The more we erre in by-pathes of Offence ,
And (giddy headed) headlong fal to sinne ,
From which we hardly rise by penitence ,
For sinnes presumptuous, grace doe most incense
Then let vs curbe our head-strong thoughts , when they
Would run beyond the reach of sapience:
And make them stop, where wisdome points a stay ,
That is, to go no further then they may.
Many a curious Question hath bin mou'd
Touching this secret , and no fewer Iarres
Hath it procur'd; and all to be reprou'd;
Sith ev'ry one his owne conceite preferres,
Which to maintaine, stil maintaines wilful warres
Some so desire to know , that faine they would
Breake through the Bounde that humane knowledge barres,
To pry into His brest which doth infold
Secrets vnknowne: These, strange opinions hold.
But let it vs suffize thus much to know,
That though the soule cannot be soild with sinne
As God created her; yet sinne doth flow
From Adam to the soule; and enters in
When shee the bodie doth to moue begin:
Nor must we make her sinnefull in respect
Shee with the Corpes is Cas'd , as solid therein,
But make the Fault of Adam her infect,
Which is, indeede, sole cause of that effect .
At large to proue her immortalitie ,
I should (like her) well-neere be infinite;
For, if the Image of the Deity
Bee found in Man , in his soule it is right:
And though by Adam shee bee made vnright ,
Yet by the second Adam (full of grace )
Shee is againe reform'd and made vpright ,
Which makes her striue when sin would her deface,
To foile it, or at least not giue it place.
Inough my Muse of that, which nere ynough
Can well be said, and let me (restlesse) rest;
For, I must ply my Penne which is my Plough,
Sith my life's sunne is almost in the West
And I provided yet but for vnrest:
Time flies away, these Numbers number time ,
But goodes they number not: for their int'rest
Is nought but Aire which, though to heau'n it clime
Is but meere Vapor rising but from slime .
There is no end in making many bookes , and much reading is a wearinesse of the Flesh .
Yet this we doe, and pleasure take in toile
Although we doe but plow the barraine Soile.
This Soule's envenomn'd Botch , This Sourse of Sinne ,
Can nothing lesse then hir owne selfe abide,
When shee doth see her selfe another in:
If shee her selfe doth hate, what can shee wynne
But hate of all , that see her as shee is?
Still loth'd may shee be, for had shee not byn,
We stil had liv'd in earthly Heaven's blisse
And Lucifer held heav'nly Paradis .
Sith Man was made a creature sociable,
And that his liue's-ioy should therein consist,
What vice in man is more detestable,
Then that which doth this ioy of life resist?
For Pride , as if shee were with nature blist
That farre surmounted more then half-divine ,
Scornes al Humanity , if so, what is't
On Earth that shee thinks (be'ng so superfine)
Worthie to suite her, but alone to reigne?
Shee (swelling Toade ) lookes with disdainful Eyes
On highest things that are sublunarie ,
And ( Lunatick ) aboue the Moone doth rise
In minde, though she mindes nought but villany
So to aspire to highest Dignitie
Therefore the most prowde are most ignorant
Of wisedomes hid in blest Theologie ,
Because they meerely minde things miscreant,
As earthly pompe , and port extravagant.
If not impossible, yet hard it is,
For the most learn'd and lowly wel to know
Themselues in ev'ry part , and not to misse;
Then sith the Prowd doe never looke so low ,
That skil nere comes but with their overthrow:
For they by nature are most prone to pride
That know all but themselues; and yet doe show
They know themselues too wel, for, nought beside
They loue; which loue, that knowledge doth misguid.
For who so lookes with well-descerning eies
(If he be mortal, be he what he wil)
Into him selfe , he wil him selfe despise;
For in him selfe he findeth nought but ill
Corrupting Soule and Body, Minde , and Will
The best shall finde but matter too too bad
To humble them, and so to keepe them still;
The worst shal see ynough to make them mad,
Seeing themselues through Ill , so ill-bestad.
Al vnder Heav'n man's pride hath made so vile
So fraile, so ful of sorrow and vexation ,
That should a Man possesse al, yet the while
He should possesse but temporall damnation ;
And with it likely divine indignation
Can Men be prowde then, of an earthly hell ,
Affording nought but griefe and molestation ?
Or can their harts with Pride and Sorrow swell
When one puffes vp, the other downe doth quel?
If so they can, it is for want of sense
To feele the griefes that are most sensible;
And senselesse Soules haue no preheminence
Of humane Nature ; nor extensible
To brutish , which is not insensible:
Then what are proud Soules by this iust accounte
But either deade, or comprehensible
In that of Plants , which from Earth cannot mount,
But that a worthlesse Wren may them surmount.
The Eyes that Sunne -bright Robes , or smoke of praise
Doe dimme, are feeble-sighted, and such Eyes
Cannot themselues as high as Heaven raise,
Nor pierce to Hell which in their Owner lies:
For if they would or could in any wise,
Pride could not possibly surprise their Hart ,
For Heav'n they would admire, and Hell despise,
And from that Hell they would their Eyes convert,
To highest Heav'n , and from it nere divert.
But as the Toade to venome turnes her foode
(How pure so ere it be) shee feedeth on:
So Pride turnes Vertue to her venom'd moode ,
Then which no prid's more neere Damnation;
For sp'ritual pride God hates as he doth none:
Which pride is Luciferian , and the fall
Of those, whose Soules are with it over gon,
Shal be like Lucifer's , for no one shall
Be sav'd that weenes his vertue passeth all.
Pride is a winde that makes the Soule to swell,
And without Issue it the same wil rend:
Therefore the proude their owne perfections tell:
Yea, onely tell of what them most commend,
And with whom not, for praise they stil contend,
Which, if they misse, or others praised more,
Out goth that wind , (which they with thundrings send)
Against al those that are preferr'd before,
And as distracted, raile, and rave, and rore.
Doth Pride a Tenent hold, it must be so,
Although it cutt the Throate of Reason quite;
All her opinions can abide no No:
And though them to defend shee hath no might,
Yet to defend them shee wil rage and fight:
No time , no truth , nor no authoritie ,
Shal putt Pride , if shee wrong be, in the right ;
For shee desires to haue the masterie
In al, that al may give her dignitie .
Nothing so much shee dreades, as to be deem'd
Any's inferior in any thing ,
This makes her loth to learne , sith shee hath seem'd
To know much more then al, by her learning:
She scornes reproofes that information bring;
Her Vices shee wil haue for Vertues tane;
Or like a Serpent shee wil hisse and sting ,
Blaspheme and what not — for shee's most profane —
And if shee can, be her impugner's bane.
The frendshippe is as dang'rous as vnsure,
Where Pride hath any place in any frend
Pride wil the downfall of a friend procure
If by such fall the proude friende may ascend,
For al his frenshippe to himselfe doth tend;
Comes good from him, to him must goe the praise ,
As if good in him did begin and end;
So robbes God of his glorie many waies,
And faine aboue his God himselfe would raise.
If he with fained modestie doth vaile
His height of Pride , and doth himselfe dispraise
Tis but the higher to advance the Saile
Of swelling Pride , which he to Cloudes doth raise,
Nay thunder cracks the Clouds , that clouds his praise
The highest Heau'ns (he weenes,) must giue it way
Vnto the Throne where perfect glorie staies,
And there sitt cheeke by Iowle with Glorie ay;
This, Pride desires, and those that her obay.
If shee associate Learning , shee wil leade
That Heav'nly Lady into Hellish waies;
Then shee misledd, each Soule must needes misleade
That on her seeming-wel-stai'd Iudgment staies;
Hence spring al Heresies which Pride doth raise:
For lett a Scholer famous for his skill
Maintaine dam'd Error , he for peevish praise
Wil ransacke Bookes and Braines to do it still,
Though he thereby his Soule with Millions spill.
For should we harrow al the Soules of those,
The Soules of al the Heades of Heresies ,
We shal finde Pride did thereto them dispose,
That they might liue to al Posterities
In Mouthes of Men , though but for Blasphemies:
Knowledge puffes up , and if the dewes of Grace
Swage not the swelling, it so high wil rise,
That Earth nor Heav'n shal hold it in that case
Till Hell doth take it downe and it embrace.
The knowledge of the Best consists in show ,
This Man is wise compar'd with one more fond ;
Yet this great wise man nothing lesse doth know
Then he would seeme to know, and vnderstand:
Suffizeth him he beares the World in hand
That he is wise and learned , Nothing lesse:
But wise in this, that can Men's thoughts command
To thinke him wise, when should he truth confesse,
His wisedome were but wel-cloakt foolishnesse .
Latine and Greeke are but Tongues naturall,
Which helpe, but not suffise to make men wise;
For the effect of speech is al in all;
Sound Sentence , which from wise Collections rise
Of diverse Doctrines , which Witt wel applies:
Then he that hath but Tongues (though all that are)
And not the wisdomes which those Tongues comprise,
May amongst fooles be held a Doctor rare.
But with the wise al Tongue , and nothing spare
Giue me the Man that knowes more then a Man ,
Yet thinkes he knoweth no more then a Beast
Giue me him (quoth I) where is he? and who can
Give me that Gifte , sith such are al diceast,
Or if they bee , not to be found at least?
Sage Socrates is deade, and with him gon
His Pupills , that knew more then al the rest,
Yet thought they knew farre lesse then ev'ry one ,
But now al seeme to know, yet know doth none.
O! had a man al learning in his braine ,
And were to heare or see the wondrous Writt
Of some deepe Doctors , he should track them plaine
From place to place where they haue borrowed it,
And nought their owne (perhaps) but what 's vnfitt:
Yet as if all were theirs, they are admir'd,
As if their Sculls ensconst al skill and Witt ,
Or with some sacred furie were inspir'd,
When as (God wott) their Witt is al-bemir'd.
Yet all take on, as if all were their owne,
So tis, all thinke, or few know otherwise,
Which few perhaps as well as they haue stolne,
(Borrow'd I would say) but yet they are wise
Not to detect each others' pilferies
The greatest skill these present times affoord
Is others sayings cleanely to comprise
In ours , so that it be not word for word,
Which wit with moderne wisedome doth accorde.
But say a Man knew al, that Man can know,
Yet doth the Divell know more then that Man
What cause of pride then can it be to show
Lesse knowledge and more pride then dam'd Sathan
Who hath obseru'd all since the World began;
Nor doe the Elementes ' repugnance marre
His wits; for he of Aire consists, and can
Command the same: But in Man so they warre
That he is taken Follie's Prisoner.
Who knowes nought in the Cause but in th' effect
The Divel's knowledge to the cause extends,
Who enters Nature's Brest, and doth select
All secrets of the same, to secret endes :
For he th' Abysse of Causes darke descendes,
And with his Owle's -eies (that see best in darke)
Those Causes to the Causer comprehendes,
And how they are togither linckt, doth marke,
Yet is lesse prowde of this, then some meane Clarke .
Yet he can wonders worke amusing all,
For having view'd the forces of all thinges ,
Whether celestiall or terrestriall ,
And with most curious search their true workings .
Their forces he with sleight togither brings,
And actiue to their passiue powres doth binde,
Yea one another so togither minges,
That it brings foorth (by sympathie of kinde )
Wonders surmounting all conceite of minde .
No one excels him (but that Three-in-One )
In wondrous workes , which may amaze the wise ,
But that same onely-wise Trin-union
Workes Mira-cles , wherein all wonder lies;
For Miracles aboue all Wonders rise;
Sith they are truely supernaturall;
But Wonder's he to Nature's Secrets ties:
Then wonders simplie are but naturall,
But Miracles meere Metaphysicall.
But be it that some Begger can extract
By distillation or some other meane
The Quintessence of any thing; That Acte
Suffiseth him to be as prowde as meane:
And though the starueling be as lewd as leane,
Yet thinkes he Kings should feede and make him fat,
Nay, doe him homage: O base Thing vncleane!
Canst thou for this , thinke thou deservest that?
Or can a skill so base, thee so inflate?
What Brest coulde bound thy Heart then, if thou couldst
Make the Elixer , which so many marre?
It's past most probable, that then thou wouldst
Seeke to be Deifide , or els turne starre ,
That Dull-heades might adore thee from afarre:
It is a skill indeede of rich esteeme,
And worthy of the rar'st Philosopher ,
But could one doe the same, as many seeme,
Yet no great wise one he himselfe should deeme.
For al his wits to this should be restrain'd
(Sith to worke wonders the whole- man requires)
And though at length (perhaps) he it attain'd,
Yet should he bee to seeke that Wit desires,
In other matters , then these feates by fires .
Sage Salomon , whose wisedome wonder wan,
Knew al in all , which all in one admires,
Yet knew that all was vaine , and he a man
Vainer then Vanitie , that nothing can.
Our knowledge is so slender, and so fraile,
That the least pride cannot depend thereon;
Pride breaks our Conning's necke, which oft doth faile
To hold aright the nature of one Stone ,
Much lesse to know the kindes of ev'ry one
Compare the All we know, with the least part
Of that we know not, wee shall see, alone
That God is wise: And men are voide of Art ,
And blinde in wit and will , in Minde , and Hart
Be he a Pleader , and a wordie Man
(Whose Winde the true Elixer is; for it
The Aire to Aurum transmute lightly can)
If once he gets a name for law-ful wit ,
Hee thinkes high pride for him alone is fit:
Convoies of Angels , then must help the most
Vnto his speech; for he makes benefit
Of ev'ry word , for not one shal be lost,
Or if it be the next shall quit that cost.
Vp goe his Babell . Iowres of Pompe and Pride ,
That to the High'st he may next neighbour be;
No neighbour neeres him, his grounds are so wide,
Then not a Nod without a treble fee ,
An Angell (though most bright) he cannot see:
And yet to know the Law , is but to know
How Men should liue, and without Law agree:
Which, Reason to the simplest Soule doth show;
Then pride is farre too high, for skill so low.
But though the Lawyer liues by others losse,
And hath no place in Platoe's Common-weale ,
Yet if he will not crosse Law , for the crosse
That no Man hates, but all doe loue to feele;
Hee's worthy of the Crosse sweete Comfort's Seale
For Lawyers ought (like Lawes ) to make Men good
And who are in the wronge , or Right , reveale:
Then are they worthy of al liuelyhood ,
That make men live in perfect Brotherhood .
But, that a Petti-fogging prating patch ,
That gropes the Law for nothing but for Galles ,
Should be so prowde as if he had no match,
For tossing Lawes as they were Tennis- Bals ,
This vexeth God and Good-men at the Galles:
Yet such there are, (too many such there are,)
Who are the Seedes men of Litigious Bralls :
And are so prowde that by the Lawes they dare
Contend with Crassus , though they nought can spare.
I graunt the Law to bee an holy thing ,
Worthy of reverence and all regard ,
But the abuse of Law (and so of King )
By such as will abuse both for reward ,
Is dam'd; hard tearme! yet that course is more hard:
Can such finde patrones , such course to protect?
They can and doe, but would they might be barr'd
From Barres , or that ore Barres they might be peckt,
Els at Barres with as hard a doome be checkt
Hinc illae Lachrymae! o griefe of griefes!
My Muse be mute, defile not thine owne Nest :
O let the longest Largs be shortest Briefes
In this discordant Note , and turne the Wrest ,
So that this Note by thee bee nere exprest:
Canst thou, my Muse? canst thou my cruel Muse
Make Men , the Muse's Minions detest?
Forbeare, forbeare thy Soule's loue to abuse,
Or touch that tenderly which thou dost vse.
Is't possible a Poet should bee proude,
That for the most part is past passing poore?
That can paint Vice with & without a Cloude ,
And be'ng most vgly, make her vgly more,
Can he be proude? & only proude therfore!
It cannot be in sense , and Poets are
Sense-masters subtilized by their Lore ;
Yet tis too true that scarse one Poet rare
Is free from Pride , though Back be leane as bare .
I cannot but confesse the Skill's divine
For, holy Raptures must the Head entrance,
Before the Hand can draw one lasting Line ,
That can the glory of the Muse advance;
And sacred Furies with the thoughts must dance
To leade them Measures of a stately kinde,
Or iocond Gigges: Then, if Pride with them prance
Shee wil be foremost, then shame comes behinde,
Both which disgrace the motions of the minde .
Wilt thou be lofty, Muse? then scale the Mount
Where loue's high- Alter stands; and on the same
Offer thou lowly, that which doth surmount
The reach of Vulgars , in no vulgar Flame .
There sacrifize to Ioue thy fairest fame
In lowest depth of high'st humilitie ;
Humility that can advance thy name
To highest height of immortalitie .
Embosom'd by diuinest Diitie
Art great with yonge with numbers infinite
The least of which hath pow'r to peirce the Skie?
Yet lowly be, that the wombe of thy Witt
That rare Conception may yeeld readilie,
Their mother so to glad and glorifie;
Thou art from Heav'n my Muse , then be thou such,
As Heau'nly be, ful of humilitie;
Is thy skill much? be meeke then more then much ,
For Pride's most dam'd, that heav'nly thinges doth touch.
Plunge thee ore head and eares in Helicon ,
Dyue to the Bottome of that famous Fludd ,
Although it were as deepe as Acheron ,
Thence make thy fame vp-dive although withstood
With weeds of Ignorance , & Envie's Mudd:
But though thy fame faire Sol should equalize
For height and glorie , yet let al thy good
Consist in that, If thou woul[d]'st thou could'st rise,
But lou'st bum-basted mountings to dispise.
Yet let me giue this Caesar but his due
( Caesar of speech that monarchizeth Eares )
Sweete Poesie , that can al Soules subdue,
To Passions , causing ioy as forcing Teares ,
And to it selfe each glorious sp'rite endeeres:
It is a speech of most maiestike state,
As by a wel-pen'd Poim wel appeeres;
Then Prose , more cleanely coucht & dilicate
And if wel done, shal liue a longer Date
For, it doth flow more fluent from the Tonge
In which respect it wel may tearmed be,
(Having a Cadence musicall among)
A speech melodious ful of harmonee,
Or Eare -enchanting matchlesse melodee:
Succinct it is, and easier to retaine
(Sith with our sp'rits it better doth agree)
Then, that which tedious ambage doth containe,
Albe't the Witt therein did more then raigne.
It's deckt with Coulors fresh, and figures fine,
Which doth the Iudgment ay inveagle so
(Making the Eare to it of force incline)
That Iudgment often doth her selfe forgoe,
And like Waxe , bends Opinion to and fro;
In Prose the speech is not so voluble,
Because the Tongue in numbers doth not flo
Ne yet the accent halfe so tunable,
Then, to our spirites much lesse sutable.
And, for it's ofter vs'd, it cloies the Eare
Be'ng not contriv'd with Measures musicall,
And not alow'd that beauty Verse doth beare,
Nor yet the Cadence so harmonicall,
Much lesse the relish so Angelicall:
It's not adorn'd with choise of such sweete Wordes
( Words that haue pow'r to sweeten bitter'st Gall )
Nor licence't that fine Phrase, Arte Verse affords,
Which makes huge Depthes , oft times, of shallow Foordes .
Therfore the Poets from the World's first Age ,
As best persuaders, whose sweete Eloquence
(They playing best partes on this Earthly Stage )
Was the first retorick borne of Sapience ,
That glorie giues to Wisedome's influence:
Herehence it came that divine Oracles
( Apollo's speech of highest excellence)
Were stil exprest in measur'd Syllables
The voice of Wisdome's truest Vocables .
In which respect, t'was meet'st to make Records
Of memorable Accidents of Time ,
Of Princes ' liues and actions of great Lordes ,
Which Poets first did Chronicle in Rime;
And farre aboue Chronography did clyme:
For they were first of al that did observe
(Though Poets now are neither flush nor Prime )
The workes of Nature for Man's vse to serve,
But now gainst Nature their works make them sterve
They searcht the causes of things generable,
With their effects and distinct properties ,
And made them (by their skill ) demonstrable,
Mounting from thence vnto the loftie skies ,
To note their motions and what in them lies:
They first did finde the Heav'ns plurality,
And how they did each other so comprise
That in their motion they made melody,
Caus'd by their closnesse and obduracy .
Yea sought to finde each substance seperate ,
And in their search they were most curious
Of divine Essenses to know the state,
Which having found, were most laborious
Them to expresse in Poems precious:
They were therefore the first Astronomers
(That travell'd through the Heau'ns from house to house)
First Metaphisicks and Philosophers
Vnfolding Heav'n & Earth, Sun, Moone , & Starres
Thus much for Poets , and sweete Poesie ,
In whose praise never can be said too much:
Yet Pride their praise may blemish vtterly,
For she defiles like pitch what she doth tuch:
And maks both heau'n & earth at it to grutch:
For no Perfection can be toucht with pride
But it wil looke as if it were not such,
Deform'd in fauour, which none can abide;
For Grace is base being thus double dide
But that which grates my Galle , and mads my Muse
Is (ah that ever such iust cause should Bee )
To see a Player at the put-downe stewes
Put vp his Peacocke's Taile for al to see,
And for his hellish voice, as prowde as hee
What Peacocke art thou prowd? Wherfore? because
Thou Parrat -like canst speake what is taught thee
A Poet must teach thee from clause to clause,
Or thou wilt breake Pronunciation's Lawes.
Lies al thy vertue in thy Tongue stil taught
And yet art prowd? alas poore skum of pride!
Peacocke , looke to thy legs and be not haught,
No patience can least pride in thee abide;
Looke not vpon thy Legs from side to side
To make thee prowder, though in Buskine fine
Or silke in graine the same be beautifide;
For Painters though they haue no skil divine,
Can make as faire a legge , or limbe as thine.
Good God! that euer pride should stoope so low,
That is by nature so exceeding hie:
Base pride , didst thou thy selfe, or others know
Wouldst thou in harts of Apish Actors lie,
That for a Cue wil sel their Qualitie?
Yet they through thy perswasion (being strong)
Doe weene they merit immortality ,
Onely because (forsooth) they vse their Tongue ,
To speake as they are taught, or right or wronge
If pride ascend the stage (o base ascent)
Al men may see her, for nought comes thereon
But to be seene, and where Vice should be shent
Yea, made most odious to ev'ry one,
In blazing her by demonstration
Then pride that is more then most vicious,
Should there endure open damnation,
And so shee doth, for shee's most odious
In Men most base, that are ambitious
Players , I loue yee, and your Qualitie ,
As ye are Men, that pass-time not abus'd:
And some I loue for painting, poesie ,
And say fell Fortune cannot be excus'd,
That hath for better vses you refus'd:
Wit, Courage, good-shape, good partes , and all good
As long as al these goods are no worse vs'd,
And though the stage doth staine pure gentle bloud
Yet generous yee are in minde and moode
Your Qualitie , as farre as it reproues
The World of Vice , and grosse incongruence
Is good; and good , the good by nature Ioues,
As recreating in and outward sense ,
And so deserving praise and recompence
But if pride (otherwise then morally)
Be acted by you, you doe all incense
To mortall hate; if all hate mortally,
Princes , much more Players they vilifie.
But Pride hath skil to worke on baser Skils ,
For each Bagg-piper , if expert he be,
Pride fils his Soule , as he his Bag-pipe fils,
For he supposeth he and none but hee
Should be advanc'd; For what? For Rogueree
Hee can repine, and say that men of partes
Are not esteem'd; Goe base Drone , durtie Bee ,
Rest thou in dung , too good for thy deserts ;
For durt to durt should goe, and praise to Artes .
Though no man can more willingly commende
The Soule -reioycing sound of Musicke's voice
Faire figure of that blisse that nere shall end,
Which makes our sorrowing Soules (like it) reioice;
Yet at the best it's but a pleasure choise
To make vs game , when wee are woe-begon
It is too light graue Artes to counterpoise:
Then no cause is there to bee prowde thereon
Albe't thou wert as good as Amphion .
Pride , wilt thou still be subiect to my Muse?
Be subiect to her still, and so to me .
But now shee should (if shee did well) refuse
Longer to haue to doe with cursed Thee .
For shee hath found thee in the low'st degree ,
The Hangman sav'd, whose basenesse doth surpasse:
Yet he of London , that detested He
(Whose hart is made of Flint , and face of Brasse )
Of decollation brags, but let that passe
Then pride , farewel, base beastly pride , farewel,
Or fare farre worse, then ill in worst degree,
Sith thou scorn'st not in such an hart to dwell,
That by the fruit liues of the Gallow -tree:
Who wil not scorne now to be toucht by thee?
Sincke to Earthe's Bowels from her burd'ned Brest ,
(For on the Earth thou canst no lower bee)
Sith Hell's thy Spheare wher thou should'st ever rest,
For, on the Earth thou mov'st but to vnrest
Thus having past these Passions of the Soule ,
That are as founts from whence the lesser flow;
We are arrived (through faire waies and fowle)
Vnto the third Wombe situate below
The Midrife , where the growing pow'r doth grow:
But for it is so farre remov'd from thence
From whence the Soule doth her arch-wonders show,
(Namely the Seate of the Intelligence )
Wee'l balke the same for its impertinence .Referring it vnto Anatomists ,
Who marke each Mortesse of the Bodie's frame,
The Pynns , the Tenons, Beams, Bolts, Windings, Iists ,
All which they marke when they doe it vnframe:
To these Craft's-masters , I referre the same;
Suffizeth me to looke with my right Eye
(Though it dimme-sighted be and so to blame)
Into the Seate of each soule's facultie,
Fixt to Witt's -wonder-working Ingeny .
Yet as I could I haue the Soule exprest,
If not with proper Coulors , yet with such
As doe distinguish her kinde from the rest,
Which Kind , by kinde, Beasts & Plants doth couch:
But to paint her in each least part were much;
Philosophers haue beene to seeke heerein,
Although they sought but sleightly her to touch,
And haue through Error much abused bin,
When her faire Picture they did but begin .
For Crates said, there is no Soule at all,
But that by Nature, Bodies moued be:
Hipparchus , and Leucippus, Fire it call
With whom (in sort) the Stoickes doe agree:
A firie Sp'rite betweene the Atomee
Democritus wil haue it: and the Aire
Some say it is: the Barrell'd Cynick , hee
And with him others of another haire ,
Doe thus depaint the soule , and file her faire
The soule (say they) is Aire , the Mouth takes in
Boil'd in the Lights , and temp'red in the Hart ,
And so the body it throughout doth rin;
This is the soule (forsooth) made by their Art
Hippias would haue it water , all or part:
Heliodorus held it earth confixt;
And Epicurus said it was a ( )
Namely, a Sp'rite of Fire and Aire commixt:
And Zenophontes, earth and water mixt.
Thus (simple Soules! ) they make the simple soule
Of simple Elements , or els compound:
Meane-while they make her (most faire creature ) fowle
And dimme her glorie which is most renownd,
Through mists of Ignorance , which them surround.
Others, of other substaunce weene it is,
For Critias with bloud doth it confound,
Hippocrates (that went as wide as this)
Said twas a thin sprite spred through our Bodis
Some, Flesh would haue it with the senses ' vse;
Some the complexion of the Elements:
And Galen doth not much the same refuse
For to an hot Complexion he assents,
For so's the soule (saith he) and not repents:
Not that Complexion , (some say) but abides
In some point of it; and those Continents
They hold the Hart , or Braine , where it resides
As Queene enthron'd, and all the body guides.
Some Light would haue it, as Heraclitus :
Others, some thing tide to no certaine place ,
But wholy present in each part of vs;
Which, whether sprong from the Complexion's grace,
Or made by God , yet they weene cleer's the case,
From Nature's lap the same of force must fall
Some others said a Quintessence it was:
Some, an vnquiet Nature moving all:
A number , some, that it selfe moues, it call.
The Caldees say it is a formelesse Force ,
Which nerthelesse al forms doth apprehend
And Aristotle doth him selfe inforce
To make the same vpon the Corpes depend;
For these his words do sort out to that end:
It is (saith he) an high perfection
Of bodie, that life's powre doth comprehende,
Which vnderstanding giues it, sense, & motion
This in effect is his description
Plato (surnam'd divine) affirm'd it is
A divine substance which it selfe doth moue,
Indu'd with vnderstanding . He doth misse
Lesse then the rest, though Truth doth all reproue:
And Senec saith the soule is farre aboue
The knowledge of the most intelligent;
Which speech of his Lactantius doth approue:
Thus doe they all about the soule dissent,
Aswell for substance , as where resident.
For in the braines Hippocrates it puts,
And Strato , in the space betweene the eies:
In the hart's hollow veine the Dog it shuts,
That alwaies in a Tub enkenell'd lies:
The Stoicks say, the Hart doth it comprise:
In al the body , saith Democritus :
In al the brest , say others as vnwise:
In the braine's ventricles , saith Hierophilus:
Thus al in al were most erronious.
Empedocles in bloud the same doth bound:
Galen would haue each limb a soule to haue:
Renowned Galen , how wast thou renown'd,
That didst thy selfe so foolishly behaue!
Thus for the place they with each other straue,
And for the soule's continuance no Iesse
The Epicure the bodie makes her Graue ,
And dies and lies with it. But some confesse
Shee's capable of everlastingnesse
Pythagoras , by transmigration
Wil haue it everlasting, or at least
As long as beasts shal haue creation;
For it doth passe (saith he) from Man to beast
What Foole could more ridiculously iest?
Yet he disciples had, and not a few,
That this grosse doctrine did with ease disgest;
Therefore no Beasts , these more beasts , euer slue
Sith they their frends soules held, for ougth they knew.
The Stoickes , held the meane twixt Epicures
And Pythagoreans , for that soule (they say)
That's vicious , whilst the body it immures,
Doth die, and with the bodie quite decaie:
But if it vertuous be, it liueth aie:
Some partes of it (as Aristotle holdes)
That haue seates corp'ral with them fal away:
But vnderstanding which no Organ holdes
(As free from filth ) Æternitie infoldes.
Thus for their ending or continuance
Do they contend; & no lesse Christians striue
For their beginning: some, the same advance
To heav'n , and say they there did ever liue
Since Angels fel. And other some beleeue
That one soule doth another propagate:
Some others , their commencement do deriue
From time that first the Angels were create
Which sacred Austine doth insinuate.
Others there be, who constantly affirme
That soules created are from day to day,
Which he of Aquine boldly doth confirme:
For sith the soule doth forme the bodie's clay,
It with the bodie must be made, they say.
Whereto agrees each moderne Schoole-divine
So that these Men doe from each other stray
Touching the soule's birth, which they mis-assigne,
" For they speake ill that cannot wel define .
And Epicures the same doe mortal make;
The Pythagoreans it doe transmigrate;
Some say, the heavens do the same retake:
Some put it into hell , in endlesse date:
Others would haue it earth perambulate.
Some say there's but one vniversal soule ,
Whereof particulars participate;
Which saying Plato doth not much controle,
But that he would haue either to liue sole.
Some, make each Man two distinct soules to haue,
The Intellective , and the Sensitive ,
And that the Sensitiue the parents gave,
But the Creator the Intellective:
Others, the soule doe of the same deprive,
For they the soule and Vnderstanding part
Some make no difference, but doe beleeue
The Vnderstanding is the chiefest part;
Thus in Conceite they from each other start.
Some, held opinion Soules are bred in Heav'n ,
And of the divine Nature portions are,
Deckt with al vertue , by that Nature giv'n,
Togeather with al skill & knowledge cleare,
Which in that nature ever doe appeare:
From whence they did descend to animate
Men's bodies , which by nature filthie were;
Which did those pure Soules so contaminate
That they those Skills & vertues quite forgat.
So that they could not vse them further foorth
Then they were taught, which made them to suppose
That what skill, vertue , or what other woorth
The Soule bewrai'd, was but a minding those
It had in Heav'n , and so knowes al it knoes:
So that the portions of the divine fire
Be'ng wel neere quencht by Blood , which them orefloes,
Must be rekindled and made to aspire
By Doctrine , which the spirit doth desire.
Whereon they do conclude, that sith the soule
By entring in the Body most vncleane
Is made prodigious, and extreamely fowle,
To Heav'n cannot returne be'ng so obscene
Till it by Discipline , bee purged cleane;
And decked with the rights of her Birth-right ,
Which to regaine Instruction is the meane:
Or from the Body being parted quight,
They may be purg'd , some saie, though most vnright.
Now, when we ballance al these Arguments
In the sincere Scales of the Sanctuary ,
Wee finde them viler then Witt's Excrements,
And lighter then the Skumme of Vanity:
For true it is The Blinde eates many a Fly .
But that Man hath a Soule , none is so blinde,
But sees her almost with Eyes bodily:
And that shee's endlesse the dym'st Eyes of Minde
By Nature's dymest light , may lightly finde.
God is a sp'rite , the World a Body is,
Both which in Man are plaine Epitomiz'd,
Of God hee 's Abstract in that soule of his;
And in his Corps the World is close compriz'd:
As if the divine Wisedome had devis'd
To bring into a Center's Center all
His greatnesse , that cannot be circuliz'd,
And the huge magnitude of the Earthe's Ball;
For Microcosmos men Man fitly call.
Who in a Minute can the Earth surround,
And sincke vnto her Center , then ascend
And compasse, with a trice, the Heav'nly Round
Yea Heav'n & Earth at once doth comprehend
Not touching either; But doth apprehend
A thousand places , without shifting place ,
And in a moment ascend, and descend
To Heav'n & Hell , & each of them embrace;
It selfe being compast in a little space .
This, Man can doe without the Bodie's aide,
Then must he doe it as a Man he is;
And in respect of his soule he is said
To be a Man , for by that Soule of his
And onely by that Soule , he acteth this:
Which seeth when the Bodie's eyes be clos'd,
And when those Eyes bee ope, oft sight doth misse:
It travels when the Body is repos'd,
And rests when as the same by Toile's dispos'd.
Th' external senses may loose all their pow'r,
If but the Instruments of them decay,
Yet Life and Reason may continue sure;
But Senses stay not if Life doe not stay,
And Life the soule doth stay or beare away:
The more the Corpes decaies, so much the more
The soule is strengthned; which sick-men bewray,
Who when their Bodies are most weake and poore ,
Their Minds reveale most strength , and riches store.
Then it's a substance and no Qualitee ,
For Qualities in Substances subsist;
Then that which makes another thing to Bee,
No Quality can be, but doth consist
In its owne substance, which doth sole exist:
Then sith a man's a man , that is to say
A lyving Creature with right Reason blist,
He hath a soule that forms, & him doth sway,
Else were he but a livelesse Lumpe of Clay .
Which soule is Bodilesse, else could it not
Containe so many Bodies smal and great,
By some of which it would be over-shott;
For al this All , were it much more compleate,
In it may sit, without place for a Seate .
Yet doth our bodie bound it, which is smal,
But wer't a Corps it could not doe that feate ,
For that which can containe Heav'n, earth , and all
Which they containe, cannot be corporall .
The more it hath , the more it will receiue,
The more it holdes , the more it doth desire,
The more things bee, it best doth them conceaue,
Whether they be distinct or els intire;
All which at once may in the Soule retire
Without disturbing or annoying either:
All which t' effect doth such a Soule require,
That infinite had neede be altogither,
And in a sort the soule can bee no other.
We may in Minde conceaue another's Minde ,
Then, that which can conceaue things bodylesse
Can be no body (though pure as the winde )
But meerely Sp'rituall , which may haue egresse
Into each Sp'rite , and from thence make regresse,
Without those Sp'rites perceaving of the same.
Then must the substance that makes such accesse
Bee immateriall in deede and name ,
The soule therefore is of a sp'rituall frame.
Two formes at once of quite repugnant kinde
No Matter can receaue: but the soule can;
Black, White, Fire, Frost, Moist, Dry , these place doe finde
Without resistance in the soule of man;
Then soules wee see at Matter nere began:
Nay, sith the lesse with Matter we doe mell,
The more we vnderstand: it followes than,
That nought can more against the soule rebell
Then matter , which the soule doth hate as Hell .
For, wer't Materiall , whereof is't made?
If of the Elements , how give they sense
That never Life since their creation had?
Much lesse then can they giue Intelligence ,
In whom nor Life nor sense hath residence:
A Body's meerely Passive . But the Sp'rite
Is absolutely Active: And from thence
The Bodie's Actions doe derive their might,
Or els no Limbe could stirr or wrong, or right.
And that the soule is an immortall Minde
(Not mortall, like the Body ) doth appeere,
That whereas Time in his turnes , vp doth winde
The Bodie's substance, which those turnes doe weare;
Yet can those motions , the soule nothing steere;
But to more staidnesse , they the same doe turne,
And make her more immortall (as it were)
Who (like the Pow'r divine) can Time adiorne
Or make it stay, or it quite overturne.
The Time past, present , or to come , are all
(As to the soule's sire ) present to the soule ,
Which makes her matterlesse and immortall ,
For that which can stay Time , when he doth rowle,
Must be Divine , nought else can Time controule:
Then Time is subiect to the soule (wee see)
Which as his Sov'raigne him doth over-rule,
And though in Time the soule was made to Bee ,
Yet shee makes Time's turnes to her turnes agree.
Beside, her Food doth her immortall make,
For mortall Creatures feede on mortall things ,
As Beastes on Grasse , and Beasts men's hunger slake;
But shee doth feede on Truth , which truely bringes
Immortall state without al varyings:
For Truth's as free from al corruption ,
As from Tyme's Turnes, & restlesse alterings ,
Then sith the Soule doth feede on Truth alone,
It needs must be immortall in Reason .
What soule can doubt her immortality,
But such as is immortal? for that doubt
Doth rise from Reas'n's discourse ingeniously;
Then if by Reason shee brought that about
That souls are mortal: that soul's not without
The pow'r of Reason: & who hath that pow'r ,
Must needs be of that rare Caelestial Route ,
Which Iron Teeth of Time cannot devoure:
For Reas'n made Time , and past Time doth endure.
No Soule humane but covetts stil to Bee ,
Which could not be if shee but mortal were:
When shee lookes backe Æternitie to see,
Shee sees she cannot past beginnings beare;
But be'ng begun would faine past Time appeere:
Then how is it that Men are al so faine
If Nature therevnto all doe not steere?
But how is't naturall if it be vaine?
And vaine it is, if it doe nought obtaine.
If ever thou resolved wer't to dye,
Consider how thy Soule discoursed then:
Coulde shee perswade her selfe that shee must fly
(Sith shee was made of nought ) to nought agen
And as Beastes died, so did mortal Men?
Maugre thy soule while shee doth thus discourse ,
Shee slipps from al Conclusions , and doth ren
Quite from her selfe by Nature's proper force,
To weigh which way she wends, free'd from her Corse .
The damned Epicurean-Libertine
At Death's approach, (stirr'd vp by Nature's might)
To Life immortall would his Soule resigne;
And in his soule resistlesse reasons fight,
To proue the soule immortal by Birth-right:
Doe what he can his Thoughts to pacifie
Whiles they immortal striue to make his Spright
He cannot for his soule them satisfie,
But they wil stil beleeve shee cannot die.
If one weake thought say thy soul's but a Blast ,
That with thy Breath is vapored to nought;
A stronger thought saith it doth ever last,
For nought can mortal be, that hath that thought
By Reason thus the soule is inly taught.
If wandring thoughts perswade that Soules depend
On that which Nature in the Bodie wrought,
Domestick thoughts against those thoughts contend,
And say, Soules Bodilesse can never end.
They came from God , to him themselues they lift,
They mount as high as they dismounted bee;
Ev'n as a Fountaine doth her Current shift
As high, as it descended , naturallie:
So Soules doe mount to him of whome they Bee.
Beastes know no more but nature's partes externe
But our soules into Nature's secrets see;
Nay stay not there, but they thereby doe learne
Who gaue them sight such secrets to discerne.
Some say the Soule and Bodie are but one,
Because their outward Sense perceaues no more:
They might denie God too by like reason
Because they see him not: yet evermore
They see his deedes , for which we him adore.
Then let the actions of thy soule perswade
Thy thoughts thou hast a soule , & let the lore
Which God in her infus'd, when he her made,
Teach thee to know that thy soul cannot fade.
The soule consists not by the outward sense ,
But by the soule the outward sense consists:
The outward sense hath no Intelligence ,
(Which in and by an Instrument subsists)
But as an Instrument sense her assists:
The sense can see a Fort , but if w' inferre,
Men made the same , and it the Foe resists,
This doth surmount the outward senses farre,
And doth conclude, our soules aboue them are.
Our Reason often giues our sense the lye ,
When sense would misinforme the Intelligence
For sense gaine-saies the Heav'ns ' pluralitie,
But Reason proues the same by consequence:
The Moone at full hath greatest light, saith sense ,
But Reason by cleere Demonstration
Doth proue her then to haue least radience
Then Reason by this illustration
The soule , not sense , makes Her foundation.
The Sunn's one hundred sixtie six times more
Then the Earthe's Globe in compasse; but the sense
With Tooth and Naile with-stands it evermore,
And saies, (nay sweares) ther's no lesse difference
Then twixt the Center and Circumference
But Reason by right Rules them both doth meate
Which shee hath made by her experience:
And findes the Sunne (as erst we said) more great
By Demonstration more then most compleate.
We by our soules conceaue (as erst was said)
Wisedome and knowledge bee'ng incorporal:
But outward sense is altogither stai'd,
On qualities of things meere corporall .
The soule , by reason , makes rules general
Of things particuler: but sense doth goe
But to particulers material,
The soule by the effect the cause doth sho,
But sense no more but bare effectes doth kno.
The proper essence of things is obscur'd,
And by themselues of vs cannot be knowne:
Therefore the knowledge of them is procur'd
By accidents and actions of their owne,
Which to the soule by wit's discourse is showne;
For, she concludes by Reason's consequents
(Though of themselues they meerely are vnknown)
That thus they are; which high experiments
Lie farre aboue the reach of sense ascents.
In them which wil not vnderstand this Truth ,
Their ignorance is sinne most pestilent;
But they which cannot, (ah the more the ruth)
Their ignorance, of sinne's the punishment:
And who denies a Truth so evident,
Hath neither grace , nor sense; for all may see
The soul's immortal, and divinely bent,
And hath most force when shee from flesh is free,
Which proues her powre and immortalitee .
If soules and bodies then be so distinct,
And that the soule , as she of God was made,
Is free from sinne , and by her owne instinct
Shee hates that sense that doth to sinne perswade,
How is it then that shee should be so bad?
For from the soule, sinne doth her force deriue,
Which with her waight the body doth orelade;
Can shee both cause , and yet against sinne striue?
Shee may (quoth All ) but few doe it beleeue.
That is a Gulffe that swallowes vp the soule
And quite confounds her, if shee enters it:
This secret deepe, deepe wisedome did enroule,
In that still-closed booke of secrets , fit
For Her alone to know, not erring wit
Therefore the more presumption we show
In search hereof, the more are we vnfit
A secret so vnknowne as this, to know:
For they know most thereof whose sp'rits are low.
The lesse sobrietie we vse herein,
The more we erre in by-pathes of Offence ,
And (giddy headed) headlong fal to sinne ,
From which we hardly rise by penitence ,
For sinnes presumptuous, grace doe most incense
Then let vs curbe our head-strong thoughts , when they
Would run beyond the reach of sapience:
And make them stop, where wisdome points a stay ,
That is, to go no further then they may.
Many a curious Question hath bin mou'd
Touching this secret , and no fewer Iarres
Hath it procur'd; and all to be reprou'd;
Sith ev'ry one his owne conceite preferres,
Which to maintaine, stil maintaines wilful warres
Some so desire to know , that faine they would
Breake through the Bounde that humane knowledge barres,
To pry into His brest which doth infold
Secrets vnknowne: These, strange opinions hold.
But let it vs suffize thus much to know,
That though the soule cannot be soild with sinne
As God created her; yet sinne doth flow
From Adam to the soule; and enters in
When shee the bodie doth to moue begin:
Nor must we make her sinnefull in respect
Shee with the Corpes is Cas'd , as solid therein,
But make the Fault of Adam her infect,
Which is, indeede, sole cause of that effect .
At large to proue her immortalitie ,
I should (like her) well-neere be infinite;
For, if the Image of the Deity
Bee found in Man , in his soule it is right:
And though by Adam shee bee made vnright ,
Yet by the second Adam (full of grace )
Shee is againe reform'd and made vpright ,
Which makes her striue when sin would her deface,
To foile it, or at least not giue it place.
Inough my Muse of that, which nere ynough
Can well be said, and let me (restlesse) rest;
For, I must ply my Penne which is my Plough,
Sith my life's sunne is almost in the West
And I provided yet but for vnrest:
Time flies away, these Numbers number time ,
But goodes they number not: for their int'rest
Is nought but Aire which, though to heau'n it clime
Is but meere Vapor rising but from slime .
There is no end in making many bookes , and much reading is a wearinesse of the Flesh .
Yet this we doe, and pleasure take in toile
Although we doe but plow the barraine Soile.
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