Classic Poem

T H e knowledge of the Soule , and of her Powres ,
Is the well -head of morrall-Wisdome's flood:
Hence know we al (worth knowing) that is ours,
In body , or in Soule , that's ill or good:
And if these Powres be rightly vnderstoode,
We know the founts from whence our Actions flow,
And from what cause proceedeth ev'ry moode ,
Or good, or ill, and where that cause doth grow;
Al this and more, this knowledge makes vs know.

For in the Soule doth shine (though sinne -obscur'd)
By Nature's light, great light of such science ,
Whereby the Soule is made the more assur'd
In all her Actions , and Intelligence ;
Though oft deceav'd by seeming good's pretence:
And for the Soule is to the body bound,
Affections therein haue their residence,
That, as with wings , the soule with them might bound
Aboue her selfe from being bloud y-drown'd

Wherefore shee hath Affections of two kinds,
The one eggs on, the other doe restraine,
By which the Minde the body turnes and windes
As they the mind , and minde the Corpes constraine:
Yet when these Curbs our head-strong nature paine,
It winceth with the Heele of willfull-will ,
Orethrowing those Affects that doe it reigne,
And in extremities it runneth still,
Which is the Race of Ruine , Rest of Ill .

This comes to passe when as we overpasse
The bounds of Nature , by our Nature's vice;
And in some one excesse we do surpasse,
Desiring more then Nature may suffice,
To which our corrupt natures vs intice:
For let the least Necessity appeere
A ken from vs, (though neere so smal of price)
We hold what els we hold, (though nere so deere)
Worthlesse, and for that want with woe we steere.

Hence is it that with never-ceasing toile,
And no lesse care, we traverse all this All
Nay, all that All we restleslie turmoile,
And bandy (as it were) this Earthie Ball
Past reason's reach, to win world's wealth withal;
Desire of having thus still moiles the minde ,
Though Nature be suffis'd with pittance small;
Which makes vs loose our selues when wee it finde,
Sith see our selues we cannot, being blinde.

It blinds our Eyes that seldom st are deceav'd,
Eyes of our Soule , that make our Bodies see;
Then Soule and Bodie cannot be perceav'd,
By their owne vertue when they blinded be;
And mine and thine , doth sever mee , and thee ;
Nought can content vs. Therefore the Affects
Are in the soule like windes (that nere agree)
Vpon the Sea , and worke the like effects,
Some great, some smal, yet like in most respects.

Beside the chiefe windes and Collaterall ,
(Which are the Windes indeede of chiefe regard)
Sea-men observe more, thirtie two in all,
Al which are pointed out vpon their Carde ,
But our Mind's Mapp, (though many may be spar'd)
Containeth many more Affects then these,
All which though sett our Mind's Content to guard,
Yet sturr they vp (as Windes doe on the Seas )
Vnquiet Passions which the Minde disease.

When Zephire breathes on Thetis , she doth smile
Shee entertaines that gale with such content;
But, if proude Boreas doe puffe the while.
Shee's madd with rage, and threates the Continent ,
For those proud puffes her soule doe discontent:
So, some Affections our soules ' browes vnbend,
And other some doe sextiply each dent;
Some meanely please, some meanely doe offend,
And some doe make the Soule her Soule to rend.

Those that doe meanely moue, Affections hight;
The other Huff-snuffes Perturbations be;
These later rudely gainst their Guides doe fight,
And so enfume them that they cannot see,
Or make them from their Charge away to flee:
So that the soule being left without a Guide ,
And tost with Passions that still disagree,
Doth like a Sternelesse Shippe at randon ride
On mightiest Seas , wrack-threatn'd on each syde

For, if our Reason's iudgment blinded be,
Th' Affections needes must ever run awrie,
And draw with them each sense tumultuoslee
To offer violence to lowe and hye ;
That God , and Nature , tast their tyranny:

Observaunce , looke about with thy right Eye ,
View this World's Stage , and they that play thereon,
And see if thou canst any one espie,
That plaies the wanton being wo-begon;
Or in Wealth wall'wing plaies not the Wanton
See how deepe sighes pull in each panting syde
Of the first sort in all their Action,
And how the second sort no where abide,
As standing on no ground through wanton pride.

The first , with downe-cast lookes stil eie the Mould ,
As waying whence they came, & where they must:
The second , with high lookes the Cloudes behold
To see how they for place and grace doe thrust,
Like these vngratious proude Oppressors iust:
Quiett and sadd the first doe still appeare,
The other madde with mirth , for quarell's lust;
Affliction thus to God doth Soules indeere,
When welfare makes them to the Devill deere

Revile mee, world , say I am Sincke of shame ,
Nay worse then Ill it selfe, (if worse might be)
Thou dost not wrong me, World , for so I am,
Although I am the worse (dam'd World ) for thee:
Spitt out thy fame -confounding spight at me,
Make me so vile that I my selfe may hate,
That so I may to my Reformer flee;
And be'ng reform'd, I may still meditate
On that pure Minde , that mended my Mind's state.

Then though Affliction be no welcome Ghest
Vnto the world (that loues nought but her weale )
Of me, therefore shee shalbe loved best,
Because to me shee doth the World reveale,
Which worldly welfare would from me conceale:
It is a gaineful skill the World to know,
As they can tel that with the World doe deale,
It cost them much ere proofe the same doth show,
Which knowledge from Affliction streight doth flow

And though the entrance into Vertue's way
Be straite, so strait that few doe enter in,
Yet being entred, walke with ease we may,
For labour endes when we doe but begin:
" Sweat before Vertue lacky -like doth rin
To ope the gate of Glory sempiterne,
That her triumphant coach might enter in;
So outward temp'ral toile gets blisse eterne
Vpon the corpes of Vertue most interne.

Sith Custome then is of such liuely force
As it hath powre it selfe to overcome
How blest are they that doe themselues divorce
From Custome ill, by force of good custome ,
And ten times blessed they that from the Wombe
Accustom'd are to Vertue's straightest Way ,
For, such by Custome vertuous become,
Though powreful Nature doe her selfe say nay;
For Nature , Custome's powre is forc'd t' obay.

When the Affections' Acts are habits growne,
Then Vertues or els Vices are they nam'd;
A vicious Habit's hardly overthrowne,
For our Affection is therewith enflam'd,
As with the fire infernall are the damn'd
Who though they would, and though they anguish haue,
Yet cannot that outragious mood be tam'd
But still they raging sin, and cannot saue
Themselues from that, that makes their griefe their graue

A vicious Habit is Hel's surest Gin ,
Wherewith a Man is sold to sinne , and shame ,
Running from sinne to sinne , and nought but sinne
As Rivers runne the same, and not the same.
Til the minde's Jointes, sinne's force doth so vnframe
That it becomes most loose and dissolute;
Neither regarding heav'n, hell, shame , nor fame ,
But to liue loathsomly it 's resolute;
Thus Habits ill, make evill absolute.

But few there are in whom all vice concurres;
And fewer are they, that all faults doe want;
Vnto the worst, offences cling like Burres ,
And to the best as to the Adamant
The Iron cleaues; for the Church militant
By nature is accompanied with sinne ,
Yet the least force of faith partes them (I grant)
Because it cleaues but sleightly to the skinne ,
But to the wicked's flesh it 's fastned in.

For as a burre the longer it abides
Vpon a garment being cott'nd hy,
The more the Wooll windes in his hooked sides:
So sinne the longer it in Flesh doth ly,
The faster to the same it 's fixt thereby
If Nature then sinne soone doth entertaine,
Vse violence to Nature by and by,
That it perforce may from the same refraine;
For what skill cannot force may yet constraine.

And as the Burre to Wooll so being fixt,
With skill , or force cannot be parted thence,
But that some part will with the Wooll be mixt:
So, sinne where it hath had long residence,
Will leaue remaines there, maugre violence ,
But Iron from the loadstone cleane will fall
With but a touch: and so wil sinne's offence
Let but the Hart bee loue -sicke, and the same
Will carry Iudgment where his Loue doth ly;
And there confine it, setting all on flame
That offers but resistance once to name.

The lower Iudgment in our blood is sunck
The lower is her reach in Reas'n's discourse;
For Iudgment with our blood may be so drunck
That doome she cannot better from the worse ,
But (reeling too and fro) is reft of force.
The higher therfore, she her selfe doth reare
Aboue base Flesh & Blood's declining course,
The more Affections basenesse wil forbeare,
And neerer draw to that that first they were.

For, Passions passing ore that break-neck Hill
Of Rashnesse , ledd by Ignorance their guide,
By false-Opinion's Hold of Good and Ill
Taking their course, at last with vs abide,
While from our selves they make our selues to slide:
So that we seeke not that sole sov'raigne Good ,
But many Goods we seeke; which being tride
Doe but torment the Minde with irefull moode,
Because they were by her mis-vnderstoode

Had we the prudence of the brutish kinde ,
We would prevent these Passions' Stormes with ease;
For, ere a Storme appeares they shelter finde;
Like providence haue Sea-men on the Seas ,
Who see them farre off, and provide for these:
So ought we, when we see a Passion rise
That may the Soule , and Body much disease,
With Moderation's pow'r the same surprize,
Before it gather head to tyrannize.

But, so farre off are we from curbing Passion ,
That wilfully we mount it, and so ride
On it a gallopp (spurr'd with Indignation )
To all Extreames , where Vices all abide;
The Divell being extreame Passion's guide :
For once when Reason's driven from the Helme
And we twixt Scylla and Charibdis glide,
Ther is no hope but one should overwhelme,
And send vs straight to the infernal Realme .

But with a prudent Man it fares not so,
He keeps himself without th' Affections ' sway;
He seekes no good , but he it wel doth kno,
And knowing it, seekes it the rightest way:
We say, and misse, because we mis-asay
Wisdom chalks out the way her selfe to find,
So that Men cannot erre if it they waie,
Except they be (as many) wilfull blinde,
For it is straight, though strict in easie kinde

Wisedome (the Well of ev'ry perfect good )
Is that, which wise men onely (seeking) finde;
Which constant good they seeke in constant moode,
And being found, most constant makes the Minde ,
For to the same, it selfe, it selfe doth binde:
Heerehence it is, the clowds of Ignorance
That erst the same did naturally blinde
Away are chased, without tarriance;
For Wisedome's Sonne , himselfe doth there advance.

Thus good , and ill (as erst we said) procure
The Minde's Affects , or Moodes , (so cald by some)
Which good , or evill , pure, or most impure,
Is either past , or present , or to come ,
To be attain'd, or not be overcome:
And, as we deeme the absence of good , ill:
So, absent Ill , wee deeme doth good become;
Either of which affecteth so our Will ,
That by their meanes it is in motion still.

When any good's propounded to the soule ,
Shee notes, shee likes, and lastly it doth loue
But in her Mouth shee often it doth rowle,
That so her Pallate may thereof approue,
Before it can her Soule's affection moue:
This motion of possessed good is Ioy ,
But good to come (which we doe long to proue)
Is call'd Desire , which loue doth still imploy
To seeke that good which it would faine enioie.

If Ill proposed be, it 's call'd Offence ,
Because the soule offended is thereby;
If it abides, Hate doth her soule incense;
For shee a lasting ill hates mortally,
As that which most her soule doth damnifie:
And, as from present Ill, Griefe doth aspire:
So, Feare proceedes from Ill farre off or ny:
The moode gainst present Ill is sinnelesse Ire
And Faith , and Hope , gainst future Ill conspire

All which Affects haue others vnder them;
For Rev'rence, Pitty , and Benevolence ,
Spring out of Loue (as Braunches from the Stemme )
From Ioy Delight, Dislike from sorrowe's sense;
And in Desire, Hope hath her residence:
But Prid's a Monster , for shee is compos'd
Of Self-conceit, Desire, Ioy, Impudence ,
These and such like in Pride are oft disclos'd,
For in her wombe they restlesse are repos'd

And, as Affections one another breede,
By one another so are they restrain'd:
Ioy woundeth Griefe & Griefe makes Ioy to bleede;
And so the rest are by the rest refrain'd,
As by the Stronge the weaker are constrain'd;
As when curst Thetis chiding knitts the Brow,
Her Billowes proud, that either's pride disdaine,
Thrusts out each other: So, when Passions flow,
The greater doe the lesser overthrow.

And oft it fares in our Minde's Common-weale,
As in a Civill-warre the case doth stande;
Where no mann's careful of his Countrie's heale,
Or who of right should al the rest commaund,
But follow him that hath the strongest hand:
So, in Affection's sight ther's no respect
To the Minde's good, or how it should be scand,
But (inconsiderate) they both reiect,
And doe as strongest Passion doth direct.

The Hart , the Hold where these Pow'res are inclos'd
Heereby is vext; for, if it doe incline
To those Affections that are worst dispos'd,
It 's inly griv'd, els Ioy the same doth line,
And with the same doth face the Face in fine;
But, if sadd sorrow doe the Hart surprise,
It doth deface the face and make it pyne;
Looking like Languishment through both the Eyes
For through the Eyes , our Eye the Hart espies

This direct Index of the Minde , the Eyes
Doth oft bewraie what Reason doth conceale;
For wil yee, nil yee, we shal see thereby
What 's well, or ill, in the Minde's common-weale:
Our Lookes , our Falshoode truely doe reveale,
Whereby oft lives and liberties are lost;
Examin'd Theeves confesse that they did steale
By their confused lookes , with horror tost:
Thus Count naunce oft putts vs to double cost

It Lyvings costs, to hold it beeing hy,
It costs our lives , when we it cannot hold,
We cannot hold it when through it we dye;
And two Proppes hold it high, Silver and Gold ,
For which oure lives, and livinges oft are sold:
For too lowe State too false doth make the hands,
Which in the Countenance wee oft behold,
Through which we die, and State that highly stands
Lands must vphold; So, it costs life and lands .

Thus Ioy and Sorrowe send with equal pace
True tokens of their presence in the Hart ,
(By Nature's force conducted) to the Face ,
Where they the pow'rs convince of Reason's Arte,
And in the Front with force they play their part:
If in the Hart, Griefe be predominant,
The browes wil bend as if they felt the smart;
If Ioy , the face wil seeme therefore to vant,
Then how Hart fares, Fooles are not ignorant

That Man is truely wise as Man may bee,
That can beare weale, & woe , with like aspect;
There may be such, but, such I nere could see;
Yet good men's countenance I much respect,
But of their goodnes nere saw that effect .
Let Stoicks giue for praecepts what they list,
This vertue may (perhapps) be their defect ,
For though Affections ' force they can resist,
Yet they'l prevaile when Nature's powres assist.

And weakling that I am, how apt am I
To martial al my Passions in my face,
I oft haue tride, and yet I doe but trie,
To keepe them in, in their conceaving place ,
Dissembling so Discretion's fowle disgrace:
But as I cannot colour my defects ,
So, can I wel dissemble in no case;
Which is the cause of many badd effects ,
For none (though nere so vaine) this vaine affects.

Teares are the Tokens of a Passion'd Soule ,
That Hart for Loue somtimes sends to the Eies,
And oft they witnes there Ioy. Paine , or Dole ,
But how so ere, from Passion strong they rise;
Which Passion in Compassion often lies:
Mine Eies are kyn (too neere of kyn) to these,
Which, though my Spirit doth it much despise,
Yet doe they turne mine Eyes too oft to Seas ,
To drowne Hart's Passion and to give it ease.

But blessed were I if mine Eyes could flowe
With Teares of Pittie seeing the distrest;
But much more blest, had I then to bestow
And franckly giue, then were I treble blest;
In Teares , in wealth , and in both so addrest:
My Secret to my selfe, I blesse Him ay
For being no worse, though badd I be at best;
The lesse I speake of what I feele that way,
The more I feele his grace my thoughts to sway

He, Fount of goodnesse (holie be his name)
Was often seene (when he as man was seene)
To weepe, and seem'd delighted with the same,
Seeing the World (through his Teares ) stil oreseene,
That might by his example blest haue beene:
Who never was observ'd to laugh, or iest,
Either in Manhood , or when yeares were greene,
At merry-meetings , or at wedding's feast;
Showing thereby what moode fitts Vertue best.

If Ioy at any time had toucht his Soule ,
(As when his words had made a Proselite )
He (only wise) would wisely it controule,
For that this moode with Maiesty doth fight,
Which in his Person was enthron'd by right:
This we admire as that we cannot doe,
For, we in pleasures vaine so much delight,
That Ioy may make vs madd , and kill vs too:
For Ioy or Griefe can our hart-stringes vndoe

Thus when our Teares doe testifie our ruth
We neede not rue, or of them be asham'd;
For, Vertue therein her owne selfe ensuth,
When with selfe-love her Soule is most inflam'd,
Which selfe-loue burns the Soul , yet nere is blam'd:
Wherefore such Teares , and Teares effus'd for sinne ,
Is wyne of Angels , so by Angells nam'd;
Then blessed are those Founts that never lyn
To send forth streames , that Angells glory in.

When sighes for sinne ascend, Mercy descends,
And in the rise , their flight anticipates;
Grace centreth sighes that Mercy comprehends,
But sighes from sinne ascending Mercie hates;
Sighes for, and from sinne , are vnequall mates
From sinne, none but sighes sinneful can arise;
But sighes for sinne high grace consociates,
And did not Mercie stay them in the rise ,
They would with violence the Heav'ns surprise.

Two kindes of Ioy or Griefe the Hart conceaues,
For Good , or Ill , possessed, or future;
The name of Hope , the later Ioy receaues,
Which of some good to come doth vs assure;
The latter Griefe doth Feare in vs procure
Of Ill to come, which we with Griefe expect:
So, Ioy , and Hope , or Griefe , and Feare in powre
Are much alike, their ods Time doth effect,
And take their names as they doe Time respect

Hope time to come respects, bred by Desire ,
Desire of good , wherein we Ioie by Hope
Hope hath no helpe of science but intire
Rests on coniecture , which to doubt lies ope,
And likelyhood giues her her vtmost scope:
Yet Hope that's fixt on that all-working Word
That gaue Earth being, and the Heav'nly Cope
Excludes Coniecture , and is so assur'd,
As if that hopt for, Time did straite afford

Then no true Ioy can hope accompany,
That hath but likelyhood for her best stay;
For such hope, Posse evermore doth eie,
Which ere it comes to Esse , slides away:
For in each Possibilitie we may
Behold a possibilitie of faile;
Which must of force our hope sometimes dismay;
Then Feare a shaking hope must needes assaile,
And hope must shake, that crosse events may quaile

Such is the Wicked's most assured hope,
Who Ancor it on transitorie Toyes ,
They feare the cracking of that cable Rope
That holds them to their hope's expected ioies;
Contingencie their constan'st hope annoies;
Which ay is constant in vnconstancle:
And oft them with their groundlesse hope destroies;
Which fils their hopes with dire perplexity,
And lines their ioies with lasting miserie .

But hope that hath for obiect certaine things
(As those which Truthe's nere-failing word assures)
In great'st distresse great consolation brings,
And like good sauce an appetite procures,
Griefe to disgest, as long as life endures:
This hope makes harts to hold that els would breake;
And harts almost quite broken shee recures,
And when our foes by force our ruine seeke,
She giues vs strength to weene their force too weake.

Shee holds the powres of hell in high contempt,
And makes a iest of temp'ral powre or paine;
From all annoy of both shee is exempt,
For in Griefe's bowels shee doth ioie retaine:
As Ionas did in the Whale's intertaine
The aire shee striketh with so strong a winge
That aire , or fire the force cannot restraine,
But vp shee will through both, and ev'ry thing
That lets her from the place of her biding.

Nay, she with such resistlesse wings doth flie,
That shee her selfe her selfe doth oft surmount;
The Faithful's Father made her so to stie,
And diverse other Saintes of lesse account;
Being on her Wings she, maugre force , wil mount
Who, through the ten-fold heav'ns (though thick & hard
Can glide with ease, as Fish do through a fount ,
Nor by the high'st himselfe can shee be bard,
But will prevaile, as it with lacob far'd.

Thus Ioy , and Hope goe iointly hand in hand,
Like Twins got by Desire , by Fancie borne;
And as Hope's ioie, on future Good doth stand,
So, Fear's a griefe conceav'd for Ill vnborne
(Which we expect) wherewith the Soule is torne:
Then looke what ods there is twixt Hope and Ioy ,
The like's twixt Feare , and griefe (in minds forlorne)
Alike they comfort, or the Minde annoy,
As they best know, that best or worst enioy

Feare doth the Hart contract, (that Hope dilates)
And shut so close that vitall Sp'rits it pines;
Then Nature to prevent death (which shee hates)
Drawes bloud and Sp'rits from all the parts' confines,
And to the Hart in haste the same assignes:
Then are the outward partes , as pale, as cold,
And quake as fearing their approaching fines ;
Then pants the heart that labours life to hold,
Which ties the Tongue, womb loosing ere it should.

And as this sense -confounding Passion, Feare
The hart with horror thus excruciates;
So, in the soule it such a swaie doth beare,
That it the Powres thereof quite dissipates;
And makes most abiects , of most mightie States
How like an Idoll stands Feare's servile Slaue?
Whose total senses Feare so captivates,
That no one sense hath force it selfe to saue,
But Death desires to kill the feare they haue.

If this base Feare (hart's hatefull hel) possesse
The hart , the hart doth then possesse the heele ,
But most of all, when hart doth most trangresse,
And divine vengeance it (with feare) doth feele;
Then Strength may seeke to stay it, but, t'wil reele
In spight of morrall strength , that it should sway;
And, as starke drunke with fear , turne like the wheele
That wheeles the nether heauens without stay,
Let courage say the while, what courage may

No harnesse (though by Vulcan forg'd) can make
Feare to be hardy, or not hartlesse quite;
If Armors could from Art such tempers take,
The Artist should be king'd in Fortune's spight;
For many kings would crowne him for this sleight:
But he it is, whom heav'n , and hell doth feare,
Can take feare from, and arme vs with his might
For he alone the faint- hart vp doth reare,
Or make the stowtest hart most faint appeare.

Wee must then armed be from Feare , by feare;
God's feare , that strong Vulcanian Armor , must
Guard such good Soules as doe regard it heere;
Because such feare is euer full of trust ,
That feares no threate of any mortal thrust
For, Hope in him, doth make the dareing hart ,
Which hope no hart can haue that is vniust;
For Conscience prickes will make the same to start
When the least Leafe doth wagge, by winde , or Art.

When therefore divine Iustice sinne wil scurge,
He doth dishart their harts , in whom it raignes,
In sort, that they themselves with horror purge,
When he on them his heavy vengeance raynes;
So that their feare exaggerates their paines
The haughti st Hart (erst swolne with Valour's pride)
Feare striks stone-dead, when he but vengeance faines;
And greatest strength by weakenesse is defide
When as his pow'r in weakenesse doth abide.

Then, Courage comes from Hope & Hope from Heau'n ,
The Donor is the highest Diety ,
The praise is His, that is to prowesse giv'n,
For he alone the Minde doth magnifie:
Then praise him Lowe , if courage make you Hie
And laude him High , if feare make yee not lowe ,
Yea high and lowe praise Him alone, whereby
You gaine the praise that men on you bestowe,
From Whom (as from the Fount ) al praise doth flowe.

How is it then, that Divills in Menne's forme
Swaggring Man-quellers are so desperate?
Who with strong hand God's Images deforme
Fearing no man , but give the checke or mate
To good and badd of what soever state:
This is not courage , but an hellish fire
That boiles their bloud , cal'd Ire , inflam'd by Hate
And oft of Saints they ( Fiendes ) haue their desire;
No otherwise then Iob felt Sathan's ire.

So, cursed Caine slue Abell in that moode,
Abell , that Innocent the Highest's belov'd;
Yet Caine had hart and hand to broach his blood:
The like, Men Angell -like haue oft approv'd
By those whome God in this life nere reprov'd
This secret is obscure , but light to those
That take it light, and it abide vnmov'd;
Them Faith assures, He doth of all dispose;
In whome, come life or death , they hope repose.

If divine LOVE desires my Bodie's death,
By soddaine death my Soule so straight to haue,
What matters it, though he bereave my breath
By Div'll , or Angell , so my Soule he saue;
The pow'r they both possesse, to them he gave,
Both are his Ministers to doe his will;
If Sathan then, my Corpes bring to the Grave ,
To me it is so farre from being ill,
That Sathan doth me good, against his wil.

Me good said I? well may I call it good,
Sith it is good of goods , good all in all;
The fount , whereof all goodnesse is the floud ,
That never yet was gag'd nor never shall
By Men , most wise, or spirits Angelicall:
It is th' Abysse of true Felicity ,
Which some men , more then most fantastical,
Suppose they have, had they high dignity ;
With pleasure fac'd, and lyn'd with Misery

Thus Ioy , and Hope , were by th' all Giver giv'n
As sweete Conductors to his sweetest Sweete ;
And Feare , and Griefe , from his wrath are deryv'n
To awe the Mind , (which first therwith doth meete)
And that which that Mind hath fore-done vnmeete,
Should be thereto as Scourge and Scou[r]ger iust,
Which doe remaine when sinne's sowre- Sweetes do fleete
To make the Mind abhorre her former lust;
For Griefe , and Feare , are iust to Mindes vniust

Now the true pleasure which our Nature craues
The whiles the Soule remaines the Bodie's Ghest ,
Is the true rest some Good the Soule vouchsaves,
Which the Hart holdeth, and esteemeth best;
As Contemplation is Reason's rest:
Yet can there be no pleasure in that good
If it be greater then Hart can disgest;
For, if the Continent bound not the floud.
Confusion must ensue in likely-hood.

If Light (ioy of the Eye ) be, as the Sunne ,
Too great for the Eyes ' small capacity,
They may be dymmed so, if not vndunne:
Or if it be too small, they cannot see;
As they are strong or weake, so Light must bee:
The like of other senses may be sedd
Outward or inward , bound to forme , or free,
Who must with moderation still be fedd,
For excesse them annoies, nay strikes them dead.

As therfore God is most most infinite,
So hee's with ioy receaved of that part
That's likst himself, which is the Soul or sp'rit
But for that he cannot himselfe impart
(Being Immense ) to them by pow'r or arte ,
(They being not so) he is to them applied
By Vnderstanding , yet but so in part;
If otherwise he should with them abide,
They would through glory be quite nullified

Now, as a man takes pleasure by these partes ,
So in that part he takes the most delight
That to his Flesh , or sp'rite , most ioy imparts;
And with those pleasures is he swallowed quight,
That doe affect that part with maine and might;
Therefore the brutish Vulgar , most are pleas'd
In things substantial which appeare to sight,
And things divine, which cannot so be seas'd,
They hold as vaine, and are therewith displeas'd

Amonge the pleasures which are sensuall,
The vilst is that we feele , by that we touch ,
Because it is the Earthli'st sense of all:
The Tast's of better temper, though not much:
Smelling is light, and lightly more will grutch
At vnsweete Savors, then in sweete will joye;
The Hearing is more worthie farre then such,
Sith it 's more Airey and doth lesse annoy,
Whereby we gaine the Faith which we enioy.

But Seeing , ( Sov'raigne of each outward sense )
Holds most of Fire , which is in nature neere
To the Celestiall Nature's radience;
Therefore this sense to Nature is most deere,
As that which hath (by Nature's right) no Peere .
Thus much for pleasures which these senses giue,
Whereof the best must needs most base appeare
Compared to the worst our Soules receave.
Whose powres haue much more pow'r to take and give

These are the Lures of lust , that never lyn
To draw the world to be a pray to woe ;
These make fraile flesh & Blood the founts of sinne
From whence all mortall miseries doe floe,
Which flesh and blood doe groning vndergoe;
In these are Baites for Beggars , as for Kinges .
Which pleasure's streames doe (swelling) overfloe,
That they are caught vnwares; so that these thinges
The World to Hell , and Hell to horror bringes

These are the windowes through which Sathan spies
The disposition of our better part .
Through these he hath a glimps of all that lies
Within the secret'st corners of our Hart ,
Which wel to know belongs to heav'nly Art .
For loue of these , the Flesh the Sprite doth loth,
Who for their pleasure makes the same to smart
And for their comfort soule and bodie both
With Care confusedly themselues doe cloth

As when grim Night puts on a Sable weede
Fac'd with infernal Apparitions ,
That so the next daie's comfort might exceede:
So, are the Minde and Bodie's motions
Care -cloth'd for senses ' consolations
Fraile senses (Seede-plots of impietie
Made for our Reason's recreations)
Die and bee damn'd, or liue to magnifie
Your maker's Mercie, Might , and Maiestie

And as in Pleasures false are true degrees,
Agreeing with these Organs of the sense ,
Some base , some meane , some high , (for so are these)
(Yet all but base to pleasure's excellence,
Whereof the soule's low'st powre hath highest sense)
So are there like gradations in the ioies
Those Powres conceaue, as is their pre'minence;
The feeding Powre , in feeding powre imploies
Which pleaseth Nature , but the soule annoies,

Those Ioies conceaved by th Intelligence
As most supreame, doe most reioice the sp'rite
For they belong to the supreamest sense ,
Wherein the Minde conceaveth most delight
(Though Nature pine the while) by Nature's right
Thus then, if iudgement these degrees would way
Shee would reiect ioie sensuall , as too light,
And not permit the same her to betray,
Which makes fraile sense the strongest Reason sway

The Glutton's Gorge ( Charibdis of Excesse )
Should (being disgorg'd) from surfetting forbeare:
Th' insatiate Leacher would that fire suppresse,
That Conscience and his secrets oft doth seare:
None would be Beasts that humane creatures were.
Then, sense of Touch or Tast , as vil'st they bee,
So doe they bring the ioies that soonest weare;
For those that come by that wee heare or see,
Doe longer last, and with vs more agree

And the more base and brutish pleasures bee,
The more's the paine in their accomplishment
And the more vs'd they are excessiuely,
The more's the soule and bodie's dammagement:
Witnesse the Leacher's lothsome languishment,
The Drunkard's dropsie and the Glutton's Grease,
Each clogg'd with either, or worse punishment,
That health decreaseth with their corps ' increase.
And shame increaseth with their fame's decrease.

Aske sensual- pleasure , in her greatest ruffe,
How little griefe will overthrow her quite
And giue her soule a deadly counter-buffe,
Shee wil (as forc'd) confesse, shee hath no might
When Griefe , scarse sensible, but comes in sight,
We can brooke pleasure's want with greater ease,
Then not feele griefes though they in pleasure bite;
For, absent good doth not so much displease,
As present ill our Soule's soule doth disease.

For corporall pleasure being sensuall
Consists in some excesse , which stil doth tende
To the extreame subversion of our All ;
The feare whereof must pleasure needs suspend,
And make her suffer pennance to the ende
No Conscience sear'd with Lust's Soul-scortching fire,
But feeles the Lawe's sharpe-burning Iron to send
And hell of paine , where she is most intire;
For it doth death it selfe with life inspire

Now as the pleasures of the eie surpasse
The rest that on the outward senses rest:
So Fancie's pleasures all those pleasures passe,
Because Opinion esteemes them best;
Hence is it, wealth with pleasure is possest
For no inherent vertue, but because
Opinion holdeth the possessor blest;
This makes men (maugre God and Nature's lawes)
To bite, and scrat for wealth , with Teeth and Pawse .

Wealth, state , and glorie , if they worldly be,
False wealth , fraile state , vaine- glory then they are;
Only held good by doting Fantasie ,
Which wil no part thereof to Reason share,
Least shee should finde them false and bid beware:
But Reason's pleasures are perpetuall,
They are all comforte , quitted from all Care ,
They thrall the Minde to freedome spiritual,
That makes selfe Bondage , sweet selfe Freedom's thral.

No marvell then, though Men possessing these
Doe hold al other pleasures hels of paine ,
That some their wealth haue throwne into the Seas ,
That so they might this weale with ease retaine;
These made that King to hold all pleasures vaine
(Save these alone) that prov'd all vnder Sunne ,
These haue made Princes quitt their princely Traine ,
Train'd by these pleasures (which are never dunne)
Quite from their Scepters and themselues to runne.

These make the Mind and Sp'rite so Nectar -drunck
That they sleepe soundly in divine delight .
These make the Soule forsake the Bodie's Trunck,
Leaving it Ioy -tranc'd whilst shee takes her flight
Through Nature's workes to have her Maker's sight:
These, these, & none but these are Heau'ns on Earth ,
Because on Earth they see by Nature's light
The highest Heaven's Maiestie and Mirth ,
And by his Sonne's light without Sire , their birth

Among which pleasures , those which doe consist
In Contemplation , are the most divine ,
By which this life and that to come are blist,
Which made Philosophers to it assigne
the Chiefe Beatitude , the Spiritte's wine .
If Mindes that never knew the Sov'raigne Good
Mount vp so high to make this Good their fine ,
What shame for those baptiz'd in Christ his blood,
If they (like Swine ) doe place the same in mudd?

And as the Soule retaineth more or lesse
Of pristine purity , so will the same
In all hir Actions , lesse or more transgresse,
And to the best , or worst , her motions frame:
Therfore some place their pleasure in their fame
For knowledge , and seeke knowledge to be knowne;
Some in rare handy-works , and some in Game ,
Some how a State may stand, or be orethrowne
When it is little, or else overgrowne.

And of al skils that meerely are humane,
This skill is it that most commends the soule
This can instruct the sword to make a lane
To Crownes , & teach the same Crownes to controule
And slaues in Catalogue of kings enroule
For Policie's long Arme can compasse pow'r ,
Which ioin'd, at wil, the Earth's huge Bowle can roule
In Nature's spight, if from th' aetheriall Towre ,
A suddaine vengeance stay not humane powre.

It 's better cure, then cut of members ill,
If it may be; and, if that wil not serue,
Yet cut them off as t'were against thy will:
For, Men hate not their members which they kerue
Or cleane cut off, the rest so to preserue:
For Cruelty sometimes is Clemencie ,
It 's mercy in the Prince (peace to conserue)
To cut off Rebels with severity
Lest they prevailing make an Anarchie .

And, if in case a mighty Multitude
Of mighty Men for Treason were to dy,
Policie would not haue the sword imbrude
In bloud of them as t'were successiuely;
But all at once, let them al headlesse ly:
For oft revenge with bloud to iterate,
The malice may suppresse of few too hy;
But stirres the harts of all to mortall hate,
Which may impeach the most secured state .

And therefore that which must be cut away
Away with it at once, quoth Policie .
And to the sores these plaisters ply straight way
Doe some great good that argues Charity,
And pardon some to shew thy Clemencie:
To shedde the bloud of corrupt Maiestrates,
Doth not a little the paine qualifie;
The sacrifice of such hate expiates;
Thus bloud must heale what bloud exulcerates

Intemp'rate Patients make Phisitions cruell,
And wayward Subiects make the Prince seveare:
Ceaselesse abuses of Ire is the fuell :
Can Sou'raignes beare, when Subiects nought forbeare?
Such must be taught to loue through cause of feare :
For, oft a ijrke from a kinde Master's hand
Among much cockring, makes our loue more deere,
When as we know, it with our weale doth stand:
So short correction tends to long command.

Iudges corrupt and all Extortioners
Like Spunges must be vs'd, squiz'd being full,
And so must Iustice handle Vsurers ;
They pull from Subiects, Kings from them must pull,
And when their fleece is grown, sheare off the wooll.
These are the Canker-wormes of Common weales ,
They mortifie and make the Members dull,
Then when the Head thereof these Cankers feeles
He needes must clense them, ere the Body heales.

For whosoever feares hate over much,
Knowes not as yet what Rules to Rule belong;
Let Subiects grutch without iust cause of grutch,
They will, when they perceave the Prince they wrong,
To right the same, continue Subiects long:
By Punishment , and by Reward a State
May be ore-aged beeing over yong;
In Mould of Love to melt the Commons hate,
Is to correct without respect of state

From Piety and cleere-Eyde Providence
Authoritie derives resistlesse force;
For Piety constraines Obedience ,
Sith all beleeves the Heau'ns doe blesse her coorse:
And Providence subiection doth enforce,
For, it foresees where Riott may runne out,
And with strong Barres (which Barristers r'enforce)
Makes fast the Parke -pale there and round about,
That to goe through, no one wil goe about.

It teacheth Princes wisely to beware
How they exhaust their store for warre in peace
To maintaine Reuellings , and nothing spare
That tends to Sensualitie's increase
Although therfore their Flocks they often fleece:
It ill beseemes (quoth Providence ) the Prince ,
His owne and publike Treasures to decrease
For private satisfaction of the sense ,
Which sincks the State with waight of vaine expence.

If there be factions for Sion's cause,
So bee 't they breake not bounds of Charitie ,
Instruction sooner then Correction drawes
Such Discords to a perfect Vnity ,
That yeelds a sweete Soule -pleasing harmony:
For, when a Violl's strings doe not concent,
We doe not rend them straight, but leisurely
With patience put in tune the Instrument ;
So must it be in case of Government .

If the sworde's edge be set on Policie ,
It wil slip through the Ioints of Monarchies
And shaue the Crowne of Roiall Maiestie ,
So be it stand in way of Tyranies ,
That clime to Crownes by bloud and villanies
The hand of Policie welding the sword ,
Directs each Blow that wounds stil multiplies,
That slaues to Crownes through streams of bloud may ford;
For Crownes de Or , those sanguine streames afford