Classic Poem

Si th that thou hast so soundly slept, my Muse ,
Dreaming on that which thou before had'st done
Being awake againe, thy Spirits rowze,
To make an end of what thou hast begun:
Be'ng rest -refresht therefore, now forwards run
With bright Apollo , (pray him be thy guide)
Vntill thou touch the Tropicke of Reason
Where Wisdome puts Plus vltra , there abide
For past that point to passe is passing pride.

For our Will's Baiard blind, yet bold, and free
And, had she way made in hir maine Carreere
Sh' would runne into that Light that none can see
Saue light of Lights , to feele the secrets there,
Which Angells wonder at, yet not come neere:
But Reas'n's conduct is nothing safe herein,
Therefore the Will hath too iust cause of feare
Lest shee should runne into presumptuous sinne
For which divinest Angells damn'd haue bin.

For since our Proto-parents' lowest fall,
Our wisdome's highest pitch (God wot) is low:
But had they stood Hee had infus'd in all
His Word , (selfe- Wisdome ) which alone to know
Is to know all that Wisdome's selfe can showe:
But since, the state of things is so vnstay'd
That humane wisedome stands it wotts not howe;
Vnsure in all; for Iudgment's oft betrai'd
In that which proofe before had well assai'd.

But having toucht the Braine , the Soule , the Will
(All which (saue of the soule ) can brooke no touch)
It rests that Reason's heasts wee doe fulfil,
To prosecute much more, or more then much
That Witt for Will wil willingly avouch:
Th'al-giving Giver giveth al that liue
(His Creatures ) such desires , and Natures such;
As for their good with good wil stil should striue,
And shun what ere should them of it depriue.

Beasts more then Men (the more Beasts men the while)
Pursue that good that doth their natures fitt.
To them for that (though they be nere so vile)
Is highest knowledge giv'n, and they vse it,
Thereby condemning both man's Will , and Witt
And yet hath Man a (synn-peruerted) will
To seeke that good he knowes most requizit,
Who knowes & loues the good , yet takes the ill
Oft for the good, but for the evil stil.

Yet as he was ordain'd to greater good ,
So greater knowledge was in him infus'd;
With no lesse will , (were it not sinn withstood)
To seeke that Good; yet the will witt-abus'd
When it hath found it, is oft witt refus'd:
Vnhallowed sense , drown'd in that damned iuyce
( Synne's Syder) from Eaue's fatall Apple bruiz'd,
Be'ing deadly drunck) makes stil the worser choise
Wherein (like Sow in mire) it doth reioyce.

Among the hoast of Nature's creatures, bee
Three kindes of Appetites , (there ay consorts)
Naturall, sensitive and Voluntarie
The first divided is into two sortes;
One found in all that to the World resortes:
That's inclination voide of Sense or Soule ,
To doe what the owne nature most importes:
As light things mount, and heavy downwards roule,
Which nature, Nature's selfe cannot controule.

The other with this vertue action haue,
Which nerthelesse proceedeth not from sense .
To Vegetatiue Soules this, Nature gaue
Which in Trees , Plants and Grasse hath residence;
Who doe desire to sucke that influence
That feedes them, and avoides the contrary;
A plant will thirst for moisture's confluence;
And draw to it all kinde humidity,
Retayning that it liues and prospers by.

The like in our owne members we obserue,
Who wanting nutriment doe sucke the vaines ;
The vaines doe sucke the bloud themselues to serue,
Thus each attracteth foode when neede constraines,
And all things living seeke the same with paines:
Hence we devide this naturall desire
Into two kindes , the one, each plant retaines,
The other, things which life doth sense -inspire,
As Man , and Beast , and what doth els respire.

The Seate of this desire stands on two feete ,
Which fixt are in two places: That's to say
The liver , and the Stomacke , there doe meete
The forces of this Appetite to slay
With famine , or with foode fraile life to stay:
The sensitiue desire is two-fold too
From sense the first , the last comes not that way
The first, to ioy and griefe is fixed so,
That no force can it from the same vndoe.

For in the sinewes ( Feeling's instruments)
This pow'r is plac'd or in the Synewy skin ,
And that the Synewes ioyes, or discontents,
That wel, or ill, affecteth them within:
By heate , or cold , they paine , or pleasure wyn,
As they to them are wel, or ill applied.
For sense and motion synewes made haue bin
That by them paine or pleasure should be tride.
And make our Bodies moue on ev'ry side.

Nor doe these Appetites wait on the will ,
Ne from the Phantazie doe they proceede,
For wil we, nil we, we shal hunger stil,
When food's with-drawn, that should our Bodies feed;
And we shal feele what sense affects with speede,
How ere the wil or Phantazy impung;
We may abstaine from nurrishment in deede,
But then thereby much more for it we long.
And Flesh wil pine with paine , if hunger-stung.

But th other Appetites bredd without touch ,
Are forged by the thoughts or Phantazie ,
These, discreete Nature in the hart doth couch
Which be Affectes that lurke in secresie,
Be'ng motions of the harte's Hart properlie:
These wait on witt , and choose or else reiect
What it holds deerest or doth most defie;
So Witt's the cause , and they are the effect ,
That loue, or loath, as witt doth them direct.

This witt , and will , the Beasts doe not possesse
For their most knowledge is most sensuall ,
Guided by Nature in their Brutishnesse ,
Onely by inclination naturall .
Which moues their sense vn-intellectual,
Or this, or that way, without Reason's sway;
Then witt and will their sense wee cannot cal,
Though sensual will and witt we cal it may:
For man alone hath both to guide his way .

The Voluntary Appetite we finde
Is gott by Reason , and produc'd by will ,
By it we are to good or ill inclin'd,
As Reason doomes of them by Iudgment's skill:
Two actions hath the will in reason still,
By which we good embrace, and ill refuse,
Reason revealing what is good or ill ,
Who rules hir not as though will could not choose,
But as one teaching Hir hir pow'r to vse

As in the Vnderstanding and the Minde
Of Men , and Angells , God hath fixt his forme ,
So to Manne's will his loue was no lesse kinde,
That to God's wil he might his will conforme:
Ah woe! that sinne should since the same deforme
Without constraint! for Hee Her freedome gaue,
And did with vnderstanding her informe
That voluntarie service hee might haue;
As that, his nature most doth loue and crave.

For, as himselfe doth nothing by constraint ,
So he constraines not those that him obay;
Lest that their wil might haue cause of complaint,
For want of libertie it selfe to sway:
Those praiers please him not, Constraint doth say
But true obedience flowing from the will ;
Then will should force her selfe (for so shee may)
His gratious good will freely to fulfill
Sith good he made hir loue, and loath the Ill .

Then Iustice would that God man's will should doe.
When Man doth God's will , this exchang is iust
And God's free-wil must needes subscribe thereto,
Sith it is free to doe that needes it must,
Which cannot doe the thing that is vniust;
For that were bondage free, or freedome bound;
Sith to doe evill but to haue a lust
Were Vassallage to Sathan that Hel-hound
Which fredome to doe good would quite confound,

But yet the will hath many motions else,
Diverse degrees therein doe plaine appeare;
Some haue such open harts and wilful wills
As that they loue and hate through passion meere:
So, Reason their Minde's Sterne in vaine doth steere,
For sense they serve, and have no patience
The seemeing neerest pleasure to forbeare
For further good , but forth-with please their sense
As sensuall appetite doth them incense.

But will in others, so hir selfe commaunds,
And those Pow'rs to her pow'r subordinate,
That (being free) shee bindeth both in bands
And vnto Reason all doth captivate:
As, many Dropsy -drie forbeare to drincke
Because they know their ill t'would aggravate;
So, will herein from her owne selfe doth shrinke,
And cleaves to that, that Reason best doth thinke.

The Heau'ns , and Earth , and all the Elements ,
(And what besides Man , is of them compos'd)
Doo GOD obay in his commaundements
For, as Hee wils, so are they al dispos'd;
Yet never he himselfe to them disclos'd:
Then not from knowledge their obedience springes,
But from the nature in their kinds inclos'd;
Yet Men he made to know and doe the things
That be of him , which grace and Knowledge bringes.

And that he should with more heede doe the same
A Will he giues him ioyn'd with griefe and Ioy ;
Which will might ioy when she doth passion tame,
And in the contrary might feele annoy,
All as shee doth her natiue powres imploy.
Here hence we know the odds twixt Ioy and Griefe
For in extreames they comfort or destroy
Such as leade here a good, or evil life,
Both flowing from the will , their fountaine chiefe

This pow'r hath highest vertue of Desire ,
And Caesarizeth ore each Appetite ,
Shee rules (being taught) with libertie intire
Whose actions are to will and nill aright;
Whose Obiect's real good or so in sight;
In nature shee hates ill in deede , or show,
And in the true, or false good , doth delight;
If ill for good shee choose, hence it doth gro
Because ill seeming good shee takes it so.

Shee nought can loue but hath some show of good
Nor ought can loath but hath like show of ill ,
Desire of good by her may be with-stoode,
But it shee cannot loath, or leave it still:
So may shee choose to execute her will,
When ill is tendred her in deede , or sho ,
But cannot leaue it, or her wil fulfill,
Because to ill shee is a mortall foe,
And lothes it as sole worker of her woe.

Then must shee needs be ever vnconstrain'd
Sith her Creator's Wil would haue it so;
Shee could not be her selfe, were shee restrain'd,
And though shee waites on Reason to, and fro,
Yet shee makes Reason waite her will to kno.
For, touching her, her Lord confines his powre,
Which cannot take that he did once besto,
Namely arbiterment , (her richest dowre)
Except Not-beeing , should her quite devoure.

For shee hath powre, to obiect to the Minde
What pleaseth her, or not the same obiect;
And while the Thoughts the same do turne and winde,
Shee may oreturne thos; Thoughts or them neglect
And turne the Minde to what shee shal direct:
Yea when as Iudgment's final doome is giv'n,
Shee may, or may refuse the same t'effect;
For Men are not as Beasts by Nature driv'n,
Vnlesse of Reason they are quite bereav'n.

About shee goes when Iudgement's doome is past,
And re-examines what it hath decreed;
Which done, perhaps the same shee will distast,
(Although the sentence be direct indeede)
And runnes another course, lesse right, with speed:
Which second search yet aimes at greater right,
Though shee mistakes the same for want of heede,
Which want proceeds from Sin's extreame dispight.
That blindes our Minde's eies in extreamest light.

Wherefore it vs behoues Grace to invoke
Whereby wit vprightly may weld the will ,
For as ill Sprites our fantazies provoke,
So on our wils they may the like fulfill,
And make her scorne to rule by Reason's skill;
For, shee's ambitious and delights to raigne
Without controle, how euer well , or ill;
And beeing free shee runneth on amaine,
To ioy if wel, if otherwise, to paine .

This liberty of Monarchizing thus
Shee deemeth good, what ill so ere ensues;
Which libertie , is bondage base to vs,
And free we were if our will could not chuse
But vse His will , that gaue vs wils to vse:
Whose only service , only freedome is,
And only they are Slaues that it refuse;
Sith they are Sathan's servants (if not his)
Which please him most, when they do most amisse.

For in this great commerce of terrene things,
The bad whereof exceeding so the good ,
And that so fast the one to other clings
That twixt them both there is great likelyhood,
Hardly by will can they be vnderstood:
And sith Men Bodies haue aswel as Soules ,
Things bodily best like the bodie's moode,
Which often so the Minde and Will controules.
That as it lusts it rules and over-rules.

Herehence it is, some mortall life doe prize
Aboue eternal, and their guts aboue
The highest God , that doth their guts suffize;
And though the will herein may rigor proue,
Yea, may be forc'd to leaue what it doth loue,
Yet nought can her resistlesse powre constraine,
For nothing can desire from her remoue,
Although shee cannot doe what she would faine:
So maugre force , shee freedome doth retaine.

Sith Reason then the Wil's desires should sway,
And bring th' Affections to obedience,
It 's requisite they should accorde alway
To mainetaine warres against rebelling Sense;
Which is the rule of Reason's consequence:
Wherefore we way wel iudge of Reason's rule,
By the Affections ' and Wil's continence;
As a good Prince or Master of a Schoole,
Make them they governe, hate, and shun misrule

And, for th Affections from the hart proceede
(Which is the Seate of loue to God and Men )
If then the hart and Minde be wel agreed,
The hart with flames of lasting loue will bren,
And fire out froward Passions from their den:
Then wil the Tongue from harts aboundance speake
God's highest laudes till they report agen;
Then loue twixt Tongue & Hart shal marriage make,
To bring forth naked Truth , which loue doth seeke.

Wherefore the Providence divine did place
The lunges (the voice's Organs ) next the Hart ;
(As the Minde's instruments the Braines embrace)
That they may neere at hand, soone vse their Art
As Orators of Princes play their part
Neere to their Sov'raignes; And wer't not for sinne ,
The Will , from Reason's rule should never start,
And twixt the Hart , & Braine there should haue bin
A lasting league , as beeing neere of kin.

Sin , noughty Nothing that mak'st all things nought
(Except the Thing of Things that made them good)
Thou wast vnmade thy selfe, yet ill haste wrought;
Whereby thou haste so perverst Flesh , and Bloud ,
That now by it all goodnesse is with-stood:
Damn'd Nothing that hast such a some-thing stride
How wast begot? by whom? and in what moode?
Through lust; By Eaue and Adam, In their pride
Now Error speakes what Truth hath iustifide.

For wit, will, Anger , and Concupiscence ,
Are fowre powres of the soule , wherein should lie
Fowre vertues , taking thus their residence:
Wisedome in wit , in will Integritie ,
Valor in Ire and in lust Temprancie
But wit with ignorance , and will with wronge ,
Anger with Feare , and lust with libertie
Are so pervers'd, that they themselues impunge
Except preventing grace be mixt amonge.

The totall frame of man's divinest part ,
By light divine we see is out of frame;
Th antipathie betwixt the Minde and Hart ,
Giues but too good assurance of the same:
And though the minde in all her limbes be lame
Yet in our little world shee raignes as Queene ,
And seekes wilde passions of the Hart to tame,
That in her selfe there might bee ever seene,
Soule-pleasing ioy and peace to flourish greene.

For shee's the mancion of Felicitie ,
Contrived so, that there it's safe confin'd,
To which there is no way nor entery,
But through th Affections , servants of the Minde
Yet they too oft disloial prooue by kinde,
Who liers, and sinne -soothing claw-backes are,
Whereby our iudgment's eies they ( Traitors ) blinde,
That it erres mortallie ere it beware,
If reason of their treason haue not care

For three Powres speciall in the Soule reside,
Reason, Concupiscence , and ardent Ire ,
The first, to Truthe's obscure abiding guides;
The second, good-things gladly doth desire;
The third, doth from the contrarie retire:
In bowels of the first the Wits are bred;
Th' Affectes are forg'd in both the others' fire;
In nomber fowre, Ioy, Hope, Sorow , and Dread ,
Which from the last powres spring, as from their head.

First, from the first Powre, Ioy and Hope proceedes,
(For what we covet, wee ioy in with hope)
And Ire , the last powre, Dread and sorow breedes;
For, hate to dreade and sorow lies wide ope;
Griefe in hate's hell the way to dreade doth grope
From these Affects (as from their fountaine ) floes
All vice and vertue which in Man doth cope,
For vice and vertue ay are mortall foes,
And as Reas'n rules, so either overthroes.

The soul's call'd Anima our flesh containes,
While shee the same with vitall fire filleth;
Mens while shee mindeth , or shee Minde retaines,
And Animus , while shee hath Will or willeth;
Shee's Ratio , whilst shee iudgement iust fulfilleth:
Then spiritus shee hight, when shee respires .
From all which, science to the soule distilleth,
So, call'd scientia , thus her names doe change,
As shee her qualities doth interchange.

The outward senses outward parts possesse,
As th' inward to the soule are knit by kinde:
And, for the soule her powre doth most expresse
In that whereto her soule is most inclinde,
Here-hence it is, men mortified in minde
Whose spirits ' powres on things divine are bent
Fare, as they were sometimes, deafe, dombe , & blind ,
Their contemplations are so violent:
But Vulgars ' outwarde sense is excellent.

But while the soule can take a strict survay
Of all the instruments which shee doth vse,
So long the owner of that soule may say
He hath a iudgement sound, and perfect Muse
But if those instruments that Man misvse,
Or ruine them, the soule straight seeing it,
Her ruin'd Iaile shee striues then to refuse:
Which strife the sense's frame doth so vnknit
That it confounds it, or distracts the Wit
.
And in this moode (though we esteeme it madd)
Men prophesie, and truely things foretell,
Speake diuerse Tongues , which erst they never had
And in Artes which they knew not, they excell
Thus whilst the soule doth hold her house an Hell,
Striving to be enlarg'd, becomes more free,
Then workes shee like her selfe (exceeding well)
That wonder tis, the same to heare and see:
O sacred soule (but God ) who 's like to thee!