Part 6

[Sidenote: The Answer to the Objection.]

Thus these good men, with holy zeal were blind, When on the other part the truth did shine, Whereof we do clear demonstrations find, By light of Nature, and by light Divine.

None are so gross, as to contend for this, That Souls from Bodies may traducèd be; Between whose natures no proportion is, When root and branch in nature still agree.

But many subtle wits have justified That Souls from Souls, spiritually may spring; Which (if the nature of the Soul be tried) Will even, in Nature, prove as gross a thing.

[Sidenote: Reasons derived from Nature.]

For all things made, are either made of nought, Or made of stuff that ready made doth stand: Of nought, no creature ever formed ought, For that is proper to th'Almighty's hand.

If then the Soul, another soul do make; Because her power is kept within a bound, She must some former stuff or matter take; But in the Soul, there is no matter found.

Then if her heavenly Form do not agree, With any matter which the world contains; Then She of nothing must created be, And to Create, to GOD alone, pertains!

Again, if Souls do other Souls beget, 'Tis by themselves, or by the Body's power! If by themselves! what doth their working let, But they might Souls engender every hour?

If by the Body! how can Wit and Will, Join with the body, only in this act? Since when they do their other works fulfil, They from the Body, do themselves abstract!

Again, if Souls, of Souls begotten were, Into each other they should change and move; And Change and Motion still corruption bear; How shall we then, the Soul immortal prove?

If, lastly, Souls did generation use, Then should they spread incorruptible seed: What then becomes of that which they to lose, When the acts of generation do not speed?

And though the Soul _could_ cast spiritual seed, Yet _would_ She not, because She never dies; For mortal things desire, their like to breed; That so they may their kind immortalise.

Therefore the angels, Sons of God are named, And marry not, nor are in marriage given; Their spirits and ours are of one Substance framed, And have one Father, even the Lord of heaven:

Who would at first, that in each other thing, The earth and water, living souls should breed; But that Man's Soul (whom He would make their king) Should from Himself immediately proceed.

And when He took the woman from man's side, Doubtless Himself inspired her soul alone; For 'tis not said, he did, Man's _soul_ divide, But took _flesh of his flesh, bone of his bone_.

Lastly, GOD, being made Man, for man's own sake, And being like man in all, except in sin: His Body, from the Virgin's womb did take; But all agree, _GOD formed His soul within_.

Then is the Soul from God? So Pagans say, Which saw by Nature's light, her heavenly kind, Naming her "Kin to God!" and "GOD's bright ray," "A citizen of heaven, to earth confined!"

But now I feel they pluck me by the ear, (Whom my young Muse so boldly termed blind) And crave more heavenly light; that cloud to clear, Which makes them think GOD doth not make the Mind!

[Sidenote: Reasons drawn from divinity.]

GOD doubtless makes her! and doth make her good! And grafts her in a Body, there to spring; Which though it be corrupted, flesh and blood, Can no way to the Soul, corruption bring.

And yet this Soul (made good by GOD at first, And not corrupted by the Body's ill) Even in the womb, is sinful and accurst, Ere she can judge by Wit, or choose by Will.

Yet is not GOD, the author of her Sin; Though author of her Being, and being there; And if we dare to judge our Judge therein; He can condemn us, and Himself can clear.

First, GOD, from infinite eternity Decreed what hath been, is, or shall be done; And was resolved that every man should Be And, in his turn, his race of life should run.

And so did purpose all the souls to make, That ever have been made, or ever shall; And that their Being, they should only take In human bodies, or not Be at all.

Was it then fit, that such a weak event (Weakness, itself! the sin and fall of Man) His counsel's execution should prevent? Decreed and fixed before the world began.

Or that one penal law, by ADAM broke, Should make GOD break His own eternal law; The settled order of the world revoke, And change all forms of things, which He foresaw.

Could EVE'S weak hand, extended to the tree, In sunder rent that Adamantine Chain, Whose golden links, Effects and Causes be; And which to GOD's own chair, doth fixt remain?

O could we see! how Cause from Cause doth spring! How mutually they linked and folded are! And hear how oft one disagreeing string, The harmony doth rather make, than mar!

And view at once, how Death by sin is brought! And how from Death a better Life doth rise; How this, GOD's Justice and his Mercy taught; We, this decree, would praise, as right and wise!

But we (that measure times, by First and Last) The sight of things successively do take; When GOD, on all at once, His view doth cast; And of all times, doth but one instant make.

All in Himself, as in a glass, He sees, And from Him, by Him, through Him, all things be; His sight is not discursive, by degrees; But seeing the whole, each single part doth see.

He looks on ADAM, as a root, or well, And on his heirs, as branches, and as streams; He sees all men as one man! though they dwell In sundry cities, and in sundry realms.

And as the root and branch are but one tree, And well and stream do but one river make; So, if the root and well corrupted be; The stream and branch the same corruption take

So when the root and fountain of Mankind; Did draw corruption, and GOD's curse by sin: This was a charge that all his heirs did bind; And all his offspring grew corrupt therein!

And as when th' hand doth strike, the man offends, (For part from whole, Law severs not in this!) So ADAM'S sin to the whole Kind extends, For all their natures are but part of his.

Therefore, this sin, of Kind, not personal; But real, and hereditary was: The guilt whereof, and punishment to all, By Course of Nature, and of Law doth pass.

For as that easy law was given to all! To ancestor and heir! to first and last! So was the first transgression general; And All did pluck the fruit! and All did taste!

Of this, we find some footsteps in our Law, Which doth her root from GOD and Nature take. Ten thousand men she doth together draw, And of them all, one Corporation make!

Yet these and their successors are but One; And if they gain or lose their liberties; They harm or profit not themselves alone, But such, as in succeeding time, shall rise!

And so the ancestor and all his heirs, (Though they in number pass the stars of heaven) Are still but One! His forfeitures are theirs! And unto them, are his advancements given!

His civil acts to bind and bar them all! And as from ADAM, all corruption take; So if the father's crime be capital; In all the blood, Law doth _corruption_ make!

Is it, then, just with us, to disinherit The unborn nephews, for the father's fault? And to advance again, for one man's merit, A thousand heirs that have deserved nought?

And is not GOD's decree as just as ours, If He, for ADAM'S sins, his sons deprive Of all those native virtues, and those powers; Which He to him, and to his race did give?

For what is this contagious Sin of Kind, But a privation of that grace within, And of that great rich dowry of the mind; Which all had had, but for the first man's sin?

If then a man, on light conditions, gain A great estate, to him and his, for ever; If wilfully, he forfeit it again: Who doth bemoan his heir? or blame the giver?

So, though GOD make the Soul good, rich, and fair; Yet when her form is to the Body knit, Which makes the Man: which Man is ADAM'S heir; Justly, forthwith, he takes his grace from it.

And then the Soul, being first from nothing brought, When GOD's grace fails her, doth to nothing fall; And this _declining Proneness unto nought_, Is even that Sin, that we are born withal.

Yet not, alone, the first good qualities, Which in the first Soul were, deprivèd are; But in their place the contrary do rise, And real spots of sin, her beauty mar.

Nor is it strange that ADAM'S ill desert, Should be transferred unto his guilty race; When CHRIST, His grace and justice doth impart To men unjust! and such as have no grace!

Lastly, the Soul were better so to be Born slave to sin, than not to Be at all! Since, if She do believe, One sets her free, That makes her mount the higher, from her fall.

Yet this, the curious Wits will not content! They yet will know (since GOD foresaw this Ill) Why His high providence did not prevent The declination of the first Man's will.

If by His word, He had the current stayed, Of Adam's will, which was by nature free; It had been one as if His word had said, "I will, henceforth, that man, no Man shall be!"

For what is Man, without a moving Mind; Which hath a judging Wit, and choosing Will? Now, if GOD's power should her election bind; Her motions then would cease, and stand all still.

And why did GOD in Man this Soul infuse; But that he should his Maker know and love? Now if love be compelled, and cannot choose; How can it grateful, or thankworthy prove?

Love must free hearted be, and voluntary, And not enchanted, or by Fate constrained: Not like that love, which did ULYSSES carry To CIRCE'S isle, with mighty charms enchained

Besides! Were we unchangeable in Will, And of a Wit, that nothing could misdeem; Equal to GOD (whose wisdom shineth still, And never errs) we might ourselves esteem.

So that if Man would be unvariable; He must be GOD! or like a rock, or tree! For even the perfect angels were not stable; But had a fall, more desperate than we.

Then let us praise that Power, which makes us be Men, as we are! and rest contented so! And knowing man's fall was Curiosity, Admire GOD's counsels! which we cannot know.

And let us know that GOD, the Maker is Of all the Souls, in all the men that be: Yet their corruption is no fault of His; But the first man's, that broke GOD's first decree

[Sidenote: Why the Soul is united to the Body.]

This Substance, and this Spirit, of God's own making, Is in the Body placed, and planted there: That both of GOD, and of the world partaking; Of all that is, Man might the Image bear!

GOD, first, made Angels! bodiless pure minds! Then, other things, which mindless bodies be. Last, He made Man, the Horizon 'twixt both kinds, In whom, we do the World's Abridgement see.

Besides! This world below did need one wight, Which might thereof, distinguish every part; Make use thereof, and take therein delight; And order things with industry and Art.

Which, also, GOD, might (in His works) admire, And here, beneath, yield Him both prayer and praise; As there, above, the holy Angels' Quire Doth spread His glory, with spiritual lays.

Lastly, the brute unreasonable wights, Did want a Visible King, on them to reign; And GOD Himself, thus to the world unites, That so the world might endless bliss obtain.

[Sidenote: In what manner the Soul is united to the Body.]

But how shall we this Union well express? Nought ties the Soul, her subtility is such: She moves the body, which She doth possess; Yet no part toucheth, but by virtue's touch!

Then dwells She _not_ therein, as in a tent, Nor as a pilot, in his ship doth sit, Nor as a spider, in her web is pent, Nor as the wax retains the print in it:

Nor as a vessel, water doth contain, Nor as one liquor, in another shed, Nor as the heat doth in the fire remain, Nor as a voice, throughout the air is spread.

But as the fair and cheerful Morning Light Doth, here and there, her silver beams impart: And, in an instant, doth herself unite To the transparent air, in all and part.

Still resting whole, when blows, the air divide, Abiding pure, when th'air is most corrupted; Throughout the air, her beams dispersing wide; And, when the air is tost, not interrupted!

So doth the piercing Soul, the Body fill, Being all in all, and all in part diffused? Indivisible! incorruptible still! Not forced! encountered! troubled! or confused!

And as the Sun above, the light doth bring, Though we behold it in the air below; So from th' Eternal Light, the Soul doth spring, Though in the body, She her powers do show.

[Sidenote: How the Soul doth exercise her powers in the Body.]

But as this world's sun doth effects beget, Diverse in divers places, every day, Here, Autumn's temperature! there, Summer's heat! Here, flowery Spring-tide! and there, Winter grey!

Here, Even! there, Morn! here, Noon! there, Day! there, Night! Melts wax! dries clay! makes flowers some quick, some dead! Makes the Moor black! and th'European, white! Th'American tawny! and th'East Indian red!

So in our little world, this Soul of ours, Being only One, and to one Body tied, Doth use on divers objects, diverse powers, And so are her effects diversified.

[Sidenote: The Vegetative or Quickening Power.]

Her Quick'ning Power in every living part, Doth as a Nurse, or as a Mother serve; And doth employ her economic art, And busy care, her household to preserve.

Here, She attracts! and there, She doth retain, There, She decocts, and doth the food prepare, There, She distributes it to every vein, There, She expels, what She may fitly spare.

This power to MARTHA, may compared be, Which busy was, the household things to do; Or to a Dryas living in a tree, For even to trees, this power is proper too.

And though the Soul may not this power extend Out of the body, but still use it there; She hath a Power, which she abroad doth send, Which views and searcheth all things everywhere.

[Sidenote: The power of Sense.]

This Power is Sense, which from abroad doth bring, The Colour, Taste, and Touch, and Scent, and Sound, The Quantity, and shape of everything Within th'earth's centre or heaven's circle found.

This Power, in parts made fit, fit objects takes, Yet not the Things, but Forms of Things receives: As when a seal in wax impression makes, The print therein, but not itself, it leaves:

And though things sensible be numberless, But only five the Sense's organs be; And in those five, All Things their Forms express, Which we can Touch, Taste, Feel, or Hear, or See.

These are the Windows, through the which She views The Light of Knowledge, which is Life's Load-star; And yet whiles She, these spectacles doth use, Oft, worldly things seem greater than they are.

[Sidenote: Sight.]

First, the two Eyes, which have the Seeing Power, Stand as one Watchman, Spy, or Sentinel, Being placed aloft within the head's high Tower And though both see, yet both but one thing tell.

These Mirrors take into their little space, The Forms of moon, and sun, and every star; Of every body, and of every place, Which, with the world's wide arms, embracèd are.

Yet their best object, and their noblest use, Hereafter in another world will be; When GOD in them, shall heavenly light infuse, That face to face, they may their Maker see.

Here are they guides, which do the Body lead, Which else would stumble in eternal night: Here in this world, they do much knowledge _read_, And are the Casements, which admit most light.

They are her farthest-reaching instrument; Yet they no beams unto their objects send: But all the rays are from their objects sent; And in the Eyes, with pointed angles end.

If th'objects be far off, the rays do meet In a sharp point, and so things seem but small; If they be near, their rays do spread and fleet, And make broad points, that things seem great withal.

Lastly. Nine things to Sight requirèd are. The Power to see! the Light! the Visible thing! Being not too small! too thin! too nigh! too far! Clear space! and Time, the Form distinct to bring.

Thus see we, how the Soul doth use the Eyes, As instruments of her quick power of sight; Hence do th'Arts Optic, and fair Painting rise. Painting, which doth all gentle minds delight!

[Sidenote: Hearing.]

Now let us hear, how She the Ears employs: Their office is the troubled air to take, Which in their mazes, forms a sound or noise; Whereof herself doth true distinction make.

These Wickets of the Soul are placed on high, Because all sounds do lightly mount aloft; And that they may not pierce too violently; They are delayed with turns and windings oft.

For should the voice directly strike the brain, It would astonish and confuse it much; Therefore these plaits and folds the sound restrain, That it, the Organ may more gently touch!

As streams, which, with their winding banks, do play, Stopt by their creeks, run softly through the plain; So in the Ear's labyrinth, the voice doth stray, And doth, with easy motion, touch the brain!

It is the slowest, yet the daintiest Sense! For even the ears of such as have no skill, Perceive a discord, and conceive offence, And knowing not what's good, yet find the ill!

And though this Sense, first, gentle Music found; Her proper object is the Speech of Man! But that speech chiefly which GOD's heralds sound, When their tongues utter, what his Spirit did pen.

Our Eyes have lids, our Ears still ope we see! Quickly to hear, how every tale is proved; Our Eyes still move, our Ears unmoved be! That though we hear quick, we be not quickly moved.

Thus by the organs of the Eye and Ear, The Soul with knowledge doth herself endue! Thus She her prison, may with pleasure bear; Having such prospects, all the world to view!

These Conduit Pipes of Knowledge feed the Mind: But th'other three attend the Body still; For by their services the Soul doth find What things are to the Body, good or ill.

[Sidenote: Taste.]

The Body's life, with meats and air is fed, Therefore the Soul doth use the Tasting power! In veins, which through the tongue and palate spread, Distinguish every relish, sweet and sour.

This is the Body's Nurse! But since Man's wit Found th'art of cookery to delight his Sense: More bodies are consumed and killed with it! Than with the sword, famine, or pestilence.

[Sidenote: Smell.]

Next, in the nostrils, She doth use the Smell, As GOD the breath of life in them did give; So makes He, now, His power in them to dwell; To judge all airs, whereby we breath and live.

This Sense is also mistress of an Art, Which to soft people, sweet perfumes doth sell; Though this dear Art doth little good impart, Since "they smell best; that do of nothing smell!"

And yet good scents do purify the Brain, Awake the Fancy, and the Wits refine. Hence Old Devotion, incense did ordain, To make men's spirits more apt for thoughts divine.

[Sidenote: Feeling.]

Lastly, the Feeling power, which is Life's Root, Through every living part itself doth shed; By sinews, which extend from head to foot, And like a net, all o'er the Body spread.

Much like a subtle spider, which doth sit In middle of her web, which spreadeth wide; If ought do touch the utmost thread of it; She feels it, instantly, on every side!

By touch; the first pure qualities we learn, Which quicken all things, Hot, Cold, Moist, and Dry! By touch; Hard, Soft, Rough, Smooth, we do discern! By touch; sweet Pleasure, and sharp Pain we try!

These are the outward instruments of Sense! These are the Guards, which every thing must pass; Ere it approach the Mind's intelligence! Or touch the Phantasy "Wits Looking Glass!"

[Sidenote: The Imagination, or Common Sense.]

And yet these Porters which all things admit, Themselves perceive not, nor discern the things; One Common Power doth in the forehead sit, Which all their proper forms together brings.

For all those Nerves, which spirits of Sense do bear, And to those outward organs spreading go, United are as in a centre there! And, there, this power, those sundry forms doth know!

Those outward Organs present things receive; This inward Sense doth absent things retain! Yet, straight, transmits all Forms she doth perceive, Unto a higher region of the brain;

[Sidenote: The Phantasy.]

Where Phantasy (near handmaid to the Mind!) Sits and beholds, and doth discern them all; Compounds in one, things diverse in their kind, Compares the black and white, the great and small.

Besides those single forms, She doth esteem, And in her balance doth their values try; Where some things good, and some things ill do seem, And neutral some in her Phantastic eye.

This busy power is working day and night, For when the outward senses rest do take; A thousand dreams, phantastical and light, With fluttering wings, do keep her still awake!

[Sidenote: The sensitive Memory.]

Yet, always, all may not afore her be; Successively, she this, and that intends: Therefore such forms as she doth cease to see, To Memory's large volume she commends!

The Ledger Book lies in the brain behind, Like JANUS' eye, which in his poll was set; The Layman's Tables! Storehouse of the Mind! Which doth remember much, and much forget.

Here, Sense's Apprehensions end doth take; As, when a stone is into water cast, One circle doth another circle make, Till the last circle touch the bank at last!

[Sidenote: The Passions of Sense.]