יהוה Summa Totalis OR, All in All, and, the same for ever: Or, an Addition to Mirum in Modum.  
By the first Author, john Davies.  
Those Lines which all, or none perceive aright  
Have neither judgement, Art, Wit, Life, or sprite.  
LONDON Printed by William jaggard dwelling in Barbican. 1607.   

To the right Honourable mine approved good Lord and Master, Thomas Lord Elsmere, Lord Chancellor of England: and to his Right Noble Lady, and Wife Alice, Countess of Derby, my good Lady and Mistress, be all felicity, consisting in the sight of the Obiective Beatitude.  

THe Time, my duty, and your dear desert,  
(Deservedly Right Noble) do conspire,  
To make me consecrate [besides my Heart]  
This IMAGE to you, forged with heavenly Fire!  
The 
a Exod, 33, 23  Backe-parts of his FORM, who formed this ALL,  
(Charactered by the Hand of loving Fear)  
Are shaddovved here: but (ah) they are too small  
To show their greatness, which ne'er 
b job, 36 29  compassed were!  
But, though that Greatness be past 
c Psal, 86, 8  quantity,  
And Goodness doth all quality exceed,  
Yet I, this Form of Formelesse DEITY,  
Drew by the Squire, and Compass of our CREED:  
Then (with your greater GVIFTS) accept this small;  
Yet (being right) it's more then ALL in All!   
Your Honours in all duty, most bounden;  
john Davies of Here ford.   

SUMMA TOTALIS.  

MY Soul, sad Soul, now summon all thy Powers  
To seek out Mysteries past finding out!  
But first, invoke the Heavens to stream their Showers  
Of Divine Graces on thee, to disrout  
The Clouds of darkness, which engird thy 
* Head, and heart  Towers,  
And that uncompast 
* god  Round thou go'st about!  
If traveling by Night we pray for Day,  
Now must we going [blind] a wailesse Way.   

O Thou great Kindler of Divine desire,  
(Dear Light of 
* james, 1, 7,  Lights, without which all is Hell)  
Before me 
* Psal, 5. 8  go, with Flames of Heavenly Fire,  
By which I may my Compass keep so well  
That on these groundless, boundless Seas that swell  
To overwhelm me, I may safely go,  
The 
* Psal, 107 23 24, 25. 26  Wonders of those Deeps abroad to tell:  
Calm Fancies Storms, and let my Course be slow:  
For hast therein may speed mine overthrow.   

Erect my Thoughts, direct my judgement so  
That neither, either do misgo, or tyre;  
And let my Numbers with that fury flow  
Which thou alone in Wisdom, settest on fire;  
Make all my Measures meet in Truth entire:  
That is in thee (Sole 
* god only is true, every man a liar  Truth:) for out of Thee  
Are nought but Errors Rocks, and Vices Mire,  
To wrack all those that travel Truth to see  
Without thy Compass, wherein compass me.   

First, forty Name! (sith It all Thoughts transcends,  
Much more all Words) here, at my setting out,  
(Sith thy WORD only thy name comprehends)  
I'll baulk It, as a Gulf of deepest 
* God can have no proper name for his nature.  doubt!  
Therefore a further way I'll go about  
To seek thy nature: so, thy name to find;  
And, as I go I'll send forth Care my Scout,  
To see my passage clear before, behind,  
Wherein my Muse must glide to know thy kind.   

Then, at thy Properties I will begin,  
(Now bless my Course; for, I am launched 
* From God, to God.  from Land)  
Which are (as they eternally have been)  
Of thy mere Essence: where they do not stand  
As Accidents in Substance: for, thy Hand  
Thrusts from thy Substance, Accidents, and all  
That seek to bring thy boundless Power in Band:  
For, thou art free, and holdest that in thrall  
(How ever great) that seeks to make thee small.   

Thy Porperties, and Attributes are 
* God's Properties, and Attributes are one, and why?  one:  
For, all is proper, that attributes ought  
To thee, if free from imperfection,  
Hate, Anger, and the like, in us are nought;  
But in thee good, and just, and as they ought  
Thou canst love ardently, and never dote!  
And hate extremely, without hateful 
* There is no passion in the Deity.  thought!  
But, they in us can never scape the note  
Of both, when both those Passions are afloat.   

Thou giv'st thyself those Titles in thy Style:  
And not so much to stoop to us thereby.  
(To make us know thee, by ourselves, the while)  
But, for they are in thee most really;  
yet, not [as in us] Ill, and diversly:  
In us they Qualities, and Virtues be;  
But in Thee they are most essentially!  
Many in us, but only one in Thee;  
Sith with thy simple Essence they agree,   

Thou art omnipotent, just, gracious, wise;  
yet not as they are diverse, but as one: 
God is good, gracious, wise etc. only by his simple Essence.   
For these be thine essential Properties,  
Which in thee meet in perfect Union  
To make Thee simply great, and good alone!  
Then from thee, great- Good, now I'll turn my speech  
Unto mine Equals in Creation;  
Sith Folly fears to wisdoms Spirit to preach  
Myself, and others, teach me then, to teach.   

Then, even- Christians, let an abject one  
(With your allowance) spend his powerless might  
In earnest search of this Trin-union,  
As far as of himself he gives me sight,  
Either by Natures, or diviner light,  
Whereby I see his Actions fixed are still  
Unto his Properties, which act aright: 
God's actions are tied unto his properties.   
For through Love he doth love, & will through Will:  
And, so he doth, what he doth else fulfil.   

Which Properties are two fold: some there be  
Every way proper to his nature blest:  
As his Omnipotence, Ubiquity,  
Eternity, sole- Wisdom, and the rest:  
With these nor Men, nor Angels can be dressed.  
Others in part, and by Comparison;  
As Wisdom, justice, Mercy, may invest  
Man, his vive Image, (Brother of his Son)  
But, not (as in Them) in perfection!   

For, sith they are Substantially in God 
Wisdom, justice, etc. are substantially in God: but in man, accidentally.   
(And not, as in Man, casually they be)  
They must be oddly e'en, sith eu'nly odd  
Is He, in whom they are no Trinity,  
Though so He be in strictest Unity:  
But being of Him, wholly infinite,  
They must be One by their infinity:  
For, were they many, they were definite;  
And for the weight of his Worth too too light.   

Who is a NATURE supernatural! 
God is a supernatural nature.   
So say Divines, so says Philosophy:  
Which call God, Nature, naturizing all  
That was, or is, or shall, in nature, be:  
The Creature then, is so of Him that he  
Is not his nature; nor, may he be Styled  
Nature herself: though as she is a She  
she's but a Creature, now with sin defiled,  
Yet makes she All for 
* Prou. 16, 4  God; and Man's her Child.   

So, Nature made, the Maker made to make  
All Things beneath his Seat, for him alone:  
Not that He after toil need rest to take;  
Nor can He toil, though still in Action,  
Yet acteth by subordination.  
To NATURE, nature's then, subordinate;  
That made, to that without Creation:  
The first, makes by the last (in love or hate)  
What is in natural, or monstrous state.   

In which respect some wicked 
* Maniches  Ones there were  
Affirmed two Natures in the Deity:  
That's good, and bad; sith so it seems t'appear  
In things created 
* Angels were not without iniquity.  universally:  
But unto GOD they did great injury  
To multiply his nature, being One;  
And so make Gods by such plurality:  
Then in that Nature, purely good alone,  
To put in Ill, doth put him from his Throne.   

Though to him often, Hate ascribed be,  
Yet that in him, is simply, good, and just,  
For, he thereby impugns Impiety:  
And, in his wrath, he doth (what justice must)  
Scour, Ill from Good; sith Evil, Good doth rust:  
Yet, he to Wrath still goes with 
* joel, 2, 13  Leaden feet,  
Sith his Wraths hands are iron that bray to dust:  
But he, in mercy, flies the Meek to meet,  
On feet that winged are to make them fleet.   

When he 
* Exod. 34, 6, 7.  proclaimed his Styles magnificence  
To 
* Moses.  him, to whom he gave his Laws for us,  
He used more words in 
a Merciful, gracious flow to anger, and abundant in goodness and truth; compared with not making the wicked innocent, & visiting of in iquity.  number, more in sense  
To note his Mercy, than his justice; Thus  
His Mercy, o'er his Wrath's victorious:  
But yet his justice to extenuate  
To grand his Grace is sacrilegious:  
Both are most great, and good; and most do hate  
Comparisons unequal, breeding bate.   

For, as a perfect Circle doth contain  
Full as much length, as breadth; & depth as height: 
Simil.   
So, in 
* God.  Him all things equal do remain  
By his infinity, and boundless might,  
That in themselves do keep on compass right!  
Then, all in God, is GOD; sith he is all:  
One, and the same: that is, all infinite;  
And, of himself super-substanciall  
Being all one Cause of All in general!   

But, with Truths warrant we may this avouch,  
That sith 
* christ jesus the God of grace.  GRACE. did his justice satisfy  
(For his Elect) it is contracted much;  
Nay ta'en away; at least made temporary:  
Yet both do meet in one infinity  
In the salvation of each chosen-One:  
For, just he deems it (and most righteously)  
To save th'unjust, made most justin his Son,  
Who is the Sum of all perfection!   

Then, here is place, great place, for Hope, and Fear;  
But more for Hope, then Fear: and yet the lack  
Of Fear, through Hope, doth make us oft appear  
As unjust judges, that do justice Rack  
While they for it (by it) go quite to wrack.  
To hope, and not hate sin, most fearful is;  
As Fear is when no Hope, no Sin doth back:  
" But when Love fears to sin, Hop's near amiss:  
Then, kind are Hope, and Fear, when thus they kiss.   

Then, as the right use of this knowledge high  
[The knowledge of the highest EXCELLENCE!]  
Is sweet, and safe: so, the abuse doth lie  
Wide open to the spoils of foul Offence;  
Which doth his justice most of all incense:  
The use is; not to know him as he is;  
But, him to love, and serve with reverence:  
Th'abuse is; making his just Propertis  
Unequal; while we live, and hope amiss.   

For lesse'ning of his justice, we presume  
Upon his mercy most unjustly; whence  
Come all the shapes of sin our Souls assume,  
Worse than th'effects of too much diffidence:  
For, sins presumptuous, justice most incense.  
To mind great mercy, when great fears affright  
Is meet, if meet be [likewise] penitence;  
But, when we ween such mercy is our right,  
To mind great justice then, doth mend our plight.   

To hope, and live well, fearless, still we may;  
To hope, and live ill's, worse than mortal Fear;  
For, it, to death, our Souls doth soonest betray:  
" Then hope we well, when well ourselves we bear;  
But, when we fall, let Fear with Hope us rear.  
To know if we be worthy Hate or Love,  
Doth not still easily to us appear:  
Then still to know, it doth us still behove  
Lowly to move to 
* God is charity  Love, Hate to remove.   

For, some have made their nests 
* Obediah, 1 4.  the Stars among  
That soonest have down been dinged to lowest Deeps:  
And othersome, from lying but in 
* Psal, 113. 6  dung,  
Above the Heavens are heaved: for, low he creeps  
(Strange Paradox) that soon climb those Steeps!  
When we do creep (though high we climb withal)  
We seldom slide; for, care our footing keeps:  
But when we stand on Tiptoe, on a Ball,  
(Though sliding still) we 
* Die reprobates.  finally must fall.   

But here my Muse, repose thee with Apollo,  
That now is fallen asleep in Tethis Bed;  
That as he doth, so thou thy work mayst follow;  
Then sleep with him, while Angels hold thy head,  
And heavenly visions may therein be bred:  
Go soft and fair; thus much at once is much,  
In ways that Mists, and Brambles overspread,  
Where haste makes waste: for, briars entangle such  
That there would post, and make their Souls to gruch.   

NOw rouse thee Muse, prevent Apollo's rising,  
And ruminate on that which thou hast seen:  
Thy Way is old, then shun new ways devising:  
For all devices from this way have been,  
The ways to wrack, though near so gaudy green:  
And though it be obscure as it is steep,  
(And thou in it mayst soon be overseen)  
Yet Snail-like) cling to it, and climbing creep,  
But fall not off it; for, the fall is deep.   

This sovereign NATURE, (nature Styled is he  
When that first Person oft is understood  
That is the Fountain of the Trinity)  
The substance cannot share of his Godhood  
But to his Son, and to their Spirit, his brood:  
Nor can he to his Son, as he is Man,  
His essence give, in truth or likely hood:  
For he that is Eternal never can  
His Being give to that which once began.   

Nor yet can he beget another Son  
Of his own substance: for, if so he could  
He should be mutable by generation;  
And so could Deity no longer hold:  
For, that near changeth as the other should.  
Or, could two Spirits come from the Sire ' and Son  
As they are God, than God were manifold;  
But he is merely, singly-simply One,  
One Trinity in perfect Union.   

And if he could himself to ought impart  
But them; in part, or whole it needs must be:  
In part he cannot: for, he hath no part;  
And much less wholly: for, he then should see  
His Creature wholly God aswell as he:  
And were our Souls (that he made to his Form)  
Part of his Form, it sins as well as we;  
But sin he cannot, nor himself deform  
To share himself to 
* Man, is said to be man, in respect of his form; which is his Soul.  man, a sinful worm.   

And though we are his 
a Acts, 17. 28  Generation,  
And are partakers of his 
* 2. Pet 1, 4  Nature to:  
Yet, are we not so of that only One.  
As of his Substance; so, to make him two:  
But, we are borne of him when 
* Do virtuously.  well we do:  
That's of his grace, by his uniting Spirit:  
And, when our Souls that Spirit is come into,  
He makes us act his Motions with delight:  
And so are said to have one Nature right.   

But where some say, GOD, is Man, really;  
And Man is God: thence falsely gathering  
That the whole Essence of the Deity  
Is grown to Man, though it from God did spring,  
As if the personall-Vnion wrought the thing:  
But, though that God, and Man one person be,  
Yet they to either no confusion bring;  
But are so bound, as they are ever free  
From all confusion in their unity.   

Man's Body hath a Soul; both, make one Man;  
Yet each in each doth not themselves suffuse:  
His soul's immortal, (though it once began)  
His body's mortal; which the Soul doth use;  
And, in the several parts doth life infuse:  
So, Man, and God, one compound person make;  
And yet their compound doth not them confuse:  
For, neither ●eithers Essence doth partake,  
Yet either's Essence neither's can forsake.   

For, though, the persons of the Godhead are  
Distinguished, It must not divided be:  
So, doth it with that Man-Gods natures fare;  
Which we divide not, for diversity,  
But them distinguish, for their unity!  
Division argues imperfection;  
But, true distinction still, the contrary;  
Sith it discerns what's proper to each One;  
And so preventeth all confusion.   

Then God, as Man, was synlesse passionate:  
And, Man, as God, no passion can effect:  
God, suffered in the flesh, in wretched state;  
But Man, as God, is free from such effect:  
For, in Omnipotence is no defect!  
True Miracles raised hythe Godheads fame;  
The Manhoods, injuries did quite dyiect:  
God died in flesh; as God, reviv'd the same;  
Thus, neither's Form transformeth either's Frame.   

And, of the whole Compound, that's said, and meant,  
That's said of any one; for, the Man-Christ  
Is perfect God; and so omnipotent;  
And perfect Man; so, lower than the highest:  
Yet happy Thou, that on the low'st reliest:  
For, if the Compound cannot parted be  
Thou diestin God (who ere thou art) that diest  
In Christ, the Man: sith God, and Man is he  
But, altogether, God in highest degree.   

If so, then so he must be every where;  
He is, and is not so: but sith this Strain  
May strain my wit, I will the same forbear,  
While greater Clerks about it beat their brain:  
For Life, or Death's lifeblood, lies in this vain.  
From questions of this kind, (sith questionless  
They endless seem) I willingly refrain,  
And seek a Power expresseles to express,  
That is, to show what God I do profess.   

But some may say I cannot that effect,  
Unless I show what God my jesus is:  
I grant no less, confessing my defect;  
Nay, willingly confess much more than this  
I am unworthy the least grace of his:  
Yet by his power, my silly strength i'll strain  
To show, as he is God, his properties;  
And though they be too high to be too plain,  
I hope i'll touch with truth, though try with pain.   

Plato (surnamed Divine, for his deep sight)  
(Though seeing by nature in Divinity)  
Put God into the world (though most unright)  
But as the Soul thereof, and yet his eye  
Espied withal a higher Deity;  
Which he the first Mind styled, or this Soul's Sire,  
But here's no Unity in Trinity,  
Her's truth in part, but not Faith's truth entire,  
Then this Truth is not squared by Plato's squire.   

He thought that as Man's Soul his Body swayed,  
So, God, the World: but, here he truth deforms:  
And, by her Test, appears too much alaid:  
For, our Souls rule our Bodies as their Forms;  
But God, as th'acting Cause, the same performs:  
How ever true; an universal 
* God, is the Soul of the World; not fomally, but effectually.  Soul  
May sway the Universe; yet he informs  
That Soul with Skill, who all in all doth rule,  
Else Order fair, would be disorder foul.   

Then, he's the God of Order, ordering  
All that doth Order keep in all this All:  
And yet, most simple is in every thing;  
For, nothing Spiritual, or corporal  
Into his Substance infinite, can fall!  
He is a Spirit so spiritual, that he  
(Of purpose) doth himself jehovah call:  
The Letters of which Word all Spiritual be,  
Sith from our Spirit, or Breath alone they flee.   

No Spirits are mixed; then, much less their Sire:  
Our Souls are simple, though by sin impure:  
For, were they mixed, they should again retire  
To their first Compound; so, could not endure  
Immortally; and so were Faith unsure.  
And nought can mix, or make itself: for, than  
It is, before it is, in act, or power:  
Which cannot be in neither: and again  
No Time, or Place were for it, where, or when:   

For, Place was made in time, and 
* Heb, 1, 2  Time was made  
By motion of the Heaven (the chiefest place)  
And nought doth move (as Reason doth persuade)  
That moves not by a greater Power, and Grace:  
Which [without blending doth All interlace:]  
Yet there was Place ere Time, where ere it were;  
For, God was somewhere, who doth both embrace:  
But, if Place compassed him, It should appear  
More than most infinite which nought can bear.   

Then was he nowhere? No, somewhere he was;  
That is, himself within, that's Place without:  
So, kept, eternally, his own Compass:  
Where he 
* That which is made in time, is made before, and after some time: therefore the World was made neither before, nor after, but, even with time.  (with time) brought Time, & Place about;  
Whereof the Eye of Reason cannot doubt:  
For, past a boundless Compass what can go  
Though it were strong, as Strength, as Courage Stout)  
No, not Omnipotence (and he is so:)  
Can, past itself, the least appearance sho.   

And, were he mixed, eternal were he not:  
For, ere he could be minged, he was unmixed:  
If so it be; then, Time hath him begot:  
For, as he is, he was not ever (fixed)  
Sith Time must needs his compound come 
* The parts are ever before the whole in nature, and order.  betwixt:  
But He (Prime- Cause, effecting all Effects!)  
From all eternity was thus confixt;  
Three Persons, and one God [without Affects]  
Bee'ng a Pure ACT, that mixture still rejects!   

Mixion, unites Things mixible, by change;  
Or intermingling of their Substances:  
Things mixible, are they, which, though they range,  
Are yet contained in either's Essences;  
Suffering of other in their passages:  
(As th' Elements each one, by other, do)  
And, may be severed through their diffrences;  
Then, were it so with God, it might undo  
That undivided ONE, and make him two:   

For, if his Substance were divisible  
A Body it were: for, so is every such:  
But were it so, then 'twere not possible,  
But PLACE should hold it, were it ne'er so much;  
Sith Nature there, of force, the Same must couch:  
For, then 't'had Magnitude, and Quantity,  
Whose vtt'most bounds PLACE should, containing,  
If so, it could not have Immensity; (touch  
And, if not That, it cannot Deity.   

Sith God is then so simply infinite,  
Filling each 
* jerem, 23, 24  place incomprehensibly,  
What need Saints fear, by death, their Spirits flight  
Sith in the Sphere of his ubiquity  
They needs must fall to rest eternally:  
In him▪ in whom, before, they lived by grace;  
To him, in whom, they shall live gloriously:  
Being Centre to the Souls he doth embrace,  
And of the highest Rest, thelowest Base?   

Seeing then he's pure, and purely every where,  
We him, as much as in us lies, defile  
When we do sin; sith in him we do steer  
And have our being, (though we sin the while,  
And so in greatest Goodness are too vile:)  
Yet sin distracts us, from his Grace, at least;  
Did not that Grace again us reconcile:  
So, Grace being wronged, the injury doth wrest  
To humble us; so, makes our worst, our best!   

He is in all alike essentially,  
Or else he could not every where remain:  
But not in all alike effectually:  
For, then the good should nought by goodness gain,  
More than the ill, by ill: So, grace were vain:  
But, where so ere he absent is, by Grace,  
He present is by justice, and by pain:  
So, he is present still, in every place;  
Then, blessed they that do him best embrace.   

But, to return to his simplicity  
To answer one Objection which some make 
Object.   
Who say, that he must needs compounded be  
Sith that his Being, 
* Compounded of Being and Essence.  Essence doth partake;  
Then composition he cannot forsake:  
Being, and Essence they distinguish, then,  
As well they may: for, foully they mistake  
Which ween them one (though they be Brethren)  
Whose difference Reason's Eye doth clearly ken:   

For, that which actually Is, is said to be,  
Be it a Substance, or an Accident:  
But, that's an Essence which is really  
That which it is, in its kind remanent;  
As by our human nature's evident:  
In Soul, and Body Man is said to be;  
But, in his nature is his Essence penned:  
But yet, this Compound never can agree 
Answ   
(Though near so subtle) with Simplicity.   

And though that This, and That do seem to show  
A mixture in the Things wherein they are,  
Yet in this simple Essence 'tis not so;  
Though This and That same person, still be there:  
For, all three persons but one Substance share.  
If so; then, though the Persons divers be,  
Their Essence is as pure, as it is rare:  
As in the Sun a Beam we likewise see;  
Yet both make but one light essentially.   

Yet Sun and Beam are diverse; sith they do  
In their subsisting differ really:  
For, both subsist; then both must needs be two;  
Yet differ nothing but respectively,  
As do the Persons of the Trinity:  
Then by subsisting, in a diverse kind,  
The Persons differ in the Deity;  
Which three In-beeings in one single Mind  
One simple Substance doth together bind!   

Now, sets the Sun that lights our pen to write;  
Then, with him, Muse, set down thy weary Pen:  
And in the Sun, 
* God.  that lights thee to indite,  
More Wonders mark, till th' other rise again;  
And then with care divulge the same to Men.  
These Steeps have made thy travel hard to day:  
That thou mayst hold out, thy flight favour then:  
For, nought they do, that more do then they may,  
Then Wit must rest, when Wisdom bids it stay.   

NOw Heaue'ns bright Eye (awake by Vespers sheen)  
Peeps through the purple windows of the East,  
While Night doth sink beneath the Earth unseen;  
Fearing with lightness to be sore oppressed;  
Then up my wakeful Muse to work for Rest.  
Thou shalt not sound sleep till thou hast viewed  
Thy journeys end; wherein who ends are blest:  
Then, let thy course be zealously pursued  
To find the rest of true Beatitude.   

Which is Eternal; and alone is so:  
Without Beginning, and can have none End:  
Which hath nor First nor Last: for, that doth grow  
From First to Last; so rise, and then descend:  
But this doth no such Motion comprehend:  
For, that's Eternal, that not only Is,  
But still is such; and doth not pair or mend:  
Then, must he needs be 
* Alpha, and Omega. Revel 1, ●.  First, and Last by this,  
Because Eternal is that state of his.   

Our Mind alone, confusedly conceives  
Th'unbounded compass of ETERNITY:  
It's past conceit, sith Notion none it gives;  
Being as free from mutability,  
As from beginning, end, or quantity!  
It ever Was: that was, ere Time had room  
To stir itself, by heavens propulsity:  
To which there is nought past, nor aught to come,  
But all is present in her boundless Womb!   

Our Souls, and Angels are eternal too;  
But, their eternity with Time was made:  
As were the Places where reside they do;  
Which both Beginning and Succession had;  
So, seem to vanish, though they cannot fade:  
But, these 
* There is a created, and an uncreated Eternity  created were Eternity's;  
Which Time, from time, to time still forwards lad  
And, though Eternal, yet Were otherwise:  
But GOD'S Was ever, Is, and never dies!   

He is the Author of Eternity:  
Then, was before it, else it could not be:  
He was before that made, Eternally:  
So, is eternal in the highest degree:  
Yet not the Author of his own is he:  
His own Eternity and He are one;  
(Sith that's himself, that is his Property;)  
So, could not be his own creation:  
And so (unmade) eternal is alone.   

Angels and Souls, though they eternal be;  
Yet either may, by nature, have an end,  
That of an Act consist, and Potency;  
Which Compound doth to dissolution tend;  
Did it not on God's simple power depend.  
The Compound is the Cause that so it may;  
" For nought is rend, without a Cause it rend;  
But there can be no Cause of his decay  
Who is the chiefest Cause, and his own Stay.   

And by that Stay, unconstant Man he stays  
From a relapse to nothing, which he was:  
Yet falling finally, he still decay  
But near determines: for, he still doth pass  
From aught, to nought; yet nought is ne'rethelasse:  
For, (as was said) Man is eternal made;  
Though here he flourisheth and fades like Grass;  
Yet shall he rise again; and never fade,  
To joy, or Woe, as he is Good or Bad.   

What! shall he live in woe Eternally 
Object.   
If here he live, and die in graceless state;  
So, for a short bad life, for ever die:  
Or, live in death, life still t'excruciate?  
This seems all Mercy quite to ruinate:  
For, all need Grace; sith seven times sins the best  
E'er once the Sun his Round perambulate;  
But seventy seven times do the worst, at least,  
Then, if Grace fail, none die to live in rest.   

If for an hundred years offending here  
[For, that's the longest date of our lives lease]  
Millions of Ages we were plagued there  
with pains past pain, yet that, in time, should cease  
And we for That, in mercy have release:  
So, justice might with Mercy sympathise;  
But, for a short time of our crimes increase  
Ever to live, in death that never dies,  
Ah! this makes justice seem to tyrannize!   

But stay frail flesh, and blood, here Truths reply:  
Thou speakest thus much as prompted by the Fiend;  
But Truth this justice well may justify:  
For, hadst thou lived still, still thou wouldst have syn'd;  
And, to thy passions evermore been pinned:  
Then sith thou sinnest in thine eternity  
It's just thou shouldst in Gods, in Hell be Inned:  
For, he the Will, for Deed takes commonly,  
As well when it wills▪ well, as wickedly.   

And, synne's gainest Goodness most-most infinite  
Are made most infinite, in ill, thereby!  
Then, no proportion hold pains definite  
To scourge the ill that hath infinity;  
Which must be punished in eternity.  
Then O! what life ought mortal Men to lead  
That leads to endless bliss, or misery?  
Then live w'in Hell, for Heaven (as did our 
* Christ our ghostly head  Head)  
Not live in Heaven, for Hell, when we be dead.   

O how it ought to make flesh freeze with fear,  
Or flame in all devotion of the Spirit,  
Sith the Word EVER ever doth appear  
So bottomless! in length so infinite!  
Ever in utter darkness! never light!  
Ah! this is it, that's able to dissolve  
Both Soul, and Body with eternal fright!  
And yet to sin some ever do resolve;  
And, EVER, never in their thoughts revolve.   

Ever to die, and never to be dead;  
Ever to Be, and never be at rest;  
Ever in fire, yet never minished  
Which (EVER) Patience never can digest:  
Sith it's most bad when it is at the best!  
If ever we did think aright of this,  
This Fire would never cease to move, at least.  
And if we be not moved with endless Bliss:  
Such pains will move aright, or most 
* It will cause true penitency, or desperation.  amiss.   

Then fleshly wisdom no let can be more  
To let this motion stay a Spirit unstaid:  
For, that egeria's doctrine deems this lore,  
And thinks all holy fraud which Truth hath said;  
That Laws may so the better be obeyed.  
This wisdoms Eyes are dull, yet sharply see  
To go past Truth for Errors greater aid:  
" For, like old Eyes, at hand they blinded be;  
" But far off falsely graunds each quantity.   

After this wisdom comes presumption;  
After Presumption, blindness of the mind:  
And after all these foul Affection;  
Then Custom comes insensibly behind,  
And makes these ills unfelt, with craft unkind:  
So, have the lewd no feeling of offence,  
Their power of feeling Custom so doth bind:  
Thus fleshly wisdom is the Root from whence  
Spring greatest Sins, withal impenitence!   

These thrust out Reason of her Signiory  
(The Brains) where erst she sat in Silver Throne;  
Ruling with Sceptre of pure ivory;  
That is; Commanding nought but Right alone:  
For, right is clear from all corruption.  
Upon which Sceptres Top an Eagles' fixed  
To note that Reason, bee'ng her Wings upon,  
Transcends the Spheres, to see the 
* Heaven.  world unmixed,  
With Eyes that see the subtill'st parts betwixt.   

If Reason then, retain her Power, and Place  
She doth aright inform the Intellect;  
Which counsels well the Will in every case,  
That it commands the Members, with effect,  
To do as she, by Reason, doth direct.  
So, wild Affections truly tamed be:  
For, by the Reign of Reason they are checked,  
Then, the Minds Kingdom is as fast, as free,  
Being a World of all Felicity.   

Yet when all Vice is brought in virtues Bounds,  
[Ah! see how Man is here still militant!]  
Hydra-like] hath strength from her own wounds,  
So, growing an unconquered Combatant,  
Doth make the Soul, with endless strife, to pant:  
Unless she sears Pride's ever-springing Heads  
With the hot Iron of the Law, to daunt,  
Her haughty heart (which with that Sharpness bleeds)  
For, she is conquered by her own misdeeds.   

Thus, when we have subdued every Sin  
The Conquest doth beget 
* Pride.  sin, to subdue:  
So, lose we more, by how much more we win;  
To gain which loss, we must the Fight renew;  
Or else lose all that should to us accrue:  
For, not a moment may we cease to fight,  
Lest mortal Sin, to death, should us pursue:  
Sith Hydra-headed Sin gets greatest might  
When we have brought her to the weakest plight.   

she's strongest to destroy, when we suppose,  
We have destroyed her by our hardiness:  
So, worst we fall, by her worst Overthrows;  
Because we glory in our great success;  
So, make it not so much, or nothing less.  
O Sin, [damned Nothing) that dost all things damn  
Which thou dost touch) where lies thy mightiness?  
If in thy Head, our 
* Christ.  Head hath bruised the same;  
Yet liv'st thou in his spite who thee or'came.   

If maugre him thou liv'st, that's Lord of Might,  
[Whose only frown can Hell itself confound]  
How shall we, froth of Frailty, foil thee quite  
Who art more whole, the more we thee do wound;  
And mak'st us sore, by making thee unsound!  
O help us Weaklings, Lord of Hosts, to fight,  
Else we to Nothing must be captive-bound:  
For, Nothing (Sin) doth nothing day and Night.  
But make us worse than Nothing by her spite.   

The Fount of Goodness, goodness makes to flow  
from out the worst of Ills, which we fulfil:  
For, he thereby makes us ourselves to know;  
And humbles us, in goodness, by that Ill;  
So, thereby betters both our Works, and will:  
But, the cursed 
* The Devil, cause of man's fall.  Cause of all impiety  
Out of our Best, the Worst extracteth still;  
Who draws highest Pride, from low'st Humility;  
So, draws most ill, from Ills most contrary.   

Thus, from the highest entire ETERNITY,  
Our Muse hath stooped unto the low'st Ills;  
Thereby to show their inequality;  
Yet each is such, as fills, yea, overfils,  
The Soul with weal, or woe: so, saves, or spills.  
But, Phoebus' Horses now their swift Career  
Have stayed, for this day, on the highest Hills;  
And fallen to rest beneath our Hemisphere;  
Therefore, with them, tired Muse, thy toil forbear.   

LO how Apollo's Pegasses prepare  
To rend the ring-hedge of our Horizon:  
Be ready Muse, sith they so ready are  
To flee with them in such proportion,  
That both may move by heavenly motion:  
And yet their Mover moves not, but doth rest  
In restful-restlesse perfect Action;  
By which the worst still falls out for the best  
For him, and them that by him still are blest.   

He changeth not that truly ever Is;  
Sith what Is truly, cannot changed be:  
For, what is sometimes That, and sometimes This  
Is mixed of Simples which do disagree;  
But he is simply self Simplicîty:  
Then, That Is not, that is not simply so;  
Sith, in an Instant, It from Is doth flee:  
And as the restless Seas do ebb and flow:  
So, that twixt Was and Is, doth come and go.   

But, he's ne'er moved; and so can never change:  
For what should move him in whom all do move?  
He fills each Place, then can he never range:  
And so is fixed, all Time and Place above;  
So, still 
* Exod. 3 14  I AM he doth himself approve.  
I AM; that Is: which is, That which He is:  
Ever the same; as firm in hate, as love:  
Who could not be immortal but for This:  
" For, who doth change, dies through that change of his.   

Each Essence changeable, is said to die  
To what it Was, when it Is otherwise:  
So may man's Soul, in immortality,  
Be said to die when it from Virtue flies;  
And live aright when it to Vices dies:  
So, may immortal Spirits angelical  
Die through such change, and tumble from the skies  
As some have done; and so [no doubt] may all  
But that a Power still fixed prevents their fall.   

For, what may sin, may die: and die they must  
That sin, if Grace do not their death prevent:  
If any Creature cannot be unjust,  
That justice is not 
* All are concluded under sin, that God might have mercy upon all.  his, it is but lent;  
Only the Lender's just, of his own bent:  
Who, by no change can possibly offend;  
And much less die: for, he's still permanent  
The Fount of Grace, and Life; on whom depend  
All Changes, sith he's changeless without end!   

But, if he might be changed, it needs must be  
By active power of some himself without;  
Or, by himself, through passive Potency,  
But, nought can ever bring this change about:  
For, nought's more strong, than Power most absolute  
Nor, can a simple Act be passive; so,  
It puts the question clearly out of doubt  
That neither can another Agent, no  
Nor he himself, himself change too and fro.   

For, that is changed, that not remains the same:  
But he's the same he was, and ever is;  
And That still Is, that never altars frame:  
But such, alone, is that firm state of his,  
That changeth all, yet changeth not by this!  
He 's Glories Sun, whose 
* In him is no darkness.  Shade is constant sight;  
Then can no Shade of change eclipse his Bliss,  
In whom's no darkness; for, he blinds the sight  
Of bright-eyed Angels, with his glory bright.   

Though he assumed our Shape; (so seemed to change  
Sith what he is, he was not) yet, the same  
He was, he is: and, though the case be strange,  
Yet is it true in nature; though his Name  
Be 
* God and man..  doubled, by his confixt double Frame.  
He came to take our Nature to his own;  
Yet ours into his nature never came:  
But, ours from His, by either's Acts, is known:  
Then, by, that change, no Changeling is he grown.   

That Hypostatical rare Union  
Which Personally unites both God and Man,  
Is two in Nature, though in Person, one:  
For, God his nature never alter can;  
And once begin, that never once began:  
It is against God's nature Man to be;  
Sith one's eternal, th'others life a Span:  
Yet Man is God, by God; and, God is he  
That's Man, for Man; but, both keep their degree!   

For, that's not changed that keeps itself entire  
From aught that may with it united be:  
And, though thereat Man's reason may admire;  
Yet 
* God only wise.  only Wisdom doth it, which doth see  
How Two in One, unchanged, may well agree:  
As erst we said Man's Soul, and Body did;  
Which truly differ in true Vnïty:  
&, though they change their states, their kinds forbid  
That they should change their kinds in either hid.   

So, did the WORD remain that which it was,  
And truly That assumed which it was not:  
But yet, no change thereby was brought to pass  
More than they change, that have new garments got  
In Name or Nature, though they change their Lot:  
And to descend, and ascend, come, and go,  
And now become more cold, and then more hot,  
These Words are Tropes [for, that Word doth not  
That by our own, his 
* Rome, 1, 20  Actions we may know. so]   

When he draws near us, we are drawn by Him,  
While still He stands: for, as the Magnes draws  
Without bee'ng moved, the Iron to his Brim;  
Or, as the jet, unstirred, attracteth Straws:  
So, GOD, unmoved, doth our motion cause.  
They that are Shipped, in saillng from the Shore,  
Do think they move not, maugre Eolls Flaws,  
But that the Land moves, which stands as before,  
So God moves not: but we 
* So are▪ We moved to & from God.  do evermore.   

Nor yet, by local motion are we brought  
To God, when, to himself he us doth bring;  
Because without his Compass there is nought:  
For, all that is, is compassed in that RING;  
This motion then, is not by altering  
The Place, but Person of the altered;  
Yet, that not altered, but by governing,  
The wil'de Affections, erst ungoverned;  
So, moves this unmoved Motion, motioned!   

Thus, when God seems to change, by changing us,  
The change is not in Him, but us alone;  
So then, though Reth'ricke saith he's various,  
yet saith Dîuinity, he's ever One;  
And, holds up all things by 
* Gen. 1, 2  his Union:  
He, in the CHAOS, on the Waters moved,  
But that was but by 
* Heb. 1, 3  preservation;  
Which by his WORD alone, he did unmoved,  
As by his Word may pregnantly be proved.   

Then, sith he's ever changlesse, as he's good  
We Worms, most mutable (in spite of change)  
May ever stand in him that ever stood,  
By Faith, and Hope, and Love; and, never range,  
But when, through him, we go to Places 
* Heavenly mantions.  strange.  
And though, by nature, mutable we be,  
Yet may His Grace from us, that state estrange.  
And match us to immutability,  
In the Bride-Chamber of Felicity.   

he's true of promise, sith he cannot change;  
Then, why should sorrowing-synners' fear to die?  
Sith Earth's familiars are to Heaven strange;  
Then, Heaven we cannot have, while here we lie:  
And he that's free from all uncertainty  
Hath (in his ever-never-failing Word)  
Given us, by Deed, (with his Blood sealed) an high  
And Heavenly Mansion, which he doth afford  
To all whose Wills do with his Will accord.   

The everliving GOD, sole Lord of Life  
He Was, and is, from all Eternity:  
If he be such a Husband, shall his Wife  
Or any Member of her, fear to die,  
In him, with whom is Immortally?  
he's life itself; then, of himself, he moves,  
And, all his Members moves immediately  
To rest in him, the rest from him he shoves;  
So, all move by him which he hates, or loves.   

Thus all that move have life: for, life's the Cause  
And Motion the Effect: for, we enstyle  
A flowing Fount, a lively Spring, because  
It is in motion: and, That dead the while  
It standeth still, as do some Waters vile.  
Silver selfe-moving, we call Siluer-quick;  
But, Coin, though currant, we from life exile;  
Because, of it's own kind, it still doth stick  
Where it is set, without some Chance it nick.   

Yet though they live, that move, they live as dead  
(Much like Quicksilver; dead, although it moves)  
That not as Members move of Him their Head  
That moves to grace, and glory whom he loves:  
So, in them, his own motions he approves:  
Which doth infer no motions lively be  
That, from this Mark, Sin all at pleasure roves:  
For, such move still through mutability;  
And, that still moveth to mortality.   

For, Motion, in the Creatures, moves to nought;  
And, nought is nothing but the rest of Ill:  
But where Ill rests, That's to confusion brought  
That so is moved; and, so it resteth still:  
Which rest, that moved with all disease doth fill:  
For, that is restless rest, that ill doth rest;  
And ill that rests, that rests with evil will;  
But, ill's that will by which the Mind is priest  
By motion ill, to rest in state unblessed.   

Creatures move not themselves: for, moved they be  
By the First-mover (moving first of all)  
Then by the End he moves them mediately,  
Which moves the Agent to be actual:  
Then, Nature, and the Orbes-Celestiall  
with th' Host, that still, unweary, walks those Rounds  
Do move them too, till they to rest do fall:  
And rest they do, when Time their course confounds:  
So, Motion resteth in Confusion's Bounds.   

Yet all must rest in him, from whom they came:  
And he's the Soul of Order, ordering  
Confusion, to the glory of his Name;  
So, He Confusions doth to order bring;  
And, order keeps in each confused Thing:  
Within their Centre diverse Lines are one  
Though out, they may be Millions, in the Ring:  
And, in the Centre, by Conversion,  
They meet again in perfect Union!   

Yet good, and bad, in Him, are not all one,  
Though out of him be neither good, or bad;  
But, both, in Him, so make an Union  
As those which Sin hath marred, and he hath made:  
Yet out of Him [mere ONE) they cannot gad.  
But yet the worst He loathes, and loves the best;  
Sith one grieves him, the other makes him glad:  
And so, though both are said in Him to rest,  
Yet rest they restless that do him molest.   

As when, with good, bad Humours are in us  
In one united, working diversly,  
We to the bad are ever troublous  
[Because they vex us with their Malady)  
By reaving of their rest where they do lies  
So, though we be not of God's nature pure,  
Yet Good, and Bad, in him have Unity;  
But He the Bad molests, sith they procure,  
His Spirits grief, which he cannot endure.   

Thus, still He lives all One; and, in him still  
All are but One; though many still they be;  
All are his work; whose Work is but his will;  
Which will is good: and good (in their degree]  
He made his works, which he did, 
* Gen 1  blessing, see.  
Themselves they marred, because themselves they  
Subject to death, by unmade perfidy: [made  
So they from aught, to nought, do growing fade,  
Sith Nought, that aught doth, marring, overlade.   

This GOD that lives then, yea, for ever lives,  
Is yesterday, to day, and ere the same:  
Which constancy of state a difference gives  
Betwixt the Pagan Gods, which he did frame,  
To be but half- Gods; that is, Gods in name.  
The nearer then, to this true God we draw  
The more his Sonnes-beames feed our vital flame,  
Which, frozen in our dregs, that frost doth thaw;  
And, make us hot with love, and cold with awe.   

Thus, no less good is he, he than is great  
Which are past Quality, and Quantity;  
Both bee'ng much more than more than most come-  
For, so they must by his Immensity, pleat:  
Which is the cause of his ubiquity:  
For, nought but Greatness simply infinite  
Can fill, and overfill All, really;  
That is, aswell in Essence as in might;  
Sith either are alike indefinite.   

And, saying he fills all (who is all in all)  
I mean not only all his hands have wrought,  
As Heaven, Earth, Hell; in part, or general;  
And, all they hold; but all that may be thought  
(If Thought may reach it) that have further reached,  
Either in deed, or possibility:  
For, He that in his Compass all hath brought,  
Not only fills That Vninersity;  
But, overfils far more Capacity.   

The Creatures finite are, sith they may be  
Drawn to a general or special Head,  
By either's Form, or their Diversity;  
But, no Predicament ere compassed  
His Largeness, that is still unlimited!  
The Heathen Sages (led by Nature's light)  
Held the first CAUSE could not be measured,  
Sith it, in greatness, was most infinite,  
But what it was, they could not tell aright.   

So, he's each where in Essence, and in Power,  
Sith all is One in Him, the only ONE:  
Like as the Soul though in the Head [her Tower]  
She chiefly sits: yet, is she in that Throne  
And every Member, totally alone!  
Then, in each Part her power with her appears  
T'inspire those Organs which she plays upon;  
Yet, from the filthy Pipes no filth she bears,  
Nor wears she ever, as the Organ wears.   

So, in a sort, [but far more excellent!]  
Is God, in his whole Essence, power, and all,  
In all that is in this ALL resident,  
And over all, that ALL in general,  
Without bee'ng touched with Matter corporal:  
Though so me grope for him, he's not tangible,  
Bee'ng a Spirit most simply Spiritual:  
Which to the Soul alone is sensible,  
But of the Sense incomprehensible.   

And, Things are said to be, that be in Power  
In any thing wherein their power hath port:  
Our Caesars so, are chiefly in the Tower  
Which CESAR built, as in their chiefest Fort:  
But God is all in all, in other sort:  
For in his Substance, totally entire,  
He is in all that's living, or amort,  
Be't great or small, Earth, water, Air, or Fire,  
Or what else is, or can have Being hire!   

Look what our Bodies, by our Senses know  
Our Souls, but by one Power, perceive the same:  
Which sowed in our Understanding, grows  
More purely there, then in out Body's frame,  
[Although our Intellect may be too blame]  
For, it doth purge the Objects of the Sense;  
And, make that upright, which the Sense made lame:  
e'en so, in GOD Things have more excellence  
Then in our dull, and base Intelligence.   

Thus, is his Power where ere his Essence is;  
Which Power is twofold, as some Doctors teach:  
That's Absolute, and Actual, by this  
He doth what ere he will within his reach;  
Then, doth he All, sith it past all doth stretch!  
By his Power absolute he can fulfil  
What may be done, without his Nature's breach:  
And so his Power extends beyond his Will,  
Which could save All: yet, some it saves to spill.   

That which he doth is no less definite  
Than it is certain: but, what he can do  
Is as uncertain as it's infinite:  
For, he can make more Heavens, and fill them too;  
But, that he will not so his Word undo:  
Who by his Actual power can nought fulfil  
But what his clear Foresight did reach unto:  
But, his Power absolute (beyond his Will)  
Is able to do all, that is not ill!   

Then, if his Will and power unequal be 
* God's will, and power are equal: yet there are ma ny things in his power, which are not in his will.   
How shall we equal make his Properties?  
Here is a Cloud, through which I cannot see  
With human Reasons most unequal Eyes;  
Which make such Equals, Inequalities:  
But, light me Lord of light, the Truth to view  
Which in this Mystery eclipsed lies;  
And let me in thy Paths this Truth pursue  
Till it I find: for, all thy Ways be true.   

Thy Will, and power are equal (as thou art)  
Both alike absolute, in their true kinds:  
Yet hast thou bound them both, by heavenly Art,  
To Will, and do no more than 
* Infinite wisdom, directs infinite power.  WISDOM finds  
Within her Bounds, which both the other binds:  
There they are Equal, sith that each extends  
To Wisdom utmost Compass; and, that winds  
About all Works that have all holy Ends:  
And so, thy Will, and power are equal friends!   

And, where thy power doth overreach thy Will  
There only Wisdom wills it should do so:  
That's in some Cases, by Her bounded still;  
That's when thy will doth let thy Creatures know  
What thy power could, did not thy Will say 
* God's Will limits his unlimitable power.  no.  
But, thou canst make thy Will to match thy Might  
[If so thou wouldst] but Wisdom crieth ho  
In thy Wills motion, it to stay aright;  
And so thy Will, and power have equal height.   

Now, down the Days Eye goes, though yet it looks  
All fiery red, as chafed with Night's approach:  
For, Lîght could never ugly Darkness brook,  
No more then bright Renown can black Reproach;  
Then halla here, my Muse with Phoebus' Coach:  
This day too much thou hast bestowed thy wings;  
Too much thou dost on Secrets dark encroach;  
Fly high; yet not too nigh 
* In respect of the reach of our capacity  too lofty Things,  
Which nought comes near for Clouds and Glittering.   

NOw, mantle Muse, sith now thou strait must Tower:  
For lo, the modest East doth blush for shame  
That shameless Night on it should have such power  
To lie'with It, till Phoebus sees the same,  
And parts them with a far more blushing flame:  
By which our Hemisphere Inhabiters  
May see to toil in Ernest, or in Game:  
Then, up betimes, above the pale-fac'st Stars,  
(Feared with that flame) to find their * Governors.   

Which is that blessed Essence, (Three, in One)  
Blessed I well may call it: for, the same  
Is truly blessed (past comparison)  
For, what Bliss can the highest Wisdom name,  
But is most 
* In God is true & most complete felicity  perfect in his formless Frame!  
All that delights the Soul, or joys the Sense,  
Or, makes Self-love refined, in him to flame;  
yea, all that can excel Selfe-EXCELLENCE,  
Is truly in his ALL-SUFFICIENCE!   

Isted health of Body which thou dost desire?  
He is the Fount of all salubrity!  
Is't strength, or Valour? He is both entire!  
Is't Fairness? Then he's selfe-FORMOSITY:  
To see whose face is highest FELICITY:  
ist Pleasures? They, as in their Centre, in Him rest!  
Or Glory ist? Him, Angels glorify!  
Ist Riches? More than All is his, at least:  
For, he hath more than can be all expressed!   

Kings of the Earth, seem blessed in their Crowns;  
Yet, they but only seem, but are not so:  
Sith they sit reeling in their fastest Thrones,  
That every moment, threats their overthrow; (we  
which makes them sit on thorns, through pierced with  
And, though all mortal Knees to them do bow  
Th' adore their Chairs, not them; though to, and fro  
Both reeling stand, till both are fallen too low;  
And then those Bowers none of 
* Edward & Richard the second.  both will know:   

For, Men [like Paphflagonean Partridges)  
Bear in their single Breast a double Heart:  
With one of which, they seem Gods Images;  
But, with the other play the devils part;  
Who, to all Shapes, for ill, themselves convert:  
These are the Things, [the Things I them do call,  
Sith, for such Artists, I want Terms of Art)  
That crouching stand by Kings till Kings do fall;  
Then fly these Swallows lest they fall withal.   

What blessedness is then in Regal state,  
That, as accursed, such cursed Things attend?  
And, nought more subject to the shock of Fate;  
Nor, sooner brought, untimely to an end:  
For, oft they bow to them, that make them bend.  
But, this eternal most almighty KING,  
(That's KING of Kings] on whom they all depend,  
Is truly blest; sith there's no altering,  
Of his State, power, Life, Bliss, or any thing!   

Then, sith this unborn KING, that all up-beares.  
Is only blessed; how accursed are those  
That fall from Him, to rest on Prince, or Peers  
Who still are fairest for foulest overthrows:  
" But, Carrion still, is best beloved of Crows:  
" And, where it is, the Eagles do resort:  
Kites (I would say) like Eagles in their Nose  
And Claws; to smell & scratch for Budge of Court;  
And so, in others spoil, make ever sport.   

These, false to God, can ne'er be true to Men:  
If false to him, that is as Good, as GREAT,  
How can they trusty be to Nothing, then?  
For, Kings are (worse than Nothing) Vermins meat:  
Then, what are they compared with Worth complete?  
These light Court-Locusts here, and there, do skip  
(Like Fleas) to suck blood; so, make Men their meat  
(Like Cannibals;) for, if they on the Hip  
Have friend, or foe, that Standard they will rip.   

There is no trust in Men: for, Men, to Men  
Are but mere Wolves, that one another rents:  
Nay, worse, much worse, the 
* The best is a Brier.  best are now & then:  
" For Man to Man, in fury, are but Fiends;  
Who oft in virtue viciously contends.  
Then, none are blest, without they well do know  
They are accursed, till their blessed Ends:  
The End makes All; because the End doth show  
Unto the blessed, God's ever-blessed Brow!   

The Act of seeing God, is 
* The obiective Beatitude is the chief blessedness.  Blessedness;  
For, we cannot be blest till him we see:  
Which Act is ours, not his; yet, nevertheless  
His Gift it is: but yet, he cannot be  
Our Act, though it with Him (pure ACT!) agree:  
For, ours is but th' Effect of him, the Cause;  
So then, it Caused is; so is not He:  
Who draweth still; yet, but the willing draws:  
Yet makes us willing by his Grace's Laws!   

So, all we have, if good, he doth effect:  
For, what we have, that is not his, is Ill:  
Which still we give him, though he it reject;  
Yet, for that Gift against, gives, by his WILL,  
Our Greatest GOOD; so, good he's to us still!  
With Goodness thus, He doth our ill o'ercome:  
Yet we, o'ercome with ill, It still fulfil;  
But though that wrong incurs his righteous doom,  
Yet, when we stray, his Mercy brings us home!   

How far that Mercy reacheth erst we touched,  
Then needless were it eft to handle it:  
As 
* Divine mer cy is as great as god's divity.  powerful as himself we It avoucht;  
And he's omnipotent: then, if it fit  
His Power, it is at least most infinite!  
Which Attribute of his Omnipotence  
(That most is mentioned in Holy-writ)  
Is the firm'st Pillar of our Confidence,  
Sith it to Grace hath ever reference.   

Almightiness includeth whatsoever  
That is most absolutely good, or great:  
Then it's the Prop, that all, in All, doth bear,  
More than most active in each glorious Feat;  
Which, by still active good, doth Ill defeat;  
Though it seemed Passive when in flesh 'twas shown,  
Yet in that flesh that Passion had her Seat:  
God's a pure Act [which ne'er was Passive known]  
Who made that flesh he took; and held his 
* His own properties.  own!   

He is most perfect; but, he were not so  
If he were Passive; which, imperfect is:  
Then is he simply Active? simply? No:  
Active, nor passive so, is He, or His;  
Sith his strict Pureness will not carry This. 
* Simple pureness will brook no mixtion.   
His Action then, his Essence is, alone;  
Which is his Power, grace, wisdom, justice, bliss,  
And what be sides he is, sith he's but One,  
Which brooks no shade of Composition.   

But yet, the Son is said to have received 
Object:   
All that he hath, or is of Him, his Sire:  
If He his Essence then, of him received,  
His power he must: for, both are most entire:  
Then, must his power be Passive, as its cleire:  
But, so to say, is foulest Heresy 
Answ.   
For, like as without heat, can be no Fire;  
e'en so, without a Son, no Sire can be.  
Thus, Sire, and Son are equal in degree:   

For, both are one self Substance; so, are One:  
The sire is, of himself, omnipotent:  
Then so, sith one in substance, is the Son;  
Who with the Sir'es alike magnificent:  
For, both Eternal are in their extent!  
The Son is of the Father, most entire;  
[As heat is of the Fire; both which are penned  
In but one Substance of, but only Fir●:)  
So, equall's their degree, and their 
* Their will, and power are one.  desire.   

The Son, not only of himself, is such,  
But, by himself he is, what ere he is:  
Eternal generation still doth touch  
The vtt'most 
* Equal in Essence,  reach of his Sires Properties:  
He is begotten still: but yet, by This  
His Generation's not deficient:  
For, as the Sun still gets those Beams of his  
yet perfect are as That from which they went:  
So, GOD, begotten's, all- sufficient!   

Then, this begetting Power hath the Sire 
Take away God's properties, or Persons, & take away his Deity   
Beyond the Son; sigh that's his Property:  
And personal Properties (though God's entire)  
Cannot be common to the Deity,  
Lest that confusion follow instantly:  
Yet, this Powers want, in this almighty SON,  
Is far off from the least infirmity:  
But, it doth strengthen that Relation  
That truly shows Gods threefold Union!   

Then, take away the Pers'nall properties,  
And take away the Persons: so, we shall  
Be Godless quite: for, God's none otherwise  
Then Three in Persons: and, one God in all:  
So, pers'nall Powers cannot be mutual:  
In Nature, not in Order, than they be  
Omnipotent, alike, in general:  
So, is all power, that doth with power agree,  
Alike, and not alike, in their degree!   

The Sire, of his own Substance, gets the Son:  
Then, must the Son have self-same Deity:  
Because that Substance is so strictly One,  
That, by it's power it cannot parted be:  
Though most almighty in the 
* That is, actu all, or ordinary power.  lowst degree.  
This shows the Sires complete Omnipotence;  
That still begets a Son as great as He:  
Which Son is but the Sires Intelligence,  
Making another one Omnivalence.   

The son's yet, said to be less than the Sire  
Not in true Substance; but sith he receives  
Of his own Essence, what it doth require,  
Which the first Person to the second gives:  
given and received 
* From all eternity  when each himself perceives:  
So that that power which in the first doth won,  
Shorts not the seconds, which the same conceives;  
But, as the Sire it holds, and not the Son,  
It is the Sires, not 
* Personal propertis are not common to the Deity  Gods: for, God is One.   

Thus, personal Properties are still distinct  
As are the Persons by those Properties:  
Then, with the last the first must be extinct:  
For they can ne'er be parted; otherwise  
Each might be each; and so, Disorder rise.  
And, that the Sire cannot begotten be  
It's no defect of power which in him lies;  
Nor that the Son gets not as well as he,  
'tis not Powers want, but Order Regency.   

Their Spirit (no more than They) power wanteth not:  
Though he proceeds, which is his Property:  
And, though he'gets not; nor is he begot;  
Yet, holds he, with them equal Deity:  
And, what he works, they work 
* Their internal works differ not but in manner of doing  inseparably:  
And yet, three several Functions to them Three  
Themselves assign, their works to varifie;  
The Sire Creates: The Son Redeems, And he  
That is the Holy Spirit doth Sanctify.   

For, as the Sire is of himself, he acts  
As of himself; yet by the other Two; 
Nota.   
None working by him, through their straight contract:  
The Son, as of his Sire, doth of him do;  
yet, by their equal Spirit, he worketh too.  
The Father works by him, He by that Spirit;  
Which Spirit, as he proceedeth from Them, so  
He works from both, with ever-equall might;  
Thus, these Respects their Works in one, unite!   

Then in respect of their Power, Wisdom, Will,  
Their Works are One, as they are One in Three:  
But, in respect their Persons differ still  
Their Works, (in sort of doing) divers be;  
But their 
* God's eternal Works are ever one, the internal divers in manner of doing.  external deeds ne'er disagree:  
For, by their common Essence they are done;  
That's in their Unity, not Trinity:  
The Sire Creates, as God, so doth the Son,  
And so their Spirit, without distinction!   

The Father doth Redeem; yet, by the Son:  
They Sanctify; yet, by their holy Spirit:  
So though their Works in unity be done,  
yet due distinctions do their works unite,  
Which make their Works to be most exquisite.  
To eat much Honey hath no sweet effect: 
Prou, 15, 27   
And who too near doth search Power infinite  
Shall be [with Glory overwhelmed] checked.  
Then hold rash Muse, 
* They fight with God that pry further into his secrets then he would have them  retire ere thou be wrecked.   

This wondrous Trinity in Unity,  
Is understood to be; but how, o here  
Is such a Gulf of deepest Mystery  
As none (without bee'ng quit o'erwhelmed with fear  
Can look therein to tell the secrets there!  
For, what beseeming that Good-eurie- Thing 
a God's glory and goodness is most inexplicable   
Can we immagin, (though we Angels were)  
That is as far past all imagining  
As we are short of Paceing with his Wing.   

We err in nought with danger more extreme,  
Nor, in aught labour with more hard assay:  
yet, nought we know with more hearts joy then Them  
But, in their search, if once we lose our Way,  
We may be lost, and utterly decay:  
It's deadly dangerous then, for them to look  
[Through Ways more sullen than the Foe of Day]  
without Faith's Lantern, Truth's most blessed Book;  
Which none ere left, but strait the way forsook:   

For, justice SON was sent by Grace his Sire,  
The Gospel to promulgate, from his BREAST:  
His Counsels to 
* As far forth as concerns our Souls welfare  disclose, our doubts to cliere:  
Then if we go to seek this BEING blest  
Without these Helps, we straying, never rest:  
But now, the Eye of Heaven begins to close;  
Sith rest it would, being weary, in the West:  
Then, weary Muse, with It, thyself repose,  
And wake with It, and go still as it goes.   

NOW, o'er the Earstern Mountains Headless height  
we see that EYE (by which our Eyes do see)  
To peep, as it would steal on Thievish Night,  
which from that EYES-sight, like a Thief, doth flee,  
Lest by the Same it should surprised be:  
Then, is it time (my Muse) thy wings to stretch  
(Sith they are short, too short, the worse for thee)  
For, this days journey hath a mighty Reach,  
And many a compass thou therein much fetch.   

Thou shouldst be powerful in thy Wings [too weak]  
Sith thou flee'st after Power omnipotent:  
which may with labour, both thy Pinions break:  
And spend thy strongest Spirits ere they are spent:  
Then, recollect them to pursue thy intent.  
This power's almighty, endless, infinite,  
Still most unknown, yet, still most eminent:  
Which none but ONE can hold by wrong, or right;  
For, if two had it, it were definite.   

Of this, no 
* No Creature is capable of omnipotence.  Creature can be capable:  
For, it can but receive what it can hold:  
And it can hold no more than it is able:  
For, if a Bucket in the Sea we should  
Let down, at once, t'exhaust it, if we could, 
Simil:   
Yet that therein ingulph'd, could take no more  
Then merely but so much as fill it would;  
Which in respect of that Floods boundless Store,  
Is, as no drop at all, the Bucket bore.   

This Power is evermore accompanied  
With two Consociates, that still glad, or grieve;  
Which Grace, and justice are entitled:  
Yet more that Power, by 
* Manasses, Nabuchadnezer, S. Paul.  Grace with some doth strive  
Then doth, at other some, his justice drive.  
Which Power, by either, is not ever like:  
(Though in itself, it still alike doth thrive)  
For, sometimes more, (aswell in proud, as meek)  
Then other some, they do 
* Stroke is an action of much indulgence; strike, of much anger.  or stroke, or strike.   

And in the Gifts of highest Beneficence  
This well appears, which in themselves are pure:  
But yet, in us not so: for, much offence  
They give the Giver, by their state impure;  
And such They be, sith it's not in our power  
So to receive Them, as they simple be;  
But as we can: and, we can but immure,  
Those spiritual Gifts with Flesh's sluttery:  
Thus Finite ne'er can hold infinity.   

Then, to be God, and be Omnipotent  
Is both in substance, one thing really:  
Yet is that Power (though ne'er so prevalent)  
Not able Gods to make; move Locally;  
Deny himself; change, be unjust, or lie:  
And many more such 
* As he cannot, eat, drink, grow, sleep, or any corporal action: for he is a most pure Spirit, yet is there in him nothing but substance.  like he cannot do;  
Sith in his Power, is none Infirmity:  
For, if he could do these; then, were he Two;  
Both good, and bad; and, either finite too.   

Nor, is it (as some dream) that by his Might  
He can do all 
a Somethings impossible to be done by omnipotence  Impossibilities  
Sith nought's impossible (be't wrong, or right  
As they suppose) to Power without Comprise;  
So, in his Will [they say) his Goodness lies.  
As if he would, he could do passing Ill,  
But, that he will not: fond thought! most unwise!  
Can perfect goodness, perfect ill fulfil?  
If so it can, it's most imperfect still.   

His Power (I grant) hath force itself t'extend  
To endless Things, for number, infinite:  
Though in his changeless Will now all have end:  
So, cannot (for his Will) do all he might;  
Nor, cannot (for 
* To do unright lie is great infirmity.  Power) do aught unright.  
Nor yet, doth he his freedom lose hereby,  
That, to his Will, doth so himself unite;  
Sith still his Will, and He hold unity,  
Then, bee'ng but ONE have onelyest Liberty!   

Nor, can He make that That which Is, is not:  
For, than he Nought should make; which cannot Be:  
For, Nought can ne'er be made, much less be'got;  
Sith it's less than Privation in degree;  
Though He of Nought made all Things perfectly:  
Yet, could he cause that Christ Is not, and Is,  
Then could he cause Nought Men should justify;  
Which were repugnant to that 
* The scriptures.  Truth of his,  
That flat affirms, Christ chiefly worketh This.   

His power to two Things He hath fastened then, 
God hath tied his omnipotency to two things: to nature for order's sake, and to bis word for his promise sake.   
That is to Nature still, for Orders sake:  
And to his WORD, for his Words sake to Men;  
That so they might his Word the rather take;  
Who can aswell himself, as it forsake:  
yet, NATURES Bounds his Power doth oft transcend,  
When it works Miracles, Men good to make:  
But, past his WORD it never can extend:  
Sith it is That, which never can have end.   

So then, he can do whatsoe'er he will;  
But yet he will not do what ere he can:  
For he could melt the Heavens the Earth to spill:  
But will not, nor destroy the 
* Noah a preacher of righteousness  righteous Man,  
Though all the World a Deluge over ran.  
He will not do so sith he will not so:  
The reason of his Will, his Will doth scan:  
But, he that would the same yet further know,  
Look in his Word, but no step further go.   

He can do nought but what is good, and just;  
And though that all he doth be simply so,  
yet doth it not ensue, that needs he must  
Do what he doth; and, likewise do no more  
Lest he his Grace and justice should forego:  
No: if he would do more, or otherwise;  
All should be good, and just which he should do:  
For, he's the 
* Psal. 3a, 9  fount of GOOGDNES, whence doth  
Power infinite, all good to exercise! (rise   

But, some affirm that he can do no more,  
But what he did foresee he should perform.  
By his Power actual the same is so:  
But his Power Absolute can that reform;  
And make much more, in much more better form:  
So, though he, through his Purpose, did foresee  
What he would do; yet did himself inform  
That he could do much more, than now can Be  
Because his Purpose is as fast, as free.   

But he saw all, he made, was perfect 
* Gen. 1, 12  good:  
Then could they not, by nature, better be:  
He must have changed their Essence, with their mood,  
If he had made them better in degree;  
Sith, in their kinds, he Them did perfect see:  
No Power can multiply a Numbers Store  
But it must change the Number really:  
So Man, as he was made his Fall before,  
Was good: if better; then, a Man no more.   

We mean, as he was good essentially:  
For, 
* Man might have been made more perfect accidentally but not essentially.  accidentally, no doubt, he might  
Have been complished much more perfectly,  
With neither Will, nor power to do unright:  
And, have continued in that perfect plight:  
yet, as Immortal Saints are Men no more  
Than we: so we, though made more exquisite,  
Should be but Men (as we were made before)  
For, Fools are Men aswell as 
* Or any other Philoso pher.  Isidore.   

But O! had he so pleased t'have made Man stayed,  
Man had been staidly-blest, till his remove:  
For, hence, at last, he should have been conveyed  
To stay for ever Motion far above;  
But how removed, God knows; I cannot prove,  
Assumpted, some 
* Curiosity  suppose; but, howsoe'er,  
It should have been as best should Man behove:  
The Way could not have been through Death or Fear:  
For, Sin made Them, else they had been no 
* By Sin came Death and Fear  where.   

But, why he made Man to His constant Form,  
yet, made him changeable; so, most unlike:  
And why his Son endured his Angers Storm  
Sith so Man chan'gd; I am herein to seek;  
But sure I am for It He Him did strike.  
Could He resolve before he gave the Wound  
with his own Pains (past Pains) to heal the Sick,  
when with more ease he might have keptthem sound?  
He did; and what he doth hath perfect 
* Infinite wise doom can do nothing with out like reason  ground.   

Though he were GOD: yet suffe'rd he in Flesh:  
Such Agonies, as made that Flesh to sweat  
Both Blood and Water: which came streaming fresh  
From all his Parts, to cool his Angers heat,  
As he was God: which is as hot as great!  
Nay, it was such, that, though true GOD he were,  
yet, that the Cup might pass, he did entreat;  
So much he did ensuing Torments fear,  
which he came to sustain; yet, feared to bear!   

His Glory was the Mark whereat did aim  
The Shame and Torments which he did sustain!  
yet, why? sith he all glory well might claim  
As his own Right, without so strange a Strain  
As to endure for Glory shameful pain:  
But O! the depth of all Profundity  
His judgements! o who can attain  
To know his Counsels, full of mystery!  
Not one, not God, as Man; then much less I!   

It was his sufferance, and it was his 
* God's will and sufferance are near of kin  will,  
That man, made stayless, so should fall, and rise:  
So he permitted, not desired ill;  
Or, if he Ill desired, 'twas Good precise:  
For ill he cannot will, that's only wise▪  
Damnation's ill but in respect of us:  
But, in regard of him, quite otherwise!  
Then, if he willed it, it were righteous,  
which makes (as well as Grace) him glorious!   

Man's Free-will was the Cause of all the ill  
Beneath the Sun; which God did well foresee:  
yet, sith Man's dignity required free-will,  
No Man without it, could his Essence be;  
Much less, with God's Form could his Form agree:  
For, by his free-will, and Intelligence  
He is the Image of the Deity:  
And having over 
* All creature  All pre-eminence,  
'twas fit he should command his Will, and Sense.   

And though the Divine wisdom did foresee  
He would abuse free-will, to his decay;  
yet, with that Wisdom, it doth well agree,  
To let him on his own Supporters stay;  
To stand upright, or downright fall away:  
That so God's Grace, and justice might appear,  
which due Wile and Punishments bewray:  
Both which (as useless] quite extinguished were,  
If Man from his foul Fall, had still been clear.   

He knew that, through temptation, Man would sin,  
yet, made him apt in foulest sin to slide;  
Sith he foresaw the good that Ill within  
Made for his greater Glory; sith he died,  
That Man then dead, might still in life abide  
Deeming it better ill should still consist,  
That he through it might more be glorifi'de  
By doing highest Good, for Evil highest,  
Then that there should no Ill at all exist.   

yet he gave Man not only freest Will,  
But, with it, Reason and Intelligence;  
To choose the Good, and to reject the Ill,  
Sith, he had heard 
* ●en, 2, 17.  'twould wound his Conscience,  
And Divine Justice mightily incense:  
So, had he Means the force of Ill to foil,  
Had he but used them with full confidence;  
But willingly he fell before the Broil:  
So, freely did [though charged to fight) recoil.   

yet, was he framed so, that if he had  
On God relied, as he both might and should,  
He had o'ercome in fight; but, being mad  
With Devilish pride; fell as the Devil would:  
Sith willingly of God, he lost his hold.  
That man might see, God could not be distressed  
For want of him, or what perform he could,  
He made him free, to serve whom he liked best,  
So, Sin he served, at his Freewils request.   

But yet, the good which we by Sin receive,  
Doth far surmount the Ill that comes from thence  
If God, the World of Ill should quite berave  
There were no Toast to try our Sapience;  
So, might want Reason, and Intelligence:  
But, we have both to know the Good from Bad;  
So, know we God, and our Souls safe defence;  
Then sith, by Ill, we are so well bestead,  
We cannot grieve for 
* To grieve for sin, is a joyful sorrow  ill, but must be glad!   

For, were there no Temptation, then, no Fight:  
And if no fight; no Victory could be:  
No Victory; no Palms, nor 
* Revel, 35.  Virtues white:  
No Cross; no Crown of immortality;  
And thus from Ill comes good abundantly:  
For, by the Conquest of it, we are Crowned  
With glory, in secure felicity:  
So, from great Ills, more Goods to us redouned,  
As oft most Sickness maketh us most sound!   

Ill (like a Mole upon the WORLD'S fair Cheek) 
Simil.   
Doth still set forth that Fairness much the more:  
She were to seek much Good were Ill to seek:  
For, Good by Ill increaseth strength, and store;  
At least in our Conceit, and Vertucs Lore.  
" There's nought so evil that is good for nought:  
[God giving us a Salve for every Sore)  
The Good are humbled by their 
* ᵃ yet we must not do evil, in any case, that good may come of it, but when unwillingly it is committed, draw good out of it. ᵇ It's better to say that impossibilities cannot be done then that God cannot do them  euil'st Thought:  
So, to the Good, als good that Ill hath wrought!   

Then, better say some things cannot be done  
Then that he cannot do them: For, he can  
Do all that can be done; whose power is One  
With his own Essence infinite; and than  
He can do more than can be thought by man..  
If he could, sin could fear, could Wear, could Die;  
These Couldst are sick; no Paraclesian  
Can cure them of their great infirmity:  
For, to be able, so's debility;  
And not so able, highest Potency!   

So can his power, his Will nor strain, nor bow,  
How ere it seems to do it to our Sense:  
Nor, can it do it, truly, but in show;  
If truly we could see the Cause from whence   

That show proceeds by our Intelligence:  
For, he is real; and, doth hate to seem:  
Sith it doth strongly argue Impotence;  
But when he seems to misdo, we misdeem,  
That still, his works of justice, disesteem.   

Nor, changed he state, when He, in fiery Tongues,  
Descended on his Darlings: for, that Show  
To us, as Men, not him, as God, belongs;  
Who cannot see him otherwise then so:  
But, He, in form confined, cannot go:  
For if he were confined, he were nowhere;  
Sith, by the same, he should his state forego:  
But, he to us, doth often so appear  
(His state unchanged) as our weak state may bear.   

Nor changed he mind when as his Will revealed  
He altered; as he did for 
* God doth often change his open sentence, but ne ver his secret decree: for the sentence is ever condicional.  Ninivy;  
Because he changed not then his Will concealed;  
Which was to save it, through his Clemency:  
Who knew they would repent, ere they should die.  
And, touching 
a Ezechias  him, for whom the Sun went back  
To cross his will, erst shown apparently,  
His secret Will, did That revealed, wrack,  
That one might firmly live, by th'others lack. 
* Yet both wills are one in effect: for, the judgement against Nyni ute was condicional (as are all God's threats) if it did not repent.    

here am I Clouded with a Mystery,  
That makes my Muse's Eyes quite lose their fight:  
O Heavenly Wisdom, Son of Verity,  
Dissolve this Cloud, and lend those Eyes thy light,  
To find this Truth, which is obscured quite:  
For, only- Goodness can no 
* God simply good, cannot will evil sim ply.  Evil will;  
Yet, Ill it wills: but turns that wrong, to right:  
But, how he should a Wrong a right fulfil  
Here lies the Maze, my Muse amazing still!   

Yet, by the Clew of his directing Word  
weare led to say, he suffers Ill to Be  
With right good will; to make Ill more abhorred  
When it is Paralleled with Piety;  
yet, wills, what he permits, unwillingly:  
For, Ill he wills not, that good thence shouldspring,  
Which to his Will, and Word were contrary  
And yet, against his Will can Be no 
* Rom. 9, 19, In a diverse consideration, God wil● diversly.  thing:  
So, wills a cross, in cross considering.   

Yet Contradictions, in one kind of Sense,  
He cannot [though he most almighty be]  
Cause to exist: for, that were violence,  
To Nature, Truth, and his own Equity;  
Which in great Power, were great Infirmity:  
But, sith the Rule of Goodness, is his Will, 
God's will is the rule of justice.   
Ill, is not Ill, that he wills willingly;  
Because his Will to good converteth Ill:  
So, ill is good if he perform it stil.   

He did command 
* Abraham.  him, who did hope, past hope,  
To kill his only Son; which was not ill:  
Because that evil hath no evil Scope  
That is confined by his exact good Will:  
" The judge that dooms death justly, doth not kill:  
Shimey Cursed David by the like command; 
2 Sam. 16, 5   
And yet the same he justly did fulfil:  
For, in the Bidders will no Ill can stand,  
Sith by it Right is ruled, with upright Hand.   

In Sin two Things we chiefly must respect, 
Two things to be noted in Sin.   
The Act itself; and Its deformity:  
The Act (though it be evil in effect)  
yet, hath a Being; so, is good thereby;  
For GOODNESS, Being's made most righteously:  
But, as it is deformed, 'tis a Defect:  
So, not of GOD (free from Deficiency)  
Who is an ACT; and works, without neglect,  
All Being's Being, be they low, or high,  
So, though we lie in Him, He doth not lie.   

For, as one managing a Courser lame 
Simil.   
Doth put him to't, to use those Limbs of his,  
That he doth stir, his Rider works the same;  
But, that he lamely stirs, his fault it is;  
That through his lameness stirreth still amiss:  
So: That we do; of God the cause is still;  
But, that we do Ill; we, too blame for This:  
Then, not for doing, but, for doing Ill,  
We are condemned, as Steeds that stumble will.   

We are condemned, and 
* We are condemned for violation of Gods revealed will.  justly so we are;  
Sith Synn's the high contempt of his good Will:  
Sin is the Cause effecting all our care;  
And with Confusion all the World doth fill,  
Which is the Ill, producing every Ill:  
All breake-backe Crosses, which we undergo,  
Are cast upon us, by this Evil still:  
In Sum, it makes this World a Sea of Woe,  
Wherein we, fincking, swim; tossed to, and fro.   

When I behold a Town (erst fairly built]  
Which Time (dissmantling) doth in Heaps confuse,  
Thus say I to myself; Here, Men have dwelled;  
And, where Men devil, there Sin to reign doth use;  
And where Sin reigns 
* All confusi on springs from sin.  Confusion still ensues!  
Thus, from beginning to the End, I fall  
Of this rude CHAOS, (whereon moves my Muse)  
And all the way I see Sin ruined all;  
" So Synn's the Soul of Ills in general.   

The Plague (which late our Mother-CITTY 
* London.  scoured  
And erst the KINGDOM made half 
* Therefore I will make thee sick in smiting thee, & make thee desolate because of thy sins. Micha. 6, 13.  desolate! ( 
The heavens (through Air contagious) on it poured  
For odious sins, which them exasperate,  
For which they oft dissolve the Crowns of STATE  
Likewise the DELUGE (that did rinse this ROUND)  
Came, (sith foul Sin did it contaminate)  
To make it clean, and so to keep it sound, 
* Make Anarchies of Monarchies   
Else filthy Sin that BALL would clean confound.   

Then, o how blessed are they that die to Sin,  
And live to never dying righteousness!  
They, in this Sea of Misery, begin  
To enter in the Haven of happiness;  
Though overwhelmed the while withal distress:  
For, in a Calm we fall to frolic it;  
Or sleep secure in Pleasure's idleness:  
Which doth pervent the Will, corrupt the Wit  
Until our Stern be torn, and Keel be split.   

With 
* Hosea: 2: 6  Thorns he Hedgeth in his Minions Way,  
That if they tread awry, they prick their feet:  
So, thus Hedged in, they cannot go astray;  
Or, if they do, their feet with Thorns do meet,  
That make them straight go right, through sharp regreet.  
But, with the Reprobate it is not so:  
Their ways are wide, & fair, and smooth, and 
b Eccles 12  sweet:  
So that, in all lose liberty, they go  
Through World's of Pleasure, to a World of Wo.   

Thus, is this power divine, to Grace connexed  
For those that are to Glory preordained!  
Yet, by that power, and 
* It is Gods grace to punish his children in the World, lest they should be condemned with the World.  Grace they still are vexed,  
for, want of Power, and Grace to have refrained  
Some Sin which they perhaps have entertained,  
But touching the remorseless Reprobate  
This power to justice evermore is chained:  
yea often Gifts of Grace, through secret hate,  
Do fat them up for death in frolic state. 
Rome, 9, 18 1. Cor, 12, 11    

Now, on this power of his Almightiness  
Hangs that great 
* Real presence.  Question in Religion  
For which so many [with rare hardiness)  
Their Livelihoods, and Lives have erst foregone:  
" But though men's Faiths be divers: Truth's but One.  
To urge his Power, our Faith to strengthen still,  
In that wherein his will is simply shown  
We justly may: else, do we passing ill,  
To press his Power against his holy Will.   

Hence may we take encouragement to give 
From God's power we may take encouragement to be liberal to the poor   
(with open hand) to those that are in need:  
For supernaturally he can relieve  
Those that fast oft, the hungry Soul to feed,  
Sith they are rarely constant in their Creed!  
But now (alas) this free Benevolence  
Is shunned as a superstitious deed:  
To offer [as some ween) the Poor our Pence  
We make an Idol of their Indigence.   

yet, nought's more sure than that that Members dead  
That hath no feeling of his fellows pain:  
So, if this fellow-feeling once be fled  
From those that Faith profess, their Faith is vain:  
And they in Death insensibly remain;  
A faithful Heart, doth make an open Hand;  
And, in all hearts, an open Hand doth reign:  
For, they by Reason's rule should most command  
That (like God) most relieve, on Sea and Land.   

Riches (like Thorns) laid on the open Hand  
Do it no hurt; but, gripped hard, wowd it deep: 
Simil:   
So, while a Man his Riches can command  
He may command the World, and safely sleep:  
For, all men bound to him, to him will stand;  
And from all Wants, and Woes him safely keep:  
But, they whose hands are closed by Avarice,  
Lie open to all Hate, and 
* Prou, 11, 24  Prejudice.   

From this almighty power, in deep'st distress,  
We fetch our Anchor (Hope) ourselves to stay;  
Where safe we lie (though plunged in wretchedness]  
For, well we wot, we never can decay  
While, never-falling power our Stern doth sway:  
And, sith it's mighty, most in Clemency  
(If wilfully we do not fall away]  
We are secur'st in greatest iobardy,  
Sith on that power alone we then rely.   

All that GOD promiseth he hath a Will  
(A willing will) to make 
* God is infinite in truth  good every way:  
And, what his Will is willing to fulfil,  
His power performs; and so his Will doth sway  
Almighty power; which freely, doth obey:  
Then, none can fear his Promises can fail  
That his Omnipotency well doth weigh,  
Sith as he wills that power doth still prevail;  
Then, Cross we both, when we in Crosses quail.   

It that, of Nothing (only with a Word]  
Made this huge twy-formed Fabric which we see,  
Can all assure; that is by It assu'rd: 
Heaven & Earth   
For, what It wills, it can; what ere it be!  
Who doubts hereof denies the Deity.  
Then, as we would not Atheists be in fact,  
We must (like God] to all his Likes, be free:  
For though our Sanctity doth seem exact,  
If nought we give, nought is our 
* Our prayers are turned in to sin, if we have not charity  holiest Act.   

For, to believe alone, God died for Man,  
And not to live as we, in God, should die,  
Our Faith is thus, but an Historian;  
Living to Truth, and dead in Verity;  
For, Faith lives not, if dead in Charity:  
Who speak like God, and yet like Devils do,  
Speak Truth to their Damnation; for, his Eye  
That sees their Words, and Deeds are ever two  
Doth doom them by their words, and damn them too.   

Whose power doth muzzle 
a Dan, 6, 16  Lions, Deeps 
b Exod 14 25  divide,  
Make forceles 
c Dan: 3, 25  fire, from scathe to save his 
d john 15. 15  Friends;  
And, none that ever on the same relied  
Had worse than heavenly, if untimely ends:  
For it, in death, from Death his Saints defends!  
It, from the dust of the obscurest Grave,  
Doth raise to Glory What on It depends:  
And from the deepness of the swelling Wave,  
Doth lift to Heaven all those It wills to save.   

In Sum, sith nothing is impossible  
That good is, to his all-performing power  
We should (with Hope and Frailties 
* jonas  Spectacle  
Which that Sea-damming Monster did deuou'r)  
Depend thereon; and so, in Death be sure.  
But now the greatest Taper in the Sky  
Doth, like a Candle in the Socket dure;  
Which seems as it were at the point to die,  
Then die a while (dulled Muse) for Company.   

NOw [in the the resurrection of his Light  
That late lay buried in the Ocean Lake] 
Sol   
Arise dead Muse, resume thy wont sprite,  
And once again, with Him, thy journey take  
Through Heaven, to find him out, that All did make:  
yet knows he more than he did ere 
* God knows more than he ever did or will make  create:  
For all created Was when as he spoke  
with Time; whose Term had no eternal state:  
But, he knows more than Time can circulate.   

He knows those Things that are not, nor shallbe;  
And calls That which Is not, as though it Were:  
For, in himself, he more than All doth see;  
And, though they be not, there, he knows them there:  
That is, he knows them though they ne'er appear;  
For, sith his Knowledge and himself are One,  
He knows well what he can, though will do near:  
So, That may in his knowledge Be alone,  
That never shall Be by Creation!   

This knows he simply by his Intellect,  
As That which here shallbe but in his might:  
But, That which he doth purpose to effect  
Is evermore existing in his sight:  
For, all is present to his Wisdoms Spirit! 
Whatsoever god means to do he seeth as on from all eternity.   
And though of that That which Is not, nor shall Be  
Can be no Notion; so, no knowledge right,  
yet, Creatures only know in that degree;  
But God knows (Notionlesse] Essentially.   

Those Things have ever an unbeing Being 
* Things which only Bee in God's understanding or power have an unbeeing being   
which in his Understanding only Be:  
And never object made to his All seeing,  
But Them he intellectually doth see,  
As though they were, yet are but virtually:  
As Pictures are in Painter's Fantasies;  
Although they never make them actually:  
Só, without Notion (sith all in Him lies)  
These are in Him, as Things he could devise.   

So then we must observe a difference  
Between the knowledge of what once shall Be, 
Nota.   
And that which shall not: for, as 'twere, by sense  
God sees the first, the last he doth not see  
But as they are in Possibility.  
Yet some may urge, what truth can be of Those  
That never shall be? Yes, They, with truth agree  
That truly are in God's power to disclose:  
So, in that Power, with truth, they still repose.   

For, sith his knowledge is indefinite 
The things which God knows must be infinite like his know ledge.   
To Things indefinite it must extend:  
And sith his Power can make Things infinite.  
He needs must know them, sith he knows the end.  
Of All that on his endless Power depend:  
But all that is or ever shall be made  
Is finite; then, his knowledge must transcend  
Their highest Reach; as Reason doth persuade:  
For, it is infinite, and cannot fade.   

ONE is an Unity, which can extend  
To Numbers infinite [if multiplied)  
For, every Number doth thereon depend:  
Then, if that Unity did know how wide  
It could extend, it knew the rest beside.  
Man, in Conceit, can multiply this One  
To Numbers infinite: for, such abide  
Still subject to increase, by Union:  
Then, God must know past limitation.   

He knows distinctly, and in general:  
For, knowledge indistint imperfect is:  
He counts the 
* Psal. 147, 4  Stars, & by their names them call;  
Numbers our 
* Math: 10, 30 Luke 12, 7  Hairs, & knows when one we miss:  
Then, must his knowledge be distinct by This.  
He in their Causes sees Contingent Things  
Yet nought's contingent to that sight of his:  
For, he that all in All to Being brings  
Must hatch them ere they Be, beneath his Wings.   

In him that did 
* judas  betray the Lord of light  
It was Contingent; sith in him it was  
To do, or not to do that damned despite:  
But, God did in himself [as in a Glass]  
Past Time, see It, in Time, should come to pass. 
ᵃ God is a Mirror where in all things are seen.   
Then, in the second and Contingent Cause,  
Contingently he knows: but, if it has  
Relation to his preordaining Laws,  
Necessity it on the Action draws!   

Then must he needs knows Ill aswell as good:  
But, Ill is nothing, but a mere Defect;  
Which hath no Notion, by a Likelihood,  
So nought can know the same in true Effect; 
Ill hath no notion to know it by.   
And nought to know, God's knowledge doth reject.  
Then Ill is known by good (as death by life)  
Though by no Notion it can Sense direct:  
For though Ill nothing be, 'tis still at strife  
With Goodness: so this knowledge still is rife.   

God knows not Evil by receiving in  
A Notion to his Mind; which knows not so:  
For if he so should do, so should he sin;  
But sith he knows himself, he Ill doth know  
By his own goodness: so, knows Ill, his foe.  
But if, by Notions, he did aught perceive,  
Then that perceived, those 
* Whatsoever is ordinarily by the under standing perceived is perceived by notions.  Notions needs must show;  
So, should he more than erst before conceive  
And so might be deceived, and deceive.   

But his high knowledge is the Cause of all:  
Then, must it before All Actually:  
His Providence could not be general  
If ought there were he knew not 
* God's providence were imperfect if he knew not particular things.  specially:  
But, he knows All from all Eternity:  
Then, must he needs know Ill, that all doth mare,  
By his own goodness, most essentially:  
But, if that Ills do stretch themselves so far  
To yield such knowledge, more than nought they are.   

This knowledge knows together what it knows;  
So doth it not augment much less decrease:  
Himself (the Medium of his knowledge) shows  
The state of Things, at once (not piece, by piece;  
As men do know, their knowledge to increase:  
Then is his Knowledge firm, ●● as infinite,  
And can no more be changed, than it can cease:  
So, to his undeceiveable foresight  
All Haps on All 
* Nothing is contingent with God.  inveitably light.   

If so; it seems this Knowledge doth impose  
On all men's Acts a mere necessity:  
Not so; for his foresight doth not dispose  
The wills of Men, nor lets their liberty;  
But what they do, they do most willingly:  
Though second Causes, by their nature's course,  
Make us to do some things unwillingly;  
Yet, God's Foresight doth not those Causes force:  
No more than ours makes great Loads lame an Horse.   

So, God's foreknowledge may two ways be weighed:  
First, as he did foresee what ere should Be;  
Last, as his foresight in his Will is stayed:  
And so his foresight is his Wills decree;  
Which must be acted of necessity:  
So, all Things, of necessity, are such;  
Though they be such perhaps conditionally:  
For God doth move them but by nature's touch  
So, moves them as they will, lest She should gruch.   

Two Causes in the World his Power hath set 
God hath set two second causes in the world, to pro duce all effects.   
To Cause (as second Causes) all Effects:  
The first are certain, and Effects beget  
As certain: As the fire with heat affects,  
The Sun gives light: and so of other Sects:  
The later Causes are indefinite,  
And their Products uncertainly respects:  
Those are Contingent, and extend their might  
Unto men's Wills, and Actions, wrong, or right.   

Now, though God's foresight, joined with his Will,  
Be such, as by no Power can changed be;  
Yet we thereby are not enforced to Ill,  
But merely do it of our own decree,  
As moved by nature, to Iniquity:  
Yet can we not do other than we do,  
If it we weigh as God did it foresee:  
And so, foreseeing, justly willed it too:  
For, what he doth, he justly may 
* We are undone by ill-doing.  undo!   

Say we foreknew the nature of a Friend  
Would credit us in all that we should say  
Should our foreknowledge so his nature bend  
As it were bound; and so must needs obey,  
It having liberty itself to sway?  
Not so: no more doth God's 
* Gods fore knowledge foreeth not our wills  Foreknowledge force  
men's Wills against their Nature any way:  
But still their Wills by Nature have their Course,  
yet nought their Wills from Gods will can divorce.   

For, as we freely in a Ship do walk, 
Simil.   
And yet our walking hinders not her Way;  
But, holds her Course (welstired] and Le's doth baulk  
Till she arrives where she's designed to stay,  
By him whose Goods she safely doth convey:  
So, in the surest Ship of God's DECREE  
Wherein we sail, (and cannot fall away]  
Though our Will cross the Course, yet cannot we  
That Course avert, but needs must with it flee.   

And, as one having fastened a Boat 
Simil.   
Unto a Rock, hales at the rope to draw  
The Rock to him; yet, so himself doth float  
Unto the Rock (unmoved) by Nature's law:  
So, we being fast to That which God foresaw  
Do strive to pull his 
* Eph, 1, 8  Purpose to our Will;  
yet are we driven thereby (as by a Flaw)  
Unto his Purpose, which is * steadfast still:  
So though we seek our Wills, we His fulfil!   

But though Man works, as of necessity,  
According unto Gods most staid deeree,  
yet works he at his Nature's liberty;  
And so he works as being bond and free;  
Both which God's wisdom could not but foresee:  
So than he might Man's nature have restrained  
From working ill, but than it bound should be:  
For though Man's Works to God's Decree are chained  
yet works he by his nature unconstraind.   

Then, though he knows from all eternity  
What we would do; that caused not our Deed: 
* Gods prescience causeth not our Actions   
But what he wiled imposed necessity  
Upon our works (who works as he decreed]  
Which Works, his practic knowledge do succeed  
His Will and Knowledge than is cause of All  
At once: For, all at once from them proceed:  
Sith in Him nought we first, and last must call  
But, He is all One Cause in general.   

Then in this fearful Sea which we be in  
we must beware two Rocks: That is to wit,  
we must make God no Cause of any sin:  
which we do if we say he 
* Simply  willeth it:  
For, as its Ill, he doth it but permit.  
The other is, when that without his Will  
And his Foreknowledge we do Ill admit:  
For, so we do his perfect knowledge spill;  
As in the other make his Goodness ill.   

Our Soul doth move our Body, being lame,  
And yet our Soul is whole in every Limb:  
Then God is not for our misdeeds to blame, 
* Good moves us well, But being Lame, in our affections, we move ill   
Though he Works all in All as pleaseth Him:  
Who makes the sinful in their sins to swim  
Until they sink to Hell: so, punisheth  
Much Sin, by Sin: for, he their Eyes doth dim,  
That they should not perceive the Snares of Death,  
Until they fall those mortal Snares beneath.   

He moves aright the most perversest Will;  
But, by that crooked Will it waxeth Wrong:  
As good meat put into a Stomach ill  
Turns to bad Humours, with disease among: 
Simil   
So, Good, to God; and Ills to Men belong.  
He worketh all in All: or good, or bad:  
Either, as either are, or weak, or strong:  
And so we are or ill or well bestead,  
As our demerits him do grieve, or glad.   

Then, wicked Actions, as they Actions are,  
(And not as they are wicked] God doth will:  
For, they are Beings; but we must beware  
(Sith ere our fall we well could them fulfil)  
We make him not the Author of their 
* 1, Ioh, 4. 13  Ill:  
For, he may willingly still suffer sin,  
Though to his Will it he repugnant still;  
Which suffering, by indulgence, seeks to win  
The lost Sheep, though astray the more it run.   

Then, willing sufferance, needs must be his Will:  
So then in God two overt Wills we prove: 
Willing suff▪ rance is god's will   
The Greater, and the Less; yet neither ill;  
Although the less to suffer Ill doth love,  
which yet the Greater ever doth reprove:  
He, by the Greater, would we should dowel;  
And, if by Ill, the Less we more approve,  
Against the Greater than we do rebel,  
By doing his will that doth not so excel.   

He suffers us to sin, when by his grace, 
* Good doth will sin as it is an act where on to show his divine goodness ei there by justice or mercy   
He might restrain us from transgression:  
So, willingly doth Will it, in this Case,  
As 'tis an Act, to show his Goodness on;  
Either by justice, or Remission:  
The lesser Good is th'object of his Will  
Aswell as that Good past Comparison,  
But this doth save; and that doth often spill,  
yet glory gains when he doth each fulfil.   

So, though his Will be one, yea, simply One,  
yet, is he said to will both Good, and Ill:  
Most properly he willeth good alone;  
But, Ill he wills as 'twere against his Will  
Improperly; against his nature stil.  
He willeth all that to himself pertains  
Urged by his nature, not by Force, or Skill:  
But, his free-will his Creatures state maintains;  
Whose Good, or Il in his free choice remains.   

No Man doth good or ill against his will;  
Though some do ill (in sort) unwillingly: 
* Touchinga the intention   
yet, in so doing, do their Lusts fulfil;  
Therefore the Wilexcludes Necessity,  
Sith it, by nature, hath free liberty.  
Then none are damned but for wilful sin;  
Nor, saved but for willing Piety:  
So, the Wil's free, as it hath ever been,  
From all Constraint, save Sin the same within.   

Then, Reprobates unjustly do complain  
Of being preordained for Castaways:  
For, though to perish, God did them ordain;  
yet die they not, but for their wicked Ways;  
And so the unjust justly still decay:  
They freely sin, by nature, which is free;  
Then God, sins wages, ever justly pays:  
So, Sin steps in betwixt his just Decree  
And th' execution, that he just might be!   

There's no Discourse nor Motion in his will  
That he should now will This, then That again; 
No discourse or motion in the will of God   
His Will is even with his Knowledge still;  
Though it in Order do behind remain;  
For, nought but God, God's Substance can contain:  
Then, from eternity, He wills their wrack  
On whom, by justice, He doth glory gain:  
Yet die they for their sins (sith grace they lack)  
So, God doth judge, and never justice Rack!   

His judgements then, are all just, strange, and deep:  
For (in a most unutterable kind)  
They that transgress his Will, his Will do 
* The transgressors of Gods revealed will, keep his secret will  keep:  
For nought is simply done against his Mind;  
And all falls out, as he hath fore-disignde!  
He suffers Ill, and that most willingly;  
But would not suffer it, did he not find  
His Might can make Ill, Good almightly:  
So, Ill he wills, to make it good thereby!   

HE, and his Glory is the End of all;  
And all that are, are means unto that End;  
For, as they are by Him, in general:  
So, are they for him; and on him depend!  
For him: That is, his glory to defend.  
But yet, this End doth not so move his Will,  
As by the End ours move, and to it tend:  
To seek a 
* ᵃ No cause of gods will, but his mere good pleasure  Cause of his good Will, is ill,  
More than his only most good Pleasure still!   

Then, no Cause is there why he saveth some,  
But only that good pleasure, which is free  
To save, or spill his Works, by upright doom:  
Sith through all freedom, all Death's Vassals be;  
Then, some to save, is freest Clemency.  
And, as of All, he freely some ellects:  
So, by his eviternall sure DECREE  
Ordains them to the END, and the Effects;  
And, so his own free Gifts in them Affects.   

Then, in his Will, remains our Weal, or Woe;  
Yet, still we pray his will may still be done: 
God, by one act of willing, wills his glory, & our confusion.   
Who by that Act doth will our overthrow,  
By which he wills his own dominion;  
To which all Pow'rs are in subjection!  
Then must we needs submit us to his will,  
Although it be to our Confusion:  
(Sith that is good for him, though for us ill)  
And seek, for life, his know'n-will to fulfil.   

But let no temprall Torment, or annoy  
Persuade us, he is not our willing friend:  
For, as the Persians punishments employ 
Simil.   
Upon their Nobles Weeds, when they offend,  
That by that grace, they may their manners mend:  
So, God doth deal with those he loveth best,  
whose Rods he on their Corpses, & State doth spend,  
To save their Souls; and, those he loveth least,  
He plagues, in Soul, and lets their Body's rest.   

For, as an over-gorged Stomach makes  
Anaking Head, by Vapours that arise, 
Simil.   
So, too much Weal the staidest judgement shakes;  
And quite smocks out the Understandings Eyes:  
For, Overmuch makes foundlings of the Wise.  
Then let all outward griefs be heaped on me,  
So inward Comforts give my wants supplies:  
for so, by justice, God still makes me free  
from his just vengeance, in great Clemency!   

The higher we from Earth uplifted be  
The lesser will all Earthly Things appear;  
And so the nearer we to Heaven do flee,  
The less we value Things that Earthly are;  
But, Cloggd with Earth, that Clog is all our care.  
Then (with that Heu'n-rapt 
* S. Paul  Saint) rapt Muse, ascend  
That third ethereal Heau'n-reuealing Sphere!  
Yet, lo, quite spent, before our journeys end,  
We must t'a lower full Point 
* Will exceeds power herein.  now descend.   

And, though we must confess all Helps we took  
That God, and Men afforded us herein,  
Out of men's Write, and God's blessed Book  
Yet to our Muse, it hath so weighty been  
That now she (fainting) sinks, for fear to sin:  
Then, here an End, before an endless End,  
Sith we may lose, if more we seek to win:  
And what is done, we meekly do commend  
To mortal 
* The church militant.  Saints; to use, refuse, or mend.   
FINIS.   

He that loveth pureness of heart for the grace of his lips, the King shall be his Friend. Prou. 13, 11.  
GOod Preachers, that live ill [like Spittlemen)  
Are perfect in the way they never went:  
Or like the Flame that led Gods Children,  
Itself not knowing what the matter ment:  
They be, like Trumpets making others fight,  
Themselves not striking stroke; sith lifeless Things:  
Like Landmarks, worn to nought, being in the Right:  
Like well-directing ill-affected Kings:  
Like Bells that others call where they come not:  
Like Soap, remaining black, and making white:  
Like Bows, that to the Mark the Shafts have shot,  
While they themselves stand bend, unapt for flight:  
For, where their Words and Works are not agreed,  
There what they mend in Word, they mar in Deed,   

Blessed be the merciful: for they shall obtain Mercy. Math. 5. 7.  
WHat wit hath Man to leave that Wealth behind  
Which he might carry hence when hence he goes?  
What Alms he gives alive, he, dead, doth find;  
But what he leaves behind him, he doth lose.  
To give away then, is to bear away;  
They most do hold, who have the openest Hands:  
To hold too hard makes much the less to stay:  
Though stay there may more than the Hand commands.  
The beggars Belly is the batful'st Ground  
That we can sow in: For, it multiplies  
Our Faith, and Hope, and makes our Love abound;  
And, what else Grace, and Nature dearly prise:  
So thus, may Kings be richer in their Grave  
Then in their Thrones; though all the world they have!