VIRTUE AND SCIENCE.  
Pindaric Poems.  
DEDICATED To the Most Illustrious PRINCESS, ANNE, Duchess of RICHMOND and LENOX, AND To Her Sister, The Right Honourable, FRANCES, Countess of NEWBURGH.  
By J. S.  
LONDON, Printed in the Year, 1695.   

PREFACE.  
To the Judicious and Pious READER.  
THat Virtue, or the Love of Heaven above all things, is a necessary Requisite to the Attainment of Salvation, and the High Road to Beatitude, is the constant Judgement of all those, who are not mere Libertines, or Deists; nor can any doubt but Faith is also necessary, except those Naturalists, who deny all Divine Revelation. For, How can any man Love Celestial Goods, if he does not first in some manner know them? And, How can the Generality of Mankind know things Unseen and above the pitch of their Natural Reason, but by way of Authority; that is, by Faith, or the Believing others who do know them?  
But yet, mere Faith is not alone sufficient for that Great End: St. James assures us, that Faith without Works is Dead; and Life being the Principle of Action or Motion, we cannot move or Promote ourselves towards Heaven, by that which is Dead or without Life. Wherefore the Endeavours of all Spiritual Directours are employed in rendering Faith Lively and Operative; and this can only be performed, by making it more Clear, and more Familiar to our Conceptions; that so the Obscurity of it may not Retard our Progress, or Benumb and Chill the Fervour of our Devotion. To this end our Common Directress, the Church, Instructs her Ghostly Children, the Faithful, by Catechisms, which Explain to them their Faith; She Obliges them to Pray at some Set Times, and Exhorts them to do it often; She proposes to them the Good Examples of Holy Men to excite their industry; She Administers to them Sacraments, the most pregnantly-expressive Signs to represent to them Spiritual things: She enures them to Practise their Devout Tenets, by enjoining them to keep many Signal Seasons, (as Sundays and Festivals) Holy: Lastly, She Lays a kind of Sweet Force upon them, to keep up their Spirits from Drooping and Lazy Dulness, by her well-ordered Discipline; which puts them upon Exercising what Her Instructions had Taught them: And all this to no other end, but by Acquanting them more familiarly with their Faith, to make it Vigorous, Lively and Active.  
But now, besides those Ordinary ways of advancing Faith, there are other Clearer Lights; to attain which, is the work of but a few more Elevated Christians; tho', if Industry and Instruction be not wanting, they may, to a fair degree, be compassed, by considerable Multitudes; all of them tending to perfect Souls in the Knowledge, and consequently in the Love of God, and in a great measure supplying the Disadvantage of Faith's Obscurity. Such as are, First, The Science of Controversy; which if rightly managed, shows the Absolute Certainty of the Grounds of Faith, by Evidencing the Truth of Christ's Doctrine, and that it has been sincerely and incorruptedly Transmitted down to us who live now. Secondly, Cheology, which renders that Doctrine more Intelligible by showing its Agreeableness to Natural Principles, and its Connexion with those Truths which are more Clear and Obvious to our common Conceptions. Thirdly, By Higher, Purer, and more Empyreal Lights gained by Abstraction from the world (either Totally or at Seasons) and continual Employment of our Thoughts in Meditation and Contemplation; which burnish the Rude and Unpolished Ideas we have of Heavenly Goods with a more Bright and Dazzling Lustre; being (as far as our State here will allow) a certain kind of Experience of their Transcendent Excellency. And Lastly, Natural Science, or the true Knowledge of the Book of Creatures; which (and especially that part of Metaphysics which treats of Abstracted Spirits) if Solid, and applied as it ought, is apt to raise the Soul to very sublime Contemplations. And These Knowledges are particularly They, which are meant here by Science as she is the Handmaid to Dirtue: For they do all conduce highly in their several Stations, to make our Apprehensions of Heavenly Things more Clear, Active and Lively: They rivet and confirm in us our Adhesion to Heaven-revealed Truths, and add to our Spiritual Progress Incomparable Advantages. This is that Wisdom, which St. Paul tells us he spoke among the Perfect; and which is recommended here to all those that aim at Perfection.  
I thought fit to deliver my Conceptions, tho' they were of the Highest Points of Christian Morality, in the way of Poetry, because this is more Elevated, and more becoming Great Subjects than Prose. The thoughts of a Poetical Writer use to be more Comprehensive; which renders his Sense more Full, and his Expressions more Smart. And I took the way of Courtship, to show that there is no manner of dressing up a Subject, but may be Useful to Devotion; especially when the Matter guards the Author from all suspicion of Levity. Besides, there is something of Charmingness in such kind of Addresses. Love is so Tender and Soul-melting a Passion, that it is Grateful to all whose Natures are not Sowered by a Rigid Humour: Nothing can be either more Attractive or more Persuasive, than the Soft and Delicate Language in which it uses to be delivered. But I can need no more Authentic Voucher than the Holy Ghost, nor a more Warrantable Precedent, than the Sacred Scripture itself indicted by his Inspiration. Never was any thing more affectionately writ than that Song of Songs, the Canticles of Solomon; in which the Dearest Love between the Church and Her Heavenly Spouse is penned throughout in such Amorous Language, and such Ravishingly-kind and Courtly Expressions, that perhaps the most High-Soaring Fancy that ever Writ since in that strain, has never been able to reach or equal it. He is but Meanly Versed in Poetry, who sees not that that Devout Piece is a perfect Love-Poem; and which is most disliked by some Nice-judgments, a Dramatic Poem too; or as we familiarly call it a Play; where the several Persons Come in, Speak, and Answer in their turns. Whence we may farther discern that 'tis not the Artificial Form of Writing this way or that, which is Displeasing to God, but the applying that Form to Foolish Matter, or Unworthy and Unchaste Subjects. Besides, in taking this Method, I had a due Regard to the Devout Sex, who take more delight in the Tender Expressions of Poetry, than in severe Precepts delivered in Rougher Prose; their Genius leading them to be more affected with what's Acquaint, and to profit more by such Instructions as are ushered in with Pleasure, and some kind of Gaiety.  
That I Dedicated these Pieces to those Illustrious Ladies, was a Natural Effect of the Just Honour and Highest Respects I do, for many Regards, bear Themselves and all their Noble Family; which dilates itself into so many Branches adorned with most signal Marks of Honour, as perhaps Few in our Nation can equal it: And 'tis the greatest Encomium I can give to those Two Excellent Personages, that by publishing to the World they have a special Title to such Dedications, I declare at the same time that their Virtuous Education and Personal Endowments are such as render them capable of understanding the most solid Grounds of Christian Morality, and of benefiting Themselves by such Productions as exceed the reach of those Ladies who are not far above the common Level of their Sex and Quality.  
The Annotations may in one passage or two seem too speculative. But, I desire it may be considered that those speculations that are Airy and Fantastic are indeed justly ; but that those which are nothing but a deep Search and Inspection into the Nature of the Thing, which is under consideration, (as I am well assured these are) cannot justly be taxed with any thing but their being too well-grounded, and too solid; which are such Good Faults that they can need no Excuse: Nor can any thing be deemed too Obscure, which the daily Course of our Christian Life, with a due Reflection on our Interior, will, after a while, beat out Plain to us; and requite our Industry and Patience with the Evidence and Satisfaction it will bring along with it when 'tis fully comprehended.  
J. S.   

DEDICATION: To Her GRACE The DUCHESS of RICHMOND.  

LO, Madam, here's a Noble Guest,  
Bespeaks a Room in your good Breast.  
She seems a Stranger and Unknown,  
Attired i'th' Mode of Helicon;  
At a late Visit given her there  
By a Maiden Muse with Child of Her.  
But, if YE unveil the Tiffany Dress  
Her Friend there lent her, she'll confess  
Herself Your Inmate; vowed to dwell  
Constantly in Your Heart's dear Cell:  
'Twas Ordered by Heaven's Kind Decree,  
Your Soul should be her Landlady.   

Your choicest Entertainment bring  
For this Great Daughter to Heavens King.  
Of Your Heart Adorn each room  
With purest Thoughts, with Prayer perfume,  
Who thus receives her nothing loses,  
She all her Father's Gifts disposes:  
The Title she will give You, is,  
Heiress to Eternal Bliss;  
And your Aim at True Glory to advance,  
Whole Heaven will be your Rich Inheritance.    

To VIRTUE, His Soul's Mistress.  

Stanza I.  
FAir Maid of Honour, to Heaven's Court;  
What Pencil, or what Colours be  
Fit to Resemble, or even Emblem Thee,  
To Fancy whom lifts Art into Transport!  
I am all Exta●…  
When I mean Thee,  
Dear Ravisher of Hearts and Brains  
Each High-Expressive Attribute  
Lisps, or is mute:  
Blazons of Honour prove but Blots and Stains.  
Courtship, which racks Truth, is Detraction here;  
Compliments in Realities disappear.   

II.  
Hence you Untutored Wits, whose Vein  
Is only Gallant when Profane;  
Your Chattering Muse is hoarse where the High Theme  
Leaves no Power to Blaspheme.  
Your Airy Art affords  
But Empty Lying Words,  
Slandering Heaven, and All-rich Nature,  
To Flatter one poor Clayie Creature.  
Stars, Violets, Gems and Spice,  
Roses and Paradise  
All are dissolved into Lose Rhyme,  
Which to Hell's service movingly does Chime:  
Are all distilled by fulsome sultry Fires  
Of Coal-black Lust-enkindled Desires  
IT Extract (alas) a Motley Mistress thence,  
Vice's and Vanity's Compound Quintessence.  
Bold Chemists that dare try  
What God and Nature both deny!  
Dust-creeping things be gone;  
Your Highest Music is but Hisses,  
Th' Old Serpent's Tone,  
When he belov'd Corruption devours with Kisses.  
Let Chloris, Celia, and that Idol-Crew,  
Your Wanton Dotages, pack all away with you;  
And in their ill-filled Room  
Let Virtue, Heavens-Enamouring Darling come.   

III.  
Virtue, dear Virtue! Hark how the lovely Sound,  
Climbing its Native Sky,  
Compendiously  
Echoes the Sphere's whole Consort at each sweet Rebound!  
While my Joy-ravished Soul sweet Virtue sings,  
All Heaven's concerned, and Counter-rings,  
Tuned to the Selfsame Key  
By Mysterious Sympathy,  
Such sweet and secret Force has Correspondency.  
Dear Virtue, my Soul's Queen!  
Come, and come Glorious, as thou wouldst be seen  
By they Dread Lord, when at his Session's Day  
He shall the Palsyed World in Flames survey;  
And with the purest Beam of his Bright Eye  
Thy Metal try,  
And with one Powerful Glance Purge all thy Gross Alloy.  
In that dazzling Form appear;  
Nor fear,  
Lest our Flesh-veiled Sight  
Cannot sustain thy pure Meridian Light;  
True, we are dim-eyed Bats and dwell,  
Bright Virtue, in a dark and gloomy Cell;  
Yet Starry Lights and Thine  
More needfully do shine  
Cimmerian Midnight to expel.  
Deal forth a gentle Ray,  
And create a Newborn Day,  
Which in Red Letters We  
Will Write, and Consecrate to thy Dear Memory.  
We with Devoutest Incense will it feast,  
And every Sweet of the Arabian Nest.   

iv  
Lo where she comes, she comes amain,  
And Nature's whole Great Household in her Train,  
All pressed by Reason's Law to follow Her!  
Th' Obedient Well-trained Band  
Stands still, moveth forward, turns at Her Command.  
To Heaven their Procession is, and she  
The Van does lead;  
Nor ought they tread,  
In their Calm March, One Step until her Beck they see;  
Or, if some grow disordered, and do,  
All Nature's Well-ranked Army grows Disordered too.   

'Tis She allies  
Our Sublunary World to the Bright Skies:  
She is the Wedding-Ring 'twixt God and Nature;  
If any poor Exalted Creature  
heavens Blessed Affinity partakes,  
Virtue the Marriage and Relation makes.  
She stands between,  
A Reconciling, not Dividing Screen.  
'Tis Love alone  
That can Two Spirits join in One.   

V  
Being, which in its Notion's spacious room  
All possible Perfections does enwomb,  
Can not in her whole Line a Scale contrive  
By Steps at Heaven t' arrive.  
Add new Gradations, until  
You fill  
All the far-stretched Length in Numbers Row,  
In multiplied Excesses let Proportions grow and grow,  
Still, still, that Entity sinks infinitely Infinity below.  
Let Great Creation exert its utmost Skill,  
Its Product's but deep Nothing's Valley to heavens Topless Hill,  
Wither t' arrive transcends, oh far transcends Impossible;  
Unless Great Virtue, heavens next Neighbour, stand  
On th' top of Causes Climax, and there lend a hand  
To help the Lame, tho' Winged, Spirits on high  
T' attain and reach th' else-Inaccess'ble Deity.   

VI  
Thy Essence is of Harmony composed:  
That Old Philosopher had said true  
Had he meant You,  
Soul to the World and our Souls too.  
A Map of Symmetry  
Best Epitomizes Thee,  
In Orders perfectest Mould disposed;  
(f) Order, as when New- Coined in heavens High Mint,  
Retaining still the Alwise, All-Good Finger's Print.   

A Calm Sereneness is thy proper Grace,  
Smooth as a smiling Angel's Face.  
Oh, thou'rt all Smile, Smile shadows best thy Feature,  
One constant serious Smile of well-pleased Nature.  
A never-clouded Genuine Smile,  
Not coined fond Lovers to beguile,  
To tempt Lose Vanity,  
Or gild some Complimental Lie;  
Thou'st better Art's  
T'eamour Hearts,  
Thy Strict, , Cold, yet Mild and Sweet Indifferency.  
All Love is , and Physic needs,  
Which thy Just Temperament exceeds.   

VII.  
When thou breathest, thy Breath is Prayer,  
Exhaling Thee in Perfumed Air:  
In such Air Angels wave their Wings,  
With such Air the Seraph sings,  
Such Air the Heavenly Dove  
Wafts down; or, if above  
Seemingly a while it stays,  
This Air our interchanged sighs conveys.  
Through such Air Kind Heaven dispenses  
And transpires its Influences;  
Which, in Soul-quickening Rays sent down,  
Our dry and barren Earth with showers of Blessing's crown.  
Thy Fragrant Breast  
Is a Phoenix Cherub's Nest,  
Where she does brooding sit  
On thousand Birds of Paradise i'th' shell as yet;  
Which, with a Wise Impatiency,  
Peck and spurn at their Prison to get free;  
And, ripe to be released, they  
Chirp at the Dawning Glimpse of their Immortal Day.  
Poor Unfledged things! whose Pinions aim heavens Eye,  
And in their Downy Nonage meditate the Sky.   

VIII.  
Sum up thy Thoughts, my Soul, sum up thy Treasure;  
This All's too Poor of Worth, and Time's too Short a Leisure,  
Thy dearest Saint  
In Form and Colours, worthy Her, to Paint.  
Alas! what can be found  
In Nature's Round,  
Whether we look up to those Nimble things  
Fancy-clad with Wings;  
Or down to this dull-paced Corporeal Sphere,  
Nature's Well-furnished Shop of Instrumental Ware,  
From neither can w' expect other Supplies,  
But Rags of being, Torn in thin Formalities.  
Too narrow far  
To define Her,  
In whom Each single Good and Sweet  
Do in a Sacred Eminency meet.   

IX.  
Be then thyself, Dear Saint, be Thine Own Beauty;  
Our Slender Fancies shall not dare  
To injure Thee, who art supremely Fair,  
By a detractingly-Officious Duty.  
Be still thy own Pure Self, admit no Leaven,  
For if thou be'st Thyself, thou'lt be a Heaven:  
Heaven wrapped up in the Oar thou art, refined  
To Glory when we're made all Mind.  
Life of oft- self-reflected Grace-directed Reason,  
Still ripe to act when Providence points the Season.  
Spirit of Spirits, Seraphic Quintessence,  
Which none but such Pure Fires  
As Heaven itself inspires,  
Blown too by God's own Breath can extract thence.  
Balsam of Souls, whose Vigour when it leaves 'em,  
Nought from Eternal Death and Sin's Corruption saves 'em.  
Suburbs, or Gate to heavens Metropolis,  
Planter of Paradise, and Seed of Bliss:  
The Flowery High Way to my Endless End,  
My Loveliest and my Everlasting Friend,  
Oh may not Loves Master this Heart of Mine  
But that, Dear Mistress, of Sweet Thee and Thine.   
FINIS.   

ANNOTATIONS.  

(a) BY Virtue is meant that Queen of all Virtues, Charity, or an Entire Love of God; no Virtue being truly and indeed such, but That which directs all our Actions to our True Last End, and only Sovereign Good, the Enjoyment of Him: This, and none but This, being able to Satiate Man's Natural Inclination and Propension to Happiness. No wonder then the most elaborate Expressions fall short of reaching the Character Due to such a Transcendent Excellency: This being the Highest Perfection of which a Creature can be capable in this world: Since none is, or can be above it, but that which is beyond all our Conceptions, the Unspeakable State of Glory, or the Actual Fruition of God as in Himself.   

(b) After the Author had disgraced the Idle Courtships and Ridiculous Flatteries, used by the common sort of Poets to their Worldly Mistresses, he addresses himself to Invoke his Spiritual Mistress, Virtue; and so makes the same, which was his Subject or Theme, to be his Must also. And, to ennoble his Conceptions as much as may be, he raises his Thoughts to contemplate Her in that most Perfect State in which she will be found in every Holy Soul at the Last Day; when all Venial Imperfections, expressed by St. Paul by the Metaphors of Hay, Stubble, etc. which alloyed the purity of Heavenly Love in most of them, shall be purged away, by the Ravishing Sight of their Dear Saviour (whom they had loved here chief, tho' not so perfectly as they ought) now appearing in his Glory; and coming to deliver them from their tormenting Pains, caused by their suspensive Hope of their long-delayed and earnestly-desired Bliss; and from those pains of Sense also which they endured for their By-Affection, and Undue Adhesion to Creatures; the love to which they did not so entirely order to the Love of Heaven.  
Let then the Readers but fancy to themselves that Ardency of Divine Love, which at the World's happy Period, when the Course of Nature, now for ever useless, shall be at a Stand, and Time shall be no more, will transport those Holy Souls, and instate them in the Eternal Inheritance of those Blissful Mansions: Let them next reflect on what Faith assures them, that either they must strive to store up in their Souls, while they are here, that Disposition, which, and which only, can immediately fit them for Heaven; or, they must be eternally Miserable if thy wholly neglect it, or else suffer unspeakable Torments in the Intermediate State, if they but slightly cultivate their Minds with Virtue: Let, I say, Lose Livers and Tepid Souls, but reflect steadily on these two Points, and it must needs excite in them a Solicitous care to improve their Wills with a fervent Love of Heaven; which may be with less labour attained, and at a far easier rate purchased here that hereafter.   

(c) The Whole Material World was created for the Salvation of good Souls, and consequently, to breed and nourish them up in Virtue; without which Salvation is Vnattainable and Impossible: And, 'tis the peculiar effect of Charity or Virtue, to order all those Creatures we make use of as Means to compass that Best End. Whence by the Rule of Contraries, we may gather the Hideous Enormity of Sin; which, consisting in the Choosing some Creature for our Ultimate End, and in the Directing all our Actions to the Attaining and Enjoying that Perishable and False Good, does of its own nature disorder all the World, and ravel it into a wrong Frame and Method; and would actually Pervert the Order of the Universe, did not the Infinite Goodness of God, to support his own Work, and supply the Failings of his Weak Creatures, mercifully bring a Greater Good to the World out of their Miscarriages, make a More perfect Harmony Spring out of that Confusion; and so contrive things, that the Vices of the Wicked should advance Holy and well-meaning Souls to a higher pitch of Virtue.   

(d) As Vulgar Poets use to extol their Worldly Mistresses for their rare Nature, the Composition and Symmetry of their Bodies, the Gracefulness and Beauty of their Face, the Agreeableness of their Humour, the Sweetness of their Breath, and Deliciousness of their Breasts; so all these Considerations are turned here to a Spiritual Sense, in Commendation of Virtue under each of these Respects.   

(e) Anaxagoras the Philosopher held the Soul was made of Harmony: Too Musical a Conceit, unless meant as here, that she is a Principle of Order. And certainly of all Orders That is the most Harmonious, best proportioned and Exact, which directs every thing to Man's True Last End for which his nature was Created: A Property only belonging to Charity or Virtue.   

(f) For the Order of Sublunary things passing through the hands of Creatures, who are Themselves disabled by Weakness, or disordered with Passion, (and therefore in both regards Imperfect Agents) does oftentimes seem Straggling and Perplexed: And only the Supreme Manager of the World, can bring all those Crooked Wind to meet in a Direct Line, and knit up all those Ill-ordered and Monstrous Actions in a Beauteous Close.   

(g) The Love of Heaven gives a good Soul a Cheerful Contentedness, a hearty Interior Satisfaction and Spiritual Joy, (which is therefore one of the Fruits of the Holy Ghost) sets her above all Peevish Regrets which discompose the minds of those who over-sollicitously affect Sublunary Goods or Temporary things; For 'tis This that balances all Her Discontents by giving Her an Inward Assurance that no Crosses or Contradictions are in the least able to hurt Her; but on the contrary, born with a Glad Resignation, they do (as the Apostle says) Cooperate to Her Salvation. Wherefore, this Vivacity of Spirit, best resembles the Genius, Comportment and (as we may say) the Good Humour of Virtue.   

(h) Heaven seems oft times to delay it's Spiritual Favours to increase our Reward by striving longer and more earnestly to obtain them by our Ardent Wishes, and Fervent Prayers; by which (as our B. Saviour expresses it) the Kingdom of Heaven suffers Violence.   

(i) Mutual Expressions of Love, between the B. Spirit desirous to diffuse its Gifts, and Courting us to dispose ourselves to receive them; and Devout Souls, soliciting with Affectionate Wishes for Grace in the Way and Glorious Fruition in the End.   

(k) Fervent and Frequent Desires of Heaven.   

(l) Angels.   

(m) All Corporeal Nature, or Bodies, are Unable to move themselves, but must be moved by another; which is the definition of an Instrument. Whence the whole Material World is but one Great Instrument of the Intelligences or Angels, which order and move the several parts of it according as may suit best with the Designs of God's Providence.   

(n) All our good Actions, and even Desires of Virtue, Spring from the Motions of the Holy Ghost, breathed (as it were) into our Souls.    

DEDICATION: To the COUNTESS of Newburgh.  
Madam,  

NAture's best Flower unblossomed long,  
And late from Riper Reason sprung,  
Begs She may in your Bosom sit,  
Both to Perfume and Balsam it;  
And Virtue's Handmaid humbly sues  
You would her sober Service use.  
She prays You not to think her Light,  
Framed for Fond Toys or Vain Delight,  
To vapour in big Talk, or show  
How much we more than others know:  
She vows 'tis heavens and Her Design,  
To make first Virtuous, next Divine.   

Truth's are her Daughters; Truths allied  
To Heaven by the Father's side.  
Truths, which would their Birth disown  
Did they on one another frown,  
Not constantly self-linked remain  
In an Inseparable Chain.  
The Natural are Foundation-stones,  
To bear the Supernatural ones;  
Which, tho' they to Heaven's Top aspire,  
'Tis the same Ground raised Stories higher.  
Blessed Soul, which to the Throne Divine  
Winds itself up by its own Line!  
And, if through Ignorances' Night  
Our Stumbling Nature can by th' Light  
Of Faith's Darklanthorn to Heaven run,  
What would it, guided by this Sun?    

To SCIENCE, Virtue's Handmaid.  

Stanza I.  
HAndmaid to Her  
To whom my Soul does humblest Homage own,  
And far before a whole Seraglio  
Of Worldly Mistresses prefer,  
Deign the poor Tender of this Sprig of Bays,  
My Muse to Thee and thy Relation pays.  
Who woos the Mistress  he wins the Maid,  
By his preposterons Boldness has his Suit betrayed.  
She is my Soul's Fire, Thou my Light;  
The Alwise Hand  
This Order put, and bid it stand,  
 She Heats Throughly Thou must first Shine Bright.   

II.  
Some near-acquainted Friends you have  
Who this Relation wave;  
Maintaining that it is Another,  
And that thou art fair Virtue's Mother,  
Made Pregnant by Great Father Providence  
His more Particular Grace-seeding Influence.  
Some call thee even Her Sister-Twin, and say  
Both from same Parents came, both in the same Womb  
As Light and Heat do lie  
Penned in one pretty Beam glanced down from Heavens fair Eye.  
Other Great Men of Art affirm they know,  
That, when thou dost not Monstrous grow,  
Thou comest to be the selfsame thing;  
Only differing  
As Blossom from the Rose full-blown,  
Or Tender Damsel from herself now a Stayed Matron grown.  
And that, as th' Early Sun,  
New sprung from the Cool Morning Horizon,  
At first only with Light  
Visibly affects our Sight;  
But, bowling on his Ball of Fire,  
Up to his high Meridian Spire,  
Still, as he goes, in Heat he thrives,  
Till, when he there arrives,  
His self-redoubled Beams  
Become at length advanced into Flame-darting Streams,  
So Vigorous Active Virtue's not New thing at all,  
But only Strengthened Science now made Vertical;  
Which into Virtue grows, not fades away,  
As faint-light Morn spreads into full Noonday.   

III.  
Be her Relation what it will,  
She is Subordinate to Virtue still;  
And 'mongst her many Titles this is best,  
She's made t' advance Great Virtue's Interest.  
Pardon, Bright Maid, if Virtue we prefer,  
And make thy Height humbly submit to Her;  
Pardon Thyself, Dear, if I be too Bold,  
For 'twas Thyself this Truth unto me told:  
Thy Self-indifferent Self, which canst deny  
This Truth no more than Truth itself can lie.  
Yet I swear, Science, by the Fair-sweet Hand  
Of Sacred Virtue, our Love's Faithful Band;  
Were Heaven as fond Atheists dream,  
Nought but an Idle Theme,  
And Solid Virtue but an Airy Name,  
No Bliss at all deserving,  
But only vainly serving  
To blow the Empty Trump of Fame,  
That is, were She not She,  
Thou my First Mistress, Thou my Love shouldst be.   

I know the Ancients of Philosophy,  
That silly Rabble  
Whose false-pretended Love of Truth was spent in Babble,  
Did with Preposterous Civility  
Neglect Fair Virtue, only Courting Thee;  
But sunk by this so deep in Thy Disgrace,  
They scarce obtained one Constant Look from Thy sweet Face.  
Rather, indeed, I fear, in stead of Thee,  
They wooed some othe'r Imaginary She;  
And, like to Men in Dreams, they idly talked  
Of some fine Fairy Toy that in their Fancies walked:  
For they that know not where their Journey ends,  
How should they Science know, the Way that thither tends?   

iv  
(d) Thou art that Rare  
Rich Chain of Gold let down  
From heavens sure-fixt Throne,  
Which ties the Earth, his Footstool, to Jove's Chair.  
Jacob's well-framed Ladder; which  
Presses Earth, yet Heaven does reach:  
Whence by immediate Steps we climb  
From Nature 'bove the sphere of Time,  
And with Familiar Sight descry  
What Vulgar Eyes think Mystery.   

Adam, until he was unmanned  
By that Fair Apple, dished up in Eve's Fairer Hand,  
And that sin-poysoned Fruit its Venom spread,  
On better Meat, Blessed Contemplation, fed.  
Each Lively and Full-breasted Thought  
A Rich Meal brought,  
Made up of daintiest Rarities,  
Which took Root in his own, branched to th' Supernal Paradise.  
But when the Black Fiend, Sin, possessed  
Its cursed self of his Soul's Breast,  
Her same-coloured Friend and Shade,  
Dark Ignorance,  
Did his besotted Soul invade  
And all his former Powers Intrance.  
His Vigorous Knowledge was thereby  
Dozed to a stupid Lethargy;  
Which saddest Legacy we inherit still,  
A Dark Night in our Mind, a Dull Sleep in our Will.   

V  
But Thou, Bright Science, dost dispel  
Those Lazy Mists exhaled from Hell,  
Which stifle Virtue, cloud our Day,  
Reflect, or else Refract heavens Ray.  
Thou rescu'st Reason, purgest Sense  
From that Original Offence.  
And, as who Lovely Objects spies  
By the Soul's Spectacles and Burning-Glass, the Eyes,  
Catches Love's Fire  
With far more Vigorous Desire  
Than others could  
By what dull Sounds and Hearsay told;  
Such is th' Advantage Thou winnest here,  
As Sight are Sound, and Eye o'er Ear.  
Thy clear Proposals gather, and draw Heaven in  
Through the Soul's widened Pores, and squeeze out putrid Sin.  
(e) Faith but supplies thy room, and brings  
Heaven wrapped in Words, thou writ in Things:  
Faith's Lesson all may read that look,  
But thine's the Clearer, yet the Harder Book;  
Oh Book! Oh World! Oh Sun clad in thin shade!  
Oh Book the Best, and All that God e'er made!  
Dull Clods, Drops, Sparks thou seem'st to be,  
Small Atoms of Great Entity;  
But, Big with GOD is thy each part,  
And Vaster Truths far than thy Whole Self art.   

VI  
The Architect, and Owner of this All  
Delivered out in Gross  
The All-rich Ball,  
In Number, Measure, Weight,  
Proportioned aright,  
And bid us Traffic with it and thrive;  
But we were at a Loss,  
None could into its hidden Treasures rightly dive;  
Till his Wise Steward, Science, came,  
Acquainted with her Master's Will,  
And with rare Skill  
Did subtly take in pieces the vast Frame;  
And to heavens Merchandise the more to woo us,  
Detail'd in Parcels, and chawed small the too-great Morsel to us.   

When Prudence, the wise Governess  
Of Virtue's Family, would try  
A Pattern of her perfect Managery,  
And Rational Actions, her sweet Children, dress;  
Fixing upon them in fit places  
Her whole bright Set of Circumstantial Graces;  
By thy square, Science, she each Line doth draw,  
And makes thy Word her Rule, thy Dictates Law.   

VII.  
When Virtue herself to Heaven a Journey takes,  
And quaintly dresses  
Her shining Tresses  
With the most Curious and Enamouring Art,  
To ravish so the High King's Heart;  
Fair Science, thy Bright Eye her Looking-Glass she makes.  
In thine Eye, Reason's best Mirror,  
She can spy each slender Error,  
And the least Blemish of Deformity,  
What's wrinkled, loosely set, or pinned awry.   

When Music would the ravished Soul beguile  
To dwell in the Ear's Labyrinth a while,  
(Nature's well-ecchoing Music-room)  
Whither repairs  
A pretty Choir of nimble lightfoot Airs,  
Ferried o'er in quavering Undulations  
Interwoven on a thousand Fashions;  
And there presents an unseen Masque of Sounds,  
Sent from the Tattling Strings, or Whistling Pipes Rebounds:  
While She makes Friends in Consort each Discording Part,  
Her Art tunes Instruments, but Science tunes her Art.   

VIII.  
Thou art that Bright  
Reserve of Light  
For the Wise Church, when grown  
From Unripe Nonage to her Manly Noon.  
Her Youth's Schoolmaster, dark Credulity,  
Too weak to govern mankind now a Child no longer  
But fit for th' University,  
Will her dear Charge to Thee in Part resign  
And those Soul-binding Charms of thine,  
To govern such a Freeborn Subject stronger.  
GOD is the Fountain-Sun, Thou his ne're-changing Moon,  
That dealest as great a share of Borrowed Light  
As can consist with our Flesh-veiled sight:  
Fair Dawning to Bright Bliss, Dark Nature's fullest Noon.   

IX.  
But, ah! my lisping Lyre  
Is now quite spent, yet Thou art still Entire.  
Farewell Bright Science, thrice farewel:  
Yet part not from  
My Soul, such kind of Houses use to be thy Home.  
Nature has built Thee there fine (k) Crystal Rooms;  
And I will woo  
Virtue herself to strew  
There for Thee her Best Perfumes.  
The Fabric thou'lt embrave beyond all Art and Praise  
With thy own Soul-guilding Rays.  
There, there vouchsafe to dwell,  
There, there farewell.  
Farewell in me, and thy Dear Self improve  
To Full Light in my Head, and, in my Heart, Firm Love.   
FINIS.   

ANNOTATIONS.  

(a) WHat is meant here by Science, is already declared in the Preface; viz. All those Knowledges, whether acquired by Prayer or Study, which, superadded to Faith, are apt to render it Lively. And indeed, should we restrain the common signification of that word (which imports no more but Knowledge) to the Stricter Sense in which the Schools take it, nothing ought (even speaking of Natural Objects) in true speech to be called Science, unless it be in some Sort derived from God, and by means of that Derivation, be apt to raise us to the Knowledge of Him: For, since all Truths are Connected, and Science is the Knowing of things by their Causes; hence, only such Knowledges as relate to the First Truth, and inform us of the Derivation of Things from the First Cause, or of their Connexion with it, can pretend to the Honour of being reputed True Sciences: For which reason the Epicureans, who deny a First Cause, and hold all things to be done by Chance, can lay no Claim to Scientifical Knowledge of any thing in Nature; Whence, of all other Sects of Philosophers, Their Principles are the most Absurd, Precarious, and Inconsistent.  
Moreover, Science is intended to Perfect the Understanding Faculty; but when 'tis Practical, and fits the Soul for Action, that is (in our case) for the Love of God, then 'tis Full, Lively, and in that state, which makes Science be as it should be, that is Unmixed with Ignorance: Whereas, when 'tis merely Speculative and Unactive, 'tis Weak, Faint, ofttimes Airy, and always (as to Heaven) useless; and by reason of its Imperfection, being alloyed with some degree of Ignorance, it degenerates from the Sincere and Genuine nature of Knowledge. For it is to be noted, that Virtue and Science are here treated of, as in their Abstracted Ideas, or as perfectly depured from all their Imperfections; as may be seen in the third Stanza upon Virtue, and in the 7th. and 8th. Stanzas here. With which it may well consist, that there may be many inferior Degrees of both of them, that are not acquired either by Art of Contemplation, but are Instilled by the Common Doctrine and Discipline of the Church, which may suffice to bring Souls to Heaven sooner or later, tho' they may not perhaps come so high, as to dispose them Immediately for the Beatifical Vision; this being only attainable by those, who are Pure in Heart, and cleansed from all Inordinate By-Affections to Creatures; which requires more than Common Illuminations.   

(b) For the Connatural way to Love any things, is to Know and Conceit Lively the Goodness that is in it; and therefore Regularly, and in due order of Nature, according to the Express and Lively Knowledge a Soul has of Celestial Goods; so great in proportion is her Love of them. Whence, whenever she falls into Sin, or Loves not Heaven as she ought, 'tis because some Temporary or False Good, making a more Agreeable Appearance to her at that unlucky Season, the Knowledge of the Incomparable Good of Heaven, which she had before, is Darkened and Dimmed by Passion, or (which is the same) by too much affection to some Creature; according to that saying of Divines, Omnis peccans ignorat, Every one that sins is (to some degree) Ignorant. How far Ignorance is Culpable or Excusable, belongs to that Great Judge to determine who knows the Heart? Only this we can certainly affirm in common, by the Light we have from Christian Principles, that whenever the affection to any Creature so besots and Blinds us that we do not Love Heaven above all things, but fail in those Duties which only can dispose us to attain it, we are plunging our Souls into that sad condition, which, unrepented of, must inevitably bring us to Eternal Misery; when our Jolly Days, so carelessly spent, are past, which God only knows how few they may be.   

(c) To illustrate this Point held by some Great Divines, we may reflect, that, as when in other Animals the Brain is Full of Species, or Particles received from any Object that is agreeable to their Natures, it happens, that by this Total possessing of the Fancy, abundance of Spirits are sent forth thence into other parts, whence the Animal becomes Active and Eager to pursue it; which Principle or Power of Acting we use to call Appetite or Sensitive Love of it: In the same manner, when, in a Rational Creature or Man, the Understanding is Wholly taken up with the Knowledge of Heaven, clearly appearing to it as its only True and Eternal Good, that Fullness of Heavenly Thoughts excludes and hinders the Coexistence, much more the Competition of the deluding and seducing Appearances of Transitory Goods; whence the whole Man strains towards the attainment of it, and becomes Active to pursue; which Knowledge, now made a strong Practical Judgement and Operative, does the same that the Will uses and is to do, and therefore (say they) 'tis the same Power which we call the Will: Whence the Great St. Austin, no less solidly than acutely, says that the Understanding and Will do differ as Luna semiplena and plena; that is, as the Moon Half-full and Full.  
To apply this to our Point in hand: In the same manner that these Powers, called the Understanding and Will, do differ; so, in the same proportion (according to this Opinion) must Knowledge and Love of Heaven, (that is, Science and Virtue) which are the Acts, or rather Habits, of those Powers be distinct also; and the Difference between them, if we take Knowledge as in its perfect State, is this, that the One is considered as received from Outward Objects, and perfecting the Soul interiorly, as it is Intellective; and the Other, as it has respect to those Acts it is to produce, and to the End it is apt to work for or pursue.  
The Usefulness of this Doctrine may seem to evince its Truth: For, hence we may clearly see that the only secure way to resist Temptations, to avoid Sin, to raise our Souls to Heaven and keep them up at that pitch, and (in a word) to manage our Actions so as to attain to Salvation, consists in this, that either we fix and rivet in our Minds by wise Reflections strong and steady Habitual Judgements of the Incomparable Good of Heavenly Bliss, and of the Nothingness in comparison of all Temporary Goods, which is the Way Proper for the Learned and more Elevated Souls. Or else by Frequent Dints and Impressions made by constant Prayer, Devout Reading, Pious Discourses, Use of Sacraments, etc. To lay up in our Souls Great store of Spiritual Ideas, and Express conceits of Heavenly Objects, so that they may be ready and at hand to make head against, and subdue the Weaker Band of the Impressions made by False Goods assaulting our Fancies with their Glossy and Sophisticate appearances, and Tempting us to follow their Sinful Suggestions. For our constant Experience informs us upon a Cursory Reflection, that we never Conquer in our Spiritual Warfare, but when we are well furnished with such Heavenly Ideas, which keep our Soul upon her Guard, and Fortify her with the Lively Representations of our True Good; and that, on the other side, we are never Overcome, but when, through our Neglecting to stand prepared for our Christian Battle, we have either Ranged but a Thin Troop of Heavenly Thoughts on Reasons fide; or else, through our Slack Discipline, we keep them not Watchful to repel the Fiery Darts of Concupiscence, which our Ghostly Enemy makes use of when he assails us. Whence Assiduity and Constancy in our Spiritual Exercises, and Devout Duties, not for Fashions sake, but out of a Sincere and True Intention to bear up to Heaven, is the Only Sure and Effectual way to attain it; and whenever we grow Careless and Negligent in performing those Duties, we do most certainly lie Exposed to the Stratagems of our Adversary the Devil, and are in imminent danger of being Spiritually Wounded by Sin; and if that Wound be Mortal, of Spiritual Death, Eternal Damnation.   

(e) Had all Men Perfect Science of the Excellency of Heavenly Bliss (of which we only Treat here) Faith would not be needful for that particular; neither (if all other Respects were Equal) would there be so much Sin in the World? Which is one Reason why the Saints in Heaven are absolutely incapable of Sinning, or falling from their Happy State.   

(f) By considering the Particularities, found in each Piece of Nature, apart; which, thus singled out, become fit to be the Objects of the several Sciences that Treat of them: Whereas, were those Distinct Considerations blended together confusedly as they are found in the Thing itself, our Imperfect way of Knowing, being unable to comprehend the whole Object, and all the several Respects that belong to it at one Intuitive View (as do the Angels) and consequently, not being able to fathom it, we could not have any Science at all of it.   

(g) To accomplish a Soul in Exact Virtue, either our own Knowledge, enabling us to look thoroughly into Christian Principles and our own Interior; or, the Guidance of Skilful and Knowing Spiritual Directors is absolutely necessary; without which many Imperfections and Deviations from the strait Rule of Christian Morality must needs happen.   

(h) That is, what's Uneven and Inconsistent; what Tepid and Weak through want of Habitual Steadiness and ●●rmness; and what's against the Exact Rule of Christ's most Immaculate Law, or beside that Rule.   

(i) It being too tedious, and indeed impertinent, to mention the other Liberal Sciences, notice is here taken of Music only; which is used in all Public Solemnities as an Incitement to Devotion, and absolutely necessary for Sacred Poesy, (Psalms and Hymns) in which the most Soul-melting Strains of Piety are delivered.   

(k) An Intellectual or Spiritual Nature.   
FINIS.