Now, if God's power should her election bind,
Her motions then would cease and stand all still.

And why did God in man this soule infuse,

But that he should his Maker know and loue?
Now, if loue be compeld and cannot chuse,
How can it gratefull or thankeworthy proue?

Loue must free-hearted be, and voluntary,

And not enchanted, or by Fate constraind;
Nor like that loue, which did Ulisses carry,
To Circe's ile, with mighty charmes enchaind.

G

Besides, were we vnchangeable in will,

And of a wit that nothing could mis-deeme;
Equall to God, Whose wisedome shineth still,
And neuer erres, we might our selues esteeme.

So that if Man would be vnuariable,

He must be God, or like a rock or tree;
For euen the perfect Angels were not stable,
But had a fall more desperate then wee.

Then let vs praise that Power, which makes vs be
Men as we are, and rest contented so;

And knowing Man's fall was curiositie,

Admire God's counsels, which we cannot know.

And let vs know that God the Maker is

Of all the Soules, in all the men that be:
Yet their corruption is no fault of His,

But the first man's that broke God's first decree.

WHY THE SOULE IS UNITED TO THE BODY.

THIS substance, and this spirit of God's owne making,

Is in the body plact, and planted heere; "That both of God, and of the world partaking, "Of all that is, Man might the image beare.

God first made angels bodilesse, pure minds,
Then other things, which mindlesse bodies be;
Last, He made Man, th' horizon 'twixt both kinds,
In whom we doe the World's abridgement see.2

Besides, this World below did need one wight,
Which might thereof distinguish euery part;
Make vse thereof, and take therein delight,
And order things with industry and art:

Which also God might in His works admire,

And here beneath, yeeld Him both praier and praise;

2 One of Heylin's numerous books is called 'Microcosmus:' a little Description of the great World. Oxon: 1st edn., 1622. The word is met with in other old title-pages and in theological (Puritan) writings. G.

As there, aboue, the holy angels quire
Doth spread His glory3 with spirituall layes.

Lastly, the bruite, unreasonable wights,

Did want a visible king on them to raigne :
And God, Himselfe thus to the World vnites,
That so the World might endlesse blisse obtaine.

IN WHAT MANNER THE SOULE IS UNITED TO THE
BODY.

BUT how shall we this union well expresse?

Nought ties the soule; her subtiltie is such
She moues the bodie, which she doth possesse,
Yet no part toucheth, but by Vertue's touch.

Then dwels shee not therein as in a tent,
Nor as a pilot in his ship doth sit;
Nor as the spider in his5 web is pent;
Nor as the waxe retaines the print in it;

Nor as a vessell water doth containe;

Not merely a tenant

Nor as one liquor in another shed; minged

3 Davies and Southey, as before, insert 'forth' here. G.

↑ Davies and Southey, as before, substitute 'o'er:' but 'on' is the

Poet's own word here and elsewhere. G.

In 1599 and 1608 editions, 'her.' G.

Nor as the heat doth in the fire remaine;

Nor as a voice throughout the ayre is spread :

But as the faire and cheerfull Morning light,
Doth here and there her siluer beames impart,
And in an instant doth herselfe vnite

To the transparent ayre, in all, and part:

Still resting whole, when blowes th' ayre diuide;
Abiding pure, when th' ayre is most corrupted;
Throughout the ayre, her beams dispersing wide,
And when the ayre is tost, not interrupted:

So doth the piercing Soule the body fill,
Being all in all, and all in part diffus'd;
Indiuisible, incorruptible still,

-Not forc't, encountred, troubled or confus'd.

And as the sunne aboue, the light doth bring,
Though we behold it in the ayre below;

So from th' Eternall Light the Soule doth spring,
Though in the body she her powers doe show.

6 In 1598 and 1608 editions, *vncorruptible.' G.

HOW THE SOUL DOTH EXERCISE HER POWERS IN THE

BODY.

UT as the world's sunne doth effects beget,

BUT

Diuers, in diuers places euery day;

Here Autumnes temperature, there Summer's heat, Here flowry Spring-tide, and there Winter gray :

Eere Euen, there Morne, here Noone, there Day, there

Night;

8

Melts wax, dries clay, mak[e]s flowrs, som quick, som

dead;

Makes the More black, and th' European white,
Th' American tawny, and th' East-Indian red:

So in our little World: this soule of ours,
Being onely one, and to one body tyed,
Doth vse, on diuers obiects diuers powers,
And so are her effects diuersified.

THE VEGETATIUE OR QUICKENING POWER.

HER quick ning power in euery liuing part,

Doth as a nurse, or as a mother serue;

And doth employ her oeconomicke art,
And busie care, her houshold to preserue.

7 'This' in 1599 edition. G.

8 Living. G.