Mundorum Explicatio or, The Explanation of an Hieroglyphical Figure: Wherein are couched the Mysteries of the External, Internal, and Eternal Worlds, shewing the true progress of a Soul from the Court of Jerusalem; from the Adamical fallen state to the Regenerate and Angelical. Being A Sacred Poem, written by S. P. [i.e. Samuel Pordage] |
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 | Mundorum Explicatio |  |
From Paradise they go, or Paradise
Rather departs from them: their blinded eyes
Cann't pierce into the holy Element,
Which in this World, as in a prison pent,
Remains. Like to a Tree whose springing sap
Causes the Tree grow green, when to the top
It doth ascend; but when unto the root
It goes; how bears the Tree of leaves, and fruit?
There it lies buried, and the Tree seems dead
Till its remounting all begreens her head.
So did the World appear, lost was its grace,
A darker Vail now hid its brighter Face:
Far greater difference this change did bring
Then 'twixt cold Winter, and the pleasant Spring.
Or like a burning Torch, which being sat
I'th midst of some great Room doth dissipate
The darker shades: which by and by immur'd
In some dark Lanthorn, all the Room's obscur'd,
And scarce a Ray of brighter Light is seen:
So is the World to what it once hath been.
The Devil's poyson is diffus'd th'row all
Things that compose, or circundate this ball.
Both good, and bad together blend: in some
Things more of Good: in others more doth come
Of Bad: the Rose hath more of Paradise
Then fætid Hemlock, Pinkes, than Margs, or Crise:
The Lamb then Tygers; Apple-trees than Yew:
The Doves than Hawkes: Nightshade hath lesse than Rew.
The Devil chose those creatures that were arm'd
With Teeth, Hornes, tallons, clawes, that others harm'd
By them might be; for had he chose the Dove,
Or Lamb, could they like Hawk, or Lion prove?
Discording Seeds now grow in every thing;
Confusion thorow all the Earth doth spring.
Wrath's Principle doth penetrate this Ball,
And what about it is coporeal:
Both good, and ill together mixed are:
All things created, of them have a share.
This ill lay hid before: We poyson may
Into our Bodies safely take; allay
The same with other good ingredients
In such, and such a quantity: It rents
The Body else if it superabound:
So this great Orb in pristine state was found.
Or as in Man all Passions hidden lye,
Which none, if not awaken'd, can descry;
Nor do they hurt him: But awaken those,
The Mind and Body both they discompose.
So dormant lay the wrathful Principle,
As sparks of fire, in ashes wrapt, untill
By Adam's fall it was awak'd, the same
Hid spark, by Sathan's blown into a flame.
Rather departs from them: their blinded eyes
73
Which in this World, as in a prison pent,
Remains. Like to a Tree whose springing sap
Causes the Tree grow green, when to the top
It doth ascend; but when unto the root
It goes; how bears the Tree of leaves, and fruit?
There it lies buried, and the Tree seems dead
Till its remounting all begreens her head.
So did the World appear, lost was its grace,
A darker Vail now hid its brighter Face:
Far greater difference this change did bring
Then 'twixt cold Winter, and the pleasant Spring.
Or like a burning Torch, which being sat
I'th midst of some great Room doth dissipate
The darker shades: which by and by immur'd
In some dark Lanthorn, all the Room's obscur'd,
And scarce a Ray of brighter Light is seen:
So is the World to what it once hath been.
The Devil's poyson is diffus'd th'row all
Things that compose, or circundate this ball.
Both good, and bad together blend: in some
Things more of Good: in others more doth come
Of Bad: the Rose hath more of Paradise
Then fætid Hemlock, Pinkes, than Margs, or Crise:
The Lamb then Tygers; Apple-trees than Yew:
The Doves than Hawkes: Nightshade hath lesse than Rew.
The Devil chose those creatures that were arm'd
With Teeth, Hornes, tallons, clawes, that others harm'd
By them might be; for had he chose the Dove,
Or Lamb, could they like Hawk, or Lion prove?
74
Confusion thorow all the Earth doth spring.
Wrath's Principle doth penetrate this Ball,
And what about it is coporeal:
Both good, and ill together mixed are:
All things created, of them have a share.
This ill lay hid before: We poyson may
Into our Bodies safely take; allay
The same with other good ingredients
In such, and such a quantity: It rents
The Body else if it superabound:
So this great Orb in pristine state was found.
Or as in Man all Passions hidden lye,
Which none, if not awaken'd, can descry;
Nor do they hurt him: But awaken those,
The Mind and Body both they discompose.
So dormant lay the wrathful Principle,
As sparks of fire, in ashes wrapt, untill
By Adam's fall it was awak'd, the same
Hid spark, by Sathan's blown into a flame.
The Planets now forego their wonted Love,
Contrary'ng do in opposition move:
They ill Aspects; the starry Orbs immense,
Do now receive a naughty influence;
Such to the Earth they give. The Heav'n, and she
Now seem to be at deadly enmity:
From her thick vapours, and bad stinks arise,
Which as her darts she sends against the skies.
Sol sucks her moisture forth, with vehement heat
Her parched sides, as with his scourges, beat
He doth: And Heav'n her flowring Corn, with round
Ice-bullets forceth to the very ground.
Syderial blasts, Mildew, and storms he sends;
Then from his window agil light'ning wends:
When that enough he with his Summer scourges
Has beaten her, comes Winter; then with surges
He doth bedrench her Face: Contracting cold
Robs her of all her Beauties: very old
She seems, when snows hang dangling on her head:
Chaps which for heat did, now for cold do spread.
Then storms of Rain, and blustring Winds do make
Her Brooks o'reflow, her Trees, and Mountains quake.
Thus they oppose each other, now the Seas
Beat with the Wind, do threat the very Skies:
Sometimes excurring from his wonted place,
With brinish floods doth wash his Sister's Face.
Now Love is lost; no longer unity
But wrath, and hatred 'mong the Creatures be:
The Lamb now fears the Wolf: The Lion tears
The Kid for food: Bees rob'd are now by Bears;
They stings receive: The tusked Bore the Cow
Assaults: The tender Dear, and Hares are now
Slain by the Dogs: The mighty Elephant,
Serpents, and the Rhinoceroth supplant:
The harmlesse yields to those of greater power;
All fill'd with Ire, each other do devour.
Serpents now stings receive, strong poyson Toads,
Reptils, with Reptils, Plants with Plants at odds
Are now: Now death-Hemlock, and Woolf's-Bain hold,
With too much heat this, that with too much cold
Doth kill: Now Bryars, Nettles, Thorns, and Weeds,
With hurtful Plants, the Earth accursed breeds.
Now Whales eat other Fish: Trout Dace devoures:
Minnows the Perch: The Pike the Rivers scoures
To catch the smaller Fry: Eeles Gudgions eat;
And them the Herns; Fish now for Fowl are meat:
They too on each another prey: The Kite
On tender Chickens; Hawkes on Sparrows light.
Thus Enmity arose; thus wrath, and strife;
And thus each Creature seeks each others life.
And all, or most seck humane blood to spill,
Because that Man was cause of all their ill.
All this did spring from the first Principle,
Which open'd strait when our first Parents fell:
And thus the World from its first happy state,
To this, we now do see it in, was brought.
But now the Time's at hand, all long to see,
This World again a Paradise shall be:
The Wrath shall be dethron'd, the Lamb shall Reign
In purity; when Christ appears again:
O hast thy coming Lord! This blessed Day
Let us behold! Lord Jesus hast away!
Wrath's mighty Monarch se'ing how he had wrought,
And the whole Orb under his power brought
By Adam's lapse, rejoyced much; and straight
He doth his Kingdom's Princes convocate,
With the whole Host of Hell: to whom he thus
Speakes. Princely vassals! Who is like to us?
What power can contend with us? I see
The Light World's strength cann't match our Policy.
This Day brave Princes have I subject made
A World, and Man too by our guiles betray'd.
I need not tell, what you already know,
That I to Love am an Eternal Foe;
So he to Me; or that continual Jarrs
Betwixt us rise, and everlasting warrs.
Our Kingdoms opposite you know, Contend
For mastership, which strife shall never end:
We differ in all things, nor shall a Truce
A minutes quietude from Armes produce:
We are as strong as they: I scorn to bow
To him, for I a way have gained how
For to encrease our strength: You Kingdoms, and
Whole Worlds shall have now under your Command;
So many vassals shall this Kingdom stuff,
Wer't not so vast, 'twould scarce be large enough
For to contain them: you great Princes now
I will advise you what you are to do.
The World, and Man which I have gain'd, I see
By strength, and cunning must preserved be.
Contrary'ng do in opposition move:
They ill Aspects; the starry Orbs immense,
Do now receive a naughty influence;
Such to the Earth they give. The Heav'n, and she
Now seem to be at deadly enmity:
From her thick vapours, and bad stinks arise,
Which as her darts she sends against the skies.
Sol sucks her moisture forth, with vehement heat
Her parched sides, as with his scourges, beat
He doth: And Heav'n her flowring Corn, with round
Ice-bullets forceth to the very ground.
Syderial blasts, Mildew, and storms he sends;
Then from his window agil light'ning wends:
When that enough he with his Summer scourges
Has beaten her, comes Winter; then with surges
He doth bedrench her Face: Contracting cold
Robs her of all her Beauties: very old
She seems, when snows hang dangling on her head:
Chaps which for heat did, now for cold do spread.
75
Her Brooks o'reflow, her Trees, and Mountains quake.
Thus they oppose each other, now the Seas
Beat with the Wind, do threat the very Skies:
Sometimes excurring from his wonted place,
With brinish floods doth wash his Sister's Face.
Now Love is lost; no longer unity
But wrath, and hatred 'mong the Creatures be:
The Lamb now fears the Wolf: The Lion tears
The Kid for food: Bees rob'd are now by Bears;
They stings receive: The tusked Bore the Cow
Assaults: The tender Dear, and Hares are now
Slain by the Dogs: The mighty Elephant,
Serpents, and the Rhinoceroth supplant:
The harmlesse yields to those of greater power;
All fill'd with Ire, each other do devour.
Serpents now stings receive, strong poyson Toads,
Reptils, with Reptils, Plants with Plants at odds
Are now: Now death-Hemlock, and Woolf's-Bain hold,
With too much heat this, that with too much cold
Doth kill: Now Bryars, Nettles, Thorns, and Weeds,
With hurtful Plants, the Earth accursed breeds.
Now Whales eat other Fish: Trout Dace devoures:
Minnows the Perch: The Pike the Rivers scoures
To catch the smaller Fry: Eeles Gudgions eat;
And them the Herns; Fish now for Fowl are meat:
They too on each another prey: The Kite
On tender Chickens; Hawkes on Sparrows light.
Thus Enmity arose; thus wrath, and strife;
And thus each Creature seeks each others life.
And all, or most seck humane blood to spill,
Because that Man was cause of all their ill.
All this did spring from the first Principle,
Which open'd strait when our first Parents fell:
And thus the World from its first happy state,
To this, we now do see it in, was brought.
76
This World again a Paradise shall be:
The Wrath shall be dethron'd, the Lamb shall Reign
In purity; when Christ appears again:
O hast thy coming Lord! This blessed Day
Let us behold! Lord Jesus hast away!
Wrath's mighty Monarch se'ing how he had wrought,
And the whole Orb under his power brought
By Adam's lapse, rejoyced much; and straight
He doth his Kingdom's Princes convocate,
With the whole Host of Hell: to whom he thus
Speakes. Princely vassals! Who is like to us?
What power can contend with us? I see
The Light World's strength cann't match our Policy.
This Day brave Princes have I subject made
A World, and Man too by our guiles betray'd.
I need not tell, what you already know,
That I to Love am an Eternal Foe;
So he to Me; or that continual Jarrs
Betwixt us rise, and everlasting warrs.
Our Kingdoms opposite you know, Contend
For mastership, which strife shall never end:
We differ in all things, nor shall a Truce
A minutes quietude from Armes produce:
We are as strong as they: I scorn to bow
To him, for I a way have gained how
For to encrease our strength: You Kingdoms, and
Whole Worlds shall have now under your Command;
So many vassals shall this Kingdom stuff,
Wer't not so vast, 'twould scarce be large enough
For to contain them: you great Princes now
I will advise you what you are to do.
The World, and Man which I have gain'd, I see
By strength, and cunning must preserved be.
You know aspiring Princes! you and I
Left Heav'n for prying into the unity,
Because we scorn'd but for to be above
(For why should mighty Wrath give place to) Love?
We left those Orbs, and did them all despise,
And did this mighty Kingdom colonize
Because we would be free; here we Command,
Are Kings; there servants, did obedient stand;
We are grown mighty, and our powers we'l try
To make all World's bow to our Majesty,
Our fires Love's Waters shall consume: we'l see
Who shall be greatest either I or he.
A World betwixt us not long since was made,
Wrath's essence there as well as Love's was shed.
Ours made Rocks, stones, flints, Mines of Iron, and Lead:
His Rivers, Trees, Ayr, Gold, and Silver bred:
In ordering them, there was an higher hand,
Which to conjunction did them both Command,
And strange such opposites should mixed be
In every thing in equal Harmony:
But that Usurper got the upper ground;
And under his our Essence strictly bound,
So that he Lord was, ours a slave, and thus
He thought for aye, to Lord it over us.
O how I raged! O how the fire flew
From my bright eyes; how I shook Hell you knew
Full well, But yet no way there was that I
For to release our essence could espy,
I a sworn Foe to Harmony did gret
At Heart, to see our essence bound; and fret
Did to behold my mortal Foe to sport
Himself on Earth, and call it his own Court.
Making a Paradise of it; whilst there
I for to set a foot did scarcely dare:
O how I long'd for a confusion, and
To have my Essence like to his Command;
To vex me more, and to encrease his blisse,
He made a Man for to enjoy all this;
By what I thought would hurt me most of all
Gained I have the Rule of Earth's fair Ball:
No way our Essence to release was left
But by the fall of Man; alwayes to sift
I then began: In Paradise there stood
A Tree, was partly evil, partly good;
This was to Man prohibited; Love knew
If he should eat thereof, what would ensue;
For by that meanes alone our Essence might
Released be; Loves Essence put to flight.
I then bestir'd my self, and by my guiles
Made them to eat thereof, who poor exiles
Do now repent their fact: their Joy, and Blisse,
And every thing on earth subverted is.
Our essence now doth ev'ry where appear
And like it self begins to domineer;
Now we'l command the Earth; Love's essence scoff:
For I intend you shall be Lords thereof.
Are not we mighty now? who like to us?
Hah! who can match us, when we can do thus?
Our Foe who thought in Earth to captivate
Us, prison'd is: thus alter'd is our state!
But let us now provide for th' Future: Gain
We may a Kingdom better than maintain
It being got. Our Foe hath footing there
Still, who will strive for to regain his share,
And beat us back again; the which he can
Ne'r do, but by redeeming fallen Man.
About him all our strife will be; for Love
Still loves this Man all Creatures else above;
For him I know his Forces he'l engage,
Therefore the World must be the fighting stage
For our two Powers: He'd not let us have one
Would Man obey him, or with him Conjoyn.
But wee'l deal well enough: his Paradise
Now cann't be seen; wee'l set before Man's eyes
The Earth's vain pleasures, which shall captivate
Him to us; rob him of his future state:
For present Pleasures far more pleasing are
Than those hereafter promis'd few know where.
Wee'l have a thousand wayes (experience
Shall make you masters in our Arts Commence)
For to beguile poor Man: wee'l do it tho
We nothing gain by it, to rob our Foe
Of his delights: But Man is mighty great
Without him our Kingdom cann't be compleat,
Which is exceeding vast, you know it wants
To fill each corner such inhabitants.
Who most men gain shall, I with Love do vie,
Nor can he Man's Soul Correct more than I.
He without Man cannot his Wonders show,
Nor I without him what my power can do:
Therefore when one you gain'd have to your lore,
He'l sooner gain to you a thousand more.
But all of you mark this: No Soul doth come
In flesh: no Babe springs from its Mothers womb,
But that my Foe a little spark doth place
The which he calls his Image, or his Grace,
Within the Centre of its Soul. This then
You must endeavour to root out of Men,
And in its place, place mine, for that once gon
He's perfect with us, and is sure our own.
But if extinguish it you cann't; I say
Smother't with the World's pleasures what you may,
And be you sure it ne'r begins to glow,
For if it does the better gains our Foe.
I know you will be circumspect; therefore
To such free Agents, need I say no more,
But go, and do your work; maintain our might
Within the World, against Love's power fight:
My ayd you shall not want.
Left Heav'n for prying into the unity,
77
(For why should mighty Wrath give place to) Love?
We left those Orbs, and did them all despise,
And did this mighty Kingdom colonize
Because we would be free; here we Command,
Are Kings; there servants, did obedient stand;
We are grown mighty, and our powers we'l try
To make all World's bow to our Majesty,
Our fires Love's Waters shall consume: we'l see
Who shall be greatest either I or he.
A World betwixt us not long since was made,
Wrath's essence there as well as Love's was shed.
Ours made Rocks, stones, flints, Mines of Iron, and Lead:
His Rivers, Trees, Ayr, Gold, and Silver bred:
In ordering them, there was an higher hand,
Which to conjunction did them both Command,
And strange such opposites should mixed be
In every thing in equal Harmony:
But that Usurper got the upper ground;
And under his our Essence strictly bound,
So that he Lord was, ours a slave, and thus
He thought for aye, to Lord it over us.
O how I raged! O how the fire flew
From my bright eyes; how I shook Hell you knew
Full well, But yet no way there was that I
For to release our essence could espy,
I a sworn Foe to Harmony did gret
At Heart, to see our essence bound; and fret
Did to behold my mortal Foe to sport
Himself on Earth, and call it his own Court.
Making a Paradise of it; whilst there
I for to set a foot did scarcely dare:
O how I long'd for a confusion, and
To have my Essence like to his Command;
To vex me more, and to encrease his blisse,
He made a Man for to enjoy all this;
By what I thought would hurt me most of all
Gained I have the Rule of Earth's fair Ball:
No way our Essence to release was left
But by the fall of Man; alwayes to sift
78
A Tree, was partly evil, partly good;
This was to Man prohibited; Love knew
If he should eat thereof, what would ensue;
For by that meanes alone our Essence might
Released be; Loves Essence put to flight.
I then bestir'd my self, and by my guiles
Made them to eat thereof, who poor exiles
Do now repent their fact: their Joy, and Blisse,
And every thing on earth subverted is.
Our essence now doth ev'ry where appear
And like it self begins to domineer;
Now we'l command the Earth; Love's essence scoff:
For I intend you shall be Lords thereof.
Are not we mighty now? who like to us?
Hah! who can match us, when we can do thus?
Our Foe who thought in Earth to captivate
Us, prison'd is: thus alter'd is our state!
But let us now provide for th' Future: Gain
We may a Kingdom better than maintain
It being got. Our Foe hath footing there
Still, who will strive for to regain his share,
And beat us back again; the which he can
Ne'r do, but by redeeming fallen Man.
About him all our strife will be; for Love
Still loves this Man all Creatures else above;
For him I know his Forces he'l engage,
Therefore the World must be the fighting stage
For our two Powers: He'd not let us have one
Would Man obey him, or with him Conjoyn.
But wee'l deal well enough: his Paradise
Now cann't be seen; wee'l set before Man's eyes
The Earth's vain pleasures, which shall captivate
Him to us; rob him of his future state:
For present Pleasures far more pleasing are
Than those hereafter promis'd few know where.
79
Shall make you masters in our Arts Commence)
For to beguile poor Man: wee'l do it tho
We nothing gain by it, to rob our Foe
Of his delights: But Man is mighty great
Without him our Kingdom cann't be compleat,
Which is exceeding vast, you know it wants
To fill each corner such inhabitants.
Who most men gain shall, I with Love do vie,
Nor can he Man's Soul Correct more than I.
He without Man cannot his Wonders show,
Nor I without him what my power can do:
Therefore when one you gain'd have to your lore,
He'l sooner gain to you a thousand more.
But all of you mark this: No Soul doth come
In flesh: no Babe springs from its Mothers womb,
But that my Foe a little spark doth place
The which he calls his Image, or his Grace,
Within the Centre of its Soul. This then
You must endeavour to root out of Men,
And in its place, place mine, for that once gon
He's perfect with us, and is sure our own.
But if extinguish it you cann't; I say
Smother't with the World's pleasures what you may,
And be you sure it ne'r begins to glow,
For if it does the better gains our Foe.
I know you will be circumspect; therefore
To such free Agents, need I say no more,
But go, and do your work; maintain our might
Within the World, against Love's power fight:
My ayd you shall not want.
| Mundorum Explicatio | |