Part V.

P L J T 0.
they have a beginning, but cannot return
. . • u
In many other Properties it agrees with God ^ He is the moft perfea of Beings^ this of Figures 5 neither admit addition : The lait Sphere is the place of all Bodies, God of all ' Spirits : the Soul ( fay Platonifts) is not in the Body, but the Body is in the Soul, the Soul in the Mind, the Mind in God, the utmolf place ^ who is therefore named by the Cabalilfs. C3’PD
• XIL
TH E three Graces are Handmaids to Vems Tha/ia^ Eiiphrofyne^ Aglaia Viridity, Gladnefs, Splendour j properties attending Ideal Beauty. Thalia^ is the permanence of every thing in its entire being*, thus is Youth called green, Man being then in his perfea flate •, which decays as his years encreafe, into his laft diflblution. Vems^ is proportion, uniting all things. Viridity, the duration of it ; In the Ideal World, where is the hrtt Venus^ is alfo the firft Viridity •, for no Intelligible Nature re¬ cedes from its-Being by growing old. It com¬ municates this Property to fenlihle things as far as they are capable of this Venits^ that is, as long as their due proportion continues. The two other properties of Ideal Beauty are Illu- ff ration of the IntelleSf, Aglaia^ Repletion of the Will with defire and joy, Euphrofyne.
0f the Graces one is painted looking to ward us •, The continuation of our being is no reflex a£l. The other two with their Faces from us, feemihg to return *, the operations of the IntelieQ and Will are reflexive-, Wba^ comes from God to us^ returns from us to God.
Se&. Xlil.
VEnus is laid to be born of the Sea -, Mat¬ ter, the Inform Nature whereof every Creature is compounded, is reprefented by Wa¬ ter, continually flowing, eafily receptable of any Form: This being firft in the Angelick Mind, Angels are many times expreft by Wa¬ ter, as in the Pfalms, The Waters above the Hea¬ vens prafe God continually^, fo Interpreted by Origen ^ and Ibme Tlatonijls expound the O- cean fftiled by Father of Gods and Men)
this Angelick Mind, Principle and Fountain of all other Creatures GemijVms^ •Neptune j as Commander of all Waters, of all Minds, An¬ gelical and Humane. , This is that living Foun¬ tain, whereof he that drinkerh fhall never thirif: Thefe are the Waters whereon (David faith ) God hath founded the World.
Seff. XIV.
POrus (the Affluence of Ideas proceeding from God) is ftiled by Plato the Son of (Counfel,) in Imitation of the Scrip¬ ture : ^ whence our Saviour by Dionyftus Areo- is termed the Angel of Cou Mel, that is, the Meflenger of God the Father ^ fo Avicen calls the firft Caufe, conciliative, the Miiid not ha¬ ving Ideas from it lelf but from God, by whofe Counfel fhe receiveth Knowledge and Art to frame this vifible World.
Sehl- XV.
Ove according to Plato^ is Toungejl and"^ S)inpf. Oldeji of the Gods ^ They, as ail other things, have a two-fold Being, ideal and Na¬ tural. The firft God in his natural Being was Love, who difpenc’d theirs to all the reft ^ the laft in his Ideal. Love was born in the Del- cent of the Ideas into the Angelick Mind,whicM could not be perfeQ: till they, its Eftence, were made fb, by Love's Converfipn to God. The An¬ gelick Mind owing its Natural Being to Love^ the other Gods who fucceeded this Mind, ne- ceflarily are ^younger than He in their natural Being, though they precede him in their Ideal, as not born till thefe Ideas^ though imperfebfly, were joyned to the informed Nature.
SeS. XVI.
H E Kingdom of NeceJJity is faid to Sytrprf.
before that of hove. Every Creature con- firts of two Natures, Material, the imperfe^f,
(which we here under ftand by Neceffityj and formal theoccafion of Perfeffion. That where¬ of it moft partakes is faid to be predominant, and the Creature to be lubjeft to it. Hence is Neceffity (Matter j fuppoled to Reign when the Ided'^ were Imperfebt, and all Imperfections to happen during that time .• all Perfections af¬ ter Love began his Reign ^ for, when the Mind : was by him Converted to God -, that which be¬ fore was imperfect in her, was perfected.
Self. XVII.
t T TEnus is Jaid to com^nend Fate. The Order f Flat.Sympof.
V and Concatenation of Caufes and Ef¬ fects in this fenfibl eWorld, called Fate, depends on the Order of the Intelligible World, Provi¬ dence. Flence Platonifts place Providence (the ordering of Ideas) in the firft Mind, depending upon God, its ultimate end, to which it leads all other things. Thus Venus^ being the Order of thofe Ideas., whereon Fate, the World’s Or¬ der, depends. Commands it.
Fate is Divided into three parts, Clotho., La- chefs, and Atropos : That which is one in Providence, indivifible in Eternity, when it comes into Time and Fate, is divifible into Paft,
Prefent, and Future. Others apply Atropos to the fixed Sphere, Clotho, to the leven Planets,
Lachefs to fublunary things. '
Temporal Corporeal things only are fubjeCled to Fate j the Rational Soul being Incorporeal, predominates over it ^ b«t is lubjefted to Provi¬ dence, to ferve which iS true Liberty, by whom the Will (obeying its Laws) is led to the Acquifition of her deli red end. And as of¬ ten as ihe endeavous to loolc her felf from this Servitude, of Free, fhe becomes a Servant and Slave to Fate, of whom before fhe was the Mi- lirefs. To deviate from the Laws or Providenc, is, to forfake Reafon to follow Senfe and Irrational Appetite, which being Corporeal, are under Fate ^ he that ferves thefe, is much more a Servant than thofe he ferves.
C e ' Sehh,
202
P L AT 0.
ART.
V.
Se^. XVIII.
AS from God Ideas defcend into the Ange- lick Mind, by which the Love of Intel- leftual Beaity is begot in her, called Divine Love ^ fo the lame Ideas defcend from the Angelick Mind into the Rational Soul, fomuch the more imperfeG; in her, as (lie wants of An¬ gelical Perfeflion : From thefe Springs Humane Love. Llato difcourfeth of the tirft, Llotinus of the latter : who by the lame Argument, whereby he proves Ideas not Accidental but Subftantial in the Angelick mind, evinceth like- wife the Ipecifical Realbns, th^ Ideas in the Soul to be fubftantial, terming the Soul Venus., as having a fpecious fpendid Love, inrelpeft of thefe fplecifical Reafons.'
SHI. XIX.
Vulgar Love is the Appetite of fenfible Beauty through corporeal fight. The caufe of this Beauty is the vilible Heaven by its mo¬ ving power. As our Motive Faculty confiftsin Mufcles and Nerves (the Inftruments of its O- peration, j lb the Motive Facultji of Heaven is fitted with a Body proper for Circular Sempi¬ ternal Motion : Through which Body the Soul ( as a Painter with his Pencil) changeth this inferiour Matter into various Forms. Thus vulgar Venus ( the Beauty of material Forms ) hath her cafual being from the moving power of the Heavens, her formal from colour, en- lightned by the vifible Sun, as Ideas by the in- vilible ^ her participate in the Figure and juft order of parts communicated to fight by medi¬ ation of Light and Colour, by whole intereft only it procures Love.
SeH. XX.
/\ S when the Ideas defcend into the Mind, ,/ ‘1l there arifeth a defire of enjoying that Irom whence this Ideal Beauty comes ^ fo when the Ipecies of fenfible Beauty flow into the Eye, there Iprings a twfold Appetite of Union with that, whence this Beauty is derived .• one Senfual, the other Rational •, the Principles of Beftial and Humane Love. If we follow Senfc, we judge the Body wherein we behold this Beauty, to be its Fountain ^ whence proceeds a defire of Coition, the moft intimate union with it ; This is the Love of irrational Creatures. But Reafon knows, that the Body is fo far from being its Original, that it is DeflruUive to it, and the more it is fevered from the Body, the more it enjoys its own Nature and Dignity ; we mull not fix with the Species of Senfe in the Body, but refine that Species from all Reliques of Corporeal InfeUion.
And becaufe Man may be underltood by the Rational Soul, either confidered apart, or in its union to the Body ; in the firft fenfe. Hu¬ mane Love is the Image of the Celeftial ^ in the fecond, defire of fenfible Beauty ^ this be¬ ing by the Soul abftraUed from Matter, and (as much as its Nature will allow) made In¬ tellectual. The greater part of Men reach no higher than thisj others more perfeCl, remem-
bring that more perfeCl Beauty which the Soul (before immers’^d in the Body) beheld, are in- flamed with an incredible defire of reviewing it, in purfuit whereof, they feparate themlelves as much as polfible from the Body, of which the Soul (returning to its firft Dignity ) becomes abfolute Miltrefs. This is the Image of Cele¬ ftial Love, by which Man arifeth from one Per¬ fection to another, till his Soul (wholly united to the Intellect) is made an Angel. Purged from material drofs, and transformed into fpiritual flame by this Divine Power, he mounts up to the Intelligible Heaven, and happily refts in his Fathers Bofom.
SeH. XXL
T TUlgar Love is only in Souls imiAerft in V matter, and overcome by it, or at lead hindred by perturbations and paflions. Angelic Love is in the Intellect, Eternal as it. Yet but inferred, the greater part turning from the In¬ tellect to fenfible things, and corporeal cares. But fo perfect are thefe Celeftial Souls, that they can dilcharge both Functions, Rule the Body, yet not be taken off from Contemplati¬ on of Superiors : Thefe the Poets fignifie by Janus with two Faces, one looking forward upon Senfible things, the other on Intelligi¬ ble ; left perfect Souls have but one face, and when they turn that to the Body, cannot fee the Intellect, being deprived of their Contem¬ plation : when to the Intelle8:, cannot fee the Body, neglecting the care thereof Hence thofe Souls that muft forfake the Intellect, to apply themfelves to Corporeal Government, are by Divine Providence confined to caduque. Corruptible [Bodies, loofed from which, they may in a fhort time, if they fail not themfelves, return to their IntelleQual felicity. Other Souls not hindred from Speculation, arc tied to Eter¬ nal Incorruptible Bodies.
Celeftial Souls then (defigned by Janus^ as the Principles of Time, Motion intervening) behold the Ideal Beauty in the IntelleH, to love it perpetually-, and inferiour fenfible things, not to defire their Beauty j but to communicate this other to them. Our Souls before united to the Body, are in like manner double-faced ; but, are then as it were, cleft afunder, retain¬ ing but one ^ which as they turn to either ob- jeH, Senfual or Intellectual, is deprived of the other.
Thus is vulger Love inconfiftent with the Ce¬ leftial •, and many Raviftied at the fight of In- telleCtual Beauty, become blind to fenfible; imply ’d by Callimachus, Hymn 5. in the Fa¬ ble of Tyrejias, who viewing Valias naked, loft his fights yqt by her was made a Prophet, clo- fing the Eyes of his Body, (he opened thofe of his Mind, by which he beheld both the prefent and future. The Ghoji of Achilles which inlpi- red Homer with all IntelleQual Contemplations in Poetry, derived him of corporeal fight.
Though Celeftial Love liveth eternally ia' the IntelleCl.of every Soul; yet only thofe few make ufe of it, who declining the care of the Body, can with St. Laid lay. Whether in the Body, or out oj the Body they knoca not. To which ftateaMan fometimes arrives; but continues there but a while, as we fee in Ecclejiaftes.
Sea.
0
pART.
PLATO.
202
■
XXIL
THus in bur Soul ( naturally indifferent to Senfible or Intelligible Beauty ) there may be three Loves ^ one in the Intelleft, Angelical • the fecond Humane*, The third SenluaL: The two latter are converlant about the fame ob- |e£l:, Coporeal Beauty ^ the lehfual fixeth its Intention wholly in it the Humane leparatgs it from Matter. The greater part of Man¬ kind go no further than thefe two ^ but they whole underftandings are purified % Philolb- phy, knowing Senfible Beauty to, be but the Image of another more perfect, leave it, and defire to fee the Celeftial, of which they have already a Taft in their Remembrance, if. they perfevere in this Mental Elevation, they finally obtain it : and recover that which though in them from the beginning, yet they were not fen- fible of, being direfled by other Objefls.
The Sonnet,
I.
LOve^ ( wbdfe Hand guides mf Hearths JlriS Reins,
Nor, tho' he Govern it, difdains To feed the Fire with pious care Which firjl himfelf enkindled there.)
Commands my backward Soul to tell What Flames within her Bofom dwell j Fear would perfwade her to decline The Charge of fuel? a high Tefgn ; hut all her weak ReluUance fails,
^Gainfi greater Force no Force availt.
Love to advance her Flight will lend Thofe Wings by which he did defeend Into my Heart, where he to ref.
For ever, long fince built his Keft:
I, what from thence he diliaiei, write.
And Draw him thus by his own Light.
II.
LOv^, flowing from the Sacred Spring Of uncreated good, I fling :
When horn 5 how Heaven he moves the Soul Informs , and doth the World controul 5 Hoits clojely lurking in the heart.
With his fharp Weapons fubtle art From heavy Earth he Man unties^
Enforcing him to reach the Skies.
How kindled, how he flames, how burns ^
By zohat Laws guided now he turns To Heaven, now to the Earth defeends Now rejis ^twixt both, to neither bends.
Apollo, Thee I Invocate,
Bovoing beneath fo great a iveight. ijrve. Guide me through this dark dejign\
And imp my Jhorter wings voith thine.
III.
WHen from true Heaven the SacredSun Into th" Arigelick Mind did run.
And with enlivened Leaves adorn.
Be flowing Form on his Jirfl-born:,
Inflaming by innate de fires.
She to her chief efl good afpires ;
By vthich Reverjion her richBrefi With various Figures is imprefl'.
^ this Love exulted turns * • ^ Sun, for whom Jhe burns.
This flame, rais'd by the l^igln that flnn'd From Heaven, into th' Angelick Alind,
Is Eldefl Love's Religious Ray:^^ , - vv...'' ■ * ' '' By I i'ealth and \VanT\brgot that, J)tiy-, ■; ■\ ^ j WbenBJeav'n brought jorth thef^teen, wdr^e.
Hand L ' ^ .1 V L '
The Cyprian Scepter doil/fommarfl. .^y._ \ .
'■ iv.. ' • ^ vf,. -Vh - ;
A 1
Tllis Born in AmdpgHs
The Sun of her ' bright Beauty^ wurnrs. •> ‘ From this our Jirflfleflrg accrues, ,, \ 'I' ;■ Which in nev^ Feitdf'sfattght, pH^fyes\\ ■
The hhnourhle pathjhat 'gtpdes.'x ■•voi. . v.- Where our flternaigQod. rirffdes.
By this the Fire, thyo^gh-^ifle "fij’^B'eaml Life from above fo jfiankind flreams-, ,
Is kindled in our heart sj^hymEjclx glow \
Dying, yet dying greater grow-, ;
By this th' Immortal Fountain flovos, ' Which all Heaven fonfis below, beflows^
By this defeends that fhbwer of Light Which upwards doth our minds invite ,
By this th' Eternal Sun inMresi
And Souls with Sacred lujfl^eflfes'.- . ^
V.
A 5 God doth to the Mind dif pence Its Being, Life, Tntelligence,
So dothype Mind the Soul acquaint How t' tJnderfland, to Move, to Faint
Site thus prepar'd, the .Sun JhaLjhincs. _
In the Eternal Breafls defigns.
And here what Jhe includes diffufes^
Exciting every thing 'tiMit ufes ^ /- Motion and Senfe ( ben'efi.th herflfate)
To Live, to Know, 0 ©perdt.e. . ji >.
Injeriour Venus hence took Birtkt, ;
Who Jhines in Heavg'n.^ but lives .on, Eurfl), Ando'fr the World h'erflxadow fpreadsr, ' The Elder iy the Sufls, Gldfs reads -■
Her Face, through ttye confufed skreen j Of a dark Jhade obfeurely Jeen-, ■
She Luflre fivm the Sun receives.
And to the Other Lujlre. gives ,
Celeftial Love on this depends.
The lounger, vulgar . Lpve attend^
\0
VI.
'■O t
1 ni • imi cd VI : ..A
FOnkdby th' Eternal Look of God:
From the Sun's niofl fublime . 'abode. .
The Soul defeends into,Maks Hedrt, [tl\ rbi'rn Imprinting there with wondrous Art joloiq or Whai'iwrth Jhe borrow'd of . her StarTA ji f-H And brought in her Celeflial Carr.-, ’
As well as Humane Matter yields^ ’sh She thus her Curious Manjion Builds.-J;y)y .Tet all tlxofe Flames from the JJwittevi ,0 Imprejjiori differently declined L.f'tc
The Sun, who's Figur'd here, his Beams: :
Into another's Bofom ft reams'^ ;if; j •
In whofe agreeing Soul he flays,\ . ' -
And Gilds it with his Virtuous •:
The Heart in'which AffeHion bred, d , . :: is ihus by pleafing Error fed, . rL ■■
C c 2 VIL The
’fif
•'M
-rl
•rft
t
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4
204
PLATO.