But blest be that Great Power, that hath vs blest
With longer life then Heauen or Earth can haue;
Which hath infus'd into our mortall breast
Immortall powers, not subiect to the graue.
For though the Soule doe seeme her graue to beare,
And in this world is almost buried quick;
We haue no cause the bodie's death to feare,
For when the shell is broke, out comes a chick.
Three Kinds of Life Answerable To the three Powers of theSoule.
For as the soule's essentiall powers are three,
The quickning power, the power of sense and reason;
Three kinds of life to her designèd bee,
Which perfect these three[160] powers in their due season.
The first life, in the mother's wombe is spent,
Where she her nursing power doth onely vse;
Where, when she finds defect of nourishment,
Sh' expels her body, and this world she viewes.
This we call Birth; but if the child could speake,
He Death would call it; and of Nature plaine,[161]
That she would thrust him out naked and weake,
And in his passage pinch him with such paine.
Yet, out he comes, and in this world is plac't,
Where all his Senses in perfection bee;
Where he finds flowers to smell, and fruits to taste;
And sounds to heare, and sundry formes to see.
When he hath past some time vpon this stage,
His Reason then a litle seemes to wake;
Which, thogh she spring, when sense doth fade with age,
Yet can she here no perfect practise make.
Then doth th' aspiring Soule the body leaue,
Which we call Death; but were it knowne to all,
What life our soules do by this death receiue,
Men would it birth or gaole[162] deliuery call.
In this third life, Reason will be so bright,
As that her sparke will like the sun-beames shine;
And shall of God enioy the reall sight.
Being still increast by influence diuine.