Yet these three powers are not three _soules_, but one; As one and two are both containd in _three_; _Three_ being one number by it selfe alone: A shadow of the blessed Trinitie. [Footnote 140: Here = o'er as on page 61 _ante_. G.] [Footnote 141: = forgetfulness: from Lethe. G.] [Footnote 142: A numeral '3' here, and in the next stanza but one. G.] AN ACCLAMATION. O! what is Man (great Maker of mankind!) That Thou to him so great respect dost beare! That Thou adornst him with so bright a mind, Mak'st him a king, and euen an angel's peere! O! what a liuely life, what heauenly power, What spreading vertue, what a sparkling fire! How great, how plentifull, how rich a dower Dost Thou within this dying flesh inspire! Thou leau'st Thy print in other works of Thine, But Thy whole image Thou in Man hast writ; There cannot be a creature more diuine, Except (like Thee) it should be infinit. But it exceeds man's thought, to thinke how hie _God_ hath raisd _Man_, since _God a man_ became; The angels doe admire this _Misterie_, And are astonisht when they view the same. THAT THE SOULE IS IMMORTAL, AND CANNOT DIE. Nor hath He giuen these blessings for a day, Nor made them on the bodie's life depend; The _Soule_ though made in time, _suruives for aye_, And though it hath beginning, sees no end. Her onely _end_, is _neuer-ending_ blisse; Which is, _th' eternall face of God to see_; Who _Last of Ends_, and _First of Causes_, is: And to doe this, she must _eternall_ bee. How senselesse then, and dead a soule hath hee, Which _thinks_ his _soule_ doth with his body die! Or _thinkes_ not so, but so would haue it bee, That he might sinne with more securitie. For though these light and vicious persons say, Our _Soule_ is but a smoake, or ayrie blast; Which, during life, doth in our nostrils play, And when we die, doth turne to wind at last: Although they say, '_Come let us eat and drinke_'; Our life is but a sparke, which quickly dies; Though thus they _say_, they know not what to think, But in their minds ten thousand doubts arise. Therefore no heretikes desire to spread Their light opinions, like these _Epicures_:[143] For so the staggering thoughts are comfortèd, And other men's assent their doubt assures. Yet though these men against their conscience striue, There are some sparkles in their flintie breasts Which cannot be extinct, but still reuiue; That though they would, they cannot quite bee _beasts_; But who so makes a mirror of his mind, And doth with patience view himselfe therein, His _Soule's_ eternitie shall clearely find, Though th' other beauties be defac't with sin. REASON I. DRAWNE FROM THE DESIRE OF KNOWLEDGE.