A Prospect of a Church in the Mind

1
Once at imagination’s windows I,2
Standing, a prospect in the mind did spy,3
Shutting the ignorant eye as close may be,4
Because the eye of knowledge clear might see,5
Drawing a circle round of fine conceits,6                            5
Speeches extravagant contracting straight.7
The more I viewed, my eye the farther went,
Till understanding’s sight was almost spent.
An aisle of thoughts within a church I viewed;89
Filled full of fancy’s light to me it showed.10                      10
Pillars of judgments thick stood on a row,
And in this aisle Motion walked to and fro.
Fear, love, humility kneeled down to pray;
Desires begged11 of all that passed that way;
Poor doubts did shake as if they had some harm,12         15
Yet mantles of good hope did keep them warm.13
Generous14 Faith seemed bountiful and free;
She gave to all that asked her charity.
All sorts of sects15 in pulpits seemed to preach;
Fables for truth, no doubt, did many teach.16                    20
Not that I heard17 what their opinions were,
For prospect’s in the eye, not in the ear.18

  1. A Prospect of a Church in the Mind] Nature’s Prospect. 1664; Nature’s Prospect. 1668
  2. Once at imagination’s windows I,] Standing at Imaginations Window high, 1653
  3. Standing, a prospect in the mind did spy,] I saw a Prospect in the Mind to lye: 1653
  4. Shutting the ignorant eye as close may be,] The Eye of Ignorance I shut up close, 1664; The Eye of Ignorance I shut up close; 1668
  5. Because the eye of knowledge clear might see,] Lest th’Eye of Knowledge should this Prospect lose; 1664; Lest th’Eye of Knowledg should this Prospect lose: 1668
  6. conceits] Conceit, 1664; Conceit; 1668
  7. Speeches extravagant contracting straight.] Contracting Extravagant Speeches strait. 1653; Extravagant Speeches Contracting strait, 1664
  8. within a church I viewed;] so long, could see no End, 1653
  9. A marginal note in the 1653 edition reads: “A Church.” This note is not in 1664 or 1668.
  10. it showed.] there seem’d. 1653
  11. begged] did beg 1664, 1668
  12. shake as if they had some harm,] seem, as if they quaking stood, 1653
  13. mantles of good hope did keep them warm.] were they lapt in Mantles of Hope good. 1653
  14. Generous] But generous 1664, 1668
  15. sects] Opinions 1653
  16. Fables for truth, no doubt, did many teach.] False Doctrine for Truth might many teach; 1653
  17. Not that I heard] But I heard not 1664, 1668
  18. For prospect’s in the eye, not in the ear.] For Prospects i’th Eye do lye, not i’th Eare. 1653; For Prospect’s in the Eye, none in the Ear. 1664; For, Prospect’s in the Eye, none in the Ear. 1668