miro modo dulâ—ia reddit quae Fastidium facit insipida Idlenesse is squeazie stomackt when good imployment feeds with Hunger which gives a luseious Gust unto such Diet while Idlenesse with Loathing rejects sound food as tastlesse Ingenium hominis ceu cariem et senium in otio contrahit propter obscuritatem Et muta Quies vitaque Sedentaria in otio semota non corporibus modò verum etiam animis marcorem conciliat The Wit of Man contracts old Age by Idlenesse before its time And growes decrepit in obscurity by disuse of Exercise The dumb Rest of a Sedentary Life in Ease and as it were wrapt up in a Mantle from all imployment brings not Bodies only but Minds also into a deep Consumption Sunt quorum corpus innoxium est in mille fascinorum Furias mens otiosa discurrit A sickly and a wanton Minde hath thrown the soundest Bodies and most healthful Constitutions into a Thousand Mischiefs and as many foul Diseases PROSPECT I. Some Vainly do consume theire Oyle Some hide the Diamond with the Foile Some think that Providence hath Plac't Men here On purpose to make wast As if The Lesson given to read Concern'd None Living but The Dead How comes it else So many ' a Hand Of well-made Clockes so still does stand Loose Idlenesse committs The Sin Maxentius did Life Death entwin How does Shee rock Rare Parts asleep Hides pretious Pearles within the Deep T' is This Pandora's Box let 's fly Evills enough to Cloud the Skye With subtle Poysons mixing Ayre Makes Breath Life's Means Men's Life t'mpair Hence dire Effects and black Events Commit a Rape on Discontents Who therefore will be warn'd and Wise Must work his Hands and watch his Eyes CONSOLATORY ESSAY I. IT Was A Friendly Wish with a smile at the end on 't That the English were as Industrious as they are Ingenious it came from Erasmus An eminent Man of Wit And no Dwarf in Iudgement It is a great abatement in the Coat if the Lyon be not borne in proper Posture or wanteth any thing of Due Arming Ingenii Acumen vel tarditas praemium vel poenam in futuro collocat Reward crowneth the Diligent And Danger in conspiracy with Losse surprizeth the Drowzie And they deliver to Punishment the Sleeper Solomon had no sooner rouzed the Slugard and sent him on an Arrant to the Ant to consider her wayes and be wise c. but he describeth his Next Neighbour his likeliest Familiar a Naughty person a Wicked man that walks with a froward Mouth that winks with his Eyes speaks with his Feet And teacheth with his Fingers Frowardnesse is in his Heart He deviseth Mischeife continually He soweth Discord Therefore shall his Calamity come suddainly Suddainly shall he be broken without Remedy And not far off from him dwells The Bewitching Whore with Her Allurements But how and whither does shee lead her Paramour her Gallant He goeth After her straight way as an Oxe goeth to the slaughter Or as a Foole to the Correction of the stocks Till a dart strike through his Liver as A Bird hasteth to the Snare and Knoweth not that it is For his Life c. Her house is the way to Hell going downe to the Chambers of Death Behold Sloth is The Hen Idlenesse the Unclean Egge The many sorts of Iniquity the Plumage of wickedness the Snare is Death and the Devourer Hell Maiestas Pop. Romani peromnes Nationes per omnes diffusa Provincias in sinu Meretricio Iacet Sayes Seneca Even the Glory of Roome that Spred her Wings over All Nations whose Eagles Talons grasped the utmost Consines slept to Ruine in the Lap of Dalliance runing a Comparable Fate with that web of the Chast Penelope whereon The Night undid the work of the Day Idleness can find No Bellowes to blow the Fire and will nor so much as use her Own Breath This is the cover'd Pit that swallowes the Heedlesse while time is wasted in the Embraces of Seeming Goods For want of Diligence and Inquisition Imprudent men do miss of what is reall While David was in Action though Persued by Saul for his Life he slipt not But when in the pleasance of the Evening coming from the Softness of his Bed when he takes a Loose turn upon the Roof of his pallace He is strook in the Eye with the darting Beauty of Bethsheba And it must seeke for cure the bloud of Uriah The First Evill begets a Second of a bigger Stature Illegitimate Voluptuousness brings forth monstrous Cruelty How dangerous it is to set One Foot upon The First step of Sin the other is ready to slip if not to run down the Stairs No sooner in Idlenesse but in Lust. Lust hurries into Adultery Adultery sends post to Bloudshed and sometimes engages in such a Murder as is past repairing and beyond returning Beware then thou distressed Soul Least Satan finde thee either void of buisiness or ill imploy'd He will beset thee with a multitude of temptations and give thee a Desperate Onset And without Grace help thee by a Prayer thou lay'st open to the Storm and 't is not easy to hold out Keep therfore thy Watchmen on the Tower Set a Gaurd upon every Port Be Allwayes Training and Mustering thy Forces When he makes his Subtilest Approches put good Actions to work So maist thou countermine him Feed The Hungry So thou diggest a crosse-Vault to his Workes Cloath the Naked And it is a Retrenchment Visit the Sick And thou hast made good where the Wall is weakest Frequent Religious Company And thou hast doubled thy Guards Pray And thou Victuallest the Place Read the Scriptures Thou want'st no Ammunition And thou hast the never-failing Waters of Life By Such continuall Exercise the Divell will be disheartned will but weakely attempt thee Till by every Assault thou shalt grow the Stronger and by many Combats becom A Conquerer Vessels that are full are not capable of any other Liquor And the Well-busied minde is not at leisure to undertake a bad Imployment Besides the Wast of Time that is so pretious momentum est punctum eternitatis thy prodigall Idleness spends thee consumes thee in weariness The Hours seem asleep and tedious to thee like the Hand of the Dial they move not as it were at all When Labour would refresh thee and Season thy Rest with Sweetnes Fly from her therfore as from a Pest. The Plague is not so infectious Untilled Land produceth Thorns and is over-run with Briars Evill thoughts are the want of Culture of the Mind The word imployes Worship Want of the worship of God produceth as Evill words the Thorns of the Tongue So it overruns with wicked Actions those Briars of the Hands and Feet Sow in thy Heart Holy and devout Meditations And thy Hands will beare comfortable Fruit. Then art thou never Alone nor Out of Safety Lye not Lazilie as bedrid in health Least thou get a Sicknesse CANTO II. The Grotto of Repentance 1. THrough Labyrinth of
Spirit but an unclean spirit An unclean spirit in the eyes of unlawful concupiscence an unclean Spirit in the Ears that had the Itch of wantonnes An unclean spirit in the Mouth of foul obscoenity of lying of false of foolish speaking of Oaths of Blasphemy of Perjury and the like abominations An unclean spirit in the stomack of exorbitant Excess of boundless Appetite of surfetting Luxury of sensual Gluttony and beastly Drunkenness that wallows in the Mire An unclean Spirit in the hand of wicked deeds of polluted Actions An unclean spirit in the feet a spirit of committing all kind of evil with greediness a spirit of Cruelty and Oppression whose Feet are swift to shed blood An unclean spirit in the Head of wicked Imaginations An unclean spirit in the heart of ungodly Thoughts and impious Machinations An unclean spirit in the Conscience of delusion and depravation and that is a crooked devil hard to be thrown out I charge thee come out of him There he manifesteth his Command and power And that he enter not into him any more publisheth his protection and Providence whereby the Divel is either chained-up or turned out of the line Then the spirit cryed and rent him sore and came out and he was as one dead in so much that many said He is dead The Father cryed the Spirit cry'd both cry'd but with different voices The Father cryes for help the spirit with horror The Father 's was a clear voice a voice of Faith the Spirit 's a hoarse voice a voice of Infidelity The Father cryes that the Spirit might be cast out the spirit cryes because he must out the Father cryes with tears The spirit cryes with tearing For he rent him sore at his coming out Out he comes but leaves him as dead If he must away he will act his utmost mischief Before he goes he rends him Before he leaves him he endeavors to carry away life and all he leaves him as dead dead to the world dead to Opinion in disconsolation dead to himself So does the Devil So does sin use to take leave of her Favourites But Jesus took took him by the hand There was his assisting Grace O the Infinite Mercy the readiness the certainty of such a Helper He lifted him up that could not else rise There was his restoring Grace And he arose There was his full Recovery But why could not the Disciples do this when they were so intreated Peter and Iames and Iohn were to be supposed Schollars of a higher Form in the School of Faith but they were at the Transfiguration they were not among them at that time The Disciples themselves were very much dissatisfied about their non-performance and disability to the work We do not find them though confess that they wanted Faith whereof they were reproved Yet their silence imploys a consent to the truth of it Fain they would know But they were ashamed to inquire of their master in publick They watch't therfore their next private opportunity For so saith the ' Text And when he was come into the House His Disciples asked Him Secretly Why could not we cast him out He that checked them in the way of his Justice then informeth them to set-forth his Mercy He checked them to stir up to rouze up their Faith He informeth them he teacheth them to satisfie their Question to appease their Doubt And he said unto them This kind can by no other means come forth but by Prayer and Fasting And what is Prayer Oratis est piae mentis humilis ad Deum conversio fide spe et charitate suhnixa Prayer is the turning of a devout and humble mind to God which is underpropped with Faith and Hope and Charity In the 11. Chapter of the same Evangelist Christ speaking of the Power of Faith induceth the Efficacy of prayer in his answer to Peter and the rest of the Disciples concerning the wither'd Figg-tree Have Faith in God For verily I say unto you that whosoever shall say unto This mountain Take thy self away and cast thy self into the Sea and shall not waver in his heart but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass whatsoever he saith shall be done to him Here we may see that Faith calls down the power of God from Heaven and that which made All can order Act and perform any thing Therefore I say unto you whatsoever ye desire when ye pray believe that ye shall have it and it shall be done unto you And what is fasting If we will take Saint Chrysostom's opinion who was able to judge Iejunium non ciborum sed peccatorum abstinentiam efficit Though Fasting for a time and according unto the occasion from meats be a very necessary thing to make it a Fast indeed we must abstain from sin Iejunio passiones corporis oratione pestes sanandae sunt mentis saith Saint Hierom. Fasting tempers the passions tames the Fury and cures the Pestilence of the Mind Fasting cools the Feaver of the Flesh prayer assawgeth the Tumour of the Spirit As Fasting starves the pride of the flesh so prayer takes away all Sustenance from an evil Spirit Prayer is the speaking fasting of the flesh and fasting is the silent prayer of the Spirit Come then hither Thou man of black intentions Or whomsoever thou art that sittest groaning in a melancholy darkness Draw neer the Light Behold thy story in this Arras Thine is onely on the Backside on 't There 's a Person very like thee Thou art very like the Man that was possessed He that was without a name might have had thine In his story thou maiâ—st read thine own Evil the only means for cure and the Best way for Remedy Thou wert such a Father's Son In sin wert thou conceived and corruption gave thee suck His only Son the Darling of Pleasure that hast been dandled in wantonness Thou art a Child still Thou art not grown up to the strength of Reason Thou hast not conn'd the primier of Religion Or else thy Age has double childed thee that thou hast forgot thy Lesson Thou conversest with a large number of wicked Men and comest with a great Multitude of wickedness The multitude are the Wicked For few shall be saved Legion is thy Companion How canst thou then be without a Spirit In the multitude were the Scribes disputing The Scribes subtle Textmen The Doctors and Expounders of the Law They and the Pharises shak't hands Both were joynt-conspirators against both joynt-accusers of Christ. The Scribes accused Him of Blasphemy The Pharisees of eating with Publicanes and sinners The Scribes Accusation for the breach of the Law The Pharisees for the Breach of Traditions The people came to see wonders The Seribes with them to question the Miracles Beware that thou hast not such a Scribe Such a Pharisaean friend Such a Textman too neer thee He is possest with a spirit also a Question with a spirit of Contradiction He cannot helpe thee He has
as is continually shed But mine Eares do tingle to hear so many sad Relations as even since March last concerning Severall Persons of diverse Rank and Quality inhabiting within and about so Eminent a Citty as late-fam'd London that have made away and Murd'red Themselves It is a Greivous Thing to consider Especially if we have a Right Apprehension of God or a Belief that there is a Hell Hence arose The Occasion of This Poeme Wherein The Authour's Christian Compassion moved him rather for Others Good to put Pen to Paper than any Overweening Opinion of himself intimately Acquainted with his own Imperfections or any Vain Glory to seek The Presse to write Something upon so Deplorable a Subject Lest the Frequency of such Actions might in time arrogate a Kind of Legitimation by Custom or plead Authority from some latepublisht Paradoxes That Self-homicide was Lawfull It is not deni'd but that the Temptations of Satan are subtle frequent and without God's Grace almost irresistible But so Great a Sin as This From which Good Lord deliver Vs is a direct Giving Our selves over to The Divell and a Denying the Power of Godlinesse Yea a Resolution in a desperate Madnesse to throw our selves headlong into Perdition Whence These Horrid Actions more than heretofore proceed let us take a Considerate View Whether the Last Times be come upon us so long foretold that Satan is let loose Or That The Cup of Our Wickednesse is allmost brim-full Or that Our Apostasie and Our other heynous Sins as it were a Violent Multitude do rage and make an Uproare in Our Consciences Or that the Sacriledg and Blasphemy what shall I say of the Perjury of the Time shew not â—he Removall of The Candlestick and lay us not open to the Immediate wrath of The Lord I leave it for Second Thoughts and poizing Understandings But This sure must needs be apprehended that such Things comming to pass are A signe of threatned if not apparent Derelection and God Forsaking us when the Heavens in their Wonders and Men upon Themselves do Thus declare God's Judgments And it is to be feared that Our Hypocrisie Malice and Uncharitablenesse as to raise an Audacious Heap to Heaven Our Rebellion against God's Ordinances are none of the meanest hastners of These Thunderbolts being may I say the Whetstones of Divine Vengance It were therefore much to be desired That Every Man did lay his Hand upon his Heart examine himself diligently and make inspection and search into Every Corner of the Same to find out and remove what is Uncleane among Us. Lest if not warned by the Gentlenesse of the Lord 's preparatory Punishments we be swallow'd up in the Abysse of our Abhominations and perish utterly under the Intollerable weight of his Heavy Displeasure and Irresistible consuming Judgments The Author chose rather the Quicknesse of Verse than more prolixe Prose with God's Blessing first implored to disenchaunt the Possessed following Divinely-inspired David's Example to quiet Saul with the Melody of the Harp who was troubled with such a Spirit that left him Not untill his Armour-bearer having refused to obey his dire Commands saw Him First act His Desperate Resolve upon His Own Sword and provoked by His Example made the Like concluding Scene to the Same Tragedy Dereliction rode Before Self-Execution poasted After Saul the First Homicide we read of in Holy Writ Cain onely fear'd to dye His Armourbearer His Second And wise yea crafty Achitophel halter'd his Policy to make a Third Saul possest with a Devill in his Heart Achitophel in his Head How great a Care is to be had to prevent both To the Discontented AS in a Glasse you may behold Your Face your Figure in this Mold And though it may in Some Lines miss As like as Many'a Copie ' t is This onely Diff'rence is between The outward Draught and-This within The Painter limbs with curious Art The Face the Breast but This the Heart The horrid Fancies of the Braine The furious Bloud in every Vein Are here decipher'd by course Hand For lowest Minds to Understand Expect not therefore Lofty Verse Here Launcets prick not Launces peirce It so becomes thy Wounded Minde By what is sharp a Cure to find And yet Here is a Lenitive A Cordia'll Venome forth to drive Refuse not Then so good Advise As points from Hell to Paradise So have I seen A Lighthouse stand In sable Night with burning Hand Directing from Wracke's Shelf Rock shoar The sayling Pilot blind Before By which escaping Danger 's Tort He well arrives at Safetie's Port. So maist Thou too If Thou seek'st Grace And up to Heavenward Eye doest place T' is weak'ned Faith does make thee reel As Storme turns ore th'unballast Keele Saile gently Then unto Thy Self And think each Passion is a Shelfe And every Melancholy Fitt A Rocke's to shipwrack Soul and Witt Compare thy Self with All Beneath Thou liv'st then Others scarcely breath And cast not up thy Sums of Losse Without The Counters of The Crosse. Then What Before perplext thy Heart Will prove A Buckler not A Dart. As Not to the Desperate WHo speaks to Thee that scorn'st Thy Self and All That look'st not for a Place to stand but fall Thy rowling Eyes and gastly Face do tell Within Thee 's That which Some doubt Locall Hell Then why doest poast And ride each stage so fast To seek for that which Thou at Home there hast If Hellish Rage be better than Heaven's Blisse Take Such thy Choyce And live where Torment is Be lost Forever Who does Willful dy Sall find Erelasting Deafnesse to his Crye And does deserue it from High Justice Hand Whose Living Deafnesse would not Understand Embrace thy Horrour!-Yet as Curious looke Not on but in this Thee-concerning Book In which if by God's Grace thou chance to find The Right the Best way to reduce thy Mind Thank Heaven not Him that busi'ed thus his Brain To shew thee There lives Blisse and here dwells Pain There Horrour and Eternity shake hands Darknesse and Fire with whips obserue Commands Of Tophet's Tyrant forcing them t' obey That scorn'd and would not listen in their Day So Sin 's Rebellion's punisht and Sought Evill With Easines doth find a Meeting Devill Yet stop thy Foot!-And try but one Lord's Prayer It may blow Satan up into the Ayre And lead Us not into Temptation Say But Lord deliver Us from Evill pray And He that holdes the Kingdome pulls the Chaine Or frighted Satan boundeth up againe Where let him dwell in Stormes but not in thee Who should'st to th' Holy Ghost a Temple be O could'st thou think what Joyes thou now doest wave Thou wou'dst despise Earth's Paines Such Joyes to have THE TABLE OF THE FIRST BOOK Sect. Pag. 1. ACcost 1 2. Induction 2 3. Lovers 2 4. Great Spirits 2 5. Melancholick 3 6. Iealous 3 7. The frighted Childe 4 8. The Debaucht Prentice 4 9. The unfortunate Merchant 5 10. The bloudy Murtherer 5 11. The curious Zelot 5 12. The
Place which intimates the whole man wherein he hath Residence how well all things are ordered under him And needs they must being under Gods Guidance and Blessing Discovering in the close the safety and Beauty of Obedience 9. And those are five fit Counsellors of War A wise few are enough for a counsail Here every one speaks his own interpretation in this Stanza deciphering what vertues are necessary to so excellent Resolution Beginning the relation of the Commanders and Officers in the Camp which is the Heart 10. The Traveller or Guide proceeds in the relation of the former Stanza mentioning the several Offices and at last speaks the purpose of all this which is to make good the Spiritual Warfare to maintaine Religion and not to shrink in a good cause 11. The Huts in streets are plac't to 'th General The Generals Tent is pitcht in the midst of the Campe to be fit to command and regard all Parts The Heart is this Tent Resolution the General several Graces are his Officers several operations are the Huts and Affections are the Souldiers The Colours are the Cross the Drum and Trumpet is the Preaching of the Word that directs to Armes and encourages to the fight The Campe is the whole man Ten Curtains are obedience to the Ten Commandments which is accepted as performed by a working Faith through Christ. Scarpe is resistance of Evil Parapets cheerfulness in working Graffe Mortification of our Members Counterscarpe Despising of Dangers All which forbid Invasion and make the strength of Resolution impregnable against Temptation 12. Five Ports there are The Five Senses are the Five Ports And Sent'res to each Gate Several sorts of Warines according their several places Steadfastness of Look watcheth the Eyes Aversion from Evil Discourse guardeth the Ears Abstinence attend the Tast and Lipps Innocence prevents the sent of Pleasures and Integrity keeps the hands from touching Foul things These suffer none to pass without The Word The Draw-bridge is the Tongue which is drawn by silence and let down by Reason The Ordnance planted by its Severity Without round doth a Line circumvallate This alludes to an outward strength made by Engineers according to Generals Commands about their Camps especially used when they set down before Towns at their intended Leaguers and are to prevent the invading or relieving Enemy from doing them sudden injury as also from too much streightning their Camp and this is done by an out-line at Proper distance and according unto proper form and place in proportion to their Camp and number of Force Which Line is termed the Line of Circumvallation as about a Town the Garrison and Force in it draw a Line of Communication to secure themselves against a Leaguer upon an Enemy sitting down before them and encamping upon them This Line has Tenails at fit distance to strengthen the Line also Redoubts both which have Curtains to scowre their Faces Tenails are Triangular Fortifications Redoubts are square Forts for Courts of Guard This Line is that of Circumspection Tenails are prevention of occasions of Evil and the Redoubts are Consultation not to admit any thing rash on the opposition of evil Thus you see how much work is required to a Christian Resolution MORAL VIII REsolution is from Fortitude Fortitude from God The Lord be praised for ever and ever For Wisedom and strength are his Dan. 2. 20. Whosoever is endued with true Virtue is valiant And whosoever is valiant so neither rashly dareth nor inconsideratly feareth He is the right valiant Man that can be temperate will be moderate and dares be just Excellently singeth Divine Boëtius de consol lib. 3. metr 5. Express Qui se volet esse potentem Animos domet ille feroces Nec victa libidine colla Foedis submittat habenis Etenim licet Indica longè Tellus tua jura tremiscat Et serviat ultima Thule Tamen atras pellere curas Miserasque fugare querelas Non posse potentia non est Who great wu'd swell his name Fierce Passions let him tame Not yield his conquerd Crest To Lust by base Reins prest For though far Indies ground Shu'd quake when that doth sound At Distance Thule obeys Yet if thou canst not raise Cares storming siege nor cast Griefs far No power thou hast The Ten Half-Moons to the Ten Bulwarks of Resolution are these 1. Malum est cedere malis iis libertatem suam dedere It is a mischief to give place to evils and to subject our liberties to such Tyrants 2. Magnum est Malum ferre non posse Malum infoelix est qui ferre nequit infelicitatem It is a greater mischief not to be able to undergo Evil and he is very unhappy that cannot endure misfortune 3. Aequus animus bona conscientia est optimum aerumnae condimentum A patient mind and a quiet conscience are the best seasoners of Troubles 4. Res adversae nulli sunt malae nisirepugnanti aspera placidè ferendo leniuntur Adversity is not evil to any but him that resists it Harsh things are smoothed up by a gentle bearing 5. Calamitas est efficere virtutis gymnasium Calamity is a strong exercise of Virtue 6. Rosa inter spinas inter difficultates virtus inter curas gloria The Rose amidst the Prickles among difficulties Virtue and in a crowd of cares hovereth Glory 7. Miseros metiora sequentur Better things attend those that are in misery 8. Fortiter ille facit qui miser esse potest He doth command not undergo That calmly steers in storms of wo. 9. Si in unum evicti cuncta sua mala contulissent futurum ut propria deportare domum quam aliena eligere mallent If every man were agreed to bring to one heap all their burthens he would rather load himself again home then carry anothers 10. Homo timidus ipse sibi maledicit A faint Heart gives the denial to his own hope PROSPECT VIII THe maimed Trunks of Civil Wars Do dye with wounds and live with Their reckless Fury does undo scars Next man For blindness knows not who The Brother tilts his Brother through The Sacred Beds forget their Vow The impious Son with dagger stands Against his Father and s Commands The Mother shreeks to see her child By cruel hands of Life despoild The Temples steely Fists prophane And hither thither troopeth Bane Yea Sacriledge that sin of sins Does grasp yet loses what it wins Amazement is in every eye Not knowing how to live or dye Such storms stern Passions often raise When Reasons down what then obeys Religion gone All Death involve In Quest of both 't is best Resolve CONSOLATORY ESSAY VIII VIrtue is the refining of Nature to an Eminence a leading her up to the Top to perfection and not onely an Extraction of her to a Quintessence but a Direction likewise and impulsion of the mind to the obtaining of what is most excellent She was if not the Philosophers Goddess as it were their Good Angel their Bonus
by Alexander for the more speed upon Dromedaries by the unfrequented passages of media per occulta et squalida tesqua to dispatch Parmenio Zenobia fled upon a Dromedary after her defeat by Aurelian as Vopiscus tells the story Cogitationes sunt motus voluntatis et cordis humani Thoughts are the motions of the will and the spirituous stirrings of the Heart 4. Behind her stands a wight c. In this Stanza is Sanctification described that purifies the Heart and rectifies the Thoughts The Heart is allwaies moving like the driving of a Chariot Sanctificationis partes sunt aversio à malo conversio ad bonum Sanctification taken absolutely in it's parts is a turning from evill and a turning to good Therefore here a fit directer of the Thoughts The Causes of Sanctification are first the Efficient which is the principall and that is the Grace of God which instrumentally is conveyed unto us by the means of Faith obtained by the hearing of Gods revealed Will and understanding the same from the Preaching and reading of this written word The matter is the hatred of sin and the study and love of righteousnesse The Forme is the renewing of our minds our wills and Affections The End is the Glory of God the confirmation of Election conversion of others and the rejoycing of Saints Angels and Men. The Effects of Sanctification are good works The proper purpose therefore is Sanctification the best directer of the Thoughts For from evill Thoughts proceed bad words and worse Actions Powring of Oyle is a hallowing of the Mind Her Rod is a hatred of Sin which kills those naturall Corruptions which have been bred in us and buz in our Fancies 5. Thus ore the Downs She drives c. Cogitation it comes to settled and sanctified comes to meditation which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek And when it is elevated with sublimity in Thought it mounteth up to Contemplation Here is expressed also the secretness of the Thoughts of the Heart Deus sol us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very Angels know not the secrets of the heart ipse intuetur in corda hominum et illa scrutatur God onely is the knower of the Thoughts God the onely searcher into the Heart of Man 6. On Promontorie there doth dwell Wise Phrontis c. Here Meditation dwels upon a Place that is Mountainous and high and reaching from the Land into the Sea she views God's works upon Sea and Land Meditation in this place is taken for a continued working of the thoughts in a pious consideration circa opera creationis redemptionis et sanctificationis of His works in the Creation of the world and all therein in his Redemption of fallen mankind and in the sanctification of His Elect of those that he hath called to the hope of Glory This Promontory is Man His Flesh is the Earth and His Bloud is the Sea which ebbeth and floweth about his Flesh made and created by God the Holy of Holies in Heaven who endowed the Soul with most excellent Gifts giving it at first Free will and the like Graces before the Fall Os homini sublime dedit coelumque tueri videre some render it sayes Ovid a Heathen God made Man's countenance erect and to take the sense of videre more properly to this purpose that he might the better meditate upon the wonderfull works of His maker Tueri agrees better with Contemplation both aim at the same End the Glory of God Meditation is devout retired and solitary like an Hermit It is private yet frequent intercourse with Prayer 7. From out her study she doth eye c. This Stanza is an explanation of the former Stanza and an explication of the operation and requisites to the performance thereof Meletetick art is the Method of Meditating and the discovery of circumstantials conducent to the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the study before and contrivance of all kind of business Ars meditandi est omnium studiorum et negotiorum anima The art of meditation is as the Soul to all studies and Imployments Sicut flamma motu excitatur et lumen solis reflexione roboratur Sic studia nostra frequenti mentis agitatione illuminantur excoluntur vit â donantur As a Flame is quickened by motion and the light of the Sun is the more brightened by reflection the beams of greater Force by their rebounding Our studies likewise by an accustom'd agitation and frequent exercise of otherwise our too sedentary minds are no lesse enlightened but improv'd yea receive their animation 8. Her Object she doth keep in sight c. Here Meditation showes her Judgment as well as her Nature She has a naturall Logick in her as well as a sweet Inclination and is a discreet orderer of all the affairs of the Soul of matters of the greatest Concernment very provident to lay up in the Trust of memory what upon occasion she receives from the hands of memory by Recordation that is Remembrance She cannot doe amiss having quickness of reason judgment in inquisition and true Devotion to assist her 9. Her Liberary is large and fair c. In Her Library all the Creatures in the World are for her Bookes quaelibet herba Deum every Creature has the Frontispeice of the Creator Her Liberary is disposed into three ranks as before mentioned into thoughts of the Creation Redemption and Sanctification All studies must have a method Otherwise multitudo librorum destruit animum a multitude of Bookes would rather astonish than instruct the minde In the rest of this Stanza are the Conveniences expressed for Meditation 10. She 's beck'ned oft abroad by Love c. Meditation has divine affection that invites to a mentall religious pleasure in a solitary walke by reposedness and the better self-enjoyment in the shade out of the eye or thought of the world and thereby enjoying in her mind the society and comfort of holy things which as a Loadstone attracts the Soul Upon which the Travailer takes occasion to provoke the Pilgrim to the Holy Hill of contemplation 11. It is call'd the Holy Hill of Contemplation in resemblance of Sion recorded in Holy Scripture which is stiled the Holy Hill of Sion Heaven is the proper object of Contemplation Divine things are onely fitt for highest Thoughts whose lawfull Ambition may be industrious but not curious A Hill is a lofty Place upon the Earth and Contemplation is the acumen and elevation of the mind A loft now raise Thy Self c. This Stanza is the excitation of the Christian Soul to an elevation by Contemplation 12. Behold the Place c. Here is in this Sanza first a poeticall Description of the manner of contemplation Then begins her Speculation which because it is more dogmaticall than poeticall spareth the Authour much pains at the present for it's Exposition And being in much of it not the Authour 's owne but from the industry of a very Learned Man and worthy Doctor in Divinity