quietnesse in them That heart cannot want that possesseth God Hee will be a Light to direct it that it stray not A Comfort to refresh it that it faile not For all earthly helpes they must either leave us or wee them Wherein it falleth oft-times forth that wee are most afflicted even in those wherein wee expected most comfort It is one thing to live on Earth another thing to love Earth To bee in the world and of the world are different conditions Tabernacles are not to be accompted Habitations While wee are sojourning wee must bee journeying towards Canaan Nor may wee rest till wee get home O my tender Ones for never were Children more deare to a Mother make every day of your life a promising passage to your native Countrey As every day brings you nearer to your grave may every day increase in you the riches of his grace Let the joyes of heaven and torments of hell be familiar with you by meditating of the felicity of the one and infelicity of the other these to deâ—erre those to allure Bee not too much taken with Fashion it is the disease of this age Comelinesse is the most taking Dresse to a discreet eye whatsoever is else borders on sinne and becomes reputations staine I am not now very old when I leave you yet did never that spreading vanity of the Time much surprize me For my part I did ever rather affect not to be knowne at all than to bee knowne for singular It is a poore accomplishment that takes her essence from what we weare The rinde makes not the Tree precious but the fruit My desire is that you would bee circumspect in your discourse Though no Society can subsist without Speech yet were it very necessary to bee cautious of the Society to whom wee direct our Speech Few or none have ever beene hurt by Silence but many too many by too prodigall Speech have engag'd their freedome to the power of their foes Let your whole life be a Line of direction to your selves and of instruction to others Bee more ready to heare than to â—each and above all things let your Fame be a living Doctrine to your Family Bee diligent in the Vocation you are call'd unto And bee ever doing some good worke that the Devill may never find you unemployed For our Security is his Opportunity to prevent then his Sleights give no way to Sloth When you come into any Holy place call Him to minde to whom it is dedicated Hold your selves then as retyred from the world and lift up your hearts to Him who is your Hope and Helpe both heere and in a better world Esteeme of all men well and of your selves the worst Suffer with others when you shall heare them defam'd and preserve their report as well as you may For it is not sufficient to bee tender of our owne and impeach others but to tender others as our owne Stand alwayes in an humble and religious feare Bee not ashamed to confesse what you were not ashamed to commit If at any time through frailey you faile with teares of unfeigned Contrition redeeme your fall Walke with an undefiled Conscience knowing that you are in his presence whose eyes are so pure as they cannot abide iniquity and whose judgement so cleare as it will search out hypocrisy Keepe your Bodies undefiled Temples should bee pure and unpolluted If your desire be to honour your Maker you must make your heart his harbour Every Countrey hath one chiefe City and that situate in the Heart of the Land and becomes the Kings Seat Your Heart shall bee the City of the King of kings so you guard the Gates of your Litle City that no sinfull Intruder enter nor surprize them no corrupt affection winne in upon them Now the better to secure your State let your Eyes your City-Centinals be so directed that they become not distracted by wandring abroad they beget disorder at home All neighbourly Offices I commend unto you they gaine love which is the oile of our life But too much familiarity I doe not admit Charity is expedient to all Familiarity to few Let not the Sunne shine upon you before you have commended your selves to that Sunne of Righteousnesse to direct you in all your wayes and enrich you with all good workes To conclude for I feele my failing Faculties drawing neere their conclusion Let your youth bee so seasoned with all goodnesse that in your riper age you may reteine an habite of that which your youth practised Well-spent Minutes are precious treasures whose reviving memory will refresh your fainting Soules in their sharpest gusts of misery To speake of Marriage to you I will not for your Childhood cannot yet conceive it May your Choice be with discretion and without Changeâ— so shall succeeding comfort second your Choice Preferre your Fame before all Fortunes it is that sweet odour which will perfume you living and embalme you dying I finde my selfe now breathing homeward the eye of my body is fixt on you the eye of my Soule on heaven Think on me as your naturall Mother and of earth as your common Mother Thither am I going where you must follow Value Earth as it is that when you shall passe from Earth you may enjoy what Eâ—rth cannot afford you to which happinesse your dying Mother commends you FINIS The second Yeeres ANNIVERS lachrymisque revisimus umbras Et lachâ—ymasse juvat Et meminisse juvat ☜ Education of her Children Governement of her Family 〈◊〉 to her Love to her Neighbors Hospitality to Strangers He clozeth this second Anniversary as a votive Sacrifice to her memory Rom. 5. Job 1. Cant. 2. Rom. 8. 1 Pet. 3. Rom. 8. Cant. 2. Job 3. Prov. 14. â— Coâ— â— Joâ— 7. Habac. 3. Cant. 4. Eccles. 6. Job 38. Cant. 4. Cant. 2 Cant. â— Cant. 5. 3. Cant. 4. Luk. 21. Job 7. 2. ☜ ☞
of griefe how glad would I To any forc'd Digression rather fly Than to our teare-swolne Subject where reliefe Hath made it selfe a Stranger to our griefe But now I haste to thee my Dearest Deare To shew what precious treasures stored were In thy religious bosome nor shall love Cause me speake more than I can duely prove FIRST for her nursing care Shee held no statâ— Fitter for Mothers than to educate Those they brought forth and make their life a line To teach their children how to spend their time And this shee did for ev'n her Nurserie Appear'd a private Schoole of industrie Where th' Elder taught and taskt the younger sort As th'Mother taught the Elder none fell short In their Endevours but if so they did They were by Her so sweetly chastized And rare is such discretion to be knowne Both Love and awe were foulded in her frowne Yea such a lovely reverence did attend her They 'd rather be corrected than offend her But no delitious fare could she endure Her Children to be us'd to but inure Their youth to timely Moderation now T' enable them when they should riper grow For she was wont to say When God shall call On us Heav'n knows in whose hands they may fall Let 's then so breed them as may best become them And to endure whats'ere may fall upon them With wholesome temperate dyet shee 'd supply The luscious fruits of Mothers vanity Observe this Mothers for'tis unto you I speake who so much delicacy shew To your too tender off-spring and like th' Ape Annoy them most of whom you most doe make Where be these native Arguments of love Which you expresse Or wherein doe you prove Your selves true Mothers none can gather this From pleasing of your Younglings with a kisse Or indiscreetest dandling on your knee Or cockring them with your indulgencie That you are naturall Mothers unlesse wee By naturall meane foolish so 't may bee You may be tender Ones I 'l not deny Who when they put their finger in the eye For such a forraine Fashion or a Feather Rather than grieve them you 'l deny them neitheâ— But cloath them in their folly but are these Expressions of Parentall Offices Oh no while you are thus indulgent to them Through too much love you utterly undoe them For when they are attyred gorgeously Their formall habits crave more liberty Their eyes must have new Objects which impart Secrets of love unto a wanton heart Dinah must roame abroad but ten to one She looseth honour ere she visit home Prevent this modest Matrons let no staine Impeach their youth vessels you know retaine A taste of their first liquor season them With that at first which may accomplish them All this my Deare One did and so must yee That hope to live in your posteritie NEXT Fame reares to her Name a monument For house-affaires and private Government While her well-guided Family might seeme A Patterne unto others to demeane Their actions by since all desires were bent To close in one harmonious consent No spleenefull Waspe might lodge within her roofe All discontented Spirits stood aloofe With willing care her pleasure all attend Fearing nâ—ught more than that they should offend For she with mildnesse did her Servants win Sweetning th' endevours they were busied in Yea so much had her candid nature wonne They Ev'ning joy'd ith'Day-works they had done How far swerve ye from th' Patterne instanc'd here Who o're your Servants use to domineere As if they were your Slaves which is no way To make your people cheerefully obey â—his but begets Eye-service at the best â—nd makes an Holy-Day when you 'r at rest Others there be who have occasion â—ought â—o beate their Servants though it were for nought Like Vedio who for breaking of a glasse Would drowne his Page let such Examples passe Unworthy your Observance better farre And to discretion farre more regular To imitate Architas who in 's field Finding his Servant loyt'ring would not yeeld Forthwith to Passion but intreats him thus Which may be presidentall unto us Sure I would beat thee were I not in anger But that secures thee for this time from danger But other vertues now I hasten to Which did my late endeared Spouse endow NEXT to the Love she to her Neighbours barâ—â— Than which no Creature ever had more share Were they infirme she would not nicely stand But to their griefes apply her helping hand And dresse their wounds her selfe for she was rare Both for her happy cure and holy care Herbals Shee 'd read but timorous to erre With men of choice Experience Shee 'd conferre Which so enabled her as she was still By doing good improving of her skill Not like blind Herbists whereof there be store Who have but one bare cure for every sore These if they kill they kill and if they cure Th' effect is farre above their reason sure Now to the last not least for it is this Which gives us speedy Convoy unto blisse And that was Strangers Hospitality Where her Provision ever would supply Their necessary wants nor all her timâ— Wherein her thoughts did ever close with mine Would she avert her eare from any one Who sorâ—eliefe did to her Portell come Her Cruse was ever open to the poore Calling them Schollers of our Saviour If they were old or feebly impotent An Almes with more bounty might be sent No Stranger ere did to her gate repaire Confin'd to anguish or surpriz'd with care Shee would not comfort and with dropping eye Afford compassion to their miserie None hungry but Shee 'd feed no thirsty wretch But Shee 'd refresh Nor naked but shee 'd fetch Garments to cover them How farre be yee From these expressive Acts of Charitie Who fed with Amber broaths delitious fare Have of your starved Sisters little care Their rags are your contempt their shreâ—kes cryeâ— Are boulted from your Eares fann'd from your eyes But how should you take pitty of these Elves Who have no greater pitty on your selves How should you couer them whom Colds molest Who will not cover your loose-bared Brest In sharpest ayres but rather starve your skin Than shroud th' coccasion of alluring sin O doe not so let gracious thoughts appeare To mould you to that Patterne you have heere But I must leave but never leave to love My glorious Saint which now is sphear'd above Who if shee daigne t' accept this Sacrifice Dipt in a throbbing heart and streaming eyes I 've got my Gole and shee a treble rest In Heav'n in Earth and in my naked brest When Just ones die then they to live begin They live to Siâ—n when they die to Sin FINIS THE DISTINT TITLES OF THESE CONTEMPLATIONS 1. The Soules Sole-Love 2. The Wounded Heart 3. The New Dresse WITH LOVES LEGACIE OR PANARETES Blessing to her Children Contemplations of PANARETE penned in the languishing time of her Sicknesse The Soules Sole-Love CONTEMPLATION I. THou
hast my deare Soule engaged thy faith Thou hast betaken thy selfe to thine heavenly Spouse A devided Heart cannot live how shouldst thou live without thy Sole-love Adulterine Colours cannot hold nor adulterate affections reteine their colour â—ezabels feature was more beholden to Art than Nature Such is the complexion of that love which makes lust her lure vaine is such a tincture that makes a serviâ—e desire her applyer Maiden honour consists not in formality There is ever something more reall in it Flourishes are but printed blossomes they may worke upon the outward sense they cannot captivate the Reason The inward beauty is of more extent than any outward varnish Thou hast reason O my Soule to preserve that which solely makes thee gracefull to thy Spouse Conceipt nothing seemely but what may beseeme him that made thee Thou art not made for a slavish fancy thou hast one sole-love to cleave to another were a frency Affection is no Tennis-Ball for strucke into anothers hazard it is lost One Sunne cannot shine in two spheares nor one spheare conteine two Sunnes The Sunne of Righteousnesse is the Spheare of my Soule she is a Planet when shee shines elsewhere Graces are divine beamelins the inward house is darke without them and these shine most when least interposed with any earthly clouds What is it O my Soule to sparkle like a Glo-worme by night or like rotten wood to send forth a deceiving splendor What is it with a glosse of dissembled purity to take the eies or eares of erring judgements Thou hast within thee to witnesse for thee or condemne thee Then even then my soule when the great Booke shal be opened the secret Cabbinet of thy retiredst thoughts unlocked and no subterfuge for guilt admitted thou shalt finde that good workes must passe for ill being not done well The intention then must crowne the action Almes with a trumpet Fasting with a dejected countenance Praying and Tithing with a Pharisaicall affiance must have no acceptance Bee thy discipline never so severe if it be not sincere it receives no reward Honour must not be thine harbour if devout intentions Crowne not thy labor Reflect on thy sweet Spouse and meditate of his Pilgrimage on earth Hee offered his childhood to a Cratch his youth to Care his Manhood to the Crosse. Hee entred the world naked He lived in it despised went from it with sorrowes burdned There was nothing so grievous which was not with patience suffred by him to make thee gracious in His sight who sent him Shall a little Cloud then change thy count'nance Shall a minutes distaste amate thee or make tâ—ee forgetfull of his sufferings who subjected himselfe to death for thee Who ever enjoyed a sweeter Spouse Hee confirm'd his love with the losse of his life and shall every small crosse in this life devide thee from his love Behold and see saith thy dis-passionate Spouse if there were ever Sorrow like to my Sorrow No my Sole-Love needs must thy Sorrow be great when with the offering up of thine owne precious life thou could'st hardly gaine any love The Rocks were dissolved the Temple divided the Graves opened the Heavens darkned all the Elements suffered yet Man for whom thou became Man and dyed became most hardned Lost wert thou O my Soule and eternally lost and to re-gaine thee He lost his owne life Such were those Adamantine tyes of his immutable love Many sheepe he had and those he left to seek thee lost so plenteously did those roseat Torrents of his sacred compassion flow to wash away those crimson-dyed sinnes which had left that dying tincture in thy wounded Soule How often hath he sought to gather thee and thou wouldst not to espouse thee to himselfe and thou assented not to bring thee to his Marriage-feast thou attended not Meane time when thou sawest a Thiefe thou runne with him and with the Inordinate devided thy portion both which with the cords of iniquity drew thee headlong to perdition Conceivest thou yet no compassion of thine unhappy condition shall not one poore teare witnesse thy contrition Wilt thou become of thy wounds so altogether unsensible as by thy want of sense to make them uncurable Runne to the Rocke and quencâ— thy thirst with those living streameâ— which flow from it Apply thy moutâ— to the hole of the pipe that thou maisâ— be refreshed Begge of Him water who shed for thee water and bloud Dry eyes will not bring thee to heaven Sinne is of such a deepe staine as true penitentiall teares are of onely forcâ— to take away that dye Thou seest thâ— Turtle how she mourneth for the lossâ— of her Mate The desert becomes heâ— Recluse consorrshe will not with any fearing to forget the occasion of heâ— misery Brouze she will not nor resâ— nor roust on any greene Branch Grieves are her inseparable Companions other Consorts she admits not because they suite not with her condition Contemplate these O my soule and reflect upon thy selfe Let thine eies be estrang'd from sleepe Let sighs and groanes be thy food Water thy Couch with incessant rivers of teares Great sinnes require great sighs perillous soares precious salves Consider poore Soule where thou art placed with what innumerable dangers inclosed againe how those which were given thee for defence are most ready to betray thee to thine enemy Againe reflect upon the benignity of thy good God who if he had beene as ready to punish thee for thy â—inne as thou hast been to commit sinne had long since drenched thee downe into that bottomlesse pit of eternall bitternesse Death had beene thy due and Hell thy Portion And canst thou now look upon thy selfe without loathing or consider thy wofull estate without trembling Was ever any one more bound to his Maker and lesse thankfull More watered with the sweet influence of his grace and lesse fruitfull In no place couldst thou promise to thy selfe pâ—ace within feares without fights Yet have the wings of the Almighty been so graciously spred over thee as neither feare could oppresse thee at home nor fury surprize thee abroad And this was His worke who hath so constantly lov'd thee as Hee would never leave thee For whensoever thou wandred he recalled thee when ignorant he taught thee when thougsinned hee corrected thee when sad hee comforted thee when desperate he supported thee when falne he raised thee when standing hee held thee when walking he guided thee when returning hee received thee when sleeping hee kept thee when crying hee heard thee What wilt thou render then O my Soule to Him who hath done such wonderfull things for thee Wilt thou stay in the Market-place idling Wilt thou addresse thy selfe to no employment in thy calling Is it enough for thee to reteine the style of a Christian presuming upon that style to corrupt the state of a Christian Wilt thou make thy whole life an Holy-day and by thy prophane conversation cloze it up with a fearefull day Wilt thou not yet