Hand and Who does make His Intercession also for our Sake Who then shall seperate Us from Christs Dear Love Shall Tribulation shall Distresses move Shall Persecution Famine Nakednesse Shall Peril Shall the Sword do more then These Through Him that loved Us so much Before In All these Things W' are Conquerours and more For I 'm perswaded Neither Death it is Nor Life Nor Angels Principalities Nor Powers Nor Present Things Nor Things to come Nor Height Nor Depth Nor Creature that takes room Shall be'able Us to sep rate from the Love Of God in Iesus Christ our Lord Above O Blest the Time that Christ for all once di'd Is He Our Life Abhorre Self-Homicide LAUS DEO Wife Traveller through Wildernesse does lead The Christian Pilgrim teaching where to tread From Feind in Worlds Way Foes he warnes his Freind Through Deepe vp Steepe shewes Heavn's his Journeys end F. Barlow fecit The Second Book A GUIDE TO THE Land of the Living FOR THE DISCONTENTED That are in the Dangerous Path TO SELF-MVRDER A Comfort to All in Distresse By Way of Divine Poem Perspective Moral Prospect Consolatory Essay Sen. Lib. 4. Controversiar in Proaemio Multiplicatur ex industria quo condiscimus ut levetur quo discernimus The Manuduction A Hand may be welcome to One that needs it either in the declivity or steep descent from a Rock or amidst the Labyrinth and wandring on to Losse in a Wildernesse To this purpose Distressed Friend the Authour proffers His as a help Enough peradventure to Keep thee from Falling Or Preserve thee in the Way It may serve thee for a Prop if not for a Guide And seeing that the Best Dayes are Evill to Good Men and Bad Men make All their Dayes Evill Time gives Life a sad Progression And the Vitiosity of Manners makes Time seeme to receive Corruption Least thou should'st grow weary of Either Thou art here desired to ponder them Both Lest abused Life should prove thy Rock or not well considered Time might become thy Willdernesse Supposing therefore that thy Desperate Intentions are diverted thy Fury allayed and that a more sober Temper hath reduced thee to Better Inclinations by his former Verse he conceives it not amisse as a careful Physitian to prescribe thee a Diet after his operative Drugs or not Unlike the wary Pilot to set up some mark to avoid a second danger Thou hast been out of thy Way and in hazard of Great Losse even Losse forever Take that Crosse for thy direction yea let That Crosse that did afflict thee lead thee home to thy Happinesse Not by seeking to run from It But by Submitting to it Though the way be rugged It is direct And being straight Turne not Temptation is on either Hand Presumption may as dangerously overthrow thee as Desperation was like to ensnare to undoe thee There allures a Spotted Panther And Here lurkes a Seising Tyger Both Devourers Though in divers wayes To avoid the Perill of such Passages the sutblety and Fury of such Beasts it is Best to take Direction and One along with thee With such Intention in Charity unto thee The Authour hath under God's Blessing fitted himself with Provisions Instructions for such a journey Not to be Imploy'd is ery hurtfull for thee Dost here him call Away CANTO I. The Den of Idlenesse 1. AWake Dark Soul Arise And let us go To finde out what is fit to Know Who sitteth stiil still sets Corruptions Weeds to grow 2. In Den of Idlenesse so dark so fowl In which bred Monsters hisse and howl The sidelong Hag see half asleep doth stretch and scowl 3. Behold her nodding Head and Pointing Hand To Numerous Vices round that stand Taking their Q from Her to act her meant Command 4. Behold where many an open silent Grave That gape like pits about that Cave To swallow living Men where seeming Death they have 5. Behold where several Gins are scatt'rd wide To catch the Carelesse on each Side See'st not how Cov'ring Leaves their cunning Dangers hide 6. Near that Dens wanton Mouth does rise a Spring To whose soft Musick Birds do sing Inchaunting Passengers with Notes and Murmuring 7. But that to Satans Prison is a Port. Tentations Usher to the Fort. Mark How that Way some dance and sing to Hell in Sport 8. Hark! Drumming Drones do loaden home arrive From robbing Bees of Honey in Hive With others Labours see how Drones do live and thrive 9. Come off from those strange winding Wayes Make haste For he 's intrapt that stayes Beware of stumbling There are many strew'd Delayes 10. Didd'st eye the Spring near Den that runs so clear Within this Lake not moving Here A standing Scum of stinking Drain doth foul appear 11. Where poys'nous Serpents ugly Toads do breed From Filth on which again they feed As if with Nature's Sins Corruptions were agreed 12. 'T is well th' art past This Circes charming Power With Comfort thou hast spent This Hower Keep on Th' ast scap't Tentations beckning to devour PERSPECTIVE I. 1. ADen is the Place of Theeves There Idlenesse is lodg'd as the greatest waster of time and theif of Things 2. It is dark by Ignorance It is foul by Sloth Vices and Sins like Monsters Exuberances of the minde do Breed therein that hisse with Impudence and howl by too Late Repentance The hag the Witch layes along to shew her Security and Carelesnesse half asleep her Improvidence by stretching Indisposition to Imployment and by scowling Scorn at Reproof 3. By Nodding Shee discovers the Vanity of her Desires By Pointing her Unaptnesse and imperfection to Command 4. She buries Men Alive Either running them into Undreamt of Dangers or covering them with neglected Obscurity that they at best passe their silent Dayes Without leaving any impression by their Footsteps left to worthy Notice or Memory 5. Her Gins are temptations that catch the Imprudent With False Glosses Vaine Pretences as with covering Leaves Idleness hides her contrived Deceits 6. Vain Discourses and wanton Designes are the spring at the Mouth of her Den which dance to the Notes of the Birds of Pleasure 7. But this way leads to the Fort of Irrevocable losse And to the Prison of Unavoydable Destruction In which Men intoxicated with Folly sport on to Ruine 8. The Drones embleamatize and hold the Glasse unto The slothfull they rob the Hives and prey upon the Hony of the Bees the Honest mans Goods and Labour 9. It is no safe going on in Her enthralling Fascinations Or standing still Unbusi'd For Delayes not only breed but Bring forth Dangers 10. Her stream of pleasures and gliding waters of Vaine Conceptions stand settle and corrupt in A lake of filth the Sinke of Vice and Sin describing by the noisomness of the Waters their Rottenness by the poyson of Serpents their Infection and by the Ugliness of Toads their Deformity MORAL I. TAke the Moral from S. Hierom from Plutarch from Seneca Otium parit Fastidium Exercitium Famem Fames autem
before they are aware 9. The Doleful Dale Denotes the Depth of Mourning Land Flouds Are violent extream inordinate Sorrows which tosse and tumble us with Anxietie and hurries Reason impetuously away with fruitlesse Complainings Shallowes Are moderate Griefs Deep Excesse of Passion which too often casts away Life throwing it into the Dead Sea of Destruction 10 Detractions Hounds So called as well for their spending so much at the Mouth Hunting as pursuing the Chace and seizing behinde the innocent Game Envie Endures not anothers Welfare and dwells next Ambition Still watching those that are before her and malicing those that are Above her 11. Thou must passe by the Uncertainties and Vanities of the World lest thou be vexed as Sysiphus with continual and fruitlesse Labour about what is not worth thy pains Of no better Value are the Trinkets of the Worlds Pleasures and the Magazine of Earthly Riches 12 When thou turn'st thy Back upon the World by despising it the Sun-shine of Gods Grace and his Blessing breaks out upon thee thou art enlightned and comest to Knowledge of thy Self And as a green Plain is free and pleasant to the Discovery of the Sight Thou hast instead of former Vexation and the Darknesse of thine Ignorance thy Minde thy Conscience quieted and thine Understanding of Knowledge and present Comforts opened by the Apprehension of the Benefits of such Afflictions which are but for a time and the Happinesse hereafter which is to last for ever MORAL III. HE that passeth through the Wildernesse of this World must walk with Circumspection and Prudence that he neither loseth his Way nor his Time and must rather make Observation of all Accidents then be in Passion at any He must Arm himself with prevention of Occasions of Evil And having the Consideration of the world 's proper Nature must shield himself with the expectation of Suffering for nothing more surprises than our mistake of things for what they are not and our trust and confidence in those things that cannot relieve us or will not help us Or our stupidity with which we voluntarily lay down even in the open mouth of common Perils Nor must he let himself loose to his passions which rather torture the mind with their violence than afford any advantage with their clamour or heal any misaduenture with their corrosive Despise the world and thou art a good Day 's Journey onward to Happinesse Observe S. Augustine in this matter In fornace ardet palea purgatur Aurum Illa in cinerem vertitur et illud Sordibus exuritur Fornax mundus Aurum Iusti Ignis tribulatio Artifex Deus Quod vult ergo Artifex facio Ubi ponit me Artifex tolero Iubeor ego tolerare novit ille purgare Ardeat licet palea ad incendendum me et ad consumendum me illa quasi in cinerem vertitur ut ego sordibus caream The Gold is purged while the Straw burns in the fire This turns to Ashes when that is refined from it's foulnesse The furnace is the world the Just are the Gold Tribulation the Fire And God the Great Operator I submit my self therefore by Obedience to whatsoever He pleases to command I set down contented in what condition soever the Almighty Disposer placeth me He commands me to suffer because he knowes best whom to try and how to order What though the Straw doth burn to fire me to consume me Mark the End The Difference That is therefore turned into Ashes that I may appear the more refined S. Gregory speaks herein with Fulnesse and Clearnesse Plerumque postquam in hoc Mundo non possumus obtinere quod volumus postquam in terrenis Desideriis de impossibilitate lassâ—mur tunc mentem ad Deum reducimus tum placère incipit quod displicebat Et quae nobis amata fuerant praecepta repentè dulcescunt in Memoria Peccatrix anima quae adulteria conata esse non potuit discernit fideliter esse Conjux Qui ergò hujus Mundi adversitatibus fracti ad Dei amorem redeunt atque à praesentis vitae Desideriis corriguntur Quid isti Fratres charissimi nisi ut intrent compelluntur For the most part it happens that when we cannot obtain what in this World we so greedily would so earnestly thirst for and so violently hunt after After we are tired with the Vanity of our Wishes and the Impossibility of our earthly too low Desires then turn we home to our selves then bend we our Mindes to the best Repose to the proper Center of our Hearts to God Then comes a holy longing into our Souls and those Things begin to displease us which before we so much desired Yea those Commandments of his that seem'd so bitter to our Pallats and so irksome to our Natures in an instant become amiable to our Dispositions and sweet to our Remembrances Then that wandring Sinner The Soul who might not be brought home as a Harlot findes her self faithfully rendred into the happy Condition of a Spouse Whoso therefore that are broken by the Adversities of this World do return to the Love of God are corrected and as it were whipped by Afflictions from the Desires of this present Life what are they Dearest Brethren but compelled and in a Manner forced into Happinesse Hear the same Father most excellently in another Place Quisquis adversitate tribulatione frangitur à quo fractus est minime contemplatur Nam qui quod non erat facit factum sine gubernatione non deserit Et qui benignè hominem condidit nequaquam injustè cruciari permittit nec sinit neglectè perire quod est qui hoc etiam quod non fuit creavit ut esset Many a Man is bruised with Adversity and broken with Tribulation But few consider aright few look up to Heaven upon the Hand from whence the Stroak comes For He that made what was not deserteth not nor exileth what he hath so made from his Governance and Protection And He that out of the Bounty of his Grace made Man permitteth him not to be unjustly afflicted at all Nor doth suffer through Negligence to perish what Is who created even this World that was Not that it should Be. PROSPECT III. THat Chaos which was faign'd of Old By Men is acted as 't was told An indigested Matter There Does in Mens Mindes alive appear Dark Death is interwov'n with Life With killing Love embracing strife With worldly Joy as dismal Ruth A Lye must lay with Bed-bound Truth For Watrie Lust Terrene Desire And Ayerie Hope sleep with Zeal's Fire Sin with Religion seems to lye I' th' Silence of Adulterie A Chaos All. Till th' only Light Does show the Day divides the Night So Men distinguisht are by Ills These Grace renewes Those Nature fills So Nature in her falling Dresse Showes Eden's Garden Wildernesse From whence the World has tane the Fashion To form a Christians Tribulation CONSOLATORY ESSAY III. TRibulations surprise the Improvident as Armed Men starting out of an
doe it Thy way Thou art His Creature Thou must be guided by Him Heaven is the Place of Joy And Thine in Designe But Thou must not goe Laughing Thither There is a Great Difference betwixt Creatures Though of the same Species In their Outward Forms In their Internall Dispositions which are distinguisht by their Race and Kinds That we call their Nature One Cock crowes and Soundes to the Battel Another reioyceth upon his Dunghil There is no Lesse Difference by their Education which may well be stil'd A second Nature One Dog of the same Litter pursues the Hare The Other runs to the wheel or the Port The One prefers his Chace the Other his Breakfast There are Joyes of Heaven and Joyes of Earth Both are Joyes Of the same Name But not of the same Nature The Mirth of this world is Folly And the Laughter of it Madnesse With Such unwholsome Cates the World glutteth her Darlings In matters belonging to Heaven the Course is Clean contrary For thy better Health thou must be fed with course Fare And be kept to a strict Diet. Wu'dst thou have A Blessing Take up the Crosse Wu'dst thou reioyce Indeed Learn Lachrymae Or Sing the Lamentation of A Sinner Put on Mourning It is lined with Scarlet Thy Joy is Inward It is wiser than to make a Noise What hast thou of thine Owne that Thou should'st expect a Better Crop than Thistles But though thy Heart has a Feaver meddle not with Hellebore Despaire Not My Friend Yea My Brother that art so perplexed Has Sorrow broke over thee like A raging Tide Or is A Shelf between Thee and Thy Desires Thou wud'st have what thou canst Not Peradventure what wu'd hurt thee And this Vexation is intollerable Recollect thy Self Thou art A Christian Thou art Not to receive Thy Portion Here. It is Black money But upon Exchange Thy Silver Thy Gold Thy Bank is in Heaven And where Thy treasure is let Thy mind be also Pine not to death then for the Losse of A Husband A Wife A Brother A Sister A Friend A Mistris A Sweetheart Thy Fame Thy Goods Thy Liberty or the Like What wud'st thou God hath His will His time Be not precipitate Be Not impatient Art Thou betray'd So was Thy Master Art thou contemned Thou deserv'st it Why should Man regard Thee when Thou respect'st not God If at all Not as Thou should'st Thou understandst not the language of God's mercy in Thine Afflictions He corrects Thy Sins past And by Them works in thee a deeper Loathing of Thy Natural Corruption So prevents thee from Falling into many Other Sins whereunto thy Disposition is too prone Does He afflict thee Thou art His Son He seals unto Thee thine Adoption Thou art else A Bastard Remember what became of Eli's Sons The purest Corne is Cleanest fanned The finest Gold is oftest tried The sweetest Grape is hardest pressed And the truest Christian is heaviest Crossed In blurred characters read The Beauty of God's Love Thus hast Thou Tribulation sent to thee as A token It is thy Summons too Thou art cited to Heaven Art thou Afflicted Thy Heart is hereby weaned from Falling too much in Love with the world Thou art hereby reclaymed from thy Dotage upon It's Vanities It is to sharpen thy Desires as well as to sett them right that They may shoot Upward as to heat to inflame thy Longing for Eternall Life What Comparison is there between the Ioyes of this world and Ioyes Everlasting The world is Thy Stepmother Shee misuseth Thee Shee striketh Thee Love her Not. Doth God afflict Thee He musters thee He takes notice of thine Arms His Graces He doth exercise thee that thou maist the Better use them He trieth thy Faith Reioyce in thy Tribulation Doth God send thee Affliction He gives thee His Livery The Crosse is His Badge and thy Cognisance He shewes to the world His Children's Love and Service Sanctified Affliction is the Conduit-pipe to thy true Conversion and Repentance David's troubles Hezekiah's sicknesse The Prodigal's Misery fac't them about and led them weather-beaten home upon their Knees That is the comfortable Posture that Creeping Climbs Heaven In Affliction how is thy Heart softned with Pitty How is it melted with Compassion Thou art Partner with Another in Distresse and Misery Thou art moved to condole His and so lessenest thine Own The Bearing of Afflictions are the means the Examples that like Trumpets proclaim and manifest the Faith and vertues which God hath bestowed upon His Children that strengthen that enliven that give courage to those which have not received so great a measure of Faith By Afflictions He makes thee conformable to the Image of Christ. He being the Captain of our Salvation was made perfect through Sufferings So fight So overcome So receive A Crown Doth God humble the Godly by their Afflictions in respect of their state and misery He glorifieth Himself by His deliverance of them when they call upon Him He afflicteth not Alwaies for Sins Sometimes for His Own Glory What is it then that so much troubles thee that thou art weary of thy Life Mark How God hath blessed thee How He hath protected thee And that should put a Hymn into thy mouth and fetch Bloud in thy Cheeks Thy Fear made thee seem more wretched than thou art Thou didst not know the Honey that is within the Carkasse of the Lyon Bath in the brinish Sea It will heal thy Soares It will cure thine Itch. Though It smarts It is wholsome Through many Tribulations you shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven CANTO V. The Cell of Humility 1. NOw com'st thou to the Low and Happy Cell Of A fair Virgin on Her Knees 'T is where Humilitie does dwell Her up-cast Eye Heaven's Brightnesse sweetly sees Meek Gesture and such Posture with Her Mind agrees 2. Of Herbs the secret Vertue Shee does Ken. Much Skill Shee hath in Chir'geon's Art Full oft Shee heals the Sores of Men And though it doth occasion Pain and Smart Doth Tumours launce asswage with Balm the swelling Part. 3. Shee mindes not much the Doore or Table 's End Who passeth Hers must stoop much down It makes the stiffest Backe to bend On Earth Her Hempen Napkin looking brown Is spred which homely Cates in Earthen Dish do crown 4. Beyond Her Cell there lies A Path well trod To much-sought Truth 's faire Christall Spring Besides This Path some Students plod And leaving It 's Straight Way to Errour fling Who still in Crooked Blindnesse leades them wandring 5. Upon the Ground 's greene Turf the Larks do breed Who Climb with Songs the Lofty Skye Her Land is sown with smallest Seed Which beareth Plants that grow up very High In which Joy'd Birds do sing and make sweet Melody 6. About Her much white-flowr'd Self heal does grow That Inward Outward Wounds does cure And quieteth the Aking Brow And what is Sound it causeth so t' endure A rugged blacke dry Mouth from Swelling that makes pure 7. The
Blow at Heart 10. But Hark! thy Parents call thy Freinds thy Wife They bid thee Spare what 's not thine Own thy Life If Not for love yet Hold thy hand for shame Blot not Posterity nor brand thy Name Prevent not Future Issue For thy Deed As much as in thee lyes makes Mankind bleed Yea Should All into Such a Pitt be hurl'd A Suddain Fun'erall Soone would Sweep the World As Waters Fury Once did All engage Thou would'st bring Death to All by Human Rage The Diff'erence Only What was there one Floud Thou fain Would'st change to many streams of Blood 11. Thy Countrey and the Magistrate Supream Do claim thee as a Branch o' th' Common Stream For there 's a Publicke Right in Every Man That Life He neither may dispose nor can 12. Canst make a Law than Natures more to bind And null Her Statute that at first was sign'd Then didst thou make thy self If not Submit Who 's not Above that Law is Under it A Law is made to punish an Offence And not Authority for Violence A Law 's the Rule of Justice Bond whereby To knit No Force to break Societie The end of Laws is This That Men increase By Justice 'mong Themselves so that milde Peace May blesse their Fellowship Which should be so As if th'were holy and no change might know The right Lawmakers Sacred Priests appear Of Justice Each to Her 's A Minister How comes it Then that Thou do'st so assume To break what 's holy Or how dar'st presume SECT XXIV Arguments from Religion BUt Wher 's Religion all this while Yea Where Had God been in thy Thoughts th'hadst not been there There in grim darknesse out of Sight of Heaven Self durst not Self attempt Life t' have bereaven Religion is the Bank the Quickrow Bound That pens the Waters and divides the Ground By this the Vineyard's fenc't from Fox and bore That Watch to Spoil It's Beautie and It 's store Nor has the Roaring Lion there the Power To Rend with Pawes or with his Jawes devoure And though his Fury compasses about Earth Sea and Ayr yet is he there shut out Gods Church is Noah's Ark Which maugre Rage Does act yet Safely on the bill'owie Stage SECT XXV The Cause of Desperate Actions NO marvail then when Her strong Pale is down Like Ship-sprung Planks the waves break in and drown How cu'd Such Fury else such dire Events Lay hold on Christians in their Discontents This is that Black Eclipse that baneful Cause That not alone portends such Ills but drawes When holy Worship does become a crime And Weeds spring up and overgrow the Time When every Humonr Vents it's purulence And Scripture's made a Nose of wax of Sence When Poyson fills the Market sells for Food How can the People's Nourishment be good When humane Fancies for their Judgements go And down Opinion does Religion throw When All 's our own and Nothing 's due to God As if w 'had banisht Him from Our Abode When Malice out of Hearts has sulphur'd love And the fell Serpent has devour'd the Dove When there 's Delight in Evil and Men run As in Contempt with Back upon the Sun When Noughts left Christian but the only Name As if in Ashes Men wu'd seek a Flame When Christs High Ordinances Men reject And make's Commandements of none Effect When Men deny the Power of Godlinesse And dare most horrid Blasphemies expresse When Christians question Scripture War 'gainst God As if they did defie his dreadful Rod. When in such Wickednesse Men dare to boast Resist and dare deny the Holy Ghost When I must not write ought more Lest then My trembling Hand shu'd drop my sinking Pen Strook looking Backward see rais'd Babels Brick Or Forward see remov'd the Candlestick SECT XXVI Lamentation for the Church THen mourn Thou Virgin desolate in brine Bewail the Miseries that now are Thine Behold the Children dash themselves 'gainst Stones And madly strive who first shall break their Bones Sit down in mourning in thy Sackcloth Shell And let thy Groans be as each Back-rung Bell Fire Fires's within their Hearts Of Envie Hate As Wickednesse were Fuel unto Fate And each seems act so much the Wretched Elf First to destroy Another then Himself SECT XXVII Expostulation with the Atheist WHat Enyo guides What curst Erinnis drives Men to throw headlong into Hell their Lives Is there no God Say Atheist Is there none Thy Conscience needs must tell thee There is One. The Heavens declare his Glorie Earth his Power His Wisdom All His Providence each Flower No Hearb that peeps in Woods or showes in Fields But Argument sufficient 'gainst Thee yields Who made the Universe Some Power Above From Whom comes Life By whom all Things do move And if A God Is not that Trine-One He Whom the Athenians thought unknown to be That God whom they false worshipt thou must know Thy Baptism bound thee t'own Him and Self owe. Be else Apostate Stand Stand out the Tryal And Thou at last shalt finde Him by Denyal Delude thy Self And mock at horrid Hell As 't were A Tale that Pollicie did tell There 's such a Place For of it Thou dost smell Thy Brimstone-Oaths and thy diseased Fire Thy lustful Flames in curses that expire Shew there s A Hell And likely not far off For Part of it was in thy gracelesse Scoff SECT XXVIII With the Universarian BUt worse than Atheist If there worse can be For Thou Religion makest Blasphemie Thou Universal-Grace-Man that doest place The rankest Poyson in Best Balsame Grace To purge the Sins of all the World Christ di'd A Truth And yet it ought to be deni'd As thou do'st rend the Text and wu'dst infer As if that Satan were Interpreter Mark with what Subtilty the Devil tryes With such large Spectacles t' abuse thine Eyes Mark Consequences If for All He di'd He then for All most fully satisfi'd And if he satisfi'd for All forepast to come No Debt is due And if No Debt No Doom What may'st Thou then not do in Sin abound Thou canst not fail For Scripture is thy Ground Why should'st denie a Lust Or hold thy Hand From Murder when it with thy Ends do's stand Say Naboths Death was Just Condemn his Wit For Ahab offer'd Fair. The Ground laid Fit Hold Iezabel for Wise Make good Her Fast But Mark his Curse And read her End at last Christ di'd for All. For All the World Christ di'd For whom soe're Believes he satisfi'd For whom soe're Believes in Him His Will do's do All Those the Priviledge belongeth to He would have All be sav'd But ye would not He said and wept O There O There 's the Blot What! What shall we Then say Shall Sin take Place Shall We continue still in Sin that Grace May more abound Say as S. Paul then did God forbid O tell How shall We that are Dead to Sin Abusing Grace Shall we yet live Therein Know Ye not that All All so priz'd as We Which
Humility Step by step c. Humility proceedeth from One Degree of Vertue to another from Grace to Grace She gently knocks c. Shewes her mild Desires gentle Invitation and modest Inquisition Friendship fast doth close Intimates Constancy in her Love and Perseverance in her Affection which causeth her to be very much frequented by them againe She riseth Early and layes down her Head as Late She is ever Watchful and never Weary 11. Hence must thou go c. Pointing out to the Pilgrim in This World not onely the Necessity of Patience the Preparation to put on the Resolution of enduring Injuries but gives an Admonition withal to take A Pass along with him The Cross of Christ The Example of Him who is The way sign'd by Faith Otherwise there is no passing his way no travailing his Christian course with Resolution He will faint by the way come short in his Journey and as a Prisoner be disabled from further Progress 12. First Kisse Humility c. Is a Taking Leave to proceed on to a Further Journey with Premonition to prepare and Incitation to Cheerfulnesse and the Assuming of Courage Th' art under Winds e. Intimates Safety by Divine Protection and Quiet in Conscience let whatsoever can befall Yet the Guide directs to make use of Observation and warinesse which is an advance to wisdom MORAL V. HUmility is a Voluntary Inclination of the mind and a Declination of the haughtinesse of the Spirit upon the Inspection of our Selves and the Beholding of the proper Condition of our present State and Being without which we strive but in vain to raise the Structure of other Vertues in Our minds if we do not First wisely lay the Foundation of them and for them with the same Upon which the Superstructures firmly placed may ablie sustain the Top of Perfection and Height of Charity Seneca's Chorus in his Agamemnon does act to the Life and most fitly expresse the subiect matter of this morall speaking English by the weake Pen of the Authour Chorus O Regnorum Magnis fallax Fortuna bonis in praecipiti Dubioque nimis excelsa locas Nunquam placidam sceptra quietem Certumve sui tenuere diem Alia ex aliis cura fatigat Vexatque animos nova Tempestas Non sic Lybicis Syrtibus aequor Furit alternos volvere fluctus Non Euxini turget ab imis Commota vadis unda nivali Vicina polo ubi coeruleis Immunis aquis lucida versat Plaustra Bootes Ut praecipites Regum casus Fortuna rotat Metui cupiunt Metuique timent Non nox illis Alma recessus praebet tutos Non curarum somnus Domitor Pectora solvit Quas non arces Scelus alternum Dedit in praeceps impia quas non Arma fatigant Iura pudorque Et conjugis sacrata fides Fugiunt aulas Sequitur tristis Sanguinolenta Bellona manu Quaeque superbos urit Erynnys Tumidas semper comitata domos Quas in planum quaelibet bora Tulit ex alto licet arma vacent Cessentque dolt sidunt ipso Pondere magna ceditque oneri Fortuna suo Vela secundis inflata notis Ventos nimium timuere suos Nubibus ipsis inserta caput Turris Pluvio vapulat Austro Densasque nemus spargens umbras Annosa videt robora frangi Feriunt celsos fulmina colles Corpora Morbis majora patent Et cum in pastus armenta vagos Vilia currunt placet in vulnus Maxima cervix Quicquid in altum Fortuna tulit ruitura levat Modicis rebus longius aevum est Foelix mediae quisquis turbae Parte Quietus Aura stringit Littora tuta timidusque Mari Credere cymbam reme terras Propiore legit The Translation O The slipprie state of Things No Priviledge have Thrones of Kings Chance puts in steep and doubtful place Whats'ere too Great and Lofty was Nere Scepters joy'd in pleasing Rest Nor kept they certaine Time at Best One Lord of many Cares do tire And raise new Tempests on Desire Not more on Lybian Shelves Sea raves To tumble ore the coursing Waves More swell not th' Euxine Surges steep Raising Rebellion from the Deep Neighb'ring the Snowy North where bright Charles Waine Boötes hunts in Night Free from Sky's Light How Fortune spins upon her Wheel The headlong Ends of Kings to reel While they wish to be fear'd as just So such for fear does spawn Distrust Still Night yeilds such no safe Repose Care's-Tamer sleep may Eyelids close Not such Breasts loose What Tow'rs have Crimes not caus'd to throw Down them and theirs to ground below What Forts do cruel Armes not tame When Laws when Wedlocke's Troth when shame Abandon Courts with bloody Hand Fierce War breaks in and rends a Land Each Tury then does plunder Pride Quarters in Houses swell'd so wide Whose Turrets dwarfish Time from high Does cause e'en plain and level ly Suppose all peace no Armes at all Sly Craft asleep Self-weight makes fall Grant Things What Fortune vast did build T is weight must yeild Too bigg-blown Sailes with prosperous Wind Do fear ill Fare when Force is kind That proud Spire's Top that grafts in Clouds Is storm'd by Rain when Auster's loud The Woods that thickest shades do cast In full yeers growths are fell'd at last Fierce Lightnings strike the rising Hills Disease Great Bodies soonest fills While free lean Oxen course their ground The fattest Neck the Axe does wound Wheres'ever Fortune makes so Fall Shee raises for the greater Fall Mean State the longest life does last Blest He whose quiet Lot is cast I' th' midst of Worlds Extreams His Saile Bendes to safe Shoares with gentle Gale His Boat from fear'd Sea does command With Oare near shoar he makes for Land PROSPECT V. VNruly giddy Multitude More senseless is not then 't is rude Does Bayard differ scarce from Dun Yet needs must guide the Horse o' th' Sun All croud and Each wu'd faine appear To be the Chariot's Wagoneer As ignorant of that dire Fate Faign'd Phaeton tri'd and found too late Who wanting Skill did overturn Cause Earth and Sea inflames to burn As if they Brethren needs must be To Cadmus Daughter Semele Or that some sisters she behind Had living left to prompt her Mind Whose fond Ambition needs must move To beg A Boone to punish Love Ambitious Love too blind Desire The Wish and Wisher burnt with Fire Too curious Love mistook The Case For Light fierce Lightning did embrace Weak Nature so did Ashes turn Who 's Humble scapes such wayes to burn CONSOLATORY ESSAY V. WHoso wu'd raise A strong or stately Fabrick having first chosen fit and Firme Ground with proper and good Materials let him lay a deep a broad a square and t is a sure foundation The loftiest Trees have the most spreading have the lowest Roots Riches inhabite in the humble Vallies when Barrenness overspreads the highest Mountains On their ambitious Tops stormes run their furious Courses While Quiet sits below and spends her Sands in Safety Envy still neighbours
timeri that the Lion is frighted by and stands in awe of the Cock Angui quoque Gallus terrori est The Serpent cannot endure him Basiliscus ipsum horret The Basilisk doth tremble at the sight of this Champion Hunc aiunt mirabile dictu cùm Gallum videre forte contingit animo tremere et cum cucurientem audit tanto terrore concuti ut emoriatur It is scarce to be beleeved what is said of him that when the Basilisk chanceth to see the Cock he is stricken with a strange terrour but when he hears him he is so wonderfully affrighted that he dies upon the place Quam rem non ignorantes qui per immensas Cyrenensium solitudines quae pestem illam et singulare in terris malum gignunt iter faciunt Gallum itineris comitem sibi adjungunt qui cantu suo truculentissimam illam bestiam longè abigat reporteth Aelian lib. 3. c. 31. Whereof those Travailers that passe the dangerous and vast Lybean Deserts which produce such a mischief and where onely a Creature of that pestilent nature is bred and brought forth for safety sake they make the Cock their companion in their Travell who at the Clapping of his wings and the shrillness of his crowing may drive away farr from them a Beast of that horrid countenance There is much more furniture of this sort if the roome were not so small and this place so straight Some are of Opinion that Christ is meant by the Cock in holy Scripture dormientes excitans et quasi calcaribus comminationum that I may use their words pungens stimulans Waking those that laid asleep in sin and security and as it were pricking with the spurs of his threats and striking with the sharp heel of his comminations So Vitriacus Cardinalis Venerable Bede lib. 9. Expos. Tob. c. 7. Interprets thus Gallum puto esse unumquemque Sanctorum qui in nocte tenebris hujus mundi accipiunt per fidem intelligentiam virtutis constantiam clamandi ad Deum ut aspiceret jam dies permanens et amoveantur umbrae vitae praesentis qui urgent item sequenti clamore precum suorum dicentes Emiâ—â—te Lucem tuam et veritatem tuam Quod de Prophetis intelligere possumus qui certatim annunciaverunt Diei et Solis adventum I conceive the Cock to be every one of the Saints that receive in the Night and Darknesse of this world understanding by Faith and the constancy of the virtue of crying to God that the ever living Day might behold them and that the shadowes of this present life may be removed still enforcing their continued cryes and petitions in these words Let thy light and thy trueth break forth Which we may likewise understand of the Prophets who in a manner strived to exceed one another in the annunciation of the comming of the Day and the Sun But nearer our matter is their Verdict that apply it to the Messengers of the Gospel Gallus succinctus lumbos id est praedicatores inter hujus noctis tenebras verum manè nunciantes The Cock that hath his loins girt is the Preacher of the word who declares the Truth betimes in the morning amidst the darknesse of this night Praedicator quisque plus actibus quam vocibus insonet et bene vivendo vestigia sequacibus imprimat ut potius agendo quam loquendo quo gradiatur ostendat quia et Gallus ipse cum jam edere cantus parat prius alas excutit et semetipsum feriens vigilantiorem reddit The Preacher must sound by his life as well as his doctrine and by living well Leave to his followers the footsteps of a good example that he may shew them their way whither they are to goe rather by good deeds than words by the hand and the foot rather than the Tongue Because the very Cock when he prepares himself to crow first smites his wings and striking himself makes himself the more watchful His Note is Hora est jam nos de somno surgere It is time that we should awake from sleep from sin Evigilate justi Nolite peccare Awake unto righteousnesse sin not The Cock then is the Preacher The wild Beasts are the World the Flesh and the Devill The crowing of the Cock is the Publication of the Cospel which remembred Peter when he denied his Master The frighting of those wild Beasts is the repelling and driving away Temptations But Simia odit Gallum the Ape the world doth hate despiseth his Voice and with the deaf Adder stoppeth his eares though the Charmer charmeth never so wisely Here Self by Self does Resignation dwell In the Farm in the Soul does Resignation inhabite In God's Promises in the obedience to his will and Commandements does Christianity rest self by self laying by and casting off all manner of self confidence or trust in any worldly help or strength onely submitting unto Divine Pleasure and God's Dispose Within a spatious Farm of doing well A godly Life and Conversation He payes Himself for Rent No coin needs tell Here the Will is taken for the whole Man so is the Will accepted at Gods Hands for the Deed. No Coin needs tell God delighteth in Obedience rather than Sacrifice Mans Self is the best payment to be tendred unto God being enstamped in his Creation with the Image of Himself and being as it were new minted in his Redemption But every New Year sends to 's Lord a Heart At his Regeneration and being renewed in the Spirit he presents what his Lord reserves Da mihi Cor Give me thy Heart that belongeth unto God only and is the best New Years Gift to the Master of All. A Wreath of Laurel Is Praise unto his Holy Name and everliving acknowledgement for all his Blessings especially for that of our Salvation Or a winged Dart Is Prayer that flies up to Heaven that sticketh and remaineth there which is for assisting Grace or for whatsoever the Soul standeth in need of Such is his Tenure which for all he payes in part This is the Jew and Christian commanded to do by the Commandments in the Law and by the Love that is required in the Gospel He that loveth me keepeth my Commandments saith our blessed Lord and Saviour Yet the most Righteous cannot be perfect in this World he payeth but part for all his Dutie and with an earnest Will it is accepted too through Faith in Christ. All is the Lords and he pleaseth to accept our acknowledgement He requireth only that we glorifie him for all his Benefits 5. The Lord say some and those say well All acknowledge not the Lord only his Elect know by Faith who God is and where he dwelleth Above th' Empyraean Hill aloft doth dwell Heaven is his Throne The Glory of his Seat can none that 's Mortal tell It is ineffable Neither Eye hath seen nor Ear hath heard nor can Heart conceive nor can it enter into the Thought of Man the wonderful things that are
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
prepared for those which love the Lord and expect his Appearing None like his tennant keeps a house so free The Godly Man the true Christian is the happy Tennant unto the Lord of Lords His Service is the only Liberty It is a reasonable Service saith S. Paul His Tenure is in Capite He holds of the King of the Lord of Lords His Grant is in Hee Farm he depends on the King on the King of Kings His is a Perpetuity an Eternity of Blisse to Himself and his Heirs to his Body and Soul for ever He does no Homage Healtie or other Service to any other then such as is especially comprised in his Feoffment only such as is contained in his Covenant according to Sacred Scripture He is a Free-holder that he may give his Lord his Voice that he may magnifie his Maker that he may praise his Holy Name He keeps Christmas continually by his Bounty and loving Entertainment of his Neighbour and he is allow'd for 't He keeps open House alwayes by his Charity and compassionate relieving of the Needie and shall be rewarded through Christ for it At every Court yet must surrender be There must be obedience to his Commandments a ready and dayly submission to his blessed pleasure His Court is a signification of his Will and power Surrender is in manus Domini a yielding up into the Lords hands what the Tennant holdeth of him T is Curia Baronis He is Lord of the Mannor even Lord of the whole earth for he is Soveraign of all In this Court his Suitors are Free-holders Those Free-holders Judges such are the Saints who are in design joyned to the great Lord at the last grand Court the final summons the day of Judgement Their Oath is their lawful Covenant exhibited by the Priest to the Conscience and sealed with a kiss of the Book by believing stedfastly in God according to his holy word This is a Court Christian likewise wherein the great Bishop of our souls is supreme Judge and from whom there is no appeal It is Curia Requisitionum a Court of Requests too a Court of Equity a Court of Mercy instituted to the like purpose as the Chancery His Court is every day for he is the Lord for ever He then regrants The Lord is ready to be found by those that seek him Iob must surrender his children his estate his good name his friends his health his All with The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken with a Blessed be the name of the Lord and then the Lord regrants causeth his friends to submit to him and gives him twice so much as he had before Iob 42. 10 11. Then came unto him all his Brethren and all his Sisters and all they that had been of his acquaintance before and did eat bread with him in his house and had compassion of him and comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him and every man gave him a piece of money and every one an earing of gold This was the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes None bountiful as he O wonderful Mercy and unspeakable bounty of him that is the free giver of all good gifts O Lord our God how excellent is thy Name in all the world which hast set thy glory above the Heavens Out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger When I behold the Heavens even the work of thy fingers the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained What is man say I that thou art mindfull of him and the son of man that thou visitest him For thou hast made him a little lower than God and crowned him with glory and worship Thou hast made him to have dominion in the works of thine hands thou hast put all things under his feet All sheep and Oxen yea and the beasts of the field the fouls of the air and the fish of the Sea and that which passeth through the paths of the Seas O Lord our Governour how excellent is thy name in all the world Ps. 8. A fence doth grow about th'encircled ground c. His Vineyard is hedged in from the injury of the beasts of the field His Providence and Protection is over all them that trust in him All things thrive that are within his enclosure He is their strength and defence he guardeth as with a shield 6. That river which in poast does go c. Here under the Allegory of a River the Rain and the Sea is described the nature and manner of a Christian Self-Resignation As the River pays its tribute unto the Ocean for what it hath received from its bounty conveyed up through the earth to the head and rising fountain of the River The Sea likewise that is in position above the earth from its immense abundance returneth a continual supply for such thankfulness duty return and resignation and as the waters send up their vapours in clouds to heaven Heaven poureth down his Blessings in showres to refresh the waters and supply the Rivers that in Love resign themselves unto the Sea again God is resembled by that bottomlesse sea that unsearchable Abysse whose inscrutable paths are past finding out The sea is a glass of the Deity in which man may by the weakness of expression to sense in a manner behold and have some conception in his mind of the otherwise incomprehensible Almighty The River is man that as it were flows from his Creation His soul as the River is the Representation of the floud of the sea is in likenesse according to the image of God his Creator from whom it hath its spirituality and immortality for the very damned shall live for ever though t is an everlasting death in such a Life by torment and the privation of such blisse as the blessed shall enjoy The Clouds denote contentedness of resignation in parting with its naturall Place the element of Waters the World The people therein are a heap of Waters that Tide it to and fro in their several generations The fury of a multitude is compared in Scriptures to the raging of waters The River and the Sea even in obedience to the sun send up their waters in vapours as his beams id a manner please to summon For which resignation are poured down again from the Firmament sweet waters like blessings in showres and rain that raise the streams of the River fattening the neighbouring grounds with the abundance of heavens bestowed bounty and as it were dancing over their before confining banks for joy in the after smiling meadows and poast it floud away unto the Sea in earnestness of desire to carry news of what it 's more than Channel could contain hath yet received and to communicate with the waves of the Sea their swelling felicity yet in the Rivers Semicircling and Meandring courses it appeareth to embrace the earth with seeming expression of Love and
kindness by its frequent windings as in charity with the world but leaves it yet with a carelesse farewel being earnestly bent forward in its course without so much as looking back upon the Hills or making the least shew of any returning Which still more and more sets forth that free Resignation of the Christian of himself and whatsoever he hath received unto the Lord that gave it which procures from him blessings still more and more to distill upon him and obtains the pouring down upon him the sweetness of spiritual rejoycings and graces which make fruitful in good works and put into his heart such a contempt of the Hills of the greatness of the world that with chearfulness he passeth away without any regret at parting and hasteth onward to his home to Heaven the Ocean of his happinesse 7. About the house trees growing high as Cedars spreading tops c. When the Acts or operations of the soul are to be made manifest by the description of things belonging to sense which are so exceedingly disproportionable unto spiritual matters the Pen that undertakes runs into much hazard upon necessity either on the one hand to fall very short of the proper requisite and full expression that should be made concerning the same or without the excellency of a far greater skill then the Author can find in himself or afsume will remain not a little obscure As this Stanza may give occasion of instance which to some may seem a Riddle His adventure in this or the like of his undertaking may obtain excuse howsoever in regard of the Example of that famous Poet M. Spencer who in the 22. Stanza of his 9. Canto in the second Book of his Fairie Queen putting Alma upon the description of the House of Temperance therein deciphering the curious Fabrick of Man hath put many Scholastick Wits yea searned understandings to the plunge about the clearing of the meaning of the same which to this day is not sufficiently interpreted in every part thereof as though he had carryed the Key with him of such a Cabinet in his sheet into another world This is not mentioned as though Affectation had begot Imitation but the Authour hopeth that his Example may stand as a plea for priviledge Now for the untying of any knots herein the better First take the sense of the words as here applyed and then of the matter The House The Farm-house is the Christian Man The Trees And these are to be considered in their bodies and in their Tops The Bodies is the understanding the Tops the Will Voluntas est actus intellectus the will is an act of the understanding As Cedars Is the tallness and loftinesse of the understanding The Wood Signifies strength and vigor as well as shelter The branches seeming to root within the skie Shews a fastening to Gods will by Faith humility whence it takes the lowly expression of a root for so high a matter as if a Christian compared to such a tree were turned with his root upward and that he received all his Life from thence These branches so rooted in the sky are the Christian Mans Will Which when storms do come The storms are Persecutions Afflictions and Temptations that violently presse upon the Christian. The Farmers room Is the Soul His Cattle Are his Affections and all outward things that are the objects thereof belonging to the outward man as the relations to marriage friendship prosperity estate or all outward comforts whatsoever Run for shelter Seek repose and preservation Home In the inward man The tree growing upon the tops as down from Heaven Is a a course shadowing of Gods will which tree seems to grow transvers't as with the root in heaven with descending branches like Raies which shoot into entwine as tendrel of Vines encompass and grow among the tops of mans will whereby the wood the understanding receiveth grace and protection for the Affections to receive stediness and to obtain safety and all outward things to be under a blessing Mortals here below can't think what it should be The world understands not the things of God nor can the best of men find out the secrets of God otherwise than he hath declared himself in his holy word Fruits dropping partly show and those are external or internal The external are those acts that concern the outward man which drop fall or proceed from Divine direction and guidance or permission and sufferance The internal are those operations that descend from above into the soul either to terrifie with the presentation of his Justice or to comfort with the offer of his mercy These discover fully Gods will to the understanding of man by his revealed Word and by his holy Spirit that descendeth into the souls of Christian men But men understand but in part what might be there discover'd The Sum is this That whoso resigneth his will freely and earnestly up to God's will in all things with Thy will be done hath God for his best and onely Protector whose Holy will seems joyned to that Christian's shewing him the works of his wisdome by the active demonstration of or his permission by his divine Dispose which is better than he could ask or apprehend This Fruit falling is not made manifest unto man but by Evidence of Action represented to the sense or the Understanding All things are not onely under the wisdome of God's Providence but under the power though many not within his Protection His Protection is an act of his will God's will may be said to be joyned unto man's for his better protection when man's will is submitted and resigne'd unto God's for his better Direction which is not to be understood but by the fruit which is the Excellency of his evidenced most wise Dispose So read we God's will directively in the best of our Actions permissively in our failings Trials Afflictions 8. Within a fragrant Meadow near Mild Consolation c. This Stanza is a description of the severall effects of self resignation that the Holy Ghost bestoweth thereupon many graces upon the Soul many kinds of Consolation divers degrees of Comfort The care-free'd Head is encircled as it were crowned with Rest. The Breast is perfumed with prayse thanksgiving and rejoycing of spirit The Conscience hath Quiet and Repose and the inward man Contentment and Satisfaction Assisting Grace from Divine mercy is alwaies at hand to relieve against all Reencounters stirring up Devotion and quickening Zeale inflaming the Christian with Love to God strengthening his Faith and giving vigour to his hope By assurance from Gods Promises of the Reward that is prepared for him hereafter 9. There Contentation's Cott behold The Humble Sedation of the mind How well 't is plac't from too much heat or cold Then the Soul is neither troubled with Heat of Desire or chilled by the cold of Fear It is strengthened against the violence of Passions Seest not her pleasant Lambes skip driving to the Fold In all employments and