Ambuscado They are overcome before they think on 't The Foolish scorn and The Desperate throw away their Arms. So will not an experienc't Souldier hazard He will not move before his Scouts come in He will not go unprovided He is acquainted with Dangers He Knows their Subtleties as well as their Malice Thé wise Travailer will not cast off his Cloak for Every Sunshine He expecteth foul weather A calm Sea cozens not the Seaman's Eye He stands prepared for though unseen yet not unlookt for Storms Expect Tribulation Life and Death appear to Men masked and have false Faces So goes the Story Life which is so ill-favoured hath the Fair hath the Beautiful Mask which makes her of Most to be so Beloved Sometimes Passion pulls it off and Then men are frighted with the Uglinesse of her Look Death which is Fair hath the gastly Vizard which makes her by Most to be so Feared and hated But when That Mask doth slip her Beauty appearing She is much Affected Sweetly Welcomed and Joyfully Entertained Life indeed has many Spots and Warts in her Face and no few wrinckles in her Forehead Her Eyes look much asquint And her Cheeks are all furrowed She is Fair in Prosperitie's Eye only In Prosperitie's whose Brain is intoxicated She seems to have a sharp Tongue to speak too much to talk too long to Those that are in Misery But Her Counsel is wholsomest when it is in the tritest and plainest Language And wise men do well understand it She has ever Sweat on her Brow brawny Hands and often a Thorn in her Foot A Coach gives her the Gout And a Feast puts her into a Feaver She is healthfullest at Lowest Pension Nature is content with a Little Desire is Satisfied with Nothing Affliction seems to rob or take from Death what 's her Due Paying some of her Hours to Death for A Quit-Rent And stands Out to maintain Death's Title Mille modis morimur is One of Her Cases And She has Books enough for 't And wants not many an Experienc't Lawyer to become her Pleader Though Affliction sues In forma Pauperis Death seemeth therefore to be Her Friend But yet is somewhat Lordly For Death will hardly be intreated to visit Affliction though much invited This is to shew the troublesome Condition of Man whose whole Life is a Procession week from Crosse to Crosse. Initium vitae caecitas et oblivio possidet progressum Labor dolor exitum error omnia Childehood is a foolish Simplicitie Youth a rash Heat Manhood a carking Carefulnesse Old Age a noysome Languishing And his History is a Tragi-comedy of Errours Man is Instabilis tellus a floating Island tossed up and down with many Tribulations Affliction hems him in on every Side Whosoere thou art therefore that art Distressed in mind for any outward Losse or Crosse Or hast an Inward Convulsion for some Sin that seeks to overpower thee and throw thee down as from a Precipice Read This short well-intended Tract of a weak â—nditer and under God's Blessing thou maist profit as well peradventure as by a Greater Lesson from a Learned Hand Read This as An Epitaph upon the Living who are dayly buried in a world of Sorrows But dig not thine Own Grave with Anxietie Nor do a Certain Mischief to avoid a Seeming Inconvenience Heap not Affliction upon Affliction lest the Burthen become too heavie Tye not more knots upon the Scourge Quid misero miserius non miserante Seipso who shall have pitty upon Thee if Thou beest Cruel to Thy Self It is not thy Case Alone For Every Man has his Pressure as well as Thou And Some far Greater What art Thou that hast not deserv'd a Punishment Hast chang'd Thy Voice to Groans Be Patient Thine owne Unquietnesse rather than The Weight thou carri'st wrings thy Shoulders Examine the True Nature of what it is afflicts thee Thou maist think That a Monster which is but a Shadow Is it a Devil Or a Bugbear Bring it to the Test of thine Understanding Use All good means to quiet and still The Hubub in thy Bosom If thou canst carry Thy Burthen no further Go to thy Friend thy Priest thy Pastor thy Physitian Open it to Him He will carry Part of it for Thee Or direct thee that thou maist find Ease But by All means avoid All Occasions of aggravating Thy Misery For Thy Present Grief will goe out of It Self if Thou add'st not Fuell to it If thou wilt needs see thy Afflictions in a Glasse let it not be a Multiplying or a Magnifying Glasse that may represent Them More or More Horrid Give as little Freedom to Thy Passions as thou can'st For Those Wild Horses will run Suddenly away with The Whole Man If Thy Friend give Counsel listen to it It is as precious as Balsam Comfort to One despairing is as Cordials to The Dying Refuse it not Nor The Means to have it A wise word in Time may Save Thy Goods Thy Body Yea thy Soul from Eternal Losse The Sick have need of the Physitian Be not Obstinate against kind persuasion For That is as if thou didst sow up thy Mouth when thou hast an empty stomack Repentance and that oft too late too payes home the Denyal of good Offers In any Case have a Care that thou rely'st not too much upon Thine Own Judgment Have a Care of Solitude if thy Thoughts be not good enough to keep thee Company Keep not That Secret that will like Joab stab thee with An Embrace in the Dark Why should'st Thou be the Devil 's Second against Thy Self CANTO IV. The Fruitful Vale of Tears 1. PAce on awhile unto yon Little Hill Whose shadie Top sends forth two Springs That curle about His Cheeks like Rings And down into that Fruitful Vale of Tears distill 2. Where groaning Turtles moan their Love-lost Mates By Fowlers Hands to Death betray'd And many sad Wightes side-long laid Whose Groans Sighs do seem to sympathize their Fates 3. Take Rest And cast about thy wat'rie Eyes Upon the Sweetnesse of the Plain That oft is washt with dropping Rain Which causeth Flowers to grow as from dead Roots to rise 4. There stand Some telling many'a Heavie Tale While Others bid them gather Flowers To dresse their Bosoms up like Bowers Some Hearts-ease Violets Some chuse Lilies of the Vale. 5. On Cammomil Some lay their rest lesse Heads Some under Walnut-Trees couch Low Which being beaten best do grow Adonis Plant thrives most when some upon It treads 6. Some stoop and gather Hearbs to cure their Wounds Some cool their Heat with Lemons sharp Some charm their Sadnesse with the Harp And Some with sweating Brows are digging up the Grounds 7. For where before Arm'd Thorn so stiff did grow A Bush of Rosemarie doth rise To which a Woodbine Tendrils tyes And with its Cups of Flowers doth make a lovely Show 8. Where divers rending Briars did run and spread A pleasant Vine with ripening Grapes As if from Earth they made Escapes
PELâ—â—â—â—ICIDIVM OR THE CHRISTIAN ADVISER AGAINST Self-Murder Together with A Guide and the Pilgrims Passe To the Land of the Living In Three Books Soles occidere redire possunt Senec. LONDON Printed for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and are to be sold at the Signe of the George in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1653. PELLICANICINIUM SInce All the World is Folly well may one Be th' Hieroglyphick not alone As unprun'd Trees Men all abroad expresse In strange Wild growths A Wildernesse In which alone does dwell each friendless Man Each ' mong'st the rest 's A Pellican This That about the Neast flame hidden brings To take The Foule with singed wings Whose Piety to save her Young from Fire Makes her a Prey to sharp Desire This Pellican owns none that so unclean Do Her Self-Death's Example meane Yet hath she heard within her lonely Place As she t' her Young did put the Case The shreiking Newes that from New Troy did cry Self-murder which did cause her fly From Wildernesse of Beasts to That of Men Where each House seems A Dragon's Den. With stretched Pineons she her Flight does take Leaves Young does not her Young forsake And to that Forrest of hewn Trees squar'd stone Where Thousands dwell yet live Alone She comes And on a sacred Mountain's Head Takes stand and then the Round does tread Earst dedicated was that Place to Paul Not for his cruell Deeds when Saul But for such Acts his Courage did discusse With Beasts in Fight at Ephesus Upon that lofty seeming Ruine she Does all about Destruction see There mounted high as on a Tower she stands To ' th' Desart sings Divine Commands To That forsaken Place with op'ning Wings Pointing her Beak t' her Breast she sings This uncouth Note Why changed Mortalls Why With horrid Deeds thus blast ye Skye How are your Voices chang'd too by done Wrong Now Groanes now Cryes beare Parts in Song And what so tunable was Sweet before Now beares the Burthen does deplore Were once your Hands too smooth your Face too fair Must Faith be traffick for Despair Ah Troynovant Thy too unhappy state May justly feare from Heaven Troy's Fate Which nought can hinder but such â—louds from Eyes Of Penitence as drown Sin 's Cryes Who made The World Who turns the starry Ball Is not Th' Allmighty Head of All What 's Pleasure made is ord'red by His Will His Hests were Lawes And must be still 'T is not Inferiour Wit of things below Can cause by wisdome Ought to grow His Creatures All are All from Him derive Without Him there is Nought can thrive Let Him but turne his Back to Self leave all I' th' darke they reel to ruine fall And but His Way Most High can Not be found His Walk is Not like Paths on ground What Blindnesse then possest bewitched sight That needs it must forsake The Right What unknown God do you adore in vain What Idols set you up in brain Are Those Thy Gods that did from Egypt free Or what doest call thy Liberty Or what Religion is it that you coine When All Sins with Devotion joyne Is Heaven not just or does forget to pay The Debt you scoar'd but yesterday Dispute it not Nor cast with recklesse Mind Approaching Judgments so behind Hark! How the Night-Ravens croak Strange sights appear When Seasons alter Judgment 's near When Self-Destruction does among you rage Soon Publick Fury may engage O stand not out Apostates least you burne To common Ashes in One Urne Returne to Life as I to Death for Young returne The Prooeme SInce Adam's Fall his Posterity became Partakers not Onely of his Sin but his Sorrow I will greatly multiply thy Sorrow and thy Conception In sorrow shalt thou bring forth c. said God to Eve Gen. 3. 16. Grief is antienter than the Eldest Son of the World And by production of Time as Sin increased Sorrow had the bigger growth The Dayes of the Years of my Pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty Years Few and Evill have the Dayes of the Years of my Life been and have not attained unto the Dayes of the Yeares of the Life of my Fathers in the dayes of their Pilgrimage So Iacob to Pharaoh Gen 47. 9. Every Day was in new Labour and every Minute a step onward in Pilgrimage Life then is a Long Journey on Foot And the further we goe the wearier we are It is Fabled of Iupiter that being wearied with the brabbles of Pleasure and Sorrow he linkt them together with an Adamantine Chain that the One should not part from the Other Invicem cedunt Dolor ac Voluptas Sayes the Poet Grief hangs at the Skirt of Pleasure Sorrow is her close Attendant Why make men then such a Wonder at the Miseries of the world As if they had not heard of them Why are some so dejected at usual and unavoydable Burthens groaning and crying out under them yea and many times thinking to throw them off overthrow themselves And whence the Source of All This but that they have laid by as uselesse the Reason of Men and cast off or forgotten the Religion of Christians For as their Reason may be sufficiently informed by the Many Experiments in This World of the Instability and Violence of the same which may render Notions enough to convince the Understanding Religion likewise might in the Soundness of it's Principles and by the strength of it's Superstructures so evidence by Faith the Certainty of Hope and Assurance of Future Enjoyment of Celestiall Things that Our Souls being as it were transanimated by Divine Contemplation should not onely despise the Calamities of This World as Trifles But rather rejoyce in the Blessing to suffer Crosses and Afflictions Here especially to be accounted worthy thereof in A Good Cause These being Nothing in their Greatest Bulk and Number compared with the Unspeakable Rejoycings of Hereafter It is want of Faith that makes us fall Below our Reasons and to subject Our selves to a Lower Kind of sense than Bruites So Geat is the Punishment of God for Our Aversion and Turning Our backs upon Him that instead of Being near the Degree of the Angells As He created us He leaves Us infatuated to fall into a grosser sense than Beasts How else can it possibly come to pass that Any Distresse should so overpower Us to destroy Our own Lives As if we had proclaim'd war against Our selues which even Nature by Instinct and it 's own secret Impulse doth dictate to preserve Cor est primum Vivens et ultimum moriens The Heart is readiest to welcome Life at First and most loath to part with it at Last by the Adhaesion of Nature which is a Lecture of Self-preservation unto All. How much more are we to listen to and obey The Divine Law putting so strict an Obligation upon Us when It commands Thou shalt not Kill This considered I cannot but stand Amazed at the Steam of so much Humane Bloud running in streams and the open Veins dayly bleeding of so many Christians
all within that String Life is of higher Price then any Thing There 's Hope to cure all These There 's None in Death For There thou stranglest Hope in stifling Breath Because th' hast injur'd Others must Thou still Increase thy doing Wrong to lessen Ill Bethink thee then And make not more thy Curse Since Ill to Ill is Step from Step to Worse For there 's no Price that can this Reck'ning pay Turn back Repent Thy Score may waste away SECT IX The unfortunate Merchant SEek not that poison Merchant for thy Taste Must thou be lost 'cause Ships away are cast Canst fear a Prison whence there may be Bail And flee'st from that into a Hopelesse Goal Wu'd any Mad Man seek the Sergeant's Hand On Such an action too as ere shall stand Losses may be regain'd but this can never This is a Losse but Once but Losse for ever SECT X. The Bloody Murtherer BUt whom behold I There with Hands so red And Face so pale as if he were half dead Lay down that Dagger Mercies endlesse Store Cain's Fact exceeds or Iudas Sale or More SECT XI The curious Zealot AH What say'st Thou that break'st asunder Text And seekst out Scruples that thou may'st be vext And look'st for such Decrees of God as Fate Poring to know whom He 'd predestinate Those Characters are legible to 'th Wise I' th' Book of God as saving Mysteries Do well and be accepted Can'st not see Thou wantest Faith Thou want'st Humilitie No Wonder Then Though Desperation make Thee ready Fuel for the Brimstone Lake SECT XII The tender Conscienc't Despairer WHat ayl'st poor Tender Conscience late misled Why That was â—tone He gave Thee 'T was not Bread Said He Too vile to live to spend Gods store Thou do'st but heap up Sin with spending more Thou tread'st on groaning Earth and robb'st the Good By wrongful eating up the Godly's Food Hast Thou lesse Right unto the Creature than For whom All was at first created Man Or has the Serpent chang'd his former Cheat To ' a Contrarie as false Thou must not Eat He meant not Thee God made Thee Living Heir O' th' Earth unnaturalize not by Despair Canst be a Burthen to the silent Earth And wert not to thy Mother 'fore thy Birth Deluding Satan see thy Soul wu'd Presse He takes advantage of thy heavie Dresse And leads to Mischief by the Wildernesse He 's now turn'd Saint to turn Thee from thy Joy To'a dark Labyrinth the better to destroy Shines not the Sun on All The Bad The Good Bears not Earth equally for all her Food 'Twixt Good and Bad what difference makes the Main Or what Distinction Windes or falling Rain No Eurthen thou unto the Earth canst be Unload thy Sin The Burthen is on Thee SECT XIII A horrid yet true Story of one that hang'd himself upon his Knees with a Bible on a Stool open before him and a Paper to signifie that he had repented VVHat Storie have I heard What rueful Tale What monstrous Match of Piety and Bale E'en to Beliefs Abortion That a Crime So big shou'd bear Religion out of Time Can any Christian make his Will of 's Minde Before so black a Deed to leave Behinde To shew his Act spawn'd not from Discontent But that he was Prepared did Repent And that of Death he need not be afraid The Sacred Book was ope and 'fore him laid Mad Zeal to Blindnesse he makes double Pairs In Kneeling Posture Hanging joyns to Prayers What greater Sin cu'd Satan ere devise Than put Devotion into Bloudshot Eyes Are Cursed Fruits produc't by Blessed Trees How comes else Blasphemie upon its Knees Where Gods Church is must there Hells Chappel be Religion Witchcraft and Idolatrie What Jugling Cozenage This To gild Damnation 'T is a strange Tenet sure What Damn'd Salvation I did repent saidst thou Thou didst resolve The greatest Sin to act that could involve For cou'dst have clear'd by Sorrow thy past Score Thou in This One hast done them Millions o're The Pardon of all Those This does prevent To much One Such Who shall for This repent Nay Who is' t can Such Actors past their Scenes When off the Stage have lost their Time and Means For as the Tree does fall so must it lie Until the mighty Judge does come to try Then as our Deeds have been or Good or Ill He will our Measures with our own Corn fill Blest They shall reign that did obey's Commands Hells Zelot Who requir'd This at thy Hands Religion if ye make a Pedlars Trusse From such Gear in 't Good Lord deliver us SECT XIV One that will not plead to save his Goods IS That a Christian standeth at the Bar That will not be to 's Wife or Childe a Scar Why didst ought then unjust Offences be The greatest stains unto a Familie Speak Mute Pull off thy vain Pretences Hoods Wu't cast thy Self away to save they Goods For ought thou Know'st the Jewries tender Heart Or Judges Wisdom way may finde to start Wu't Thou upon thy Life commit a Rape And block the Door by which thou might'st escape SECT XV. A Desperate Malefactor COndemned Malefactor why such strife Within thy strugling Breast to shorten Life Thou hast not many dayes Make use of Those Wu't thou turn Hangman to preserve thy Clothes Yea rather then the People see thy Day Thou wilt prevent and make thy self away There may be yet Reprieve At worst thy Death Repenting paid will give thee Heavenly Breath SECT XVI A Wench with Childe ANd Why that Physick Wench Hast loos'd thy Shooe Wu't to Adulterie adde Close Murder too What though th' ast broke thy Leg thy Credit 's lame By breaking Neck do'st think to cure the same More salvage then a Tygresse brutish wilde Hast neither Mercie on thy Self nor Childe By Covering Sin and seeking Shame to hide How many might have liv'd that fouly dy'd Blinde Wounds than open ones more long endure And oft prove Mortal that might else have Cure SECT XVII A Despairing Client WElcome from Westminster If I may say What wu't not answer Hast not gain'd the Day The Tryal went against thee by thy Look How comes this Pen-Knife in thy Sleeve I took Thou dost not mean for Losse of Land or Pelf To draw and enter Judgement gainst thy Self Let too hot Passion take some cooling Ayre And raise a Title unto Heaven by Prayer Wu't spoil a good Cause by thy loud Despair Come all the Rest of much Distorted mindes Come Bring your Griefs like Loads of several kindes And let me shew you where 's your Rest your Balm The last to be your Cure the first you Calm SECT XVIII Instruction from the frame of Nature SPell first in Nature's Book Gods bigger Print And read his Glory in his Creatures in 't As first he gave joynt-Being unto All. One does another to his Dutie call The Sun provokes the Plants to flow'r and seed Heats living Creatures in their Kindes to breed He gilds the Day and
traditione cognoscat That a man grounding nothing upon self-opinion may with their Definitions acquiesce and sit down satisfied in all things and that he may know by their tradition and doctrine as well what he ought to receive to be good as what he ought to sentence to be bad So Cassiodore Well trod Not only in respect of the Happinesse of them that finde the Way to Truth but in regard of the Directnesse more then the frequency of the use of it For Pauci inveniunt few finde this way and fewer go it To much sought Truth All seek it few attain it Fair Chrystal Spring Fair for the Beautie Chrystal for the Clearnesse and Purity of Truth Spring for its Constancie and Continuance as also for its Derivation from the Ocean of Divine Excellence that Abysse of Wisdom from whom all Purity and Verity for ever flowes Besides this Path some Students plod Many take a great deal of pains to travail themselves out of the way not rightly distinguishing Bonum apparens from Bonum verum following a thousand Mistakes and Misprisions fall into as many Errours that seduce them still on in the crooked Intricacies of Doubt or continue them in Blinde stupidity of Ignorance 5. Upon the Grounds green Turfe the Larks do breed Chearfulness is enjoy'd in a convenient humble Being And the Mind never rejoyceth More then when there is a Despising of our Selves Most Who Climbe with Songs c. Climbing is Prayer Songs Praise Skie Heaven Her Land Sowen c. Pointing at our Saviour's Parable concerning the Kingdom of Heaven Or her Land may signifie the whole Man The smallest seed the Diminution of his own Worth and the low Estimate of himself in his own Opinion Which beareth Plants that c. The Plants are the Affections of the Soul which if sanctified grow from Grace to Grace even reach to Heaven In which joy'd Birds do sing the Affections being so exercised the comforts of the Holy Spirit do make Musick in the Conscience 6. About her much white-flowr'd c. Self-heal is here taken for Recognition of a mans self his Recollection which accompanies Humility which asswageth the Fury and preventeth the Ranckling of Inward Passions allayeth the smart and cureth the Venome of Outward Injuries The Akeing Brow Is Anxiety of Minde or too much Carefulness And what is sound c. Humility preserveth Love which is the health of the Minde A rugged black dry Mouth c. She purifieth the foulness of speech she changeth the ruggedness of a violent Tongue into submiss and mild Language the Blackness of Oaths and Obscaenity into modest and Pious Expression the driness of the Mouth it 's Folly and vain Babblings its Vaporings by too much Arrogance and Presumption into Meekness and Loveliness of Conversation whereby former errors are reformed 7. The lowly Daisie Is Quiet and Sedation of mind submission of will unto Divine Dispose Or Innocent Injoyment with honest Labour that opens with the Rising and closeth with the shutting of the Sun that is daily Endeavor and continual Obedience observing that Sun that enlivens All as he shineth upon us with his Blessings or seemeth to withdraw from us by sending Afflictions to open to him by our Thansgiving or to close with him by our Relyance and Patience It s Ruffe Is Incircling Security Gout Idleness Covetousness Prosperity Feaver's Heat Disorder of intemperate Passions Brain-purging Of evil Humours that arise from a foule stomack allaying or taking away inordinate Desires curing the Head of Solicitation which is the Headach of the Mind With 's Iuice-bruised Snuffe With the right use and application of Tribulation Snuffe is made of the Juyce or Powder of several Plants as of Helebore Tobacco and the like which taken drawn or snuffed up at the Nostrils from whence it is so named it seemeth to be troublesome by it's pricking provoking sneezing but is very wholesome For it agitateth the Spirits of the Brain And is very good against paralytick infirmities Tribulation likewise is not willingly entertained by Nature but is very necessary and wholesome for a Christian who is subject by his Frailty to be palzi'd with Prosperity and Lethargick with forgetfulness of his Duty The Pestel and the Flaile are by their offices very neer a kin The Pestel beateth out the Juice and vertue of the Plant and breaketh those which are dried into Powder for a Physical benefit and the Flaile thresheth out the Corne from the Chaff and the Straw for Natural Nourishment As both these are very profitable to the Body So is Affliction to the Soul for it's better Exercise and Being It peeps Shewing us the Bashfulness of Humilty It is a very modest Vertue which makes her the more lovely With hoary Time Signifies Opportunity as well as gravity chusing to deliver and shew her self in the One as to appear comely in the Other Provoking sweat Shews Hours well spent Good Imployment Proper Business if not void do purge out vicious Humours Strong Herb of Grace Is a steady Confidence and a strong Relying upon Gods Providence which drives away the Serpents of Temptations and masters and overpowers the dangerous Poyson of Despaire Humble Plants c. Harmeless Beasts c. Are the Emblemes of the low Condition and sweet Harmlessness of Humility that accompany her with Gladness of Conscience without Fear which Keeps the whole Man Cheerful amidst his continued and good Imployment and so shineth forth in a holy Conversation by Religious Discourse Vertuous Comportment and charitable Dealing 9. At foot of Faith's High Rock c. Humility is the first step to that High Rock Christ who is the Foundation of Our Faith and the Firmeness and Assurance of Our Salvation neer whom fixing there is the Onely Safety At Devotion 's Chapel c. Is Custome of seeking God devoutly Praying continually Great mens Falls and Fates c. Humility knoweth the Vanity of Greatness and beholding the experimental Ruins of mighty Men she discourses her own Happiness to Those that seek her and discovers the sad stories of Elevated mens Misfortunes Therefore she trusteth not in the World nor seeketh to sit on High 10. Neighboring Vertues c. Are her Companions that are never far from her Discite à me quia Mitis sum Humilis corde inveniatis requiem animabus vestris Learn of me saith the Doctor of Our Souls Our Blessed Saviour for I am Humble and Meek and you shall find Rest unto your souls Whereupon sayes a Learned Expositor of that Text Ecce Mel Humilitatis cum dulcedine Mansuetudinis Sicut enim Mel concordat in confectionibus Medicinae cum omnibus diversitatibus specierum Sic ex Humilitatis dulcedine condiuntur omnia Genera Virtutum Behold the Honey of Humility with the sweetness of Gentleness For as Honey is very agreeable to and useful for the compounding of All Medicines according to their several sorts and qualities In like manner all kinds of Vertues are composed out of the sweetness of
Assurance by Hope and neither can subsist without Charity which is the Perfection of All. Faith is the Sap in the Root Hope is the Life of the Tree in the Blossom And Charitie the Strength of its Vertue in the Fruit. Fides credit Spes Charitas orant Sed sine Fide esse non possunt Et per haec Fides orat It is S. Augustines Faith Believes Hope and Charitie Pray Without Faith Hope and Charity cannot be And by Hope and Charity Faith does also pray That is so kind c. Charitie is an Excellent Mother and a most tender Nurse How does she foster the Poor and cherish the Infirm How does she feed the Hungry and Cloath the Naked How does she Refresh the weary and Cure the Wounded How does she Exercise those that advance unto her How does she sweetly vanquish unquiet Spirits What several Gifts she bestows of divers Kindes She maketh much of every one as if he were her own Child her next Heir Dost thou dispute with her She is all Mildeness Dost thou contend with her She is a close Embrace Dost thou flatter her Her Innocence doth not understand thee If she be in passion 't is in Love Shee stroaks the Sore but pains it not Patience is her Anger and she shews he greatest indignation in Humility Charitas hominum mater est Angelorum Charity is the Mother of Men and Angels if we may believe S. Bernard And he gives this Reason Non solum quae in terris sed etiam quae in coelo sunt pacificavit Ipsa est que Deum homini placavit hominem Deo reconciliavit She is not onely a Peace-maker among those on Earth but the means of Atonement with those in Heaven Yea she that hath appeased Gods wrath to Man hath not left unfinish't so happy a work till she hath reconciled Man unto God Her Lovely Sisters For the Beauty and graciousnesse of their Vertues If then the Beauty of Body amongst Men be so much sought unto and so much admired how much more is the Beauty of the Soul to be looked after praised loved and highly to be desired 3. By Fastings many hollow Pits signifying emptying of the Body of superfluous Humor and the taming of the Flesh. The Pits are the Vessels of the Body as the Stomack and the Rest which are the Sinks of Riot and the Receptacles of Exorbitancies wherein the Mind lyeth bemired and is in a maner oftentimes drownd These are emptied by fasting and the Soul returnes to her self again by Abstinence Thou goest Fasting is an excellent Preparation to Prayer Thou must go by Fasting if thou intendst to come alone or in that proper Dress thou shouldst Thou shalt else have too many Sins that lay in the Beds of thy Flesh to bear thee company and thou wilt be so puff't up as Prayer will scarce know thee Thou wilt be infected with the drowziness of thy Sins that thou wilt talk in thy sleep rather then Pray at least not as thou oughtest The great best general and onely Fasting is the abstinence from all iniquities and unlawfull pleasures of this world This indeed is Fasting in her Beauty Si gula peccavit sola jejunet saith S. Bernard sufficit If thy throat hath onely offended put the Fast upon thy throat in a moderate manner it is a remedy Si verò peccaverunt membra caetera cur non jejunent ipsa But if the rest of thy Members be participes criminis joyntoffenders Why should they go Scot-free Iejunet igitur oculos à curiosis aspectibus omni petulantia ut benè humiliatus coërceatur in poenitentiâ qui malè liber vagabatur in culpâ Let thine eye therefore Fast from curious Inquisition from Lascivious looks from loose Wantonness that when it is so restrained so humbled as it should be and it may be employed in Repentance as becometh it Take the Forfeiture of Liberty that made use of it to no better purpose than to play the Runnagate Iejunet Auris nequiter pruriens à Fabulis Rumoribus quaecunque otiosa sunt ad salutem minimè pertinentia Let thine Ear keep a Fast. It is troubled with an Itching Let it therefore abstain from listning after Tales New and Vain Reports and whatsoever arises from Unreasonable desire and idle appetite and all those things as neither bring quiet nor yield comfort to the minde Iejunet lingua in detractione murmuratione ab inutilibus variis atque scurrilibus verbis Interdum quoque ob gravitatem silentii ab ipsis quae videri poterant necessaria Let the Tongue Fast also from Detraction and murmuring from Unprofitable Discourse from many Words from a Scurril and Scoffing kind of speaking Let it abstain sometimes for the comeliness and gravity of silence even from the mention of those things that may plead a priviledge and seem to argue that to speak is necessary Iejunent manus ab otiosis signis ab operibus omnibus quaec unque non sunt imperata sed multò magis anima ipsa jejunet a vitiis propriâ voluntate suà Let thy Hands keep a Fast from inadvised Actions that like Seals leave the Prints of their Folly behind them from all such Works for which thou hast not Commission and from all such Deeds as are against Command But above all have a care that thy soul break not the Fast from Sin and those Vices which are nearest a kin to thine own will and are most agreeable to thine own inclination With Studie Lean she smiling sits Her Meditation consumes her grosser Humours There is a Rejoycing as well as a Reviving in the Spirits when the Flesh is brought low The smelling of Religious Fasting is not without pleasure and Loveliness For shee has a very honest look a sweet Pale though not a Painted Cheek a gentle Eye and a sober Pace a serious Face and a thoughtful Countenance not to be tempted to Luxurient Uncomely Laughter lest it injure the Modesty of her speech or Adulterate the Purity of her Heart Fasting sitteth in respect of her Contentedness and that she seeketh not after others as accounting it the least part of her businesse nor standeth up to show her self Eats not but feeds Doth not nourish her self but feedeth others that are in Want Bene jejunat qui alimenta corporis quae sunt communia dona conditoris cum indigentibus percipit qui ea quae sibi ad tempus subtrabit nequequam ventri offerenda custodit sed pauperibus tribuit He Fasteth to the purpose that letteth the Poor partake with him of those things that are necessary for the Body and which were the Common Gifts disposed by the Creator and he Fasts indeed that not onely with-holds for a Time some things from his own appetite and not keeping those things that he hath restrained from himself bestoweth them upon the Bellie of the Hungry and the Bowels of the Needy From emptying Lap restores lost Wits Alluding to
blows But it is the Office of Meditation in her sober and steady steps alwaies to promote to our view Things that are past and behind us Contemplation is a free perceivance of Things with quicknesse of sight in the glasse of Wisedome with a wary consult Meditation searcheth out things that lay hidden Contemplation admires those things that are perspicuous therefore is she called here ground-eyeing meditation The book in her hand is the Bible the holy Scriptures which is her Rule to mesure by 7. With Reverence enter Reverentia est Virtus aliquâ praelatione sublimitatis debitae honorificationis cultum exhibens sayes Tully Reverence is a kind of Vertue that presenteth the proper Tender of due Worship to some Person in whom its Estimation conceiveth a sublimitie a Being far above it self And to whom is such so justly due as God whose Essence is above the Reach of any Capacity or Understanding whose Holinesse so Pure as not conceiveable by All imagination Whose Power is Infinite beyond all Comprehension And whose Glory is Ineffable and Everlasting dwelling beyond all possibility of Thought in Eternity We must approach him then with Awe and Reverence in our Prayer as he is in himself not only Absolute in Essence but as Relative to us in that he is our Creator and we his Creatures yea the Workmanship of his hands Prostrat lay with the greatest Humiliation of Body and Soule of All that we can to expresse our sense of the Debt we owe to so great a Maker and with shame to acknowledg our vile Transgressions and foolish as much as abominable Rebellions against the Wonderfull Love of so Gracious a Redeemer O come let us Worship and Fall down and kneel before the Lord our Maker Then rise Then raise thy Head thy Hands Dart up thine Eyes Sursum corda And lift up thine Heart on high And to next Altar take thy way Make ready then thy Soul as a Sacrifice upon the Altar of thy Ready Prayer Knock thy Breast Shew contrition for thy sin and indignation against thy self Kneel Shew Humility and Lowness of Spirit with the buckling of thy body Offer with thy Heart what taught to say Offer thy self in that prayer to the Father thatthe Lord of Life his beloved Son in whom he is well pleased hath taught thee to say and doubt not to be accepted 8. Devotion when th' ast breath'd a groan will lead c. When thou hast thus Ejaculated thy Spirit thy Devotion will conduct thy desires to Heaven Six Altars though but one Are six Petitions though but One Prayer All which do hang upon a mighty Corner Stone Depend upon Christ. Because he was it's Author and was and is the All-wise Directer and commander of the same 9. Each Altar has his Censer burn Each Petition has it's proper Virtue That Fires in proper Turn Comes in its due Order inflaming the breast with the Holy Spirit From whose Flames flies a Bird this Prayer thus said hath such an effectual Force and power of obtaining according to our Saviours Word and Promise that it raiseth us up from Death to life in Christ as Phenix from Urn by his death and Resurrection 10 A Burning Lamp with shining Light It is Christs example in Life and Doctrine who not onely taught us to pray but left us the Forms wherewith himself prayed His Prayers were perfect patterns They were short and Full very decent because in Order His Prayers were pure and meek chast and comely clear and lovely grave and weighty Oratio si pura si casta fuerit coelos penetrare vacua non redibit If prayer be clean and undefiled without spot and uncorrupted it returns not back from through-pierced Heaven without a Blessing Hearken to what our Saviour sayes in the sixth of S. Matthew And when thou prayest be not as the Hypocrites for they love to stand and pray in the Synagogues and in the corners of the streets because they would be seen of men Verily I say unto you they have their reward But when thou prayest enter into thy Chamber and when thou hast shut thy Dore pray unto the Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly Also when you pray use no vain Repetitions as the Heathen For they think to be heard for their much babling Be ye not like unto them therefore for your Father knoweth whereof ye have need before ye ask him Pray after this manner Our Father Oratio paucis verbis res multiplices comprehendit ut sit citò simplicitas fidei sufficientia suae saluti addisceret prudentia ingeniosorum profunditate Mysteriorum stupesceret This prayer contains many things in few Words that in short there may be preserved simplicity of Faith that we may perfectly learn what is sufficient for our own health and the knowledge of the nicest Wits may be astonished at the Depth of the Mysteries contained therein But mark the Eleventh of Saint Luke And so it was That as He was praying in a certain place when when he ceased one of his Disciples said unto Him Master teach us to pray as Iohn also taught his Disciples And he said unto them when ye pray Say so there was a command Our Father Dicendo Pater Noster veniam peccatorum poenarum interitum justificationem sanctificationem liberationem filiorum adoptionem haereditatem Dei fraternitatem cum Unigenito copulatam Sancti Spiritus dona largissima uno sermone significavit By saying Our Father he signified unto us even in one Word not onely the Pardon of our sins the Death of Punishment our justification our sanctification and our deliverance but his Adoption of us Sons and Co-heirs of God and our being made Brethren and joyned with his onely Sone and so sharers of the most Bountifull Gifts of the Holy Ghost Whose constant eye winks not for day or night His example his Precepts ought to be alwayes before us as they are alwaies in being I' th midst o' th Church Example is c. As Christ is in the midst of his Church so let him be in the midst of our Hearts That is his place So ought our Bodies to be the Temples of the Holy Ghost which is that Fire that has an everlasting brightnesse which irradiateth Spirituall Graces upon our Souls and warmeth them with continual comforts 18. Then on shee does conduct thy Pace c. Here the Emission of our prayers by our Devotion Supplication in the Spirit and the manner of Supplication is further described Here Devotion of the heart as an Ambassador carries our Petitions up towards the Throne of God Orationis purae magna est virtus velut fidelis Nuntius mandatum peragit penetrat quò caro non pervenit saith Saint Austin Great is the Force and efficacy of sincere Prayer Like a trusty Messenger it presents our desires and breaks through the Heavens where Flesh and blood cannot come
Therefore pray alwaies with all manner of Prayer Supplication in the Spirit and watch thereunto with all perseverance and Supplication for all Saints Ephes. 6. 18. Continue in Prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving Collos 4. 2. Pray continually 1 Thessal 5. 17. And then in respect of our prayers there is a progression that God would make us holy more and more until the comming of Christ at which time and not before we shall be perfectly holy As S. Paul desireth 1 Thessal 5. 23. I pray God that your whole spirit and Soul and Body may be kept blamelesss unto the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Devotion is said to conduct thy pace because prayer must be considered and not hasty 11. Unto the Chancel of that holy place Still the Ascent of our prayer is resembled as the going up from the Body of the Church to a Chancel or as in Cathedral Churches from the Nave to the Quire Pious Christians by direction of the Apostolical power The Bishops and Pastors in the Church after the Gospel had in the Primitive times passed through the storms of persecutions and begun to shine forth in more peaceable Ages did build Churches which they Dedicated to God as most fit places for publick Worship which in memory of their former troubles and their great and wonderful Deliverances out of them they fashioned in the form of a Ship which is subject to be tossed to and fro with impetuous Waves and uncertainly forced up and down in the Sea of this World by the Tempestuous Windes of Persecution Being very well acquainted with that Text in Saint Luke speaking of Christ standing by the Lake of Gennesaret Chap. 5. v. 2. He saw two ships stand by the Lakes side and the Fishermen were gone out of them and were washing their Nets And he entred into one of the ships which was Simons and required him that he would thrust off a little from the Land And He sate down and taught the People out of the Ship The Ship is the Church Christ the Priest and Bishop of our Souls the Prease of people upon the shore are Christians the Followers of his Doctrine Nor were such Churches unlike a Ship in many kinds if supposed to be transverst or turn'd with the Bottome or Foundation upward The Roofe is the keele the Walls the sides the Foundation the upper Deck or Shroud the East End the Prow or Forcastle The Pinacle in the midst the Mast and the West End the Poop or Steerage These Churches in their scituation stand transposed to the Temple of the Jews at Jerusalem These face the East as That the West The Christians worship toward the rising of the Sun so acknowledging the Resurrection of that Messias who is come and ascended to the Father The Jew looked Westward and in the shadow worshipped him that was to come But here the Guides aime is by a Reflection upon both and by the Comparison of each with other to make a Discovery of the way gradation and operation of Prayer In the outward part of the Temple of the Jews were the Atria divided by a low Wall of three Cubits high which surrounded the Temple The one was Atrium Populi The other Atrium Sacerdotis Such places are those Churchyards and Common places heretofore dedicated to holy Use and consecrated for publike praise prayer and Preaching about Christian Cathedrals The people belonging to Prayer are Christian circumcised Hearts which have communion in Atrio Populi in the Congregation of the Saints Devotion is the Levite which prepareth the Sacrifice the Priest is the Minister of the Ordinances be it prayer for the People or Preaching of the Sacred Word who joyning with them in Thanksgiving sacrificeth the Calves of their Lips with a Quid retribuam Domine Thus is obedience the best oblation in Atrio Sacerdotis the places of the Ordinances The Sanctum the Sanctuary as the Body or Nave of the Cathedrals is a Holy Life and Conversation thus the Soul becomes A Temple of the Holy Ghost This as the Cathedral hath two Isles or Alae wings to the Body in position North and South As they belong to Prayer Saint Augustine describes them Hae sunt duae alae Orationis quibus volatur ad Deum Si ignoscis delinquenti that 's the North Isle or left Wing Coldness to Wrath that is to pardon and forgive our offending brother Et donas egenti that 's the South Isle or Right wing to sustain the Needy to give to the Poor who are Members of our Elder Brother Christ. Through this Sanctuary of a Holy Life prayer is carried by Ejaculation of the Spirit into that Quire of the Church the Holy of Holies into Heaven where Jesus the ever-blessed High Priest our Mediator and Intercessor is sitteth at the right Hand of the Father and receiveth and delivereth our Petitions before the Mercy Seat the Throne of God This resemblance looketh up to that of Exhortation of Saint Paul 1 Tim. 2. 1. Concerning Prayer in general I exhort therefore that first of all Supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for All men That is the Atrium Populi For Kings and all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all Godliness and Honesty That is the Sanctum the Sanctuary For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God Our Saviour That is Sanctum Sanctorum the Holy of Holies From which place of Bliss comes the Bounty of Blessedness 12. Affections all about her kneel Denoting that Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God with all thy strength with all thy heart with all thy mind with all thy Soul c. The whole man must endeavour the utmost at so great a work at the performance of so pious a Duty Kneel Intimateth Reverence Upon the pavement Humility Made of Steel Of a steedy and firme Faith Reflected Heat Zeal On hearts Our Consciences From stones they feel From refreshing of the Holy Spirit breathing joy and Comfort into us after an unperceiveable manner Or may well be taken for our Charity to others which reflecteth a Heat upon our prayers The sum of this Stanza pointeth at Saint Pauls Direction to Timothy 1 Tim. 2. 8. I will therefore that men pray lifting up pure hands that is humble without wrath that is charitable or not doubting that is faithfully 13. I' th' midst a spire to Heaven doth straine Doth reach As in the midd'st of a Church the Steeple or spire is placed so the Ejaculations and groanings of Spirit rise as out of the midst of our souls where by our Prayers mount up to God and his Mercies like the Angels upon Iacobs Ladder descend down to us Wights Prayers Angels Mercies Hast thy wish obtainest thy desire and hast the Effect of thy prayer Pass doest gaine Hast obtained Assisting Grace to further thee to a Holy Resolution We must pray to be enabled to resolve as well as to do Refresh thou here
all Asia this Paul hath perswaded and turned away much people saying That they be not Gods that are made with hands So that not onely this thing is dangerous unto us that the State should be reproved but also that the Temple of the great goddess Diana should be nothing esteemed And that it would come to pass that her magnificence which all Asia and the World worshippeth should be destroyed Now when they heard it they were all of wrath and cryed out saying Great is Diana of the Ephesians And the whole city was full of confusion and they rushed upon the common place with one assent and caught Gaius and Aristarchus c. And when Paul would have entred c. Some cryed one thing and some another and the assembly was out of order and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together Upon Alexanders appearing to appease them when they knew that he was a Iew there arose a shout almost for the space of two houres of all Men Crying Great is Diana of the Ephesians There a Band Armed Zeals Men of Question and Contention that would either silence or destroy those which adhere unto or publish the Truth or force them into their own madness Such was the Conspiracy of more then forty Jews that bound themselves by an Oath to kill Paul Acts 23. Imaginations way advance Following their own Humors and the Chrotchets of their own Crowns presumptuously preferring their own Misapprehensions Each Zeal makes wise as it does understand Every one seems to be in the right and wu'd be accounted before others in judgement This is a painted Fire it has no true Heat Here Passion is mistaken for Zeal Every one will have a Religion of his own making and carryes it on with a several Furie Every mans Apprehension goes for Judgement Each does 'gainst th' other cry Shews not only their confusion but their contention and uncharitableness being full of questions to perplex and put out of countenance a pell mell of Noise and Negations to drown the voice of Truth So to Pantheon dance Pantheon saies Dion the Historian was a Temple in Rome so called Quod in Martis Venerisque imaginibus sub ipso Templo constitutis omnium Dearum imagines effictae erant Because under the images of Mars and Venus set up in that place they faigned and meant that all Gods whatsoever were Worshipped Under Wealth under Force and Lust stalks in the Idoltary of all Vices The Temple was round and open in the top as counterfeiting Heaven in its Circular Figure and so might give a conceit of Adoration of all the Host of heaven as that Idolatry in the time of the Prophets There they thought the Gods dwelt Pantheon was made by Agrippa to Iupiter the Revenger who is very near akin to Pluto in the sense of Fable Of late times 't is called the Church Divae Mariae rotundae the Church of S. Mary the Round 4. The Praeco calls Gods holy Word and his Ministers direct the way and give warning of dangers So the Prophets of old and S. Iohn the Baptist Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand For this is he of whom it is spoken by the Prophet Esaias saying The voice of one that cryeth in the wilderness is Prepare ye the way of the Lord make his paths straight Still still beware of Falls An ingemination for the greater notice of Dangers to stir up a diligent care against stumbling by Temptations or falling away from the Faith For now your way grows sharp and steep In regard of our approaching to more subtle underminings and more violent assault that with earnest labour we should undertake to pass Tryals and the sifting of the Tempter T is sharp and steep very difficult for Flesh and Blood to endure that is soft and heavy unwilling and unweldy for such displeasing and troublesom employment You must climb over rugged stones like walls Sins raise a wall of partition between God and us especially those stony sins of Cruelty Oppression Malice and Uncharitableness We must strive to gain a Masterie of our selves we must deny our selves conquer the concupiscences of the flesh climbing is a diligent labour Set footing wisely Walk soberly with prudence with all care and watchfulness for so it behoves a Christian. Persever with steddiness Hold by hands By Charitable deeds which fasten us to Faith and maintain thy Faith with thy Courage For the hands are not only the Stewards and dispencers of bounty but the Guard and Weapons of the man And sometimes creep Denoting Humility and Prayer and Christian Patience The higher thou goest thou art more subject to storms and liable to eminent and precipitious dangers 5. That way deceives Of Schism Error Heresie Seducing Temptation the speciousness of Superstition the pretence of Holiness Sanctimonious Pollicie Blessed is the man that doth not walk in the counsel of the wicked nor stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the seat of the scornful And them of wit bereaves Quos Jupiter perdere vult dementat prius Pharaohs heart was hardened before his destruction According to that which Jesus answered the people S. John 12. 35. Yet a little while is the light with you walk while ye have light lest the darkness come upon you For he that walketh in the dark knoweth not whither he goeth While ye have Light believe in the Light that ye may be the children of the Light Vitia nostra quae amamus defendimus maluimus excusare illa quam excutere We are given to defend the Errors we have embraced and we are apter to excuse such evils then to renounce them For thinking still they upward go Imagining that they are in the Right being abused with a salse Opinion No way is like theirs to Heaven This is Satans Deceptio visus his juggling with depraved Consciences and deluded Understandings Hypocrisie them draws and never leaves Hypocrisie is a subtile Evil a secret poyson a Hidden Venom and the Moth of Sanctity It pretends all 's well it deludes Prosperity and belies Curiosity and with a cruel Art it stabs Virtue with its own Dagger It kills a Fast with Fasting and makes Prayer undo it self it throws down Mercy with a seeming Pitty it destroies with cooling a Fever and in a cold Cup it giveth hot Drink Quod corporibus est Hydrops hoc Hypocrisis animabus What the Dropsie is to Bodies Hypocrisie is to Souls Haec enim Hydrops bibendo sitit Hypocrisis inebrietata est siti For as the Dropsie with drinking thirsteth Hypocrisie is Drunk to Thirst. Till shee doth cast them down to pride Till shee destroyes them with Ambition till she doth throw them down to Hell Pride is Satan who possesses men with a Spirituall Pride That 's fallen below Lucifer fallen from Heaven into the Dungeon of utter darkness prepared for the Divel and his Angels 6. The Top appears When we attain Faith our souls are elevated The blew Skies brightness clears Our souls
genius to find the True God out by Those Athenians in the Acts of the Apostles had set a pretty step to Heaven-ward when but so far as an Altar to an unknown God There was a blind acknowledgement in that and we find it soon followed and had so far obtained Grace that S. Paul came to them with the Revelation of the true one Jesus Christ. For whom they ignorantly worshipt Him did he shew unto them Make a stand then And view so fair a Ladie She is worthy of a look For she is very beautiful There is a Legitimate Fascination Look upon her Eye her well in her Physiognomy her Symmetrie Form Mein and Stature She is not Fair onely but very comely Thou losest not by it if thou fallest in Love She is the best Mistress The most amicable sweet-heart Look upon her Head So consider her in her Intellectuals Hast thou seen a plaited or ribbed Picture representing it self at some distance in divers forms and several Figures as thy Station hath changed from one side to that other in the Room as then placed Such does she thus appear unto thee In a Notional Contemplative and Theorical manner thou beholdest her to be Wisâ—â—â—m In the Practical Prudence Observe her body So thou look'st upon in her Morals So maist thou read Justice in her Will whose best and soundest parts decline from Evil are forward and ready to do Good Whos 's subjective Parts which are her Species are General or Particular So appears she distributive in her Reward In her Punishments Commutative too in Bargain Sale and the rest Whose potential parts are Religion Piety Observance Obedience Truth Gratitude Liberality Affability Friendship As she is Moral you may consider her in her concupiscible appetite Then call her Temperance adorn'd with blushing shamefastness and innocent honesty with the Neck-lace of Abstinence stomacher of Sobriety Girdle of Chastity and Garment of Modesty Her Companions at times are lovely Virgins Continencie handeth Courtesie Clemency Meekness Humility studious Regard Moderation Eutrapelia Ornament Simplicity As thou look'st still upon her Morals mind her likewise in her Irascible Appetite And thou must call her Fortitude whose sinewie musculous and curious Limbs are Resolution or Magnanimity Magnificence Patience and long-suffering Perseverance and constancy So you see how all the rest branch from or depend upon these four Cardinals as upon hinges but they are Virtues They are so call'd Cardinal à Cardine a Hinge Thou hast seen Resolutions Pedigree He 's Highborn Grand-child to the Queen-Regent of the Mind to virtue Wud'st thou know what he is He is a Captain he is a General and fit to be so He is both valiant and active He is not too hasty in the Order of his Designs nor too slow in their Execution But is steady in their settlement as the Laws of the Medes and Persians that were not to be revoked not to be removed He will through with his undertaking No let must stop him No Enemy gainsay him His aim is Noble his end is Honourable For that he strives Thither he must He slights a Treaty with the Vices He is accustomed to their specious pretences he understands their Rhetorick and is acquainted with their Enticements He knows the Golden Balls thrown in Atalanta's way He resists or diverts their purposes He walks upright and on still Come hither then Weak Brother and take example Hast a Uertigo in thy Head Like enough It may be blown in by some New Doctrine Hast no certain Pulse nor Pace Doest stagger up and down Doest reel like a Drunken Man It may be so There is a Drunkennesse in the Fancy There is an Intoxication of the Understanding Disorderly Passions are the Ebriety of the mind Is it so with thee Take Resolution to avoid Evill Take Resolution to do good Thou shalt find a cure Thou shalt become sober He that is desperate is a Coward He that is Resolute is Valiant Take Courage Man Put on Resolution Be a Numantine in the better Sense And let not a Scipio in the worst overcome thee Lose not thy Liberty for the glory of a Christian O happy Numantia Sayes that defeated Conquerour which the Gods had decreed should Once end but Nere be vanquished Make good the Liberty that God hath given thee Be not led captive by Passion though never so great Let no torment debase thee Let no Grief bring thee so low as to committ any thing unbeseeming a Noble Heart Nor wish death Nor fear it when it comes T' is terrible onely to Him that thinks not of it before it comes T is horrible to him that forceth and hasteneth it before it's Time Doest thou fear God O bey Him Forget him Not Nor thy Self Hasten not an End to Those Dayes that of themselves do poast unto it Let no Occasion prompt A Lye to thee to frame a base Excuse to blind to tempt thee to committ which in it self is not onely most Unlawful but most abhominable Socrates that wise man by the Light of Nature can tell thee so much like a Divine Thou must not suffer thy Soul to depart from the Sentery wherein she is placed in this Body without the Leave of her Captain So weighty a matter as Death sayes the Divine among the Heathen Plato ought not to be in mans Power If thou find'st thy weaknesse fortifie thy Self by Degrees Become Master but of One Resolution Thou maist become Master of thy Self by 't One step is the means to move further upward to raise thee to a lofty Room Resolve thou wilt avoid One Oath but One Hour It may produce A Day Resolve thou wilt not goe into that bad Company But this Time It may take thee off from Another Resolve to deny thy Heart but One unjust Request Mark how it will cool from offering thee Another If thou didst not give the Devill encouragement thou shouldst not peradventure have his Custom Resolve to say but One Prayer Take that which thy Lord hath taught thee It is but a short one lest it might seem irksom to thee Resolve to say it humblie In thy Heart Resolve to do it humblie On thy Knees too All Reverence of Soul and Body is too little for so Great a Majestie Whoso wu'd chill thy Reverence wu'd Kill thy Devotion murder thy Prayer and by Consequence thy Soul Have the Angels no Knees thou hast Let thy Heart suit their Reverence Let thine Intellectuall Nature do a like worship Let thy Body perform it's own O come let us fall down and worship and Kneel before the Lord Our Maker For he is the Lord our God and we are the People of his Pasture and the Sheep of his Hands this can not be remembred too often Prostrate then The Humiliation of thy Body will humble thy Soul It will abate the strength of thy proud Flesh. Resolve as much as possibly thou canst to think of Nothing then but God and thy Prayer and thy self in it to Him Conceive it is the
Sacrifice of thy Soul And that thou then discoursest with the Deitie Think of thy Saviour more than thy Sin Doest see Another Law in thy members warring against the Law of thy mind and bringing thee into Captivity to the Law of Sin which is in thy Members And thereupon groanest out Saint Paul's words O wretched Man that I am Who shall deliver me from the body of this Death Seek to make his Application I thank God through Jesus Christ Our Lord by whom we have now received the Atonement Resolve One good Deed of Charitie That will warme thy Heart That may kindle a holy flame in thy Soul Resolve to pray as soon as thou awakest So thou prevent'st Sin from taking Possession With the Psalmist seek him early in the morning Run to thy knees at Noon Day Or when any Temptation assaulteth thee Resolve not to couch thy Head on thy Pillow before thy Peace-Offering And that thou beest to God and Man reconciled Thy Bed may prove thy Grave And there is a Resurrection Resolve against any Notorious Sin whereof thine Own Conscience shall arraign thee Guilty Make A Covenant with thine Eyes thine Eares thy Lips thy Hands thy Feet and thy Thoughts too For these are the Tinder of Iniquity Leave not God till thou hast obtained A Blessing Wrastle for it as Iacob He loves to be sought He delighteth to hear thee call upon Him And is pleased to see a stout Champion what thou see'kst is not worth his Giving if not worth Thy Contending for Strike thy Breast That thy rockie Heart may be mollified That it may have the comfortable Metamorphosis from Stone to Flesh So shalt thou be reconciled to thy displeased Father So Christ will own thee will send the Comforter unto thee And thy Body shall become the Temple of the Holy Ghost Thou shalt grow from grace to grace even to Eternall Glorie Take up thine Arms then With Them the Ingemination that the Lord deliver'd to Ioshua Be strong and of a good courage c. Be strong and very courageous that thou maist obserue to doe according to All the Law c. Turn not from it to the Right hand or to the Left that thou maist prosper whither soever thou goest CANTO IX The Lodge of Patience 1. PAce softly on The Way is deep 'T is foul with Showers The Clouds did weep Wade through that Slough This thawed Clay That mires This tires Best pick thy way Ore some deep Ditches thou must leap On bare foot passe sharp Stones on heap Through furzie Queaches thou must goe That prick and wound from Head to Toe Mark Sun and Thou thy Way shalt know Then com'st thou breathlesse unto Sand An open Countrey and a barren Land 'T is there The Lodge of Patience does on Crutches stand 2. It stands upon a Hillie Plain Where Camels Food with Labour gain On bitter Broom on Wormwood Gall On some sowre Hearbs they diet All Both They and Patience whom you see Beside her Lodge beneath a Tree That Palm with Shade to Her is Kinde She Smiles at Rufflings of the Winde On Stone she sits her Head does binde An Eagle sometimes does descend And layes a panting Dove down by his Friend With such his Labour oft her Commons he does mend 3. Beneath that Place there runs a Spring Whose Waters Sent from Brimstone bring Yet is there wholsome Taste most Sweet Her Wine it is and Bath for Feet To be in Storms She much delights She 's us'd to Goblins Not to Frights Wilde Boars do sometimes passe that Way And Tygres that do seek for Prey At her they try but dare not stay She drawes a Box that 's hid by Her When opening it forth flameth dreadful Fire At which amated they forsake her Then their vain Desire 4. Her stilted crazie seeming Lodge Has here a Patch and there a Bodge Is lin'd with Adamant within To keep fierce Storms from breaking in The torne Thatch Cover o're her Head Beneath is floared all with Lead Two wide Doors are to South and North. So Heat and Cold come and passe forth Their Malice she counts little worth Her Chambers haunted are with Sprites That offer dreadful Visits Dayes and Nights She sings or sleeps secure neglecting Fancies Frights 5. When Eyes unclose sad Sights appear With threatning Dart grim Death seems near Ill Newes of all sorts buzze in Ear And say Th' are Tokens sent from Fear The Sprites do groan and make a Noise Like starving Pris'ners screaming Voice With Scourges Others smartly strike Another tears what she does like And 'gainst her every where's a Pike All these she feels and foils by stay To spite them more she fervently doth Pray They tremble Then and roar They vanish soon away 6. With sober Pace abroad she walks And with her Self and Heaven she talks From whence an Angel cometh down And shewes the Figure of a Crown A Viol gives of Cordial smell Of Essence 't is for Her not well At Sent whereof she springs with Joy Which nothing after can annoy Such Comfort Mischief can't destroy A Cot-Lamb skippeth by her Side Her Steps to harmlesse Sports become a Guide Oft Disadvantages she meets oft turns them quite aside 7. Wilde Satyrs make their lewd Assaults Their Hairinesse can't blush at Faults They mock They mow Like Dogs they bark And she is robb'd by many'a Shark But still unmov'd She mindes Above To that Place only points Her Love All other Trifles She doth scorn Her Noble Spirit 's better borne She smiles at what wu'd make forlorn At Home She takes down Fortunes Wheel Forth-drawn Disasters she doth spin and reel To Providence she gives the Web from Loom of Steel 8. Before Her Lodge a Column stands As by Semiramis'es Hands So vast so high of Marble made Nor Time nor Tempest should invade Of Constancie this bears the Name Heroick Record unto Flame On it such worthies Names She writes As David Iob whose Lives were Lights With such great Letters She endites The History of Martyrdome That so down to Posteritie 't may come And if not Shame strike Persecution dumb 9. Upon the Column's Chapter 's writ In Letters Large for Reading It. MY BODIE' 's HARD MY HEAD IS HIGH 'BOVE FINGERS REACH OR INJURIE Aloft doth stand an Amazon A Snake her Right Foot treads upon Her Left Arm 's lockt within a Shield Which bears a Crosse in Bloodie Field Her Right Hand up to Heaven is held She boldly looketh towards East And seems to slight fierce Storm or furious Beast Whens'ere this roars or that does aim to strike her Breast 10. Not far off hence there lies a Shoar Where breaking Waves aloud do roar Where Shipwrackt Marriners were cast And like the Waves they cry'd agast They wrung their Hands They tore their Hair Sav'd Life was tortur'd by Despair To th' Lodge did crawl sad Stories tell She to her Viol bade them smell Their Griefs did vanish They were well Praise then they did begin to Sing She bade them
Such are the phantasms of worldly delights that take their turns in our Brains not being worthy of comparison with pious and noble thoughts Ob hoc tenebrarum commercium et si alioquin tetricae et luridae non defuit tamen sua cui placeret Dea Proserpina Scil. Inferni regis uxor From their commerce with the darke though they be very unpleasant in shape or colour yet they have not wanted a Patronesse among the heathen Goddesses even Proserpina the wife of Pluto The faigned Powers of Hell Proserpina is Beauty Worldly Fame and the like Pluto is Riches and worldly wealth Ye may know what manner of Things those are by the Beast and Bird that they patronize Each screeching Owl to one another calls One sin gives the alarum to another in the Conscience till all be quieted by repentance The Owl is Avis luctisona funebris A mournful a Funeral bird So here it signifies the Lamentation of a sinner The punishing himself with sorrow and mortifying himself with grief for his sin committed Bubonem cum apparuit mâ—li ominâ—s esse aut bellum aut famem aut mortem portendere vetus persuasio fuit ad nostrum usque saeculum derivatur It was an old Augurie and remains as a continued vulgar opinion a popular Ethnick tradition even in latter times that the appearance of an Owl was either a sign of ill luck or War or Famin or Death All pertinent to this sense For here under the Owls is mentioned that sin must leave his place the flesh is overthrown as in the field by the Spirit sin is like to have no more sustenance For Mortification is at hand A side this Gatehouse down some steps do turn Alluding to turning from former ways aside from the world the Discourse of the Tongue is changed into a pious and sober language the Actions of the Hands are altered into Religious and Virtuous Deeds the Steps are downward to denote Humility and they turn to shew Repentance Into a Vault where 's many an Urn Mortification dwels very low and out of sight A Vault for Urns is a repository for the Dead used by the Romans and other Nations heretofore Such is man the burial place of disorderly affections when he is quickened in Christ. Which she with Ashes fills of flesh that late did burn The overcoming of the Temptations of the flesh by the power of the spirit 4. About this hollow Room lye gasping sins This shews the loathness of sin to leave us and our close League with it that we must dye at parting This Room is the Conscience That usually before they dye c. Before sin leaves us our natures being possess 't therewith shew much reluctancie and before it goes it will represent it self in the ugliest shape and make a horrid noise in the Conscience to Tempt to Despair or seek to move compassion in the Affections Which nought from her of soft compassion winnes The Mortified Soul is resolved of a New life and regards not any temptations She upward looketh with a pleased eye Heaven is her Comfort and delight She is pleased in the destruction of Gods enemies That dead their wickedness there lye She triumpheth in her conquest under Christs Banner While on a Tomb with arms acrosse she sitteth by The proper emblem of Mortification The soul sits in a sad Posture upon a Funeral seat a place for Tears a place of Mortality 5. Her right hand underneath her breast is plac't Signifying her Reverence Her Left upon a Yoke c. Her Patience A yoke is the Emblem of Patience Her Right foot tear-wash't very clean Her repentance and amendment of Life Upon an earthly Globe treads that 's defac't Her contempt of the World which is a deformed object in her Eye Her bare lefts set upon the Gelid Ground Her Humilitie That sheweth here and there a wound Her Charity and compassion Whose bleeding drops preserve her c. She is ever dying to the world and killing the flesh 6. Upon her shoulders she doth bear a Crosse Her Obedience Which makes Her bend a little down Her Patience She 's very lovely but she 's brown Shee is accepted in the Eye of her Saviour though nothing beautifull in the worlds opinion And listens not to oft brought news of loss Her Prudence and Resolution From off a stone a Lamp doth glimmer light Her Life is not specious but austere It is a despised labouring through many tribulations a strugling through temptations Or thus Our Lamps our Natures are subject to many imperfections our corruptions like Oyl will fire therein but mortification permits them not to flame forth and shine out they have but their Glimmerings The Lamp is plac't upon stone to shew it is mortal A stone is a thing without life and used to cover the dead As day were mix't with some of night This alludeth to the Painters artificial mixing of colours with his nimble pencil touching those brighter with some of the sadder hue which makes them shew much darker for the better draught of his piece to the Life often causing shadows to set off the livelier colours So the Traveller here makes one composure of day and night to set forth that the life of mortification is a continual death So is life resembled unto day and night mentioned as the privation of the same And near the walls Skul 's Letters form words Life does write Here the Traveller straineth his fancy to the resemblance of wise sentences heretofore accustomed to be written upon the walls within the rooms of wel disposed persons houses which offered to the ey of those that came near them the Memory of something that was worthy the observation For such a silent kind of instruction does he here build or set skulls one upon another against the wall to fashion words and of such words so formed to compose sentences The Skulls are Men men dead to the World the Letters are numbers of men the Words are Nations of men â—he Sentences are the worlds of men or the successive generations of the distinct Ages in the world Life writes mortality upon all these both by precept and example and publisheth it as by a writing upon the Table of the Universal world as the Skulls thus supposed in their order here are imagined to signifie upon this wall But this is not all For here it is meant concerning Regenerated men who are dead to sin Mortifying the Lusts thereof in their earthly bodies Christ is their life who is the Word charactereth in their soules the Comfort and Assurance of happiness as it is expressed from the words of S. Paul Col. 3. 4. in the next Stanza in those lines Your life is hid with Christ in God c. Stanza 7. 7. Such even composure of each Mortal head c. This Stanza was unlocked in the former The Door stands open 8. Without the Gate an aged Porter stands Contempt of the world he is said aged for his experience which conduceth
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
proper buisinesse the mind has an innocent and rejoycing contentment when the heart is so dispos'd being folded in safety according to that of the Psalmist I will lay me down and also sleep in peace For thou Lord onely makest me dwell in Safety She 's Resignation's Neighbour and Self Friend Regarding nought but c. The rest of this Stanza expresseth that Contentation of mind allwaies accompanieth Self-resignation of will to God's Dispose In whose Pleasure the Soul rejoyceth alwaies without murmuring waiting with Patience and not repining but cheerfully from his hand receiving whatsoever commeth So as nothing betideth such a Soul crosse or obnoxious 10. Aloof upon sinister Hand Vain Desires arise from the wrong side of the Soul They are said to be aloof as described by the Travailer to the Pilgrim to be out of the way of a Christian's walk to be at great distance from the way wherein he ought to goe Thine Eye a floating Ile may now command Within a troubled Sea c. This discovers the Folly of worldly Desire and the vanity of corrupt Affections As an I le is divided from the Continent they do not concern and should not belong to the Christian man They are extraneous and extravagant They float having nothing of firmnesse or steadinesse in them intimating their Vanity The floating Ile is a wandring Fancy within a troubled Sea in a distemper'd Brain Or the floating I le inordinate Affections within a troubled Sea in a disquiet Soul This is the description of too fond desire and earthly mindednesse Where every one does seeke what t'other has The breach of the Tenth Commandement Nullus sua sorte contentus And madly think to grind at mills of Glasse Caught atomes c. Shewing the unreasonablenesse and unfitnesse as well as impossibility of obtaining of foolish Desires discovering the Vanity of carnall appetite which occasion Disquiet sorrow and Dejection of mind Mills of Glasse are the Fancy wherein the Imaginative Faculty is in labour with Apparitions When unreasonable Expectation is disappointed the heart is ready to faint with Despaire and the Breast is ready to break with the losse of it's longing But turne c. Giving notice of a more worthy object Averte oculos a vanitate mundi Turne away from the vain world Contemn it 11. As Globes of Ivory two Hills Embroid'red o're c. Joy and Innocence are to a good Conscience as the fair Breasts of a beautiful Virgin very full of Ornament and Comliness As the Church is mentioned in the 7. of the Canticles v. 7. Thy two Breasts are as two young Roes that are Twins Thy Neck is like a tower of Jvory c. Embroid'red ore with azure-veined Rills Quickened and adorned with Integrity of Life and continually refreshed with the Comforts of the Spirit Have 't wixt them Beautie 's Plain c. The cleare bosome of Trueth a Plain that is fertile with well-doeing Within this Plaine A Virgin c. Here is mentioned the Excellence of a sanctified Soul and the Eminence of a good Conscience It is Virgo intacta a Virgin undefiled Thou art fair my Love and there is no spot in thee Comely drest All about it is decent and in order Sits It is unmoved With dishevell'd Locks Without a Covering without hypocrisie Veritas non quaerit angulos In Snowie Vest purity cloatheth it all over It is arrayed with Candour as with a garment And with a Crimson Crosse upon her Breast The Badge of Religion and Devotion She Sweetly sings unto the flowing Streams It provoketh praise to God for his continuall Benefits and Graces powred upon it He maketh me to rest in green pasture and leadeth me by the still waters He restoreth my Soul and leadeth me into the paths of righteousnesse for his Name 's sake Psal 23. 2. 3. Self-instructing Theams c. Conscientia sibi judex The Conscience is it 's own Judg and Counsellour How beautifull are thy goeings with shooes O Princes Daughter The Joynts of thy Thighs are like Jewels the work of the hand of a cunning workman Thy navel is a round Cup that wanteth not liquour Thy Belly is as an heap of wheat compassed about with Lillies c. Thine Eyes are like the Fish-pooles in Heshbon by the gate of Beth-rabbim Thy Nose is as the Tower of Lebanon that looketh toward Damascus c. How faire art thou and how pleasant art thou O my Love in pleasures This thy stature is like a Palm tree and thy Breasts like Clusters Canticles 7. 12. To Resignation from Above Descends an Angel c. God out of his infinite Love and Mercy sendeth his Angels down to guard those that trust in him He is a Pillar of Defence to the Faithfull See! Blessed are the Stock and thriving Kine c. This pointeth at the Blessings in the 28. of Deuteronomy to those that were obedient and gave up themselves to performe the Commandements of the Lord. If thou shalt diligently obey the Voice of the Lord thy God c. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy Body and the Fruit of thy ground c. And if at any time there come Command For All c. Here is willing submission to Gods will and ready render with a free Heart and a rejoycing minde that he wil daign to call for any thing that we best esteem and that he will please to accept it from us In this and the beginning of the next following Stanza is set down the obedience of the soul and the dutifull submission of a Christian heart by self-resignation in all unto God MORAL XI AN injur'd generous Mind is conquer'd by submission to it Posse nolle nobile He that gives up all unto a noble heart seiseth upon all that is in the Possession of it Submission with reverence presented unto God is an humble argument of a Christian repentance Resignation of the Will a ready discovery of the Souls devotion the first a fair preparer for pardon the last a great prevailer for protection at the Throne of mercy Submission attracts Gods eye of mercy towards us Resignation opens the hand of his blessings upon us Suhmission makes the Will an Altar for the soul Self-resignation offers the whole man upon that Altar Without Submission there can be no Reconciliation Without self-Resignation no perfection of Faith in a Christian. Well saies Isidore lib. 1. de sum bon Non erit caro subjecta animae nec vitia rationi si animus non est subditus Creatori Tunc autem rectè nobis subjiciuntur omnia quae sub nobis sunt si subjiciuntur ei à quo nobis illa subjecta sunt The flesh shall not be subject to the Spirit nor vice be master'd by Reason so long as man stands out a Rebel against his Maker For then are all things below us are subjected unto us when we become subjected unto him by whom all those things were made and placed in subjection under us PROSPECT XI BEhold the earth that
good In 's Person Brooks so fill by Floud Of Grace the Covenant call'd Derivative From whence Beleevers Title do derive His Mediatorship did erst atchieve Parties Conditions and their Seals She does Behold Prerogatives by Faith She seeth manifold Such as Saint Iohn Saint Paul have so divinely told 21. Most humbly She Looks up to see Trines Mysterie Father the Creator is New Creatour Son O Blisse Holy Spirit 's Seal to This. In Earnest of Redemption so Regeneration does new flow In such a manner few do know The Church Regenerate the first-born may Those Spirits of Just men so made perfect say Nature divine partake those with allay O' th' Righteousnesse o' th' Kingdom For 't is seal'd To those and those to It with Reverence anneal'd So One with Jesus Christ Mediatour thus reveal'd 26. As Wondrous was Gods free giv'n grace To bring to passe Redemption in Designe The TRINITIE did joyn In Counsell most Divine Interpellation Covenant past For all to be perform'd and last For all were Providences cast Administrations Author FATHER is SON Grand Administrator unto These The Principle of speciall Ordinances The HOLY GHOST Subministrators from Sublime Take Government so ordination claim from Prime Words Sacraments Administration passe through Time 27. Means to save All The Church then call HIERARCHICALL And MINISTERIAL whence Church congregate in Sense Kingdome of God from thence By calling Saints and with Christ One As Hee Apostle was alone Without Whom Government is none As Rivers may divide from out a Lake That 's ever full of which their Streams partake Whose various Courses that vast Floud does make So Government from One to Twelve came whence again Those subdivided into lesser Brooks did vein So from Apostles Bishops influence obtain 28. Her down-cast Eye Sees Man must die Sin 's Wages trie The Bubble of his Breath Must needs be broke by Death His Bodie grav'd beneath Yet 's Soul does flie to place of Rest To Paradise that keepes the Best But wicked Ones with Sin are prest Until the Resurrections Trump does blow When all the teeming Graves their Dead shall show And every One Reward to Deeds shall know The glorious Judge Just Jesus comes to Sentence All. The Righteous then to th'Right shall hear his Blessed Call When Go ye cursed shall be Then the wicked's Fall 29. And now behold Her Locks like gold For us Shee 's told By Angell from Above Whom Seraph wings do move Encircling round with Love Chuse Mortals either here aloft to dwell By Faith by Love by doing well Or desperate leap with Horrour into Hell Chuse Chuse Eternitie of Blisse or Pain E'relasting Losse Or everlasting Gaine Bath i' th' Lambs Blood O wash away your Stain Could ye conceive the Joyes that here are Infinite And glory such as Tongues nor Pens could ere indite To gain this Place All earthly Torments Smiles wu'd slight 30. Hear'st this Away Let 's make no Stay But use our Day Down through the Wildernesse Amidst the Worlds Distresse Let Joyfull Courage Presse When w' are return'd unto our Place Let 's Minde these Things in any Case Life's short Good Life a narrow Space Let 's listen still to hear the silent Feet Of Death who 'l bring home Bliss wrapt in a sheet The blessed Angels then with Joy will greet Then tune we Tongues to Steps with never-failing Praise Let pious Works our Hearts our Souls to Heav'nward raise Let Hands Let Thoughts Let All God magnifie alwayes PERSPECTIVE XII DOwns are an open Place of intermixed Hills and Dals commonly upon the Coast and many times in the Inland Where somtimes they are a rising Ridg of Hills and Valleys whose free and pleasant scope overtop and overlook the neighbouring inferiour Countrey And from the declining and ascending position of the Earth as the high and more swelling Waves in the deeper Seas are not unlikely to have derived their name from their seeming to carry their Passengers over them up and down These for their healthful Ayr by their Loftinesse pleasant prospect by their opennesse and smooth Turf for their Evenesse do often invite in the delightfull seasons of the Year Persons of quality and leisure to take the Ayr upon them and to spend some time in recreation Horsmen choose such places thereupon to make and run races with their swiftest Coursers to try their courage wind and swiftnesse of their Heels Such are Newmarket Heath or Bainstead Downs They are called the Downs of Cogitation Because Thoughts are full of motion and uncertainty that have their erection and dejection upon the Mind as the first Stanza mentions 1. From hill to hill we goe c. Here is a Comparison between the Downs and the Waves of the Sea Both much agreeing in their resemblances with one another And both expressing the manner of Cogitation 2 All ore this flowry place c. The pleasure of Thoughts is compared in this Stanza to Flowers their subtility and quicknesse to the nimble flight of Swallowes And here Swallowes seeme to be matched as Coursers to expresse in a poeticall manner both the pleasure and swiftnesse of Cogitation together 3. Out from Thelema's Cave c. Here is first described the origination and purification of Cogitation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Voluntas the Will and Affection from whence Thoughts as Waters out of the head of a Spring do take their rise and have their flux As the Heart is such are the Thoughts And that is Thelema's Cave in the side of the Downs the Man This being taken from that vulgar though not true opinion according to Anatomists that the Heart is placed in the left side of the Body A Generous Heart dresseth or setteth forth the Thoughts in Gallantry and Noblenesse So appears Dianoia Cogitation fair and beautifull when Devotion is in the Heart and Charity in the Hand which is an unbound Book the obedience unto Holy Writ ready to be dispensed according to active piety Thoughts seem awaked when drawn out of the sleep of Sin and darknesse of pollution Sitting is a Posture of steadinesse and Recollection Thoughts dwell in a Waggon as the old Scythians that never used Houses but such Receptacles as might more properly be call'd their Moveables than their Habitations Silent wheels is the imperceptibility of Thought Drawn with Dromedaries is their velocity as also the tenacity by Cogitation of things first apprehended For though a Dromedary be a kind of Cammell it differs in dorso The Cammel has a Bunch on his Back the Dromedary two Fins as I may call them the one near his Wallis the other more backward to the Chine both upon the Ridg of his back which fall down loose upon his sides without weight and rise and claspe in an imposed Burden With an unperceived Pace Dromedaries move with great strength and swiftnesse Whereupon Livie reciteth them as very usefull in Warlike expeditions His utebantur praecipuè in bellicis expeditionibus And Curtius in his 7. booke mentions that Polydamus was sent
adjunctum opus tacitè reprimunt dùm cogitationes protinus se causis propriis ad utilitatem subdunt Suppose that Reason went abroad a visiting and left the house of the minde to the Dispose of her servants the Thoughts When the Mistresse is thus out of the way what a noise what gossiping there is among the Maids But let Reason return unto the minde again when the Mistresse comes home no sooner her Foot at the Door but all is hush all Disorder vanishes and as every Maid betakes her self silently to her Work the Thoughts in like manner become well ordered and for much benefit to the Minde adjoyn themselves and set themselves on Work in their proper Businesse Let us look upon a Neoterick Ut figuli celerrimâ rotae manus concitatione in dissimiles propè infinitas elegantes tamen imagines mollieres argillae massam transmutant Simili ratione meditatio afficit ut infinita rerum abstrusarum genera acriter ratiocinando assequamur paria paribus contraria contrariis praeterita prasentibus comparemus As the Potter transforms the Masse of purer Clay with the swift Motion of his turning Hand into many unlike and in a manner numberlesse Figures yet curious shapes After the same manner worketh Meditation She brings it so to passe that we may reach untold sorts of secret things by a quick and inward reasoning comparing like to like contrarie with contrary and weighing with the present things what went before Let 's hear what another sayes Cùm bonum sit objectum voluntatis nostrae adeo quòd nihil possit esse amatum nisi bonum aut sub specie boni Cumque intellectus concipiat infinitam bonitatis abyssum in Deo valdè frigida esset voluntas quae non instar alterius Phoenicis exardesceret in amoris divini ignem contemplando lucidissimos solis justitiae radios Discute igitur alas tuas instar Phoenicis et erige cortuum inter meditandum et invenies te convertendum in cinerem vermes dum agnoscis tuam utilitatem coram infinita et immensa illa bonitate Dei When what is Good is the object of our Wills so nothing can be affected but That or something like it Seeing then that the Vnderstanding may conceive the infinite Abysse of Goodnesse that is in God the Will were Ice if it should not as another Phoenix flie all on fire with Divine Love by Contemplation beholding those most glorious Rayes of the Sun of Righteousnesse Display thy Wings then like the Phoenix raise thy Heart and mount thy Spirit between thy Meditations and with Iob thou shalt finde thy Self converted into Dust and Worms while thou doest acknowledge thine own Vileness in the Presence of that most Infinite and most Immense Goodnesse of the Lord. PROSPECT XII WHen wicked Policies doe raign They rowle their Trenches in the Brain And subtly winde false Works with Art To Undermine the Noblest Heart While Cunning spendeth utmost Skill To act what 's New invented Ill Makes Stratagems walks untrod Wayes Their hid Designes to height to raise Do make 't their Businesse to surprize What Truth can't gain they wu'd by Lies And all is but to make a Prey O' th' Soul which still they wu'd betray What Vizards do they wear For Ends O most unjust each other rends None sooner ruine brings them to Than Craft does Cunnings self undo While Sin doth seek all wayes to thrive Religious Sails to Heavenward drive Sin falls with Plots and th' Soul does gain By Contemplation Hope to raign CONSOLATORY ESSAY XII AS Men hear they tell the News But as they see they know so 't is in Plautus that old Comoedian Qui audiunt audita dicunt qui vident planè sciunt The Tongue and the Hand are very unruly Members especially when Honesty and Reason are not their Masters The Tongue seemeth the more desperate but the Hand appeareth the more dangerous What is spoken may be helped by Supposition of Mistaking or Disagreement in the Reporters or Death For then Breath and Life vanish together whereas that of the Hand appeareth to Posterity surviveth the Writer and Reader and remaineth as a Thousand Witnesses Illis est Thesaurus stultis in Linguâ situs Et questui habeant malè loqui melioribus Sayes the same Plautus Those Fools think Treasures placed in the Tongue That count belying Betters Gain for Wrong Incautus fuerit si propriâ manu tale aliquid comprehenderit â quâ utique re unicè cavere debes quòd nihil sit quo tam facile convincaris It is Macrobius He may be accounted indiscreet that leaveth a loose Action under his own Hand which a man ought with special care to avoid lest it become a snare to take his want of foresight Wherefore as no Vice layes a more foul aspersion upon Man then that of Ingratitude So no evidence is so strong to taint him therewith or convict him thereof as his own Hand-writing in Detestation of that Vice and his Actual Approbation of the Contrary How comes it then that Christians that have so often set their Hands to so many Obligations to God as have been so often iterated in and since Baptisme should fall away in such a manner as by the Wickednesse of their Hands and the ungodlinesse of their impudent Actions to testifie against themselves their own Impiety and to divulge abroad the Characters of their not lesse great than Abominable ingratitude To unman themselves by ingratitude to their Maker to unchristian themselves by unthankfulnesse to their Redeemer when the least that can be done in such a Case is to render Obedience for Creation Dutie for Protection and to return Praise for Blessings Do the Dumb Beasts give Thanks in their Looks and cast their Eyes unto the Hands that feed them Shall condemn'd Androgeo finde Gratitude in a Den of Lions And can any Christian be at a Losse when he Looks for it in his Bosom My Friend and Brother Christian Ubi animus ibi oculus The Watch of thine Eye goeth as the Spring of thine Affection directeth Let 's mark our Blessed Saviours advice He preacht it in the Mount Lay not up Treasures for your selves upon the Earth where the Moth and Canker corrupt and where the Theeves dig through and steal But lay up Treasures for your Selves in Heaven where neither the Moth nor Canker corrupteth and where the Theeves neither dig through nor steal For where your Treasure is there will your Heart be also Hast thou had a dejected Look from a heavie Heart as if th' adst lost thy Comfort and couldst not finde thy Happinesse Didst seek it in the Earth that Treasure is not in Mines nor in the Darknesse of so dull an Element Look upward Soul Look upward and be thankful Look upward and be mindful Be mindful of all that the Lord so wonderfully hath done for Thee so mercifully hath done unto Thee so bountifully hath bestowed upon Thee Strive to turn thine Eyes towards him from Vanitie And intreat His help to quicken thee in his Way Canst thou tell the number of his Mercies Canst thou tell how many be the Rays of the Sun And canst thou consider all his Blessings Look up and rejoyce at the excellent Goodnesse of the Lord Look up with the Eyes of Faith through the Heavens and behold the Brightnesse of His Glory that he hath prepared for the Saints Meditate and Look all about Thee Contemplate and cast up thine Eyes above Thee Here is Comfort There is Joy Here Christ easeth thy Burden There he gives Thee a reward Observe then his Testimonies and obey his Statutes Let thy Soul then magnifie his Name Let thy Lips sing Praises to his Holinesse Let thy Breast become a smoaking Altar And let thy Soul be all a flame of holy Love Let all thy Breath be as sweet smelling Incense up to Heaven Fix there thy Faith thy Hope thy Heart thy Soul That 's thy Place thy dwelling Hasten as directed thither Only remember thou art Mortal Deal thine Alms Give thy Dole before thou goest Praise ye the Lord For it is good to sing unto our God For it is a pleasant Thing and Praise is comely The Lord doth build up Jerusalem and gather together the disperâ—â— of Israel He healeth those that are broken in Heart 〈◊〉 bindeth up their Sores He counteth the number of the Stars and calleth them all by their Names Great is our Lord and great is his Power his Wisdom is infinite The Lord relieiveth the meek and abaseth the wicked to the Ground Sing unto the Lord with Praise Sing upon the Harp unto our God! Praise the Lord. For his Mercie endureth for ever FINIS