this groaning the crying out and roaring of thine afflictions Be patient thou art a Christian. Chear up Thou hast heaven before thee Thy journey is not long Blessed are they which mourn for they shall be comforted Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake So preached Christ in the Mount Rejoyce and be exceeding glad For great is your reward in Heaven For so persecuted they the Prophets that were before you In patience therefore possesse your souls saith this Apostle S. Paul Be patient Many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord delivers them out of all CANTO X. The Ruins of Mortification 1. BEtween two Hills as those of Faith and Hope Thou goest into a gloomy Glade Where Groves of Yew do cast their shade Thou findest there a Pallace that had scope Balconies Rooms of pleasure large and long With Arras and with Pictures hung With Aviarie's sweets where wanton voices sung 2. All now dropt down within on Ruin's Tomb Lay buri'd in a rubbish Graff As Corn within a heap of Chaff The Persons and the lustie of each Room Where numbers dwelt before now 's desolate And whispers tell the walls their state The ruin'd place of flesh is sad Necrosis Gate 3. The Gate-house onely stands The other Walls Do seem to shoulder friendless Ayre There melancholy Bats repair Each screetching Owl to one another calls Aside this Gate-house down some steps do turn Into a Vault where 's many an Um Which she with Ashes fills of Flesh that late did burn 4. About this hollow room lye gasping sins That usually before they dye Do give a groan or make a cry Which nought from her of soft compassion wins She upward looketh with a pleased eye That dead their wickedness there lye While on a Tomb with Arm across she sitteth by 5. Her Right hand underneath her breast is plac't Her Left upon a Yoke doth lean Her right foot Fear-wash't very clean Upon an Earthly Globe treads that 's defac't Her bare Left 's set upon the gelid Ground That sheweth here and there a Wound Whose bleeding drops preserve her body ever sound 6. Upon her shoulders she doth bear a Cross Which makes her bend a little down Shee 's very lovely but shee 's brown And listens not to oft-brought News of losse From off a stone a Lamp doth glimmer light As day were mixt with some of night And near the Wall Sculs Letters form words Life does write 7. Such even composure of each mortal Head Seems lively Truth in death to speak Whose Language doth not silence break Your life is hid with Christ in God Y' are dead When Christ that dy'd to make us living here Who is Our Life brings glory near In Glory then shall also ye with him appear 8. Without the Gate an aged Porter stands Most gravely casting up his eye Neglecting who so passeth by On Crosier leaning both his clasped hands And to the curious does deny his Name He has a reason for the same He he expecteth Glory for his scorned fame 9. Behold pursu'd by many furious Hounds From ore the hills a deadly Chase In that spoyl'd Grove's his heavy Case The Stagge doth fall and weepeth to his wounds While th'Huntsmen winde the death of this their prize A live Hart from dead Stagge doth rise Starts up they all pursue for Prey Past reach he flies 10. A wanton woman see in this fair Grove Drest all with fashions and with toys Discarding powdred Singing-boys Does change her Vest as she does change her Love She bids them all Be gone And leave her there That shade admits no fierce heat near They gone On firie breast oft drops a cooling tear 11. But see a Hagge that 's filthy and obscene Descends into a purging Spring How 'bout her water she does fling Throw by her putrid clothes And make her clean Sweet Youth and Beauty then to her return Her scorn does former Garments spurn She hideth 'mong the trees Desires to Death doth mourn 12. There lyes by wrath fell Anger 's Garment torn From whom wild Fury rends his cloaths Away throws Blasphemy his Oaths Her wrought long Gown layes Malice by forlorn Concupiscence does naked run and cry All follow her to th' Vault that 's nigh And falling there before Necrosis howl and dye PERSPECTIVE X. THe Sense and meaning of the Title of this Canto is Obvious enough to learned Understandings But Feminine mindes are of a weaker Apprehension for whom since there hath been already so much pains taken as to translate all the Latine Sentences and Verses related out of several Authors upon necessary occasion by the writer hereof He thinketh it very convenient to set down his intention likewise herein Ruins are the Monuments of a former building the carkass of some goodly body the Yesterday of strength and beauty The Reliques and deformity of Rage and sad spectacle of sins disorder Ruins nest is made by War in ashes Ruins Bed is made by peace in Dust. Wrath throws down and demolishes Age brings to decay and discomposes what former Art with many a laborious hand had made for use and fashion'd comely Ruins are the fall of a late standing building Mortification is a making dead a Consumption of life Ruin is a destruction to a building Mortification the Ruine to a Body But this is not the sense of Mortification here Here it is derived à morte from death too but applyed to a greater purpose Totam hominis miseriam Deus complectitur mortis vocabulo The breach of one word of Command introduc't it Disobedience against one Not undid was the Ruine of All. For so we find it in the 17. of the Second of Genesis But of the tree of knowledge of Good and Evil thou shalt not eat of it For in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death To know Mortification the better let us enquire into the divers sorts or degrees of death and those are four The first is Mors spiritualis a Spiritual death which is the privation of the Spiritual life whereby the whole man is Ruin'd and destroy'd Vivit tantùm peccato He lives to sinne onely And that kinde of Life is the worst of Death Then there is Mors affectionum a death of Affections Quae est privatio primaevae foelicitatis The privation of former Happinesse And that is immissio omnis generis calamitatum The sad inlet of that raging Tide of all sorts of Calamities and all kindes of evil The third is Mors spiritualis vel corporalis a death of the soul and body mistake me not I pray this we call a Natural death which is a privation of this Animal life The last is Mors Aeterna Everlasting death which in holy Scriptures is called a Second death Mortification here claims the nearest kindred to the
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
into Iesus Christ Baptized be Into His Death have been Baptiz'd We then With Him by Baptism in t ' His Death for Men Are buri'd that as Christ was rais'd from Dead By th' Glory of the Father We so led Should Walk in Newnesse of our Life and be As He that is so dead from Sin is free SECT XXIX Invitation to the Direction BUt O distressed Souls leave These Come near And I will point where Heaven do's bright appear As Those that sink down Fathoms in a Well At dining time to one another tell Seest not though Noon it is yet dark here far From this our Depth we may behold a Star SECT XXX The Direction FIrst prostrate fall Then humbly upward rise On bended Knees And mount thy dewed Eyes Strike Srike thy Breast Till th' hast new fi'rd thy Heart With Holy Zeal And earnest strain each Part With Penitence Get Faith to sharpen sight Now stedfast look through Heaven Behold the Light Behold the Lamb of God in Glory sit At 's Fathers Right Hand See Him from thy Pit Behold Him There thy Mediator See! What is' t can now so much discomfort thee But if thy too weak Eye can't long thus look Behold His Picture in the Holy Book There read him clos'd within the Virgins Womb That He to Fold might fetch the stray'd Sheep home Observe Him combating the Devil Twice By Active Passive doubled Victories In Desart foil'd him spoil'd him On the Crosse For Human gain and wu't Thou make it Losse Observe his Miracles And thou shalt finde He cur'd the Deaf the Dumb the Lame the Blinde Read on And 'twixt times pray as thou do'st read And praise too That He Life gave to the Dead But lest these Things thou may'st not understand Receive a Pescue from a Holy Hand Choose such as did in Persecution stand For who in Tryal left the Truth can He Be well conceiv'd to be a Guide for Thee SECT XXXI An Orthodox Divine the Best Instructer HE will unlock the Treasures of Salvation From Genesis unto the Revelation He 'l shew Thee the Original of All What is Pure Truth and what 's Apocryphal H 'as no new Lights to Lead Thee up and down Nor fancies Revelations in his Crown He 'l preach to Thee for Gods sake Not for Ends Nor takes he Pains that marres His labour mends He point blank damns none But instructeth All To shun the Way wherein the Desp'rate fall He lops presumptuous Growths Lest bearing Top Too much from High they down do Headlong drop O how lies Man if out o' th' Line of Grace Too ope to th' Enemie in every place He dares not take Religion for A Cloak Nor cry up Dunghil-Steam for Altar-Smoak He dares not meddle with the Holy Things Without Commission whence he Warrant brings Nor will he turn Apostate for Mens Hands No Might he have a Dean and Chapters Lands He knowes well How th' Apostleship was given And how 't was left as 't was receiv'd from Heaven T'Apostles and to th' Angel of each Church Whose Office was to feed Not Kill Not Lurch He knowes It was deriv'd by single Streams And is not drown'd in Consistorian Dreams He I teach thee Mercie as his Master meek He tells thee Christians no Revenge must seek Revenge on others then 's A dangerous Shelf ' Void Shipwrack Lay not Hands upon thy Self Ah haplesse Time Wolves Sheep-Skins o're them draw But thou may'st know Them by the Tearing Paw SECT XXXII Preservation by Assumption and Religious Reason ME thinks I hear him say what now I write God First did out of Darknesse bring the Light And wu't do Contrarie to what he then Reduce that Light to Darknesse back agen God in 's own Image did Man first create Wu't that destroy Turn Self-Assassinate How in Gods Image at Gods Image strike Thus Self-divided 'gainst Thy Self turn Pike God blest Both Bade Both Increase and Multiply And with a Curse wu't Thou turn Natures Key He gave Them Freedom on All Fruits to carve And must thy Spight amidst that Plenty starve He Thee Dominion o're the Creatures gave And wu't Thou to the Serpent turn a Slave The Tree of Life and That which made too wise He placed in the midst of Paradise What Nought but Root and Branch Wu't stab the First And taste thine own Death in the other curst Eve had Excuse The Serpent did deceive But Thou deceiv'st Thy Self Who shall Relieve Must Man for Flesh and Bone of Bone Dear Parents leave And joyn to her as One And She was but a Rib ta'ne from his Side Which Way then canst Thou Self from Self divide What Law pretend'st to justifie That Force That both commits A Rape and makes Divorce For Sin God drove Them out They loath dismisse Thou Fly'st Thy Self Yea Barricad'st from Blisse Eves Eldest Son that first did Murther Act Gave Blood a Voice that cry'd against his Fact And though but banisht seem'd to die with Fear So sweet was Life They'd kill Him every where And wu't Thou midst the Safety that Thou hast Thy Self undo And into Horrour cast And was his Sentence more than he cu'd bear What must Self-Murder thinkst Thou needs then fear Sin links to Sin A Lye made Murder worse Was Mercie short that his Despair must curse Eve might forget her Grief for Abels Death And have some Joy restor'd her in a Seth. But Thou damm'st up the Hopes of Life to flow Thou cutt'st thine own Root What can ever grow Nor can this Crime admit of Reparation Repentance thus prevented is Damnation Noah's Ark thou sink'st Thou blott'st out Abrahams Creed All Families shall be blessed in his Seed And Thou deny'st That Promise by Thy Deed. For truly did'st beleive That Christ were come To cure The Leprous Palsi'd from the Tombe To raise the Dead Thou couldst not Wretch then have A desp'rate Thought Since His will All wou'd Save Or did'st conceive The Love of God to Man How Infinite It was above Our Span To send His Onely Son Of Such Esteeme From Heaven to Earth that He might Man redeeme To suffer Scorns sharp Scourges Crosse and Death And even His Father's wrath to give us Breath To bid Us lay Our Burthens on his Back And In His Name to beg whats'ere we lack To tell He came to Save and Not Condemne How melted He o're Deaf Hierusalem Dust-blind Hierusalem with Prophets Bones Shee must dismantled be for murd'rous Stones How often did He call the People clock As Hen her Chickens But they stirr'd like Rock T' was not bad Memory that Him forgot But perverse Wilfullness For they would not They would not Turn nor Know what did belong To their Day 's Peace nor heare the Charmer's Song How he embalm'd Prediction of their Fall Chief Only Mourner for Their Funrall He He bequeathed All Salvation's Good And Sign'd The Testament with 's Pretious Bloud And left Two Blessed Sacraments as Seales By which to Us A Proper Right He deales O wonderfull the
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
when Grace lives in the Inward Man Grace intertains those that come unto her refreshes dejected Spirits gives Guifts enriches the poor in Spirit and bestowes a Blessing the Blessing of the Gospell But no staying here the Soul must on from Glasse to Rock from sight of Sin by Affliction to Repentance The Passe Up and Down Is Prosperyty and adversity Height of Mind and Humbled Condition The Mourners Are Sorrowes of Heart which lay in dejection for Deeds done amisse These are instrumentall or Ministerial Servants to Repentance Who is call'd a Widow As forsaken and left by Sin her dead and Unlawfull Mate or forsaking the World to whom her Soul was wedded She is said Young Because it renewes the Soul Young So Repentance best when early 8. When half-way down the Rock Signifies humbled by afflictions The sighing wind is heard Sorrowfull expressions From hollow Vault From the Inward Man to which Sorrowes seem to be behinde to come short of the Repentance of the Acknowledgement they seek to manifest for the former Commission of Deeds misdone Half-way down the Rock Is Penitencie's Grott in the Breast in the Heart in the Conscience of the Sinner who is Saxei generis of a Rocky and stony Nature there is the Place of true Repentance The Grott Is a place of Solitude of Stone of Tears of Uncomfortablenesse of Mortification of Grief The Two Springs of Dolour Are Weeping Eyes whose Tears as they fall seem to run with a Noise of Groans from within 9. The Description of a Natural Grotto setteth forth the Sad Acts of Repentance 10. Repentance prevails and obtains Pardon by Christ from above when the stonie Heart melts and drops the Tears of Grief True Repentance is full of Fits and Passions importunate and persevering Till the Distressed Soul receives the Comfort of Remission from Grace by the Holy Spirit as by an Angell from Heaven 11. The Effects of Repentance are here shadowed The Mourner's well â—s Christ. Nature's Moles Are Originall Sin The Spots Actuall Transgressions The scouring waters are Christ's Sufferings applyed to Repentant Tears by Faith Distilling Healing The Promises being the means of Recovery On the Top of the water Swims the Balm Of the Bloud of Christ which is a certain Cure to Believers and the Assurance of their Hope 12. Sin thus purged by Christ's Bloud washed away in his Wounds and the Soul bathed in Tears appears restored by Grace in his pristine Beauty Sorrow is wip't away And the Cryes of Conscience are silenced Yet Sins rise dayly Sorrowes come in fresh Rank and must be by dayly repentance so done away which give direction likewise for a continuing of our selves and a willing and patient taking Up and bearing of the Crosse through the many Tribulations in this world through which we must passe with Comfort in Hope MORAL II. DIvine Grace calls us from our wandrings amidst greatest Dangers by Recollection and the Remembrance of Evils committed by us whereby having the Sight our selves and seeking by Repentance to the Rock of our Faith we finde Christ to heal us who is the Well of Life and the Fountain of our Salvation Take Hugo's Interpretation to this Purpose Poenitentia appellata quasi Punientia eò quod ipse homo in se poenitendo punit quod male admisit Tria enim quae sunt in percussione Pectoris i. e. Pectus Sonus Manus significant quod Poenitentia est de his quae Mente Voce Opere peccavimus Repentance is not to refuse the word a Pennance upon or punishing of our selves in such a manner that there is a Reluctancie and serious Sorrow in the whole Man that he is provoked by such Resentment to punish in himself what Sin soever he hath foolishly admitted or wickedly committted Now there are three things requisite to a stroak on the Breast the Breast the Sound of the Blow and the Hand all which denote that Repentance is concerning all Offences of Thought Word or Deed. So comes Contrition from within Confession out of our Mouthes and Satisfaction from our Hands to make up a real Repentance Hear Isidore-deliver his Sentence Poenitentia est Medicamentum vulneris Spes salutis per quam Deus ad Misericordiam provocatur quae non temporâ— pensatur sed profunditate Luctus Lachrymarum Poenitentia autem non mensium ac temporum cursu pensatur sed poenâ quâ animâ cruciatur mortificatur caro Repentance is the Balsam for a Wound the Hope of Health whereby God is provoked to Mercie which is not regarded for the length of Time but the Depth of Sorrow and the Seriousnesse of Tears spent in it Therefore it is not the Moneths or Seasons of Mourning that prevail so much with Him as that infliction upon our selves that mortifies the Flesh and that Affliction within our selves that cruciates the Spirit Observe S. Cyprians Minde herein O Poenitentia quid de te novi referam Omnia ligata tu solvis Omnia clausa tu reseras Omnia adversa tu mitigas Omnia contrita tu sanas Omnia confusa tu lucidas Omnia Desperata tu animas O Repentance How shall I finde tearms or Language enough to commend thee Thou dost set free all things that are bound Thou openest all things that are shut and revealest all things that are hid Thou allayest all things that come crosse Thou bindest up and healest all things that are broken Thou lettest in Light to all things out of Order And thou givest New Life and as it were another Soul to All things gasping in Death and Desperate PROSPECT I. WHen sad Eyes see so bad a Time All Ills One Heap make for One Crime And Wicked Nature acts her Part T' extract Sin 's Grosse by Chymick Art And o're the Helm drawes All 's Offence To quicken Wrath with Quintessence Me thinks Men should not still adde more Rather abstract from such a Store Unlesse they think The more they dare That Heaven is ty'd Them more to spare Or that some Subtlety takes place To damn by Universal Grace A Miracle or like't behold The wanton Young The doating Old The Mindlesse Noble And the Show Of Common Men so hard to know Are in a Dungeon All in Chains Each with his Will too so remains And yet the Prison Door stands ope The Chains are loose They might have Scope Who wu'd be so perversly bent That might be free Why not Repent CONSOLATORY ESSAY I. SIn through Negligence or wilfulnesse undiscover'd is a secret Fire in the House the more close the more dangerous Discovery then is the Best Introductive to Cure Self-Examination is in the First Place necessary to this purpose as water to quench what is so Unruly Such Fire is This It will consume All if not taken in time Call then for water to quench it as well as thou cryest Fire And do it soon too There is more than ordinary Hazard in Delay But art thou asham'd to repent The shame lies in the Commission of the Sin
Pleasures then where is thy help or thy Refuge For these things let thine Eye run down with water Because the comforter that should relieve thy Soul is far from thee Then fall down then cry out with thy voice with thy Heart Behold O Lord For I am in distresse My bowells are troubled My Heart is turned For I have grievously rebelled Abroad the Sword bereaveth At home there is ' as Death What saith the Prophet Isaiah concerning Edom Sinful Edom Scoffing Edom Edom that yet repented The Burden of Duma He calleth me out of Seir. Watchman What of the Night Watchman what of the Night The Watchman said The Morning cometh and also the Night If ye will inquire Inquire ye Return Come O doest thou hear thy Saviour calling sweetly Come unto Me All ye that be weary and heavie laden and I will ease you Take his word that is the Word Repent and be saved CANTO III. The Wildernesse of Tribulation 1. FOrsake the Paths of Pleasure Those smooth Wayes Have every Mile a standing Post On which Time's Glasse of Hours still lost Is set Which whoso passes breaks as with 't he Playes 2. This rugged Way all overgrown with Thorns Unpleasant to soft Flesh and Blood Leads on to the Perplexing Wood Scorns Where frisking Satyrs haunt whom some call Scoffs and 3. This Uncouth Way all over-run with Briars Is Best for Thee Though Nature loaths A punched Skin or tatt'red Clothes sires And though this Way has Theeves They 'l rob thy loose De 4. Within a Cave does crawling Sicknesse hide And makes a Prey of Strength and Health Surprising Beautie with her Stealth Which oftentimes with Partner Death she does divide 5. Here Sodom-Apples grow to cheat the Taste And Apparitions do appear At Distance Friends are that seem neer And in a Storm Trees senselesse move away in haste 6. By many'a Crosse and many a stumbling Stone This Straight does lead that thou must go And every Danger Thou must know For sometimes thou maist sadly travel it Alone 7. Beware the Magick Castle thou shalt see For on those Gates of shining Jet If thou but look'st thine Eyes will wet By represented Tortur'd Lovers Miserie 8. For when thou thin'kst to knock at that False Gate That then too late thou find'st deceive And wud'st thy Childe or Love reprieve Th' art tane by Passion Pris'ner that breaks out thereat 9. O have a Care when at the Doleful Dale Where Land Flouds tide away with Cares Mark Shallowes well the Deeps have Fears That will surprize And into Mare Mortuum hale 10. Detractions Hounds thou'it hear perchance in Cry That seld Face Game but still pursue And Envie gnawing others due Besides a Climbing Hill seems t' have her dwelling by 11. Thou must passe neer World's Rowling Globe as Stone Which vexed Sysiphus of yore Avoid its Trinkets and its Store If thou escapest That Thy sharpest Journey 's gone 12. For Heav'ns bright Sun-shine then breaks out more clear And fair green Plain will oyen show Where Thou hast Time Thy Self to know For horrid Sights before Sweet Comforts will appear PERSPECTIVE I. THe Wildernesse of Tribulation is a place of trial of discomfort of Solitude the many persecutions of the world And as A wildernesse hath many dangers so hath a Christian many temptations to put him to the plunge and the Exercise not of his courage onely but to the use of his best understanding In the unknown wayes of a wildernesse the Sun is the Travailer's best guide And that is the Son of Righteousnesse who is the way and the Light the onely Direction to the Right and protection for safetie In a Wildernesse the Travailer must expect but hard entertainment Therefore must he carry his provision along with him that is preparation against Injuries which like hunger will else starve him and expectation of his necessitie of suffering that he may not in the time of triall by improvidence be overcome He must watch and ward Tribulation is from Tribula A Flaile which thresheth out the corne from the straw The Paths of Pleasure Are the occasions the Custome or Habit of evill that must be avoided Every mile Signifies every day of life The standing poast on which Times glasse stands Intimates the night Or the continuance of time on which the measure stands the glasse is broken if time be not well spent 2. The rugged thorny way Is the difficulties in Affliction Not agreeing with the delicacy of our natures Leading men to The perplexing wood To the troubling of Reason by Cares and Anxieties There Satyres dwell Which are Violence Malice and Derision of the world 3. This uncouth way Shewes men's unwillingnesse to endure Affliction It is uncomfortable unto nature Hath Briars Which are Intanglements and many provocations to passion hath many Hindrances from an even walking hath many Impediments to a christian progresse by the imperfection of man's Frailty The worldlings are the theeves That oppresse the vertuous yet are they not absolute enemies in their plunder but Friendly Adversaries in effect that take from us our vaine desires and thereby weane our hearts and Affections from Earthly Vanities 4. Sicknesse hides in A Cave In the Body of Man where secret infirmities lay as in Ambush to surprise Makes a prey of strength Of power Of Health Of Pleasure of Beauty of Riches Death and sickness said to be Partners Because Flesh and Bloud is shared between them So little of well-being is there in this vexatious transitory world 5. Sodome-Apples Apparitions False Friends and Trees Discover the deceitfulnesse and Cosenage of the world that faile in time of greatest need to yield reliefe to those that relye upon the same 6. Crosses Are Afflictions Stones Frequent Offence given The straight way Signifies Necessities wherin the wayfaring Christian is hedged in to gain Experience and understanding of dangers that when he is alone without any to counsell him he may be able to direct himself and to order his course wisely Stones To keep him in a sober walk his hinderances from running too fast and Remembrances to be careful and the straight way makes him walk Right On even against his will 7. The Magick Castle Is the witchcraft of Passions that emprison our Reason and fetter our Understanding The Gates of shining Iett The speciousnes of Sin the Pleasingnes of Melancholly as the first torments our Consciences the last nurseth up sorrows to torture our Affections 8. The False Gate of the Passions Because they open not unto us and represent not things as they are but tempt men out of themselues And the unseasonable discovery of their deceit brings oftentimes too late Repentance For commonly it punisheth men's fondnes and cruciates their Dotage upon vain terrestrial things by occasioning the too late sight of Losse of themselves in the Pursuite of shadowes in such earnest Prosecution of the same so as becomming Transgressors even against the law of Nature they are apprehended and committed to Custody by their own vices
before they are aware 9. The Doleful Dale Denotes the Depth of Mourning Land Flouds Are violent extream inordinate Sorrows which tosse and tumble us with Anxietie and hurries Reason impetuously away with fruitlesse Complainings Shallowes Are moderate Griefs Deep Excesse of Passion which too often casts away Life throwing it into the Dead Sea of Destruction 10 Detractions Hounds So called as well for their spending so much at the Mouth Hunting as pursuing the Chace and seizing behinde the innocent Game Envie Endures not anothers Welfare and dwells next Ambition Still watching those that are before her and malicing those that are Above her 11. Thou must passe by the Uncertainties and Vanities of the World lest thou be vexed as Sysiphus with continual and fruitlesse Labour about what is not worth thy pains Of no better Value are the Trinkets of the Worlds Pleasures and the Magazine of Earthly Riches 12 When thou turn'st thy Back upon the World by despising it the Sun-shine of Gods Grace and his Blessing breaks out upon thee thou art enlightned and comest to Knowledge of thy Self And as a green Plain is free and pleasant to the Discovery of the Sight Thou hast instead of former Vexation and the Darknesse of thine Ignorance thy Minde thy Conscience quieted and thine Understanding of Knowledge and present Comforts opened by the Apprehension of the Benefits of such Afflictions which are but for a time and the Happinesse hereafter which is to last for ever MORAL III. HE that passeth through the Wildernesse of this World must walk with Circumspection and Prudence that he neither loseth his Way nor his Time and must rather make Observation of all Accidents then be in Passion at any He must Arm himself with prevention of Occasions of Evil And having the Consideration of the world 's proper Nature must shield himself with the expectation of Suffering for nothing more surprises than our mistake of things for what they are not and our trust and confidence in those things that cannot relieve us or will not help us Or our stupidity with which we voluntarily lay down even in the open mouth of common Perils Nor must he let himself loose to his passions which rather torture the mind with their violence than afford any advantage with their clamour or heal any misaduenture with their corrosive Despise the world and thou art a good Day 's Journey onward to Happinesse Observe S. Augustine in this matter In fornace ardet palea purgatur Aurum Illa in cinerem vertitur et illud Sordibus exuritur Fornax mundus Aurum Iusti Ignis tribulatio Artifex Deus Quod vult ergo Artifex facio Ubi ponit me Artifex tolero Iubeor ego tolerare novit ille purgare Ardeat licet palea ad incendendum me et ad consumendum me illa quasi in cinerem vertitur ut ego sordibus caream The Gold is purged while the Straw burns in the fire This turns to Ashes when that is refined from it's foulnesse The furnace is the world the Just are the Gold Tribulation the Fire And God the Great Operator I submit my self therefore by Obedience to whatsoever He pleases to command I set down contented in what condition soever the Almighty Disposer placeth me He commands me to suffer because he knowes best whom to try and how to order What though the Straw doth burn to fire me to consume me Mark the End The Difference That is therefore turned into Ashes that I may appear the more refined S. Gregory speaks herein with Fulnesse and Clearnesse Plerumque postquam in hoc Mundo non possumus obtinere quod volumus postquam in terrenis Desideriis de impossibilitate lassâ—mur tunc mentem ad Deum reducimus tum placère incipit quod displicebat Et quae nobis amata fuerant praecepta repentè dulcescunt in Memoria Peccatrix anima quae adulteria conata esse non potuit discernit fideliter esse Conjux Qui ergò hujus Mundi adversitatibus fracti ad Dei amorem redeunt atque à praesentis vitae Desideriis corriguntur Quid isti Fratres charissimi nisi ut intrent compelluntur For the most part it happens that when we cannot obtain what in this World we so greedily would so earnestly thirst for and so violently hunt after After we are tired with the Vanity of our Wishes and the Impossibility of our earthly too low Desires then turn we home to our selves then bend we our Mindes to the best Repose to the proper Center of our Hearts to God Then comes a holy longing into our Souls and those Things begin to displease us which before we so much desired Yea those Commandments of his that seem'd so bitter to our Pallats and so irksome to our Natures in an instant become amiable to our Dispositions and sweet to our Remembrances Then that wandring Sinner The Soul who might not be brought home as a Harlot findes her self faithfully rendred into the happy Condition of a Spouse Whoso therefore that are broken by the Adversities of this World do return to the Love of God are corrected and as it were whipped by Afflictions from the Desires of this present Life what are they Dearest Brethren but compelled and in a Manner forced into Happinesse Hear the same Father most excellently in another Place Quisquis adversitate tribulatione frangitur à quo fractus est minime contemplatur Nam qui quod non erat facit factum sine gubernatione non deserit Et qui benignè hominem condidit nequaquam injustè cruciari permittit nec sinit neglectè perire quod est qui hoc etiam quod non fuit creavit ut esset Many a Man is bruised with Adversity and broken with Tribulation But few consider aright few look up to Heaven upon the Hand from whence the Stroak comes For He that made what was not deserteth not nor exileth what he hath so made from his Governance and Protection And He that out of the Bounty of his Grace made Man permitteth him not to be unjustly afflicted at all Nor doth suffer through Negligence to perish what Is who created even this World that was Not that it should Be. PROSPECT III. THat Chaos which was faign'd of Old By Men is acted as 't was told An indigested Matter There Does in Mens Mindes alive appear Dark Death is interwov'n with Life With killing Love embracing strife With worldly Joy as dismal Ruth A Lye must lay with Bed-bound Truth For Watrie Lust Terrene Desire And Ayerie Hope sleep with Zeal's Fire Sin with Religion seems to lye I' th' Silence of Adulterie A Chaos All. Till th' only Light Does show the Day divides the Night So Men distinguisht are by Ills These Grace renewes Those Nature fills So Nature in her falling Dresse Showes Eden's Garden Wildernesse From whence the World has tane the Fashion To form a Christians Tribulation CONSOLATORY ESSAY III. TRibulations surprise the Improvident as Armed Men starting out of an
stand To patience Dwelling now from hence we must disband PERSPECTIVE VIII A Camp is an Artificiall place of strength a Fortification for an Enemy against an Army anciently used by great Commanders and Generals to secure their Souldiers and the Train belonging to them It is not Ager a field for the Plough-share but Campus a field of War from whence this Word is derived And a Camp is not a place of Defence but of Offence from whence Forces may annoy an Enemy So sometimes it is used by Militarie Power to sit down before a Fort Castle Town or City to begirt besiege distress and take such places by Assault Surprise or Stratagem Resolution is the fixing of Courage and the vigor of Fortitude Here more especially it is the Spirit and Intentive strength of Faith a Christian earnestness of Mind set to perform Gods Commands with a valiant Courage maugre all resistance peril or Temptation as also to suffer therefore and undergo upon all occasions with an undanted mind what Peril soever Cross Calamity or what Evill can betide as also a determinate purpose to master and overcome the Passions the treacherous Rebels of the Mind Fortitudo est Virtus pugnans proaequitate saies Cicero Thus Resolution is an Excellent Commander to Order the unruly Affections to keep them to Duty Such a Caesar S. Gregory means in 8. Book of Morals saying Fortitudo justorum est carnem vincere propriis voluntatibus contraire delectationeÌ„m vitae praesentis extinguere hujus mundi aspera pro aeternis praemiis amare prosperitatis blandimenta contemnere adversitatis malum in corde superare The Gallantry of a Christians Resolution is to Conquer the Flesh to withstand Inbred Appetite to oppose natural desires to combate and overthrow our own Inclinations to delight in hardship for Heavens sake and to make nothing of the Thorns and Rubs of this World for the Reward of hereafter to contemn the blandishments and smoothings of Prosperity and with a noble heart to tread upon and scorn the fear of Adversity Hence is the Canto stil'd The Camp of Resolution 1. Reviving Soul Is as one that hath swounded is fetcht again with Hot Waters or as a condemned person that has newly obtain'd his Pardon So the Soul is raised from death to life from sin to grace by Regeneration of Faith by being New-born in Christ whereby it rejoyceth in the Comforts of the Spirit March on We proceed in a Christian course with cheerfulness The day is clear To the visibility of Faith there is a shining forth of the Truth Christ is made manifest unto us To Resolutions Camp now drawst thou near Thou approachest and obtainest strength and abilitie to Performance to do or endure thou hast gotten well onward to the Power of Resistance of Temptations Some skulking Enemies behold Consider thy Corrupt Inclinations and the subtilty of Temptations observe the rising of thy Passions But other some picqueiring bold Picqueiring is by small numbers of Horse which are termed Parties go forth from their Camp Garrison or Quarters either to seek booty or to surprize careless Enemies or to fetch in Scouts of the Enemie for Intelligence or to discover the manner of the Enemies Posture or to beat up Quarters and to give Alarum Sometimes to dare the Enemy and to seek to draw him out and engaging him by offering to fetch in somewhat that is in his eye which in Honour he must not part with therefore are such Adventurers said to be bold At Circumspection's Scouts do disappear Temptations and Affronts of the World are not forward to appear when watchfulness is in the Thoughts and wariness attends the Senses and Actions that nothing be done inconsulte without consideration That the ends of Intentions and Purposes be look't upon through Desires prompting to them which are their beginnings Temptations vanish when they are thus taken notice of Thick Woods Ignorance bewildes and fascinates with their gloominess and Briars The Shadiness denote the stupidity of Ignorance the thickness with Thorns and Rubbage shows the many michiefs and disadvantages which accompany the same Here is a discovery how Passions lurking in us watch their opportunities to carry us out of our selves Ignorance is the strength wherein Passions nestle and inhabit Loose Boggs Are the deceitfulness and pollution of sin and temptations that prevail when they dwell in an Enthralled Mind they hold it fast and cleave to it that it is hard to get out of their hands these swallow in mire those that lay fast in them and throw dirt at those that part from them Temptations keep a correspondence with corrupt Affections Whence quick Excursions they make out Come suddenly upon us to surprize us Excursion is a sudden and speedy Marching out of Horse upon Command into the Enemies Countrey to surprise and disadvantage them and to fetch in Pillage Forrage and Provisions And oft their multitude Sins Temptations are very numerous and give very frequent onsets Is manly fought With Christian Courage to Resist and beat back Principas obstâ—re to foil them in their first advance or at least to overthrow them in their Charge Oft foil'd discover'd by the quick-ey'd Master Scout By Circumspection and diligent Watchfulness Watch lest ye enter into Temptation Our Saviours advice 2. From Vices strengths The World the Flesh and the Divel corrupt Affections giving way and the Passions Assisting Are frequent Inrodes made Invasions as an Enemy advancing into a Countrey into contrary Quarters with Regiment Brigade or some more considerable Army Stern injury Wrong has a sullen look and a Churlish hand sparing none And Impudence invade So bold is sin and so little out-countenance Temptation High Resolutions well-kept Field Temptations think to give an unlookt for On-set and to Daunt or Abate Christian Courage But that is too high for their Attempts too great to be disadvantaged because it is received from above and the Camp is too strong the mind is better composed and fortified the Affections are in better order than to have such weakness as to be liable to much disadvantage The Field well kept is by assisting Grace But his stout men do scorn to yield The Christians affections are better bent they account it a dishonour to their Calling and Profession to give ground or to cry Quarter They serve the power of the onely strength their's is an honourable service they scorn to yeild to Outlaws Runnagates and the weaker force of a base Enemy Temerity does flying lose his Blade Rashness loseth both Honour and Power Suddain Temptations against Pious Resolution soon lose their weapons Self opinion A discovery of the baseness of Pride and the Folly of Self-opinion like the mad man in Athens that thought all the Ships were his own that came into the Harbour It would own others worth having none it self here also it shews how subject that sin is to lying Superbia Cupiditas in tantum est unum ut nec sapientia sine cupiditate nec sine superbia
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
to bring him to what he is he is said Porter as shutting out or warding against the same And is properly Porter here because he letteth in to Mortification He stands to watch and to resist For such is that Posture of standing ready Most gravely casting up his eye The Soul contemning the World most devoutly looketh up to heaven the onely place of Hope and Happinesse The Soul in that condition casteth up his Eye raiseth his Faith to Christ in whom he hopeth to enjoy the Comforts of a better being Neglecting who so passeth by Setting at nought the enmity of Satan the Rebellion of the flesh and the malice of the world On Crosier leaning both his clasped hands laying hold by Faith fast upon and being assisted by the Crosse and Passion of Christ of his Saviour who is his strength and his supporter And to the curious does deny his name The curious are Tempters and deriders The worldling asks what 's the matter when any man forsakes the world They account a mortified man a thing fit for nought but a dull house a Bedlam S. Paul is accounted as a mad man when he speaks mysteries to Festus that he does not understand The Mortified man glorieth not in Name nor Fame but onely with S. Paul in Christ Jesus Crucified And upon good ground too He has a reason for the same He has Gods word for his authority his commandments for his law and his promises for his reward He he expecteth glory for his scorned fame He is iterated to make the man the more remarkable He indeed is a rare Bird he that forsakes the world and mortifies his corrupt Affections is worth the noting But the world understands him not But gives him scorn for fame which he exchangeth for the hope of future glory 9. Behold pursu'd by many furious hounds This Stanza doth allegorize and from under a cloud discover the condition of man before and after his Conversion or the hard condition of the Virtuous and godly man in this world Like Actaeon is the unregenerate pursued by Hounds Dogges of his own bringing up None are hotter enemies than his owne sinnes They pursue him over the hills they call to remembrance all his fore-past evils They drive him over the lofty places of height of pleasure and ambition They overthrow him in the spoyled Grove of his Idolatry and false Worship It is such a spoyl'd Grove despoyl'd of the Jdols as Iosiah caused to be cut down in his Reformation of the Jews Sin brings him here into the state of death which is his heavy case The falling of the Stagge upon his knees and weeping is man's humiliation and repentance To his wounds he weepeth at the sight of his sins he is very much dejected While he lies in this sad condition and Satan thinks him in despair and his vices and enemies seem to vaunt over his destruction by Faith he is regenerate new-born metamorphos'd or rather turnd into a Hart the Lord's his Redeemer's his Saviour's beloved and hath thereby a vivification and newness of Life and escapeth from his spiritual and worldly enemies that are his violent pursuers From such Hounds S. Paul gives the Caveat Phil. 3. 2. Beware of Dogges beware of evil workers c. 10. A wanton woman see within this Grove c. This Stanza discourseth under a wanton woman that throws off her Toyes abandons her bad company changes her Affections c. The course of a true Penitent that must mortifie all evil desires as well as Actions Here especially by this wanton is meant Fornication having relation to Colos. 3. If ye then be risen with seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Set your affections on things which are above and not on things which are on the earth For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God c. Mortifie therefore your Members which are on the earth Fornication uncleannesse the inordinate affection evil concupiscence and covetousness which is Idolatry This and the following Stanza's are directed by this Chapter of S. Paul for the mortification of sin 11. But see a Hagge c. This Stanza expresseth under this Hagge Mortification of and conversion from Uncleanness which is the outward act of Fornication which must be avoided As also all manner of sins of the Tongue as censuring Back-biting Lying Swearing Foul speaking of the Heart as Anger Wrath and Malice Which are mentioned in the following Stanza 12. There lies by Wrath fell Anger 's garment torn One sin quarrels with another but sins Garments are torn in relation to that of putting off the old man A mortified man must be rid of his sins as of infected cloaths Col. 3. 8 9 10. MORAL X. THe skilfull Chirurgeon that would preserve the Bodies health doth scarrifie a part to stupifie it and to let it blood and in other cases doth mortifie and cicatrize to prevent the mischief of a Gangreen Ense recidendum est ne pars sincer a trahatur Virtue and Vice cannot live together We cannot at once serve two Masters We cannot serve God and Mammon We must throw down and trample upon Idols if we mean to serve the Living God There is but one Phoenix and that hath a very sweet Note as Lactantius Firmianus which continueth his race by the death of his Predecessor who gathering rich spices to his compiled Nest in the face of the Sun fireth them and therein consumeth in his Age and from his Ashes ariseth the living young Who so dyeth to the world liveth such a Phoenix unto happiness PROSPECT X. THe Richest spice that Merchants hand Hath rapt for gain from Eastern Land When bruised most doth sweetest smell It 's Fragancie's within does tell The Artist's stroaks must break it's Gate For rare Perfume to flie thereat With such and fam'd Arabian Gumms Pollinctors drest the Guests of Tombs Who mauger death that spoils his prey Made marbled flesh made Torch of Clay Preserv'd the still-kept Form entire Wastlesse by time except By fire So th' Ancients did embalm the dead After their precious Unguents spread Thus lent a being after death And gave perfume instead of breath The soul to life doth greater rise When she the flesh most mortifies The sight is strange but blest the womb That bears a child within a Tomb. CONSOLATORY ESSAY X. FOr want of a right Apprehension of Things as they are in themselves as in their own Natures we are led too often and carried too far out of the Way We are many times cozen'd with Mock-shewes for real Things Hence our Affections taking all at the Voleé wanting likewise Direction by true Knowledge to their proper Marks do not so much misse their Aim as altogether miscarry This is a visible Discovery of want of Judgement too Or that it is so perverted as it is become the Childe of a Harlot and not of a lawful Mother the Natural-born of Sense and not the Son of Reason How
else can it come to passe that the Noble Soul of Man should so basely please it self with as foul as general a habit and custome of brutish hunting for the Back and Belly And to roâ— in the Mire with trivial Vanities and sordid Pleasures Yea to run with Ambition after a Butter-flie a painted light thing a popular Name a Breath a Nothing And to neglect the divine Contemplation gallant Attempt and most excellent Acquisition of Heavenly matters How else comes it about that no pains is thought enough to fetch a little glittering Earth from the remotest parts of the World from the Indies It is no more Nor of the Dignitie of that which lies upon the Surface Gold hath the lower place by Nature No storm must withstand us No length of Journey tire us Nor Hazard discourage us No we must ha 't Though it brings Pluto's Plagues with it Covetousnesse Contention and a thousand Evils Yet is it neither Food nor Raiment Midas found in the Fable that it was not edible And Licurgus in the Constitution of his Laconian Common-wealth and in the Institution of his Lawes condemned it as not necessary He therefore shut it out of their Gates for a Wrangler or more properly for the prevention of a Quarrel It was against his Communitie and Commutative Justice How else ariseth it that we are so hurried about with our Passions as if we rode upon theSphears with a rapid motion for the obtaining of those things that are so far from being necessary as they are not convenient as for Pleasures in regard of Health and rest for Honours in respect of Contentment and safe enjoyment Were any of these things either of Value or Certainty there were some excuse for Appetite Let us go to Solomon the wisest of men to him that had the Treasury of Knowledge of all from the Cedar to the Shrub that abounded with the means and judgment in the variety of his Experiments What sayes he after his large Progresse Vanitie of vanities saith the Preacher vanitie of vanities all is vanitie What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the Sun That 's his Beginning And what sayes he in the midst of his Inquisition Lo this onely have I found that God made man upright but they have many inventions And what 's his winding up in the close of All Take his own Words and Gods Holy Spirit in them Let us hear the End of all Fear God and keep his Commandments For this is the whole dutie of Man For God shall bring every work into judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil How Follie and Death are in a Conspiracie together The Vanities of the World are Sin and the Wages of Sin is Death It is time to look about us since our enemies are at hand But which way shall we escape them Let us contemn the World and we avoid its Folly Let us mortifie our selves and we have the better of Death Draw then near thou sad-fac't Soul that hast been overcome with the one and art in Danger of the other Me thinks I see Death in thy Face Thou look'st as though he were in thy Head if not in thy Heart Thou art Miserie all over and die thou must Thou must not lose thy longing Thou hidest from the Day and the Night is a Burden Companie is grievous and Solitude dangerous yet thou lov'st it How strangely thine Imaginations work and as vainly How thy Breast is upon the Rack and thy thoughts upon the Tenters How thy Wishes flie into the Winde and thy Groans do answer one another by Ecchoes What contrivances thou hast in thy secret Paths and how cunning thou art to seek out a Mischief Thou art now rich enough For thou art resolv'd thy Poverty shall not starve thee thou may'st do that thy self Thou art now great enough another shall not give thee a Fall Wilt thou undo thy self that another may not undo thee 'T is not to be altered Die thou wilt Only the manner of Death is the question Come hither Backsliding Man Here is thy nearest way and thy best Death And since nothing would down with thee but Death thou shalt have enough of self-killing Here is a Death that is at hand and full of safety Thou may'st do it by good Authority This Death is lawful Thou shalt not need to travel among opinions to search among the learned for Arguments to strain the sence of Mutilation or to put the Fallacie upon eadem est ratio totius partium Thou shalt not need to trie thy Wit to gather poyson Here is a Death to purpose Thou must kill thy self all over The Dagger or the like strikes but at a Part This strikes at all Mortifie the Flesh and the sinful Members thereof and thou offerest a Sacrifice and committest not a Murder But Sacrifice not as those to Moloch For that is such a Sacrifice as has Murder and Abomination joyn'd to it Draw thine Affections off from the World And thou hast drawn a Dagger against Temptations Fast and thou starvest thy worser self Fast ad mortificationem carnis non usque ad mortem corporis to the mortification of thy sinful Flesh not to the destruction of thy human Body Pray and thy wicked purposes fall by a holy Sword Mortify thy Lusts and in that instant th' art a dead man And thou shalt not need to fear thy dying For thou risest to a new life and hast given thee a better Being Since thou wert so bloudy minded thou shalt have enough of Self-killing even to wearinesse Thou must Kill by mortifying thy Self dayly and thou shalt have Joy and Life by it Since thou wert so bloudy minded take thy Saviour's Bloud and may I say with reverence Sanguinem sitisti sanguinem bibe Did'st thou thirst for Bloud Drink that not as there it was spoken a punishment or contempt to Cyrus but as a Mystery of Reconciliation of Christ to thy Soul and as Sanguis est rivus vitae Bloud is the River of life so shalt thou tast vitam in sanguine the fountain of everlasting life by the streame of that Bloud Ego sum fons ego sum vita sayes our Saviour I am the Well and I am the life When Sara was old and dead to worldly Affections she bare Isaac the Child of Promise If thou hast not mortified in thee worldly Affections thou shalt never arrive at the Joy of the Spirit Therefore we faint not saith Saint Paul but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed dayly 2. Cor. 4. 16. Therefore if any man be in Christ let him be a new creature Old things are passed away Behold all things are become new verse 17. Does thine Eye offend thee Pluck it out Prevent occasion that 's the sence of the Letter according to the most Learned Expositors and hath coherence with the other parts of holy Scripture Art thou libidinous Fasting is the