Therefore pray alwaies with all manner of Prayer Supplication in the Spirit and watch thereunto with all perseverance and Supplication for all Saints Ephes. 6. 18. Continue in Prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving Collos 4. 2. Pray continually 1 Thessal 5. 17. And then in respect of our prayers there is a progression that God would make us holy more and more until the comming of Christ at which time and not before we shall be perfectly holy As S. Paul desireth 1 Thessal 5. 23. I pray God that your whole spirit and Soul and Body may be kept blamelesss unto the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Devotion is said to conduct thy pace because prayer must be considered and not hasty 11. Unto the Chancel of that holy place Still the Ascent of our prayer is resembled as the going up from the Body of the Church to a Chancel or as in Cathedral Churches from the Nave to the Quire Pious Christians by direction of the Apostolical power The Bishops and Pastors in the Church after the Gospel had in the Primitive times passed through the storms of persecutions and begun to shine forth in more peaceable Ages did build Churches which they Dedicated to God as most fit places for publick Worship which in memory of their former troubles and their great and wonderful Deliverances out of them they fashioned in the form of a Ship which is subject to be tossed to and fro with impetuous Waves and uncertainly forced up and down in the Sea of this World by the Tempestuous Windes of Persecution Being very well acquainted with that Text in Saint Luke speaking of Christ standing by the Lake of Gennesaret Chap. 5. v. 2. He saw two ships stand by the Lakes side and the Fishermen were gone out of them and were washing their Nets And he entred into one of the ships which was Simons and required him that he would thrust off a little from the Land And He sate down and taught the People out of the Ship The Ship is the Church Christ the Priest and Bishop of our Souls the Prease of people upon the shore are Christians the Followers of his Doctrine Nor were such Churches unlike a Ship in many kinds if supposed to be transverst or turn'd with the Bottome or Foundation upward The Roofe is the keele the Walls the sides the Foundation the upper Deck or Shroud the East End the Prow or Forcastle The Pinacle in the midst the Mast and the West End the Poop or Steerage These Churches in their scituation stand transposed to the Temple of the Jews at Jerusalem These face the East as That the West The Christians worship toward the rising of the Sun so acknowledging the Resurrection of that Messias who is come and ascended to the Father The Jew looked Westward and in the shadow worshipped him that was to come But here the Guides aime is by a Reflection upon both and by the Comparison of each with other to make a Discovery of the way gradation and operation of Prayer In the outward part of the Temple of the Jews were the Atria divided by a low Wall of three Cubits high which surrounded the Temple The one was Atrium Populi The other Atrium Sacerdotis Such places are those Churchyards and Common places heretofore dedicated to holy Use and consecrated for publike praise prayer and Preaching about Christian Cathedrals The people belonging to Prayer are Christian circumcised Hearts which have communion in Atrio Populi in the Congregation of the Saints Devotion is the Levite which prepareth the Sacrifice the Priest is the Minister of the Ordinances be it prayer for the People or Preaching of the Sacred Word who joyning with them in Thanksgiving sacrificeth the Calves of their Lips with a Quid retribuam Domine Thus is obedience the best oblation in Atrio Sacerdotis the places of the Ordinances The Sanctum the Sanctuary as the Body or Nave of the Cathedrals is a Holy Life and Conversation thus the Soul becomes A Temple of the Holy Ghost This as the Cathedral hath two Isles or Alae wings to the Body in position North and South As they belong to Prayer Saint Augustine describes them Hae sunt duae alae Orationis quibus volatur ad Deum Si ignoscis delinquenti that 's the North Isle or left Wing Coldness to Wrath that is to pardon and forgive our offending brother Et donas egenti that 's the South Isle or Right wing to sustain the Needy to give to the Poor who are Members of our Elder Brother Christ. Through this Sanctuary of a Holy Life prayer is carried by Ejaculation of the Spirit into that Quire of the Church the Holy of Holies into Heaven where Jesus the ever-blessed High Priest our Mediator and Intercessor is sitteth at the right Hand of the Father and receiveth and delivereth our Petitions before the Mercy Seat the Throne of God This resemblance looketh up to that of Exhortation of Saint Paul 1 Tim. 2. 1. Concerning Prayer in general I exhort therefore that first of all Supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for All men That is the Atrium Populi For Kings and all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all Godliness and Honesty That is the Sanctum the Sanctuary For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God Our Saviour That is Sanctum Sanctorum the Holy of Holies From which place of Bliss comes the Bounty of Blessedness 12. Affections all about her kneel Denoting that Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God with all thy strength with all thy heart with all thy mind with all thy Soul c. The whole man must endeavour the utmost at so great a work at the performance of so pious a Duty Kneel Intimateth Reverence Upon the pavement Humility Made of Steel Of a steedy and firme Faith Reflected Heat Zeal On hearts Our Consciences From stones they feel From refreshing of the Holy Spirit breathing joy and Comfort into us after an unperceiveable manner Or may well be taken for our Charity to others which reflecteth a Heat upon our prayers The sum of this Stanza pointeth at Saint Pauls Direction to Timothy 1 Tim. 2. 8. I will therefore that men pray lifting up pure hands that is humble without wrath that is charitable or not doubting that is faithfully 13. I' th' midst a spire to Heaven doth straine Doth reach As in the midd'st of a Church the Steeple or spire is placed so the Ejaculations and groanings of Spirit rise as out of the midst of our souls where by our Prayers mount up to God and his Mercies like the Angels upon Iacobs Ladder descend down to us Wights Prayers Angels Mercies Hast thy wish obtainest thy desire and hast the Effect of thy prayer Pass doest gaine Hast obtained Assisting Grace to further thee to a Holy Resolution We must pray to be enabled to resolve as well as to do Refresh thou here
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
Rest to be found upon Earth but in God Nor any Safety but under the shadow of His Wings What conceive we of His wonderful Wisdom that prefer our own imaginations before It Why raise we our Vain Desire against His most Holy Pleasure and make the Rebellion of our Hearts to be as the Sin of Witchcraft Why fondly hast we to every Bush for shelter Or think we to avoid the storme by the nimblenesse of our failing Feet Come then my sad Companion in distresse My other Self in Misery Sit thee down by me Sit thee down and rest thee Many say who will shew us any good But Lord lift up thy countenance upon us Thou hast given me more joy of Heart than they have had when their wheat and their Wine did abound I will lay me down and also sleep in peace For Thou Lord onely makest me to dwell in Safety Hath the Lord humbled thee and set thee down in the shadow Hath he besieged thee with many Troubles Hath he beset thee with a multitude of Afflictions Is there no way to escape Doe His Arrowes fly about thee O consider what thou hast deserved Remember that His Patience is wonderfull and His loving Kindnesse above measure His Corrections are gentle and His Mercies never fail those that trust in him His Straightnings are Life and His Goodnesse surpasseth understanding Why holdest out And giv'st not up the Place Resigne Hath Abraham but one Son His Joy His onely comfort And must Isaac be a Sacrifice Were there not Cattel enough among all the Herds for one Offering Nor a nearer place than a strange Countrey for an Altar Must he travaile to his Losse the Losse of his onely Son his beloved And must that come by his own hand too And was his obedience without grutching with cheerfulnesse Without question O how great was his Faith But what followed The stroak was restrained Isaac saved a Ram presented and in his stead offered Abraham proved and approved For so calls the Angel of the Lord from heaven Abraham Abraham Lay not thine hand upon the Child Neither do any thing unto him For now I know that thou fearest God Seing for My sake thou hast not spared thine onely Son O the infinite mercy of the Lord He is tender and full of compassion Is He the onely stay and Refuge Withstand him not Submit Resigne Whither is Ionas run from his Message from the Lord that sent him to Ninive Can a ship hide him Or the Sea promise him Safety He runs from a Calm to a Storm From the God of peace and power to the inconstancie of the Creature Is a Lot better than a Portion Or a Whal's Belly a more pleasing Entertainment than a City Is the Deep more comfortable than the brightnesse of the Heavens Or a dying habitation in the Living more to be esteemed than a lively Publication of God's warning to those that were otherwise appointed to dy Let every Ionas that is out of the way turn againe For the Lord is gracious and His Mercy endureth for ever Alas for thee Murmur not Keep not thy Will Let it not be thine own Resigne CANTO XII The Holy Hill of Contemplation The Downs of Cogitation 1. FRom Hill to Hill we go Now leav'st thou things below Sublimer Things to Know Here mighty Waves of terrene Seas As green as Neptune's Sight may please His rowl in Storme In Quiet these These Downs are stil'd all spred with silken Grasse Thick Short and smooth as slipp'ry Ice or Glasse A Carpet made of Plush it seems to those that Passe 2. All ore this Flowrie Place Bright Stars grow space by space And shew their Sweets and Grace Here Swallowes plumed Oares do plie With agile Pineons Swiftnesse trye Who shall dart quickest as they flie From Poast to Poast here Coursers run amain And freely of Themselves away doe straine So course fleet Thoughts upon the beating Braine 3. Out from Thelema's Cave Comes driving like a Wave In Noble Habit Brave For DIANOIA in her Looke Clasping in Hand an unbound Book And sits as if she fresh awoke Within a Wagon that doth nimblie glide Whose noiselesse Wheels do whirle on either side By Dromedaries drawn wherein Shee doth abide 4. Behinde her stands a Wight All clad in Snowie White That guides her Wagon right SANCTIFICATION some Her Name Heaven-born She is For such her Fame She shines as now from thence she came Oft Oil she pours upon the Damsels Head With Rod she Flies and Hornets striketh Dead That buz about the Ears o' th' Dame where once they bred 5. Thus ore the Downs she drives At PHRONTIS Height arrives Oft Holy Hill atchieves Where Contemplation sits so high To whom We passe on by and by Let DIANOIA go and spie There let the Dame go take a sweet Repose So modest She 's She never doffs her Clothes And none but One what 's on her Breast yet ever knowes The Promontory of Meditation 6. On Promontory there doth dwell Wise Phrontis that old Deeds does tell And Future Happinesse does spell A Holy One did build her dwelling place And did bestow upon it pious Grace As if an Hermit she there spends her dayes Except she take unseen a Journey through the Ayre ' Lights Takes a walk i' th' Portico o' th' House of Prayer And thence as oft unseen doth Home again repaire 7. From out her Studie She doth eye Both Land Sea and all doth try That 's worthy notice far or nigh She takes much pleasing pains to get by Heart The rarest Skill in Meletetick Art So findes She Puritie of Minde is part So She perceives what he must be that Meditates Devout and wisely skill'd in any case he states And with prepar'd Affections as the same relates 8. Her Object she doth keep in sight The manner of 't perpends aright Dividing draws so hits the white She has a Mint of Businesse and Lore She takes from Memorie what was before And layes it up in Recordation's Store Three friendly Helps she has whens'ever she growes weak When speechlesse Logicks Knowledge makes her speak When Deaf Attention cures Her Stupour Praying breaks 9. Her Librarie is large and fair In 3 Ranks plac't about her chair On those she reads in arbour'd air The first holds Natures Books the Creatures all The next Redemptions works that sav'd from fall Sanctification's gave a growing tall A Sedentarie Quiet She does Love and Chuse And Temperance to visit her doth often use For Solitude all Company She doth refuse 10. She 's beckned oft abroad by Love To take a Walk in shadie Grove As oft admireth Things above For Admiration gives to her a Law As doth the Load stone that doth Iron draw Her laughing ere seld any Creature saw No dwelling's here Our Souls do burn with high Desire To Contemplations holy Hill their Flames aspire Away Let 's mount O let 's not quench such kindling Fire The Holy Hill of Contemplation 11. Aloft now raise Thy Self with
all Asia this Paul hath perswaded and turned away much people saying That they be not Gods that are made with hands So that not onely this thing is dangerous unto us that the State should be reproved but also that the Temple of the great goddess Diana should be nothing esteemed And that it would come to pass that her magnificence which all Asia and the World worshippeth should be destroyed Now when they heard it they were all of wrath and cryed out saying Great is Diana of the Ephesians And the whole city was full of confusion and they rushed upon the common place with one assent and caught Gaius and Aristarchus c. And when Paul would have entred c. Some cryed one thing and some another and the assembly was out of order and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together Upon Alexanders appearing to appease them when they knew that he was a Iew there arose a shout almost for the space of two houres of all Men Crying Great is Diana of the Ephesians There a Band Armed Zeals Men of Question and Contention that would either silence or destroy those which adhere unto or publish the Truth or force them into their own madness Such was the Conspiracy of more then forty Jews that bound themselves by an Oath to kill Paul Acts 23. Imaginations way advance Following their own Humors and the Chrotchets of their own Crowns presumptuously preferring their own Misapprehensions Each Zeal makes wise as it does understand Every one seems to be in the right and wu'd be accounted before others in judgement This is a painted Fire it has no true Heat Here Passion is mistaken for Zeal Every one will have a Religion of his own making and carryes it on with a several Furie Every mans Apprehension goes for Judgement Each does 'gainst th' other cry Shews not only their confusion but their contention and uncharitableness being full of questions to perplex and put out of countenance a pell mell of Noise and Negations to drown the voice of Truth So to Pantheon dance Pantheon saies Dion the Historian was a Temple in Rome so called Quod in Martis Venerisque imaginibus sub ipso Templo constitutis omnium Dearum imagines effictae erant Because under the images of Mars and Venus set up in that place they faigned and meant that all Gods whatsoever were Worshipped Under Wealth under Force and Lust stalks in the Idoltary of all Vices The Temple was round and open in the top as counterfeiting Heaven in its Circular Figure and so might give a conceit of Adoration of all the Host of heaven as that Idolatry in the time of the Prophets There they thought the Gods dwelt Pantheon was made by Agrippa to Iupiter the Revenger who is very near akin to Pluto in the sense of Fable Of late times 't is called the Church Divae Mariae rotundae the Church of S. Mary the Round 4. The Praeco calls Gods holy Word and his Ministers direct the way and give warning of dangers So the Prophets of old and S. Iohn the Baptist Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand For this is he of whom it is spoken by the Prophet Esaias saying The voice of one that cryeth in the wilderness is Prepare ye the way of the Lord make his paths straight Still still beware of Falls An ingemination for the greater notice of Dangers to stir up a diligent care against stumbling by Temptations or falling away from the Faith For now your way grows sharp and steep In regard of our approaching to more subtle underminings and more violent assault that with earnest labour we should undertake to pass Tryals and the sifting of the Tempter T is sharp and steep very difficult for Flesh and Blood to endure that is soft and heavy unwilling and unweldy for such displeasing and troublesom employment You must climb over rugged stones like walls Sins raise a wall of partition between God and us especially those stony sins of Cruelty Oppression Malice and Uncharitableness We must strive to gain a Masterie of our selves we must deny our selves conquer the concupiscences of the flesh climbing is a diligent labour Set footing wisely Walk soberly with prudence with all care and watchfulness for so it behoves a Christian. Persever with steddiness Hold by hands By Charitable deeds which fasten us to Faith and maintain thy Faith with thy Courage For the hands are not only the Stewards and dispencers of bounty but the Guard and Weapons of the man And sometimes creep Denoting Humility and Prayer and Christian Patience The higher thou goest thou art more subject to storms and liable to eminent and precipitious dangers 5. That way deceives Of Schism Error Heresie Seducing Temptation the speciousness of Superstition the pretence of Holiness Sanctimonious Pollicie Blessed is the man that doth not walk in the counsel of the wicked nor stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the seat of the scornful And them of wit bereaves Quos Jupiter perdere vult dementat prius Pharaohs heart was hardened before his destruction According to that which Jesus answered the people S. John 12. 35. Yet a little while is the light with you walk while ye have light lest the darkness come upon you For he that walketh in the dark knoweth not whither he goeth While ye have Light believe in the Light that ye may be the children of the Light Vitia nostra quae amamus defendimus maluimus excusare illa quam excutere We are given to defend the Errors we have embraced and we are apter to excuse such evils then to renounce them For thinking still they upward go Imagining that they are in the Right being abused with a salse Opinion No way is like theirs to Heaven This is Satans Deceptio visus his juggling with depraved Consciences and deluded Understandings Hypocrisie them draws and never leaves Hypocrisie is a subtile Evil a secret poyson a Hidden Venom and the Moth of Sanctity It pretends all 's well it deludes Prosperity and belies Curiosity and with a cruel Art it stabs Virtue with its own Dagger It kills a Fast with Fasting and makes Prayer undo it self it throws down Mercy with a seeming Pitty it destroies with cooling a Fever and in a cold Cup it giveth hot Drink Quod corporibus est Hydrops hoc Hypocrisis animabus What the Dropsie is to Bodies Hypocrisie is to Souls Haec enim Hydrops bibendo sitit Hypocrisis inebrietata est siti For as the Dropsie with drinking thirsteth Hypocrisie is Drunk to Thirst. Till shee doth cast them down to pride Till shee destroyes them with Ambition till she doth throw them down to Hell Pride is Satan who possesses men with a Spirituall Pride That 's fallen below Lucifer fallen from Heaven into the Dungeon of utter darkness prepared for the Divel and his Angels 6. The Top appears When we attain Faith our souls are elevated The blew Skies brightness clears Our souls
apprehend Divine things Ev'n into holy Heaven you see we behold our Mediator who is our Redeemer sitting at the Right hand of his Father and conceive the Mystery of the Trinity and the Blessednese that is prepared for those that love the Lord Jesus and expect his appearing Fides est perceptio veritatis rerum cum assertione sine causarum cognitione Faith is a discerning Understanding of the Truth with a Claim of things without the Knowledge of their Causes The fresh green Grasse is gemm'd with pearlie Teares we are renewed by Faith alwaies growing upward Green grasse is beautiful to the Sight So is faith to our Saviour There are Tears of Repentance and Tears of Joy and Love which give a lustre and beauty to the Faith of the Spouse in the Eye of the Bridgroom For so saith he in the Canticles Behold thou art fair my Love Behold thou art fair Thine Eyes are like the Doves among the locks thine haire is like the Flock of Goats which look down from the Mountain of Gilead Thou art all fair my Love and there is no spott in thee And Faith's Pavillion stands neer Fig's fruit-bearing Tree It is said Faith's Pavilion because it is no lasting place both in respect of Man who is Mortall as also of his future Being For though by Faith we are carried to Heaven it leaves us there when wee come to Fruition It is placed near Fig's fruit-bearing Tree minding the Figtree in the Gospell that was cursed because it bare no Fruit. Faith is dead without Works The Figtree is a Plant of soveraign Vertue and it's Fruit is a pretious Medicine against most Diseases 7. The Tent 's wide Doore Repentance is the Introduction to Faith Or take it for offer'd Grace or the Calling of the Spirit Or for the desire of Salvation A Damsell sits before Faith must be pure like a Virgin She sits It must be fixed and before too For Faith is a belief of things that not onely are past and are but to be She mindeth things to come and so the Tent 's wide door may mind her of Eternity With a Chair made like a Heart The Heart is Faith's Chair of State Her Eyes to Heaven That 's the Place for expectation of Comfort She believes that Christ is her Mediator and Intercessor there Do Plead for mercie 's store Ther 's her mentall Prayer for Pardon and begging Grace that is Gods Bounty Mercie 's store is Christ's Merits Her Left 's erect As laying hold of Christ's merit The Left hand is said to be nearest the Heart Right hand on Breast is plac't Shewing her Contrition Humility and acknowledgment of her Unworthinesse of his so great Favours Athwart Signifying the sense of the Soul's trouble for Sin committed Create in mee a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within mee 8. So Faith dispos'd Faith in such application to Christ shewes her Armourie mention'd by Saint Paul 9. Upon her shield of Gules c. Sets forth Christ's Death and Passion To make her Foes amaz'd in fight By which he conquer'd Death and Hell Resplendently a Crosse of Or doth gild His Resurrection after his Passion 10. Not far from hence On Place of Eminence Hope accompanieth a stedfast faith It is allwaies neer her And hope is placed on high to denote that she loveth to be neer her Object Christ who hath prepared a Reward in Heaven which She Keepeth still in her Eye Tria considero In quibus tota Spes mea consistit Charitatem Adoptionis Veritatem Promissionis Potestatem Redditionis There are Three Things wherein Hope acknowledgeth her Self to consist God's exceeding love in his Adoption His perfect Truth in His Promise And His Almighty Power in Performance Christ is risen from the Dead and is made the First-Fruits of them that slept For as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall All be made alive 1. Cor. 15. 20 22. Tenariff A mountaine that is accounted the highest in the world A Lady deckt with Beautie 's Excellence The Soul adorn'd with heavenly Graces The rejoycing of Spirit in as it were the present Enjoyment of the Celestial Joyes that the Soul shall fully possesse hereafter Stands firm Ther 's her steadfastnesse and Constancie By Cable holding Ther 's her strength assisting Grace given from above Anchor'd in the Skie Ther 's her Repositorie In Heaven in Christ. My wellbeloved is mine and I am his He feedeth among the Lillies And a little before she Sang. He brought me into the wine-seller love was his Banner over me Stay me with Flagons and comfort me with Apples For I am sick of Love His left hand is under my Head and his right hand doth embrace me 11. A Fount near these The Embleam of Charity who cannot be far from her Two Sisters Dicit Fides parata sunt magna inexcogitabilia bona a Deo fidelibus suis Dicit spes mihi illa servantur Curro ego ait charitas ad illa It is Saint Bernards Great and unconceivable Good things are by God prepared for his Believers sayes Faith They are Kept for me cryes Hope I run to them for them rejoyceth Charity In dimpled Vale doth please As a dimple in a Chin maketh it seem lovely so doth Charity make beautiful whom soever she inhabits Adimpled Vale fertile by receiving showry Blessings A dimpled Vale shews it's humility which is lovely in the Eye of Heaven A flying statue bears Love's Name Charitie 's Embleam Love like Fire is pyramidall mounteth upward Whose Breasts run Cream into Pacifick Seas She nourisheth others with the best of Plenty and Relief and is free in good offices for Atonement By Cistern fill'd Such a Heart is replenisht with Grace and Supply'd with Blessings From milkie way it'h'Heavenly Frame From the Infinite store of Divine Bounty by the Free Giver of All good gifts 12. Where th'Hungry feed c. Shews the works of Charity Si non vultis in ista eremo siti mori bibite charitatem fons est quem voluit Deus ponere ne deficiamus abundantius cum bibamus cum ad patriam venerimus If you would not dye in the Wildernesse with thirst drink charity It is a Fountain which God has pleased to place there least we should faint but we shall drink more abundantly of it even our Fill when we come into the Holy Land into the Heavenly Canaan so Saint Augustine MORAL VII FOrtitude is a Cardinal Vertve And Virtus in medio posita Vertue has her habitation and being in the Mean wherefore to consider Fortitude as she is passive here she is that Vertue that moderateth Grief whereby a Man undantedly undergoes difficulties and bears things that are averse to his naturall Disposition with a patient mind and a preparation or Fortification to That and Active Fortitude is called Resolution The excesse of Fortitude is Rashnesse and too much Boldnesse The defect thereof is Timiditie and too much Softnesse Perfect Fortitude is conversant with terrible things