death of Affections Propter te mortificamur totâ die We are killed for thee all the day long singeth the Psalmist Quasi Cycnus in cantu as the related Swan chaunteth his Epicedium Foelicem illam animam cui vivere est Christus et cum Christo mori lucrum Thrice happy is that soul to whom Christ is the life He needs not fear to dye with him since he 's the onely Gain If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin But the Spirit is life for righteousness sake But if the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the Dead dwell in you He that raised up Christ from the Dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies because that his Spirit dwelleth in you Therefore Brethren we are Debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh For if ye live after the flesh ye shall dye but if ye mortifie the deeds of the body by the Spirit ye shall live writes S. Paul to the Romans 8. 10 11 12 13. And to the Philippians cap. 3. 7. The Things that were Vantage unto me the same I counted Losse for Christs Sake Yea doubtlesse I think all Things but Losse for the excellent Knowledge Sake of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have counted all things Losse and do judge them to be Dung that I might win Christ. And might be found in Him that is not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is is through the Faith of Christ even the righteousnesse which is of God through Faith That I may know him and the Vertue of his Resurrerection and the Fellowship of his afflictions and be made conformable unto his Death If by any means I might attain to the Resurrection of the dead c. But our Conversation is in Heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour even the Lord Jesus Christ Who shall change our vile Bodie that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious Body according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto Himself And this is the Mortification in our Consideration 1. Between two Hills as those of Faith and Hope Between two Hills is the Introduction to Mortification and the signification of her Strength and Firmenesse This Simile pointeth at the Mount of Faith and Tenariffe of Hope shewing that the Reason or Ground of true Mortification is the enjoyment of Christ who is incomparably beyond all things in the possession of which inestimable Riches Christians despise the World and trample upon their Affections thereunto knowing that in the Enjoyment of Him they possesse all things Thou goest into a gloomy Glade Into what is scorned by the world's Eye the excellency of which place is hidden for their sight Gloomy intimates composed and retired in thoughts Glades are places that indent between hills wherin Fowlers sett their Gins and Nets to take and Kill Partridges woodcocks and the like in the mornings and Evenings when they accustom to fly those wayes The Glade here shews the taking notice of the Vanities and Follies of the world and despising of them which is introductive to Mortification Where Groves of Yew do cast their Shade A sad and mournful condition in this world does cloud the vertuous in the Eye of opinion and estimations The godly are accounted as swallowed up by their Afflictions are reckoned no better than lost men by Children of this world who scarce number any among the Living that appear not in their Sunshine The Yew Tree as Galen reporteth is of a venemous quality and against man's nature These Yewes are Afflictions that are over shadowers of the vertuous and are poisoners of delight in vain pleasures being also very harsh to flesh and bloud and contrary to Nature Diascorides and most of those that have heretofore dealt in Herbarisme set forth though upon no very experimentall ground that the Yew Tree is very venemous to be taken inwardly and that if any do sleep under the shadow thereof it causeth many times death Too much sorrow taken inwardly taken too much to heart Killeth There is no sleeping in a storme no setting down still in Trouble We must bestir us the right way and use the means that they may be sanctifi'd unto us that the Yewes of our Miseries may be seated in our mortified hearts as they are used to be set in Churchyards hallowed Places by their dedication and customary imployment for Burialls The Yew growes so planted near the Church Affliction flowrisheth when it is placed near Devotion It is further said of the Fruit of the Yew that the Eating of the same is not onely dangerous and deadly unto Man but if Birds do eat thereof it causeth them to cast their feathers and many times to dye Inordinate sorrow for the things of this life bring rather mortem quam mortificationem lead us to despair to the gates of death more than to mortification The Birds are the Preferments of this world False Friends cast their feathers their favours the world forsakes us when trial coms and leaves oftentimes men dead without help or comfort Theophrastus Sayes that labouring Beasts do die if they eat of the Leaves but such Cattle as Chew the Cud receive no hurt at al thereby The Leaves are the hiding the covering of Afflictions which is very dangerous Affliction is death to unclean Beasts It makes the wicked mad It is not hurtful to those that are Clean that ruminate that chew the Cud. To those that meditate upon the Lawes and Statutes of the Lord and seek unto him continually by Prayer The Leaves of the Yew are senselesnesse negligence and unprofitablenesse of Afflictions when they are not made the right use of Whereupon it may well be said that Affliction leaves a man either much the wiser man or a greater Fool than before it found him Thou findest there a Pallace that had Scope Here the Traveller makes a loose Description of the Ruines of a stately Pallace shadowing therein the World whose Vanities and Pleasures must be thrown off and lose their station in our Affections before we can come to be mortified What had Scope had large room has none now in our Hearts Balconies Are the specious glories and glittering eminencies of the World those splendida peccata those shining Sins that draw so many Eyes after them and dazzle the weak Sight of the Beholders that are in conspicuo posita set out to catch the Fancies of Men. Rooms of Pleasure Vanities of the World wherewith forgetful Souls delight themselves according to their several Choice and Opinion Large As wide as the World Long Being falsly apprehended instead of everlasting Happinesse long as carrying Men still on in them and continuing them in such a deceiving Walk from turning With Arraes and with Pictures hung The Arras the vain Stories of Ambition The Pictures are the Lustre of Coin the golden Paintings of Wealth With such false Colours and loose Habit is this Iezabel trimmed and
dressed With Aviarie's Sweets where wanton Voices sung The Allurements of Temptations Against such Syrens must Ulysses stop his Ears There is no coming to Mortification before an Abnegation of such Vanities and a demolishing in our Hearts or at least an utter neglect of such cozening and deceitful Trifles This alludes to what is fabulously related of the Syrens ipsae periculosa hominibus monstra propter cantus suavitatem those same dangerous monsters to Men with the inchantment of their Songs thereby first lulling Passengers asleep to devour them These had a Song for every Mans Humour not to misse any Disposition These Syrens and their Songs are Pleasures and their Titillations These were feign'd to be Daughters to Achelous and one of the Muses Cum taurino patre et ad voluptates propenso natae sint of Achelous in the shape of a Bul from inclination to delight from Sensuality Of a Muse quae sit suavitas illa quae nos ad eas illicit from such an apprehended Sweetness as is an allurement unto Pleasure These lead us as in a Maze to destruction These put up their Heads and shew in that part of the Minde which the Philosopher calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae caret ratione that wanteth Reason that comes short of Judgement These were half Virgin half Fish The Bestial part kept under Water Such Monsters are Men that are given over to their Lusts and have relinquished others sound Counsel and quitted the Evidence of their own Understandings 2. All now dropt down within own Ruine's Tombe Fluit Voluptas prima quaeque evolat Pleasure tarries not It does but shew and vanishes Saepiusque relinquit causas poenitendi quam recordandi It leaves us for the most part more cause of Regret then Reason for Remembrance And no marvel For if we look upon the foul Nature of the thing Voluptas est cum quadam lubrica suavitate ad illicita foedae mentis inclinatio Pleasure is an Inclination of a defiled Minde with a slippery desire and Itch to unlawful Things So S. Herom This Stanza describes the Inconstancie and Dirtinesse of the Vanities of this World Destruction and Oblivion are the best Conclusion Pleasure can hope for Lay buried in a Rubbish Graffe The Walls drop into the Ditches that lay under them being in a manner the expecters of as well as receptacles for their Downfals Such Delights perish in their own rottennesse as dead Carkasses do putrifie and consume in the places of their foul and dark Sepulture In a Rubbish Graffe the Sink of a vitious minde is the Reception of all sorts of Muck and sinful Uncleannesse As Corn within a heap of Chaffe Obscuring all that is good within us and making happy Endowments uselesse The Persons and the Lustre of each Room Here the main drift of this Stanza openeth to this effect that in preparation to Mortification our Affections must be rectified and our Desires turned from the emptinesse of Things that are finite which have not in them a possibility to give the Soul satisfaction A Square cannot fill a Circle When Prosperitie leaves us and Adversitie takes us by the Elbow we are taught by experience that all is but Vanity and Vexation of Spirit we are then apter to the Inspection into our selves and upon examination finde what is necessary to be mortified in us Where Numbers dwelt before now 's desolate Vices are ejected there is no habitation for them Legion is thrown out of the Possessed Or it may be taken for the general custom of the world to stay no longer than the Sun shine When a storm comes or a dark Winter's day of triall appears they play least in sight And Whispers tell the Walls their state Whispers are Fears and Suspitions Or secret Censure But here more properly they give us notice when Sin has lost it's boldnesse it discovers it's weaknesse The ruin'd Place of Flesh is sad Necrosis Gate Ego non sum ego is the man that comes to be mortified He is not the same He. The Gatehouse only stands and some ruines appear of the outward Man but his Inside is turn'd all topsy turvy he has repented he has thrown out his former bad Guests his Vices he has thrown down his Concupiscences and foolish Affections They lay in their Graves in the dust in dissolution in oblivion Now welcome sad Necrosis severe Mortification Mourning now is more comfortable and becomming than the wonted mirth of the world which is but madnesse a meer Delirium a ridiculous foolishnesse The flesh is mastered conquered For the spirit hath gotten the Day Happy is that Tribulation that brings to Mortification 3. The Gatehouse onely stands The Remains of Pleasure are onely the Repetition of what Repentance was for and the Confession of former Errour The Gate to the House is as the Mouth to the Stomack The other Walls Do seem to shoulder friendlesse Air Denoting the tott'ring condition of worldly Vanities that conceive themselves propped by the breath of men's mouthes but are weakly buttrised by Opinion It sets forth likewise that frequent mistake of those which are in misery applying themselves to or seeking redresse from any mundane hand or terrestrial Assistance which neither regards the Complaint of the wretched nor stayes to relieve those which are distressed and call upon them which pass like the Ayre and are as trustlesse as the Wind that rather throwes down than strengtheneth a stooping structure that overthrowes a leaning Building Here is chiefly aymed at that there is no place of Entertainment left for former Wickedness Where Melancholick Bats repair The disconsolation of Affliction The uncomfortable remembrance of Sins past Batts are Vespertiliones quòd se vespertino tempore ad volatum proferant as Pliny Because they use their wings chiefly in the Evenings and accustome to fly in the Night Such are fears and Sorrowes that take the places of former Delights The Evening is the dusky remembrance of the day past the melancholy thought of what has been done amiss The Night is the darkness of Sorrow heaviness of Heart and dejection of spirit for commision of forepast Evill Batts are Lucifugae Creatures that shun the Light Night walkers as if they were afraid of Arrest which imployes their Guilt as being conscious of Offending In the Second of Isaiah v. 20. The Prophet denouncing the punishment of the rebellious and obstinate Saith At that day shall man cast away his Silver Idols and his golden Idols which they had made themselves to worship them to the Moles and to the Batts which denote secrecy and Oblivion These like Sin hate the Light A Bat is neither a Mouse nor A Bird but mediae naturae betwixt them both The Soul after Sin is put to the question whether it belonges more to Sense or Reason If to Reason how came sense to command If to sense why should not Reason obey A Batt is rather to be said to swim in the Aire with Finns than to fly with wings
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
Spirit but an unclean spirit An unclean spirit in the eyes of unlawful concupiscence an unclean Spirit in the Ears that had the Itch of wantonnes An unclean spirit in the Mouth of foul obscoenity of lying of false of foolish speaking of Oaths of Blasphemy of Perjury and the like abominations An unclean spirit in the stomack of exorbitant Excess of boundless Appetite of surfetting Luxury of sensual Gluttony and beastly Drunkenness that wallows in the Mire An unclean Spirit in the hand of wicked deeds of polluted Actions An unclean spirit in the feet a spirit of committing all kind of evil with greediness a spirit of Cruelty and Oppression whose Feet are swift to shed blood An unclean spirit in the Head of wicked Imaginations An unclean spirit in the heart of ungodly Thoughts and impious Machinations An unclean spirit in the Conscience of delusion and depravation and that is a crooked devil hard to be thrown out I charge thee come out of him There he manifesteth his Command and power And that he enter not into him any more publisheth his protection and Providence whereby the Divel is either chained-up or turned out of the line Then the spirit cryed and rent him sore and came out and he was as one dead in so much that many said He is dead The Father cryed the Spirit cry'd both cry'd but with different voices The Father cryes for help the spirit with horror The Father 's was a clear voice a voice of Faith the Spirit 's a hoarse voice a voice of Infidelity The Father cryes that the Spirit might be cast out the spirit cryes because he must out the Father cryes with tears The spirit cryes with tearing For he rent him sore at his coming out Out he comes but leaves him as dead If he must away he will act his utmost mischief Before he goes he rends him Before he leaves him he endeavors to carry away life and all he leaves him as dead dead to the world dead to Opinion in disconsolation dead to himself So does the Devil So does sin use to take leave of her Favourites But Jesus took took him by the hand There was his assisting Grace O the Infinite Mercy the readiness the certainty of such a Helper He lifted him up that could not else rise There was his restoring Grace And he arose There was his full Recovery But why could not the Disciples do this when they were so intreated Peter and Iames and Iohn were to be supposed Schollars of a higher Form in the School of Faith but they were at the Transfiguration they were not among them at that time The Disciples themselves were very much dissatisfied about their non-performance and disability to the work We do not find them though confess that they wanted Faith whereof they were reproved Yet their silence imploys a consent to the truth of it Fain they would know But they were ashamed to inquire of their master in publick They watch't therfore their next private opportunity For so saith the ' Text And when he was come into the House His Disciples asked Him Secretly Why could not we cast him out He that checked them in the way of his Justice then informeth them to set-forth his Mercy He checked them to stir up to rouze up their Faith He informeth them he teacheth them to satisfie their Question to appease their Doubt And he said unto them This kind can by no other means come forth but by Prayer and Fasting And what is Prayer Oratis est piae mentis humilis ad Deum conversio fide spe et charitate suhnixa Prayer is the turning of a devout and humble mind to God which is underpropped with Faith and Hope and Charity In the 11. Chapter of the same Evangelist Christ speaking of the Power of Faith induceth the Efficacy of prayer in his answer to Peter and the rest of the Disciples concerning the wither'd Figg-tree Have Faith in God For verily I say unto you that whosoever shall say unto This mountain Take thy self away and cast thy self into the Sea and shall not waver in his heart but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass whatsoever he saith shall be done to him Here we may see that Faith calls down the power of God from Heaven and that which made All can order Act and perform any thing Therefore I say unto you whatsoever ye desire when ye pray believe that ye shall have it and it shall be done unto you And what is fasting If we will take Saint Chrysostom's opinion who was able to judge Iejunium non ciborum sed peccatorum abstinentiam efficit Though Fasting for a time and according unto the occasion from meats be a very necessary thing to make it a Fast indeed we must abstain from sin Iejunio passiones corporis oratione pestes sanandae sunt mentis saith Saint Hierom. Fasting tempers the passions tames the Fury and cures the Pestilence of the Mind Fasting cools the Feaver of the Flesh prayer assawgeth the Tumour of the Spirit As Fasting starves the pride of the flesh so prayer takes away all Sustenance from an evil Spirit Prayer is the speaking fasting of the flesh and fasting is the silent prayer of the Spirit Come then hither Thou man of black intentions Or whomsoever thou art that sittest groaning in a melancholy darkness Draw neer the Light Behold thy story in this Arras Thine is onely on the Backside on 't There 's a Person very like thee Thou art very like the Man that was possessed He that was without a name might have had thine In his story thou maiâ—st read thine own Evil the only means for cure and the Best way for Remedy Thou wert such a Father's Son In sin wert thou conceived and corruption gave thee suck His only Son the Darling of Pleasure that hast been dandled in wantonness Thou art a Child still Thou art not grown up to the strength of Reason Thou hast not conn'd the primier of Religion Or else thy Age has double childed thee that thou hast forgot thy Lesson Thou conversest with a large number of wicked Men and comest with a great Multitude of wickedness The multitude are the Wicked For few shall be saved Legion is thy Companion How canst thou then be without a Spirit In the multitude were the Scribes disputing The Scribes subtle Textmen The Doctors and Expounders of the Law They and the Pharises shak't hands Both were joynt-conspirators against both joynt-accusers of Christ. The Scribes accused Him of Blasphemy The Pharisees of eating with Publicanes and sinners The Scribes Accusation for the breach of the Law The Pharisees for the Breach of Traditions The people came to see wonders The Seribes with them to question the Miracles Beware that thou hast not such a Scribe Such a Pharisaean friend Such a Textman too neer thee He is possest with a spirit also a Question with a spirit of Contradiction He cannot helpe thee He has
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
proper buisinesse the mind has an innocent and rejoycing contentment when the heart is so dispos'd being folded in safety according to that of the Psalmist I will lay me down and also sleep in peace For thou Lord onely makest me dwell in Safety She 's Resignation's Neighbour and Self Friend Regarding nought but c. The rest of this Stanza expresseth that Contentation of mind allwaies accompanieth Self-resignation of will to God's Dispose In whose Pleasure the Soul rejoyceth alwaies without murmuring waiting with Patience and not repining but cheerfully from his hand receiving whatsoever commeth So as nothing betideth such a Soul crosse or obnoxious 10. Aloof upon sinister Hand Vain Desires arise from the wrong side of the Soul They are said to be aloof as described by the Travailer to the Pilgrim to be out of the way of a Christian's walk to be at great distance from the way wherein he ought to goe Thine Eye a floating Ile may now command Within a troubled Sea c. This discovers the Folly of worldly Desire and the vanity of corrupt Affections As an I le is divided from the Continent they do not concern and should not belong to the Christian man They are extraneous and extravagant They float having nothing of firmnesse or steadinesse in them intimating their Vanity The floating Ile is a wandring Fancy within a troubled Sea in a distemper'd Brain Or the floating I le inordinate Affections within a troubled Sea in a disquiet Soul This is the description of too fond desire and earthly mindednesse Where every one does seeke what t'other has The breach of the Tenth Commandement Nullus sua sorte contentus And madly think to grind at mills of Glasse Caught atomes c. Shewing the unreasonablenesse and unfitnesse as well as impossibility of obtaining of foolish Desires discovering the Vanity of carnall appetite which occasion Disquiet sorrow and Dejection of mind Mills of Glasse are the Fancy wherein the Imaginative Faculty is in labour with Apparitions When unreasonable Expectation is disappointed the heart is ready to faint with Despaire and the Breast is ready to break with the losse of it's longing But turne c. Giving notice of a more worthy object Averte oculos a vanitate mundi Turne away from the vain world Contemn it 11. As Globes of Ivory two Hills Embroid'red o're c. Joy and Innocence are to a good Conscience as the fair Breasts of a beautiful Virgin very full of Ornament and Comliness As the Church is mentioned in the 7. of the Canticles v. 7. Thy two Breasts are as two young Roes that are Twins Thy Neck is like a tower of Jvory c. Embroid'red ore with azure-veined Rills Quickened and adorned with Integrity of Life and continually refreshed with the Comforts of the Spirit Have 't wixt them Beautie 's Plain c. The cleare bosome of Trueth a Plain that is fertile with well-doeing Within this Plaine A Virgin c. Here is mentioned the Excellence of a sanctified Soul and the Eminence of a good Conscience It is Virgo intacta a Virgin undefiled Thou art fair my Love and there is no spot in thee Comely drest All about it is decent and in order Sits It is unmoved With dishevell'd Locks Without a Covering without hypocrisie Veritas non quaerit angulos In Snowie Vest purity cloatheth it all over It is arrayed with Candour as with a garment And with a Crimson Crosse upon her Breast The Badge of Religion and Devotion She Sweetly sings unto the flowing Streams It provoketh praise to God for his continuall Benefits and Graces powred upon it He maketh me to rest in green pasture and leadeth me by the still waters He restoreth my Soul and leadeth me into the paths of righteousnesse for his Name 's sake Psal 23. 2. 3. Self-instructing Theams c. Conscientia sibi judex The Conscience is it 's own Judg and Counsellour How beautifull are thy goeings with shooes O Princes Daughter The Joynts of thy Thighs are like Jewels the work of the hand of a cunning workman Thy navel is a round Cup that wanteth not liquour Thy Belly is as an heap of wheat compassed about with Lillies c. Thine Eyes are like the Fish-pooles in Heshbon by the gate of Beth-rabbim Thy Nose is as the Tower of Lebanon that looketh toward Damascus c. How faire art thou and how pleasant art thou O my Love in pleasures This thy stature is like a Palm tree and thy Breasts like Clusters Canticles 7. 12. To Resignation from Above Descends an Angel c. God out of his infinite Love and Mercy sendeth his Angels down to guard those that trust in him He is a Pillar of Defence to the Faithfull See! Blessed are the Stock and thriving Kine c. This pointeth at the Blessings in the 28. of Deuteronomy to those that were obedient and gave up themselves to performe the Commandements of the Lord. If thou shalt diligently obey the Voice of the Lord thy God c. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy Body and the Fruit of thy ground c. And if at any time there come Command For All c. Here is willing submission to Gods will and ready render with a free Heart and a rejoycing minde that he wil daign to call for any thing that we best esteem and that he will please to accept it from us In this and the beginning of the next following Stanza is set down the obedience of the soul and the dutifull submission of a Christian heart by self-resignation in all unto God MORAL XI AN injur'd generous Mind is conquer'd by submission to it Posse nolle nobile He that gives up all unto a noble heart seiseth upon all that is in the Possession of it Submission with reverence presented unto God is an humble argument of a Christian repentance Resignation of the Will a ready discovery of the Souls devotion the first a fair preparer for pardon the last a great prevailer for protection at the Throne of mercy Submission attracts Gods eye of mercy towards us Resignation opens the hand of his blessings upon us Suhmission makes the Will an Altar for the soul Self-resignation offers the whole man upon that Altar Without Submission there can be no Reconciliation Without self-Resignation no perfection of Faith in a Christian. Well saies Isidore lib. 1. de sum bon Non erit caro subjecta animae nec vitia rationi si animus non est subditus Creatori Tunc autem rectè nobis subjiciuntur omnia quae sub nobis sunt si subjiciuntur ei à quo nobis illa subjecta sunt The flesh shall not be subject to the Spirit nor vice be master'd by Reason so long as man stands out a Rebel against his Maker For then are all things below us are subjected unto us when we become subjected unto him by whom all those things were made and placed in subjection under us PROSPECT XI BEhold the earth that
blows But it is the Office of Meditation in her sober and steady steps alwaies to promote to our view Things that are past and behind us Contemplation is a free perceivance of Things with quicknesse of sight in the glasse of Wisedome with a wary consult Meditation searcheth out things that lay hidden Contemplation admires those things that are perspicuous therefore is she called here ground-eyeing meditation The book in her hand is the Bible the holy Scriptures which is her Rule to mesure by 7. With Reverence enter Reverentia est Virtus aliquâ praelatione sublimitatis debitae honorificationis cultum exhibens sayes Tully Reverence is a kind of Vertue that presenteth the proper Tender of due Worship to some Person in whom its Estimation conceiveth a sublimitie a Being far above it self And to whom is such so justly due as God whose Essence is above the Reach of any Capacity or Understanding whose Holinesse so Pure as not conceiveable by All imagination Whose Power is Infinite beyond all Comprehension And whose Glory is Ineffable and Everlasting dwelling beyond all possibility of Thought in Eternity We must approach him then with Awe and Reverence in our Prayer as he is in himself not only Absolute in Essence but as Relative to us in that he is our Creator and we his Creatures yea the Workmanship of his hands Prostrat lay with the greatest Humiliation of Body and Soule of All that we can to expresse our sense of the Debt we owe to so great a Maker and with shame to acknowledg our vile Transgressions and foolish as much as abominable Rebellions against the Wonderfull Love of so Gracious a Redeemer O come let us Worship and Fall down and kneel before the Lord our Maker Then rise Then raise thy Head thy Hands Dart up thine Eyes Sursum corda And lift up thine Heart on high And to next Altar take thy way Make ready then thy Soul as a Sacrifice upon the Altar of thy Ready Prayer Knock thy Breast Shew contrition for thy sin and indignation against thy self Kneel Shew Humility and Lowness of Spirit with the buckling of thy body Offer with thy Heart what taught to say Offer thy self in that prayer to the Father thatthe Lord of Life his beloved Son in whom he is well pleased hath taught thee to say and doubt not to be accepted 8. Devotion when th' ast breath'd a groan will lead c. When thou hast thus Ejaculated thy Spirit thy Devotion will conduct thy desires to Heaven Six Altars though but one Are six Petitions though but One Prayer All which do hang upon a mighty Corner Stone Depend upon Christ. Because he was it's Author and was and is the All-wise Directer and commander of the same 9. Each Altar has his Censer burn Each Petition has it's proper Virtue That Fires in proper Turn Comes in its due Order inflaming the breast with the Holy Spirit From whose Flames flies a Bird this Prayer thus said hath such an effectual Force and power of obtaining according to our Saviours Word and Promise that it raiseth us up from Death to life in Christ as Phenix from Urn by his death and Resurrection 10 A Burning Lamp with shining Light It is Christs example in Life and Doctrine who not onely taught us to pray but left us the Forms wherewith himself prayed His Prayers were perfect patterns They were short and Full very decent because in Order His Prayers were pure and meek chast and comely clear and lovely grave and weighty Oratio si pura si casta fuerit coelos penetrare vacua non redibit If prayer be clean and undefiled without spot and uncorrupted it returns not back from through-pierced Heaven without a Blessing Hearken to what our Saviour sayes in the sixth of S. Matthew And when thou prayest be not as the Hypocrites for they love to stand and pray in the Synagogues and in the corners of the streets because they would be seen of men Verily I say unto you they have their reward But when thou prayest enter into thy Chamber and when thou hast shut thy Dore pray unto the Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly Also when you pray use no vain Repetitions as the Heathen For they think to be heard for their much babling Be ye not like unto them therefore for your Father knoweth whereof ye have need before ye ask him Pray after this manner Our Father Oratio paucis verbis res multiplices comprehendit ut sit citò simplicitas fidei sufficientia suae saluti addisceret prudentia ingeniosorum profunditate Mysteriorum stupesceret This prayer contains many things in few Words that in short there may be preserved simplicity of Faith that we may perfectly learn what is sufficient for our own health and the knowledge of the nicest Wits may be astonished at the Depth of the Mysteries contained therein But mark the Eleventh of Saint Luke And so it was That as He was praying in a certain place when when he ceased one of his Disciples said unto Him Master teach us to pray as Iohn also taught his Disciples And he said unto them when ye pray Say so there was a command Our Father Dicendo Pater Noster veniam peccatorum poenarum interitum justificationem sanctificationem liberationem filiorum adoptionem haereditatem Dei fraternitatem cum Unigenito copulatam Sancti Spiritus dona largissima uno sermone significavit By saying Our Father he signified unto us even in one Word not onely the Pardon of our sins the Death of Punishment our justification our sanctification and our deliverance but his Adoption of us Sons and Co-heirs of God and our being made Brethren and joyned with his onely Sone and so sharers of the most Bountifull Gifts of the Holy Ghost Whose constant eye winks not for day or night His example his Precepts ought to be alwayes before us as they are alwaies in being I' th midst o' th Church Example is c. As Christ is in the midst of his Church so let him be in the midst of our Hearts That is his place So ought our Bodies to be the Temples of the Holy Ghost which is that Fire that has an everlasting brightnesse which irradiateth Spirituall Graces upon our Souls and warmeth them with continual comforts 18. Then on shee does conduct thy Pace c. Here the Emission of our prayers by our Devotion Supplication in the Spirit and the manner of Supplication is further described Here Devotion of the heart as an Ambassador carries our Petitions up towards the Throne of God Orationis purae magna est virtus velut fidelis Nuntius mandatum peragit penetrat quò caro non pervenit saith Saint Austin Great is the Force and efficacy of sincere Prayer Like a trusty Messenger it presents our desires and breaks through the Heavens where Flesh and blood cannot come
Therefore pray alwaies with all manner of Prayer Supplication in the Spirit and watch thereunto with all perseverance and Supplication for all Saints Ephes. 6. 18. Continue in Prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving Collos 4. 2. Pray continually 1 Thessal 5. 17. And then in respect of our prayers there is a progression that God would make us holy more and more until the comming of Christ at which time and not before we shall be perfectly holy As S. Paul desireth 1 Thessal 5. 23. I pray God that your whole spirit and Soul and Body may be kept blamelesss unto the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Devotion is said to conduct thy pace because prayer must be considered and not hasty 11. Unto the Chancel of that holy place Still the Ascent of our prayer is resembled as the going up from the Body of the Church to a Chancel or as in Cathedral Churches from the Nave to the Quire Pious Christians by direction of the Apostolical power The Bishops and Pastors in the Church after the Gospel had in the Primitive times passed through the storms of persecutions and begun to shine forth in more peaceable Ages did build Churches which they Dedicated to God as most fit places for publick Worship which in memory of their former troubles and their great and wonderful Deliverances out of them they fashioned in the form of a Ship which is subject to be tossed to and fro with impetuous Waves and uncertainly forced up and down in the Sea of this World by the Tempestuous Windes of Persecution Being very well acquainted with that Text in Saint Luke speaking of Christ standing by the Lake of Gennesaret Chap. 5. v. 2. He saw two ships stand by the Lakes side and the Fishermen were gone out of them and were washing their Nets And he entred into one of the ships which was Simons and required him that he would thrust off a little from the Land And He sate down and taught the People out of the Ship The Ship is the Church Christ the Priest and Bishop of our Souls the Prease of people upon the shore are Christians the Followers of his Doctrine Nor were such Churches unlike a Ship in many kinds if supposed to be transverst or turn'd with the Bottome or Foundation upward The Roofe is the keele the Walls the sides the Foundation the upper Deck or Shroud the East End the Prow or Forcastle The Pinacle in the midst the Mast and the West End the Poop or Steerage These Churches in their scituation stand transposed to the Temple of the Jews at Jerusalem These face the East as That the West The Christians worship toward the rising of the Sun so acknowledging the Resurrection of that Messias who is come and ascended to the Father The Jew looked Westward and in the shadow worshipped him that was to come But here the Guides aime is by a Reflection upon both and by the Comparison of each with other to make a Discovery of the way gradation and operation of Prayer In the outward part of the Temple of the Jews were the Atria divided by a low Wall of three Cubits high which surrounded the Temple The one was Atrium Populi The other Atrium Sacerdotis Such places are those Churchyards and Common places heretofore dedicated to holy Use and consecrated for publike praise prayer and Preaching about Christian Cathedrals The people belonging to Prayer are Christian circumcised Hearts which have communion in Atrio Populi in the Congregation of the Saints Devotion is the Levite which prepareth the Sacrifice the Priest is the Minister of the Ordinances be it prayer for the People or Preaching of the Sacred Word who joyning with them in Thanksgiving sacrificeth the Calves of their Lips with a Quid retribuam Domine Thus is obedience the best oblation in Atrio Sacerdotis the places of the Ordinances The Sanctum the Sanctuary as the Body or Nave of the Cathedrals is a Holy Life and Conversation thus the Soul becomes A Temple of the Holy Ghost This as the Cathedral hath two Isles or Alae wings to the Body in position North and South As they belong to Prayer Saint Augustine describes them Hae sunt duae alae Orationis quibus volatur ad Deum Si ignoscis delinquenti that 's the North Isle or left Wing Coldness to Wrath that is to pardon and forgive our offending brother Et donas egenti that 's the South Isle or Right wing to sustain the Needy to give to the Poor who are Members of our Elder Brother Christ. Through this Sanctuary of a Holy Life prayer is carried by Ejaculation of the Spirit into that Quire of the Church the Holy of Holies into Heaven where Jesus the ever-blessed High Priest our Mediator and Intercessor is sitteth at the right Hand of the Father and receiveth and delivereth our Petitions before the Mercy Seat the Throne of God This resemblance looketh up to that of Exhortation of Saint Paul 1 Tim. 2. 1. Concerning Prayer in general I exhort therefore that first of all Supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for All men That is the Atrium Populi For Kings and all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all Godliness and Honesty That is the Sanctum the Sanctuary For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God Our Saviour That is Sanctum Sanctorum the Holy of Holies From which place of Bliss comes the Bounty of Blessedness 12. Affections all about her kneel Denoting that Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God with all thy strength with all thy heart with all thy mind with all thy Soul c. The whole man must endeavour the utmost at so great a work at the performance of so pious a Duty Kneel Intimateth Reverence Upon the pavement Humility Made of Steel Of a steedy and firme Faith Reflected Heat Zeal On hearts Our Consciences From stones they feel From refreshing of the Holy Spirit breathing joy and Comfort into us after an unperceiveable manner Or may well be taken for our Charity to others which reflecteth a Heat upon our prayers The sum of this Stanza pointeth at Saint Pauls Direction to Timothy 1 Tim. 2. 8. I will therefore that men pray lifting up pure hands that is humble without wrath that is charitable or not doubting that is faithfully 13. I' th' midst a spire to Heaven doth straine Doth reach As in the midd'st of a Church the Steeple or spire is placed so the Ejaculations and groanings of Spirit rise as out of the midst of our souls where by our Prayers mount up to God and his Mercies like the Angels upon Iacobs Ladder descend down to us Wights Prayers Angels Mercies Hast thy wish obtainest thy desire and hast the Effect of thy prayer Pass doest gaine Hast obtained Assisting Grace to further thee to a Holy Resolution We must pray to be enabled to resolve as well as to do Refresh thou here