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
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
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
need of cure himself Have a care of an Ignis fatuus a false Light That seems a spirit too That Vapour may lead thee to thy great hazard into Ditches and Waters Into dangerous Opinions into a multitude of Errors into a boundless Flood of sorrows into the bottomless pit of Despaire Hast thou as thou thinkest an intollerable burthen upon thy Soul Hast thou a grievous load upon thy Conscience Some sin that makes it all darkness within thee That thou canst neither hold up head to heavily offended Heaven nor open thy Mouth to say so much as one Lord have mercy upon me 'T is very sad with thee indeed The dumbe spirit hath taken too much possession in thee of thee Or is thy Melancholy senseless Thou know'st not why nor what directly t is that troubles thee Thou art neither sick nor well Thy Soul has a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an evil habit a strange indisposition Go to a learned Doctor no Mountebanke Go to a true and lawful Minister of Christ an Orthodoxe Divine He will pray for thee He will teach thee to pray He will pray with thee And if through his own imperfections as who lives without them he cannot cure thee he will shew thee the way he will bring thee to the Master to blessed Iesus who both can relieve thee and will help thee Go to thy Saviour Distrust not Go to him by prayer He will ask thee for that which he gives thee Faith And he will give it in full measure for thy Asking Call then to Him in thy Heart And he will open thy Mouth Cry to him He delighteth to hear thee loud But have thine eyes a Drought Hath Lust dri'd up thy Springs Look towards him that is the Rock and He will cause those Rocks to flow with waters Who looks upon the Sun does melt his Eyes He will hear thee that sees thy miserie and will shew it thee that he may recover thee Till thou know'st thou beest sick thou art not fit for cure If thou canst not come of thy self take good counsel to bring thee to Christ Read the Scriptures Hear his Ministers And he will dispossess thee Thy Body should be the Temple of the Holy Ghost The House of God The House of Prayer How comes it Then that it is made A Den of Theeves yet be of good comfort They shall be cast out What though the Evil spirit tear thee at parting with pain with loss with sorrow with fear And leaves thee as dead in Despaire What though the World forsake thee And leave thee And leave thee Dead in it's Opinion What though thou beest scorned What though reviled What though a very Abject A Thing not reckoned among the Living neither worth Notice nor Use Be comforted Thou art nearest thy Remedy when thou thinkest not of it Pray and the evil Spirit is commanded from thee He must Out though he cry though he Roar at parting he shal be banish'd from thee that endanger'd thee to the fire to Hell fire to damnation that tempted thee to self-Murther by poysons to flame in thy bloud by a Halter to give thee a Desperate Convulsion by offering thee Death in the Waters in Rivers in Ponds in Wells upon the edge of Knives upon the Points of Poniards he thought and sought to surprize thee when thou wert alone When thou thoughtst that God had forsaken thee and all thy friends had left thee Be of good comfort Christ that begins the Cure wil perfect it Christ taketh thee by the Hand he lifteth thee up and then thou risest indeed to Life to the Life of Practice to the life of a good Conversation He takes thee by the Hand by thy promise of amendment of Life by thy new undertaking He that is the Life raiseth thee from thy former kind of dying He becomes thy Resurrection from sin from death to newness of life to Life in him whereby thou shalt partake Glory him Hast thou been posse'st with a Spirit of fulnesse of Prosperity A Spirit dumb to Thanks-giving Hast thou been posse'st with a Spirit of Covetuousness A Spirit dumb to Alms-giving Hast thou been posse'st with a Spirit of Oppression A Spirit dumb to Relieving and Deaf to the cries of the Poor A tearing Spirit that rendeth the Possessions of others as well as the possessed Hast thou been posse'st with a Spitit of Lust and Idleness that Lulleth all sins in her Bosom A Spirit dumb and deaf to the Invitation in the Gospel that either hinders thee by excuses or delayes thee from coming to the Feast Hast thou been posse'st with a Spirit of Drunkennesse Excesse and Uncleannesse A dumb Spirit that cannot speak Thou maust have Fasting joyned to Prayer or there is no way to cast him out Against his Uncleanness Fasting against his Fury Prayer Thou seest then thy certain benefit thy Remedy at hand the easie way to 't 't is but Ask and have Pray and it shall be given unto you In all thy distresses therefore in any anxiety of mind in any grief of heart in any trouble of thought in any calamity Pray Wud'st thou have Peace of Conscience Pray Wud'st thou have accesse to God Pray Wud'st thou have comfort in Afflictions Wud'st thou have joy in Tribulations Pray Wud'st thou possess thy soul in patience Pray Wud'st thou have thy patience teach thee Experience Pray Wud'st thou have Experience bring forth Hope Pray Then shalt thou finde that hope which is grounded upon Gods love which he shewed in sending his Son to dye for thee who wer 't unable to raise thy self that wer 't dead in sin and unworthy of his Love in being his Enemy Then he openeth the Charter to thee whereby thou holdest all these Graces which is a Reconciliation with God procured and purchased for thee by the Merits of Jesus Christ. Then art not thou amazed when thou beholdest thy Misery by the Fall of Adam who transgressed the Law of Nature before the Promulgation of the Law of Moses Nor is thy Faith cast down without hope at the sight of thy former committed offences c. never so Enormous Transgressions Thy Prayer begges Remission through Christ thy Faith layes hold upon Gods Mercie who sent his Son to be a Propitiation for thy sins He that took away the guilt of sin took away the strength of it Abuse not then Gods Mercy in sinning the more Nay sin no more lest a worse thing come unto the. Since God is so merciful to forgive misuse not thou the forgiveness of His Mercy Have a care that thou leapest not from Despair to Presumption Pray therefore Lest thou enter into or be overcome by Temptation Pray oft Not long Premeditate Consider before what Throne thou goest Babble not Lest thou addest to thy sins by thy Prayers and so thy Aqua vita that should refresh thee become thy Aqua fortis toeat out thy bowels such Coloquintid in the Pot will make thy pottage thy poyson lest that which should be thy
Intemperance foolishly discovers it self It increaseth still upon those that entertain her And Apish Noveltie that pleaseth men And this no considerable Enemy against pious Resolution one not to be neglected Novelty of Opinions Newes and the like do very much endanger the settlement of a Religious mind Ingratitude Friends wu'd not Know This is an Enemy to the whole man This wu'd cut off the Hands of resolution and kill the Heart of Charity A declar'd Foe to Grace This is as forgetful of giving Thanks as craving handed to receive Cureesies as evill minded to return Injuries And Curiosity did stay Here is the Description of the nature of Curiosity as of the rest of the Vices quarit in rem abs onditam No going without prying into some secret But while this is so busie in others Quarters no notice is taken of the weaknesse on 's own Guard Curiosity Seldom parts with him that will entertain him Oft peeping through a hedged narrow way Curiositas foras egreditur et exterius omnia considerat qui sic interna despicit praeterita non respicit praesentia non inspicit futura non prospicit Curiosity has much businesse abroad and takes strict notice of what 's not it's own businesse of what 's without But he that despiseth what 's within regards not what is past and is as carelesse of what is present as he is mindlesse of what is to come Upon those things that God has turn'd the Key man should not temper with the Lock Some things are placed in their straight Limits upon purpose that they should not be common And others are placed in the dark that they should not tempt an Eye And some have a Clowd as a Curtain drawn before them lest their Glory should strike blind if not destroy Satisfied Curiosity is a subtle Enemy to a Christian Resolution Ill Education likewise was in Field this Day Though ill Education be not a Vice it self yet it is Vice's Intimate and much acquainted therefore cannot be out of sin's Company wheresoever it goes Want of godly Nurture is a dangerous means of bringing Adversaries upon Piety 6. Prosperity Adversity aside did stand These are Evils in themselves These are Hermaphrodites utriusque Sexus They neither Friends but as they are used or abus'd so declare Voluptuousness made neer to prospers Band Yet it is a difficult thing for prosperity not to exceed Pleasure is often tickling the Elbow of prosperity Despaire then to Adverse ran It is still attempting a miserable condition Desiring him to save the Man By this seeming contrariety of speech is expressed the Viperous nature of Despaire that speaks to destroy by being nourisht alluding to the Fable of the Countrieman and the Snake in Aesop whose commiseration had like to have cost him dear He brings the dying Snake unto the fire where reviving it is ready to sting him for his kindness For these fair Quarter held on either hand Neuters as they are declar'd Foes so they are no certaine Friends At home did swearing banne This Sin curseth it self And is it 's own Chief punisher It keeps within it's Circle like a conjurer and too often raiseth the Devil Sin is not so much as a seeming good to any and a great mischief to it self And Covetise at home did hide It lives as though it lived not like a Snaile in his shell in Winter Hiding here is the neglect of use of what it has A curse that attends it Therefore is the Covetous properly plac't next him that useth Execrations As the one raps out Oaths the other rams in Bags Both are conversant with their gods Among his Baggs that cover'd every side These are the gods of Covetousness and his protection Quantum nummorum habet in arca tantum habet fidei Chest and Conscience fill and empty alike Here 's no Religion without an Idoll And Superfluity with many more that there abode Exorbitancy has all his Rooms fill'd with wickedness A divel is in every corner 7. How bravely Resolution took his Ground Here follows in this Stanza the Description of the Army of Vertues and how they behaved themselves in the Battaile They are described last because they keep the Field and in this Christian matter of moment obtain the Victory It is no less Judgement then Advantage for a General to choose the best Ground as well as to gain the Wind and the Sun for so great a Dispute as that of A Field That Ground is faith upon which Resolution cannot faile From Vertue 's ports did bounding Troops abound The Ports are places here from whence Assistance is sent So prayers by obtaining from above do send fresh strengths to second and supply the weakness of our spirits Whereupon they are stil'd bounding Troops For as a bounding Horse doth rise from Ground and charge doth jump upon the Earth Prayers mounting up to heaven come swiftly down with obtained Blessings Mounting Troops signifie also rejoycing in Spirit which always accompany holy Resolution Dexterity the Right Wing led We must in the first place use our best skill and Activity to move every way if we mean to resolve well Dexterity leads also the Right wing for his agility and quickness T is best to resolve well betimes And to the Left was Courage Head The left is said to be next the Heart ' Force Battail Resolution while Trumps sound To animate all the Spirits against so great and violent a contention Iudgement 's Reserve behind was spread All occasions of doing good are to be placed near but the only and maine assistance is that from above to rely upon Christ by Faith then want we not assisting Grace At signal giâ—en the Charge was stout This contention betwixt the Soul and Satan with all his Temptations of the Flesh and the World are resembled here to the Form of drawing up in Battalia and the striking of a Battail wherein the signal must first be given and then the violence of the Charge begins as here betwixt these Mortal and Spiritual Enemies And Execution's Ordnance lan'd the Rout Obedience to God's commands cutts down Temptations It is said lan'd the Rout from the Force of Ordnances that cutteth through bodies of men and numbers of Souldiers making void spaces like Lanes Or from destroying sin How Vice's Force fell fled as this great Gallant fought When pious Resolution bestirs himself and draws up his strength of Faith the World forsakes us the flesh faileth and is disheartned And the Devil takes his flight 8. They can but tarry now This eight Stanza describes how weak Temptations will appear when Resolution hath got the Day Less Opposition then so it be continued and watch kept will keep off rebellious Temptations denoting also the base Nature of such enemies their insolence and Cowardise concluding it with an Invitation of the Pilgrim to Resolution's Camp both for safety and Refreshment as also whetting desire to go and take notice of the Excellency of Resolution and the happiness of that
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
For Sad Souls Comfort lifted up its rising Head 9. Where many ragged Souls that lookt forlorn With Shoulders seem'd the Earth to Plough And sowe warm Drops with many'a Vow To whom did soon appear a hopeful Crop of Corn. 10. O Sad Blest Place though hither roughest Way Thou still must on o're Rocks and Hills And passe by several Grinding Mills Chear up and travail still while shining Sun lends Day 11. Behold You Bottom very flat doth lye Which oft these Streams do overflow In some parts 't is exceeding Low There lyes thy Way by th' Cell of lov'd Humility 12. Seest not a Crown in yonder Cloud appears Make Haste unto That Eastern Place For thou may'st meet the same by Grace O happy then That Here thou saw'st the Vale of Tears PERSPECTIVE IV. 1. TEars are the Tide of Sorrow which proceeding from the Afflicted Minde as from a Troubled Sea work upward and overflow the Banks By These we finde the Argument as the Channel of our Desire For we do not so much pursue Grief as discover it Nemo enim sibi tristis Few are sad with out a Witnes Plerumque omnis dolor per Lachrymas effluit The exhalation of Sorrows to these melancholie Clouds in the Brain oft distill in showrie Tears Passion within like an Earth-quake at the Heart will not cease strugling or a pent Vapour till it hath made either Eruption by Sighs or Expression by Groans Some body must hear us We even in that Torment are in love with Anothers Compassion as well as in Labour to be delivered of our own Pain Therefore hath it pleased the Almighty Maker of All to place near the Eyes two Christal Streams in the Head to allay the Flames of a Martyr'd Heart which doth often evaporate it self at the Diamond Casements of the Sight By these we sometimes seek to obtain what our weak Tongues have scarce ability to request or Courage to Demand And if that Innumorato did not doubt but continual Suite would mollifie His Mistris Heart who presented her The Figure of his Mind made in the Form of an Eye dropping Tears upon a Heart with Saepè cadendo What with Reverence may not we think to gain from Divine Mercie 's Hands if we accost Heaven with the Penitence of our groaning Hearts and the Frequencie of our running Tears Therefore is Affliction call'd The Vale of Tears Because it humbles us And The Fruitfull Vale In that Sanctified Affliction is the pleasant Ground of Comforts Fletus Sayes Cassiodore est cibus Animarum corroboratio Sensuum et absolutio peccatorum refectio mentium lavacrum culparum Weeping is the Food of Our Souls the Strengthening of Our Senses the means of Absolution of Our Sins the Refreshment of Our Minds The Laver or Bath of Errours Grief for Sin is of the Nature of Fire It labours still to shew above It works more impetuously and burns the more violently in the straightnesse of it's Inclosure when it is most hidden It is much allayed if not quenched by that Rain of Grace from Heaven Those Ocular Shoures that pour down upon The Breast In short We must proceed in Repentance from Heart to Head and so make use of Afflictions in Our Hearts as to consider the Head as their Fountain from whence they are derived The little Hill Is the Head whose shady Top resembleth the Grove of Hair upon it without or the obnubilation of inward mourning which sends forth Lamentation at The Two Springs of the Eyes running into the Fruitful Vale to the Brest the Conscience made fruitfull with the Riches of the Almighty Mercy Such Tears are the wine of Angels and the Banquet of Comforts to The Penitent or to that happy Soul whom Grace inspires with the Sight of Divine Loves causing it to be so afflicted 2. Groaning Turtles Intimate the Distempers and Passions of the mind for Worldly Things Lost Mates Earthly Vanities Fowlers Hands Oppression and Iniury the Seeming Occasions of Sad Accidents Sad Weights side-long layd Are the Affections not turn'd to their proper Object or their Dejection for not enioying the humour of their desires This is a vain Sorrow yet may it be introductive to a true Repentance 3. Take rest Signifies Recollection or Sedation of mind The Sweetnesse of the Plain Is the Joy that accompanies Religious Sorrow Affliction thus receiv'd rather calms the Mind than disturbs it Tears refresh the Heart not drown it Dead Roots Mortified Hearts from whence arise by Christ in us new Life and a restored Being 4. While Some spend their time in lamenting their Disadvantages The Children of Grace the motions of The Holy Spirit bids us puts us in mind to gather The Flowers of God's mercies and Blessings together wherewith we may perfume our Bosoms give an odour to our Consciences of the Comforts in the Gospel so happily revealed unto us Some gather Hartsease Which rightly us'd has in it a Medicine against Agues against Convulsions against Fits of The Falling Sicknes in Infants and Children Contentation likewise with present condition and Submission to Gods Dispose is a Cure to Irresolution and the Shaking of weak Minds and Childish Reasons by Misfortunes Misadventures or Injuries as also against the Violence of Passions and the Danger of Despair which is the Falling Sicknes of the Heart Violets Which cool Feavers helps Headaches c. So Consideration mitigates too cholerick and intemperate Humours within and makes Moderation Mistris of the Tongue Lillies of the Valley Which restore Speech to the Dumbpalsi'd and those in Apoplexies is good against the Gout comfort the Heart strengthen the Memory and help the Inflammation of the Eyes Religious Prudence in like manner by Humility restoreth a quick yet sober Conversation to Malencholy and indisposed Dispositions takes off Anguish from the Impatient and Sweetens Afflictions to the Soul gives Mindfulnesse Care and Regard of Not Doing what is Evil and renders us the Remembrances of the best Things cools the Lusts of the Flesh and tempers while Grace reclaims The Lustful Wandrings of the Eye Some lay their Heads on Cammomil Cammomil is an excellent Remedy against the Collicke Stone but especially against Wearisomenesse mollifies Swellings allayes Aches Pains is good for Bruises Shrinking of Sinewes The red Cammomil is call'd the flower of Adonis How Grace and Faith give an Aequanimitie a free Suffering of Crosses and a settled Quiet to the Soul helping against the flatulent Collicks of Ambition the Obstructive Stone of Covetousnesse mollifieth and disperseth the Swellings the risings of immoderate Passions cures the Aches and Pains of diseas'd Affections takes off the Tiring of Patience relieves against the Stroaks of Tribulation and heals the Bruises of Aduersity Nor does it prevail lesse against the Shrinking of Resolusion Cammomil and walnut Trees are the Emblemes of Vertue 's better Growth by Iniuries and Christianitie's flourishing under Persecution 6. Stooping Is a posture of Humility and Reverence So Signifies Prayer and of yeilding to a Burthen So it denotes Submission
Lowly Daysie with his Fringed Ruff That helps the Gout and Feaver's Heat Brain-purging with 's iuice-bruised Snuff Peeps there with hoarie Time provoking Sweat beat Strong Herb-of-Grace that Serpents Poysons forth doth 8. And divers humble Plants about her creep And harmelesse Beasts do 'bout her feed Of Nature like the Silly Sheep Which with Delight do There increase and breed While Shee does please Her self with many'a pious Deed. 9. At Foot of Faith's High Rock Shee safely dwells And at Devotion 's Chapple goes to pray Shee Great men's Falls and sad Fates tells To those that to Her come and passe Her Way How Free from Storms shee lives shee oft to such does say 10. To Neighb'ring Vertues step by step shee goes And gentlie Knocketh at their Gate With whom her Friendship fast doth close With such shee often doth associate Shee riseth Early and layes down her Head as Late 11. Hence must thou goe by Resolutions Field Where hardie Souldiers ' trenched lay Against Surprise Redoubts they build And None without A Passe can go that Way stay With Cross fair sign'd The Guards else cause them Pris'ners 12. First Kisse Humilitie's Fair Hand and goe Prepare thy Passe and cheer thy Mind Th' art under Winds that roughly blow By Obseruation thou shalt Wisdom find Who travails Thus leaves Nought of worth unseen behind PERSPECTIVE V. 1 A Cell is the solitary Place of an Hermit who is a Religious forsaker of the World that has chosen a Mountain in some Wildernesse or the side of a Rock for his Habitation resigning himself up by his continual Devotion and Segregation from the Company of Men to Divine Dispose only so seeking Safety and Repose rather among Beasts then Men. It is called The Cell of Humility for its unenvi'd Lowlinesse Low and Happy Cell For its Safety Self-enjoyment Spiritual Rejoycing Fair Virgin It is the Lovelinesse Innocencie and Integrity of Humility On her Knees Her Reverence and frequent Devotion Her up-cast Eye Holy Contemplation of Heavenly Things Gesture and Posture Her Sober Modest Conversation Religious Comportment and meek Behaviour Her Minde Her Disposition Or These suit the Soul best 2. Hearbs Are the lowest of Plants meaning Vertues which are the furthest from Preferment Because the meanest in the Worlds Estimation Secret Vertues She does ken Their operations and Effects Hereby intimating that Humility is the Handmaid of Knowledge and the Secretary to Prudence Much Skill in Chirurgions Art Because she opens the Understanding and secures the Distempers of the Minde In a Divine sence she gives the sight of Sins and is the proper Object of Grace The Chirurgion is Christ his Art is the Gospel which is revealed and made manifest to the Humble And as Physick it self is an Art of well-curing and reducing Health to the Body especially to that of Man so to Chirurgerie likewise belongs such Science as may with a Physitians Skill and an Artist's Hand best heal Hurts and Sores and take away the Diseases of the same Being chiefly conversant by two Wayes to this Effect In solutione continui as of Ulcers Wounds Fractures and Laxations Et in Moderatione partis externae as in dissolving and scattering of Tumours that gather against Nature The first may put in minde of Original Sin which the wonderful Humility of our Saviours Assumption of humane Nature His Submission unto his Father in undergoing his Wrath and Suffering for Us did free Us from the Bonds of Death The Latter of Actual Transgressions against the Law of which likewise by such His Humility in his Passion and our application of our selves to Him by Faith and our Humiliation by Repentance turning unto Newnesse of Life he is the sole means of our Recovery So healeth He our old Sores and new Pains and Smarts dispersing the gathering Humours of our disordered Affections or lancing the rotten Tumors of our Hearts by Afflictions and as it were a gracious Force of Acknowledgement of our Offences and asswaging the swelling of our Sins and doing them away with the Balm of his Mercie So doth he cure our Natural Corruptions and assist us by the Grace of his Holy Spirit to better Inclinations Undertakings Resolutions and Performances The Door or Tables End Humility regards not Complemental Priority or Worldly Superiority The stiffest Back to bend High Thoughts big Words and lofty Designes must Buckle must bend must stoop to Lowlinesse of Minde to Mildenesse of Expression to Meeknesse of Conversation before we can enter in at Humilities Door before we can be rightly said to be humbled yea we must be brought down to the Acknowledgement of our Errours and to Repentance for our Sins before we can properly come to be received by Humility whose Door is the Introduction to the Way of Truth And as the Back is the strongest part of the Body and must be bowed so must too much Opinion of our selves our own Strength and Power must be declined and laid by if we seek if we think to be humbled On Earth The lowest and grossest of all the Elements The Ground the vilest the dirtiest of all Places Her course Hempen Napkin Is her homely Diaper and best Courtship the plainest Dresse is her most pleasing Entertainment Looking Brown As Contemptible in common Eyes as her own Is spread She cares not who sees it With homely Cates That are rather wholsome than Dainty Thanking God rather for his Blessings than being so nice as to refuse any thing that He sends or so bold as to appoint or chuse what He should bestowe In an Earthen Dish Take it either for Mans Body that Pot compos'd of Clay at the Dispose of the Heavenly Potter the most wise Artist and Almighty Maker Or for Simplicity of Minde and Contentation of Heart In which she receives whatsoever Divine Bounty bestowes upon Her Close to this purpose is that of S. Basil. Tria sunt quae radicata nutriunt Humilitatem scilicet Assiduitas Subjectionis Consideratio propriae fragilitatis Consideratio Rei melioris If three Things take Root Humility flourishes that is Continual strugling to obtain a Diligence of Subjection The serious Consideration of our own inbred and Natural Frailtie And the Comfortable Meditation of a better Being 4. Beyond her Cell there lies a Path We must go by Humility to the Way of Truth Vera Discretio non nisi vera Humilitate acquiritur A clear Distinction betwixt a right Discerning and Discovery of the Natures of Things is not to be had not to be obtained by us without a real and true Humility Haec erit prima Probatio si universa non solum quae agenda sunt sed etiam quae cogitantur referantur seniorum examini This must be the first Trial if all Things that not onely are to be done but even passe our Thoughts be referred to the Ballance of gravest Understandings Ut nihil suo judicio credens illorum per omnia definitionibus acquiescat quod bonum malum debeat judicare eorum
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
cupiditas possit inveniri saith S. Bernard Pride and desire of having are so much as one as neither overweening be found without too much craving nor the too much desire of having be entertaind with too much craving Poor Cowardize As baseness of Spirit is impoverished by every Intruder so what it gains it is by stealth and in the dark and so does it operate upon weak mindes Thus Temptations would impede Resolution by debilitating Courage with stealing upon it in the dark undream't of by presenting the shaddows of interests and Relations Cowardise doth reason politickly and like a Juggler 3. Wild passions muster oft themseves amain Temptations reinforce they will not give over for once or twice making a Christians Life a continual war-fare they come still on and encrease their Troops upon us and then add more strength when they find themselves most resisted Nulla sunt sine tentationum experimentis opera virtutis nulla sine pâ—rturbationibus fides nullum sine hoste certamen nulla sine congressione victoria But there can be no good works without the experiments of and trials by temptations there can be no Faith without conflicts and vexations there can be no Combat without an Enemy there can be no Victory without an Encounter March quick with hot incursion on the plain Tentations are here arrayed in battel their motion is swift their encounter is very furious and they come on upon smooth ground the place makes them think themselves and their violence of motion and excess of malice which is their false Valour makes them think to have the better on 't Now or never they think to gain the Prize for if Resolution takes place farewel staggering of Faith The field is open and they consider not the Reserve nor who it is that backs him that power is unseen Wrath leads as Van Wrath has the command of the first body and he is likeliest to carry it he thinks to rout the whole man For does wrath when he breaks into him Nihil inter insanum iratum est non una dies alter semper insanit alter semper irascitur There is no difference between a wrathfull and a mad man not a day For the one is alwaies mad and the other ever angry Wrath thinks to tear Resolutions force in pieces as Tygers rend their Prey They need not have a madder head Revenge as Rear Revenge comes slow it steals behind the heart of Man It is hard to pull out Cains sin it is so deep in us and when it has been thrown out it would fain encompass us or get in at the Postern As battel pride He indeed makes his delight to Domineer over the whole Body yea and Spirit too but then he is most dangerous He must ride and in a Chariot too which has these four Horses to draw it Amor dominandi Desire of Command Amor propriae laudis Love of his own praise Contempâ—us Despising others Inobedientia Rebellion His Chariots Wheels are Boasting and Arrogance Verbosity and Levity His Charioteer is the Spirit of Pride and he is never without his Zanies which he hurries therein along with him even to the overthrow of others and those are are Amatores mundi the lovers of the World Infraenes sunt Equi volubiles rotae auriga perversus qui portatur infirmus The Horses are unbridled the wheels are ever turning the Charioteer is madder then his Horses and the Flatterers that are thus hurried want as much of understanding as they do of Resolution No Ranks Keeps Fear Multos in summa pericula misit venturi timor ipse mali Fortissimus ille est qui promptus metuenda patitur The very Fear of approaching Evil hath driven many into miserable Dangers Fear cannot be kept in order and by chance wu'd break Resolution's Ranks because he cannot Keep his own For Marshall Fury counteth Order Vain Such is the opinion of a Mad man A fitt Marshal for such a disordred Army Ha red does charge Hatred is a Great Accuser It is so much the better that he is an open Enemy Pejora sunt tecta odia quam aperta et agnosci amat qui odium ostendit Concealed Malice is worse than that which is declared He seems to crave pardon that discovers an intended ill turn Here Hatred is taken to presse upon Resolution to weaken it Hatred Visits like Job's Friends not to try his Faith but to shake it And Envie tear Fuge Invidiam quae non solum alienos verum multò magis eum quem possiderit lacerare consuevit Take heed of Envie For She not once rendeth strangers but teareth much more whensoere She does possesse Black Treason moveth up and down He casteth about to gain advantages and to designe against Religious Resolution Rebellion's Drums c. Tumults and Noises are raised to shake Resolution This kind of Temptations makes use of streperous Musick to discompose more settled thoughts But Slander fights behind Dentes dicti sunt à demendo Ideò pulchrae linguae detrahentium dentes vocantur Quia sicut illi ciborum partes demunt ita et istae opiniones hominum corrodunt Teeth are called so from taking away Therefore are the slippery Tongues called Teeth Because as they divide the Parts of meats so detractors do tear the good names of men and in the worst manner ever wounding them unseen The War 's for Vertue 's Crown To rob the Soul of hope of Happinesse 4. Oft does their Câ—â—â—ing seem to make Retreat Discovering the Subtlety of the Temptations of the three Grand Enemies of Christian piety the World the Flesh and the Devill Here the Vices are rallied first because they are the invaders of the souls Rest and Comfort Field Marshall Prudence Voydeth such Defeat Prudence here is taken for Providence Providentia Dei omnia gubernantur et quae putatur poena medicina est By the Providence of God are All things marshall'd and govern'd And happy is it so For that which Evill men account a Punishment is the best Physick Discover'd broke they fly dismaid Grace Assisting Faith gives strength to Resolution to break them having discover'd their wicked Policies Ambition leaves his tired Horse He rides post for his Ends but having wearied himself and his Agents he either is thrown or so rowted that he is compelled to leave what was his Advancement his Honours and seeks safety among the Vulgar And Prodigalitie doth run his Course Here Vices and Sins are mentioned as the Punishers of themselves In Bog Vainglory drops A Swelling Vice is like a Tumour in the Body that when it breaks shewes nothing but rottennesse which is a Punishment agreeable to the Folly Thus Scatt'reth Vice's Force This is the best Conclusion of Wickednesse 5. From Idlenesse so sick Idlenesse moves like stone towards Imployment And is sick of doing nothing Sloth could not come c. Sloth is inseparable from Idlenesse But Iealousie did often show Jealousie is ever stirring Intemp'rance too that still does grow
be Heat or Cold they are welcome to Patience as they come she is not disturbed they have free Entrance they have free passage Naked came I out of my mothers womb and Naked shall I returne thither The Lord hath given the Lord hath taken blessed be the Name of the Lord. That was patient Iob's Quietus est for his Losses Their malice She counts little worth Alluding to Job's Friends Patience overcommeth malice by enduring Her Chambers haunted are with Sp'rits This pointeth at Job's messengers One Evill treads upon the Heels of another Such News rides poast to trie the Patient One Affliction one Trouble or another is still at the good man's Elbow She sings She sleeps secure c. She is undisturbed Her mind is settled on things above as she accounteth these Lower matters but Dreams and Fancies 5. When Eyes unclose sad Sights appeare Nulla dies sine dolore Every Day produceth new Disasters When we do look for light Grief's Tears ore cloud the Sight One spectacle of Grief or other is the Monument of our Affections and shews us the Tomb of our Selves With threatning Dart grim Death drawes near Omnem crede Diem que non sperabitur hora. Think Death with every Day doth come To dig the Grave or build a Tombe Affliction is like sicknesse the warning-piece of mortality Persecution like a Ruffian taks Patience by the Throat to fright her Yet she 's unmov'd though Ultimum terribilium mors the terriblest of All things Death appear Ill News of All Sorts buz in Eare Temptations of all Kinds that assault thee and insinuate with thee And Say th' are Tokens sent from Feare The Falsity of their Pretence This is the world's nature to send poyson in in a present Iob's Friends pretend Comfort in a Visit but when they open it it is Affliction The Sp'rits do groan and make a Noise The frailty of Nature by our own Passions within us do groan the malice of the world seems to shreike and the Devill encompassing the Earth and seeking whom he may devour doth roar All these as one conspire to amaze the Resolution of the Soul With Scourges others smartly strike This the Cruelty of the World that beats by Oppression the Weak and wounds with Injuries the Innocent Another tears what she does like Satan tries us most by hurting or robbing us of what we seem to affect best he seeks to tear from us what he thinks is most dear unto us And 'gainst her every where's a Pique Life is besieg'd begirt round with mischief All these she feels and foils by stay By restraint of passions by Recollection Patience perceving their drift and discovering their purposes overcoms them but not without assisting Grace for the Continuance whereof She prays To spite them more she fervently doth pray Fervent Prayer is a scourg to Satan It calls down the Power before which he trembles and which he seeks to avoid 6 With sober Pace This sets forth not only her Perseverance but her Sobriety Bonam vitam ego puto mala pati bona facere sic perseverare usque ad Mortem sayes S. Bernard I account that a good Life which consists in doing good and suffering evil and to continue in so doing even to Death Sobrietas temeritatem fugit pericula cuncta declinat Sobriety is too steady to be rash and so wise as to prevent the occasion of Evil. Sobrietatis perseverantia inaestimabilis est animi Fortitudo The Perseverance of Sobrietie is an inestimable Vigour of the Minde Abroad Ab aliis patimur She suffers Injuries from the World that is neither her Friend nor her Home She walks This differs her from a sinnie Patience She is not stupid She keeps her course And with her Self The Soul meditates discourseth to her self the wonderful goodnesse of God in all his Blessings and Benefits and what he suffered for her Redemption And since he suffered so much for her how much is she bound to undergo even any thing whatsoever for so gracious a Lord. Besides it is the way that leads to Happinesse She compares her Sufferings and finds them small in respect of the Greatnesse of others And Heaven she talks By Ejaculations of Spirit by Prayer There is such a Discourse of the Mouth and Hand too by good Conversation From whence an Angel cometh down The Holy Spirit descendeth into such a Heart And shewes the picture of a Crown Gives assurance of the Reward according to the Promises by Faith A Violl gives of Cordial Smell Of Comforts still to cheer her up in all her Calamities and to refresh her in her Trouble Of Essence 't is for her not well The Contemplation of Gods Power his Truth his Goodnesse His Excellence which changeth her Tribulations into Rejoycings At Scent whereof c. In Such Contemplation and beholding the Exnellencie of the Reward She is extasi'd and slighteth what this World can do unto her A Cot-Lamp skippeth by her Side The Embleam of rejoycing Innocence Gaude de Innocentia exulta Gaude inquam Quia nbique illaesaes ubique secura Si tentaris proficis si humiliaris eregeris Si pugnas vinceris si occideris coronaris Tu in securitate liberaes in periculo tuta in custodia lata Tibi omnis reatus adjicitur Tibi universa malitia subjugatur Te potentes honorant suscipiunt principes Magnates exquirunt Et illi nonnunquam te desiderant qui impugnaverunt Tibi boni parent mali invident zelant aemuli inimici succumbunt Nec unquam poteris victrix non esse etiam si inter homines judex justus defuerit Rejoyce of thine Innocence and praise the Lord I say rejoyce For thou art every where shot-free Thou art every where secure If thou beest tempted thou becomest the stronger If thou beest humbled thou art raised the higher If thou fightest thou gettest the Victory If thou beest killed thou receivest a Crown In Servitude thou art free In Danger thou art safe In a Prison thou art cheerful All blame is thrown upon thee But all Malice is subjugated under thee Potentates do honour thee Princes admit thee Great men seek after thee and they sometimes desire thee that are most Enemies unto thee Good men obey thee Wicked men envie thee Thy Friends are in love with thee Even thine Enemies submit unto thee Nor canst thou ever but prevail let there be but a just Judge amongst Men so S. Chrysostome By her Side is meant her Integrity of Heart her Innocence of Conscience Her Steps c. Innocence with Patience is a beautifull and a pleasant Example Oft Disadvantages c. She prevents inconveniences and waves Injuries 7. Wilde Satyrs make their lewd Assaults Satyrs among the ancient Heathen were taken for Gods Their form was in the upper parts like Man in the lower like a Goat with crooked Hands and Horns upon their Heads going erect and are said to have inhabited among the Eastern Mountains of India in subsolanis Indorum Montibus Wilde
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
of men to promote peace and to procure atonement Si quid Religionis oritur quicunque resist it quicunque repugnat planè cum Aegyptijis parvulos Israelitici germinis necare conatur Imò cum Herode nascentem persequitur Salvatorem If any strength of perswation be taken from Religion whoso withstands it whosoever resisteth it doth declare himself a Conspirator with the Egyptians to murder the Children of the people of Israel Yea more he joynes with Herod in the persecution of Our Saviour to murder him at his Birth Though men may seem to put off Reason while it is difficult to preserve themselves men they cannot cast off the dictate of their own Consciences Here th' one to th' other Alms do freely deal Reconciled Hearts strive to outvie one another in actions of love the more to manifest their clear affections to the same Alms are not onely charitable deeds unto the Poore which is a necessary and excellent Christian duty but an obedience to that commandment of Christ Love one another with a strong reason to back it For if thou lovest not thy Brother whom thou hast seen how canst thou love God whom thou hast not seen Saint Augustine gives his sence of dealing of Alms very apposite to this purpose Qui vult ordinate dare elcemosynam à seipso debet incipere et eam fibi primò dare He that would well order the Dispose of his Alms must begin at himself He should bestow alms first upon himself There is most need according to the Proverb Charity begins at home Est enim elcemosyna opus misericordiae verissimâ—quae dictum est Miserere animae tuae placens Deo For Alms-giving being a work of mercy it is most truely said if thou intend'st to please God be mercyfull to thine own Soul With much delight th'ones wounds doth th' other heal As the Unguentum armarium or weapon-salve is said to heal by Sympathy It is the property of Charity to nourish concord to preserve Love and Agreement to conjoyn and make up the breaches of those that are divided to direct those that are out of the way and to consolidate and fortifie all Virtues by the strength of her own perfection so that whosoever obtaineth Charity to take root within him nec à veritate deficit neither faileth of the Truth nec à fructu inanescit nor can be without fruit Experience of self-misery teacheth the Compassion of another To Laws drawn thus does Pardon set her Seal In reconciliation of those that have been separated in their affections there is not onely a Final agreement undertaken and setled but an absolute acquittance of all injuries and obliteration of the same is sealed S. August de verb. Domini speaks pleasantly upon the words of our Saviour to invite to the forgivness of our brother Audistis formam si septuagies septies Christus peccata tibi donavit si huc usque ignovit ultrà negavit Pone tu limitem ulteriùs noli ignoscere You have heard the manner of forgivenesses that Christ appointed that thou shouldest forgive thy brother seventy times seven in a day as he hath forgiven thee If he hath pardon'd thee so far but hath set a bound there not to exceed Go thou to that Pillar and go no further Thou shalt not need Which is sent up to th' Empyrean Court Our good deeds are Registred in heaven which is the Coelum Empyreum the Heaven of heavens above the Fabrick of this world the Throne of the Almighty Presented thither in most humble sort accepted and confirmd c. The operation of our Alms by faith in Christ is effectual with the Father and accepted as our Prayers As that Petition especially in that Prayer which our blessed Lord taught us Forgive our Debts our Trespasses as we forgive them that are indebted to us or Trespasse against us Here is forgivenesse for forgivenesse forgive thy brother and God forgives thee the one Pardon doth not onely obtain the other but in a manner it seals it O formidosa sententià cryes out S. Hierom si parva fratribus non dimittimus magna nobis a Deo non dimittuntur O sentence to be trembled at If we will not forgive our Brethren small offences God will not forgive us our farre greater sinnes The summe of these two preceding Stanza's is that there must be Reconciliation with thy brother before thy gift of Resignation can be accepted by God 3. With throbbing heart With many a stroak of Conscience with the contrition of Repentance in the fear of the Lord. And panting breath As when a man is almost out of winde with much labour and sore travel having even spent his spirits full of faintness and weakness Wet eyes Flowing sorrows having undergone many doleful miseries And wounded feet Having endured a world of injuries Afflictions and persecutions the portion of a Christian Above The tryals of prosperity which is called the height of fortune having been subject to envy malice slander and the Evils that accompany and haunt an eminent Being being set up as it were a mark for all to shoot at Beneath Having passed through the Calamities of adversity through scoffs and scorns the derision and contempt by the World the usual tramplers upon low conditions Th' ast gone through dismal wayes Through disconsolate difficulties very displeasing to flesh and blood to endure Wayes the common and usual passages of the world dismal wayes full of frights and fears among the tempests and storms of malice many troubles and disadvantages amidst the darknesse of ignorance and misconstruction through myrie entanglements plunging cares and the dirt of calumny and evil censure By thousand paths of death By numberless perils and most hazardous dangers leading thee to gaping destruction that was ready to swallow thee up The beginning of this Stanza is a kind of review or recapitulation of the hardship of their former travel That they have escaped the foul den of idlenesse that they have gone by the mournful Grott of Repentance that they have journeyed through the uncomfortable Wildernesse of Tribulation that they have not omitted the fruitful vale of tears that they have accosted the lowly Gell of humility that they have refreshed at the holy house of Prayer that they have climbed the lofty Mount of Faith that they have passed the strong camp of Resolution that they have visited the storm-beaten Lodge of Patience that they have touch't at the sad Ruins of Mortification that now they are come to the sight of the contented Farm of self-Resignation Therefore now pause sit thee down and rest thee awhile after so much trouble and labour Take rest awhile Consider all these things the mercies and blessings of God his wonderfull assistance and most excellent preservation amidst and out of al these miseries and dangers The wilderness is past Thou mayst be comforted for the World is gone over Th' art past the ruggedness of the world Th' ast turn'd thy back on 't T is behind thee
timeri that the Lion is frighted by and stands in awe of the Cock Angui quoque Gallus terrori est The Serpent cannot endure him Basiliscus ipsum horret The Basilisk doth tremble at the sight of this Champion Hunc aiunt mirabile dictu cùm Gallum videre forte contingit animo tremere et cum cucurientem audit tanto terrore concuti ut emoriatur It is scarce to be beleeved what is said of him that when the Basilisk chanceth to see the Cock he is stricken with a strange terrour but when he hears him he is so wonderfully affrighted that he dies upon the place Quam rem non ignorantes qui per immensas Cyrenensium solitudines quae pestem illam et singulare in terris malum gignunt iter faciunt Gallum itineris comitem sibi adjungunt qui cantu suo truculentissimam illam bestiam longè abigat reporteth Aelian lib. 3. c. 31. Whereof those Travailers that passe the dangerous and vast Lybean Deserts which produce such a mischief and where onely a Creature of that pestilent nature is bred and brought forth for safety sake they make the Cock their companion in their Travell who at the Clapping of his wings and the shrillness of his crowing may drive away farr from them a Beast of that horrid countenance There is much more furniture of this sort if the roome were not so small and this place so straight Some are of Opinion that Christ is meant by the Cock in holy Scripture dormientes excitans et quasi calcaribus comminationum that I may use their words pungens stimulans Waking those that laid asleep in sin and security and as it were pricking with the spurs of his threats and striking with the sharp heel of his comminations So Vitriacus Cardinalis Venerable Bede lib. 9. Expos. Tob. c. 7. Interprets thus Gallum puto esse unumquemque Sanctorum qui in nocte tenebris hujus mundi accipiunt per fidem intelligentiam virtutis constantiam clamandi ad Deum ut aspiceret jam dies permanens et amoveantur umbrae vitae praesentis qui urgent item sequenti clamore precum suorum dicentes Emiâ—â—te Lucem tuam et veritatem tuam Quod de Prophetis intelligere possumus qui certatim annunciaverunt Diei et Solis adventum I conceive the Cock to be every one of the Saints that receive in the Night and Darknesse of this world understanding by Faith and the constancy of the virtue of crying to God that the ever living Day might behold them and that the shadowes of this present life may be removed still enforcing their continued cryes and petitions in these words Let thy light and thy trueth break forth Which we may likewise understand of the Prophets who in a manner strived to exceed one another in the annunciation of the comming of the Day and the Sun But nearer our matter is their Verdict that apply it to the Messengers of the Gospel Gallus succinctus lumbos id est praedicatores inter hujus noctis tenebras verum manè nunciantes The Cock that hath his loins girt is the Preacher of the word who declares the Truth betimes in the morning amidst the darknesse of this night Praedicator quisque plus actibus quam vocibus insonet et bene vivendo vestigia sequacibus imprimat ut potius agendo quam loquendo quo gradiatur ostendat quia et Gallus ipse cum jam edere cantus parat prius alas excutit et semetipsum feriens vigilantiorem reddit The Preacher must sound by his life as well as his doctrine and by living well Leave to his followers the footsteps of a good example that he may shew them their way whither they are to goe rather by good deeds than words by the hand and the foot rather than the Tongue Because the very Cock when he prepares himself to crow first smites his wings and striking himself makes himself the more watchful His Note is Hora est jam nos de somno surgere It is time that we should awake from sleep from sin Evigilate justi Nolite peccare Awake unto righteousnesse sin not The Cock then is the Preacher The wild Beasts are the World the Flesh and the Devill The crowing of the Cock is the Publication of the Cospel which remembred Peter when he denied his Master The frighting of those wild Beasts is the repelling and driving away Temptations But Simia odit Gallum the Ape the world doth hate despiseth his Voice and with the deaf Adder stoppeth his eares though the Charmer charmeth never so wisely Here Self by Self does Resignation dwell In the Farm in the Soul does Resignation inhabite In God's Promises in the obedience to his will and Commandements does Christianity rest self by self laying by and casting off all manner of self confidence or trust in any worldly help or strength onely submitting unto Divine Pleasure and God's Dispose Within a spatious Farm of doing well A godly Life and Conversation He payes Himself for Rent No coin needs tell Here the Will is taken for the whole Man so is the Will accepted at Gods Hands for the Deed. No Coin needs tell God delighteth in Obedience rather than Sacrifice Mans Self is the best payment to be tendred unto God being enstamped in his Creation with the Image of Himself and being as it were new minted in his Redemption But every New Year sends to 's Lord a Heart At his Regeneration and being renewed in the Spirit he presents what his Lord reserves Da mihi Cor Give me thy Heart that belongeth unto God only and is the best New Years Gift to the Master of All. A Wreath of Laurel Is Praise unto his Holy Name and everliving acknowledgement for all his Blessings especially for that of our Salvation Or a winged Dart Is Prayer that flies up to Heaven that sticketh and remaineth there which is for assisting Grace or for whatsoever the Soul standeth in need of Such is his Tenure which for all he payes in part This is the Jew and Christian commanded to do by the Commandments in the Law and by the Love that is required in the Gospel He that loveth me keepeth my Commandments saith our blessed Lord and Saviour Yet the most Righteous cannot be perfect in this World he payeth but part for all his Dutie and with an earnest Will it is accepted too through Faith in Christ. All is the Lords and he pleaseth to accept our acknowledgement He requireth only that we glorifie him for all his Benefits 5. The Lord say some and those say well All acknowledge not the Lord only his Elect know by Faith who God is and where he dwelleth Above th' Empyraean Hill aloft doth dwell Heaven is his Throne The Glory of his Seat can none that 's Mortal tell It is ineffable Neither Eye hath seen nor Ear hath heard nor can Heart conceive nor can it enter into the Thought of Man the wonderful things that are
adjunctum opus tacitè reprimunt dùm cogitationes protinus se causis propriis ad utilitatem subdunt Suppose that Reason went abroad a visiting and left the house of the minde to the Dispose of her servants the Thoughts When the Mistresse is thus out of the way what a noise what gossiping there is among the Maids But let Reason return unto the minde again when the Mistresse comes home no sooner her Foot at the Door but all is hush all Disorder vanishes and as every Maid betakes her self silently to her Work the Thoughts in like manner become well ordered and for much benefit to the Minde adjoyn themselves and set themselves on Work in their proper Businesse Let us look upon a Neoterick Ut figuli celerrimâ rotae manus concitatione in dissimiles propè infinitas elegantes tamen imagines mollieres argillae massam transmutant Simili ratione meditatio afficit ut infinita rerum abstrusarum genera acriter ratiocinando assequamur paria paribus contraria contrariis praeterita prasentibus comparemus As the Potter transforms the Masse of purer Clay with the swift Motion of his turning Hand into many unlike and in a manner numberlesse Figures yet curious shapes After the same manner worketh Meditation She brings it so to passe that we may reach untold sorts of secret things by a quick and inward reasoning comparing like to like contrarie with contrary and weighing with the present things what went before Let 's hear what another sayes Cùm bonum sit objectum voluntatis nostrae adeo quòd nihil possit esse amatum nisi bonum aut sub specie boni Cumque intellectus concipiat infinitam bonitatis abyssum in Deo valdè frigida esset voluntas quae non instar alterius Phoenicis exardesceret in amoris divini ignem contemplando lucidissimos solis justitiae radios Discute igitur alas tuas instar Phoenicis et erige cortuum inter meditandum et invenies te convertendum in cinerem vermes dum agnoscis tuam utilitatem coram infinita et immensa illa bonitate Dei When what is Good is the object of our Wills so nothing can be affected but That or something like it Seeing then that the Vnderstanding may conceive the infinite Abysse of Goodnesse that is in God the Will were Ice if it should not as another Phoenix flie all on fire with Divine Love by Contemplation beholding those most glorious Rayes of the Sun of Righteousnesse Display thy Wings then like the Phoenix raise thy Heart and mount thy Spirit between thy Meditations and with Iob thou shalt finde thy Self converted into Dust and Worms while thou doest acknowledge thine own Vileness in the Presence of that most Infinite and most Immense Goodnesse of the Lord. PROSPECT XII WHen wicked Policies doe raign They rowle their Trenches in the Brain And subtly winde false Works with Art To Undermine the Noblest Heart While Cunning spendeth utmost Skill To act what 's New invented Ill Makes Stratagems walks untrod Wayes Their hid Designes to height to raise Do make 't their Businesse to surprize What Truth can't gain they wu'd by Lies And all is but to make a Prey O' th' Soul which still they wu'd betray What Vizards do they wear For Ends O most unjust each other rends None sooner ruine brings them to Than Craft does Cunnings self undo While Sin doth seek all wayes to thrive Religious Sails to Heavenward drive Sin falls with Plots and th' Soul does gain By Contemplation Hope to raign CONSOLATORY ESSAY XII AS Men hear they tell the News But as they see they know so 't is in Plautus that old Comoedian Qui audiunt audita dicunt qui vident planè sciunt The Tongue and the Hand are very unruly Members especially when Honesty and Reason are not their Masters The Tongue seemeth the more desperate but the Hand appeareth the more dangerous What is spoken may be helped by Supposition of Mistaking or Disagreement in the Reporters or Death For then Breath and Life vanish together whereas that of the Hand appeareth to Posterity surviveth the Writer and Reader and remaineth as a Thousand Witnesses Illis est Thesaurus stultis in Linguâ situs Et questui habeant malè loqui melioribus Sayes the same Plautus Those Fools think Treasures placed in the Tongue That count belying Betters Gain for Wrong Incautus fuerit si propriâ manu tale aliquid comprehenderit â quâ utique re unicè cavere debes quòd nihil sit quo tam facile convincaris It is Macrobius He may be accounted indiscreet that leaveth a loose Action under his own Hand which a man ought with special care to avoid lest it become a snare to take his want of foresight Wherefore as no Vice layes a more foul aspersion upon Man then that of Ingratitude So no evidence is so strong to taint him therewith or convict him thereof as his own Hand-writing in Detestation of that Vice and his Actual Approbation of the Contrary How comes it then that Christians that have so often set their Hands to so many Obligations to God as have been so often iterated in and since Baptisme should fall away in such a manner as by the Wickednesse of their Hands and the ungodlinesse of their impudent Actions to testifie against themselves their own Impiety and to divulge abroad the Characters of their not lesse great than Abominable ingratitude To unman themselves by ingratitude to their Maker to unchristian themselves by unthankfulnesse to their Redeemer when the least that can be done in such a Case is to render Obedience for Creation Dutie for Protection and to return Praise for Blessings Do the Dumb Beasts give Thanks in their Looks and cast their Eyes unto the Hands that feed them Shall condemn'd Androgeo finde Gratitude in a Den of Lions And can any Christian be at a Losse when he Looks for it in his Bosom My Friend and Brother Christian Ubi animus ibi oculus The Watch of thine Eye goeth as the Spring of thine Affection directeth Let 's mark our Blessed Saviours advice He preacht it in the Mount Lay not up Treasures for your selves upon the Earth where the Moth and Canker corrupt and where the Theeves dig through and steal But lay up Treasures for your Selves in Heaven where neither the Moth nor Canker corrupteth and where the Theeves neither dig through nor steal For where your Treasure is there will your Heart be also Hast thou had a dejected Look from a heavie Heart as if th' adst lost thy Comfort and couldst not finde thy Happinesse Didst seek it in the Earth that Treasure is not in Mines nor in the Darknesse of so dull an Element Look upward Soul Look upward and be thankful Look upward and be mindful Be mindful of all that the Lord so wonderfully hath done for Thee so mercifully hath done unto Thee so bountifully hath bestowed upon Thee Strive to turn thine Eyes towards him from Vanitie And intreat His help to quicken thee in his Way Canst thou tell the number of his Mercies Canst thou tell how many be the Rays of the Sun And canst thou consider all his Blessings Look up and rejoyce at the excellent Goodnesse of the Lord Look up with the Eyes of Faith through the Heavens and behold the Brightnesse of His Glory that he hath prepared for the Saints Meditate and Look all about Thee Contemplate and cast up thine Eyes above Thee Here is Comfort There is Joy Here Christ easeth thy Burden There he gives Thee a reward Observe then his Testimonies and obey his Statutes Let thy Soul then magnifie his Name Let thy Lips sing Praises to his Holinesse Let thy Breast become a smoaking Altar And let thy Soul be all a flame of holy Love Let all thy Breath be as sweet smelling Incense up to Heaven Fix there thy Faith thy Hope thy Heart thy Soul That 's thy Place thy dwelling Hasten as directed thither Only remember thou art Mortal Deal thine Alms Give thy Dole before thou goest Praise ye the Lord For it is good to sing unto our God For it is a pleasant Thing and Praise is comely The Lord doth build up Jerusalem and gather together the disperâ—â— of Israel He healeth those that are broken in Heart 〈◊〉 bindeth up their Sores He counteth the number of the Stars and calleth them all by their Names Great is our Lord and great is his Power his Wisdom is infinite The Lord relieiveth the meek and abaseth the wicked to the Ground Sing unto the Lord with Praise Sing upon the Harp unto our God! Praise the Lord. For his Mercie endureth for ever FINIS