with an unshaken mind for honestie's sake for a good Cause That which is imperfect Fortitude is either Irrationall by which he runs into Dangers at unawars not Knowing the greatnesse of their mischief so unexperienc't men are Souldiers Or Civil as he that is bred in the Lawes for the maintenance of the same and for Reward defends Countrey Rights Or Experimentall by which a man goes into and frequenteth dangers that he hath often past through and overcome with the paralogisme of a hope that he shall still escape he shall still have the better on 't Or Irascible by which a man burning with desire of Revenge leaps into Perill Or Fiduciary whereby a man assists or rescues another Or Mercenary whereby a man acteth stoutly for a Reward Or Feminine by which a man is as couragious as A Lion in defending his Own and as hardy as a Cock in defending Anothers The most of these are Imperfect That onely is perfect Fortitude which expresseth Valour in a good Cause The witnesse in that Cause is the Conscience The Law is Reason whose maxime and Principles are from Religion How can that be without Religion which adapteth to it No Religion without Faith Faith then is not onely the Back to the Edge and force to the Point of Valour but it 's shield of Defence It sharpens and directs both Faith is the Engineer for the fortification of Valour He goes most gallantly on that goes on in Gods name And he endures most stoutly that suffers for Gods sake In both he does though hard Duty yet Christian service PERSPECTIVE VII T' was odly dream't Dreams odde things be A sailing Ship in Aire to see With Rudder like a Vultur's Train That steer'd her through the lucid Maine The Sheets were made of Wings of Kites The Mariners were Souls not wights From Luna's Country fraught with store Of Lading never known before From Negromania forth they got Which mortals here do call the Spot Her course was quick did sight beguile She downward made to 'th floating Isle Her cocket was Liregions all Which precious stones ' ith'Moon they call Whose changing colours Lustres cast As every Eye's Delight is plac't Much like those Catt's Eyes that do turn In day to grey in night do burn It seems their Vertue 's very rare To make the ugly wondrous fair Their Port they gain'd but fear'd then shak't The Dreamer's Head They sunke He wak't And sigh'd But starting lookt upon Faith's Finger for his Turquoise stone CONSOLATORY ESSAY 7. FAith to take Saint Augustine's pious conceit in the Etymology of the Latine word hath it's Nature in it's name Fides â facto a Deo from a Deed and from God Interrogo te ergo Utrum credas Dicis Credo Fac quod dicis Fides est I ask thee therefore sayes he whither thou believest Thou answear'st I. Do then what thou say'st and that is faith Saint Paul gives the Hebrews a clear Definition and a full Description of it Faith is the Substance of things hoped for the Evidence of Things not seen Heb. 11. There shalt thou find the Danger in the want of it the various and several Effects of it the knowledge by it of the Authour and Manner of the Creation the Acceptance of Our persons and our Actions in Abel Freedom from Death in Enoch Watchfulness and Providence in Noah strong Trust confidence and self-denyal in Ahraham temporal Blessings in Sarah A firm Relying a Resting upon Gods providence for all good things be it towards a man's self or his posterity in Isaac and Iacob who bequeathed what was not then in their possession Courage to do though even to the hazard of life in the Parents of Meses contempt of the World the Riches the pleasures of it in Moses himself God's protection of them that undertake dangerous iourneyes in the Israelites Victory by weak means in that of Iericho Preservation in the midst of Dangers in Daniel The three Children Deliverance from dangers in Rahab Victories over dangers in Gideon Barak Sampson Iepthah Daniel Samuel The Prophets Miraculous Recovery of Life in the Woman of Sarepta's Child A stoutness and valour in refusing the offers of Life to forsake their Religion in the seven Brethren in the Maccabees By enduring Afflictions in Name by mockings in body by Scourgings Imprisonment disconsolate wandring up and down in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins In suffering Martyrdome of several kindes as stoning sawing asunder c. Was it not A strong Motive then to stir up the Faith of the Hebrews by the consideration of them of Old putting the Blush upon them if they should not believe in Christ already come when those so long ago who received not the Promises did assuredly believe in Christ before his coming How voluntary a certainty of Things above Opinion is Faith which yet is placed below Knowledge O how rich is the treasure of Faith More to be desired and sought then the most Orient Pearls then the most resplendent precious Stones More to be trusted to be relyed upon than All the strength of Man than the Armes of Princes More to be travailed for then all the most effectual Medicines than the most Soveraign Balsames No Guard like it No Physick of such Vertue What doth not Faith find out Against what doth it not prevaile It seiseth upon what is inaccessible It deprehends it reaches down to Us Things that were unknown It comprehends it bindes what is most furious what most strong It apprehends and make subject to our capacity what is beyond the stretch of Time In the vast Embraces of her Bosome she sits down and as it were besieges yea takes even Eternity It Self Make hither then thou tottering Christian Thou shaken Reed Thou that art in so great Distress by foule Weather Here is an open Port Wave it not Believe Believe in thy Saviour Let not thy Curiosity search so much for Faith in thine Understanding Seeke not to understand that thou maist believe Believe rather that thou maist understand Understanding is a Reward of Faith Believe in thy Saviour He is the way He is the Light He is the Bread of Eternal Life He is the Spring of Never failing Waters He is the Well of Life Everlasting He is the Truth to direct thee He is All in all to those that believe in Him Either thou didst never believe not believe as thou shouldest Or thy Faith is out of Breath very pursie for want of Exercise 'T is in a Lethargy with Idleness Crebris otiosa tentatur incommodis A thousand Temptations are ready to lay hold on thee Nay peradventure have seised upon thee as the Philistines did upon Sampson bound thee and put out thine Eyes too No marvaile thou art in so bad a condition so sick so crazie so full of Quames and swoonings Betake thee to a Prayer Waken that sleepy Heart of thine Will it nill it Lift up thy Hands And though but a good Thought with it Christ will hear thy Faith when it cryeth in
Grace Thy Love does give Jesus Thou woo'st Us Not to Dye but Live He teaches Us the Meanes to Certain Cure The Means to Health that is For ever Sure He is the Life the Light the Guide the Way Unto the Dead the Blinde the Lame the Stray To help our Wants He teaches how to pray He is the Best Physitian to the Sick He Wits restores unto the Lunatick He is the Shepheard that does Watch and Keep From Wolf-like Satan his Believing Sheep Then let 's not make our Reason lesse then Sense To flye Protection and such Providence He leads his to the Pastures ever green And in Communion oft by them is seen He drives Them by the Streams that ever run And after folds them at the Setting Sun His Yoke is easie and his Burthen Light 'T is Day in Goshen Though in Egypt Night SECT XXXIII By Comparatives in Law and Gospel BY Mighty Wonders He redeem'd the Slave By Miracles as great he preacht to Save He Waters Walls made and a Path midst Seas Through which his People made their Passe with Ease And when pursuing Pharaoh with his Host Thought to destroy their Wheels and all was lost The Waves did close So what was firm before Was Waters Throat as was the Earths to Core By Day a Cloud he was a Fire by Night To guard and to conduct his People right And that he might his mighty Arm expresse He led them fourty Yeers through Wildernesse As many Dayes He in the Flesh did fast When in the Wildernesse He Satan cast The Womans Seed the Serpent found did feel It bruise his Head as he had bruis'd His Heel A Wildernesse for Paradise had Stain For Wildernesse was Paradise a Gain From Heaven with Manna and with Quails he fed His People broaching Rock the while he led Three Fishes and two Loaves were Thousands Bread He was the Brazen Serpent that did heal Which on Mount Calvarie He did reveal And as on Sinai He the Law did give A Judge He 'l come to th' Dead and those that Live The Nations Then were scatt'red and did fall He was their Dread the Mighty General And by his Conduct and so great Command He marches Conquest into Holy Land This This was He that conquer'd Hell and Death And broke the Chains of Darknesse forg'd Beneath He He victorious from his Tomb do's rise And raises Man as his Redeemed Prize Wu't Thou turn Sadducee and This withstand Or wu't Thou rise with Halter in thy Hand He has Ascended up in Triumph where Thou may'st by Faith in Glory finde Him There SECT XXXIIII Supposition of Satisfaction BY This I deem Thy Frenzie does abate For whom Thou erst did serve Thou now do'st hate I see thy streaming Eyes thy mournful Tears Wash off thy Blacknesse Christs Blood drowns thy Fears Thou wond'rest at thy Sin 'gainst God so Good And start'st at th' Offering to Moloch Bloud Do Sigh againe That will blow Holy Fire Sighes are the Bellowes to Divine Desire Those Groanes like Thunder in the troubled Ayre Will make thy Brest as Skye Serene and faire What though thou dost endure A storme or Two By This thou storm'st tak'st Heaven and entrest to Thou safely maist commit Thus Violence This holy Murder slayes thy First Offence SECT XXXV Consolation 'T is well thou dost complaine And wisely Say Thou hadst forgotten Untill Now to pray Th' art Now alive Thou walk'st and talk'st with God Thou hast his Kisse H' hath cast away his Rod. When first the Subtile Hunter did prevaile He took Thee Sleeping Then he did assaile He frighted Thee with Specters and grim Dreames He cast A Mist 'twixt Thee and Truth 's clear Beams O look not Back And eye the Deadly Place Where thou had'st fall'n had it not been for Grace With th' Apprehension where thou late didst tread Be not as he at Rochester strook Dead But rayse with prayse to Heaven thy thankfull Head When God's Protction leaves Us what are We Our drunken Madnes reales to Misery Hel's Craft insinuates Ease from Present pain Gives Torment There leaves here Eternall Staine SECT XXXVI Satans Craft and Policie SO Lucifer undoes our Reasons Stock Insensibly He drawes Us up a Rock And seems to rest Us in this Grot that Cave With pleasing Sense of what we think to have With Shadowes coz'ning our deluded Eye And does pretend to lead us to the Skie Until H' has mounted Us to th' Slipp'rie Top Where staggering down We into Hell do drop Thus does his Subtlety set hidden Traps Most greedily rejoycing in our Lapse His Kindnesse wu'd destroy Us. For behold He offers Poyson in a cup of gold Mark How at First he gilded over Vice His Apple was The Cheat of Paradise Like Gods we should be Know both Good and Evill But Rebells to The Subject's of the Devill SECT XXXVII Incouragement against Temptation Shall we believe A Lye Or him that saith The truth He is O let Us give Him Faith Thou shalt not Kill did God in 's Law expresse No Not be Wroth His Gospell sayes That 's Lesse Let 's Mind Our League in Baptisme made gain'st Evill That we wu'd fight 'gainst World The Flesh and Devill That we wu'd joyn our Force sans Fear of Losse Like valiant Souldiers under Christ his Crosse. We so are Christians So we stoutly stand And make our Ground good whilst w' obey Command His Standarts our Protection So We shall Be Safe Let whatsoever can befall A Foil We may have not a Final Fall SECT XXXVIII Advance of Resolution THen let the World raise muster cheating Weights Let tickling close-armd Flesh draw forth her Baits And let the Devil set out slye Deceits Let them embodie All We dread no Harms Yea Let Hell come too with it's Magick Charms Let 's keep close Order And our Christian Arms Jesus The Word And then they break amain The World turns Back when we Heaven Heaven do claim We fight so fast the Flesh has lost her Force Resistance makes him flie Prayer makes him curse Hell's Charms do vanish Jesus At Thy Name Thou wert our Captain So we overcame SECT XXXIX Prevention BUt if the Devil stalks to Thee Alone And thinks He has Advantage One to One And tempts Thee as thy Saviour set high Showes Kingdoms and their Glory in thine Eye And promises the Gift of such Worlds All If that Thou down to Worship him wu't fall Cashier him with Christs Word Hence Satan get The Lord thy God to Worship is thy Debt Him only shalt Thou serve He 's gone and 's Net SECT XL. Summary Fortification TAke Courage Fellow-Christians Let 's rejoyce I hear Hearts Comfort from a Heavenly voice God spar'd not His own Son But for Us All Did Him deliver up How How then shall He not with Him give freely Us All Things Since He 's the Fountain of All Good that springs Who is He that Condemns 'T is Christ that di'd Yea rather that is ris'n in Heaven t' abide Who is at Gods right
the Story in Areosto's Orlando Furioso of Hyppogrypho's carrying Astolpho up to Heaven where being arrived and welcomed by S. Iohn he shews Astolpho for his Entertainment many Rarities and Curiosities and amongst the rest a Jar of Wit which was a Cure for Madmen Astolpho begs it for Orlando It was not onely granted to him but the Use or way of Application of it was likewise taught him after this manner That when Orlando was found asleep the Jar should be placed right under his Nose and upon the sudden the Cork or Stopper being pulled out his Wits would flie up at his Nostrils into his Brain Then kneeling down as if he ask'd some Boon Of God or some great Saint that Pot he brought Which he had carri'd from beyond the Moon The Jar in which Orlando's wit was caught And clos'd it to his Nostrils and eft-soon He drawing breath this Miracle was wrought The Jar was void and emptied every whit And he restor'd unto his perfect Wit Orland Furioso 39. Book Let the Mirth of the Story pass according to the Invention of so eminent a Poet and yet not without sober acceptation the Moral speaks Graver matter Here the meaning that was pointed at was to signifie that Fasting is a restorer of our mindes to their former brightness when the thick Vapours of too much Repletion are by Lady Jejunia wasted away and the fulness of Vices by studious care are corrected Her emptying Lap is not so much lankness and Falling away of her Body as her Bounty in Charitable Actions 4. What Vertue Truth 's clear Water has Here is an admiration of the Excellency and Efficacy of Truth with a Supposition that the Pilgrim has tasted of her Spring which enclines to this Sence Water is a clearer of the Eyes and a cleanser of the Skin Divine Illumination of the Revealed Truth in Holy Gospel openeth the Understanding washeth away the penitents former Foulness and Beautifieth the Life and Conversation of a Reconciled Christian. There are three Degrees or States of Truth To the first we ascend by the Labour of our Humility To the Second by the Affection of our Compassion To the Third by the Excess of our Contemplation In the First Truth is found Severe In the Second she appears Pious And in the Third Pure To the First Reason leads us whereby we examin our selves To the Second our Affection guides us and thereby we commiserate others To the Third Purity carries us by which we are lifted up to invisible things Inquirimus veritatem in nobis in proximis in sui naturâ as S. Bernard In nobis nosmet ipsos dijudicando In proximis eorum malis compatiendo in sui naturâ Mundo corde contemplando If we seek for Truth we shall finde her in our selves in our Neighbours in her own Nature In our selves by judgeing our selves rightly In our Neighbours by Commiserating them tenderly In her own Nature by our contemplating of her with a cleansed Heart purely And in all these Senses is the Virtue of Truth represented here Scales from thine Eyes did pass alludes to Sauls receiving his sight by the Imposition of Ananias his hands at his Conversion when he also was filled with the Holy Ghost All Error vanishes as the night gives place to the dawning day when Truth appears Skin doth seem as smooth as any Glass Alludes to the Cure of Naamans Leprosie by the Prophet Eliseus when that General of the Aramites washed seven times in the Water of Jordan so as his Flesh came fresh and new again to him and so became perfectly cleansed Truth thus Cures ignorance Error and Obstinacy which is a Leprosie of the Mind 5. Before the Doors behold the Treble Stair Before the opening of our Lips to Prayer there must be Humiliation Preparation and Intention In Humiliation there are 3 Stones joyned Consideration of our own Wickedness and Unworthiness to present our Prayers before God An acknowledgeledgement of the Justice of God to punish Sin And an Apprehension of the Majesty of the Almighty Creator of the Heaven and Earth and all things therein contained In the Preparation are cemented together a serious Sorrow and Penitencie for our sins A Hatred of our iniquities And a Promise of Amendment of Life In intention a Sedation or quieting of our Mindes by casting off all other thoughts or business an earnest Bending of them to the Matter we go about an inward Groaning of desire for the assistance of the Holy Spirit Zophar that unkind Friend spake excellently though unjustly to Iob If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hands towards him If iniquity be in thine hand put it away and let no wickedness dwell in thy Tabernacles then truely shalt thou lift up thy face without spot and shalt be stable and shalt not fear Thou mayst smell smoaking Incense c. Thou mayst feel comfort by Hope of Gods acceptation of thy Prayers or thou mayst see the Example of the Piety of the Saints or Holy men 6. Before the Portico Is the begining or introduction of Prayer Such was Solomons Porch before the entrance into the Sanctuary Of Polisht Stone The Matter of our prayer which we pray must not be rough stuff of inconsideration as rude Stone newly taken out of a Quarrie but such as hath been well digested and best ordered by that Holy Art of Carving and Pollishing by the Master of the work by Christ himself Order of the Church or Orthodox Divines Or we must so with great care frame our Prayer for our particular necessities according unto our Saviours direction in his Sermon on the Mount with submission to his blessed Will and Dispose who knows what is best for us who knows better what to give then we to ask who knows what we stand in need of better then we our selves In silence walks a Matron grave alone c. Intimating the Comliness and Fitness as well as the Necessity and Custom of Reading of and Meditating upon some part of Holy Scripture to Sanctifie our hearts before Prayer There are three kindes of Meditation One upon the Creatures another upon the Scriptures and a Third upon our Manners The First ariseth from Admiration the Second from Reading and the Third from Circumspection Admiration begets a Question that Question a diligent search and that search a finding out Reading doth minister matter to the finding out of Truth Meditation fits us to pray Prayer helps us to work Working composes us to contemplate and Contemplation rejoyceth in her high Speculation Circumspection of Manners regardeth within and without Without she casts her eye upon our Fame Within she pries into the Conscience examining what is expedient and what is decent What is decent as to Example what is expedient as to our Merit Concerning our selves a Vice Concerning our Neighbours as to Example Cogitation is of an incertain station moving this way or that way as the Tide or Winde the representation of the Idaea's of Things comes or goes or
disputing and running and kneeling and crying The variety of posture and motion speaks it a Multitude a heap of Waves rouling and tumbling in many sorts of Surges But what was the Matter What dispute ye among your selves Sayes Jesus to the Scribes And one of the company gives the Answer as if he had been the spokesman for the Multitude and the Multitude had been much concern'd in the Question to The Scribes But there might be some excuse for his impatience there was ' an Allay for his incivility he came out of a Multitude and he had a Child there a Son there an onely Child there and he was possest with a Spirit And that Spirit was a Desperate Spirit it was a Dumb one too For so the father sadly relates the matter It was a subtle spirit it surprised him wheresoever it took him A raging Spirit it tore him It brought him into a very sad condition even to foame at the mouth to gnash with his teeth to pine away It seems it was past The Disciples Help They came as short in Faith for which they were sharply rebuked as they were of cure And to make it appear that it was a very Desperate Spirit it cast the Possessed into the fire it cast him into the waters to destroy him So they brought him unto our Saviour And as soon as the Spirit saw him he fell to work he conceived that his time was short he tore him and the possessed must have a fit of falling as if a fit of the Falling Sickness he fell down on the ground wallowing and foaming Jesus askes the man How long it had been thus with his Son He answers Of a Child The Devil had taken early possession and kept a long time and was loath to leave it But what sayes his Father But if thou canst do any thing help us and have compassion upon us But if thou canst discovered a strange diffidence of his power knew him not He prayed help for his Son but with distrust He wanted Faith too For us It seems there is a Compassion without Devotion His son was possessed and he was troubled Jesus will help if he can believe He will help the Son if the Father can believe for all things are possible to him that believeth But must the Fathers Faith stand for Godfather to the sons cure And straightway the Father of the Child crying with tears sayes Lord I believe help mine unbeliefe Much matter is packt in a little room in a narrow content He has a suddaine Illumination and as quick a Repentance he sees himself in a manner in as bad a case as his Son He that commiserateth another calls for compassion for himself the Parent straightway cryes How soon he was taught to speak right He cryes amidst the waters He cryes with tears He cryes as to save from drowning and redeem out of the Fire It was time to cry Fire and with tears to quench the same Lord I believe help thou mine unbelief A short prayer and a weighty What could he have said more in a Volume He had but seven words in his prayer But six had the importunate Widow in the Parable in hers to the unjust Judge Do me justice against mine Enemies No more had the humble Publican in the Parable likewise that stood a far off and would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven but smote his breast saying O God be merciful to me a sinner In the Original they are rendred fewer yet all were prevalent and most effectual What though the unjust Judge slight the importunate suiter Though he would not hear her for a time It seems she repeated the same short prayer and renewed her request in the same words at several times Though he would not grant her request for a Season notwithstanding that he heard her heard her as though he heard her not ad probationem et magis provocationem ad rogandum whereby Christ teaches that it is to try our Faith to inflame our zeal So he proves us and make us the hotter in the more earnest for the obtaining a gracious grant to our requests that what we obtaine may be worth the valuing when we perceive it is so hard to come by so difficult to attain And he would not for a time But afterward he said with himself though I fear nor God nor reverence man Yet because this woman troubleth me I will do her right lest at the last she come and make me weary And the Lord said Hear what the unrighteous Judge saith Now shall not God avenge his Elect which cry day and night unto him There 's incessant prayer indeed prayer with out ceasing yea though he suffer long for them The injury is done unto himself So he takes it I tell you he will avenge them quickly But when the Son of Man cometh shall he finde Faith on the Earth Luk. 18. 8. How appeareth it that the Publican receiv'd any grant to his short petition I shall tell you says Ego Sum Veritas our Saviour that is the Truth that this man departed to his house justified rather then the other then that Pharisee that was all outside and self justification with his Prayer nine times as long that was gotten up into the Temple that stood and prayed with himself And Iesus gives his reason for it a sound a solid reason for humilities preferment before pride For every man that exalteth himself shall be brought low and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted And mark here how soon the Lord is moved No sooner Lord I believe Help mine unbelief But Iesus hears presently The people come running and Christ hastens his help When Iesus saw that the people came running together he rebuked the unclean spirit saying Thou deaf and dumbe Spirit I charge thee come out of him It was not only a dumbe Spirit that could not pray a deaf spirit that either could not or would not hear For there is such an ungracious Deafness a deafness to the comfortable Tidings of the Gospel a deafness to holy to wholesome Admonition to sound Advice to good Counsel To such wisdom cryeth without she uttereth her voice in the streets She calleth in the high streets among the prease in the entrings of the Gates and uttereth her words in the City saying O ye foolish how long will ye love foolishness and the scornful take their pleasure in scorning and the Fools hate knowledge Turn you at my correction Lo I will poure out my mind unto you and make you understand my words Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out mine hand and none would regard but ye have despised all my counsel and would none of my correction I will also laugh at your destruction and mock when your fear cometh like suddain desolation and your destruction shall come like a whirlewinde When Affliction and Anguish shall come upon you c. Prov. 1. 20. It was not only a deaf and a dumbe