Pelecanicidium, or, The Christian adviser against self-murder together with a guide and the pilgrims passe to the land of the living : in three books.

CONSOLATORY ESSAY. VIII.

VIrtue is the refining of Nature to an Eminence; a leading her up to the Top, to perfection; and not onely an Ex∣traction of her to a Quintessence, but a Direction likewise, and impulsion of the mind to the obtaining of what is most excellent. She was, if not the Philosophers Goddess, as it were their Good Angel, their Bonus genius, to find the True God out by. Those Athenians in the Acts of the Apostles had set a pretty step to Heaven-ward, when but so far as an Altar to an unknown God. There was a blind acknowledge∣ment in that; and we find it soon followed, and had so far obtained Grace, that S. Paul came to them with the Reve∣lation of the true one, Jesus Christ. For whom they ignorant∣ly worshipt, Him did he shew unto them.

Make a stand then! And view so fair a Ladie! She is wor∣thy of a look. For she is very beautiful. There is a Legiti∣mate Fascination: Look upon her! Eye her well in her Phy∣siognomy! her Symmetrie! Form! Mein! and Stature! She is not Fair onely, but very comely. Thou losest not by it, if thou fallest in Love. She is the best Mistress. The most ami∣cable sweet-heart.

Look upon her Head! So consider her in her Intellectu∣als! Hast thou seen a plaited or ribbed Picture, represent∣ing it self at some distance in divers forms, and several Fi∣gures, as thy Station hath changed from one side to that o∣ther in the Room as then placed? Such does she thus appear unto thee. In a Notional, Contemplative, and Theorical manner, thou beholdest her to be Wis••••••m. In the Practical, Prudence.

Observe her body! So thou look'st upon in her Morals. So maist thou read Justice in her Will, whose best and sound∣est parts decline from Evil, are forward and ready to do Good. Whose subjective Parts (which are her Species) are General, or Particular. So appears she distributive in her Reward; In her Punishments. Commutative too, in Bar∣gain, Sale, and the rest. Whose potential parts are Religion, Piety, Observance, Obedience, Truth, Gratitude, Liberality, Affability, Friendship.

As she is Moral you may consider her in her concupiscible appetite. Then call her Temperance, adorn'd with blushing shamefastness, and innocent honesty; with the Neck-lace of Abstinence, stomacher of Sobriety, Girdle of Chastity, and Garment of Modesty.

Her Companions at times are lovely Virgins. Continencie handeth Courtesie; Clemency Meekness; Humility studious Regard; Moderation Eutrapelia; Ornament Simplicity.

As thou look'st still upon her Morals, mind her likewise in her Irascible Appetite! And thou must call her For∣titude, whose sinewie, musculous, and curious Limbs are Re∣solution, or Magnanimity; Magnificence; Patience, and long∣suffering; Perseverance, and constancy.

So you see how all the rest branch from, or depend upon these four Cardinals, as upon hinges, but they are Virtues. They are so call'd Cardinal à Cardine, a Hinge. Thou hast seen Resolutions Pedigree. He's Highborn, Grand-child to the Queen-Regent of the Mind, to virtue.

Wud'st thou know what he is? He is a Captain, he is a General, and fit to be so. He is both valiant, and active. He is not too hasty in the Order of his Designs; nor too slow in their Execution. But is steady in their settlement, as the Laws of the Medes, and Persians, that were not to be revoked, not to be removed. He will through with his un∣dertaking: No let must stop him: No Enemy gainsay him.

His aim is Noble; his end is Honourable: For that he strives. Thither he must. He slights a Treaty with the Vices. He is accustomed to their specious pretences; he understands their Rhetorick, and is acquainted with their Enticements. He knows the Golden Balls thrown in Atalanta's way. He re∣sists or diverts their purposes. He walks upright; and on still.

Come hither then, Weak Brother! and take example! Hast a Uertigo in thy Head? Like enough, It may be blown in by some New Doctrine. Hast no certain Pulse? nor Pace? Doest stagger up and down? Doest reel, like a Drunken Man? It may be so. There is a Drunkennesse in the Fancy. There is an Intoxication of the Understanding. Disorderly Passions are the Ebriety of the mind. Is it so with thee? Take Resolution to avoid Evill! Take Resolution to do good! Thou shalt find a cure. Thou shalt become sober. He, that is desperate is a Coward. He, that is Resolute, is Valiant.

Take Courage, Man! Put on Resolution! Be a Numan∣tine, in the better Sense! And let not a Scipio, in the worst, overcome thee! Lose not thy Liberty, for the glory of a Christian! O happy Numantia (Sayes that defeated Con∣querour) which the Gods had decreed should Once end, but Nere be vanquished! Make good the Liberty, that God hath given thee! Be not led captive by Passion! though never so great. Let no torment debase thee! Let no Grief bring thee so low, as to committ any thing unbeseeming a Noble Heart! Nor wish death! Nor fear it, when it comes! T'is terrible onely to Him, that thinks not of it, before it comes. Tis horrible to him that forceth and hasteneth it be∣fore it's Time.

Doest thou fear God? O bey Him! Forget him Not! Nor thy Self! Hasten not an End to Those Dayes, that of themselves do poast unto it! Let no Occasion prompt A Lye to thee, to frame a base Excuse, to blind, to tempt thee to

committ, which in it self is not onely most Unlawful, but most abhominable! Socrates (that wise man) by the Light of Nature can tell thee so much, like a Divine: Thou must not suffer thy Soul to depart from the Sentery wherein she is placed in this Body without the Leave of her Captain. So weighty a matter as Death (sayes, the Divine among the Heathen, Plato) ought not to be in mans Power.

If thou find'st thy weaknesse, fortifie thy Self by Degrees! Become Master but of One Resolution! Thou maist become Master of thy Self by't. One step is the means to move fur∣ther upward; to raise thee to a lofty Room. Resolve, thou wilt avoid One Oath! but One Hour! It may produce A Day. Resolve, thou wilt not goe into that bad Company! But this Time! It may take thee off from Another. Resolve, to deny thy Heart, but One unjust Request! Mark, how it will cool from offering thee Another! If thou didst not give the Devill encouragement, thou shouldst not peradven∣ture have his Custom. Resolve to say but One Prayer! Take that, which thy Lord hath taught thee! It is but a short one, lest it might seem irksom to thee. Resolve to say it humblie! In thy Heart! Resolve to do it humblie! On thy Knees too! All Reverence of Soul, and Body is too little for so Great a Majestie. Whoso wu'd chill thy Reverence, wu'd Kill thy Devotion; murder thy Prayer; and by Con∣sequence thy Soul. Have the Angels no Knees? thou hast. Let thy Heart suit their Reverence! Let thine Intellectuall Nature do a like worship! Let thy Body perform it's own. O come let us fall down, and worship, and Kneel before the Lord Our Maker. For he is the Lord our God, and we are the People of his Pasture, and the Sheep of his Hands (this can not be remembred too often) Prostrate then! The Hu∣miliation of thy Body will humble thy Soul! It will abate the strength of thy proud Flesh.

Resolve, as much as possibly thou canst, to think of No∣thing

then, but God, and thy Prayer! and thy self in it to Him! Conceive, it is the Sacrifice of thy Soul! And that thou then discoursest with the Deitie! Think of thy Savi∣our more, than thy Sin! Doest see Another Law in thy members, warring against the Law of thy mind, and bring∣ing thee into Captivity to the Law of Sin, which is in thy Members? And thereupon groanest out Saint Paul's words? O wretched Man, that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this Death! Seek to make his Application! I thank God through Jesus Christ Our Lord, by whom we have now received the Atonement.

Resolve One good Deed of Charitie! That will warme thy Heart, That may kindle a holy flame in thy Soul. Re∣solve to pray, as soon as thou awakest! So thou prevent'st Sin from taking Possession. With the Psalmist seek him ear∣ly, in the morning! Run to thy knees at Noon Day! Or when any Temptation assaulteth thee! Resolve, not to couch thy Head on thy Pillow, before thy Peace-Offering! And that thou beest to God and Man reconciled! Thy Bed may prove thy Grave. And there is a Resurrection.

Resolve against any Notorious Sin, whereof thine Own Conscience shall arraign thee Guilty! Make A Covenant with thine Eyes! thine Eares! thy Lips! thy Hands! thy Feet! and thy Thoughts too! For these are the Tinder of Iniquity. Leave not God, till thou hast obtained A Bles∣sing! Wrastle for it, as Iacob! He loves to be sought. He delighteth to hear thee call upon Him; And is pleased to see a stout Champion; what thou see'kst, is not worth his Gi∣ving, if not worth Thy Contending for.

Strike thy Breast! That thy rockie Heart may be mollifi∣ed; That it may have the comfortable Metamorphosis from Stone to Flesh! So shalt thou be reconciled to thy displeased Father; So Christ will own thee; will send the Comforter unto thee; And thy Body shall become the Temple of the

Holy Ghost. Thou shalt grow from grace to grace, even to Eternall Glorie.

Take up thine Arms then! With Them the Ingemination, that the Lord deliver'd to Ioshua! Be strong! and of a good courage &c. Be strong, and very courageous! that thou maist obserue to doe according to All the Law &c. Turn not from it to the Right hand, or to the Left! that thou maist prosper, whither soever thou goest.