Divine glimpses of a maiden muse being various meditations and epigrams on several subjects : with a probable cure of our present epidemical malady if the means be not too long neglected / by Chr. Clobery ...

Hope.

FIrm Anchor of our souls! that moar'st them fast Unto the sacred Rock; when thou art cast, On what side ere thou fall'st thou hold fast tak'st, And in that adamant impression mak'st: When our weak faith's Sun-beams eclipsed are, We sail by thee alone, our only Star; In those dark obfuscations, which sometimes Becloud the best, at sight of their high crimes:

Which interpose a foggie mist between Our faith's dim'd eyes, and Christ: and like a screen, Repel the light and heat that should proceed From his bright Rayes unto our souls in need: Then thou our Pilot ready art at hand, When we are toss'd in deeps, to drive to land. Thou art the Master's Mate (though faith be chief) And in her absent actings yeeld'st relief; When she's asleep, or else unactive grown; And we upon the quick-sands well-nigh thrown; Thou bring'st assistance, with thy gentle gale, That we a while may with a by-wind sail; Till faith do re-enliven, and recover, Until her soporif'rous fit be over. When she awakes, and wash'th her spethom'd eyes In Penitences laver, thou dost rise, And succour her enfeebled arm and hand, Depriv'd of their late holdfast: thou dost stand, And her support; who (if thou wert not nigh) Would languish in those fainting fits, and die. VVhen Faith is mir'd in pudly sink of sin, And tired quite, thou wad'st through thick and thin, To draw her out: rub'st her benummed limbs, Till by regain'd agility she climbs, And tow'rs aloft, and tramples down her foes; And conquers all the pow'rs that her oppose. In sad desertions, when the wounded soul Studie's by art to make her fair parts foul, Hope gently wipes her spots, and rins'th her eyes, That she may clearer view the mysteries Of love Divine; and not despair to cry For mercy, which she else would do, and die. Hope in our souls a kind of being gains, Ere saving Faith can act; and this restrains New Faith from failing: whence she term'd may be, Her elder grace, without absurdity:

And though Plerophory (which some attain) Seem hope needless to make, when that they gain; She's needful still, and fades not till fruition Of what is hoped; then shall blessed vision Withal determine faith, when she shall see What she believ'd, and thence both useless be; When doubts and fears which here them both an∣noy'd ••hall be discuss'd and quell'd by bliss enjoy'd; ••in's sting envenom'd quite extracted be: And death be swallow'd up in victory; Then necessary uselesness attends Them both, when they have both attain'd their ends. ••aith, Hope, and Charity, may well be call'd •• Christian's tria Omnia, and install'd, ••he Princesses of other gifts, and graces ••nd, in Christ's Church, rightly supply the places ••o Sulphur, Salt and Mercury, alotted •…•… nature's schools, by those whom Art besotted: ••he three chief corner-stones in Sion's wall; ••emove but these, and you will ruine all: ••ea, rob a man of hope, faith soon will die; ••nd so will everlasting Charity. •• hope surcease, soon by degrees expire; •…•…r hope of all the three keep in the fire: •…•…e gains them life and heat, and them inflames ••ith Zeal Divine: the surging waves she tames ••hich in the storms of passions, or affections, ••f Spir'tual or temporal afflictions, ••nd perturbations, them would overwhelm, •…•…d she not steer their course, and sit at Helm. •• sacred hope! steer on our course aright, •…•…rough this dark vale of tears, in darkest night, ••hilst faith is hood-winkt, Charity inchill'd, •…•… other graces dead, thou only skill'd •…•… give sight, heat, and life unto them all; •…•…lp (hope) at need, (dear God) or else we fall:

Who dying, we shall live, thy face to see, And to enjoy and be enjoy'd by thee.