Glory to God Grace might Redound to all These are the Churches Rent which here do pay To our grand Landlord every Quarter day And that shall either here prolong our Lease Or House us where our Term shall never cease Vpon the Vigils or eves of Festivalls Mat. 24.42 Mar. 13.35 ARGUMENT 2. AS Lent is the Terra firma of Religious Abstinence and the Ember weeks as it were the four main Continents Thereof so are these Vigils and Eves of Festivals even as so many dispersed Ilands yet not without their native Treasures and because our sinfull memories are so bad that an Annuall Monitor of Lent or the Quarterly Remembrancer of Ember weeks is not a sufficient Bridle for our Loosnesse therefore our pious Mother did Recommend these monthly and weekly Admonitions to her Children Wednesdayes and Frydayes being Anciently taken in that so Abundance of caution might oppose Abundance of Temptation we indeed having need of Philips dayly Memento and each morning to be minded of our Frailty especially at Festivalls wherein the world hath and will ever deserve blame as Job was not ignorant that his Childrens Banquet though it intended Amity might need a sacrifice Job 1. and therefore these Fasts have been set as ushers unto Festivalls Job 1.5 to Caution and Prevent disorder in them and a very wholsome Method it is both as to soul and body Hierom. Episto ad Eustochium valdè absurdum est nimiâ saturitate velle Honorare Martyrem Quem scias Deo placuisse Jejuniis It were but a fond thing to think we honour the Memoriall of an Apostle Saint or Martyr with excesse whom we know to have pleased God with Prayer and Fasting and therefore these are added as frequent circumspections to oppose such intemperance and daily incursions that so often Payment might make our debts the lighter and such even Reckonings keep God and us long Friends even everlasting Friends in Heaven POEM 42. LEnt is the Mother-Fast grand-Daughters these Wait on Humiliation God to please That like the Body of an Army stands While these are but particular Train'd Bands That like the spacious and the brackish main These as Rils flowing Thence and home again That more like Faith high-flown strong Pinnioned While these as Charity Distributed Many in One Fast are contracted there While these dispersedly run through the year That Devout Abstinence not only might Season our Spring but all Times else aright That none Extravagate at any Feast Each is attended with an humble Guest And because both those few to Sin and Fear More Fasting Days of old too added were That so Austereness might Hunt out and seek That Fox our sin unkennell him each week Nay Sin and Danger 's grown so high in force That all need now become days of Remorse One more at least then let each seven impart As voluntary Sacrifice o' th' Heart To make our sorrows weight and fill our Measure Of Griefs in some proportion to Sins pleasure And who such unexpected Odours brings God most accepts as Free-will offerings Since other Fasts then as Sins Brine appear Be these our salt to sprinkle all the year Vpon the DOXOLOGIE to the Sacred TRINITIE Matt. 28.19 1 Tim. 1.17 1 John 5.7 Rev. 8.4,11 The ARGUMENT MY Book drawes to a close and I desire it may end as all things ought with the Glory of God Nor can I close my sacred Hymnes with a sweeter Rellish then that harmonious DOXOLOGIE wherewith the Church was ever wont to conclude her Psalms and sacred Anthems and wherein she did but joyn with Angels in her Gloria Patri c. Ascribing Glory to the Father Son and Holy Ghost as c. indeed so it was in the Beginning Epist 7.8 Nor for the Matter onely but for the Form also being an Hymn more then Ancient saith Saint Basil As wee have Received even so we baptize and as we baptize so we beleeve and as we beleeve even so we give Glory and all this we use in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Confessing at once Gods Excellencies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the Persons offices and Distinctions and the very Integrity of the Christian Faith it being a token of a true and sound understanding for matter of Doctrine about the Trinity when in Ministring Baptism and making Confession of our Faith and giving of Glory there is a conjunction of all Three and no one severed from the other two in confutation of the Arians and their later Spawn enacted in that famous Councel of * Magd. Cent. 4. F. 617. Nice consisting of 318 Bishops under CONSTANTINE the Great Anno Christi 320. 'T is as 't were the Abridgment of the Creed the Epitome of the Gospel the businesse of both Worlds and the usual Posture of Defence becomes it and therefore as it hath been reverently used from the Beginning may it be so to the End as 't is here Glory be to the Father and to the Sonne and to the Holy Ghost as it was in the Beginning is Now and ever shall be World without End Amen POEM 43. THese Riv'lets after a Maeander's stray Have at length found their Fountain and repay Their grateful Streams here to the Deity That fed their Pipes with Baptiz'd Poetry Oh may the Channel where these waters flow Be cleans'd by them They thence not soyled go 1 That Man at first had an Immortall Frame Till he by Sin self-murderer became That then a Mercifull Invention Repair'd his Progeny by th' onely Son Of the Omnipotent who Him thus sent To change Grace Life for Sin and Punishment The Glory of all this is onely Thine Aeternall FATHER of the sacred TRINE 2 And next for all those high designes of Grace Perform'd by our deer Lord for humane Race Combats or Conquests o're Earth Heaven and Hell Whose Life and Death did Miracles excell Whose sugered Benefits to all extend Unlesse their own fault and both lives befriend The Glory of all this returns to Thee Coequall SON of the bless'd Trinity 3 Then for the Noble Army the Red List In this small Book of Martyrs following Christ Whose Cause and Courage was so strongly knit Nor Toyle nor Torture e're could sever it One making their Life far and neer Christ Preach While th' other by Death made them the same Teach Hastning unto their Graves as cheerfully As Bees unto their honyed hives do fly And in the midst even of their flames to sing With conquering Patience their Foes torturing The Glory of all This is justly paid To Thee bless'd SPIRIT for thy sacred Aid Each Parcel's honour to Each Person be And the whole Glory to the TRINITIE A te Principium Tibi desinet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS APPENDIX SACRA OR Serious Attendants ON THE Sacred Solemnities Alia per Eundem E. S. B. D. Mart. Epig. l. 1. Quem Recitas mcus est ô Fidentine Libellus Sed malè dum recitas incipit esse tuns The Book thou
life-giving bread so that the Schools in Generall and many of the Fathers where opinioned from this John 6. that there is a kind of divine seed infused by the Eucharist not only into the souls but into the bodies also of faithfull Receivers whose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or vivifying Quality inclineth and as 't were fitteth them to a Reviviction non Disputo sed Credo ut Credo Edo how far the words may bear it I dispute not but believe him that said it John 6.54 whosoever eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life and I will raise him up at the last day The Ascention of Christ. matt 28. mark 16. luk 24. * * 50. And he led them out as farre as Bethany and he lift up his hands and blessed them 51. And it came to passe while he blessed them he was parted from them and carryed upp into heauen Here the Plate POEM 16. Upon this day as the Sweet Prophet sings The Sun arose with healing in his wings The Sun of Righteousnesse which lately sate In a Cloud Red as Bloud yet now in state He reapproacheth with Refulgent Rayes Cheering our sadness Lengthning of our Days Our declinations of Mortality Into a Solstice of Eternity This day the Lord made and it sorrow marr'd Nay This day made the Lord that is declar'd His Mercy on others many wonders show'd But now his Power one on Himself bestow'd This stronger Samson breaks the cords and bands Of death and Hell with his Triumphant hands See honest Joseph here from Prison come In Christ Returning from deaths dungeon The Gates of Gaza Samson bare away But Christ the Gates of death unhing'd to Day Stout Daniel here from fierce companions free While Christ returns from vanquish'd Divels See Here is that Temple which Jews did destroy Yet as foretold repaired the third day Here Jonah too the whale doth cast on shore Now the devouring Grave doth Christ restore Which Morsell hath Death's stomack so sick made Hee 'l one day vomit all that 's therein laid Mean time the Grave 's well Metamorphosed Thus warm'd by Christ Fear not to go to bed For though what 's sown do dy yet see the Graine With gay advantages revives again In stead of mouldring Drought Green-Flourishing Each single vertue many Multiplying Christ thus our humane Nature did calcine Not Transubstantiate into divine But what was naturall Spiritualize By the exaltation of the Qualities More then Angelick Beuty Crowns that Face Where the Forme of a servant late took place That Body new Agility doth move Who 's Center 's not below now but above Enfranchis'd too from Earth's necessities And supports humane by Divine supplies Needs neither Rest Food Raiment as before As being to hunger thirst and tire no more And when Christ fed since 't was not Him to nourish But onely his Disciples Faith to cherish And in his Body rais'd those wounds and scars Became the brightest parts in their orb stars Such the Prerogative spiritual is Of bodies glorifi'd of Christ and His. First fruits imply the Later look what he Injoy'd we shall for act though not degree Each vessel full of true felicity According to its Receptivity If we mean while but rise from graves of sin And Transitories which most buried in If of such Bats we pitch an Eagles flight And to be where this Carcass is delight Then doubt not but who thus the first partake The second Resurrection bless'd shall make Thus by the resurrection of the dead The Living's Faith is chiefly comforted The COLLECT The Epistle Col. 3. ver 1. unto 8. The Gospel John 20. ver 1. to 11. Almighty God which thorow thy only begotten Son Jesus Christ hast overcome death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life we humbly beseech thee that as by thy speciall grace preventing us thou dost put into our minds good desires so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect through Jesus Christ our Lord who liveth c. Vpon Ascension Day or Holy Thursday DISQUISITION 14. WEe may well say of this Feast as the Jews of that same Sabbath John 19. John 19.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That this is an High Day dies Solennis a day of Joy to all Generations both in respect of Christ our Lord and of all true Christian people as being the first day of Christs Ascension in the flesh for his Deity cannot be said either to ascend or descend this being the first day of his sitting in joy and glory rest and triumph The Proem at the right hand of God And as to our selves This the first day as it were of our right to Heaven the first day that our Nature entred there whence we have both a Priviledg and an Assurance to follow as this day the sentence of our corruption was changed and in stead of that curse in the beginning Earth thou art c. it was now said unto our Nature Ascend to Heaven and which never was to Angels Sit thou at my right hand c. Heb. 1. Sure Heb. 1.13 an inestimable happinesse was Christs personall Society his bodily Presence while he lived on earth could the hardened Jews have seen or seeing have perceived it but Light came into the world and darknesse comprehended it not They like the brutish Gadarens had rather have their swine then this pearle while the devout Saint Augustine made it you know the chiefest of his chiefe desires Romam in Flore Paulum in Cathredra Christam in Carne S. August 3 chief desires To have seen widowed Roome in her Virgin Foelicity to have heard that Divine Oracle Saint Paul out of the Pulpit but above all to have embraced his Redeemer in the flesh And could then have sung his Swann like Anthem the Nunc dimittis as cheerfully as old Simeon could willingly have closed his eyes with that blest object How full of joy needs must his presence be on earth in whose presence is fulnesse of joy in heaven I and who still carryed Heaven along with him And so fill'd with this joy of his presence were his Apostles he having oft miraculously sed them by Land saved them by Sea instructed them both by Sea and Land that they could not with patience endure once to think of his abscence or hear of his Departure and therefore one of them to enjoy him longer disswadeth him from his sufferings Mat. 16. though he be called Satan for his labour the rest in a sad copartnership of sorrow lament the death and losse of him Mat. 16.22 All his other actions were desiderabilia but this parting as another death here their affections cry out with the Pilgrims of Emmaus Mane nobiscum Domine we have now most need of thee Advesperascit For now the dark evening draweth on c. All of them at his Final valediction his telling them of his Ascending to Glory seem impatiently unwilling to stay behind him John 13.37 John 13.
is the wholesom temper of her Law Each Fast is cheer'd and each Feast kept in aw What Christian then ' gainst such Commemoration Gods honor his Saints praise our Imitation These are the Churches Crown of Stars as 't were Oh may they long shine in her hemisphere And where set rise again still may they grace The Calender of time with choifest place Advent Sunday DISQUISITION 2. THis day is to the Feastival of the Nativity as St. John Baptist to his Master a kinde of a fore-runner to make way for it somewhat like the Jewish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Feast of Easter a preparation to the grand Solemnity nay indeed this and the three following Sundays of Advent may in some sense be called like the four Evangelists Quadriga Domini our Saviours four wheel'd Chariot carrying the glad tydings of his approach throughout the Church as those do his glory and Salvation through the world Moreover here beginneth the peculiar computation of the Churches year though learned Hooker E. P. l. 5. p. 378. on some other considerations take it somewhat higher viz. From the Annunciation of Christ his Conception by Angelical Message But the Church initiateth her solemn service at this Preface to his Birth and first appearance of him to mankinde And herein differing from all secular computes whatsoever to let the world perceive she numbereth not her days and measureth not her seasons so much by the motion of the Sun as of her Saviour beginning and progressing her year according to the Sun of Righteousness who now began to dawn upon the world and as the day star from on high to shine on them that sate in spiritual darkness and with his beams of light and life to chase away the shadows both of sin and death Lastly this day as it were inviteth all of us to the Marriage Feast for the Incarnation was a Mysterious Match it calleth off the busie world both from their vain prosecutions and excuses admonishing us of our Lords coming * Advent speaks as much I and in its four several days hints Christs four several ways of coming viz. First his Corporal by Incarnation secondly his Spiritual by Inspiration thirdly his Ministerial by Instruction fourthly his Judicial by Final Sentence and Determination The first is a strange Humility the second equal Mercy the third his Word and Sacraments the fourth is his last Judgement Now then whosoever seriously takes heed to the three former shall never need to fear the latter Rom. 8.1 And it is Christs own advertisement Matth. 24.42 46. Watch for you know not c. And blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shal find so doing POEM 5. AS when a mighty Prince of high renown With splendor doth approach some loyal Town The Streets are strew'd the Houses trim'd and deck'd All leave their work and sit at grave Aspect But specially his Pallace and Allies Prepare for him and look with longing eyes So here this monitory Advent comes To tell us of Christ's coming that our rooms May all be swept and garnish'd for that King who with Him doth all grace and glory bring Be sure his Palace then the Heart I mean With Innocence or Penitence be clean If Satan's house be dress'd so garishly Ne're think that Christ will harbour in a stye Then be thy Soul adorn'd with every Grace Let Love Joy Hope Desire run all apace To meet Him and his Majesty attend Who highly will prefer them in the end Be mountain spirits level'd rough ones plain Dejected valleys rais'd with Joy again Let Lion-fiercenesse henceforth become tame And then more fit companions for this same Meek Lamb of God Let aspish tongues grow mild So shall they All be led by this bless'd Child Let Temp'rance sweep out Luxury and Pride By rare Humility be laid aside Let the Dove temper Serpentine deceit And Christ will come when his path's made so straight His Ministerial coming heed his Word And all your Tryals comfort shall afford He 'l come into the Heart and fill the place With consolation and all saving Grace Till both to free and crown his Saints i' th end His coming glorious splendor shall attend When spleeny strifes thus and contentions cease Then may the World expect the Prince of peace In Mercy then but going on in Those Doth to his coming-judgements It expose The COLLECT PRAYER The Epistle Rom. 13. from Verse 8. to the end The Gospel Matth. 21. from Verse 1. to the 14. Almighty God give us Grace that we may cast away the Works of darkness and put on the Armor of light now in the time of this mortal life in the which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great Humility that in the last day when he shall come again in his glorious Majesty to judge both the quick and the dead we may rise to life immortal through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost now and ever Amen The Shepheards lu 2. 8 And there were in the same countrey Shepheards abiding in the feild keeping watch ouer the flocke by night 9 And loe the Angell of the Lord come upon them etc. 16 And they came with hast and found Mary and Ioseph and the babe lying in a manger 20 And the shepheards returned glorifying and praysing God etc. The Plate here Vpon the Feast of Christ his Nativity DISQUISITION 3. THis is the Foundation Festival whereupon the fabrick of the rest is raised and therefore it is Fundation-like laid very deep and may well admit of Saint Pauls exclamation Rom. 11.33 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O the unfathomable Abyss thereof It consisteth of an History and a Mystery That which appears above ground is the story Luke 2.15 Luk. 2. and the substance thereof is known by the Circumstances Quis Quare Vbi Quando The Time the Place the Person the End I shall reserve the two first of them to the last observable and begin the History with the time of his Nativity and that was a time of peculiar designation though computations vary nor is it much material Christ not being subjected to the necessity or chance of time like others but as Lord and Maker of it Gal. 4.5 Elegit suum Nascendi tempus He chose his opportunity took his own time wherein he would be born which the Apostle calls the Fulness of it Gal. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was as most agree from that old * Of Rabbi Elias observing the Hebrew Letter × which is the numerical of 1000 six times repeated in the first of Genesis and that of the Psalmist Psal 90.4 c. Tradition of the worlds lasting just 6000 years well toward the 4000th year Scaliger Reusner and Calvin say Christ was born Anno Mundi 3947. Others say in the year following as Func Helv. in their Chronologies Dionysius the less with others think two years after that being 3950 while others again Anno
his own free gracious act On our part undeserv'd oppos'd effect Light on us therefore O Celestial Dove So with thy Fanning Wings inflame our Love That Earth with grateful Harmony may sing With those Aetherial Spirits to Heavens King That both in compleat Consort so aspire Till all one Hallelujah singing Quire Then they 're ill Shepherds sure will not always Together with their Flocks Christ this day praise The COLLECT PRAYER The Epistle Heb. 1. from vers 1. to 13. The Gospel John 1. from vers 1. to 15. Almighty God which hast given us thy onely begotten Son to take our nature upon him and this day to be born of a pure Virgin Grant that we being regenerate and made thy children by Adoption and Grace may daily be renewed by thy holy Spirit through the same our Lord Jesus Christ who liveth and reigneth c. The stoning of Steuen Act 7* 58 And cast him out of the Citie and stoned him the witnesses layd downe there clothes at a voung mans feete named Saul 59 And they Stoned Steuen who called on God and said Lord Jesus receiue my spirit 60 And he kneeled downe cried with a loud voyce Lord laye not this sinne to there charge etc The Plate here Saint Stephens Day DISQUISITION 4. YEsterday presented a Nativity and this a Martyrdome like a Deaths-head served up at a Festivall the Church thereby first tacitly intimating human Condition both our natural accidental frailty how neer our End bordereth on our Birth Finisque ab origine pendet And yet how many outward dangers equalling inward diseases hasten the pace of precipitating Nature Vitae unicus introitus mille exitus Our life for one sole ingress having many thousand out-lets And secondly expressly desirous by joyning these two Festivals that we should all learn to live well as Christ and to die well as St. Stephen Ideo natus est Dominus ut moreretur pro servo In a Sermon on St. Stephen ne servus deficeret mora pro Domino saith holy Austin yesterday we celebrated the Birth of that heavenly King of Martyrs born into the World and to day the first fruits of Martyrs going out of the world It behoved the Immortall saith he First to take Flesh for Mortals that so mortall man might the better contemn Death for the Immortall Therefore was the Lord born to die for his servant that the servant might not fear to die for his Lord. Christ was born in Earth that Saint Stephen and his other followers might be born in Heaven Christus pro nobis induit hominem Stephanus pro Christo hominem exuit Christ for us put on human Flesh and Saint Stephen here for Christ put it off The story is so obvious that I shall need only glance on it out of the Scriptures for the Day Acts 7. it consisting of two remarkables Acts 7. viz. the Jews cruelty and his Piety their bloody and his godly behaviour in his Martyrdome First here Mat. 23. They retaining their old Title of Killers and stoners of the Prophets put him to death who endeavoured to bring them to everlasting life by his large Sermon to them Acts 7. that sweet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 7. or Recapitulation of the whole sacred Scripture Law Prophets and Evangelists even from Abraham to Christ whom he would have applied home to them had not their fury withstood their conversion even that they should have seen him as he did at the right hand of God but that they stopt him there with a Constructive Blaspphemy becomming Accusers Judges and Executioners all at once presently beginning their persecution with their tongues and teeth v. 54. gnashing on him with c. beside the malice of their tongues that they could even tear his Flesh but that their hands beguiled their mouthes with as ready and more mortall instruments The Jews had among them Quatuor magna supplicia foure speciall sorts of torments besides their bonds and scourgings and other lighter punishments which they had borrow'd from Scythians the Masters of those Arts and other cruell Heathens as the first was Burning Gen. 38.24 Dan. 3.22 The second Casting to wild Beasts Dan. 6. and St. Pauls Case supposed by many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 15.32 Thirdly Stoning Exod. 19 13. And lastly Crucifying Luke 23.21 as all are frequently to be seen elsewhere in Scripture but of all this of stoning was most ordinary among them as the onely Deucalion-race of mankind Vnde homines nati durum genus ad lapides currebunt saith * Loco citat St. Augustine Duri ad duros Presently they run to stones hard hearts unto hard instruments of mischief whether for their readiness cheapness fatalness I argue not or as the best Emblems of their flinty nature Sed Petris lapidabatur qui pro Petra i. Christo moriebatur but with stones destroyed they the servant of him who was the chiefe Corner stone and Rock of his Church Jesus Christ an harsh and an hard act of a right stony people whose obduratnesse to God and man hath turn'd their memory into a Niobean monument of shame not sorrow while Arator hath inscribed this due Epitaph Lapides Judaea rebellis In Stephanū lymphata rupis qua crimine duro Saxea semper eris Arator lib. Carm. in Act. Rebellious Judah that did Stephen stone For that hard act shall pittied be of none Till at length their Punishment so ecchoed their Sin that for their killing of the Prophets and stoning them who were sent unto them Non lapis super lapidem inter Lapidatores Their House was left to them so desolate that not a stone was left upon a stone Matth. 24.2 O let all their Successors consider this not onely in Judea but in England or where ever that still make the Prophets cry and sigh and that as lowd as in most times heard heretofore Psal 44.22 onely with a little cruell variation For sheep appointed to be slain Pastors appointed to be starv'd Think of stony Jerusalem avoid her sins and so her Plagues lest likewise the same judgement follow and overtake you Temporall your house be left unto you desolate Spiritual Christ saying You shall not see me henceforth Matth. 23. And eternall that upon you come not all the righteous blood both of Abel and Zechariah i. both of Laicks and Clergy So Cajet in locum Sanguine fundata est Ecclesia sanguine crevit Sanguine decrescit sanguine finis erit Christs bloud did found his Church and Saints increase Which wains in storms yet in 's Foes bloud shall cease But now to take a glimpse of that which more particularly concerns us observe St. Stephens behaviour in his suffering an excellent Patern to reflect on at our deaths made up of Piety and Charity a man of an high Character and and that by the pencill of the Highest * Acts 6.55 Full of faith and power of the Holy Ghost v. 55. a
man of fervent Prayer Humiltiy Reverence miraculous Patience and forgiveness all evidenced in his Christian Deportment First his Faith through his eye S. Stephen stedfastly looking up into heaven there saw blessed visions even before his death while here on earth saw Christ standing at the right hand of God Mark that posture of encouragement our Creed Article telleth us of Christ sitting at the right hand of God but our St. Stephen here sees him standing i. in a readinesse of assistance defence And if Christ thus stand with his suffering servants who shall withstand their happiness but that as the sufferings of Christ abound in us even so also shall our consolation abound through him 2 Cor. 1. Prayer is all his shield v. 59. Calling upon God He who is invited to the Fountaine needs not go to the streams nor using Lord alone a name of power but through Justice not of willingness and therefore adding Jesus Dulce salvatore nomen the saving name of Mercy The good Angels and blossed Saints in Heaven are willing but not able uncharitable men on Earth neither of them Onely Christ is both and therefore invocated here Able because Lord willing because Jesus Quem in coelis quem in terris Psal 73. Whom then have I in Heaven c. His Charity 's extensive yet wisely begins at home would all men would do so for spirituall charity He takes care to recommend his soul to the right owner Col. 3. Lord Jesu take thine own into thine own custody Souls then survive the bodies in spite of Atheists who think but what they wish and are immediatly determined in their state of Bliss or Misery in spite of other Hereticks St. Stephen here quite contrary to most is all for his soul and nothing for the body For alas Quid proderit mundus Matth. 16.26 as our blessed Lord saith Matth. 16. c. the soul being of more price then all were there as many worlds as Empedocles and Democritus imagined * Laertius in vita Democriti i. Thousands Save This and save all and so the contrary according to that Dutch Proverb one of the wholsomest things I ever heard of from them Goods lost nothing lost Credit lost much lost Soul lost all lost Next unto Faith in God he adjoyneth Love to Men the best evidence in Foro exteriori without which all the rest had been but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a tinkling 1 Cor. 13.3 not a well-tuned Cymball But He a true Disciple of his great good Master Luke 23.34 Qui pendebat tamen petebat as Augustine sweetly who as he hung upon the Cross prayed Ignosce pater c. So this holy Saint forgives his enemies that is more then to give he that gives doth it Desuo of his goods but who so forgives gives De se something of himself yet more he prayes for them though enemies mortall enemies and in hot blood when he scarce had any time to think of his friends Lord lay nt c. more sorry for them Serm. 5. de Stepha then for his own ruine saith St. Augustine because eternall death followed their impiety but his Death eternall life And was not this the Apex the Height of Charity And 't is remarkable that he kneeled down when he prayed for his enemies that stood when for himselfe shewing the greatnesse of their sin that could not easily be forgiven and therefore the earnestnesse of his Piety Qui plus illorum dolebat peccata quam sua vulnera Cajetan in locum that did more lament their Sins then his own wounds Magnus clamor magnus amor his lowd voyce shewed his great affection and his kneeling down his reverend gesture in devotion the God of both parts challengeth both Exteriores actus demonstrent interiores affectus Dan. 6.10 Acts 9.40 cap. 26.36 Luke 22.41 In praying either stand as a servant before his master or kneel as a subject to his Prince Daniel prayed kneeling so St. Peter so St. Paul so Christ himself And the Centurists acknowledge this gesture the most ancient and most usefull in all sacred solemnities in all Ages among Christian Congregations Magdeburgenses centuria secunda And therefore not to kneel except in case of corporall infirmity argueth either Ignorance or Arrogance or some other worse infirmity of Mind And herein t is Saint Hierom so commends Asella for devotion Epist ad Marcellum that her knees were grown Brawny like the knees of Camels with her pious Geniculation Saint Stephen you see here used both postures and kneeling for his most earnest and last prayer Loco citato Wherein he was heard saith Augustine Si Stephanus non sic orasset Ecclesia Paulum non habuisset For if St. Stephen had not thus prayed the Church had never had St. Paul a Convert And Fulgentius saith whither St. Stephen went before being slain with stones thither St. Paul followed being holpen with his prayers And when he had thus spoken he fell asleep Such and so pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints asleep in respect both of Rest Resurrection Graves are grown but * Isa 57.2 Beds and Churchyards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. sleeping places so here like Jacob his pillow is of stone whereon lying down as well as if on Down Saith Damianus Serm. de Steph. he taketh rest and fell asleep Foelix somnus it was an happy sleep being joyned with such rest that rest with pleasure that pleasure with eternity Thus blest St. Stephen as Nissen observes Oratione de Stephan esteemed the Ring of his persecutors with which he was inclosed as his Crown and every stone flung at him as a pretious one as a pretious Diamond so that that of David might be applied to him Psal 21.3 Thou hast set a Crown upon my head I a Crown of Proto-martyrdom upon his Name and on his Soul a Crown of Glory Anno Christi 35. POEM 7. STtout Champion of the Truth who by Dispute First Rescu'dst it and didst her Foes confute By Dint of Argument irrefragable Which they to Answer or resist unable To harder motives do themselves betake Even Threats and Stones but vain thy Faith to shake Who So through Sphaeres transparent Christ doth Ey Begins blest visions here nor fears to dy Captain of Martyrs Thou didst lead the van Of that same Noble Army you began To seal with bloud the Christian Faith's defence Teaching us to take Heaven by violence Thy Soul breath'd forth in Charitable groans Return'd a showre of Prayers for one of Stones Therefore blest Saint 'T is but a due Renown Thy Name and Day wear the chief Martyrs Crown Vouchsafe us the like Heavenly Visions Lord That we to Thee may Tongues Hearts Lives afford And for thy sake in mean time while we live May those that stone us like this Saint forgive The COLLECT PRAYER The Epistle Acts 7. from verse 55. to the end The
4.11 gave some to be Aposles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Doctors according to his will distributing to every man a severall gift 1. Cor 12.11 St. Peter was an Apostle but not an Evangelist St. Mark an Evangelist not an Apostle St. Matthew both these yet no Prophet St. Augustine a Doctor but no Martyr St. Laurence a Martyr but not a Doctor But behold saith one the beloved Disciple was * Portan Petrus de Palude all these in his Epistles an Apostle in his Apocalyps a Prophet in his Gospel an Evangelist in his Faith Sufferings a Confessor in his preaching a Doctor St. John the Divine in his chastity a Virgin in his readiness and will to suffer a Martyr yea the Protomartyr saith Osorius suffering inwardly when Christ outwardly Osorius in locum St. Stephen will spare him the Figure of a Sympathy Amans quippe plus in amato quam in seipso patitur 't is an high complement that a lover suffers more in his beloved object then in his own person suffering yet St. John both did and suffered much in his own person also 1. The same is he that testified and wrot these things John 21.24 v. 24. is for his piercing sight into high mysteries well Emblem'd by the Towring Eagle Jovis ales right his quil writing the Divinity of Christ against Ebion and Cerinthus early Hereticks and Grandfathers of Arrianisme as that is of Socinianisme and later errors beginning his Gospell before Moses or the beginning of the world and ending his Revelation beyond all Historians beyond Time it selfe or the end of the world He chiefly lived at Ephesus where he wrot his Gospel in the 69. year of * Euseb Niceph at the desire of the Asian Bishops by him there constituted Christ whence the neighbour Churches of the lesser Asia were by that division made by the Apostolical Synod Acts 15. alotted to his Visitation for his diligence wherein and testimony to the truth he was by the Pro-Consull of Asia transported to Rome to suffer about the 90. year of Christ where being miraculously preserved in a Chaldron of scalding oyl Alsted Chron. Euseb Ec. Hist l. 3. c. as the three Children in the fiery furnace he is banished by Domitian into Patmos a disconsolate Isle of the Aegaeansea where the defect of earths accommodations was advantagiously supplied with heavenly Revelations and afterwards recall'd by Cocceius Nerva home to Ephesus Cocceius Nerva Though some write that he suffered after under Trajan yet the most and best write that he died there of an Apoplexy Anno Christi 104. aetatis 102. Happily determining the forementioned ambiguity of our Saviours words according to the Disciples aprehension of them Tarrying till his Master came not by any violent but a naturall dissolution And now as Aristotle said Metal l. 2. c. 1. if Timotheus had not been we had not had so much sweet musick but if Phrynis which was his Master had not been we had not had Timotheus So here if St. John had not been we had wanted much of the Evangelical Harmony but if our great Master Jesus had not been gracious to his Church it should not have had such a John to ornament it and therefore in this holy Saint as in all others we honor and praise through the Servant but his Lord and Master POEM 8. Coelestiall Herauld that dost draw Christs Line No lower then from Pedigree Divine And like a Towring Eagle from above To drooping Man describ'st the God of love Of love to all but Thee above the rest Because so young Thou leaned'st on his Breast As thou his Honour so we thine make known Must love Thee twice for His sake and thine own Who soonest comes to Christ doth longest stay Nor shall the boyling Oyly Chaldron slay Whom Christ but hints should tarry till he came Or Nature summond in her Masters Name Though Torture spare him yet will not Exile Malice extrudes him into Patmos Isle What must the Best expect yet sees he more There then in 's Asian latitude before Into that Angle of the Earth being hurl'd He sees an ample Prospect of the World Of Heaven and Earth and Seas Hell not conceal'd All future Times and Actions there reveal'd Deserv'dly then of all the Saints thy Birth We celebrate with Christs throughout the Earth His early and late fruit the rest we sing Their Deaths as Waiters on him Suffering Lord though our Zeal to thee make no such hast Draw and accept of us among Thy last And while ware banish'd to this Isle of clay Do Thou to us thy saving Truths display The COLLECT PRAYER The Epistle 1 Jo. 1. from v. 1. to the end The Gospel Joh. 21. from 19. to the end Mercifull Lord we beseech thee to cast thy bright beams of light upon thy Church that it being lightned by the doctrine of thy blessed Apostle and Evangelist John may attaine to thy everlasting gifts through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen UPON The Festivall of Innocents Day DISQUISITION 6. WHy the Feast of Christs Nativity is attended with These Saints above the rest St. Stephen St. John and these blessed Innocents Johan Raulin Ser. 2. de beat Innocen is handsomely conjectured by some to shew his comming into the world for all sorts of men of what degree or age soever and by These severally represented or happily that these here applyed rather then other as having more fulfilled that of Christ Mat. 16. Mat. 16. 24. By taking up the Cross and following him There being three kinds of Martyrdom in Christs Cause as St. Bernard notes the first Voluntatis operis both in will and act as that of St. Stephen 2. Voluntatis sed non operis in will Ser. de Innocent but not in Act as that of Saint John The 3. Operis sed non voluntatis in act but not in will as this of the Innocents And sorasmuch as St. Stephens Martyrdom comes neerest unto Christs his Festival is next unto him and in the 2d place St. Johns and in the 3d. These suffering Innocents all three making Christ as in Cant. 5.10 white and ruddy the chiefest of 10000. Candidus in Johanne Rubicundus in Stephamo electus ex millibus Ludolp de vit Christi p. 1. c. 13. in Innocentibus And it was impossible to Christen the Day with a Name of a more vast Reputation then Innocency which dares not signifie any thing here below but the state of the first Man and that of Children and sure he must have little of man in him nothing at all of God the more of the Devil that could so break into the Circle of such harmless simplicity and self-shielding innocence Yet this doth barbarous Herod but which of them he deserves to be known that he may both in person and example be abhorred Then not to wrong the rest as most do by their not distinguishing know there were three Herods and
step short of Calvary POEM 14. What means this Multitude say what 's the News With this strange concourse t is the King o' th' Iews Inauguration sure look how they throng As they to swear Alleagiance to Him long Their Love out-runs their patience they contend Whose Duty shall him first and most attend Hierusalem runs out of 't self as t were To meet him by the way and greet him there The Trees are clambred and each breaks his Bough Nor have their numerous Palms branches enough To dress his way their Garments too they strew To fill the Ostentation of their shew Mean time behold his humble highness pass On the meek emblem of a sluggish Ass To fulfill Prophesies and meekness teach If we would learn when word and action preach Thus Equipag'd they wait on him to Town Where of all sorts what hurrying up and down To have a sight of him the windows packt With Female gazers He their fair object Somewhat of holy Austin's chief desire To see Christ in the flesh ere they expire Now all the way as this King pass'd along What Acclamations both of old and young Children their cries into a treble raise While th' Aged chant the Basis to his praise Ages and sexes both in Consort sing Hierusalem doth with Hosanna's ring So should we deck the places Christ frequents With inward praise and outward Oruaments All this was right and due what his desart Challeng'd not onely from their hand but Heart And from ours too but both prove Iewes alas What venomous Serpents lurk in pleasant grass All these are holy frauds in this sweet Calm A storm wrap'd up and snares in every Palm What vanity what danger O what Death Sculks in the loose applause of vulgar Breath This very day Christs passion-week began T was but the Preface to behold the man Thus having heard how they their King proclaim Next see his Coronation by the same Sit but and hear the tragick muse now sing How these feign'd Saints us d a true Divine King The COLLECT PRAYER The Epistle Phil. 2.5 to 11. The Gospel Mat. 26.1 cha 27.57 Almighty and everlasting God which of thy tender love towards man hast sent our Saviour Jesus Christ to take upon him our flesh and to suffer death upon the Cross that all mankind should follow the example of his great humility mercifully grant that we both follow the example of his patience and be made partakers of his resurrection through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. The nayling to the Crosse mat 27* mar 25 Luc 23 Ioan 19 * 33. And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha that is to say a place of a skull 34 They gaue him vineger to drinke mingled with gall and when hee had tasted thereof he would not drinke 35. And they crucified him etc. The Plate here Vpon Christs Passion commonly called Good-Fryday DISQUISITION 12. AS an affectionate and Loyal Wife that hath had her most indulgent Husband wronged wounded murdered telleth it ever after with Tears and sorrow to her Friends and Neighbors So likewise doth the Spouse of Christ As in the Prophets Canticles Gospel and Apocalypse the Church in these her solemn Anniversaries story to the world her Welbeloved's Passion How Sponsus Ecclesiae Sponsus Animae that Bridegroom of the Church and of each pious Soul was scourged thorned wounded crucified and once brought forth by Pilate as by Marcus Antonius sometime the mangled Body of Caesar with an Ecce Homo Behold the man Bern in Passionem John 19.5 Quotidiana lectio Passionis recordatio indeed our Saviours Passion should not only be an Annual but even a Christians daily Contemplation this Christ-cross-row should be our constant Lesson which we should Read saith Ludolphus ad minùs septiès in die seven times a Day at least Ludolphus de Vitae Christi in Johan 19. it being Liber Vitae a Book of Life to us although of Death to Christ prefigured in Sampson who was ploughed against by his own Heyfer and as it were kissed into the hands of his malicious enemies who having first cruelly tortured him by putting out his eyes Judg. 14.21 and binding him with Fetters of Brasse they bring him forth afterward in a generall conflux led in a ridiculous manner to exercise their wits and spleens And here behold the Body of that Figure the substance of that shadow Christ the true Nazarite and Champion of our Souls betrayed also by one of his Bosome by his own familiar Friend too familiar so to kisse him into bloudy Hands who having inhumanly scourged him bloudily crowned him and ridiculously clothed him they next add scorn unto their Tyranny bringing Him forth into the clamourous throng of his insulting adversaries to be the subject of their scoffs and fury Ecce homo Behold the Man For that 's the most contracted passage of this main ground of Christianity John 19.5 diffused through both Testaments the Center of the whole Circumference yet like a curious Perspective shewing the most ample view of Him even from his Cratch to his Crosse all the while that he was Man Ecce homo This Usher going along with him as Ruth and Naomi Ruth 1.16 Wheresoever is this Man of sorrows there is likewise this same Ruthfull Ecce Behold the man which I may call a safe and inoffensive Crucisix to be worn not so much in the Eye or Ear as in the Bòsome in the Heart lively representing our dying yet ever-living our life-giving Saviour to each faithfull Soul Behold the man Despectivè loquendo faith Ludolphus vel admisericordiam provocando Pilat spake this in part despisingly Ludolph de vita Christi in loc and partly saith he to move the Jews to pittie Ecce homo as well it may bear either sense either a Qualm of Pittie or a Belch of Envy St. Augustine is for his pittie whether rais'd from any Justice in himself as seems vers 4. or from his wifes caution it matters not but that they are words of compassion he argues Behold the man Vt ejus ludibria inimici biberent ulterius sanguinem non sitirent St. Augustine He here cry'd out to them Ecce homo Behold the man that they might satiat their malice on his Reproaches and so thirst no further after Innocent bloud Si Regi invidetis jam parcite quia dejectum videtis as much as if he had said If you envy or fear his being a King yet be appeased now seeing him debased thus below the form of a servant Non clarus imperio sed plenus opprobrio not swelled with any Ambition but even like to burst with Griefe Not glittering with pomp but sordid with abuses Fervet ignominiâ frigescat invidia as that sweet Father warbles on since then he frieth in such a fiery tryall let now your Envy cool saith he and be extinguished Videte caput perforatum faciem consputam corpus laceratum look well but on his
reigneth c. MErcifull GOD who hast made all Men and hatest nothing that thou hast made nor wouldest the death of a Sinner but rather that he should be converted and live have mercy upon all Jewes Turkes Infidels and Hereticks and take from them all Ignorance Hardnesse of Heart and contempt of thy Word and so fetch them home blessed Lord to thy Flock that they may be saved among the remnant of the true Israelites and bee made one Fold under one Shepheard JESUS CHRIST our Lord who liveth and reigneth c. EASTER DAY DISQUISITION 13. THis Festivall is as ancient as the Resurrection of our blessed Lord himselfe and therefore ought to be proportionably sacred to its subject as it was highly venerable to the Primitive Fathers of the Church witnesse their innumerable Sermons on it and most solemne Acts even of both Sacraments reserved for the same however this stolid disobedient Age contemn the devotions of Antiquity Christiani sine Christo as though they would be Christians by passing Acts of Oblivion upon the Records of Christianity But God hath still his thousands in our Israel whom I shall here greet with the old Christian salutation * The Eastern and Greek Churches salutation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ is risen desiring the Reader but to Eccho with joy and gratitude that same usuall Response The Lord is risen indeed or to Paraphrase it with that good Christian who meeting his enemy said Surrexit Christus Christ is risen the Reconciler and therefore let us be friends again The first stone of Christian Faith was laid in this Article of the Resurrection in this was the first promise performed Ipse conteret He shall bruise the Serpents head Gen. 3.15 Augustine for in this Trophaeum de morte excitavit He triumphed over Death and Hell And the last stone of our Faith is laid in the same that is the Day of Judgement of which God hath given assurance unto all men saith St. Paul at Athens in that he hath raised Christ Jesus from the Dead Acts 17.3 In this Christ makes up his Circle in this he is truly Alpha and Omega His coming in Paradice in a promise and his coming to judgement in the clouds are tied together in the Resurrection and therefore all the Gospel all our Preaching our Believing and endeavour are all contracted into this one Article of the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15.14 1 Cor 15. and that being all the signe Christ would at any time afford the Jews the Pharises Saduces or any that importuned him the signe of Jonas and the destroyed Temple still turning upon the Resurrection Matth. 12.35 And so true is that of Tertullian Resurrectio mortuorum est summa consolatio vivorum The Resurrection of the dead John 4.18 is the main Consolation of the living as without which all Christs former Actions and Passions had been fruitlesse 1 Cor. 15. But by which we hold our hopes of Immortality 1 Cor. 15.17 from whence all the Sundays of the year cheerfully borrow new Denomination and are as 't were new Christned The Lords Day in memoriall of this happy Reparation So that Ludolphus out of Nazianzen and others may well call this day Solennitas solennitatum the Festivall of all Festivities Most of the Learned applying that of David to it Psalm 118. Haec est Dies quam fecit Dominus Ludolph de vita Christi in Locum Psal 118.24 This is the Day which the Lord hath made c. And not onely for our gladnesse but also inverting it for his Honour Haec est Dies quae fecit Dominum So St. Cyril in locum This is the Day which in a sense made the Lord i.e. declared For hereby saith the Apostle was he wonderfully declared to be the Sonne of God Wonderfully indeed the wonder of all Miracles wrought by a God testified by Angels seen of Men of Men not onely as witnesses but partakers and yet a no lesse Benefit then Miracle a benefit both Corporall and Spirituall extending to both parts of Man And whereas Christs former Miracles for the most part tended but to the Bodies good as Restitution of Limbs Eyes to the Blind Ears to the Deaf Tongue to the Dumb and Feet to the Lame or else for Restauration of health as Healing diseases casting out Devils raising the Dead This an extensive benefit to both parts of man or for human sustenance as feeding many thousands with few Fishes multiplying the Loaves metamorphosing of Water into Wine c. But this miraculous benefit and beneficiall Miracle of Christs Resurrection extendeth it self both unto Soul and Body And first it cheereth up the Drooping body comfortably telling it That shall not alwayes sleep in Dust not ever be the Food of worms and companion of creeping things but shall be one day raised raised to incorruption to the society of Angels and vision of the blessed Trinity that even Flesh and Bloud though not as yet a while shall one day inherit the Kingdom of God So that the Body now the Body of every faithfull penitent may be as confident as ever Job was Scio quod Redemptor vivit I know that my Redeemer liveth John 19.25 c. and that he shal stand at the latter day upon the earth And though after my skin Worms destroy my Body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see c. And that not onely in Calvins sense Calvin in locum of a Temporall Restitution but even in Jobs own sense and the Fathers Exposition of a literal and numerical Reinvestion Again This likewise secures the Soul that she is Christs holy One whom he will never suffer to see corruption assureth Her that she neither hopeth nor beleeveth in vain 1 Cor. 15. This is the Foundation Article But happy Time This happy Day for us whereon Christ became the eldest child of the Grave the First born of the Dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 15.20 The first fruits of them that sleep all comfortable Relatives First still implying the later Christs Resurrection altogether as sure as Death Rom. 4. Rom. 4.25 Who died for our sins and rose again for our Justification For us you see Both not for Himselfe but us and that for both parts of us Souls and Bodies As if your meditation please to draw neer the Sepulcher Luke 24.6 Luke 24. you shall there meet with two Angels that will witnesse the Surrexit and tell you Non est hic Why seek you the living among the Dead He is not here but is risen But er'e with Peter and John we enter the Sepulcher Luke 24.6 't will be no uncivill Digression to take notice of the Company we meet with there that were the first Evangelists of these glad tidings and those were no lesse then Angels v. 4. to no greater then Women v. 10. Some mention but one yet St. John expressly telleth us of two Angels Duo propter