Servants stript Murtherd his Sonne and were themselves extirpt These severall sorts of Temporizers toucht We find by Christ himselfe and sharpely coucht Under these pithy Parables like them Which praise the Tree and yet the Fruite contemne For some there are as Jesus did rehearse Who by the High way side good Corne disperse And this the Birds catch up and prey upon Some sow in Barren ground too neere the Stone Which wanting Earth moisture wants encrease So hardned Faith can never harvest Peace And though Gods word be Preacht on Sabbath dayes Yet lacking Rooâ—e it withers decayes Such Auditors and outward Formalists Stand both excluded out of Christian Lists Some seed springs faire but choakt with thornes and Tares Soone faile like braines too full of worldly cares When Satans weedes of vanity or Lust Grow up with Faith then Faith lies in the dust So in Gods Church spring Heresies accurst Unlesse Good Pastours weed them up at first But blest be they who sow in Fruitfull ground Their Graine shall sure a hundred fold abound Like Mustard seed though at the Prime but smal Yet at the Harvest it growes full and Tall. If Adams Sonnes could with a zealous mind Receive Gods Word his Spirit they should finde His holy Gifts would multiply with store From blisse to blisse they should rise more more Such Prophesies of Christs are come to passe Where we may see as in a steely glasse How some â—ay for Gods Messengers a traine Yea and to slay their Masters Sonne againe How neere some runne into damnations brinke Like Beares to eate his Flesh his Blood to drinke For doe not they with Blasphemy mistake To bragge that they did Flesh materiall take When Christ before his Passion as he sate At Supper did no such communicate In reall forme nor yeeld for them to gnaw His Limbes which then and there entire they saw His Flesh and Blood Christ consters to be Life And Quickning Spirit and to end all strife He saith that Man must have another Birth The Elder borne of flesh or Carnall earth The second of the Spirit New and quicke Whereto a Saint with constant faith must sticke For as the flesh subsists with earthly Bread So by his Deaths Record the Soule is fed His Sacrificed flesh with mouthes Confession And Hearts Beliefe receiv'd heales all Transgression And doth through Grace the Spirits food impart Unto Gods Image pure Mans noblest part This made Christ say The flesh cannot availe For Blisse but that his quickning words prevaile This quickning food Christs Spirit satisfide When Satan try'd his Body mortifide Mans person here not onely lives by Bread But with the word of God he must be fed This unseene meate Christ had as he did tell Whereof they knew not at Samariaes Well On which Eternall â—ates those Soules that feed Of Carnall food shall never stand in need Nor at Doomesday when Hagges howle out Alasse Shall Soule-fed Saints to condemnation passe This Living water free'y without sale Christ cry'd to all a â—hirst both great an small To drinke beleeve and feed on Christ implyes The selfe same thing in our great Sacrifice Our Bodies food by Nature rots at last Converts to dung and to the draught is cast Or is to Humours chang'd but Christ his food Transformes us to his quickning flesh and blood Of the like Substance form'd and Quality As the New mans by Christs Conformity The Rocke a figure was the Vine a signe Blest be the Branches grafted in this Vine So blest be they who make true Ghostly use Of this Rocke Vine and Blood without abuse As here our Soules feed on Christs flesh and blood By faith so musing on his Sacred food We shall raisd up to higher Dignity Feed on Christs Godâ—ead and Humanity Where now we feed on Christ the Lambe divine We then shall Feast through Christ with God in Trine Gods word begat the Churches Sacraments Of sundry formes yet One in their intents The Circumcision and the Easter Lambe Our Baptisme and the Eucharist became Mysterious signes Christs Image to renew By Grace in man the Gentile as the Jew In which as they their Faith infolded fixt So we on Christ Baptiz'd and Câ—ucifixt For in the Cloud the Nation circumciz'd Were in the Desart to Faiths Rocke baptiz'd An easie yoake for us two Objects free Both which they darkling saw through Crystall we â—They God admir'd in their old Sacrifice As we doe Christ in ours with Extasies Faith saved them and did their soules releeve And the same God saves us if we beleeve Since they were sav'd beleeving in the Shadowes Then why not we receiving him that made us Yea sure we may according to our Creed And zeale feed on his Flesh true Flesh indeed Not Chymicke-like with changing Accidents But as our New-man feeds with Soule-rapt sense Not with our Teeth nor yet Fantasticke flesh But as himselfe at Supper did expresse It for Soules Food to his Disciples then As now with his Deaths type to Christian men Who this beleeves and helpes the wounded man Without a Fee like the Samaritane If he be Lowly as the Publican Asham'd of sin and doth the best he can To please the Lord he shall be borne anew Of Gods bright Spirit and see all things New The Sacraments typ'd with New properties The one doth cleanse the Babes impurities The other cheeres us up by Sacrifice Of Bread and Wine Food of new Qualities Vnder whose veile they blest by sacred Word We minde in Trance the Body of the Lord And then we checke the World the Flesh the Devill For Saints wel know that nothing which is evil Nor yet that Flesh wherein our Spirits move Shall Heaven see till Grace our sins remove Which may not be unlesse we will Repent To Natures griefe and Fiends astonishment How we become New borne no more we know Than Nicodemus how the wind did blow But by our Faith that Gods Sonne crucified Doth now on his Right hand sit glorified Above all Thrones A Saviour Priest and King Triumphant over sin the Dragons sting And may heale us as the Brasse Serpent hung Did Israelites by fiery Serpents stung If we receive this Viands excellence With Inward taste more than with Outward sense But why did Christ Evangelize Salvation In mysticke sort and aime at Reprobation By sentences to carnall wits so darke Was it that we more seriously might marke The Sence when they should moralized be By Clerkes of our Leviticall Degree Perhaps such Tropes propt with Divinity May worke in some with greater Majesty So Saints sometimes to States Tyrannicall Have read by Riddles or in Generall Grave Lectures on the Gospels Lightning Text Least their seeds growth by spleene or by pretext Of winding Lawes were dasht with dis-respect Or silenced themselves with foule neglect If bluntly they or headlong out of Season Preach much of Peace to Tyrants voyd of Reason Christs flocke well knowes his voyce but on the rest That stray let Wolves
great Presumptuous sinne Concernes them much who have New-formed bin As many were soone after Christs Ascent Possest with Gifts to Schooles Astonishment By the Immediate wondrous Inspiration Of Gods bright Flame though by the Instigation Of Satan they chance afterwards to fall To Lunacies yet let them hope with Paul And Peter falne by Christ his Blood Remission For who dares judge Grds Grace without misprision Or sentence our Grave Cranmer for his feares Since at his Death he purg'd his Fall with Teares And sacrific'd his Hand first to the fire Because it did against his Heart conspire Let them take up these words with Job and say Ile put my trust in him though he me slay T is true I fell which Fall I will not Cover I was Soule-sicke but God may me recover Barre Aire and Bloud of motion Circulare Meteours the one Heart-griefes the other scare The Body feeles sins Symptomes and diseases So feeles the Soule till Grace them both releases Which never failes a Saint though for a while Foule Lustfull fogges Faithes working may defile Let none despaire that hath Repentant beene Or can but once a day sigh for his sinne Many grave Rules and Documents profound Christ left and did unto the Jewes expound Amongst which others here I will relate The Lowly Pure the Poore and desolate The Peace-maker and for the Faith opprest These with the Zealous he pronounced Blest Christ termes those Blest of Spirit Poore and Mild Then what is Mans Great Spirit Satans Child His bristling up with Braggadochian vaunts With fuming Spleene with Gall and Girding Taunts His standing on fond Natures brittle Pinion Or his owne Merits puffe or Wits opinion His sleighting of a Saint that favour craves As if himselfe were Pope Christs Members slaves His thundring peales of Penalties high rackt As if his owne swell'd Head no Surgeon lackt His false designes to bring home Massy Crimes From Forraigne Climes in Antichristian Times His Challenges for Honours wrong'd repaire Or by Law-suites Saints Fortunes to impaire What Spirit swayes shewes the Red Dragons Mace Not of the Lambes but wicked Belials Race So farre was Christ from wrath or vengeance taking So farre from spoyling foes or greedy raking That he bad Peter to put up his Sword When he had Malchus smote and at his word Confessing he was Jesus though they were Scar'd at his voyce he will'd them not to feare And when his owne Disciples did presume To urge him like Elias to consume Those men with fire which wilfully deny'd To harbour him the fiend then undescry'd By them he checkt and said that they did rave For he came not to kill but Soules to save Who then beleeves Saint Patrickes Oracles That Irish Kernes he kild by Miracles Or credit our New Sects who doe conspire To plant our Saviours Church by Sword and Fire So farre liv'd Christ from Pride at once he had But one plaine Robe wherewith his backe was clad One Coate he wore to shrow'd his naked skinne A Seamelesse Coate to cover Adams sinne A Coate indeed wrought uniforme and plaine To shew that he recover'd backe againe Our former suite of Innocence entire Without those seames of Schoolemens nice attiâ—e Which likewise we like Turtle Doves must weare At our New Birth with Love and filiall feare Not slashing it like Schismatiques unbid Nor casting Lots as Romes fell Souldiers did Who not content to gore his Guiltlesse side And Body slay his Rayment did divide The Fóxes had their Holes the Aiery Foule Their proper Nests But he poore harmelesse Soule Like Noahs Dove on earth could scarce have footing No certaine Lodg nor comforts worth the booting Glad in his Travels to receive releife Of them who for his sake received Life Instead of Ease he Persecution felt Chose Desarts oft and into Brine did melt His Eyes with griefe to see such Combination Such Pride among his owne selected Nation He spent the day in Preaching and good deedes The night in Prayer for their foule Misdeedes Yet liv'd he more contented with his Fate Than Solomon with all his Royall state Before whose pompe traines Illustrious muster He priz'd the Lillies for their native Lustre Such Artlesse flowers he saw of goodlier hew And Glaring more then any Maske or shew This Christ exprest with Gospels Majesty With Practicke patience Love and Poverty Teares often shed true zeale and thereupon His Fathers Doome for Sinners undergone To stint our daily Cares for worldly pelfe The Morrowes Carke he bids leave to it selfe For why should we distrust our Fathers Ayd When we see Fieldes with various Robes array'd And Sparrowes bred without Mans industry Then how much more will he our Need supply Before we thinke on things meere Transitory Seeke first said Christ the Joyes of Heavenly glory And then be sure of this you shall have more Than serves your turn out of his bounteous store Or at the least what Nature may suffice Food Rayment Lodging or the like supplies Have you forgot the many Thousands fed With a few Fish and Barley Loaves of Bread To teach us thrift the scraps when they were filâ—d Most frugally to be laid up he will'd Looke carefully the Fragments be not lost Or cast away quoth he the Gentle Oast A faire advice to them that spend on Hounds What serves for Humane use though wealth abounds This Rule likewise a warning Type I place For them that waste their Inward Food of Grace Distributing in Playes some Pearles to Hogges Christs holy scrappes as Huntsmen cheere their Dogges When we must keepe the Reliques of our boord Ought we not more the Sacred Word to hoor'd The smallest crummes and passagâ—â— of Grace May stead the weake in their New holy Race O let us then without Sophisticke Brabble Reserve all Remnants of the Mysticke Table Least that the Seed which Christ the better Part Most needfull calls misse rooting in the Heart Least Martha-like with Household toyle â—pprest We want the Food which Mary liked best The Word which she so well disgested then That her best Choyce crownes her Saint Magdalen To weane us from aspiring to Promotion The Old mans plot the Serpents shining Motion When some of his Apostles strove for place Jesus did thus their lofty mindes abase He tooke and rank't a Child in midst of them Protesting that though he of scorned stem Were held by them yet Meeke and Innocent His Spirit might an Elders worth prevent And that unlesse a Child we imitate In harmelesse Love we seeke Gods Lambe too late Doubtlesse there is a great Antipathy Betwixt the World and Heaven for Quality And Motion when the Church here Militant Failes to Consort her Tunes extravagant With the Elects Allelujahs Vnion The Greatest here may misse of Saints Communion But if our thoughts shine circled in the Ring Of mutuall Love with constant Faith a thing That may not be except the Holy Ghost Infuse those flaming Twinnes then will the Hoasâ— Of Angels Quire by the like Sympathy As Load
the night For with our Feast suits not this sight of sorrow You know quoth he our Sabbath is to morrow And by our Law we are by Moses Taught That but till night no hanged Body ought To lye unburied lest it taint the Aire Defile the Land or Health with smels impaire We vow'd our selves a Nation consecrate To God who hates all things contaminate Such as might barre us to be Sanctified In Soule and in our Bodies purified Our Soile likewise while we from vices stand Absolv'd is styl'd Jehovahs Holy Land Which Holinesse of Body Soule and Soile Makes for his Buriall me to keepe this coile O let not then the Nailed Coarse endure Polluted long for want of Sepulture Since not so much as any Carrion Beast Is left uncover'd at our sacred Feast My Countrey men have wreackt their ut-most teene On him and you their bloody minds have seene When Barrabas that Robber they preferr'd Befor his Life whom now to be enterr'd I beg and crave at your most gracious hands And none of them I thinke this Boone withstands Or if they should by scrupulous surmise Oppose my suit that he againe will rise Within three dayes from Death to Newer Life Because he did so Prophesie In briefe I am content they watch the silent Grave Or seale it up And what more would they crave When Pilate knew that Christ was dead indeed After some pause he at the last agreed With this Proviso that the Priests should set His Seale and with a Guard the Tombe beset Then instantly unto his great renowne Good Joseph tooke the breathlesse Body downe Enwrapt it in a shrowd and it convey'd To a New Tombe where no man else was layd An Epitaph upon our Saviours Corpse hanging upon the Crosse. MArke Worldling heere a Tragicke Miraâ—le Suspend vaine Hopes and view this Spectacle The Sonne of God hanges fixed to that Tree With nayled Handâ— and Feet thy Soule to free From his Dread Fathers Curse and the same paine Which thou of right shouldst feele Hee doth sustaine Gods wrathfull Cup to ransome Adams Fâ—ll And lustes he drinkes with vinegar and Gall. To adde more woes in presence of his Mother Like Kidâ—-flesh boyl'd in the Dammes Milke their Brother See how the Priests doe flout the Romans mangle His Harmelesse Corpse whom they could neere entangle In the least Word or Act whilst he did Preach His Fathers Will and in the Temple teach He tendred Grace and eas'd Lawes Penalties He cur'd their Feavers Palsies Leprosies Restor'd their Lame gave Sight to Blinded Eyes Rais'd up the Dead and for these gifts he dies He Praying dyes and then Gore-Blood did come From his pierst side with that cleare water from The Pericardion Skinne about his Heart Which late it held to coole that Moving part O wretched Men who did Gods wrath provoke And were the cause of this great Bloody stroke A Lamentable Hymne in the Memoriall of our Saviours Passion AS our sinnes did Our Saviour pieâ—ce So must we bathe with teares his Hearse Though One of his Bloods many drops Exceeds all Teares and Passion stops How can our Soules chuse but complaine To see our Prince Messias slaine Not for himselfe but for our Cause Who daily breake our Makers Lawes How can the Members chuse but weepe That the Good Shepherd for the Sheepe The Head of all our Humane Race Should lose his life with such disgrace With bitter â—ibes more bitter stripes And dismall Deaths most bitter Gripes His Forehead Crown'd with pricking Thorne His Hands and Feete Crosse-naild and torne Christs senses all pay'd for that sinne Which the first Man delighted in For the faire Fruite of Paradise The Jewes hood-wink'd his harmelesse Eyes For Adams lisâ—ning to his Wife His Eares heard sâ—outes and raylings rife For hand-reaching to the Tree His feeling grip'd with Tortures see For the sweet fruites delicious taste With bitter gall he brake his Fast And where the Fruite Eve Fragrant smelt He Skulles foule scent at Golgoth felt This dolefull doome to Christ besell Though he dislodg'd the Fiends of Hell And though their Prince fail'd him to win With his three snares or charmes to sinne Within that wilde or Desart place Where Christ withstood him to his Face Yet now in part he got his Will And to that end with poisned skill By Judas meanes had made his way For greedy gaine him to betray He got his Will bruiz'd Adams Heele And mad with Rage made Christ to feele As he was Man his utmost shaft Since him he miss'd to gull with craft Nor could him charge in thought or word That he transgrest against the Lord. Onely because our sinnes he bore God suffer'd Satan him to gore By Sinners hands hells Instruments The Guiltlesse Lambe with Punishments Which we indeed and none but we Had well deserv'd for Adams Tree To Undergoe from Crowne to foote With all the Paine of Hell to boot The Sixth Dayes EXERCISE The Argument The foure great wonders wrought at Christ his Death How Paradise receiv'd his Ghostly Breath Purgatory condemn'd and Tombes expence The Crosse is prais'd what profit comes from thence I Sing no songs of antique Saturnalls Emblemes of Time Sithes mowing Festivalls Though Saturnes name I wrest to that set day On which our Saviours Corpse entombed lay Nor daigne I once his memory to greete Who fled to Latium from his Native Creete Nor strike I at that Melancholique Spheare Whose Motion ends not till the Thirtieth yeare No such conceites intoxicate my Braine To thinke that Ovids Taâ—es might grace my strain No such Capricious Toyes wits whimsey-dances Nor dreames of Raving Pates take me with trances Improper for a Christian Scribe to hold Or them to blaze abroad like Bardhs too bold Who in this Age of impudence and scorne Turn'd more Baboones then Babes for Christ New-borne Would gul the world with leud Fantastique fables Our Youth with Cupids baits or Eâ—vish Bables No line shall glide through my New sacred Pen Save that whereto Gods Angels say Amen But who will heare or credit our Reports When men wax deafe bewitcht with Babels sports When though they know that her Chiefe Forts were taken Her Lovers sundred and her Basans shaken By them that hate the Whore yet still they strive By the Old Dragons false prerogative To build her Walles like Jerichoes againe And blow up Sion with Hels Powder-traine Looke how they Plot to undermine our walles And to repaire their owne Just ruin'd falles See how Romes Mungrels mercenary whelpes Goe on to bite the Saints And how she helpes Some viper-like their Neighbours hearts to teare Under pretence of Purgatories feare Behold how Mammon tempts our brightest starres To fall downe from the Orbe of Peace to Jarres Whilst Humane Arts doe want no Licencing They threat Gods Heraulds with a silencing But O! are not those wordlings much too blame Or doe they not obscure the Spirits Flame Well meriting from Heaven punishment Exemplified with Arrowes Pestilent For their Ecclipse of zeale
THE SOVLES EXERCISE In the daily Contemplation of our Saviours Birth Life Passion and Resurrection BY WILLIAM VAVGHAN Knight LONDON Printed by Thomas and Rich. Cotes for Humphrey Blunden and are to be sold at his shoppe in Cornehill at the signe of the Castle 1641. TO THE KINGS MOST EXCELLENT MAIESTY 1. WHile Mammon blurr'd the Word within oâ—r West Which rose like Lightning from the radiant East God lent me Zeale and clear'd my Inward sight To draw the Type of our Incarnate Light 2. Within this Map your Royall Grace shall find Some Sparkes to raise a true Nathaniels mind Above the Clouds in spite of tempting vice By the review of the Soules Exercise 3. Here Men may see in Christian Crystall glaesse That None from Earth shall up to Heaven passe Unlesse they be Refin'd and from Above Baptiz'd with Flaming zeale and streaming Love 4. Here wrangling Wits and Make-bates may behold What shall become of them who plot for Gold To crucifie the Sonne of God againe By wronging of his Members Saints for Gaine 5. Here Age may learne some harmelesse Rapsody To rap the Soules of Youth with Melody Like that which Saul found for his Malady Except they stop their Eares and raving dy 6. Here Peace is taught Old Simeons swan like song To wavering Minds to Sick Folkes the strong With Notice cleare to speake it without boast Why Some receive Some lose the Holy Ghost 7. What Milder means can be for Jarres Correction Then Christ his Cratch Life Crosse and Resurrection In Numbers sung with an attracting voyce Since Babes and Bees are charm'd with tinkling Noise 8. What more can please the Fancies curious Tast Than Types before the Vnderstanding plac't In tuned Forme the Senses to rouze up When surfeited with Copious prose they droup 9. Nay Soules perhaps which Sermons faile to win They may Convert asswage or scare from Sin If as Raines many Drops hard Marble pierce The Agents play on them with fluent Verse 10. So Moses Miriam Job and Debora When Hebers wife had hammer'd Sisera So David did and Jeremias call Men to praise God by vowes Numericall 11. The like rare Sound shapes the New Testament In Zacharies and Maries Ravishment In Simeons Ode and in Our Saviours Deed Who sung a Psalme ere He in Sweat did bleed 12. The Soule some write consists of Harmony And that good Angels sing none can deny Witnesse their Musick which Saint John describes Who then dares breake on Sions Muse his Jibes 13. Among the Actes which Canterburies Sire Grave Cutbert made within the Churches Quire He will'd his Clergie every day to sing In Saxon Tongue the Praise of Heavens King 14. Among the Gifts rankt of Scholasticke Scope Which grace Great Vrban now the Romaine Pope His Booke of Poems wins him most renowne The Laureat Wreath excells his Triple Crowne 15. But if my Layes seeme to some Worldlings light Excuse the Scribe O Britaines sweete Delight Say that he aim'd at Love not bubbling Fame Reward nor Strife nor Justice to defame 16. My Straine is plaine the Matter most sublime No Levite I. Then what doth grace my Rime With willing mind the New-mans praise I sing For moulding in shrewd times so milde a King Whom with his Royall Spouse and Hopefull Fruite Like Saints I pray the New-mans Lord to suite Amen So Prayes your Majesties most Humble Subject William Vaughan The Preface To the Queenes most Excellent Majesty ACcept great Queen from a poore Cambrian Knight This sparkling Pile wherewith the Soules delight You may discerne an Empresse most divine The Glory of the Gender Feminine The Lady Grace I meane Gods gracious Light Which saves Mankind from a despairing plight If they in Will their Outward Man resist And daily waigh the Birth and Death of Christ But since we are bath'd in her streaming Love I know you will my New-mans Flames approve Cull out the best which with Gods Word agree And leave the rest as Fire-drakes unto me If I sing well as Seraphins require Then take my Sparklings like Nehemies Fire Which in the Pit lay hid late found againe Not kindled by the New-mans Zeale in vaine But for a Pious end by Numbers dint Our Saviours Forme in weakelings to imprint This Forme through worldly fraud lay hidden long None durst translate it to the Mother tongue Untill the Lord of his unbounded Grace In pitty of his Churches wretched Case Lookt downe of late on his two Prophets slaine And breath'd New life into their Corpse againe With Heavenly Oyle He sent the Holy Ghost To scoure Faiths rust when we were almost lost Lost through our sloth and Pride neere in Despaire To be snatcht up by Fiends into the Aire There till Doomes-day to Goblin it at least Or which is worse with Tophets Dampe to feast But if my Tune like gaggling Noise of Geese Displease I then reserve it as a Peece Or Fragment fit for some Sidanens Eare Of sleighted Wales with hooboobs Bray to feare Night-walkers from purloyning of her Flocke Rather then I become a flouting-stocke To English wits I will at night retire Couurez le feu put out my Light and Fire And live immur'd as in a Cynicks Cell Untill I can in sweeter Layes excell Howere this proves I lay it at your Feete Not daring starres with glozing phraze to greete Nor stare too long upon the Sun-shine Light Least I be chang'd into a Bird of Night Or as Old Poets faign'd of Niobe Contesting with a Goddesse least I be Transmuted to a stone or stupid wight For thrusting forth to Your Majesticke sight This Ghostly taske my New-mans Exercise With Oaten Pipe and in a poore disguise Before I know your Pleasure and your Will Whether you can affect a Mountaine Quill And brooke that a rude Bardh or Corydon Should screw his Songs with your Court-Helicon Sometime Great Dames the Blossomes of the Field Have paralell'd with those which Gardens yeeld So though by Fits or Chance I may expose Old Edens Good and Ill the Thorne as Rose Shall a few Slips of thorny Doubts downewaigh My New-mans Hopes more faire then Flowers in May But least some say that Sybill-like I rave Or that I doe the Higher Thrones outbrave I here submit and humbly sue to sing These Layes A Cat may looke upon a King Both Towne and Countrey strive for Courtly Grace And shall not I then wish to see your Face To see of Kings the Daughter Sister Wife And Mother borne to calme great Nations strife Not fawning wise but hoping that you stand For Our New man I long to kisse your Hand Like Philips Greekes who Christ desir'd to see Like One who to that end climb'd up a Tree And thus I bid Great Britaines Queene Adieu With Sacrifice my vowes and Service due To the Princes Highnesse MOst Noble Prince Great Britaines Royall Heire The Hope of Wales where first I breathed Aire And where I live from Troubles Home-retir'd But never for your Good with Prayers tir'd
If harsh my Tune seemes to your tender Earâ— Let Your mild Grace with my plain meaning beare As well because the matter I rehearse Requires bare naked Truth in simple Verse As that I might the vulgar sort allure To our New-man from their Old wayes impure Since Gentle words may for their Babes afford A winning Call to Jordans Bathing Ford And that I might hold on my Countries Guise Course Russet yet sincere without disguise Of Art or Sense lest that you might suspect That I on Truth no Exercise erect For if I cring'd with Charmes adulterate Of Pick-thank Soothes or borrowed Termes of state I should then cast before your Eyes a Mist Not spreading Truth like an Evangelist For Christian Peace with pure Devotions Flame But Wilde conceites blowne up for worldly Fame And so instead of noysing her Effects I wrong her worth and shew my owne defects Truth is the Starre which grac'd my New-Mans Flame O would I could to you so blaze her Fame As once fell out before the Persian King When her Renowne Salathiels Sonne did ring With such a Peale that all the Court confest Truth onely Great fit for a Monarches Breast Our Onely God Created but One Sunne From Pole to Pole Times yearely Race to runne No more lent He then this Gift Vniforme One Truth to sway our Soules and to informe All Adams Seed of the Right way to Heaven One safe High way not Labyrinth'd but Even This Royall Way is Jesus Christ alone Who left us Truth our Discords to atone To guide our steps into his Churches Fold Without hard Yokes or selling soules for gold And to confound as with a Lightning Sword The Obstinate by his Mysterious Word Upon this Words bright Substance we depend Fixing on Christ our Faith and Soveraigne End With Will prepar'd enfranchised by Grace His holy Life and Gospels Light to trace And to take up with zeale when so he please His Crosse and bitter Cup before soft Ease Besides this Way to gaine the Top of Heaven All Paths like Quicke sands are or puft up Leaven Of which false steps are Ladders for the Turkes From Mecha rapt and those stupendious Workes Father'd on Saints by Men possest with Fiends In Legends fam'd for base Simonious ends Not for One Faith one God one Advocate But many Christs and Idols to create To shun such Bogges By-wayes and Fallacies I have set forth the Soules sweet Exercise Kindled by Truth Jehovahs bosome Daughter Who by his Son wrapt in the Scriptures brought her By her mild Rayes reflecting on my strains Your Grace may reap some fruit And for my pains Sweet Prince I crave no other recompence Then that you take them into your Defence With my true vowes till in your riper Age You them oppose against the Old Mans Rage The preface to the Reader OVr New-mans Lord be prays'd for evermore Who with New Layes augmented hath our store And by his Rayes hath lately rais'd my wil To Sacrifice above Acquired skill He stirr'd me up with Zeale on Sions stage To act a Part though in my drouping Age Having outgone the step which Sages call Lifes Fatall Yeare the Climactericall My Morals He turn'd to Diviner wayes My Romane Dactyles into English Layes My rugged Prose He chang'd to Smoother Lines That with New-straines I might win Libertines Maugre his Spleene who doth this Worke confine Will Poets preach or sing of things Divine Shall Knights usurpe the place of Clergie men To praise Gods Church or Christ his Life to pen He may as well Apollinarius taxe Or as enrag'd against Old Ephres waxe Both which by Tunes on Grecian Lyre did strive To settle Faith in the Church Primitive He may aswell blame Nazianzens Quill Prudentius Claudians or S. Austines skill As strike at Poets for recalling Soules From Darknesse unto Light by Sacred Scrowles Were Sions Muse to Clearks alone entail'd The Criticke might with Semeies sting have rail'd On the sweet Post hume of our Royall James Which ravish English Eares with Davids Psalmes He might with Theons Tooth good Bartas bite Or for Doomes-Day our Noble Sterline smite Or if he feares to hit so high a Mark Why claimes he not Zoiles priviledge to bark At Him whose worth deserves Vlisses style Whom Grotius taught Christs Passion to compile Our starres late grac't my Raptures of the Bride How then dare Momes the Bridegroomes praise deride But can a Prophet rise from Galilee Or Waâ—es in Tune shape Truths Evangelee Or can her Geese compare with English Swans To sing good Newes to Contrite Publicans To paint such Flights no Mortall should presume Unlesse his Pen were of a Cherubs Plume Unlesse the Poet rapt above the Pole Charme Men from Jarres Fiends from taking Toll So that the End be good Truth ought to passe Though by a Scythian nois'd or Balaams Asse And whilst we not Divineâ— Flames profane With false Poetique Dreames Devotions Bane There is no Sexe in Soules Aswell the Least As Greatest here shall shine at Christ his Feast At the Lambs Feast where Saints for ever sing The Simplest Swaine on Earth joyes as the King Now if our Wales such Novelties relates Disdaine them not Yee Noble English States But pry into them like her Silver Mine For which of late her Alpes yee undermine And since yee see her Wombe and Bowels yeeld Lime Coale and Marle to raise the wearied Field Then why likewise may not her Streames affoord Some Swans aswell as Thames or Humbers Foord If not to chaunt their Native Melody At least to tune a harmelesse Rhapsody Whereby from Fiends some Converts may bee drawne To ransome Wares which they had left in pawn That with our Head the Members sympathize God breathes into mens Hearts New Faculcies For when his Sonne ascended up on High He captive led our Wils Captivity Renew'd of Grace our Charters Liberties And gave rare Gifts with Flaming Novelties Which if some hide or Miser like engrosse They frustrate make their Freedome by the Crosse Least therefore I encurre that Prejudice I publish here my New-mans Exercise With this true Warning shot or Tolling Bell That the Old Man Yee Readers first expell Before yee mend these Raptures or proscribe With Catoes Broach or Brand a Christian Scribe By a non licet least your Negatiue Barre that which sorts with Saints Affirmative That this my Worke in substance comprehends An Offering which to Christ his Glory tends Not Noised forth like Chymiques Quintessence For sordid Gaine but strife and Carnall Sence The Gangrenes of this Age to cauterize I freely vent my Soules Wâ—â—kes Exercise And though my Tone like Gileads shibbeleth Suits not nice Tongues nor Davids Leekes your Breath Yet doth my Muse with Englands Faith agree And hopes by Trance our Saviour Christ to see In Bethlems Cratch and on Mount Calvary His Rising vp and Triumph I descry And blunder forth by the like Mystery But with sharpe Hounds my Muse and Memory I 'le first assay Olâ— Reinards Brood to stoup View
Physitians threats And the repugnant Nature of the meates Nay though they know some meats may cause offence Unto the Weake the Old man will dispence That on a Friday in a Papists sight They feast on Flesh his Conscience to despight Against the rules of Civill Modesty As if they meant their Neighbours Swine to tye To Meazeld troughs against the Owners Will Who bred them up with other kind of Swill As bad perhaps as Sugar-sops or Fish Which raise up Lust more than the fleshy dish Of old it was not so Good Christians then In feeding with the Jewes like Prudent men Abstain'd from Porke and puddings stuft with Blood They liv'd content with their Mosaicall Food To win weak soules to Christ they seem'd content lawes With all things except sinne indifferent For whose deare sake they would each Countryes Observe and weare a Fooles coate were there cause And so sometimes we play the Humourists Faiths essence sav'd to raise up Catechists But since our Head commands a Publicke Fast How dare the Members gape for much Repast But mutually joyne with their Christian mates Of the same Church to calm the threatning Fates On Jonathan a thundring sentence past Because he brake unwittingly a Fast And shall our Gulles unpunished escape Who wilfully commit an Heath'nish Rape And violate the Law with carnall taste Out of crosse-spleene conceite and wanton waste Nor for restraint of Wind necessity Or for raw Ayre but of meere Vanity A little serves the Hungry Maw to heale Why then will they devoure more at a Meale Than twice five ounces of substantiall Food And so much weight of drinke to do them good More frugall yet when Fasting dayes commence Least Fumes oppresse the Braine Sleepe presse thâ— sence To keepe in plight thereby the Bodies Frame For the Soules Feast and Belly Gods to shame Such Food as will not over soone corrupt Bisket Rice Pulse or soft Panades supt A smal thing cheeres the heart Midriffe calmâ— As wines one draught kept Timothy from Qualmes Why then will Christians play the Epicures And frustrate make the Soules and Bodies Cures By causing Fumes to breath up to the Braine Where they beget the Soules and Bodies paine Excesse of Meats beyond the Golden Meane Turnes into Fat and Excrements uncleane It taints the blood breeds Dropsies Feavers Gouts Or duls the wit and makes them heavy Louts Unweildy for Faiths Active Qualities To please our God with humble Sacrifice Of Vessels some are Rough some Porcellane Of Bodies some turne Pure and some Prophane Note this in Beasts their dung lets us to weet That Swine and Dogs smell rancke the Stags more sweet Now Gryllus chuse thy mould Hogs Stags or Dogs If Stags be scant Dogges stinke then take the Hogs And wallow in his mire untill thou feele The meazell'd Plague and like a Dizzard reele These Points and others moe grave Levites preach Where they enjoy their Rights how the breach Of Fasting comes which makes me tel my friends He that neglects the Churches moane offends For which and the like crimes he ought to sob Who thinkes it no offence Gods Tythes to rob The Arts contempt and robbing them of Hire Cause many Plots and strange combustions fire In humane breaâ—ts Divines to Simonize And other Wits to raile and Libellize At Lawes or Times or else they fly from home To Doway Spaine Saint Omers or to Rome Whence what ensues I leave for Politiques To judge while others turne home-Empiriques False Sycophants or Mountebanks to seeme More wise or skilfull in the worlds esteeme When to themselves they guilty are of fraud But Need allures dame Beâ—uty like a Baud To prostitute or rather want of Grace That makes the Whore the Modest to outface Yet now I hope our forraigne-built Plantations Will Britaine free from many Imputations When Drones remov'd the rest more elbow roome Shall have to thrive like Honey-Bees at home Unlesse which God avert the Pestilence Abate our swarmes and crosse good mens Intents Mean time the world on wheels runs mad by fâ—ends And furies led whom they mistake for friends One while they tempt to Apish imitation Whilst Pygmies swell with Gyaâ—â—s transformation With â—urld bold Ruffians Haire immodest face Proud costly robes with Gold and needlesse Lace And thriftlesse puffes winkt at perhaps to raigne For Trades increase Customes or Mercers gaine For whose support with rich Caparizons Tâ—ades with Coach-mares make oft comparisons By these our Off-springs tainted 〈◊〉 Turne Harpyes Peacockes or Hermaphrodites By these high sailes hath Hospitality Sunke in deepe Gulfes with Christian Charity The multitude of sinners gone amisse Makes â—inne to seeme the lesse and so doth this Another while our Gentry with delights They traine to tread Gods gifts with dogs kites Or else to gape for Others goods at Play Oft to the losse of their owne worldly stay Whilst Satans wily fiends subordinates Confirme such Gamesters for his Reprobates But late they triumph'd when against the Rheume Some did create a God of Indian Fume Whereby men craz'd their memory and wits And parcht their Vitall Blood more then befits O Custome charm'd besotting Christendome Besotting Braines against the day of Doome Tobaccoes smoake no other Humour drawes Then Spawling which it selfe doth chiefly cause Nor doth this Hells evaporating Puffe End here although worse then a Candles snuffe To qualify the Dampish sooty Braine It must be moistned oft for Tavernes Gaine With Wine or Beere that the heate Naturall May swim with Flegme as the Moist Radicall Lies dampt with drouth of sense-benumming smoake And this they doe so long untill the Heate Of Nature failes corrupt with sulphures sweate The Braine thus soild how shall Gods grace erect The Spirits Temple in the Intellect By hearing Faith gets roome but if by fits Their senses quaile their quailing hurts the wits Then let this be in Brasse or Marble plac't Who smoakes Tobacco much he doates at last Who can deny but Satan in our Age Is let more loose with violence to rage And with his Angels daily goes about To batter Faith and true Zeale to roote out He is let loose to range about at Pleasure And more then Love pricks men to dreame of Treasure We prate of Faith but Pride eates up the fruites We talke of Peace but that ends in Law-suites For feare of humane Plots Saints oft are dumbe And Love is by the Dragons wiles become A thing of naught a Cypher without fellowes Whilst Golden hopes of Lucre blow the bellowes As Passengers their ship being weake and riven To sâ—ndry Coasts for many Leagues are driven Of gusts and stormes of Gulfes they make report Before they can arrive at Safeties Port So now are Saints by Gog and Magog vext And glad to fly with civill Broyles perplext Out of their Native soyle to Strangers Armes For refuge against Mars his fierce alarmes As witnesse now of late the Valtoline France Belgia Hesse all Dutchland and the Rhine So others are by suits and quarrells
Galilee in Jury Am carryed with a rapid zealous Flame To see how Christ a Child a Man became A Man Baptiz'd as we his Members â—e Tempted by Satan yet got bravely free Though Jesus had escapt the Hunters snare Yet Judgement crost the Tyrants jealous Care For out of hand after the Butchery Of Bethlems Babes deceas'd in Misery With entrailes scorcht proud Herod to his Sons Leaving his State waving in dissentions First having caus'd even in deaths agony His Eldest Sonne to beare him company When three of them stood for their Fathers place And each of them would beare a Royall Mace With factious sides to make their challeng good These Aliens borne of Edoms-viper-Brood Contended for their Sires usurped Throne The Rule of Laws from Jewries People gone Since Shiloes Birth Gods messenger of Peace The vigour of their Lawes began to cease As afterwards by Titus came to passe Who did their Laws and Nations state deface As likewise when in fierce Domitians raigne And Trajans Davids stock were sought and slaine But all their claimes appealed unto Rome The Brethren stood confind to Caesars doome Who by Decree for taming of their fury Most Politique then Tripartited Jewry To Archelaus by style of Ethnarchy South-jewries Land he gave the Tetrarchy Of Galilee and Jordans Land betwixt The other two he left for portions mixt The Brothers broyles thus quieted at last When all those stormes were overgone and past Joseph advis'd from Heaven with his Bride Brought backe the Child from Aegipt But aside Turn'd doubting Archelaus the Tyrants Son Who then to sway South-judaes Land begun To Nazareth Northwards in Galilee Where suckled was the Infant Jesus free From worldly Broiles as to a Nazarite Belong'd His head unpoll'd by Legall Rite There Mary not omitting any mild Or watchfull care for nursing up her Child Directed him now weaned from her breast One while to goe another while to rest His Infants time beguil'd wiâ—h Lullabies With gentle smiles sweete songs or soft replies She fed him not with Suckets nor Conserves But with that meate which strengthens tender nerves To dyet him for health was her chiefe Care Not urging him to eate of dainties rare But victuals fit for Nature thin and spare Butter and Honey were his daintiest fare She knew that Soules in pampred bodies pine That Both corrupt through lushious cheere and Wine But no man him with Idolls durst present Nor with those sights whose pictures represent Horn'd Bugges or Houshold gods for she her selfe Could never brooke to see a Labans Elfe Woe to those fondling dads who tempt the soules And pliant braine of their soft little Fooles With such Trim trash the unmarkt Nursery Of Faithlesse Feares and blind Idolatry She those defects with sacred Care repair'd Which Mother Eve by Satans fraud impair'd Gods Instrument to beare and breed that Child Which jarring Earth with Heaven reconcil'd And when more yeares came on she did assay To teach his tongue a Psalme or else to Pray Whereto his Will became more forward bent Then Courtly Lads to learne smooth Complement No Boye 's permitted she her house to haunt Such Rakehel Boyes which us'd to lie and taunt Like those rude Impes which heretofore did yalp And call Bald pate Elishaes reverend scalp No Mayd of hers durst sing a wanton song Within her eares or his nor to the Throng Of Reprobates those whom she knew defil'd Would she from home adventure out her Child And if she had such was his Inclination His inward Lore prevented Education There is no doubt but by Infusion He Had needfull what the Spirit knew to be Soone as his Childhoods Stature did encrease His mirthfull-fits began soone to decrease For without griefe how could that Heavenly spark Heare men to sweare like fiends like curres to bark How could he but lament to see them crouch To Stockes and yet the Godhead to avouch How could he chuse but grieve at their Extortions Debates and spending of their dearest portions To see a Brother fight the Courtier faigne The Lawyer lye and all for cursed gaine To see men strive for Place and Soveraignety Like fiends for pride who lost their dignity To see the Townesman pawne his soule for wealth The Husbandman Cornes price to raise by stealth Successively there budded every yeare New Hopes of him which did his Mother cheare His godly talke delighted Josephs heart And made him oft his labours lay apart Both Joseph and the blessed Virgin much Astonisht were to heare his Childhood touch On such profound and Heavenly Mysterieâ— Concerning Faith and Love how they arise In Adams Sonnes and why they set againe Wherefore it stormes and why God sends us raine His onely Reading was the Prophets Booke He would not once on lying Legends looke But on his Fathers Lawes both day and night He fixt his mind with all his will and might While other Lads were aw'd with Tutors curbe He serv'd the Lord that swayes the Heavenly Orbe He never tooke a meale but still the Lord He glorify'd with his Thankes-giving word And as himselfe liv'd Innocent and pure So by his faire ensample from impure And childish crimes he many Children drew To give God praise as still in yeares he grew When Jesus had twelve tedious Winters past He travell'd to Jerusalem at last In company of his supposed Sire And his deare Mother-maid in whom the fire Of zeale then burnt to see and solemnize In Abibs month the Legall Sacrifice Where when they had beheld the Rites past over At their great Feast then stil'd the Lambs Passeover These sacred Saints returned homewards bound But with the Stuffe when Jesus was not found They after search their friends and company Forsooke and backe againe most heavily They hyed fast and lookt him all about Among their Kinsfolke every where throughout The City till they found Him in the Temple Where Saints Gods works accustome to contemple And there amidst the Doctors of the Law They saw and heard how Jesus put in awe And pos'd Grave Rabbies whom he out did single For Questions deepe that made their eares to tingle His Arguments their Fallacies did quash That they were stroke as with a Lightning flash So faire a square so just a Symmetry The Godhead held with his Humanity His Actions sure his Godhead did expresse Yet in his Flesh we mortall him confesse That to dash Lyes brave Flames he never wanted With smiles he pleas'd and with his frownes he daunted His Godhead darted Awe and Majesty His Humane Presence shone with Lenity They wondred at his words well coucht so sage So well compos'd to put by wrangling rage On Scriptures Ground without Chymeres of Clerkes Without Latriaes or Douliaes Quirkes Such Doctrine in a Child such sparklings rare Amazed them as late did Bethlems Starre Such thoughts confus'd most sensible of Signes Doubting th' effects rack't perplext their minds Whilst with the Scribes Christ thus disputing stood Mary to meet her darling almost proud Betwixt Seraphicke Love and
Praise No Oratours nor Poets wit can Limme At full the gifts wherewith God furnisht him For as the Sunnes bright shining Lampe at Noone Excells the lesser Starres and pale fac't Moone So Christ more Just more Meeke and Patient was Then Enoch Moses Job and did surpasse As well in Mysticke as in Actuall Flames Whereof indeed we mortals know no Names Unlesse we terme them Graces most Transcendent To him alone from Our Great God descendent All Adams Sonnes with Josephs Mayden wife For Zeale for Faith for Holynesse of life Nay more were all their Vertues joyn'd in One They would look foule compar'd with his alone Comparing him with other men the Light Of Heaven you must confound with darkest night For without his Habilliments of Grace No Mortall man can see Gods Heavenly Face Without his Helpe the Godhead full of Ire Consumes Mankind as Stubble in the fire Without his Merits veile as Wedding suite No Humane wight can win a Saints Repute Cloath'd with his Robes none ever went amisse The Alpha and Omega of all blisse At last Christ grew to thirty yeares of Age Which was the time that in his Pilgrimage He from thenceforth till death should exercise His Priesthoods place to open Israels Eyes Melchisedechs predestinated place Whose Order Time should never more deface But they more blind then Bats were in those times When Zeale and Love were Snares and Nets for crimes He therefore now to grace his Legate John To Jordan went and by him thereupon Would be baptiz'd although the Prophet strove To put him by as worthyer from Above Christs will was such he Baptisme would receive That to his Church he might that Patterne leave And that as he perfected Moses Lawes So he for us would plead the New mans Cause Which at â—he Font from sinne Originall Doth cleanse and to New life invites us all If we goe on as we were Catechiz'd And crave with Flames of zeale to be baptiz'd For Baptisme is Heavens gate the which to ope Grace gives to us the Keyes of Faith and Hope No sooner did that heavenly Dove descend And Satan markt to what those words did tend This is my Sonne in whom I am well pleasd But all amaz'd he stood and sore displeas'd And hearing John before himselfe Him prize The Lambe of God that should with Fire baptize He doubted much lest this was He should tread As on a footestoole his Old Serpents Head To crosse therefore the doome of Gods Edict And Justice force her selfe to contradict This Prince of Fiends the Python of the East Our Antichristian Dragon of the West Bent al his thoughts his plots and machinations Gods Heire to win and raze our Hopes foundations Which when the Searcher of all Hearts had read With deepe insight he by the Spirit led His Sonne from Jordan to a desart where He might be try'd with Fasting and with feare Aswell to satisfie for Adams Deed As us to warne the Dragons wiles to heed Satan as shadow dogs him at the heeles And cunningly ere he his Pulses feeles Physitianâ—like â—like who first the Signes and Dyet Notes and what brought the Patient out of quiet He waites aloofe and finds our Saviour still Watch Fast and Pray to save Mankind from ill But at the last with fasting forty dayes To Christ supposed weake the Fiend bewrayes His fraudulent and perillous designe Which was at Hels instinct to worke a signe Or Miracle and by that act repaire His Pride-falne state or drive Christ to despaire Thou dost beleeve saith he that thou art Holy The Child of God not dimm'd with Carnall folly A Saint foretold by Prophets Oracles And canst like them worke some rare Miracles Now in this Place make Triall of the Spirit Whether such precious gifts thou dost inherit To equall Moses and the Thesbites Fame Both which thou may'st by working wonders shame I see from Food thou fastest over-long Whereby thy Body faints and feeles much wrong Loose not the Substance for the Accident Nor thy deare life for what 's impertinent Thou art but Young and in thy flow'r of Age And may'st doe wonders on this worldly Stage If thou cheare up thy selfe this present day Else beauty strength and Body will decay Some I have knowne so long to mortifie Their Flesh in hope their Soules to purifie That by such fasts they were much stupifide Light heads and all to seeme Soule-glorifide Be thou more wise to shun the fatall rod Of Famine If thou be the Sonne of God Command these present Stones to be converted Into pure bread or else thou art perverted When Satan thus had ended his discourse Christ to Gods word did hasten his Recourse No other Shield then Scripture did he use Which by heav'ns leave I paraphras'd produce I doe renounce the Flesh and Worldâ—y guile Thy tempting Baites shall not my heart beguile To long for Earthly Food more then Gods Word To breake the vow I made at Jordans Foord The Covenant of Baptisme which I seal'd I meane to keepe whereby Mankind is heal'd And purg'd I will not once distrust the Lord Nor in least thought traduce his written Word He can by many meanes releeve my wants That cloathes the Lillies and renews the Plants Mans Body here not onely lives by Bread But with Gods word his Spirit must be fed The Holy Ghost for Light to after Saints And to divulge our Ghostly Foes attaints To force them to confesse their wiles and pride Doe try not daunt those whom the heavens guide Permitted Satan yet to tempt him more With all his slights but not to hurt or gore His Body which reserv'd for Sacrifice Himselfe would shortly yeeld for sinnefull vice The Fiend would not so let him passe away He had more Trickes upon Mankind to play Because our Saviour Satan did contemne He rapt him up into Jerusalem And set him on the Temples Pinacâ—e Now shew thy selfe quoth he by Miracle The Sonne of God by casting thy selfe downe From hence headlong for God will guard his owne Be confident and take it as thy Creed Saints may performe all things t is so decreed I see thou shin'st replenished with Faith And knowâ—st full well what sacred Scripture saith By this great Act thou mayst thy Fame advance Above the Starres and now on earth enhaunce Thy Praise among the vulgar Multitude Who will be wean'd from their old grosse rude Traditions and thee for their Great Messias More will beleeve then John their new Elias Who with new Rites of Baptisme now of late At Jordan toyles men to regenerate Proceed then boldly to this famous Act And never doubt the Issue of the fact For God hath given his Angels charge of thee To save thy Body and defend thee free From all Annoyes Perils or hurts of Stones That might against thee dash or bruise thy bones With such or like surmizes Satan sought Our Saviour to entrap and turne his Thought From lowlinesse and worldly Pompes contempt The chiefest meane Mans Freedome to
attempt And bring to passe which Satan well foreknew Although he strove Gods Judgements to eschew In vaine he strove our Sun-shine to eclipse Where such as these come from a Christians lippes Alas what poore weak Fame a Nine dayes wonder Doe worldlings rove at if their Ends they ponder When men ground Faith on Humane Policy The Lord reputes it but Hypocrisie When he vouchsafes to lend some Miracles He doth it to confirme his Oracles To be divine and not Humane positions He doth it freely without Compositions And with a Caveat too that none waxe proud As though the gift were for their Owne allow'd Why should a Saint expect for Miracles Whilst he enjoyes Faith and Truthes Oracles For this regard did Jesus put to flight With Holy writ the Fiend with all his slight Thou shalt not tempt by any meanes said he The Lord thy God who first Created thee That is the Scripture thou shouldst muse upon And if infring'd what vengeance hangs thereon Thus Jesus twice already for our faults Endured had the Devils bold assaults Him now againe the third time he assayles To captivate or make him strike his sayles And knowing nothing in this worldly frame Can tempt a Saint like to Ambitions Flame Nor sooner can the finest wits defile As is Recorded on old Athens File Then to be pointed at by Peoples Prease Loe this is he the rare Demosthenes He comes no more with Scripture in his mouth But with the whole worlds Empire North and South The Eâ—st and West he labours to entangle Christs Senses like to Tybers Fishing Angle Wherewith his Vicar Crownes like Gudgeons tooke That Beast with Lambes two Hornes Dragons hooke So long agoe described by Saint John The man of sinne and that Perditions Sonne Whom Cardinalls at his Installment Grace With Triple Crowne and on Masse Altar place He rapt him in the twinkling of an eye To a high Mountaines Top thence to descry As from Mount Neâ—o where Canaan was showne To Moses many Kingdomes of his owne All the round world he there made to appeare In a false Mappe doubling the Hemisphere The like Romes Prelate scarcely could install For his to Right Castile and Portingall So Satan did his Monarchy contrive As Neptune stood on his Prerogative That great Command with triple forked Mace By Lot to me and not to him did passe Out of meere Grace and Love I beare to thee Sayes he to Christ if thou wilt worship me And homage doe these Crownes I give in Fee These States for thee and thine for ever be No greater snare could Lucifer invent Our Second Adams minde to circumvent No Motive nor more working Argument Then Scepters or a Mitred Governement As Mahomet tooke hold upon the First With th' Alcoran and of them all the worst Of Christian men usurp'd aspiring higher Both swords to manage and approaching nigher To the red Dragons claymed Jurisdiction With Soules and Bodies sale and interdiction But Gods deare Sonne did out of hand Controule These Lofty towring Flames Soules tainting foule He would not listen to Supremacies Nor to the worlds suggeste Primacies His Kingdome was not of this worldly station Of mortall Stampe but for sick soules translation By Fiery Tryalls to Jerusalem Not built with hands a place which fooles contemne To coole therefore our Thoughts irregulare Our Saviour thus put by the Serpents snare Not asking him as our late Exorcists Vaine questions but him packing from the Lists He could no longer his Just zeale refraine But instantly repuls'd him with disdaine Avant Satan make here no more abode Packe hence I charge thee in the Name of God Thou of my Faith hast made sufficient Triall But of his Rights I cannot brooke denyall I cannot heare with Patience Blasphemy Against my Fathers endlesse Royalty Who swayes this Globe by Aristocracies Democracies and awfull Monarchies The Lord thy God as Scriptures doe observe Thou worship shalt and him alone must serve Such Checking Words spoke with a Conscience cleane Free from ambitious thoughts and Deedes obsceane With vowes and Fasts aswell to purifie Themselves as the Old man to mortifie Oft naming Jesus Christ our Advocate Will quickly Satan chase or subjugate There needs no Charmes Masses nor Exorâ—ismes No holy water Reliques Crosse nor Chrismes To dispossesse or send the Devill packing Let such those trust where Faith Love are lacking When as I know as who is free my selfe â— braine or dreame neere cast upon this shelfe With Gales of worldly winds in shew most faire Gulling my Sense like Atomes in the Aire With false Selfe-love by him an Idoll prays'd With subtle Theames by his suggestions rays'd Such as on wits for want of vowes have play'd Or with such Quirkes as our late Sects display'd Or with wild fits and moods extravagant Let me but say with Jesus Christ Avant At their first comming with a pious mind At Christs sweete Name God sends them backe confin'd Let me review his Wounds I may be bold To conjure Satan from his strongest hold This Shield I take no other helpe I looke From Heaven or Earth against this Fishers â—ooke Christs coate I weare no other Ayd I crave Then His who other crave doe surely rave To other Saints whom they Gods Courtiers caâ—â— I say with Job Poore helpers are ye all Against Sinnes Rage and Satans proud Bravadâ—â—s Against his Plots his wiles and Ambusâ—adoes My Faith though weake supported mee witâ— Armes Contritions Grones prevented all my Harmes In Christ his Robes I feared no Annoyance Fenc'd with his shield I â—â—ung at him defyance After Resisting I did ever finde My Foes departed and good motions sign'd Or printed in my Heart unknowne to me From brutish Elves to guard my New-man free This should be writ in Cedar or in Gold The man Newborne who is for Grace enrold Shall sure be tempted by some wicked Fiend Whom if at first he doe suspect for Friend And not receive his Baytes with hearts delight That Man shall winne the Field through Christ his Might And from thenceforth with greater dowries blest Shall surely live and dye a Saint profest His Soule with Christ shall rest in Paradise His Body at Doomes-day with Joy shall rise In this we have our Master for Example Who by the Crosse on Satans head did trample As living he his motions had repell'd And with Gods Word three times had him refell'd Although he was alone and destitute Of Humane helpe yet he made Satan mute After his Conflicts to congratulate And him releeve in the like hungry State As was Elias who in Horeb past His Forty daies by meanes of fore-repast It is recorded that the Angels came Which shewes Gods Care Faiths strength Satans shame But here 's a doubt a question scrupulous Which to decide for me were perillous Lest that I seeme in Negromanticks vers'd Or that my Rule by Saints might be revers'd Whether these Assaults Reall were or visions Or mixt with Satans Jugling Apparitions To argue that Gods Sonne
so thou please 2. As thou didst drowne proud Pharaohs Host And guid'st thine owne through Marine Coast So thine Elect through every Age Thou didst preserve from Satans rage So didst thou raise to life againe Thy Prophets twaine in Sodome slaine So didst thou Lord in Judgement meete In Eighty eight the Spanish Fleete And save us then and since againe From Ruine Losse and Powder-traine Lord grant us Peace our Crosses ease Or them release if so thou please 3. Their Leaguers force thou did'st divide When we most fear'd Hels raging Tide Reforming Faith in Publicans Among the Britaines Dutch and Danes Bohemians Swethens Polanders The Swizzers French and Hollanders To counterpoize Great Babels side And by thy Word to tame her Pride Which neere hath rent her Triple Crowne When every Bird requir'd their owne Lord grant us Peace our Crosses ease Or them release if so thou please 4. O Gracious God how strange is this That thou hast cal'd blind Strayes to Blisse And didst for us New Kings beget When Old Elizaes Sunne was set The Tent she pitcht James setled sure And Charles now Raignes like Cynosure With Golden starres encircled round He doth not slight the Gospels sound But still renues the Holy Fire Bequeath'd him by his Royall Sire Lord grant us Peace our Crosses ease Or them release if so thou please 5. When Bavares Duke and Ferdinand Had yok't thy Flocke in Germane Land There rose up from the Northerne Zone A Machabee who eas'd their moane Nor is it lesse miraculous That thou hast rais'd great Bourbons House Against the Eagle to make head When Both would gripe thy Turtles dead And this diverting of their Force Spinnes Truce for us in them Remorse Lord grant us Peace our Crosses ease Or them release if so thou please 6. A thousand yeares the Fiend was curb'd And no great Plague true Saints disturb'd He made no fierce prodigious warre Till Wichliffe preacht what Berengare And former Saints had vow'd with cares Against the Masse and Mauzzimes wares But afterwards when by thy Word Some were Reform'd with Fire and Sword He then pursu'd thy New borne Flocke Because they chose Faiths living Rocke Lord grant us Peace our Crosses ease Or them release if so thou please 7. Even to this day Hels Magogs still Thy Servants racke their Blood doe spill O when shall we poore Pilgrimes be From Satans wiles and tumults free O when shall we their Period see And sing to thee our Jubilee Exempt from cares and Carnall stings O Glorious God and King of Kings Not in this world till Christ doth come In person first all Soules to doome Lord grant us Peace our Crosses ease Or them release if so thou please Amen The Fourth Dayes EXERCISE The Argument Christ having Preacht the Gospel and New-Birth Confirm'd the same by wondrous signes on Earth The Priests conspire his Death Judas revolts His Supper Bloody Sweate and sore Assaults IF I had dranke at pale Pirenes well As to the wise Bellerophon befell Or that I had Vrania for my guide I might transcend the Starres and hope to ride On the Pegasean Steed with Azur'd Reines Untill the Poles resounded with my Straines Such Lofty wishes through Poeticke guile Farre be they from my Low and trembling stile Not Phaeton nor waxe-wing'd Icarus But Lucifers and Adams Fall should scare us From mounting high to Pinacles and Towers Where Lightnings Flash where raigne the Aiery Powers Which may our Carnal thoughts blow to despaire Such mighty sway beare Spirits in the Aire Like them whose Hearts once toucht with hallowed Fire Have quencht the Flame by ruffâ—ing to aspire Or like our Eves who in this Evening Age When they should kneele climbe up proud Honours stage Where Mammon they adore and Christ by halves As if Gods Grace would breathe on Golden Calves No sure his Spirit loathes Ambitious Fires But the milde Soule and humble he inspires Such as of Yore were Jewries Fishermen The Virgin Mary Anna Magdalen God will not hold him guiltlesse that presumes To touch his Ark with Flanting robes or plumes Avaunt then Gallants with your Idoll-Fumes Depart ye Ladies with your nice perfumes Kisse not Gods Sonne ye proud imperious Lords For he abhorres High lookes Bug-beares bigge-words A simple Garbe contents our Saviours Cratch Smooth glozing Termes take those who Termely catch Sad Sackeclothes weed becomes this age of Our Where Fiends unseene waite ready to devoure As lawfull spoyles our Kingdomes fairest flower This suites me plaine my Applications sowre Yet wholesome like to Lemmons in a Fever To curbe those putrid Fumes of Head and Liver Which now of late the Gentry of this Isle With Riot Pride and costly Feasts defile Then O Great Britaine take it for no wrong If I enchaunt thine eares with a meane song Not grounded on false Druydes Antique Tales But wrapt in Christ his Swathes found in Wales From that wild Place where Satans Policy Failed to tempt his Will and Phantasie Arrived then to thirty yeares of Age Our Saviour to perfect his Pilgrimage Returned backe to Galilee againe In the third lustre of Tiberius Raigne Where he on Truth at Nazareth commented But thence repuls'd the next Coast he frequented With this true Note by that respectlesse Towne No Nation heeds a Prophet of their Owne And having chose his Prime Apostles there Who to that end predestinated were He Preacht good Newes unto the true Beleeveâ— To cherish his New Church and to releeve her Good Newes indeed which thralled Soules restore To greater Grace then Adam lost before The Tree of Life that of Old Adams foiling And it of all Luxuriant Sappe dispoyling Christ did transferre to Mortall men on Earth Who hardly could beleeve the Second Birth They thought that none but an Old Serpent could Cast off his Skin and so renue his Old Inveterate New None but the Phaenix dead Could of his Ashes reare another Head With lively Parts as burnisht as the First This seem'd a worke Divine which no man durst Attempt before our Saviour made it plaine That Humane Impe must here be Graft againe And re-baptiz'd by the bright Holy Ghost Whose Name and Gifts he blaz'd through Jewries Coast. Elixirs dreame nor Pythagorean Change Could work this Feate Ghostly Willes exchange Not Sun nor Stars not Humane sâ—ed nor Sence Could breed or cause this quickning Quintessence That spirit which breath'd on the Waters crude When that earths Lumpe confused lay and rude From a thicke Chaos th' Elements did sever And with all quickning Thaw did Ice dissever Transforming what he would have new straite Harmoniously by Number Measure waight This Love-bred Flame grac'd the pure Virgins wombe And none but him such wonders great become This Doctrine Christ to Nichâ—demus taught Who then of him Soule-Consolation sought When at the bruite of his strange Miracles This Learned Scribe to heare Christs Oracles Had stole to him at Salem in the night Fearing the Factions of th' Herodians Might Who nere about that
time got Captiv'd John And through a frisking Wench slaine thereupon I heare quoth he that thou a Prophet art From Heaven sent Salvation to impart Thy Deeds import no lesse for who but One Of Gods owne Choyce or his beloved Son Can doe such workes beyond set Natures reach Or utter such deepe points as thou dost preach Enflamed with the sparkes of thy renowne Which flyes abroad throughout our spacious Towne I come to thee desirous to be taught In the true way and so to Heaven brought Our Saviour turn'd to our Faiths Alphabet And him to learne Truths A.B.C. did set Not Principles of mens Philosophy But Rules which Stony hearts doe mollify He must said Christ who will Gods Kingdome see Become New-borne and so an Infant be That saying is quoth Nichodemus strange How can I now my Ancient yeares exchange For a New Birth I shall get sooner roome In an old Tombe than in my Mothers wombe Jesus convinc'd his Errour and mistake With this reply Thou dost my speeches take In a wrong sense for truth I tell to thee None enters Heav'n nor shall Gods Kingdome see Except he be of Water and the Spirit First borne and then that place he shall inherit That part of Man borne of the Flesh is Flesh More Old than of the Spirit which is fresh Young and Gallant he which is borne hence Leads a new Life and voyd of Lusts Offence When the wind blowes thou hear'st a noyse and sound But know'st not whence it comes nor whither bound So fares it with the Holy Spirits man How he came rapt with Blisse he can not scan He knowes not how his Spirit New became By Grace unseene from the Great Spirits Flame When Nicodemus heard this Lesson rare He answered these things not likely are How can it be that Man without Commotion Of Natures sense should apprehend this Motion Of his New-Birth by the quicke Spirits Seed And grow so strong except some thing him feed Except some Rayes which we not Outward see Or God-head rap the Mind how can this be Bear'st thou a Doctours Style and dost thou teach Said Christ and know'st not this which I doe Preach I speake the Truth and what my Soule hath seene I testify yet all in vaine hath beene If when I speake of Earth youâ—le not beleeve Sure if I tell of Heaven you will grieve None ever yet that Glorious place ascended But through the word which from that Place descended Yea none comes there but who by faith on earth Beleeves Gods Word the second Adams Birth The Womans seed foretold in Paradise Who should confound the Charmers Sorceries Who was fore-doom'd to be sâ—ung in the Heele By the Old Serpent and Gods wrâ—th to feele Whom men lift up and wicked Satan stung As the Brasse-Serpent in the Desart hung Out of this Text all ye who are misled With glozing sinnes your destiny may read That no man shall behold Gods Glorious Face Unlesse by Grace Regeneration raze Sinnes aspicke stings for those stings that zeale And Love be stampt in him with Heavens Seale Unlesse we leave to serve the Old Mans Lord And hate his Life and Lawes in thought and word Unlesse we looke on Him who was lift up On Calvares Crosse and pledge him in his Cup Unlesse we leave our sinnes and to conspire Against his Saints Hell is indeed our Hire Hell is Mans Hire Except his Earthly Clod Be sanctify'd and rebaptiz'd from God His Braine Heart Tongue and Soules chiefe Faculties In one must with Christs Nature sympathize Which spight of sinne Gods Spirit soone or late By Grace effects in the Regenerate Which comes to passe by pondring Truths Record Christs Testament his Covenants and word Shunning Scandall the cause of foule offence By a pure Life Faith Love and Penitence And lastly by oft cheering up the Soule With that Repast which Nature doth controule That Mysticke Lambe unseene yet reall flesh Slaine yet living now Soules to refresh Thus doth the Holy Ghost worke and Create A new borne Babe a Soule Regenerate Ev'n He that quickned Christ in Maries wombe Will breath on him and make him then become By Motion calme unseene and secret meane Christs lively Member pure Reformed Cleane Conformed to the Head our Elder Brother Whose last command was this Love one another Now by these signes our Britaines sure may know Whether they be of his true Christian Row To be Baptiz'd without the Sacred Spirit Is surely never Heaven to Inherit They be but Nurles half Christians dwarfes or elves Nor Hot nor Cold which doe perswade themselves By Baptisme bare with Water the Communion And Outward workes to be of Saint-like union For what will our great Charters Seale availe If to performe the Covenants we faile That is to love our New mans Lord and Head Learne his New Law and a New life then lead God by Christ's death more power did restore With that Free-will which Adam lost before Grace gave to us this Supernaturall Free gift to cope with the Will Naturall This Will our New-man hath from Bondage free Because true Faith brought Bondage on his knee Which as Love-tokens each good Christian hath Left him by Grace to lead him in Christs path But if he slights this Path being Catechiz'd How can he be with Flames Characteriz'd How dares he say that he doth harmelesse save His Sureties triple vow except he rave If he delights in Carnall talke or Lust More than Gods Word his Faith lies in the dust Devotion failes whilst sinne in Man doth raigne Whilst Satans raigning fancy guides his braine Nor can Gods Graâ—e within his heart fix anchor Till it be cleans'd of rust and Natures rancour Or if it burne it quickly may expire By Carnall meanes and blasts except the Fire Of zeale be kept still in by daily use With watch and ward from Holy things abuse Except the Soule for God Faiths Tything powres Heapt daily from the foure and twenty houres This is a Mystery which few observe And fewer like but give themselves to serve The vicious Times more for Promotion striving Or Plots to please rich humourists contriving Then Grace to beg with humble hearts and sorry Then first to seeke before their owne Gods Glory Joyne we our wills to his we shall be pure For Christ his death Old Adams Plagues did oure But now a dayes in worldly Policy Some temporize to hide their Lunacy Like Adams nakednesse till time more mellow And ripe shall change their Youthfull haires yellow Or else because against the Holy Ghost For sinning they doe tremble to be lost If once New borne of the same Flaming Spirit They lose their Talent or chance to bury it O causelesse doubts like to Hob-goblins Feares As though Gods spirit loathes the sighs and teares Of his poore Converts nay he will assure And helpe to make their rathe Election sure No Fits stop them like Agues stormes or Raine But Grace moves to their Centred Hearts againe Though I confesse that
and Roamers Feast Let carnall Sots poare on Carnalities Whilst we Christs Body see with Angels eyes Or at the least while with our New mans sight We doe discerne from Carnall Sense his Light After this way hid from the Old mans brood Our Noblest part receives Christs mysticke Food Some other times He prov'd his Oracles Concerning fruitlesse faith by Miracles As when he to a Figge-tree did repaire For fruite which a farre off seem'd greene faire In show but finding there not ought but Leaves Incens'd he it with indignation leaves Because he found it backward in the yeelding And not well Graft he left it for a Hielding And from thenceforth a Reprobated Tree For when he said Let never fruite on thee Ripe or unripe â—e from â—ence forward found The Boughes fell dead withered to the Ground What shall I write of Tabors Mount the Story Where three Disciples saw his shining glory In all his workes of greatest Eminence He ever had his end and Reference To Constant Faith and to his Fathers Will Which for Mans good he thirsted to fulfill The number of the signes which Jesus wrought Were infinite beyond mans Wit or Thought Whereof the first was water turn'd to Wine To grace a Marriage-feast by Deedes divine At Cana wrought a Towne of Galilee Which him confirm'd the Mysticke Vine to be That as raw water tooke the taste and shape Beyond mens reach of Natures rarest Grape So might dull Thoughts though cold receive impression Of the Fire-cloven tongu'd zeales expression He by his word made simple Fishermen More wise then Doctours without Booke or Pen. He made the Blinde to see the Lame to goe The dumbe to speake the sicke past cure forgoe Their Palsies Dropsies and Issues of blood Yea from his Vesture toucht proceeded good He forc't his Foes the Luciferian rout To quake and at his word he chas'd them out He many freed with Reall fiends possest Cleansed Lepers and all as were distrest With Feavers Fire or Humours foaming Rage Or were diseas'd of Young or Elder Age In Body or in Minde He raisd the Dead To Life and Lazar in his Earthy Bed For foure dayes space entombed he reviv'd And thousands with small victuals he reliev'd Which deeds his Power prov'd Omnipotent That could raise Food and make his guests content He walked dry-foote on the liquid Seas He calm'd rough stormes with words Be still Peace Words cyphring him Gods mighty Sonne and Word Which could so soone both windes and waves accord Not one who had of Faith the smallest graine Departed from his sight uncur'd of paine He cur'd their Bodies griefes their sinnes remitted He calmâ—d Gods wrath and nothing he omitted Expedient for the Soules salvation here Whereby we might before Gods Throne appeare Made pure by Faith free from Concupiscence Originall and sinnes deriv'd from thence By meanes of his great Merits excellence His words his workes and Virgin-Innocence He knew the thoughts and Plots of Salems Clerkâ— And did strike home at their slye muttring quirks And all these wonders of amazement full Christ acted to provoke a Nation dull Yea to confirme his Gospels Oracles Transfer'd from God he wrought such Miracles To make our Soules to see the Heavenly Light With Eyes of Faith and here to live upright According to his Patterne more to raise Our Makers Glory then our causelesse praise To muse on more the New mans lasting Food Then Transubstantiate Toyes of Flesh and blood That we by fiends and worldly wiles perplext Might find sound Cure in his true Gospels text Christs Testament which in the Church more bold Then wise some in their hands not Hearts do hold But t is in vaine to turne the Scriptures over To quote some Text and presently to hover About our worldly businesse as if borne Like Butter flies or Natures shamefull scorne To flutter time away with painted wings But we must plod on these Eternall things With serious care that when our Tempters come As come they will they may not find us dumbe Or Planet strucke but finding us prepar'd With Jesus in our mouthes and hearts out dar'd They out of hand will from our Lodge depart To other Rankes their venome to impart Such wonders were atchieved for three yeares space To witnesse Christ Gods Sonne and in Gods place The first at Canaes Marriage did appeare The last concludes by healing Malchus Eare. More Miracles were by our Saviour wrought To satisfie the true Believers Thought Then living in that Age. But these suffice To manifest his God head to the Wise To Penitents and hopefull Catechists Which were left by the foure Evangelists For if the Precepts all which Jesus taught With Wonders wrought were to our knowledge brought They would confound the Hearers memories And fables seeme in Baals blind Oratories Gods word is pithy short and ponderous Where Humane Glosse is long and frivolous We have enough Christs Gospel to confirme We crave no more to keepe our Inside firme Than what we by the Spirits Pen-men finde Recorded there to edify the Minde If any cover more let them take heed That they smart not for their Presumptuous deed As sometime sought a Princesse fond with zeale Of Christ his deeds to adde an ampler deale Those which Saint John omitted she desir'd To bring to Light but while she thus aspir'd A wandring Fryer of like Holynesse From Italy arriv'd and did possesse Her mind so much that he by Revelation False dreames deceites and Satans provocation And faigning that he got into his hand Saint Peters Relique shoâ—e in Jewrieâ— Land Had soone perswaded her that from her wombe A Prophet borne should afterwards become The man that should those Miracles omitted Divulge to Light whereby he was admitted Because more Holy in her vaine opinion Then other men to be her Carnall Minion Untill at last A Dukes Inheritrix With a great Belly turn'd a Meretrix BUt all Christs workes could not from Martyrdome Protect his Life such was the Godheads Doome That him to sting the Serpent should aspire And him to slay now men and fiends conspire That Yeare when Caiphas sate in Aarons roome By Deputation from Imperious Rome In th' Eighteenth yeare of Old Tiberius Raigne When Pontius Pilate for ambitious gaine And bloody spoyles had rackt Judaeaes Land About seven yeeres with his Praetorian Band Then Christ his Fame for raising Lazarus From death and for such deeds Miraculous Began to spread abroad with glorious wings And then it pleas'd the Soveraigne King of Kings To free his Sonne from Earthly cares and feares And to recall him from this vale of teares Where he had liv'd among the Jewish Route For three and thirty yeares or thereabout The period now approacht of that Decree Foredoomed by the Sacred Trinity That Gods deare Sonne New Creatures to create Should for Old Adam dye a shamefull Fate The Jewish Scribes of Salems Hierarchy Had long before with plots begun to try How him they might intangle in his speech But his
therefore the Fiend Conspir'd to bring to passe his damned End Which was to ruine Christ and all his Crew Before he could on Earth Gods Church renew But could none other of th' Apostles winne Save this Perditions Child to act that sinne Judas suborned thus his Instrument Against his Lord and Master did invent An ambushment Christs Body to betray Though he his owne and Soule did cast away To Satan for a Prey For when he saw As Purser that he could no money draw More than he had by Christ his Company And that at Simons house in Bethany Whilst he summ'd up with avaricious Care His Theft he markt how Christ went poore and bare Not caring for the world or worldly gaine His chiefest ayme and would not then restraine The woman which powr'd Nard upon his Head And feete an Oyle that might him much bestead If to the Druggist sold he murmur'd sore He could not catch as he had done before This when our Saviour mark'd Why doest thou grudge Judas said he like a pelfe-serving drudge This Oyntment sold disposed to the poore I grant might have their wants relieved more But they are alwayes here so am not I. Embalmed thus know I shall shortly dye And through the world where shall be read my story Her loving deed shall publisht be with glory These words distasted foule Iscariots thought And to betray him now he hourely sought Away he went to the Chiefe Priests in hast And told them of Christs life and of this waste Now is the Time quoth he for you to take him Whilst he at night to Prayers doth betake him He names himselfe the Christ. I heard him say He would Gods Temple raze and â—ast away And afterwards râ—build it up as well In three dayes space in spight of Men and Hell The Priests were all of such a Chapman glad And presently a Contract with him made That their Catch-poles might without jeopardy Arrest him by the Nights obscurity For thirty peeces of that Countrey Coyne Which to their Treasure house they did purloyne By shifts and fraud for which they were reprov'd Of Christ before which them to malice mov'd Farre more for that than any other cause Though they surmiz'd the breach of Moses Lawes For plucking Corne upon the Sabbath day Or bringing downe their Temple to decay About that time the Paschall feast to hold On Maundy Thursday so enstyl'd of Old Jesus did sup that Evening tide his last At Salem in an upper roome where plac't With his Disciples twelve he first tooke Bread Bâ—est brake and gave it them whereon they fed After his blessing This my Body is His body sure Mans sacrifice for Blisse If rightly tane by a Just true Receiver With Inward taste and of a true Believer For otherwise who toucht Christ in the Prease Aswell as the Blood-flux'd had found more ease In the remembrance of his body naild Vnto the Crosse whereby the Saints stand baild From terrours here and in the world to come Nay warranted in Spirit they become Against doomes-day from the darke second death He blest the Cup alike with holy Breath After the New mans way and bad them drinke The Sacred Wine and on his Blood to thinke As lately at our New mans Sacrifice With bright day-light confounding Heresies My ravisht Muse beheld the Heavenly Vine With Purple Grapes for Mortals prest to Wine â—This costly food Soules Manna purging vice The figure of his Bodies Sacrifice This Type of Blood unbloudyed Mystery Christ left for Saints to keepe in memory His death untill his comming from above Where yet he sits to intercede and move For Penitents his Father wrong'd by Man This way I feed through Faith And who dares scan Another sense yet with Humility Let him here stop as with the Trinity Of Persons in the Godhead which he ought More to admire than by transcendent thought To soare more high than Eagles to the Sunne Where by the stame his sense may be undone Since how wee change to Christ no more hee knowes Then Babes the manner how the Spirit blowes The Sunne drawes up Earths vapours And so can Christ lift like Stephen up our Inward Man This humblenesse of mind when Christ had supt That Evening as it were to interrupt Our Future doubts he shew'd by stooping downe To wash his Servants feete with Love unknowne To which he added that the Marke for ever True hearted Christians from the false to sever Was mutuall Love which a Commandment New He styl'd for without Love Faith proves untrue Our soules and bodies are the Church where God In the third person holds his sweete abode But if we hate good men God dwels not there For the true Churches Roofe Love ought to beare The Sacrifice all done Christ went his way Out of the City as he us'd to Pray Accompanyed with his Disciples true For Judas was departed to his crue His Masters nippe made him the sooner goe Doe quickely that which thou intend'st to doe To execute his Treason and Compact And to receive his bire while Jesus rackt With griefe prepar'd by Fervent Love aswell As Faith and vowes against Sin Death and Hell With his ensuing griefes he had acquainted His Chosen Mates how he should be attainted Bound and arraign'd that night how thereupon As scattered Floâ—kes his servants would be gone And him would leave amidst his Bloody foes Enthrall'd and sore distrest with dismall woes But Peter trusting to his rusty sword Seem'd to distrust his Lords Propheticke word No Mortals force nor death nor Furies grimme From Gods deare Sonne should ever sever him Before the Cocke crow thrice thou wilt deny Replyed Christ me and my Company Thou and thy Mates before the Mornings peepe Will flye for feare like weake and heartlesse Sheep There close unto Jerusalem confin'd Neere Olives Mount a place for him assign'd By Destiny which was his Fathers Will To vent the throbs which did his Inside fill A Garden styl'd of Old Gethsemanee Secure at Nights from Worldlings Company There Jesus felt what might the stoutest quell A world of griping cares of Torments fell The dreadfull vengeance which the Godhead past Upon Mankind his owne so over cast And almost sunke with Agonies of sorrow That one had thought he could not live till morrow His tender Body did extreamely languish And did partake of more and sadder anguish Then other mens wanting the Nature Male In the mixt frame of his Conception Female Or weaker earthly Flesh whereby he stood So tortur'd that he sweated drops of Blood So sensible so full of piercing paine That he could not but more then man complain Like him whose youthfull Lockes chang'd into Gray In one nights space on fame that the next day He should be slaine But Sweates to sacrifice Of streaming Blood exceedes all prodigies And shewes that Saints by meanes most violent Win Grace to Natures sore astonishment Christ by this Strange Pro-passion tortured Shewes that his Mind as Body languished His Agony surmounted all mens
is decreed that I in Hell must lye And that Another must my charge supply Nothing but horror sounds without within My Soule like Zims and Oyms full of sinne Scritcheth out aloud Judas Iscariot Come away to Hell for thou hast forgot And renounc't thy Baptisme betraying God The Sonne of God make here no more abode On Earth I come I come a Damned Ghost By you O Furies to be ever tost God frownes because my Master I did sell And now because God frownes I le downe to hell The fearefull end which Judas made so knowne So common ranne disperst through all the Towne That Salems Clergie stood as men agast And doubting lest for their rash sentence past And treachery the hand of God might strike With vengeance them for their false deedes dislike They all agreed their Church not to defile With Bloods Reward but so to reconcile The fact with workes of Merits bastard kind That God might seeme to them like Mortals blind This made them play for cloaking of abuses Bo-peepe with Faith and turne to Pious uses The Thirty pence the hire of treachery As Zachary foretold their Salary Buying therewith the Potters field to Bury Poore strangers in thereby to slacke Gods fury O fond conceit to doe an Injury And afterwards like Hallifaxes Jury To fit and see the wronged man redrest When doome forepast could never be reverst Nor ransomed with guerdon Competent Chiefely for Blood to which they gave consent Against Gods Lambe not of Religious care But factiously the Churches Fleece to share Without reproofe or Shepherds Brow severe For this made them to Christ such mallice beare Fearing lest that in time the Cautious wise Might counterchecke their maskt hypocrisies If this New man in that luxurious Age Should draw their Flocke to his New Pasturage With Parables infolding Charity Repentance Faith and Hearts Humility No doubt but they acknowledged the Word To be Divine and worthy of Record Which Jesus taught confirm'd with Miracles But Satan had cast forth such Obstacles Of Merits Clouds before their Carnall sence That they might slight the Spirits Quintessence The Bread of Life the New mans nourishment As crosse to that which they for Lucre vent Gods holy Writ corrupting with Traditions With Thalmuds Quirkes and thorny Expositions For Juries Church with Carnall Pharisees Was branded then and with dull Saduces Which with their Monkes Essences would deface By Merits bragges Gods Covenant of Grace Making the weaker sort of Soules beleeve That they could stint Gods wrath or it reprieve But why blame I the Jewes Apostacy When now the time of Daniels Prophesie Was come that their Messias should be slaine Not for himselfe but for Anothers staine The more vile wretches we that gave the cause By the flat breach of our Creatours Lawes He Legions might of Angels to his Ayd Have cal'd but then Mans ransome was not paid He might to Hell all Adams race have cast But then he had left none his Grace to tast And this sweet Grace of his made him to beare Such wrongs in Jewry Land and to forbeare With us our debts which none could satisfie But he alone whose Merits Justifie This is my Faith the upshot of my Creed Thy Blood O Christ can save fraile Adams seed If they Repent believe and turne to God Thou wilt absolve them from thy Fathers rod Yea from Hell-flames for thy worths excellence Restor'd what Adam lost Soules Innocence Thy humble Life and Death upon the Crosse Have crost Gods Sentence and repair'd our Losse Let therefore to his Crosse our zeale returne And never cease with Holy Flames to burne Untill we end sad Fridayes Sacrifice And see what Christ paid more for Humane vice I meane not onely that which Helene found With rubbage soil'd but the Crosse solid sound Which scorching Soules for new Jerusalem Aâ—ords to Saints a more expedient Theame We never saw the Crosse where Christ was fixt Yet we beleeve that he was Crucifixt Now to his Death his sore tormenting Death They led Gods Lambe to end his wearyed breath With floutes and shoutes they led him to the Crosse The waight whereof by force they did impose Because his Lambe-like strength began to faint And could no longer beare it by constraint On Simon of Cirean a labouring man A good poore Soule an honest Publican Whom there by chance the Ruffian Souldiers met Upon the Raised Crosse they Jesus set With loud Out-cryes as at a May-pole Game And to the same with Contumelious shame His hands and feete with piercing Nailes they fixt And like a Judge plac'd him two Theeves betwixt The more to spite him But the Morall is Some he shall doome to Hell and some to Blisse For these two Theeves were of a diffrent Faith Th' one railes at him the other meekely saith We faulty are but this man guiltlesse dyes Remember me Good Lord when thou doest riseâ— To whom sweet Jesus instantly replyes This day thou shalt with me to Paradise Which words well markt who will not thence inferre But Grace workes more than Merit and averre That Christ Gods power had when Crucified He could so soone a Theefe make Justified To reape that Harvest where he never sow'd Even Blisse which with their Caterwalling loud Some hunted for yet could not with it meet Like Cats for Fish that would not wet their feete But th' unbaptiz'd that liv'd not to restore What he had rob'd doth wonder-rap me more To see him Crown'd a Saint in Heaven Above Then that I dare discusse Gods hidden Love Who of meere Grace payes some at Sun-set hires Equall with them whom earlier he inspires Or aske the King why he to Honour screwes Some men of lesse desert than mine in shewes Faith wins us Grace So while proud Rabbies laught Poore Women wept and at the Crosse were taught With Swan-like Song though in deaths Agony Christ warned them by way of Destiny Shed not yee Daughters of Jerusalem Your Teares for me but for your selves shed them My Father to whose care I recommend My Soule will to his children comfort send The dayes will come when they that Barren are More safely shall then Women Fruitfull share When many shall in perills dolorous Cry out yee Caves and Mountaines cover us For if a Blooming Tree of verdant sap Be thus cut off how shall the dry escape To shew what Love is unto Parents due His Mother Mary at his last adieu Whose Soule with his as Simeon did relate Was as with sword pierst in that Bloody fate Having with constant mind whilst others fled Staid by the Crosse till she should see him dead He comforted with John Behold thy Sonne With charge to him Behold thy Mother John Two sacred Saints joyn'd in one Legacy Two Soules fast knit in Saint-like Amity John therefore home the blessed Virgin tooke And never she her Sonne bequeath'd forsooke But in his house remain'd a Widow-Mayd Untill her debts to Nature she had paid These pithy Types of Charity and Grace Christ dying
and coyn'd Transubstantiacion Then Vulcans built Soules Purgatories Forge And by those Flames phantasticke lies did forge For neere about that time did Alchymy Begin to raigne with Schoole-Theology When Satan was let loose from his Restraint To play upon the Conscience of a Saint Woe to the Time that our Wâ—st Church forsooke The New-Mans way which Berengarius tooke And dar'd Christ Body so to understand Which till Doomes day doth sit on Gods Right hand Since his Ascent and there in Heaven stayes Till Saints at rest his Foes supprest he layes Thence Purgatory sprung Romes forged Bull Of Satans plot to fill their Bellies full Like Bels false Priests by making men believe They could Redeeme or Purge poore Soules that grieve In that Third place for their Offences past Which Pardons bought with money might lay wast And frustrate if Romes Indulgence assure When she her selfe of Sicknesse cannot cure By Miracle or Charme nor stop one houre Of Deaths Arrest by her Transcendent power Much lesse can she fraile Mortall wight abate Anothers paine when Physicke comes too late Some Fathers dream't at doomesday not before Soules should be purg'd with flames or lesse or more But in this Life where time is limitted Soules must be purg'd or they are forfeited Soules may be purg'd with Sighs Fasts Contrition By Faith with workes which some hold in derision Soules may be purg'd and that with Sacred fire If them Gods Grace with Faith and Love inspire T is not enough to have a Christians Name Except we be Baptiz'd with Christ his Flame The Jewes did vaunt of Abraham for their Father Where they should joy of Abrahams Faith the rather T is not enough to be Baptiz'd alone For so were Jewes in Jordans Floud by John Nor yet sufficient to Communicate So Judas did yet Excommunicate The gentle Sparke that stirres the Heart and Braine Must pray Gods Spirit in those Seates to raigne For whose Content as he was Catechiz'd So with Loves Flame he would be Re-baptiz'd Which done he harmelesse growes an Infant twice In worldly Craft and in Christ onely wise Though tempting fiends with carnall baites he feares Yet Serpent-wise a newer Coate he weares A Coate quite voyd of Seames or Factious Schismes Which with Gods Word he weares for Exorcismes Soules Comforter then to Gods Sonne doth marry The Vnderstanding Conscience Memory Those Three-fold parts of this adopted Soule Whose Name with Saints New Man hee doth enroule And signes with Abbaes Seale The Man vowes Love And this rare vow the Trinity approve Thence-forward giving him the Two fold Flame Of Christ his Crosse and Zeale with Christian Name To purge his Outward Man of Earthly drosse Which may be styl'd our Purgatories Glosse Long since God earn'd the New man for his Sonne And gave through Christ him Free-will thereupon Which for his Faiths support can never faile him But in the proofe and combat shall availe him The Sonne by whose deare Blood he 's Justified Loves him because his Will is purified He loves and makes his first Election firme By sending One his Conscience to confirme Because he chose his Patterne and his Crosse When as he mought false joyes and wealth ingrosse According to the Freedome of his Will Which Grace restor'd and Faith had School'd from ill He carkes for him and sues for his Persev'rance He heares his griefes warrants his delivrance The Holy Ghost as Mans Love ebbes and flowes His sweet gifts more or lesse into him blowes And chiefely him he graceth who is mild Free-hearted Just and not with wiles defild One that adores not creatures nor yet swells With Merits puffe In such a one he dwels In such a mind He breathes Truthes gentle gales Which scornes old charmes vaine legends dreams and tales Thus Sanctified with Christ incorporate A Bastard slip becomes Legitimate 〈◊〉 with Christ partaking of that Feast Of Vnity which brings eternall Rest. Thus is a Man borne of Immortall seed A Saint new-made a Priest a Prince indeed Nay a true King commanding Lordly passions Which Monarches have enthrall'd in fearefull fashions Thus Saints are Crown'd and thus is tendred grace If men doe not their Charters Seales deface But not before the Old man be supprest Shall any mortall wight be this way blest O Grace more rich then Chinaes glittring Treasure O Love more sweet then Mahomets faign'd pleasure Elected tby he Father without merit At the Sonnes suite and sealed by their Spirit This Grace suite and Seale of Gods Majesty The persons working in the unity For dust and ashes sinfull Mans Salvation And with New flames his Spirits inspiration Doe wonder-rap my Soule with Extasies In gazing on their Lights supremacies With glaunâ—es more beseeming Prophets visions Then those which Arrians blurr'd with blind misprisions That to speake much of their Transcendencie Would me confound halfe put in Jealousie Lest I offend my God or goe awry With narrow bounds to stint this Mystery Like Lucifer who for opposing Christ Was throwne to Hell to father Antichrist Thence with his Mates to tempt and poyson such As dare to scan Gods Secrets over much â—ith our weake Braines can hardly apprehend Those Axiomes which to Quadrate circles tend How dare we Clouded with infirmity Rake for more Light of Heavens Trinity Whose knowledge long lay hid from sinfull Men For our first Parents fall till Christs time when It pleased God three persons to reveale By Him which he did formerly conceale From Carnall wits as from Crownd Popes he did The Gospels use and which as yet lyes hid From their crownd-shaven Crew and Babels Rable Who darkling grope for Christs Communion Table As they doe likewise for that Orbe of Rest Which for good Soules departed God hath blest Yet our New man sees by his rayes reflection As through a glasse enough of Gods perfection And roome enough without such purging flames For Saints to sing Allelujahs Psalmes To satisfie our Faith whilst by high mounting Some meet with Aiery foes their strength surmounting Nor must we scale the Sun-beams with those Eagles Whom glory pride or curious Art inveagles To know Gods will conceal'd from humane breast Or to eate more than gluttons can digest This sure I know by Holy Inspirations God breathes in humblest mindes most Revelations For when our Hearts with lofty thoughts arise Fiends scrue themselves into our phantasies Yea they will tempt the most Regenerate And Holiest Men as the most reprobate Some under Forme of Art they slily Charme With hired plots to work their Neighbors harme That by their sowing daily Tares of strife The Father Sonne the Husband and the wife Friends kindred Towne and Country Folkes may vary So as with Christ their Soules can hardly marry Such sleights use Hellish Fiends though few suspect Their shining Baytes yet surely Gods Elect Know that all make-bates have just cause to tremble As well as they who being at Masse dissemble These Members helpe to make up Antichrist For without Parts how can the head
subsist But chiefly Hell claimes those men who beleeve They may for Gaine coyne doubts our Church to grieve To yoke weake Soules and Faith to falsifie Which through Christs death alone doth Justifie Without Romes purging flames or Humane deeds Trentals Masses or ringing more then needs To foole weake minds which knew not Paradise Was promised by Christ where in a trice His Spirit did arrive with the Good Thiefe And there for ought we know might find reliefe With Abram Moses Daniel and the rest Of Saints untill his Body rose releast From Josephs Tombe wherein it lay interred As Jonas staid within the Whale as buryed Or to speake plaine his Spirit without sâ—int Vnited with his Sire in Triumph went As for the certaine place of Paradise Let this our curious Intellect suffice That Gods high Orbe hath many glorious Mansions Unlimited by Locall spans dimensions Like as to us on Earthly Many Lands Beyond New-Guiny which none understands As yet If sundry Starres our world exceed In compasse why doe some their Fancies feed With hopes of Limboes Rest Elisian Groves Or the like Place which none but Rome approves But leaving these for wits Fantasticke flim-flams More fit for Apes or Owles then New borne Lambs God give me Grace the Scriptures sense to follow The solid Truth without Abysses hollow Not daring to maintaine Hels Paradox With the old Serpent and the Wily Fox That after death Christ suffred more unresâ— Since he himselfe said Consummatum est The manner how Christs Soule went downe to hell Before his Body rose I dare not tell Nor search that depth Yet who can safe deny But that his Soules Triumphant Majesty Did there descend or from some Higher place By vertue of his God-head hell deface Which whether part in sulphurd cavernes glowes Or at the Poles part Frozen hard who knowes Christ did descend Hels fury to asswage For where his Spirit is not fiends doe rage So undiscern'd by sense some fiends may dwell Within the Aire as in the utmost Hell T is probable a Battell might be fought By fiends although unknown to mortall thought In that darke time when Christ gave up the Ghost Which battell soone they through his Godhead lost Whilst that in Spirit quickned up he went And preacht to them in Errours prison pent For by his Death Christ spoyl'd them in a trice Of their chiefe sway and Principalities When in Mens hearts the Gospels buds did bloom And at the noyse Hels Oracles fell dumbe This mov'd Saint Paul to publish for Christs glory Death where 's thy sting And Hell thy victory Yet my Rule is where Holy writ for Guide I find obscure when gravell'd I abide Another Theame I take another Lampe I light anew and quite forsake the dampe Of Sulphur'd Meteours and erroneous spels Which smoakt out first from blind Monasticke cels For of Deepe Gulfes a holy Ignorance I farre preferre before a curious Trance I now returne backe to my Saviours Grave Where yesterday I left a Virgin-Cave Afforded by the Arimatheans care Which ever since did to the Church declare This Mystery that as a Virgins Wombe Became his Birth so dead a Virgin-Tombe When Joseph had the Body there transferr'd He decently forthwith the same enterr'd 〈◊〉 Nichodemus ayded in the Night To doe their Master this last pious Right Without much pompe or Prides solemnities Or Ceremonies us'd at Exequies By carnall Friends who oftentimes consume In Glozing showes for Ostentations fume More substance to set out a Funerall Then would well serve to build an Hospitall â—o shew the Fruites of Love at Obsequies 〈◊〉 not amisse but not Hels Sacrifice â—o pacify Dis or Persephone 〈◊〉 Masses Orphean Harpe or Orgian Plea This Baal and Bacchus did the One for Gaine The other his mad Revels to maintaine This Dives doth whilst at his Lordly Gate Poore Lazarus with Christ incorporate Begges needfull Almes for his deare Passions sake Yet cannot have them though his Head doth ake This Dives did while the Prince Palatine With Britaines royall seed forc'd from the Rhine Their proper Right as from Bohemian Prague Stood to our shame confined to the Hague This Dives did when thousands did lament In London streetes with Fevers pestilent What Obeliskes with teares of Crocodiles What Mourning weedes with cryes maskt under wiles Doe our false Christians sumptuously prepare Perhaps for cursed bones with care on care Did Dives to his Tombe with pompe convayd Passe Lazarus in Abrams Bosome layd Leave off for shame such Heathnish Sacrifice And for your Dead build roomes of richer price Nay for your selves with lasting Royall State Whereby you may passe for Regenerate More Hives for Bees with necessary stuffe Heere or abroad to shunne vaine glories puffe Ye may erect with lesser cost and charge Your duties in some measure to discharge Redeeming Plagues I meane the Temporall Which on frayle men for carnall pleasures fall That way will help to expiate and to cover Those sins for that great vengeance which hangs over Your heads unmarkt Lo how Virginea vents Forth heavy grones and new-found Land laments See how New-England under noble Gorge Against the Dragon craves a new S. George All three looke for their Infant Age no more Out of their Mothers ranke superfâ—uous store Then what shee riots There brave Monuments May be set up to Christian mens contents Farre fitter then in needlesse shewes at home And these will passe old Peters pence to Rome Or if you be home-tide and wealth betide Christs Members feed but doe it without Pride Above all things I wish you to forbeare From Burying Coarses in Gods Temple where His Word is Preacht O doe not taint the Aire With Gâ—lgothaes which can not but impaire Your tender healthes by damps and exhalations From sulphurs sweat Earths put id oppilations Our Saviours deeds should for a patterne stand Who from the Temple with a Whip or Wand Drove Chapmen out and such who over bold With in that sacred place wares dayly sold. My Fathers House sayd he appointed was For Prayer not a Money-changing place Why may not in the Fields a heape of stones Serve as the Church for Graves to rotten Bones Resembling that which neere to Mamre sold Dead Abrams Wife for Sepulture did hold Or the Church-yard crost by Masse-Mongers old From Gâ—blins haunt their Carkasses might hold For shall the words of that Mahumetan Spoke at his death confound a Christian man To Saladine one winding Sheet is left Of all his state by cruell death berest Who then will doate on Shrines and Mauzzimâ— Wares Give mee the Quick let Satan take his Tares With them in Reliques who Religion place Besainting Bones within a Silver Case Let not the Church nor glozing Epitaph Grace my poore Corpse From Crowes the Cynicks sâ—â—ffe May guard me for a need Were Martyrs bones Quite burnt in Flames And shall rich Marble stones Enclose my Coarse Farre be it from my thought Who higher place crave then for Money bought That station I expect
conceiv'd for Hauking fit Others more Sage in Types describe that Place A Starry Soile engâ—rt with Crystall Glasse Or Sea translucent with stones pretious rankes Pearle Amber Beds of Corall on the Bankes These may as Tropes rowze up the drowzy mind But to empale Gods Mansions were to blind The Artizans and to confound the Sense If curiously they break to Edens fence The azur'd Spheare wherto my hopes are bound Spirituall stands above this massy Round Of lively frame not like our mortals Land Or Temples built by carnall Creatures hand A Common-wealth secur'd from fiendes alarmes Wonne by our Saviours bloud and Ghostly Armes Which long before he promis'd to prepare For them that would through Faith his Foes out-dare There in the midst of Saints God rear'd for them A Metropole the New Jerusalem Not of Materialles wrought in Earthly mould But of Celestiall stuffe more bright then Gold Then Diamonds which Liquids may deface Or Canker-fretting Time the Fabrick raze The structure might be one with Fixed Starres Or like that Lamp which â—â—â—ting stints our cares An Orbe so farre transcending Edens site As doeth the Sunne the Moone the Day the Night Where He that made the Sunne more glorious spred The New mans giftes then Schoolemen ever read A Region of incomparable Light The Globe or Seat whereof no Humane sight Till Glorified can pry into nor Art By reason of the Lustre can impart No more then Paul by Christ in spirit brought Up to that Orbe of it could utter ought No more then we dare scan the Trinity Or weak Eyes see the Sunnes resplendencie Since puzled we in Natures secrets be What Natures Lord conceal'd how can we see Nay why should we presumptuously aspire To peep into Gods Ark or steale his Fire Old Scribes Prometheus voucht of Grace bereft For robbing Joves bright Fire a heynous theft Now more then this least Fancies me deceive I blaze not of that Orbe what I conceive Mansions of endlesse Joyes and sweet Repose God made for Men and Angels whom hee chose For Men and Angels who should side with Christ Against Hell-fiendes the Beast and Antichrist But whether in our Zones chang'd or refin'd Or Higher Orbes I leave it undefin'd Let this suffice no object represents There more then God to Soules departed hence Which honour'd Christ nor can divert their Sight From fixing on his Beames their whole delight Chiefly at that Eternall Jubilee When Saints shall from Hell-squadrons parted be By his great Light through Christ Saints there shall shine So bright that their new shape will turne Divine Compacted of the purest Quintessence Which Aire and Flame could work in Humane sence The Body which on Earth so clog'd the Soule Terrestriall shall no more that Guest controule But mounted up in Ovall Coach of Fire Elias-like doeth to the Heavens aspire And like high Eagles wings both here and there Comports with Christ the Manhead up to beare Of Motion swift of Strength without compare Like Seraphins all Love of beauty rare Leagu'd with the Soule in sympathizing frame Of Qualities aethereall mixt with flame Of glorious mould not subject unto sinne Disease or griefe as the first man hath been Like Cherubins all Light compos'd of Light Saints then shall raigne in a farre happier plight Install'd then Chinaes King or Tibers Priest With triple Crowne which cannot long subsist For these at death leave Corpse and States behind As those beare Bodies new like Christs refin'd With whom they reap more pleasures and content Then Tongue can tell Eares heare or Fancies vent No Sexes Forme shall then preoccupate The Sense since Fate had procreations date Worne out and cancell'd Lust in Evaes Race Her Choisest blest with even blooming Grace Because on Earth they trusted God alone And lov'd his Saints he made them with Christ One Both Young and Old though maimed burnt or drown'd Shall flourish then alike with Members sound Of Body span'd yet purg'd of Drossy Masse Perhaps like Christs which some would force to Masse With Knowledge ripe of Goodnesse voyd of Ill From Passions free and rectified in Will Perhaps at the same Age when Adam fell Or Christ Rose up triumphant over Hell There they shall sing and prayse the Lord alway Not having need at all to sue or Pray O how they move with mutuall zealous fire To prayse the Lord for sparing in his Ire Old Jacobs Tribes for chusing him and them While he did Esau and his Brood contemne They see themselves cull'd from the Gentiles throng Though they deserv'd to sing their howling Song For though God did all future things foresee He did till then no Reprobates decree But them reserv'd with Divells to partake Till Christ judge them to Tophèts burning Lake They know the state of all the damned Crew And thereupon their thankfull shoutes renew Ascribing Prayse with Hymnes Angelicall To Alpha and Omega God in all Of one consent one will one yea and nay With the like Musick and Harmonious Lay. Such Blisse on the eternall Sabbath day Crownes them when God their Bodies shall array Who in the Lambe believ'd and did their best By doing Good to gaine his Sabbaths Rest. As meaner Men made Lords weare Habites new So shall our Bodies then be chang'd anew The good invested with perfections rare The bad with hideous shapes and hellish Care Then many now which stalk with Peacocks Plumes With various Garbes with Licks and Baudes perfumes More ugly shall appeare then Toades or Bugges Which Children scare from screaming for the Dugges Nor will the Good then pitty the Distrest Because Gods love had Natures Foames supprest Embosom'd Couples which on Earth embrast The one shall be receiv'd the other cast Where humble Saints shall surely be preferr'd And Tenants set above their Lords that err'd Our Saviour Enoch and Elias led The way to shew that God the Quick and Dead Can raise that Mortalls have regain'd their Breath Yea from their Graves Saints rose at Christs his Death This Doctrine seemes to Carnall Sadduces â—carce true although they see in Summer Trees â—nd Corne to sprout with other vegetalles â—hough they see yearly many Animalls â— Swallowes are Silkwormes and Butterflies â—evived when the Sunne doth hotter rise Then since Those Life by the Sunnes heat have wonne Why should not Men by Him that made the Sunne Such Sotts have been and such I feare there are Too many Faithlesse ones that never care Here in this Life the certaine meanes to gaine Of glorious Shape in time to come againe Like skittish Maydes who at the fairy Game Do Daunce untill their Bellies swell with shame Nor how fares Truth nor what a Christian ailes Will they yet learne untill the Fiend prevailes What shall become of Body or of Soule So they may Feast and drinke without controule The Mirrours of the Moone are trimm'd a new Whose Face the foure Weekes Terme had dimm'd the Hew See they not bred of Putrefaction Flies And Barnacles from Wood or Pitch to rise To heare