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
stop the Old mans wily race Deatb Crownes a Saint and none can dy in Christ Except he living here become his Priest For Gods Elect must lead a Righteous Life Subject to Christ as to her head the Wife She knowes no male but one she stands in Aw Yet loves him deare and his Advice is Law Sweet heart quoth he lose not the mornings Prime But as Christ thee doe thou redeeme the Time With Prayers Zeale true Love and Fruitfull Deeds For of ten thousand Soules scarce one well speeds Now he that hath discretion in his pate Must marke these Maximes ere it be too late When strife for Love dreames we take for watching When Praise for Preyes and Grace we looke for Catching And when from Fasts we fal to Feasts and bibbing Then Abbaes streame stayes in the lowest Ebbing Our Advocate craves it to flow againe The Father yeelds and so to every veine Their streame flowes faire untill our changling fooles Have sought to other Streames from Muddy Pooles The Trinity then loathing Braines so sicke Their Motions stop and men dye Lunaticke From which Relapse Distrust and Lunacy Blesse we our selves as from Apostacy If I speake well or rave with puft up Learning Judge they who have the Spirit of Discerning In the meane time keepe we Gods Trumpets Feast And watch till it shall summon us to Rest. All Feastes expir'd in Christs his Oracles Or were exchang'd for our Soules Spectacles In memory to keepe our Saviours Name The Blessed Virgins and th' Apostles Fame With watch against the brats of Antichrist Which beare Christs Name but not the markes of Christ. To blaze these Newes I finde none more Divine Then Epiphanius and Saint Augustine Since the decease of those good Fishermen Which toyl'd to free soules from the Devils den For he that markes them blazing Heretickes May soone convince our moderne Catholickes Who were baptiz'd and styl'd Regenerate Went out from us but since degenerate Christs Oracles next to th' Apostles Time Shone as bright starres six hundred yeares in prime But afterwards by Pompe and Sodomy They were left Breathlesse for Anatomy Yet to the Spirits Feast of Shavelings slighted Our West hath beene by Prophets late invited To cleanse Christs Church from Superstitious Feasts Proclaiming Truth against the Mounted Beasts Mysterious charmes Soule-gulling Merchandize Which Gospel seem'd till Wickliff prov'd them lies Truthes Oracles which Antichrist supprest Are freely now in our owne Tongue exprest Each Parable made plaine to Babes reveal'd And every Mysticke Leafe lyes now unseal'd In spight of the Red Dragons Floud and Fraud And maugre all the Trickes of Babels Baud So that we may unlesse our Riots let Escape and breake out of the Hunters Net Strange Fires croaking noise from Balaams lips Cannot dash out our Light nor yet eclipse Those Rayes whereby the murthered Lamb of late Cheares up his Faithfull Bride and Sions state Relying on his Ayd and powerfull Arme His Spirit warmes and keeps from Leaguers harm But clandestine and by sly cheating trickes Some winne more Games to Babels Meretrix He that deceived Eve by subtill Traine Would our returne into her stewes againe Perswade By Sions Rents they shortly hope To blurre our Church and re-invest the Pope With his Old Keyes and with his Golden Crosse In Gods owne Temple Graces to ingrosse And for small cause to excommunicate Nay for neglect of Fees to shut Heavens Gate They hope to put by Satans Tares late sowne Our Laymens ward of Premunire downe But why cast I such Goblin doubts abroad When the Last Knell determines our aboad Our short aboad on Earth O let us then Repent and waile our sinnes deare Country-men Let us renew whilst that it is to Day Our Sacrifice and vowes of Love repay Oft musing on Saint Paules advice that now We Christ no more after the flesh must know But as it were in traunce the New-mans way To waigh his Crosse and Passion every day The Service which belongs to Him alone Withdraw not from that All-sufficient One By kneeling to our fellow-servants downe For Ghostly helpe who saved but their owne Deare Soules by vertue of that Costly Blood Which on the Crosse was shed for our joynt good If we beleeve as Saints have done before us In Christ alone Hels sting can never gore us Thinke on my words O ye backe-sliding Soules Who pay to Saints your vows like Market Tolles Thinke on your owne and Christ his painefull death The Judgement day and gaping hell beneath Our dayes are few Times period is at hand And Christ his Arke will shortly saile from Land The waves of sinne swell high Love growne too cold In most mens Hearts Mens ruines doth unfold True Faith for want of more Devotions heat Exiled pleads before Gods Judgement seate Against Mankind as at the Flood of Noah To plague the world with flames worse annoy Mens hearts are hardned like the Fiends of Hell For if a Prophet doe sinnes doome foretell Disswading them from Broiles O how they swell At the Good man with rage and passions fell Imposing for his paines Rackes shackles shame Or silencing or blacking his good Name Before Doomes-day this darke Prodigious fault Must follow next upon the Whores assault For though the Church Triumphant doth rejoyce To see her Fall our Jarres supplant our Joyes And so instead of Psalmes to Heaven sent We temporize or with her Complement Awake therefore ye watch-men with your flocke Lest you and they be hurld against the rocke Of scandall to our Churches infamy Ending in Schismes Broyles or Phlebotomy Thinke on the Fowles which ere the Sunne did set Abram had watcht and then huge darkenesse met Awake I say out of your slumbring sleepe Look to your charge in time Christs wandring sheep Behold our Soules great Shepherd is at hand Though some are loath the Signes to understand The last dayes Bell or Clocke of Mortals time Be watchfull ye were best will shortly chime Christ shortly comes the Faithfull to requite And to confound our Mysticke Gyants might No Tyrants threats no double tongue will serve Fee nor Reward the guilty to preserve Gods Darts like Comets threate our Westerne Orbe And Justice will the Austrian faction curbe Gods Angell now beginnes to goe about To warne before Doomes-day the Christian Rout Already hath his Holy Trumpets sounded Christ shortly comes to save the sick and wounded Watch Fast and Pray and cheare up one another This is Gods will by Christ our Elder Brother His warning peale rung forth unto the Jewes But scorn'd by them he left to us these Newes Because they slighted what they might have held The Word of Life the Light which they beheld The Lord remov'd his precious Candlesticke Clear'd others sight and left them blind and sick The Obstinâ—te I meane not all of them For some beleev'd before Jerusalem Demolisht lay yea thousands were baptiz'd Both then and since of the Crew Circumciz'd Some Jewes baptiz'd were by th' Apostles some At Christ
stones meete our Willes conformity Though Nature doth Impostumated swell Or burne with Feavers like the fits of Hell The Spirit yet more strong in the Vacation Will overcome and settle our Vocation Gods Mercy will with Natures moods dispence If fixing on his Sonne our Confidence And Rest we kneele twixt Love and reverend feares To Him alone with contrite sighes and teares Unfaignedly sweet Abbaes sound to greet Oft looking downe on our vile Peacockes feete O would these Layes might now rebound with Ecchoes And pierce the Eares of Earths Magnificoes With sad Portents reverberating Rue And Wormwood moods for slighting what is true Because they doate despising Saints Correction On Idoll-praise of Good my Lords reflection And derogate from Gods Prerogative Not giving thankes to him by whom they thrive With Titles more than Donâ— then Gundamore Like Herod or proud Babels scarlet Whore Gods wrath in spight of all their brave reputes Will squeeze their Pompe and Popelike Attributes Truth echoed Ruth and he that scornes her Eccho Pigmaâ—ion turnes Don Quishot or a Hicco Truth spake this doome with Trumpets sounding loud God helpes the meeke and tumbles downe the proud So spake her voyce in them that bad us shunne High Seats rich Robes to weare the homely spun Old Sackecloathes weed plaine stuffe or Camels haire Contritions Garbes puft Honours to impaire So spake bright shining Truth that Noble Dame In them that warn'd the Outward man to tame Who by Saint John at the Lambes Feast records That Fouâ—es shall eate the flesh of Mighty Lords When poorest Saints and meanest of Esteeme Shall feed with Christ though they unworthy seeme To Carnall Eyes and whilst those Potentates Or pamp'red Lords with all their Glistring states For want of Wedding Robes shall be excluded And to become a shamefull prey concluded Meane while to gaine a Name like Alexander Some live by Bloudy spoyles or else they squander Their surest Meanes on Earth for the support Of their high pompe and blazing starres report But after death O Fooles what Harvest shall Ye reape by Fame or Port Pontificall Or if perchance ye live to dappled Age Will not a lingring hell abate your Rage Would God these Lines might prove Angelicall That they were stampt in Letters Capitall For never Age durst be so bold to call Like Ours Damn'd Pride of Graces Principalâ— Christ wils us not to Judge men for that sinne Whereof we know our selves have guilty beene For looke with what rough measure we doe mete To others God will make the like complete Upon our score To cure a Brothers sight T is fit our owne be cleare to Judge aright We must not give Gods holy things to dogges Nor Minister his Mysteries to hogges For hoggeâ— in Mire the finest Pearles will tread And envious dogs with Bruitish Passions led Will snarling-wise their Masters Guests molest Whom he invited to his marriage Feast These dogs and â—ogs Christ warnes us to prevent Full cautiously lest us they circumvent And interrupt our entry into blisse The Gate whereof is straite and many misse To find it out Although they have been Call'd Yet very few are chosen and install'd True Saints so narrow is the heavenly Gate Some know the Way but comming there too late They are repuls'd some boast of Miracles And of great Merits yet find Obstacles And for their vaunts are dasht Not every one That cals Lord Lord or knowes Gods murthered Son Shall enter there with glozing snares and Nets The hollow Hearts prove then the greatest Lets As doe their Bragges of Meritorious workes Or naked Faith Here the slie Serpent lurkes Unseene of Carnall eyes and will betray Soules with faign'd Ecchoes till they lose their way But if they like our highest Fathers will They must shun ill and so climbe up his Hill How many thousands doate on worldly Pleasure So long untill they lose Soules sacred Treasure Sometimes Hels theeves breake in and all is gone Some other time wanting the Corner stone Their house fals downe which whilst they build againe Death summons them or tortures them with pain That they forget their Master and their charge And lose thereby his Grace and their discharge All yee therefore that mind the Heavenly Palace Take Christs advise Build not for carnall solace On Bog or Sand but build upon the Rocke Your Temple where you need not feare the shocke Of Tyrant-waves nor foggy Earths eruptions Nor undermining Fankes nor Theeves irruptions And then you shall be sure though Natures date Concludes your State to meet with happier Fate To Counterfeits much blame Christ did impute And such as gave their Almes for vaine repute He willes us not to strive for Wealth or Place Nor for Good workes to looke for Humane Grace To love his Friends and not on them to prey Nay to forgive and for our Foes to pray We must not on a Brother wrecke our teene Nor let the Sunne goe downe upon our spleene We must remit not onely seven Times But Seventy times seven and that betimes Lest that we run that wretched Stewards race To whom his Lord compassioning his Case Suspended all his Debts untill he heard How he had dealt with others sore and hard He God forbad with Babling to abuse But when we pray the briefest Termes to use More tending to his Praise then our supplies Which last wee season must sometimes with sighes Not Parrot-like by roate but from the Roote And Bottome of the Heart with Abbaes Note The Module whereof himselfe declar'd Thus having us from tedious Formes debarr'd Father most High thy Name be glorâ—fide Thy Kingdome come As doth in heaven betide Thy will on Earth be done Food daily give To us As we our Foes Lord us forgive And let us not be tempted by the Devill The World or Flesh but free us from all Evill This pithy Forme the Lord to us did leave For patterne pure if we it well conceive We must in chiefe looke on Gods Sacred Power And sanctifie his Name before we powre Devotions forth for our owne Private Ends. We must doe nothing worldly but what tends More to his Praise than to our owne respect He warnes that we false Christians must expect Who the true Faith to bring into neglect Will forge strange things well-nere to foole the Elect False Balaams who not holding Love for Roofe Would cover Faith with Golden Clouds aloofe False Teachers like the Scribes and Pharisees Who should seduce the world with Dreames and lies Who like Jewes Rabbies for Supremacies Should gape and Hunt for Lordly Primacies Over his Members whom he Brethren styles A Caveat true for Antichristian Wiles Yea and for Lords if they good Christians grieve Under pretext of Gods Prerogative To these he other addes signes that portend The Judgement day at hand and the worlds End When that we see strange Plagues Fraud Famine Jarres With Massacres of Saints and Bloody warres When Mauzzims Type raignes in Gods holy place Like Caesars set for Sions last disgrace When
through Christ his Crosse Which worldly minds prize lesse then chaffe or drosse Another kind of Body I expect Which like to his my Saviour will erect This moved mee my Children three to bury In the Church-yard whilst I saw most men hurry Proud Carkasses into the Church polluting Gods house and zeale with superstition suting This moved mee New Cambrioll to Baptize In New found land whilst others Idolize Their native smoake with sloath griping Cares Caught with false Pleasures baytes in Satans snares This moves good wits whilst here they make abode To send so oft â—oud sounding Bâ—okes abroad To cure or curbe litigious Braines that Rave And by such Fruits to build them selves a Grave A quickning Grave that when their Sinewes rot The Saints for them might praise the New mans As I doe for Great Brittaines shining Lights Or them whom Andrewes Posthume now invites Lot Andrewes that shames Beauford and Gardiner And yet all Three were styled Winchester For how shall wee discerne another Man Then with bright Trueth his living workes to Scan Whether a Lambe or Wolfe he led his Life In Peace with Christ or with Hell Fiends in strife What more then Swan like Songes keep Men alive Or can on Earth their Noble deeds revive Beare witnesse then my two-fold Epitaph Whilst Windy wits lye swill'd like Swine with draffe This Glasse renewes brave Roberts Memory Of Essex Earle the Flower of Chevalry WhoÌ„ Flanders Lisbon Cales Spaines Iles nor France Nor Irish Force could daunt with Shot or Launce Home-Ostracisme this Famous man did foile Whom Mars durst not affront in Forraigne Soile But his sweet Soule because he Sacriâ—â—câ—d Christ Cleer'd from Guilt and Saints him Canoniz'd Or if the Seas and Land contend for Roome The Seas will Ebbe and shew us Desmonds Tombe Scotland his Birth England his Tilting Fame Venice claim'd his venture Ireland his Name Whilst these Foure strove to build a Monument For Desmonds Corpse the Seas crost their intent Because the Seas for Worthyes might appeare To match the Land they took this Noble Peere Thus Two by Sea and Land have Lawrelles got While worthlesse Lords like Falling Fire-drakes rot Thus Vertue some Crownes with a Living Tombe Which more doth them then Coronets become And longer will then Mausolaeans last When Time shall Pomp and nine dayes Wonders blast Hence I inferre that God hid Moses Tombe Lest men might Saint his Bones in time to come Hence I resolve from Graves old Folkes began To make an Idoll of a Mortall man Hence I conclude to hang a Hearse with Scutcheons Serves for a Bait to catch our Heyrs like Gudgeons For without worth Guilt honours proves but vaine And Styles the scumme of a Fantasticke Braine Without the New mans Robes none are indeed True Noble Men but borne of Mungrell seed Let men therefore besides the Cynicks Staffe Upon my Grave Engrave this Epitaph Taint not the Church with Skulles O yee that mourn Nor with Wormes-meat the Yard will serve my turne Rob not the quick a dead man to adorne But bury me as poore as I was borne Only a Shrowd for decencie I crave Such as my Saviour wrapt in Josephs Grave I hated Pompe and Drunken Sacrifice When I breath'd Ayre much more in Paradise Man here is but a Steward of his Pelfe For others bound aswell as for himselfe To cark and care according to the Talent Which so to him was on Condition lent For which mispent he must one day account Be he a Knight a Baron or a Count. Looke how Christ did the second Adam live So must we sure if we intend to thrive In Piety we must esteeme the Crosse Though sad true wealth pamp'ring ease soules losse Therfore when Honour Gaine or worldly Pleasure Doe thee befall suspect the Heavens displeasure Unlesse thou out of hand to some good use Convert them without Riot or Abuse Looke where so e're thy worldly Treasure is There lyes thy Bane thy hindrance into Blisse No man two Masters serves with conscience cleane God and the World but he becomes uncleane And quickly soild with sense-alluring Toyes Which him bereaves of true Immortall Joyes For by superfluous Cares and Worldly Wealth The way is quite blockt up from Saving wealth The serious thought of which Impediments Made wisest Men amidst their sweet Contents As sometime did the Samian Tyrant fling To season Joyes into the Sea a Ring To mixe some Worme-wood Cares and Objects sad To live like Angells here in Sack-cloth Clad To fly to Celles from Warres and worldly wrath Like Austriaes Charles and Turkish Amurath To choose a dying Life retir'd from Ease Rather like Monkes then like nice Damocles Or like some Kings maligned Favorite That dreames not of a Fall till Envy smite To live with Lushious Cheer and pleasing plenty Fore-seeing that at last scarce one of twenty Which gives himselfe to Carnall Liberty Escapes unstung with some Calamity If not living yet surely at Deaths Gaspe The Libertine shall feele the Hellish Aspe Poison his Soule unseene with Mortall sence Mauger his Heires vaine Obits and expence For after death all Sacrifice is vaine Nor can Rewards redeeme the Soule from Paine The which empoisoned thus barr'd of Gods sight Of the least glimpse of comfortable Light With the rich Glutton in the lowest Hell Till Doomesday roves among the Furies fell And then the Body in more hideous state Joyn'd with his Spirit he cryes out too late For Mercy when the second Death is come Which by the first he might have smitten dumbe And Conquer'd too if like our Saviour He Had living di'd or living sought to be Reborne and form'd after his Image true With Faith and zeale contending to eschew His Spirits Foes the Letts unto the Crosse Which every Christian Soule ought to ingrosse As Mysticke Type and Seale of Mans Adoption His Ransome lent from Lordly Sinnes Irruption Unhappy is that Wight that never felt The Crosses waight whose Heart did never melt At others smart but living all at Randon Gods Justice to dull ease did him abandon Since it is hard to have smooth comforts twice Both in this World and in the Heavens likewise Yea most unhappy He who for his sinne Was never Chastned but hath suffred beene As Epicure not Checkt by Sickenesse Griefe As Epicures till checkt by Sicknesse Griefe By Shipwrack Fame Friends losse want of Reliefe By our Creatour to consume amisse His usefull Talent and to swarve from Blisse Without controule or maisterly reproofe As if God slept or sleighted mans behoofe So on the other side I count him Blest Who in this World felt Sorrow and unrest For we ne're feele the comforts of Gods Spirit Till our Flesh quailes or outward troubles stirre it Fraile Flesh Bloud may not in Heaven reside Till Christ his flames the same have purified The Crosses sight the Carnall mind confounds But it lookes bright and with perfumes abounds Within Gods sight who thereby maketh roome For his rare gifts to lodge in with the
then the Game Behold the Hunt is up THE SOVLES EXERCISE The Argument Before the Great and Fearefull Day of Doome Which by true Signes neere past will shortly come Great Brittain's warn'd the Old Mans tricks to scan And with more Love to lodge the Inward Man O That Men would think on the Latter day Whose Signes began with Horror and Dismay Since Sathan was let loose to rack and scorch With Martyrs Flame our late Reformed Church No Preterperfect nor the Future Tense But then the Praesent suits the Creatures Sence When Time shall be no more but ever Light Or ever Darke From this Perpetuall Night Of Sadnesse Lord defend my Spotted Soule That canst at Will the Gates of Hell controule And by sweet Trance canst ope the Milk-white way To lead my steps to that Eternall Day How oft hast thou from Weaklings rays'd thee Prayse Then grant me Grace to warble out these Layes Which I began with th'Hunt is up to day That I may chase Hels Instruments away The wily Foxe the Wolfe and ravenous Beare But not with Yâ—alpes poore silly Sheepe to feare Noâ— to disturbe like Taverns roaring Boyes Good Christians Nightly Rest with Hellish Noise Or with base Fidlers Tunes who gape for Gaine Their Lusts from Strangers Windows to maintaine Fly Buffâ—ons hence no flouts nor wanton glance Nor scuffling Tones suit w th our Newmans trance Not for wits Froth nor Poets potting Pen Nor for Old Dreames shall any Godly men Taxe me withall My ayme is Libertines And Sluggards to rouze up by Christian Lines And that th'Elect of Brittaines Ile may blush To jarre for Trifles Nifles or a Rush At least to let them know that we should side With him whose Rights with Mammon they divide But let Divines without Scholastick Cavell And Politicks without damn'd Machiavell Tell us how comes Mankind so prone to Evill 〈◊〉 from Oâ—d Adam Custome or the Divell Or rather from this mixt Triplicity By Gods just Doome for mens Impiety Our States-men stand here gravel'd nor define Can Nature such deepe Points but the Divine On these Resolves assures our Pilgrimage That to secure from the Old Creatures Rage Our New-mans Sparke we must contend buckle With Men Fiends ere Grace this Infant suckle We must Believe and Pray do Fruitfull Workes And crush the Snake which in our bosome lurkes For these Attempts the Serpent to unmaske In Eden first Mans Crosse row is my Taske The two from whom our Heralds all agree With one Consent to draw Mens Pedegree Be they Crown'd Kings or Subjects bond or Free Adam and Eve the Male Female Tree Were form'd by Him who both the Globs Created Whereof the One with Goodly Rights estated God gave to them from Taxe or Tribute free And so their Race enjoyed it till the Fee By Giants wav'd and Nemhrods Tyranny The upper like a Spangled Canopy With Christall propt to lift their minds with wonder He left for Breath for Heat to seat them vnder And to observe the Influence Motion Height Not racking Starres with Negromanticke Sleight Because Man should with Angels linkt in One Harmonious League on God depend alone To do his Will who rais'd him from the dust To praise his Name without the least distrust Not Creatures Thrones or Principalities Nor courting other Gods with Sacrifice For who would sue to an Inferiour Lord The King in place that heareth every word God for this End and for his Glories sake Assigned Man his Comforts to partake He left all things to his Elections Sway Except One Tree in Eden to assay And try by One Command his Creatures mind Whether he would prove Constant or Unkind Yea God forbad to tast the Curious Tree Of Good and Ill because He did foresee That Longing Fits in Maladies would end That worldly Craft did restlesse Cares portend That Innocence once lost Man would divide Christs Soveraignty and with the Divell side That he the Golden meane would soone neglect And fall into Excesse or the defect That Will uncurb'd to damned Actions tends That Pride much knowledge puffes shame Pride attends For when good knowlâ—dge with the Ill did match Then they began a Mungrell Brood to hatch Like those who heretofore with Pagan Rite And Schoolemens Glosse disguis'd Gods hoâ—y Light Although such Plagues ensued by the Breach Of Gods Command yet doth Experience teach The Fruit it selfe so strange in Operation Perhaps might bring with it some Alteration And helpe the Humours to exasperate As the Breach did the Soule contaminate So Meales without Thanksgiving cause disease And Physicke with Gods blessing turnes to Ease Do not all things on which our Bodies feed Blood Choler Fleame and Melancholy breed Do not we see that things Inanimate As Roots and Gummes nay Minerals abate Or raise the force of things more excellent Doth not dimm'd Eyes the Saphire blew content And Hemlocks Juice like Vapors of strong Wine Disturbe the Braine and Humour Christaline Doth not the Jet insult upon a Straw As Steele is by the Loadstone kept in awe What Franticke Lust comes by Cantharides What Flames by Circes charm'd Hippomanes How luckily Quicksilver mortifi'd Hath for the Wormes and the great Poxe bin tri'd Yet Sublimate doth like to Hell inflame To Poyson turnes and kils the Vitall Flame How have the Lungs by Orpiment beene cur'd And the Faint Heart by Liquid Gold secur'd How forcible 'gainst Plagues and Feavers are Mirrhe Saffron Aloes Stibium Bezoar Garlicke allayes raw Ayre and watrish Food But Mads like Wine the Dry Braine and the Blood Wine-bibbers know that Vines with Coleworts war As rampant Lust is cool'd by Nenuphar Sometimes I saw a Glutton crost in Will His Trencher daub'd with Colloquintids Pill How by the Sunne Glasse things remote may fire To yeeld the reason would not Reason tire Or why Tobacco or the Vomick Nut Opium or Henbane do the Sences glut Or why the Juice of Spurge or Tithimall Held to the Gummes cause all the Teeth to fall If such as these with us worke Miraâ—les And growing plants yet more what Obstacles Can Atheists plead to barre Our Fatall Tree Or that of Life but that it grew so free Whereby on Man no ferall Deaths disease The Fruite once tane by him could ever seize Untill God did th' impaled Garden fence Or drowne it by the Flood for Lusts Offence This Fruit we reap't by knowing Good and Ill When as the Precepts Breach defil'd the will But to returne where now I did digresse Man stayd not long before he did transgresse And violate the Law with Carnall sence Slighting his Makers Love and Providence Man had large Grace and Freedome of Election But he of Both did quickly make defection He knew th' Events the Covenant his Doome For Life or Death and what would sure become Of him and his if he Gods will transgrest Yet would he be of Knowledge more possest Than well became a Creature limited Yea and perhaps the Woman coveted Assoone as Sathan told his form all
Tale With Carnall taste that fruit of sugred Bale And longed too because she was forbidden Or else because like to a Guesâ— unbidden The Tempter which is likely watcht the houre When she was lesse Devout ere he could powre His Banâ— on her in a Corporeall shape That in the Fiâ— shee for the fruit might gape She sooner might all Enemies withstand Than Pythons mists unseene alwayes at hand Wher once he welcom finds he ther doth bring Moe Spirits like himselfe that Soule to sting As to a Frier chanc'd who tempted chose Once rather to be drunke than Soule to lose By Lust or Murthers Choyce But by that feate He whoor'd and slew the Husband in his heat So Sathan playes at this time with us all Old Adams seede he knowes in Generall That we by Nature fraile and wavering are Luâ—tfull and Proud then in particular He knows to what vain pleasure more than other We are most prone whilst we Devotion smother Which so observ'd by him with damned Craft He Guilds that Pleasure faire before his shafts He shoots from which ô Christ we have no fence Nor helpe but thy deare Crosse and Innocence To put them by with daily watch and Cares Least like to Eve he catch us unawares When Sathan saw that God to Man assign'd The worlds whole Rule he by a masked kind Of shape devis'd with Lies to tempt Eves mind And by her meanes her Husbands wits to blind O subtle Fiends inevitable Fetch Above a Cheaters or Projectors reach To set upon the weakest of the Twaine Before he dar'd the Husband in to traine He knew the power of a Favorite And what Man 's second selfe the Night-Crow might Suggest to bring strange matters to effect This mov'd the Fiend the Woman to select And worke upon her Frailties imperfection Because he knew the Man had more perfection He knew the Man had more Composed wit More ancient stay'd and harder to be hit He knew the Woman had a moyster Braine More shallow nice and of a smoother graine More pliant than the Male to be allur'd With Tales and Toyes whereof he stood assur'd Therefore Yee Men beware of Womens guiles Take heed Yee Women of Old Sathans wiles Tempt not your Husbands unto vanity To Idols Pride nor sloths Infirmity And let us hence both Men and Women all The Divell chase the Author of our Fall He grudg'd to see those of an Earthly Fâ—ature Above him set sometimes a Heavenly Creature That Humane-kind such Creatures New strange Should breathe that Aire where he did hope to range Rage despight to have Man thrown below Or at the least in Furies fell his Fellow Wrought on his Spirit all to Vengeance bent Till at the last he got his Lewd Intent About that time more Wise than any Beast With speckled skin like Golden Damaske drest The Serpent stalk't in Edens Paradise Him Sathan seaz'd and in his shapes disguise Thus with his Charmes to hide his cunning Hate He tempted Eve in absence of her Mate Faire Dame more fit for thy sweet Beauties Grace As Goddesse to possesse the Highest Place And all the world to Rule then to be curb'd Of thy Freewill or in thy Choice disturb'd Hath God forbidden you that Fruit to taste The fruit of Knowledge which shall ever last Which Life renewes and makes an Ideot wise Eate it and spare not Be not too Precise Yee shall not Die that 's but a scaring Crow To bleare your fight least you this secret know For God well knowes that tasting of this Tree You like Himselfe will soone Immortall be The woman firâ—d with Sathans faire discourse Resisted not but ranne th' Ambitious Course Of Lucifer who climb'd the highest staire Of Mysteries built Castles in the Ayre And rapt with false Imaginary Toyes Of being wise like God with hope of Joyes She started not with that odde Tree to grapple But thence she pluckt what God forbad the Apple One two or more as likt her Palate best With whose sweete Taste her Husband she possest As likewise with the vertue of the Fruite Which did with their high towring Fancies suit Ev's haughty mind was soon too soon persawded And Adams too wherby they were degraded Of Innocence true Joyes and Quiet Life Made Slaves to Vices Death and Endlesse strife The Devill too which ranged then unbound With borrow'd shape in stricter Chains was bound Yet mounting aâ—d descending with his Mates To try and sting as Faith grows or abates Hence Passions from Hels poyson soone began since To make Young Adam an Old worldly mâ—n With vaine Proud thoughts his Seede were ever since Swolne ban'd in every State Province The Elder Part against the New rebels With wily Plots till Grace the Foxe expels Hence spring those Plagues which now defile the Earth Cold Charity our sly and needlesse Dearth Distrust of God Ambition Simony Base Idlenesse Carowsing Gluttony Damn'd mungrell Matches Saints with Reprobates High purchast Names Envy in all Estates Malice Law-suites Deceits and Avarice Pride Thriftlesse Pompe and every other vtâ—e Whose foule Excesse like Fire's abuse I blame So to prepare roome for Devotions Flame For such as those the first Old world was drown'd As Our shall shortly burne about us round For such the Lord our Tongues did first confound At Babels Towre from one Hâ—rmâ—nious sound For such as those the Hebrewâ— were rejected And unto such are most of us subjected By that Old Pythons Satâ—â—ns subtilty Unlesse Faith helpe and 〈◊〉 Humility We are indeed beset by him that speaks And through a thousand throats now playes the Reaks In tempted Braines suborning men for Pelfe To sell the Spirits Gifts yea Heaâ—en it selfe Our mother Eve in Serpents shape he tempted To gull and gaine-How shall our Earthlings now Escape when that Bad Humours overflow The Bodies State when Tares do over top The Gospels Seede and when we see him hop Sweare and Carowse even on the Sabatth Day And every other Day to catch some Prey O wits bewitcht by the false Serpents Art Who sacrifice to Fiends your Noblest Part Ther 's nothing more than Prayer which they feare Because they know that 's musick in Gods Eare. When they heare Abbaes Peale ring from Mans Heart With hate of present sinne they soone depart And leave the Forts which they usurped then The Humours Braine and Heart of Man I meane And where they finde no Catechizing is Nor weekely Sermons us'd but All amisse For want of Meanes Gods Tythes kept backe like spoiles There Sports with Oathes with Healths they mingle broyles But woe to them who do Gods Tythes ingrosse Whereby ensues of Christian Soules such losse If Curst they were who ravish'd them at first Who dimme Faith 's Light are they not more accurst Transferring by those Prâ—yes to yawning Hell Like Antichrist more Soules than Tongue can tell And here with drery eyes I must lament The Fate of my poore Native Soile neere rent By Fiends a sunder through the Words defect For
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
faign'd To sundry Courts for many miles constrain'd Through thicke and thin to travell for small cause Vnder pretext to answer breach of Lawes To lose their precious time and spend the same In strife which Christ injoyn'd to Holy flame To satisfy Officialls greedy willes More than need is for moulture to their Mills As our King James of famous memory With lightning glaunce checkt this foule injury Our coyne by bribing Tongues grows scant of late And men for want of meanes waxe desperate How many Motions do some make in vaine And endlesse Pleas with in ward joy retaine Such Sophisters in Paper-length to draw And spin rich Suites will white the blackest Dâ—w And blurre the Candor of the holyest man But seldome helpe to save the weake and wan But O! are not those Christians whom they gull Christians they are O worldlings whom ye Lull A sleepe to feed upon like Canniballs They looke not like those Popes or Cardinalls Or those great mighty men whose flesh and Soules Are to be prey'd on by the Mysticke Foules At Gods triumphant Supper No these are Your Brethren whom to pill and poll ye dare Like to the Aierie fiends typ'd by those foules Who feed upon the jarres of carnall Soules On whose weake passions wits and fits ye work Whilst under Sugred Pills doth danger Iurke Who knowes not that the fiends of Hell rejoyce At these your broiles to heare your screaming noise Therefore repent before thâ—s waning light â—huts up the world with terrours of the Night Be sparing of your Crotchets for his sake Who spar'd not on himselfe our sinnes to take Let to your brawles sixe months a period fixe Submit to friends award without Law-trickes Or costly fees what ye suggest for wrong Not vaunting of a Mercenary tongue I need not warne our Gravest Counsellours Who for the New-man spend more pretious houres In grieving at debates then taking Fees For they decline Gods wrathfull cup of Lees But I exclaime and raise with Hue and Cry My Wits against our Petty-fogging fry Those Mountebankes that Hollow-hearted crue Which cogge with Truth and stir up Guls to sue Who make no Conscience in an honest cause To vexe Good men and scandalize the Lawes Such men I onely blurre Let Honey Bees Live by their painefull Hire and well-gain'd Fees I envy not their Station nor their store But pray that they in Grace grow more and more I wish to them all Happinesse and Joy That they with Love their Labours fruite enjoy For unto such our Patriots Common-weale Can not more portions then they merit deale Yea those ripe silver haires I honour most Who with good Lawes helpe to entrench Gods host From raving Ravening Wolves which but for them Had long since spoyl'd our Tents stil contemne Our Clergies Rites reform'd and their intents Supported by our Christian Parliaments These were indeed the Champions of our State Against Romes Bulles and the degenerate From their Allegeance to our Native Prince They Abbots sloth and Legates did convince By casting out Romes painted Wares and Trash For which brave Act and memorable Lash Besides the Gospels Light God yet is pleas'd To leave their Ranke a prop for the diseas'd So some are blest with an Immortall Lot Whilst uselesse Drones like shooting Meteors rot They merit too in Britaines Orbe to shine Like Starres that move in the Eclipticke Line Who waigh the Lawes with Reason Right and Ruth And at the first acquaint men with the Truth What the Event will be what danger lies For daring Justice with surmized Lies And specially those Lawyers I commend Who Clients suites with expedition end Scan well my Lawes ye Masters of the Law And ye that be their Clients stand in awe Of Judgement justly due for your dis-union For your contempt of Love and Christian Vnion Be slow to wrath speake faire doe good to all Forgive your foes and raise up them that fall Look that false Mammons wiles tempt not your zeale Lest for your bribes Astraeas Common-weale Grow to contempt like that Monasticke state Of Ghostly forme which ye supprest of late Through many tongues the devill moves despight And yet may seeme an Angell of the Light That Spirit which through Ahabs Prophets spake Now tempts most men in falshood to partake And likewise workes in nimble factious pates That they for cursed hire spread more debates Which but for their suggestions would expire Or dormant lye as under ashes Fire God loves a mild a free and open heart Which melts like wax to see his neighbors smart As I went on our discords to attone My Zeale broke forth into a Prophets Tone Unkennell ye that old and crafty Fox Whom having catcht cease not to thumpe box Him other whiles If for the Palsies griefe To nose his scent ye yeeld him some releife Be sure in Chaines to keepe him alwayes bound For if let loose and he abroad be found Your tender Lambes the hope of all your flocke Can never scape nor well endure the shocke Of his slye trickes O therefore let him now Be wisely lookt unto that he may bow Make roome for Lambes from spoyle and theft secure Wash rince and scoure and keep your vessels pure Flay not Christs sheepe but feed them without strife As he for you hath sacrific'd his life Let none Gods place of judgement undertake For Coine but for true zeale Conscience sake Let none for wealth accept a Benefice For the Soules gaine was Christ his chiefest prize Let Dives bid his golden gods avant Cashiering quite all things extravagant Let Christian Dames leave off the Peacockes traine And now resume their modest Garbes againe Let Souldiers of the Fort Ship Tent or Toung Live with their hires content not offering wrong Let them of all degrees both Old and Young Both High and Low of Sexes weake and strong Let all Repent before th' Eternall Day Breakes forth which shortly without more delay Will fatally conclude their civill jarres Their greedy wiles their Pomp and bloody wars But put the case that Day comes not so soone As Fooles conceive yet Orbed like the Moone Mans braine receives the forme of glistering notions Except betimes he curbes the Old mans motions Whence if they break through those Ideaes roome Into the Heart there Idols they become The New man is sent backe by Carnall sinnes As was Gods Arke by Dagons Philistines And in his Place those Puppets he observes Whom more then Christ he loves oftner serves Thus Worldlings wise in darkenesse roame about As well as they whose Light strife hath put out The Way unto Gods Paradise is streight Narrow and steepe to which transcendent height Fraile flesh and blood must not ascend unlesse The Soule be in this world purg'd more or lesse By twofold Flames whereof the one Hels paine Resembles th' other heates with zeale the Braine Like as the Body growes in Quantity And in the Fourefold Humours Quality So the New man shootes up drawes us to grace If we doe
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
Ravishment Lay like the Doctors in Astonishment As men rejoyce in a darke Cloudy day To see the Sunne his suddaine Beames display So did they startle at Christs Lightning words Whilst her soft greetings Mary thus affords My loving Sonne why hast thou stayd behind And not as doth thee Natures duty bind Return'd with us Behold I and thy Father Have sought thee sad for three dayes space together Soone as we found thee missing by the way We hither came and sought thee night and Day We searcht with carefull thoughts most diligent The City where we used to frequent With heavy hearts God knows we lookt for thee Whom Christ undaunted answer'd grave and free I st possible that you forget so soone The favours late which God for you hath done Deare mother wot you not that I must goe About my Fathers Businesse t' undergoe More travels yet you know the Prophesies Of Ancient Seers you know the Mysteries Disclosed by the Angell Gabriel That I am sent to ransome Soules from Hell That I must preach to Spirits thrall'd in Jaile My Fathers will which shall o're sinne prevaile You know what meanes Heavens word mens Light Gods Breath From Simeon Anna and Elizabeth And in your selfe the Spirits ravishment Reveales the cause of my Birth and Discent My Fathers zeale so burnt within my breast Against these strayes I could not but contest Whose Oracles of me and many more Your true Beleeving heart layes up in store Although the same as yet you seeme to smother You cannot but remember them good Mother These words of his the blessed Virgin waigh'd And safe them up within her mind she layd Out of the Temple then wtth her he goeth And presently they set for Nazareth Where Mary found his Will with hers agreeing Though Him she held the Authour of her being And her sole Head yet then the Head subjected Unto the Limbes and nothing he rejected To Undergoe in his Minority For their behoofe and best commodity Or murmur'd at which his deare Mother Maide Or Josephs voyce of charge upon him laid But as a Sonne or rather Servant true He yeelds them Honour and Obedience due What they at home or else abroad assign'd Labour or care in Body or in minde As an Apprentice Carpentary Drudge To toyle for them he never once did grudge But wrought his Taske and servile Trade uprighâ— Not needing checkes nor frowning oversight Base idlenesse by Nature he abhorr'd Which made him worke when some as Outlaweâ— roar'd For he accounted meat not duely got If daily for the same he labour'd not He for our sakes sustained poverty To purchase wealth for us and Dignity In this poore plight the curse Christ underwent To earne his bread with sweate and small content Yet what he gain'd would scarce weak Nature feed And it griev'd him to see his friends in need What therefore he of meat earn'd by his sweat The Overplus he gave the Poore to eate Thus Christ shot up in shape and thriv'd in Grace And all Good men lov'd him that saw his face For he preferr'd Gods praise before his owne More prizing Truth then they Judae as Crowne But to describe his worth his modest lookes And qualities would fill up many Bookes The matter farre exceeds my strength and wit My Forme turnes proud except thou temper it O Holy Ghost and curb'st my swelling sense Above fraile Natures botched excellence With humble thoughts Christs Innocence to quote To note his plaine Attire and seamelesle Coat Worne in his Youth but parted since which now To burne as tainting Rage false Christians vow To seeke gay clâ—aâ—hes never did curious Pride Tempt him he onely car'd his skin to hide He knew that Man attir'd in ruffling Robes Begs seldome Grace and vents but faigned sobbes Nor can he shed salt teares our Guardians food Nor well submit for his perpetuall good As for this cause they used heretofore In vilesi weeds Gods Favour to implore He knew that our First Parents bare and poore Went till Figge leaves Coates of Skins they wore Which like these Lâ—nes our Gallants now would scorne For Satan prompts they were more Nobly borne Wherefore to rob their Factours must persever Silke wormes and Beasts for Shamois Plush Bever No Pleasures shape so farre his minde endeares To Idolize the same though young of yeares No Envious Stings nor motions Arrogant Once prickt his heart nor thoughts extravagant For he was so sincere sweete Natur'd mild That none with Passions knew him once defil'd Though from without he often Temptings had As Man while he conversed with the Bad Yet with contempt and a most brave disdaine He past them by not soyled with one staine For as the Sunne the worlds faire radiant Eye Doth Dunghils touch and stinking Jakes survey And yet his Beames escape from tainting free So this blest Youth though he did daily see Notorious sinnes and Beast-like filthinesse Himselfe he kept untoucht from wickednesse He labour'd oft in Childing woman-wise Of our fraile Passions and infirmities He had as Man our Naturall Affects But yet without Excesses or defects And not as we orecome with their delight Or seeming Good or spurr'd on with despight In midst of Darkenesse shone Divinest Light Errour he turn'd to knowledge wrong to Right The words contempt he changed into Grace Fables to Truth our slips to surer pace He did exchange our Lustfull sports to sorrow And on to worke our Humane Natures borrow For Lazarus he shed forth Teares of Griefe And he much Griev'd for Salems unbeleefe Ambition did his Man-heads Fancies raise But that Flight was to raise his Fathers praise His High desires stretcht plyant Soules to win To blissefull Joyes from Sathan death and sinne His mounting sparkes to Magnanimity Extended mixt with zeale and Charity His lofty thoughts aspir'd but to the Crosse That Theater which ransom'd Adams losse He Chastly long'd yea and he lusted too With flames of Love for he the Church did wooe He sought her Love with zealous Oracles Sometimes with teares sometimes with Miracles He Coveted for wealth not worldly wealth But for Eternall Goods mens saving Health He felt within his Soules essentiall Parts Great Joy to heare of True Beleevers hearts For barbed Steed he chose a bare-backt Asse Fishers for Mates for Pallace the Low Grasse He burn'd with wrath when he drove from Gods House Those Huckesters out whom he with whips did touze But his short wrath converted into zeale Not for Revenge but for the sinners weale He seem'd to grudge or Envy at the Priests Because he saw them live like Antichrists He much repin'd that Purenesse went to wracke That Satans sway did keepe Gods Kingdome backe He languished with Feares and Agonies The night before his deaths Extremities But those deepe Feares sprung of weake natures sense Not of Despaire or want of Innocence So from our Passions Christ as Mithridate Of Vipers wrought good Motions New begat For Jewish Thalmuds he the Gospel taught For their Old
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
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
Frogs or Locusts wast our meanes of Light When the Baptiz'd our New mans Gifts do slight And sell mens Soules when one betrayes another And of Christs flocke the Brother hurts the Brother When Children to their Sires rebellious prove And Wives to Husbands faile in mutuall Love These tearing Vnions Bond by loves divorce Those razing Natures Fort without remorce When both these States the Churches mysticke type Each other cloy with Tares or fruite unripe When men create New Christs both here there Or then in Heaven Christs body seeke elsewhere When his bright Light shines in the utmost West Which like to Lightning rose first from the East When most mens zeale shall frozen be and cold Then every houre looke for the End foretold Which End steales on like Daniels desolations Or Noahs Flood which overtooke all Nations Whilst they were feasting like our Libertines Who slight these Flames as they those Crystall signes Heed Readers then your Monitors advise And scorne not this his Servants Sacrifice Other good Rules to us Christ left behind To cleare the sight of the most sinfull blind And those in solid words more comprehending In one short Parable more by descending From Generals to formes Particular Conducting Saints to the Archangels war With easie steps and edifying phraze More than by thorny doubts Meanders maze Which course if Preachers now adayes would trace With Catechizing Lectures to make place For Seed to spring not halfe so many Tares Would choke pure-seeded hearts with worldly cares If in their Sermons to the simpler sort They leave to canvase and to make report Of matters past their reach and Apprehensions Or such deepe points which might provoke contentions As Gods Essentiall Forme Pelagian doubts The Soules Free-will hels place or whereabouts Departed Saints are seated till Doomes-day And not the Pulpit beate with an Affray On Bellarmine and other Clerkes unknowne WhoÌ„ they with Latine there would tumble down If they shoot not Wits Squibs against the Truth Nor Legend-dreames to sindge the eares of Youth If they Preach nothing but Christ Crucified And saving Faith sinne would lye mortifyed Their zeale would spring if they with zealous mood Expound Christs Gospell to be understood Men would repent sinnes Baites if they disgrace Dividing the Lawes Thunder from mild Grace Some kind of sinnes which daily he beheld Committed by poore humble Soules he held More veniall of compassionate regard He pittyed them and their petitions heard If with Contritions Grones they did lament And of their sinnes unfainedly repent To shew his Love unto the Convertite To lift up Soules from discontented plight And that none should despaire of Clemency He did these short similitudes apply A man had lost one sheepe of many score But finding it with toyle rejoyced more Than for the rest which never stray'd at all From their owne Ranke his whistle or his call A Woman next he cited who did boast More of one silver peece which she had lost And after search recovered then of nine Left in her purse that never made her whine For further proofe he brought the Prodigall Who spent his meanes both use and Principall Most lavishly yet afterwards Repenting With teares he found his Fathers hearts relenting That his Returne a New-man from a Beast He welcom'd with a Calfe and made a Feast Such Joy Christ said transports the Angels Quire When men Repent and seeke their Heavenly Sire They triumph more for One poore Convertite Then for lesse Strayes or more in life upright So pittifull was Christ that to unfold His Love Remorce and mercies manifold Were endlesse paines above Capacity Of Humane wit clog'd with Infirmity As may appeare by that Adulteresse Led by the Scribes when seeing her heavinesse He bad her to goe home and sinne no more And when himself stood tortur'd at deaths doore He comforted the Theefe with Paradise Because he askt for Grace with dolefull eyes But for the Higher sort who proudly dar'd Maskt under Lawes pretence with burdens hard To Tyrannize upon mens Consciences And by Schoole Quirkes or wrested sentencâ—s Of Scripture to molest the Churches union Those with a woe he doomed for disunion With such who force the gift of Chastity Unlesse God gave it on Humanity Who barring Saints Gods Im age to beget Would weave for foule Asmodâ—eus Priests a Net Christ utterly mislikt such Scandalists Like them who dare beyond Religions Lists As petty Kings to Lord it by their gripes Wounding the Poore worthy of many stripes Those he Judg'd to be for above all sins Then raigning strong and whereby Satan wins Most in our Age smooth-fac'd Hypocrisy He loathed as foule thoughts Soules Leprosie Eight severall woes therefore against the Scribes He thundred for their hollow deeds and Bribes Who knew his Masters will and did it not But wilfully would loyter play or plot Some lewd designe against his Masters profit Or saw his losse and not informes him of it Such witting slaves he sentenced to be Worthy of smart in a most high degree It griev'd him much to see Wisemen contend Like Ideots and fond children to no end For shaddowes on the wall for Dignity Short lasting Pompe for so true Liberty Quite losing through their Pride and vaine desires They quench the flame of Intellectuall fires Christ saw these Flashes Dreames and Fooleries And oft lamented them with weeping eyes To shun therefore Gods wrath and to fulfill While we on earth survive his Fathers will Of force we must he said forsake our owne Though dearest Lusts and tread Temptations downe We must take up his Crosse and that prefer As Heavens doore and our Remembrancer Before our Parents Children or Alliance And on his Blood to fixe our whole Affiance To Penitents through Faith hee preach't Remission Of sinnes but Plagues for temporiz'd omission The which with Teares hee Prophesied would light For wilfull sinne on every faithlesse wight This Judgement on Jerusalem foretold By Romes proud Conquests afterwards tooke hold When Abrahams seed the Circumcized Ligne Were quite expulst the Land of Palestine And sithence we the Christians of the West Yea and the East whom Infidels molest Have felt for sinne Gods Plagues of Vengeance due And shall feele worse unlesse we change our hue With better Leaven then the Pharisees Our Faith like ill bak't bread soone putrifies O hardned hearts O most unhappy men How oft sought Christ like to a carefull Hen Her wandring Chickens or a loving Brother To reunite your strayes and wrongs to smother How oft likewise hath he recalled home Into his Flocke our Westerne Christendome God grant our Bâ—itaines may regard this pittance These crummes of mine not slighting their admittance Into his Fold least Antichristian foule Devoure their seed and their New man controule Lest for their want of Faiths Lampe-oyle in Heaven They be like to the Foolish Virgins driven From the Kings Feast or that they hide their Talents Or they shut out for want of wedding rayments Or like those Clownes who their Lords
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
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
then hope to shew a Converts Love And to my Lord a constant Soule yet prove But though salt teares doe faile sighs shall abound Which with my Heart well-nigh in sorrowes drown'd I once againe present to thee Dread Lord And without shift here of mine owne accord I humbly doe confesse my grievous crimes For which I merit Hell unlesse betimes It please thy Grace some pitty to extend On me vile wretch my weake thoughts to bend Towards thy Lawes forgiving what is past That my sinnes be from thy memorials rack't The which I begge for thy Sonne Jesus sake Whom I henceforth will never more forsake Thus poore Saint Peter bitterly complain'd And liv'd to Christ a servitour unfaign'd Chiefe Elder of that memorable Towne Where by that Name first Christian men were known One of the Prime Apostles in Commission With James and others for all doubts decision Toyling with them to feed the New-mans flocke Which built their Faith upon the Living Rocke Which Pastours place he did so well improve That all true Saints Saint Peters deeds approve Nay he that roome did since so well discharge That roaming Rome doates on Saint Peters charge And till this day to gratifie his Fame Our chiefest Townes hold Temples of his Name This happy Lot did to this Saint befall Whereas the Traitor Judas by his Fall Exemplifies to us what Carnall Scribes Shall reape at last for their Truth-choaking bribes For sale of Soules and what great dangersly For them in store who plot most wickedly Good Christians ruines hir'd for Golden Fees To play the Waspes by wronging painfull Bees But we have now more sobs of griefe to vent For Pilates Doome recalls us to lament Scarce did the day sad Frydayes Morne begin To dawne when that about their Bloody Sin The Clergie met consulted and arraign'd Of Treason Christ with Accusations faign'd Nor paused they too long what should become Of him They had already read his Doome That Christ should dye for their whole Nations good Lest his New sect might put downe Levies Brood And to this end soone as the Sun had rose Because they would not the least minute lose Themselves not daring on that Sabbaths Eve Him to condemne lest they their Nation grieve Or scandalize for sitting then on Blood When they should more prepare to do some good They Jesus led to Caesars Judgement Hall Who had reserv'd Offences Capitall Such as concerned not Religions Breach Or their Misdeeds who did false Doctrine teach To be heard by his President alone To Pilate there with glozing bitter mone They Christ accus'd how he himselfe a King Had styl'd to Caesars wrong About which thing When Jesus was demaunded he stood mute Griev'd at his Nations spite loath to dispute Or make his power knowne unto his Foes For whose Salvation he resolv'd those woes To undergoe and his deare Blood to give In Sacrifice for them that would believe But when the Judge had oft to him reply'd He said that never he on Man reli'd His Kingdome was not earthly but Divine To which high Orbe he did his thoughts confine Which by this signe and Argument he prov'd For if he were a King on Earth belov'd His Armed troopes his Scepter would defend Whereas the cause which made him to descend From Heaven downe was Sacred Truth to shew To sinfull men who for Gods Grace would sue Truth was to Pilates Eares so rare divine And mysticke that he could not it define But askt him what Truth was yet would not stay To heare it blaz'd but wondring went away And told the Jewes I find no heinous fault No Treason Theft no Criminall assault Nor crying sinne In utt'ring of which speech One whispred him his Wife did him beseech As he himselfe did love not to proceed In Judgement against Christ for any deed Pretended by the Jewes but to take heed Of their false Bills It makes my heart to bleed Said she to thinke what troubles most extreame I for his sake have suffred in a Dreame This Message I scarce risen from my Bed Have sent to thee lest that thou be misled To yeild consent for shedding guiltlesse blood Therefore for mine and for thy Future Good Be not severe against that Righteous man When Pilate did this dreame and message scan And knew the Priests had of meere Envy brought Jesus before him without cause he sought By all faire meanes to free him from their spite And him of causelesse Treason to acquite Feare pitty fraud wrought on his Policy But Fraud at last got the supremacy And thereupon he shifted for a while To lengthen out the cause or them beguile To satisfie his Wife or else to brew A plot to make the Envious King to rue To curry favour or to Complement Because he was of Herods Government At Nazareth bred up in Galilee That part which Caesarâ—â—yl'd â—â—yl'd the Tetrarchy Who at that time lay in Jerusalem He Christ transferr'd to him and caused them What circumstance or proofe that might conduce Before the Tetrarchs Throne there to produce And to obey what Herod would adjudge Whom you shall find quoth he a Meeter Judge A man that Better knowes your Countries Laws Than I a stranger doe shew him the cause Herod seem'd glad at first the Man to see Of whom he heard such Fame in Galilee Or that John Baptist was rose up againe Whom for a Dauncing wench he late had slaine In hope he might behold some Miracle Wrought in his sight or heare some Oracle Which might delight his curious carnall sence With Courtly Newes or Projects excellence But finding Christ in outward habit plaine Of sad aspect and that he could not gaine What he desir'd from him to see or heare With Thankes to Pilate now his Friend most deare By this late act of tendred Amity For till that time both liv'd in enmity He sent Christ backe to the Pretorian Barre Despis'd by him his Guard and men of warre Yet morall-wise betokening Innocence They veil'd the Lambe in white and packt him thence Thus was the Lambe of God Mens Saviour tost By wicked men from pillar unto post When that Romes Praetour saw he must content Or move the Jewes to wrath or discontent And thinking that some corporall correction Might qualifie their spleene or Insurrection He scourged him But that they deem'd too light For they like Dragons gap'd his blood outright To sucke Yet Pilate seem'd to calme their spite Like to those rash and partiall Politicians Who punish Saints to pleasure Antichristians Because they had a Customary Right Or Indulgence to bleare the vulgars sight To pardon one against that Festivall He sought to save or else to make reprivall Of Jesus But they all cry'd out amaine Not him but Barrabas Jesus in vaine Thou offrest us for this man may amend If Jesus scape thou art not Caesars friend This Barrabas was a notorious Thiefe With murther stain'd the more was Pilates griefe For of the both he Jesus favoured Yet seeing their
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
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
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
the Birth of the Arabian Bird With Golden wings from Ashes Pile they gird They see huge Pompions of small seedes renew Yet they make doubt that men shall Rise anew They see the Salamander in the Flame Unscorched lives yet they are void of shame Some in our Time quite dead againe have liv'd By Miracle and some by drinks reviv'd Yea when the Bird out of the Cage did roame The Soule reverted back into her home In heavy sleepe they feele the Soule to range And yet they doubt of the Immortall change But thou hast sent O bright Celestiall Light Into our thoughts a Guest to teach us right O sacred Faith our Charter Aarons Rod Great wonder-worker betwixt Soules and God The chiefest Barre betwixt our Sinnes and Hell The Quintessence of Flowrs of sweetest smell Faith conquers all Mountaines of Sinnes removes Makes Lions Lambes and Kites more mild then Doves And may be styl'd the Gospells Golden Glosse To know aright the meaning of the Crosse. This is that Rock unseen with Carnall Eyes Whereon our Church stands firme in spite of Spies Late sent from Hell Christs Building to deface And with false Newes disperst to darken Grace This is our New mans sure and constant Rock Whose sense from Lambs old Reynard seekes to lock This pretious Gift we gaine from Grace above â—ut flyes away if we prophane Gods Love â—lipsing it on the Lords glorious day â—ith worldly mist false Fire or Heathnish play â—he old Mans Tricks his stale and stinking Leaven For if that Day we Rest not we lose Heaven I meane from Gaine Lust and unlawfull Playes Or Worke which might be done on other dayes We must refrayne and our owne Carnall wayes Set farre behinde the course of Sabbath dayes Except our Mother Church which holds the Keyes To binde or loose dispence with Exercise Or with some harmles Joyes at vacant howres To sweeten Cares and raise the vitall Powres Which might grow drowzie sad or drooping dry For want of Motion and due Symmetry Provided that the Soules chiefe faculties Be not betwitcht too much with vanities And that our sportes or Recreations bee From Spleen or Gâ—ll Bibbing or swearing free That we rejoyce in presence of the Lord Like Man and Wife of one minde and Accord Provided that what Money we shall Play Or hap to winne we count it lent away And so Conferre it to avoyd Abuse For mending wayes the Church or Lazars use But in this Point let Saints be circumspect Lest at their Play the Serpent them infect Provided still we may Advantage winne On that set day to put downe Raigning Sinne And glorify with mutuall one Accord And holy Hearts our Sabbaths gracious Lord Who knowes that Man is full of Imperfections And by degrees must climbe to more Perfections So have I seene some Children from the Dugges By leasure wean'd then terrify'd with Bugges From screaming lowd and afterwards with Bells Appeas'd like Angry Bees untill their Yelles They quite left off ashamed of their Folly And grew in time more stayd devout and Holy So I have know'n where men were most Precise In Forraigne Partes that some did exercise At Buttes with Arrowes or with Bullets Play Between the Sermon While on this High day The like Effects our Elders Tolerations May bring to passe amidst our Profanations That when our sweaty Hobs have daunc'd their fill They and their Marians mount to Sions Hill Or else deferre their Games and Alchouse Bowles â—ill sacred Liquour hath bedew'd their Soules â—or then I hope our New man will extend â—is quickning Heat that their Old man will bend â—nd stoope like Josephs Brethren overcome â—ith th'Awfull splendour of succeeding Doome â—hat shall inflicted be on Libertines â—or slighting Prophets and their sacred lines 〈◊〉 their abuse of Christian Liberty 〈◊〉 causing scandall with Impiety â—or keeping back Gods Tythes and starving those Who might Soul-fed our Sabbaths Foes oppose O would my words might pierce into the Flint And strike remorse with Numbers feeling dint In them who to support their Pride ingrosse The Meanes whereby ensues the Churches Losse In them that put no cautious difference Betwixt the Lords and other Dayes in sence Good ends and use like those who sometimes fed On the Lords Body as on Common Bread But leaving these like Achans to themselves Or to be rankt among the Fairy Elves I hope the Gospells Light which now shines bright In Brittaines Ile will so confound the Night Of misty sinnes that we shall shunne the Rock Of Scandall and be grafted in one stock As Members of our All-puissant Head Whose Ten-fold Lawes the greatest States must dread And by their Light twixt Motion Love and 〈◊〉 Cause Lesser Starres like Charles his Waine to draw That Head and Parts may joine in unity While Charles his Name renewes whole Charity Membra Caputque ligant Charites quas Carolus ambiâ— Dum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 renovat Rex nomen omen Blest be that Light which late in Oxford shone And there Inspir'd faire Englands Royall Throne Our Carriers Carts and Wayne-men to restraine Who sullied Sabbath dayes for greedy Gaine Blest be that Act which served for a Charme Amidst our vowes to stay Gods Thundring Arme That scar'd from Westminster our Parliament With Fiery dartes and Arrowes Pestilent No strict Edict could cease the Dismall knells No Judges Writ could stay sad Londons Bells No Golden Fee the Soule of Eloquence Could further Suits against the Pestilence Our Gallants then so for their Out-side styl'd Thence hurryed fast away like Creatures wilde The Courtiers fled so did Rich Londoners The Coachmen fled so did the Waggoners Both Sexes fled yea Men of all degrees Grave-diggers Gaine downe waigh'd the Lawyers Fees Though sithence some complain'd of Fees abate For many weekely Graves but few of late Our Fashions Beauties and daub'd Jezabels Tooke then for Fiends the Noise of Tolling Bells Few stay'd behind save some in hope of Gaine Or those for Christ who shrunkt not to be slaine Nay they who bragg'd of Aromatick Pots Cures for the Poxe and soveraigne Antidotes Against the Plague then brookt not London streets Lest they might daunce the winding of the Sheets But now attend a Wonder great I tell Which thousands can as yet remember well Assoone as that New Act came published The Plague abated and few perished This an Eye-witnesse of their Desolations Their Trades Decrease their Woes and Lamentations In that great Citty where the Sicknesse raign'd I then their Guest undaunted not constrain'd Do testify for our Preservers prayse And to reclaime them who shall read these Layes With Dalilaes from dallying over-long Their sweetest sinnes I meane Gods day to wrong Gods day of Rest his Wonders to display Gods day for mans best part Soules Holy-day On which High day the Spirits Gate stands ope And we may then for store of Graces hope Iâ—t not absurd New sweet Wine to put in Old Butts not first well purified within And