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
left for his New Church to trace God grant that they may sink with some remorce Into our Hearts and that they Nature force With her proud wanton brats to lay aside Our pranks and view what from our Saviours side Two-fold besides his Hands and Feete did slow That to Christs Yoke they by those signes may bow An easie yoke if on those double Rillets They humbly poare without vaine quirkes and quillets If inwardly his Crosse they muse upon As Mary did with dolefull teares and John While Natures Light the New mans Glory lay Thus on the Crosse in dolefull paines dismay The Sunnes Noone-light mourn'd for such cruelty From twelve to three with Sable Canopy At sight whereof Romes fierce Centurion quakt And like to Aspen leaves most Newtrals shakt Note here the Nature of the Clay and Waxe The one turnes hard the other soft doth waxe By the Sunnes Heate or Fire And so were then The lookers on some mild some hardned men Some mollifyed by Grace griev'd with remorce Some scorch'd by fiends yell'd out till they were hoarse Chiefly some Scribes were hardned more more For they Christ still derided as before Though Nature did her childrens deeds deplore Some 〈◊〉 necked Jewes held on with taunts to gore The fainting Lambe Now if thou he Gods Sonne Come downe from thence or else thy Fame is done Where are become thy famous Miracles Thy latest vaunts stupendious Oracles That Gods faire Temple ruinâ—d to the ground Thou in three daies couldst build it up more sound Physitiâ—n heale thy selfe Couldst others cure And raise to life and not thine owne assure Some mockt his comming forth from Galilee His Native home suppos'd Hurle downe the Tree Great Nazariâ—e and teare those boring Nailes Which trouble thee At him another railes Couldst thou a man from death to life restore Which in the Grave had laine foure dayes before And canst not now thy dearest selfe redeeme Thus did they like mad Bedlems scoffe skream While the poore Lamb almost brought to despaire Soules by his Crosse and patience to repaire Perplext as well for their obduracy Of heart as for their foule conspiracy Like a Childing Woman o'recome with Throes He cryed out in height of all his woes Borne downe with waight of mans mortallity His Fathers wrath his Nations Cruelty And prest with Satans threats of Tyranny Eli Eli Lamasabachthani In English why hast thou forsaken me My God my God When I forsake not thee Some hearing that and doth our Great Messias Vouchsafe said they to call upon Elias Well let him come and save this Royall man With Fatall Fire from Heaven if he can Neere to deaths point he made his Mone I thirst That is for Soules Salvation which accurst By Justice stand in a suspended plight Like to be chain'd with Spirits of the night Unlesse O Father this my Sacrifice Thou wilt accept to purge their damned vice But his leud Foes with unrelenting Gall In stead of drinke to quench his thirst withall Soone dipt a Spunge in gally vinegar Which on a Reed reacht him although eager And bitter too he tasted to fulfill The Prophesie as thereby Lust to kill In Adams Seed and likewise to distaste The Fatall Apples sweete delicious taste Since now all needfull things for Humane good Christ had fulfill'd by shedding of his Blood Which through his Nailed Hands and Feete did streame With paine in Soule and Body most extreame The New-mans Offring powr'd out to asswage Gods wrath conceiv'd against the Old mans rage And knowing that all Prophesies relation Were to the bottome brought by his Oblation He said Now all is at a finall End Into thy hands O Father I commend My Spirit O forgive this Crying sinne Which they of Blindnesse are now plunged in At which Last words groan'd out with Sacred breath The Lambe of God mens Saviour seal'd his death Assoone as He had yeelded up the Ghost Whilst at his death the rout insulted most Blacke hideous clouds which had begunne before Quite dimm'd the Sunne The Earth then labour'd sore As if her wombe some uncouth Birth would vent Her Center shooke with Throes so violent That Salems Temple veile asunder cleft A signe that Levies brood should be bereft Of the Holy of Holies by Entaile The High Priests roome and parted by that vaile Then rent so that the vulgar gazed on The Mysticks hid and Tetragrammaton With great Jehovahs Name which Satan feares They saw disclosed in Hebrew Characters This Rupture chanc'd soone as by Pilates Tâ—â—ine Our Prince Messias on the Crosse was slaine When Nature was or Natures God perplext As one then glossd at Athens on the Text Of this Eclipse if Credit be to Greekes But Holy Writ informes us that with shriekes Some Jewes that saw those signes disclaim'd their crimes And beating of their brests bewail'd the Times Others stood still and lookt on him with feare When they beheld his side pierc'd with a speare God grant their race which roam as yet like Cain May turne to Christ and so redeeme their staine Preferring more the Crosse than Aarons Riâ—es Christs living Temple more than Carnall sights Now yee that read or heare this Tragedy Tell me did any man more causelesse dye If ye retaine a sympathyzing sense With ours on Earth and know what past from hence Yee Passengers who saw that bloody day Was any griefe like his declare I pray That harmelesse Soules should for leud soules attaint Be pain'd deserves a pitteous sad complaint When faithfull Pythias should for Damon dye A Tyranâ— could not brooke that Tragedy But that Gods Sonne to free men from hell-â—â—ares Should suffer death might Tygers more to â—â—ares His Cares transcend all mens Capacity His Love surmounts Seraphicke Charity O thinke on Christ his Passion sinnefull Man What here I pen'd with understanding scan And never let his Bloody Crosse depart By worldly charmes or wiles out of thy Heart But every day in spite of tempting vice Thinke on the Crosse the New mans Sacrifice How he spent yeares Man to regenerate Who did the World but in few Daies Create Thinke how He dy'd to ransome us from Death By whose sweet Word man first receiv'd his breath At Evening tide on this their Sabbaths Eve Among the Jewes who then for Christ did grieve One Joseph was of Arimatheas Towne An upright Man a Counsellour well knowne In Salem for his zeale good deeds and wealth One that Believ'd but as it were by stealth In visits close for feare of Factious Scribes Which in those dayes possest the Jewish Tribes With doubtfull Schismes He griev'd the Priests to see So fierce and so unnaturall to be Like to those Cains Spaines Inquisitions bounds Who trounce poore Soules beyond Religions bounds As to complot the murther of their Brother But now his griefe he could no longer smother Undauntedly not caring to be shent He for Christs Body unto Pilate went Entreating him that from the Crosse he might Remove the same and bury it in
then he would restore To Israel the Kingdome as before Forgetfull so of Jesus Crucifixt Were they and to a Carnall Monarch fixt Whereto Christ answer'd It concernes not you To know the times and seasons which ensue Such secrecies the Father doth reserve Unto himselfe Do you my words observe Who am your King the Head of humane-kind As I to you so to my Flock be kinde My Gospell Preach the weak ones Catechize See that my Sheepe yee feed my Lambes Baptize Invoking on as you have learn'd of me The Father Sonne and Holy Ghost all three Which Last shall shortly you Baptize with Fire As John with Water and your Soules inspire As Gods Viceroy or Angell of the Lord By Heat of what I taught the saving word Untill I come in Person from Above See that yee Watch and one another Love Such or like words when Christ had fully ended He in a Cloud up to the Heavens ascended Where he as God and Man all thoughts beholds Preferred by the Father and there holds As Man for Men a Mediatours place On Gods right hand Saints joyfull to imbrace As God and Man Paules Fury he did fright As God and Man Saint Steven saw his Light So did Saint John from Pathmos see his glory When he reveal'd his future Churches story By Visions have some others ravisht beene That they from Earth his Power there have seen For had we seen him here with Carnall sight Our Darknesse could not comprehend his light Whilst his Disciples there with carefull Eyes Watcht as he went two Angells humane-wise Apparell'd white appearing to them said Yee Galileans why are yee dismai'd Why gaze yee up This Jesus who is hence To Heaven gone shall so returne from thence Seeke not therefore his reall presence heere On Earth untill as Judge he do appeare Meane time on Gods right hand a Prince and Priest He raignes and doeth you in your vowes assist On Whitsunday next after Christs ascent He ravisht his Disciples with content Who then attended at Jerusalem For the last promise which he made to them That he would send Gods Spirit in his steed To rectify and ayde them in their need And while the world should last his Church informe In some or other place with wondrous Forme When that high feast of Pentecost was come And for that end they meeting in one Roome With one consent there fell a bustling noise Or suddaine sound replete with stirring joyes As of a mighty Breath and rushing Wind Which fill'd the House and wonder-rapt the mind For Cloven Tongues appear'd to them like Fire And sate on each of them and did inspire Their Soules with giftes of the great Holy Ghost So that the Standers by of Aliens Coast Astonisht were th'Apostles joyes to heare Men of a diff'rent Tongue and Climate there Poore Hebrew Fishermen that never went Far out of Jewry Land extatick bent With them in their owne Language to agree And in their zeale to God to be so free And fluent of their Phrase that Babels Breach Seem'd reconcil'd by their harmonious speech Some thought they were like Bardhs Enthusian rapt Or that strong Wine in them such Blabs had clapt That men before the third houre of the day Should rave with Wine they wondred with dismay They were amaz'd till Peter made it knowne That for Christs sake God sent this wonder downe Not for Mad fits but for Soules joyfull feast God sent the Holy Ghost this wondrous Guest O Wondrous Guest that vents forth Abbaes Cry Within the Heart the will and memorie O wondrous Guest the Heavens Harbinger That scornes not to become the Messenger Betwixt our Soules and God to beare our Love And our weak Faith to strengthen and improve That sever'd Earth from Chaos medley Puddle And rays'd our Orbe out of the lumpish Huddle And though the Earth were heavy hung it faire With store of stuffe in the loose fleeting Aire This is that Prime and ever quickning Mover Of all the world Angells and Mens approver That spirit which through all Gods Prophets spoke Which taught the sense of Mysticks to unlock Which clear'd the Wits of simple Fishermen To preach those Newes which Doctours fayl'd to pen Which rulâ—d in every Age since Christs Ascent The Church and dayly yeelds Soule-nourishment Which at our feast Christs Body doeth convay Into our Hearts by his Spirituall way Which sent the gift of Printing now of late Old Babels spelles and mists to dissipate And by the Word to rescue Thralles from death As he at first the gift of Tongues did breath Which animates the Saints with courage rare In midst of Tortures Tyrants to out dare Which glads the Lowly and the Penitent And thousands doth unite in one Consent Of Christian Faith though sundred much in place Tongues rites or forme yet one in sacred race O Holy-ghost how strange is thy proceeding Angells and mens capacities exceeding No pen can limne thy Raptures most profound No humane voice can thy hid Graces sound One thing I blunder out what thou conceal'st From carnall Clarkes to Children thou reveal'st Then let my Soule O Lord be like these last Whilst others feast on Peacocks let me fast Or tast no other Food but what conduces To praise thy Name without prophane abuses And let all them who view these humble Lines Prove better'd in their thoughts with contrite signes If the old man they labour to deface And do their best the new man to imbrace Not like our moderne Gulles who grow Profane Lest they be markt with brand of Puritane Let us Gods Spirit by these Wonders seeke These Wonders wrought the first day of the Weeke Our sevenths Light now styled The Lords day Thrice hallowed and sanctifi'd for Ay For this rare Blisse to Christian Soules accrewes That Christ his rising up their hopes renewes To Rise like him ingrafted in his stock To quench their thirst with him the living Rock To bud a new as Branches of his Vine To feed on Angells food his word divine He led the way to Resurrections blisse And us invites to follow him in this High flight without diverting towards Earth But with due care of the new Spirits Birth Our former resurrection in this Life To gaine th' immortall prize through strong beliefe With those true joyes which did but Monarchs know They would foregoe their Crownes the same to ow A glimpse whereof for undestanding Soules Wee read by John reveal'd in mystick scroules With those delights wreathes and immunities Which God allots to Saints in Paradise But for the Temper Place Degrees or Site No Astrolabe nor Braine of worldly wight Can apprehend the height Dimension Rayes Unlesse they fall on false Poetick wayes Yet Paradise some to the Moone confine And there to be another World define Of moving Groves by Galilees late Glasse Where Apuleius found his Golden Asse Whence likewise came Dame Errours Charmed Lamp Which kindled Legends of th' Elisian Camp And Limboes field which Royall James to hit False Dreamers home
That they who at thy Table feed In spirit must Christs Passion heed O let us then with Holy Traunâ—e From Carnall sense our Thoughts advance Let Christ behold us in the West Like to those Wise men of the East Greeting his Crosse and his Vprising As they his Birth and Manger Prizing Let Christ our vowes of Thankes behold Our Faith more Pure then Ophirs Gold Our Hearts more bruis'd then Myrrhes Perfume Our Love more sweet then Incense-fume This good Advise we will ingrosse Within our Soules and mount the Crosse. His Crosse we feele But now we heare An Angell say He is not here Christ whom yee seek is Risen up Having now made your Foes to stoup Untill Doomesday his Body none Shall see on Earth for he is gone To Heaven There behold your Christ On Gods Right hand a King a Priest An Advocate without a Fee Pleading to have Faiths Household free Draw neere his Throne and without doubt The Golden Scepter he holds out He will extend his Spirits Grace Whilst yee in Spirit seek his Face Not wresting your Soule-Feast more reall Then Paul who termes it Christs Memoriall This Traunce stirres up true Saints to Joy Like Him who though an Embryon Boy Within the Wombe seem'd to rejoice Soone as his Damme heard Maries voice The Babe did spring and so do we At our Soule-feast with Jubilee Unto the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost Be Prayse both here and throughout every coast As of Old time hath been is now their due And ever shall in Heaven and Earth renew Let Heaven and Earth by Angells Saints and Men To God rebound with Glories sound Amen The New mans Song of Thanksgiving after our Ordinary Meales 1. THe Lord be Blest who gave us Food In season for the Bodyes Good Our God be prais'd for evermore Who our desires supply'd with store Of Meat and Drinke more then would serve For Natures use or we deserve No Need we feele no want we know So doth the Lord his Giftes bestow 2. He never leaves his Saints in need But Carks for them and for their Seed He leaves them not with Beggers shame To starve if they call on his Name He taught them how to blesse their Meate By giving Thankes for what they Eate No Need we feele c. 3. Unto his Flock just Abrams stock He Water gave out of the Rock With Manna fill'd their Hungry Mawes And Cloyd with Quayles their longing Crawes He Car'd for Ravens and their Breed And Ravens made Elias feed No need we feele c. 4. He David holpe in Banishment He Daniel made with Pulse content He with wilde Fruit did John sustaine And his Elect from Dearth maintaine He Thousands in the Desert fed With a few Fish and Loaves of Bread No need we feele c. 5. One Day He sends us store of Flesh Another time Fish salt and Flesh And commonly Bread Ale and Beere Milke Fruite and Wine our Hearts to cheere Yea Junckets fetcht from Sun-burnt Spaine Which do too oft our Tables staine No need we feele c. 6. How Gratious is Almighty God Unto vile Man an Earthly Clod Thus to provide and Carke for him That oft himselfe filles to the Brimme With more then serves for Nourishment For hungers sauce or Soules content No need we feele c. 7. God graunt that we his Creatures use Do Thankfull take without abuse Not loathing them as over-cloyd Nor them devouring over-joy'd That as of Need Saints toyle for Wealth So we Feast not for Lust but Health No need we feele no want we know So doth the Lord his Giftes bestow The New mans Triumph in English and Latine measures presented to the Kings most excellent Majesty WHo Christ his Birth Life Death and Rising up From Death to Life observes He soone shall stoup And quash the plots of Hells black Darkned Troup And likewise make the Outward man to droup With all his false Designes and fond Conceits Sprung from the Flesh or from the Worlds Deceites For as the Morning spreades the Dawning Light So Faith by Teaching shines and Daunts the Might Of that Huge Whale which waites with triple throat To swallow Soules as Preyes of Chiefest Note So much new Light spreades by the Gospells sound They now prayse Christ who were in Fetters bound And Sinnes keen Edge wherewith the Divell was wont To boare our Hearts turnes on the suddaine blunt And so remaines unlesse they grinde againe Their Augurs on the Whetstone of the Braine But how fares then our Souldier in that plight With Davids sling he doth the Monster smite Whether the Fiend within or from without Shootes Fire he doth for Christ stand bravely out For at the Broile his Inward Guardian springs Baptiz'd Fire-sindg'd and Grac'd mith Burnisht wings Of mounting zeale who thus the Triumph sings O happy wight which hath escapt the stings Of Mortall Jarres who though he understood His Foes Allures yet loath'd them and their brood O happy Soule which dar'd with Saints to side Against Gods Foes the Luciferian side Whom with Christs Merits arm'd nor swelling Tide Nor fiery Triall could from Christ divide Whom neither Charmes nor yet a thousand Braves Could terrify nor yet the rowling waves But to safe Port with Joy she brings the Crosse And Christ his Ship which Pirats did ingrosse Where she with Saints the Crosse Triumphant reares That Crosse which Saints on Earth have wonne â—ith Teares Happy is he who brooks a wrong-attaint For by the Crosse he lives a Canon'd Saint A Name indeed which overtops so farre The highest Spire or style of worldly Starre As doth Gods Grace above mens sinnes abound Or the Lambes Bloud more then our Merits sound Thrice happy Man I say whom Angells greete And whom Christs Will made for that Honour meete So Happy be the Best of Kings if these Our New mans Songs to judge he gently please For with our Crosse there growes sweet Inward Ease And with Our Crowne of Thornes a wreath of Peace The same in Latine Hexameter Novi Hominis Laurea Triumphalis QVi Natalitium Vitam Miracula Mortem Et Christi Corpus Redivivum mente revolvit Ille tenebrosae reddet Molimina Gentis Irrita Conatus Hominis veterisque repellet Seu de Carne fluant seu sint Phantasmata Mundi Sicut enim radiis Primordia Mane Diei Dilatat per opaca Fides sic sparsa coruscat Tergeminumque domat Monstrum Caetumque Trifaucem Qui vorat omne pecus Praedasque absorbet opimas Tantum Numen inest Fidei ut modo Carmine Christum Compede qui vincti quondam latuere salutant Quin acuta quibus terebrabat Pectora Daemon Tela repentino fiunt obtusa reflexu Sic que hebetata manent nisi devia forte voluntas Illa super Cerebri renovet Terebrata molare Quomodo tum Miles valet in discrimine tanto Nempe studet monstrum Jaculis superare Davidis Seu vis Hostilis tonat aut Civilis amictu Fraudis in orbe furit Christo Constanter adhaeret Nam Novus ex gemina Genius Baptismatis aura Numinis afflatu Zeloque micantibus alis Nascitur intus agit victoris ille Triumphum Sic canit O Faelix qui tot Certamina vidit Illaesus qui vafra Hostis stratagemata novit Et tamen haec spernit generoso pectore Miles O Faelix qui sacra Dei Praedonibus aufert Ausus ad extremum Fidei defendere causam Contra Luciferum Meritis innixus Jesu Non scloppi reboante sono non Marte nec arte Non Pugnis non mille Minis nec territus undis Donec in optati Navem ferat ostia Portus Et Crucis abductae renovata Piacula Christo Immolet Aetherea Laudes resonante Caterva Faelix quem signat Crux Ignea Nomine Sancti Nomine Pyramidas tanto exsuper ante vel Astra Quanto Peccatis existit Gratia major Quanto Hominum Meritis Sanguis praestantior Agni Ter Felix inquam quem Christi summa Potestas Angelicos inter Coetus dignatur Honore Sic quoque tu Faelix qui nostros imbibis Hymnos Judicio sensuque pio Rex optime Regum Cum Cruce nam crescit dulce Levamen Amen Eccho Cum Spina Sertum fulget O vale Vale Eccho FINIS z This Story is largely set out in that Treatise entituled Les Comptes du monde Adventureux Imprinted at Paris 1572.
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
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
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
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
is it not Profane to Sacrifice To God before the Soule be cleans'd of Vice How many wayes may we redeeme the Times If we apply our Willes thereto betimes The Mornings prime in Prayer to the Lord We ought to Sacrifice and to record His wondrous Acts unto our Families Or Neighbours whom with Charitable Ties The Chaine of Faith hath linked in together As Fellow Saints The Noone-tide we may either In sober Meales or in Almes-giving spend The Afternoone to gentle Walkes may tend There more to prayse the Flowers variety Then Salomon in all his Royalty To suck the Hilles or fragrant Gardens Aire Or it may tend to make the Soule more faire By reading Scriptures or the Martyrs wrongs Choise Catechismes Sermons or sacred Songs To shew us zeale against a Graven Elfe Moses broke the Tables of God himselfe The like pure Flame burnt in Phinehes Soule When he with Steele foule Whoredome did controule Do we contend in Lawfull Warres debate Or in defence of our Religions state Who in Old time more constantly did brook Proud Giants scornes Or with more Patience took Their Flouts which did at his good Sermons bark Then Noe whilst he built his famous Ark Who better did Gods Chosen Souldiers guide Then Abram Josuab and the valiant David Who more resolv'd to fight in a good Cause Then the brave Maccabees for Moses Lawes Would you observe a Kings or Judges Part Their lawfull Charge grave Moses doeth impart As Subjects Dammage by their winkt at Bribes And Tyrannies old Samuels Book describes Would yee Rule well your selves a House or State These Salomon and Sirach moderate Ere Sidrach Misach and Abednego Would Idolize the Fire they undergo Nor could the Lions Den nor Medes decree From serving God enforce good Daniels Knee Do we desire to see a harmelesse Mask With Daunces Songs and Shoutes Here is a Task For our New man with David to consult And Judaes Kings whilst Incest doeth insult On that great Baptists Life from Jordan led To pay unto a Frisking Mayd his Head Comforts for Griefe wee feele in Davids Psalmes By Jeremy by Job or Tobiths Almes What wonders do the Spirits Penmen teach Perform'd by Saints beyond Dame Natures reach Do we affect to drink most wholesome Wine Go we to Cana or to Christ the Vine Where without charge both White and Red abound To cheere sad Soules while Christ his Health goes round Would wee see acted a rare Convertite Damascus shewes us Paul Christs Favorite Would we discerne the Newman in his strength The Gospell paints his Portraiture at length Would we behold She-paragons of Beauty Or of that Sexe some others False and Haughty Sara Rebecca Rachel Debora Miriam and she that nailed Sisera So Hanna Ruth Priscilla Magdalen And Philips Nunnes deserve a Prophets Pen. So Judith Ester and Susanna Chast And she within all Glorious that 's embrac't By Heavens King with Sunny Robes adorn'd Maugre the plots of men by Fiendes suborn'd Whose prayse we find blaz'd in the Canticles Extended then and since by Oracles So for her Zeale with them I parallel Christs Prophetesse the Widow Phanuel These Female sparkes invite my Soule a Guest And so the Churches Type at the Lords Feast Sweet Mary blest in the Superlative Cheeres me with her whom Zachary did wive Who brought like Sara forth in Ancient Age A Prophet to proclayme Christs Pilgrimage The Elect Lady Hulda the Prophetesse Lydia and Dorcas make a Holy Messe Then Jezabel I read and Babels Whore Both rampant bent the Church of God to gore Last Athaliaes Fate from Bloudy snares Saphiraes me from Double dealing scares As likewise do from Gadding Dinaes Fall Lots wife and Evaes Doome good Dames recall These Histories or such in Holy writ Exemplified this sacred Day befit Good Bookes advance the Newmans Sacrifice But Bad to Heathnish vice soft Braines entice Therefore let us borne of the Spirits seed Immortall scorne our Christian Mindes to feed With Tales vaine Sports or fond Lascivious Bookes Which Fiendes suggest for Soules as shining Hookes Exploites belied on Patrick Arthur Guy The Peeres of Fraunce or Spaines bald knightly Fry To the intent that from Gods word the Will Might be seduc'd t' apprehend more Ill. Arming our Mindes let us our Bodyes too The Parcels of Christs Temple not undoe With Drunken Healthes the Divells Sacrifice In these last Times nor yet Apicius-wise With various kindes of Gurmandizing Cheere Which dimmes with noysome Fumes the Spirits Cleere And the Five senses so intoxicates That Pulpits blush to see such Nodding Pates How oft saw we some at this Holy Tide More Sensuall bent then any day beside Some haunting more the Taverne then the Church Some on the Spoile some living on the Lurch And some farre more to deck their Out-side bent Then by Gods word to feele Soule-ravishment Strutting more oft to Church with Painted Wings Then to beare thence Soule-wares sacred things Yet presse I not too peevishly Precise But Christians may in comely modest wise Weare what they list so that their glittring Port Cause no offence unto the weaker sort So that their Pomp do not Devotion let I care not how in Forraigne Robes they jet What Hurrying Noise what March and rumbling Coile As if they went unto a Play or Broile Do Gallants keep wirh Coaches in the Street When they at Church should Saints most humbly greet Since God allowes to the Domestick Beast Which labour'd the sixe Dayes our Sabbaths Rest How dare they then his Creatures put to Paine More to proclaime their Pomp then Peace to gaine Such Sabbath-breakers I do greatly feare Before the Lambe preferre proud Lucifer Yet for this Clause let not the Courtly Eare Mistake my sence for I do not averre But that in their Caroach or their Sedan Without Disgust to the most Puritan The Aged Weak or those of tender feet May use what Meanes they please in Church to meet When with lowd Threates tempestuous Winds do raigne Or When the Cloudes dissolve to dropping Raine So that their Hearts be voyd of swelling Pride And that their Journey be with Christ to side Who when he did in greatest Triumph passe On Earth as Man rode on a Simple Asse Nor do I waigh such points so strict a way But Fishers Cookes and Pothecaries may Labour or save what would be cast away If on the Eve they toyle not for that Day But I could wish good Christians not to play The Epicures on the Lords Sabbath Day Causing their Cookes to dresse more Choice of Meate Then Heliogabale could digest to eat Whilst that ten Quailes or Phesants in one Dish His Pandaâ—s sauc'd with Pearle and Ambergriese God graunt that we more suting our Vocation May ruminate with serious Meditation This wholesome Feast which I have plainely drest And those New Rules which I have now exprest For Boyling Braines swelld up with Arrogance That they may stoup and feele the Spirits Traunce To do Gods Will to muse on Heavenly Joyes And not to clinche