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
so thou please 2. As thou didst drowne proud Pharaohs Host And guid'st thine owne through Marine Coast So thine Elect through every Age Thou didst preserve from Satans rage So didst thou raise to life againe Thy Prophets twaine in Sodome slaine So didst thou Lord in Judgement meete In Eighty eight the Spanish Fleete And save us then and since againe From Ruine Losse and Powder-traine Lord grant us Peace our Crosses ease Or them release if so thou please 3. Their Leaguers force thou did'st divide When we most fear'd Hels raging Tide Reforming Faith in Publicans Among the Britaines Dutch and Danes Bohemians Swethens Polanders The Swizzers French and Hollanders To counterpoize Great Babels side And by thy Word to tame her Pride Which neere hath rent her Triple Crowne When every Bird requir'd their owne Lord grant us Peace our Crosses ease Or them release if so thou please 4. O Gracious God how strange is this That thou hast cal'd blind Strayes to Blisse And didst for us New Kings beget When Old Elizaes Sunne was set The Tent she pitcht James setled sure And Charles now Raignes like Cynosure With Golden starres encircled round He doth not slight the Gospels sound But still renues the Holy Fire Bequeath'd him by his Royall Sire Lord grant us Peace our Crosses ease Or them release if so thou please 5. When Bavares Duke and Ferdinand Had yok't thy Flocke in Germane Land There rose up from the Northerne Zone A Machabee who eas'd their moane Nor is it lesse miraculous That thou hast rais'd great Bourbons House Against the Eagle to make head When Both would gripe thy Turtles dead And this diverting of their Force Spinnes Truce for us in them Remorse Lord grant us Peace our Crosses ease Or them release if so thou please 6. A thousand yeares the Fiend was curb'd And no great Plague true Saints disturb'd He made no fierce prodigious warre Till Wichliffe preacht what Berengare And former Saints had vow'd with cares Against the Masse and Mauzzimes wares But afterwards when by thy Word Some were Reform'd with Fire and Sword He then pursu'd thy New borne Flocke Because they chose Faiths living Rocke Lord grant us Peace our Crosses ease Or them release if so thou please 7. Even to this day Hels Magogs still Thy Servants racke their Blood doe spill O when shall we poore Pilgrimes be From Satans wiles and tumults free O when shall we their Period see And sing to thee our Jubilee Exempt from cares and Carnall stings O Glorious God and King of Kings Not in this world till Christ doth come In person first all Soules to doome Lord grant us Peace our Crosses ease Or them release if so thou please Amen The Fourth Dayes EXERCISE The Argument Christ having Preacht the Gospel and New-Birth Confirm'd the same by wondrous signes on Earth The Priests conspire his Death Judas revolts His Supper Bloody Sweate and sore Assaults IF I had dranke at pale Pirenes well As to the wise Bellerophon befell Or that I had Vrania for my guide I might transcend the Starres and hope to ride On the Pegasean Steed with Azur'd Reines Untill the Poles resounded with my Straines Such Lofty wishes through Poeticke guile Farre be they from my Low and trembling stile Not Phaeton nor waxe-wing'd Icarus But Lucifers and Adams Fall should scare us From mounting high to Pinacles and Towers Where Lightnings Flash where raigne the Aiery Powers Which may our Carnal thoughts blow to despaire Such mighty sway beare Spirits in the Aire Like them whose Hearts once toucht with hallowed Fire Have quencht the Flame by ruffâ—ing to aspire Or like our Eves who in this Evening Age When they should kneele climbe up proud Honours stage Where Mammon they adore and Christ by halves As if Gods Grace would breathe on Golden Calves No sure his Spirit loathes Ambitious Fires But the milde Soule and humble he inspires Such as of Yore were Jewries Fishermen The Virgin Mary Anna Magdalen God will not hold him guiltlesse that presumes To touch his Ark with Flanting robes or plumes Avaunt then Gallants with your Idoll-Fumes Depart ye Ladies with your nice perfumes Kisse not Gods Sonne ye proud imperious Lords For he abhorres High lookes Bug-beares bigge-words A simple Garbe contents our Saviours Cratch Smooth glozing Termes take those who Termely catch Sad Sackeclothes weed becomes this age of Our Where Fiends unseene waite ready to devoure As lawfull spoyles our Kingdomes fairest flower This suites me plaine my Applications sowre Yet wholesome like to Lemmons in a Fever To curbe those putrid Fumes of Head and Liver Which now of late the Gentry of this Isle With Riot Pride and costly Feasts defile Then O Great Britaine take it for no wrong If I enchaunt thine eares with a meane song Not grounded on false Druydes Antique Tales But wrapt in Christ his Swathes found in Wales From that wild Place where Satans Policy Failed to tempt his Will and Phantasie Arrived then to thirty yeares of Age Our Saviour to perfect his Pilgrimage Returned backe to Galilee againe In the third lustre of Tiberius Raigne Where he on Truth at Nazareth commented But thence repuls'd the next Coast he frequented With this true Note by that respectlesse Towne No Nation heeds a Prophet of their Owne And having chose his Prime Apostles there Who to that end predestinated were He Preacht good Newes unto the true Beleeveâ— To cherish his New Church and to releeve her Good Newes indeed which thralled Soules restore To greater Grace then Adam lost before The Tree of Life that of Old Adams foiling And it of all Luxuriant Sappe dispoyling Christ did transferre to Mortall men on Earth Who hardly could beleeve the Second Birth They thought that none but an Old Serpent could Cast off his Skin and so renue his Old Inveterate New None but the Phaenix dead Could of his Ashes reare another Head With lively Parts as burnisht as the First This seem'd a worke Divine which no man durst Attempt before our Saviour made it plaine That Humane Impe must here be Graft againe And re-baptiz'd by the bright Holy Ghost Whose Name and Gifts he blaz'd through Jewries Coast. Elixirs dreame nor Pythagorean Change Could work this Feate Ghostly Willes exchange Not Sun nor Stars not Humane sâ—ed nor Sence Could breed or cause this quickning Quintessence That spirit which breath'd on the Waters crude When that earths Lumpe confused lay and rude From a thicke Chaos th' Elements did sever And with all quickning Thaw did Ice dissever Transforming what he would have new straite Harmoniously by Number Measure waight This Love-bred Flame grac'd the pure Virgins wombe And none but him such wonders great become This Doctrine Christ to Nichâ—demus taught Who then of him Soule-Consolation sought When at the bruite of his strange Miracles This Learned Scribe to heare Christs Oracles Had stole to him at Salem in the night Fearing the Factions of th' Herodians Might Who nere about that
time got Captiv'd John And through a frisking Wench slaine thereupon I heare quoth he that thou a Prophet art From Heaven sent Salvation to impart Thy Deeds import no lesse for who but One Of Gods owne Choyce or his beloved Son Can doe such workes beyond set Natures reach Or utter such deepe points as thou dost preach Enflamed with the sparkes of thy renowne Which flyes abroad throughout our spacious Towne I come to thee desirous to be taught In the true way and so to Heaven brought Our Saviour turn'd to our Faiths Alphabet And him to learne Truths A.B.C. did set Not Principles of mens Philosophy But Rules which Stony hearts doe mollify He must said Christ who will Gods Kingdome see Become New-borne and so an Infant be That saying is quoth Nichodemus strange How can I now my Ancient yeares exchange For a New Birth I shall get sooner roome In an old Tombe than in my Mothers wombe Jesus convinc'd his Errour and mistake With this reply Thou dost my speeches take In a wrong sense for truth I tell to thee None enters Heav'n nor shall Gods Kingdome see Except he be of Water and the Spirit First borne and then that place he shall inherit That part of Man borne of the Flesh is Flesh More Old than of the Spirit which is fresh Young and Gallant he which is borne hence Leads a new Life and voyd of Lusts Offence When the wind blowes thou hear'st a noyse and sound But know'st not whence it comes nor whither bound So fares it with the Holy Spirits man How he came rapt with Blisse he can not scan He knowes not how his Spirit New became By Grace unseene from the Great Spirits Flame When Nicodemus heard this Lesson rare He answered these things not likely are How can it be that Man without Commotion Of Natures sense should apprehend this Motion Of his New-Birth by the quicke Spirits Seed And grow so strong except some thing him feed Except some Rayes which we not Outward see Or God-head rap the Mind how can this be Bear'st thou a Doctours Style and dost thou teach Said Christ and know'st not this which I doe Preach I speake the Truth and what my Soule hath seene I testify yet all in vaine hath beene If when I speake of Earth youâ—le not beleeve Sure if I tell of Heaven you will grieve None ever yet that Glorious place ascended But through the word which from that Place descended Yea none comes there but who by faith on earth Beleeves Gods Word the second Adams Birth The Womans seed foretold in Paradise Who should confound the Charmers Sorceries Who was fore-doom'd to be sâ—ung in the Heele By the Old Serpent and Gods wrâ—th to feele Whom men lift up and wicked Satan stung As the Brasse-Serpent in the Desart hung Out of this Text all ye who are misled With glozing sinnes your destiny may read That no man shall behold Gods Glorious Face Unlesse by Grace Regeneration raze Sinnes aspicke stings for those stings that zeale And Love be stampt in him with Heavens Seale Unlesse we leave to serve the Old Mans Lord And hate his Life and Lawes in thought and word Unlesse we looke on Him who was lift up On Calvares Crosse and pledge him in his Cup Unlesse we leave our sinnes and to conspire Against his Saints Hell is indeed our Hire Hell is Mans Hire Except his Earthly Clod Be sanctify'd and rebaptiz'd from God His Braine Heart Tongue and Soules chiefe Faculties In one must with Christs Nature sympathize Which spight of sinne Gods Spirit soone or late By Grace effects in the Regenerate Which comes to passe by pondring Truths Record Christs Testament his Covenants and word Shunning Scandall the cause of foule offence By a pure Life Faith Love and Penitence And lastly by oft cheering up the Soule With that Repast which Nature doth controule That Mysticke Lambe unseene yet reall flesh Slaine yet living now Soules to refresh Thus doth the Holy Ghost worke and Create A new borne Babe a Soule Regenerate Ev'n He that quickned Christ in Maries wombe Will breath on him and make him then become By Motion calme unseene and secret meane Christs lively Member pure Reformed Cleane Conformed to the Head our Elder Brother Whose last command was this Love one another Now by these signes our Britaines sure may know Whether they be of his true Christian Row To be Baptiz'd without the Sacred Spirit Is surely never Heaven to Inherit They be but Nurles half Christians dwarfes or elves Nor Hot nor Cold which doe perswade themselves By Baptisme bare with Water the Communion And Outward workes to be of Saint-like union For what will our great Charters Seale availe If to performe the Covenants we faile That is to love our New mans Lord and Head Learne his New Law and a New life then lead God by Christ's death more power did restore With that Free-will which Adam lost before Grace gave to us this Supernaturall Free gift to cope with the Will Naturall This Will our New-man hath from Bondage free Because true Faith brought Bondage on his knee Which as Love-tokens each good Christian hath Left him by Grace to lead him in Christs path But if he slights this Path being Catechiz'd How can he be with Flames Characteriz'd How dares he say that he doth harmelesse save His Sureties triple vow except he rave If he delights in Carnall talke or Lust More than Gods Word his Faith lies in the dust Devotion failes whilst sinne in Man doth raigne Whilst Satans raigning fancy guides his braine Nor can Gods Graâ—e within his heart fix anchor Till it be cleans'd of rust and Natures rancour Or if it burne it quickly may expire By Carnall meanes and blasts except the Fire Of zeale be kept still in by daily use With watch and ward from Holy things abuse Except the Soule for God Faiths Tything powres Heapt daily from the foure and twenty houres This is a Mystery which few observe And fewer like but give themselves to serve The vicious Times more for Promotion striving Or Plots to please rich humourists contriving Then Grace to beg with humble hearts and sorry Then first to seeke before their owne Gods Glory Joyne we our wills to his we shall be pure For Christ his death Old Adams Plagues did oure But now a dayes in worldly Policy Some temporize to hide their Lunacy Like Adams nakednesse till time more mellow And ripe shall change their Youthfull haires yellow Or else because against the Holy Ghost For sinning they doe tremble to be lost If once New borne of the same Flaming Spirit They lose their Talent or chance to bury it O causelesse doubts like to Hob-goblins Feares As though Gods spirit loathes the sighs and teares Of his poore Converts nay he will assure And helpe to make their rathe Election sure No Fits stop them like Agues stormes or Raine But Grace moves to their Centred Hearts againe Though I confesse that