answering method that th' offence And cure at one same gate might enter in And the salvation parallel the sin Thus what a Maiden lost a Maid restores A Virgin caus'd a Virgin heal'd our sores Evah transgres'd but you revers'd may read In Maries Ave both her name and deed Vpon Luke 1. 45. Blessed is she that beleeved c. Epig. 2. SUch news blest maid as this bright Angel brings Of such unheard of inconsistent things 'T is as much wonder that thou couldst beleeve As 't is that God could those strange works atchieve What hand could interweave but his alone A Moment and Eternity in one Th' incomprehended essence and a span The creature and Creator God and Man Or which is lesse yet hard enough to do Comprise in one a Maid and Mother too 'T was only God this work to pass could bring And onely thou that couldst beleeve the thing Epig. 3. VVHen in our flesh thou deign'st to lodge no room My God would serve thee but a Virgins womb But in our hearts being pleas'd by faith to dwell It is not now thy lot to speed so well For such oh horrid is our sinful state Thou canst find none that 's not adulterate To find Easter for ever THe change in Februs if there any be Or that which first ensues note carefully And the next Tuesday doubt it not all That doth succeed Shrove Tuesday you may call Shrove-Tuesday past you may be bold to say That Sunday six weeks after ' s Easter Day The other Moveable Feasts 2. TWo days Good Friday Easter doth precede Fourty from thence to Holy Thursday lead Ten more unto Whitsunday numbred be And one week after that to Trinity Good-Friday Passio Domini Epig. 1. HEe 's dead Insult the Infernal Powers the dread Messias Jesus whom you fear'd is dead But stay rejoyce not neither it is from His death that your great Empires fall doth come 'T was a strange combat this wherein to slay The foe you fought with was to lose the day Yet thus it was the Field had been your own Had you not our great Champion overthrown But through his sides your selves accurst you slew And he being ruin'd by you ruin'd you Vpon Luke 22. 44. And his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground SEe here my soul what weight in sin remains When he whose shoulder all things else sustains Bow'd underneath the load if he that stood In equall poize with God sweat clods of blood And the Almighty groan'd to undergo The burthen what must finite creatures do Vpon Matth. 27. 52 53. And the graves were opened and many bodies of Saints which slept arose Epig. 3. THe Prince of life was slain and nothing now Remain'd on earth whose greatnes did not bow To Death's all conquering power you would have thought The world it self would quickly have bin brought To its last gaspe and all the creatures have Been buried with their maker in the grave When lo midst all these spoils appal'd with fear From his own holds the enfeebled Conquerour Flies with distracted steps and leaves his prey Free and unguarded to escape away From their close dungeons the enfranchis'd dead Are sent again the sacred streets to tread But wonder not it was but time to flie When he beheld his Kingdome seized by So strange a wile Death found alas too late That he had brought a prey within his gate That would destroy his rights and that 't was vayne To think to stay where Jesus was though slayne So sure it was that he a wondrous thing Who came in Captaine would go out a King easter-Easter-Day Resurrectio Domini Epig. 1. I Know not where the greater wonder lies That God should dy or man from death should rise But this I know th' are both enough to make The Angels faith if not upheld to shake God is immortal and for him to dy Were to be stripped of his Deity And for fraile man being dead to rise again Is in effect to cease to be humane Neither if you consider them alone Can be without a contradiction And when all tongues have argu'd what they can God must be God and man can be but man But start not at it 't is not thus that we Must measure this transcendent Mysterie If you would view these Natures rightly 't is As they concurre in our Hypostasis And thus considered they no more oppose Man-God did die God-Man from death arose 'T was one same Person both these mazes trod Yet rose he not as Man nor dy'd as God Epigr. 2. CHrist all the Sabbath bound in Grave did ly The Sabbath types out vast Eternity And 't was Eternal death indeed our sin Infinite that it was had wrapp'd us in But he by carrying brake those bonds and quit Us from Eternal death by suffering it Happy exchange now though we die yet shall Our death not stretch to that great Festival Death may our Corps indeed a while surprize But we on that great Sabbaths Eve shall rise Epigr. 3. THe Phoenix birth no more admire nor what Old Bardes of her renewed age have wrote The Fables which of that strange Bird you read Are in our Jesus verified indeed He 's the true Phoenix uncompell'd that flies Into the Mountains forked tops and dies His Tombe like hers with sweet perfumes is fill'd The gums whereof such fragrant smells do yeeld As Heaven it self delights to sent and those Blest Spirits above rejoyce therewith to close Dead from his Grave as from a second Wombe New-borne like her he back again doth come Into th' astonished world more faire to see And bright then ere before he us'd to be Only in this our Phoenix comes before The other that once rays'd he dies no more Ascension Epigr. 1. COme down blest Saviour 't is no sin to pray Thee down I hope upon Ascension day So to descend as I would have thee do Is not indeed to fall but mount unto A Zenith which thou ne're before couldst gain Even my proud heart which rebel lusts have ta'ne And mann'd against thee this my God is it That I would have thee come and see and get Get this strong hold into thy hands and make Her high-rays'd bulwarks at thy storming shake And droop their heads make my stout thoughts to fall Prostrate before thy glorious feet and all The powers within me to ly low and be Subject henceforth unto no King but thee Do this dear Lord and my glad soul shall say To me thou ne're ascendedst till to day Epigr. 2. Look in what sense the Son of man was said To be in Heaven whil'st yet on Earth he stayd In the same sense we grant his body though In Heaven may still be say'd to be below He is ascended all agree that same Material flesh and blood of his that came From the pure Virgins Womb Heavens now retain And until all things be restor'd again Must still retain it yet it is confest That when
them to their faces what they do Look on our John if he this path had trod He might have kept his head but wrong'd his God Vpon Mat. 14. 9. Epigr. 2. HErod hath sworn and John must lose his head A poor man would be loth to have it sed That he had broke his Oath but Kings must stand Upon their honour here at any hand But who blind Tyrant bad thee swear at all Wise men would weigh what mischiefs may befall Before they ventur'd on so rash a vow Which if it must be kept thy children now And Mothers throats are not secure nor ought So vile but if she lists it must be wrought But plead not Conscience he that daily lies In lustful sheets will swallow perjuries Revenge the Prophet first in prison threw Whom now vain-glory and indulgence slew Vpon Mar. 6. 2. Epig. 3. BAte Herod but his incest and there 's none Will be a greater follower of John He hears him gladly and observes him too And many things accordingly doth do But here he sticks with this he cannot part Hypocrites will have something neer their heart Some lust or other which they prize before Their souls and him whom all good souls adore What profit is' t my Saviour to have gone Half way with Herod in Religion To be near heaven as that poor Lawyer was If I stay there and do no further pass Oh root out every sin which I possess Or 't is but vain to think of happiness September 1. NAme not this Month but let your thoughts withall Those old Mosaick mysteries recall Which in this sacred number couched lie And chalenge from us a solemnity Seven in a Christians mouth should never come But his quick soul should run ore all the sum Rehearse a short couch'd Catalogue by rote Of all the sevens which Holy Writ doth note Every small hint and word suggested brings A godly man in mind of heavenly things The Feasts of September 2. SEptember's twenty first is Matthew's right Great Michael doth in twenty nine delight Matthew Apostle Epig. 1. YOu 'l say Excise men seldome come to good Who by extortions gaine their lively-hood Yet see what Christ can do our Matthew here Was such a one yet 's saved I do not fear Let none condemn th' employment mercy can Of such a Vermine make an honest man Epig. 2. OF all the Gospels Matthew's onely writ In the Hebrew tongue as if he purpos'd it Meerely to save that Nation whom before With harsh exactions he had poll'd so sore And 't was a large amends we grant indeed For Earthly chaff to give them heavenly seed Epig. 3. GOod God what change is here our Matthew that Erewhile at the receipt of Custome sate And was so vile a wretch that none except The Divel himself a worser Conscience kept Is now become a Saint yea counted fit In one of the Apostolick chaires to sit Nor stayes he at this height but first of men Is chose his Saviours life and death to pen Which he discharg'd so well that now they fear Not to affirme an Angels hand did bear A part in the employment as if none Of humane race could write such things alone So soon he past through both extreams of late Almost a Devil and now an Angels Mate Michael Archangel Epig 1. AT Moses Barre if sinful men were try'd No flesh alive would ere be justified But him in mercy God hath lay'd so low That Devils themselves his burial do not know They strive indeed to find it out and faine Would bring him from his putrid Urne again To judge the World if they might have their will Moses should live and Christ be buried still But our Archangels powerful hand alone Nulls all their search and keeps his grave unknown Even so great Prince let him still buriedly For if he rise the whole wide world must dy Epig. 2. Ad Schismaticos quod Michael non sit Christus T Is no created Angel this you say But Christ the Lord whom holy Church to day Honors for that great combat which of old He with the Divel 'bout Moses corps did hold But tell us then what were those men the while That say he durst not that foul fiend revile What is' t that great Messias durst not do Who made the Devils and shal condemn them too Or whom doth God with his blest Spirit infuse That such harsh words of Christ their Lord will use Choose which you 'l hold or 't was a Creature this Or what th Apostles wrote were Blasphemies Epig. 3. Vpon Revelat. cap. 12. DIvels have their Prince and so have Angels too Monarchick power all creatures yield unto These fought in heaven this with desire to teare The woman thence but that to keep her there But rest poor Creature with thy Babe secure The Dragon is not able to endure Thy Michaels strength whom God hath arm'd to be A Prince and Guardian to thy seed and thee Rest happy Church and though this Serpents tail Over almost half the starres of heaven prevail To throw them down yet be not thou affright For whose defence such hosts of Angels fight October 1. EIght is the Gospels number on this day Our buried Lord triumphing broke away From Death's strong holds whom she suppos'd sh 'had ty'd There fast enough for ever to abide That day till he ascended hence he still Met and inform'd his Brethren with what skill They in and out before his Church should go That day his Spirit in streams of fire did flow Into the Apostles bosomes and between Their knees to sit like cloven tongues was seen That day the Lord for all his Churches weal To his belov'd Disciple did reveal In Pathmos Isle a gracious sight of all Those changes which hereafter must befall His wearied Spouse till She at last do come To feast it with him in the wedding room In memory of all which things his will Is that this Eight day shall be honored still Throughout the world till he us all remove To keep an everlasting Eight above The Feasts of October 2. OCtober's eighteenth day on Luke doth wait Simon and Jude are pleas'd with twenty eight Luke Evangelist Epigr. 1. THat you may see that Galen's Pupills are Not all such Atheists as reports declare Reade those two books that Luke's sweet hand did pen In this the Acts of God in that of men And tell me whether the Church ere had a man That wrote more truths then our Physitian To these if you demand my Faith I flie And say here 's my Religio Medici Epigr. 2. LVke the belov'd Physitian 's styl'd a name At which would God our Tribe did chiefly aime Let others scrape for wealth but let us be Deservedly belov'd as well as he Let us still wait upon our Patients side Take such account of all things that betide Their sleeps their wakings coolings heats and all Those very nauseous excrements that fall Bear all their wayward moods speak still so fair Give
the holy Elements are blest By the Priests powerful lips though nothing there To outward sense but Bread and Wine appear Yet doth there under those dark formes reside The body of the Son of Man that dy'd This what bold tongue soever doth deny Gives in effect even Christ himself the ly Yet this whoe're too grosly doth maintain Pulls his ascended Lord from Heaven again A middle course 'twixt those two rocks to steer Is that becomes the Christian Mariner So to beleeve the Ascension as to grant His real Presence in the Sacrament Yet so his Real Presence there to own As not to make void his Ascension Epig. 3. THe grave and hell were both subdu'd nought In those dark coasts was further to be wrought Heaven yet barr'd up her Azure gates to win An entrance there and bring his ransom'd in Our Lord ascends and with a powerful hand Throws ope those clasped doors that did withstand Our dear acquir'd admission Happy day Wherein we by a new and living way His flesh the vail have found a means into The holy-holy place assur'd to go What shall our joys henceforth retard when Hell And death and heaven are all atton'd so well Whitsunday Epig. 1. LOrd I would fain thy bounteous grace admire Which gav'st thy Spirit this day in flames of fire But cannot do 't if that same fire of thine Which fill'd their glowing bosoms fill not mine Fain I would of those cloven tongues relate Which this day on thy dear Apostles sate But cannot speak alas as I should do Unless one of those tongues be given me too None Lord can love nor praise thee well but those On whom thy self both fire and tongue bestows Epig. 2. YOu that despise all humane helps whereby Men are prepared for the Ministry And boast you have the Spirit enabling you Better then all their Books and Arts can do Be not deceiv'd fond men 't is more to be Fitted for such a work then you can see Those whom the Holy Ghost doth thus inspire He comes to them in tongues as well as fire Show us but them and wee 'l allow your call If not we heed not your vain brags at all Epig. 3. DIvided tongues made Babels building cease But now thy Zions buildings do encrease That was a curse the fruit of sin but this One of the Churches greatest blessings is Had not that gone before no need had been T' have had this other mercy given in But such was now our state that onely that Could cure the plague which first the plague begat Trinity Sunday Epig. 1. THree and but one and one yet branch'd in three I know not Lord how this strange thing can be But 't is no matter what blind worm I know So I can but beleeve that it is so Epig. 2. TAke heed ye bold enquirers how ye pry Too much into this sacred mystery 'T is safer to beleev then search too far Into those truths that so transcendent are The eyes that gaze too long upon the Sun Are often stricken blind ere they have done Epig. 3. TEll me ye Atheists that beleeve no more Then what your reason fathoms that vast store Of rouling waters that doth daily flow Into the Ocean whither doth it go What Cisterns do those big swoln streams maintain That every tide are emptied in the main What dark instinct compels the churlish steel The loadstones undiscerned force to feel Or if you will ever vulgar things survey Those which you taste and handle every day Take me the seeds of every plant and tree Of every herb and flower that grows and see If when you have ript them open you can find A reason why they bring forth such a kind And not another where that virtue lyes That such a form and taste and smell supplies So proper to it self that nothing well The same except it self can parallel Hence let your serious thoughts reflect agen On the strange Fabrick both of Beasts and men Their bones their veins their arteries and all Th' essential stamps they bear and casual The colour of their hair their eyes and skin The extent their age and stature's bounded in And tell me whether your quick-sight can read The ground of all these wonders in the seed Poor Skepticks in these common things below The furthest that your utmost skill can go Is only to discern that thus they be But why they 're thus alas you cannot see Yet with th' Almighty you are grown so bold That though you in his Holy Word be told That that one ever blessed Essence is Distinguish'd into three Hypostasies And that those three Hypostasies abide Still one same Essence undiversified Yet is it not enough for you to know That thus it is unless we further show You why and how it can be thus and bring Some proofs besides his Dixit of the thing But go to you Blasphemers if there be No other way to clear this Mysterie Unto your staggering Faith but sense be sure One day though then 't will be too late a cure Your very eyes shall see and seeing pine The glory of the Trin-une Vni-trine April 1. ROmans this Month to Venus did assign From whom their Prince Aeneas drew his line Her Aphrodite from those white froths they call Which gave their Goddess his original And the Month April 'T is a nobler wombe From whence our Princes high descent doth come Nor is' t from spurious froaths but Seas that we May draw we think her Etymologie Put all together froaths with Seas compare View what both Princes what their mothers are And if the odds with Venus still remain Let her the guidance of this Month retain But if our Marie have a juster right Let her assume the place of Aphrodite The Feasts of April 2. ON Aprils three and twentieth George bestrides His warlike steed and ' gainst the Dragon rides The twenty fift to raise our wonder more The winged Lyon's voice is heard to roar Saint George Epig. 1. SEe here in Georges Portraiture a true Description of what Christians ought to do No civill warrs no brothers blood imbrues His righteous hands he no such foes pursues The cross his Engsin is his Faith his shield His sword the Scripture his own heart the Field His enemy the Dragon him alone He thinks it worth his while to set upon O God that we who George our champion call Save such as these would fight no fights at all Epig. 2. WOuldst thou a combat undertake wherein Thou might'st be sure the victory to win And with it gain a Kingdome too then fight Saint Georges duels let thy opposite Be the red Dragon and on him be sure Thou both the one and th' other shalt procure For none ere fought with him but won the day And none ere won but bore a Crown away Epig. 3. VVHether George a humane creature were indeed Or but an Embleme of that promised seed Whom God of old had set apart to tread Upon the conquered Serpents
glorious restitution which was wrought This day almost beyond all humane thought That was thy Birth but this may well be sed To be thy resurrection from the dead And ours indeed in thine for all the while That thou wert banish'd death possess'd this Isle And we lay buried in thy losse but when Thou once returnd'st we all reviv'd agen And breath'd new life for which great mercies we Must ever pay our thanks to it and thee June 1. YOung men this Month is yours your Country shows What honor she to springing virtue owes When as a pledge thereof she 's proud to wear Your name inscrib'd upon her Calendar Goodness at any time acceptance wins But 't is best priz'd when it in youth begins The Feasts of June 2. THe ' leventh of June bright Barnabas obtains The twenty fourth the new-born Baptist gains The nine and twentieth day apart is set To him that first for Christ forsook his net Barnabas Apostle upon Acts 11. 22. c. Epig. 1. SSee what an humble soul can yeeld to do Barnabas by the Apostles sent into An ample Province to command and guide The Church of Antioch freely doth divide His charge with Saul the convert and is glad To have him share in all the power he had Good men for Christs behoof their interests wave And are content to part with all they have Let thy Church thrive so they their prayers begin And 't is no matter who doth lose or win Vpon Acts 11. 26. Epig. 2. FRom Barnabas and Saul's advice the Name Of Christians first to Christs Disciples came They preach'd not for themselves and could not brook To see their hearers dote upon the look Or garbe of any earthly Minister How great soever or polite he were 'T was Christ that own'd the building and 't was fit They thought't should bear his Name that purchas'd it Christians rejoyce in your great stile to bear This title is more glorious then to wear Imperial Crowns But pay your thanks withall For this great grace to Barnabas and Saul 'T was Christ indeed from whom your honour sprung But through those golden Pipes it pass'd along Vpon Acts 15. 39. Epig. 3. WHo would have thought that there could ever fall Such bitter strifes 'twixt Barnabas Paul That they whose tongues so sweetly did accord In the confession of one God one Lord One Spirit of grace who one same hope enjoy'd One Faith one Baptism that were both emploi'd In one same Function and so long had stood Twin-like conjoyned in one Brotherhood That they should jarr and jarr fo sharply too That they must part oh this is sad to view Good Lord how loose are mens affections tide Whom every trivial difference can divide Our comfort is when once w' are knit to thee That bond no time shall ever cancel'd see John the Baptist Epig. 1. JOhn was that voice that in the Desart cryed All Judah heard it and was terrified And who will wonder if they shook with fear When they such shrill and dreadfull sounds did hear All I admire's how this to pass should come That he should get this Cryer that was dumbe Epigr. 2. ENoch that walk'd with God and Abraham His chosen friend to whom the promise came Moses the Steward of his house and he That up to heaven on fiery Steeds did flee These doubtless had great visions and descried More of their God then all those times beside Yet 't was not all those Saints nor any one Before or after equaliz'd our John Who had the honour at one time to hear The Father speak and see the Spirit appear And with his hands unworthy to baptize The Son that in the Fathers bosome lies Great John well did thy Saviours tongue proclaim That amongst all that out of women came Like thee there was no Prophet who alone Distinctly sav'st at once the three in one Epigr. 3. BEhold here how the great high Priest doth stand To be baptized by his servants hand And fear oh man how thou those seals refuse Which Christ thy Lord himself rejoyc'd to use And whatsoe're the frail dispenser be Remember John had sins as well as he Peter Apostle Epig. 1. PEter the rock that whilome stood so sure That he unmov'd was able to endure The blasts of Hell it self now down is thrown By a poor Damsels feeble breath alone Lord what is man if thou withdraw thy hand When such firm rocks as Peter cannot stand Vpon Luke 22. 61. Epig. 2. SAthan now thought that he had given so sore A wound to Peter that he never more Should raise again his bruised head but lie Weltering for ever in his blood and die And who indeed that heard our Peter swear And curse if ere he knew who Jesus were Would think there could be any hope of cure For such a desperate deadly Calenture But see poor sinners what a power there lies In your relenting Saviours gracious eyes When he no sooner casts a pittying look On wretched Peter whom all life forsook But he revives again and with his tears Gives proof that yet some hope of grace appears Lord if thine eyes have such a power indeed Where-ere they look repentant tears to breed Oh look on me that I who have sin'd as deep As Peter did may go with him and weep Vpon Mark 14. 72. Epig. 3. T' Was thought of old the Cocks shril voice did make The Princely Lions warlike heart to shake But this I 'me sure not all the Fiends in Hell Conspiring could have rung so sad a knell In Peters ears as this Cocks voice did do When now the second time he loudly crew But fear not Peter 't was sweet Chanticleer No Screetch-Owl this thy troubled ears did hear Or rather indeed 't was thy griev'd Lord that spake By this Birds tongue and cry'd awake awake It is enough thou 'st thrice deny'd my name Peter awake and sin no more for shame Return to him that loves thee so that he For all this yet is gone to die for thee Thus crow'd the Cock thou heardst and strait didst rise And back return'dst poor soul with weeping eyes O God that when we hear him crow we knew But how to take such hints and do so too July I. FRom five this Month sometimes deriv'd its name Which now great Julius doth more justly claim 'T was he indeed new form'd the year and gave The Months those measur'd portions which they have And 't was but fit the Father of them all One child in twelve by his own name should call Heathens all yeeld great Prince it should be so Who to thy pains their perfect Aera's owe We Christians grant it too who by thy aid More punctual in our years of Christ are made The Feasts of July SAd Maudlin July 's two and twenti'th claims The twenty fift's assign'd to greater James Mary Magdalene Epig. I. MAry when I thy former state recall What sins what Devils thou here wert fill'd withall Yet see thee now all brightly