liberty health peace And for the Soul or t'other comes to nothing Thy Spirit which our Souls may ease And Faith and Hope and Love in them encrease Fifth Petition Forgive us for we cannot satisfie Neither discharge the whole nor part Dear God forgive us though the score be high An able Creditor thou art We debtors neither can compound nor start Our trespasses for which the least of which Thou might'st Command us down to hell Where Scorpions rods should lay our lustful itch That bottomless Infernal cell Where none but Fiends and flames in darkness dwell This our ten thousand Talents Lord and more Forgive as we the hundred pence To them that ow't us and to clear the score Of our weak Brother's small offence Do thou with Grace our spirits Influence Sixth Petition And lead us not nor let the Tempter lead us So far into temptations field As underfoot to let that Lion tread us And throwing down our sword and shield Like Dastards to th' insulting foe to yield But by thy power deliver us from evil All that leads to or lies in sin From all the wiles and cunnings of the Devil From every snare and secret gin That he hath laid to trap and catch us in And from the ev'l of punishment that 's due To sin thy servants Lord deliver Thou might'st pay torments death and hell 't is true But thou art God blest for ever Of Grace and Pardon art a franker giver Conclusion For thine the Kingdom is thou canst reprieve And dost with acts of Grace abound And if thy power will as 't can forgive That power shall with praise be crown'd And all the glory shall to thee redound To thee be all for ever and for ever By all ascrib'd as 't is most meet Let this our prayer be deny'd us never Granted we wish and hope to see 't And therefore say to it Amen So be it Question Oh heavenly Prayer and such as did befit The blessed lips that first did dictate it But he that would as God's Petitioner His wishes at the Throne of Grace prefer In an acceptable and prospr'ous way Must with the understanding also pray Not he that to an unknown God addresses And rudely in an unknown tongue expresses He knows not what that in a frantick notion Makes ignorance the mother of devotion That thinks the wisdom and the pow'r immense Of Heav'ns great Ruler bound to pick out sence From senceless Pray'rs which they themselves that sâ—â— Are ignorant what they deprecate or pray Not such a man must hope his Sute will thrive Or think he shall prevail with God to give Till he knows what he asks 't is only he That prays with knowledge can accepted be Nor can nor dare I bid you hope to speed Unless you first know rightly what you need Then how to ask Now give me leave t' enquire What do you in this Prayer of God desire Answer I beg of God my Lord and Father who As Lord hath pow'r as Father will to do What I request whose hand with bounty flows And on his Creatures all good things bestows To send to me and all of humane race His sanctifying and preventing Grace That with a hearty Zeal sincere and true That Reverence that to his Name is due That depth of love and thankfulness for all His love which for his answ'ring deep doth call That thus with his coelestial Grace endu'd We may in part express our gratitude In pious worship undefil'd and pure With faith not wavering but stedfast sure In civil service making still the end Of worldly bus'ness to his glory tend And in obedience such as shall submit To his Command ' cause he commanded it And I desire his heav'nly Providence Both to our Souls and Bodies to dispence All things that he sees needful to asswage Our grief and care in this our Pilgrimage And that he will on us his Servants though We merit wrath and vengeance mercy show That he will pardon us for Christ his sake As well the lesser faults and slips we make As our presumptuous those more daring high And impious Darts ' gainst Heav'n it self let fly That he 'l vouchsafe in mercy to defend us From all the num'rous dangers that attend us Ghostly to stifle and extirpate Grace And God's own Image in the Soul efface And send that glorious Heav'n-born Particle To Eternal Lodgings in the shades of Hell And bodily which wait us day by day Upon our lives and dearest joys to prey Diseases dolorous pains distracting cares Oppressing sorrows and dismaying fears Misfortunes pinching poverty and losses Despairing thoughts and over-burd'ning crosses That Israel's Shepherd he whose Eyes no sleep Nor slumber know would always guard and kéep Poor us his easily seduced Sheep From sin and wickedness and from the Foe That seeks to involve us in eternal woe That though with Satans fiery Darts surrounded We be not in eternal Death confounded That dying life that death which never dies Where dismal yellings frightful shriekes and cries Eccho'd with mournful accents of despair With throbs and curses beat the flaming air And this I humbly trust and hope he 'll do By his good mercy prompted thereunto For his dear sake who of his own accord Dy'd to redeem us Iesus Christ our Lord. And this my trust to evidence I say Amen say he Amen to what I pray Question Departing Friends their mem'ry to endear To those they part with make their love appear In absence strong and vigorous and maintain Constant affections till they meet again Some one request or two are wont to leave The doing which their sorrows may relieve And separations tediousness deceive And thus our ever dear but parting Lord Was pleas'd some pledges of his love t' afford Which given to his Spouse the Church in charge From over-pressing sorrows might enlarge Her fainting spirits exercise her graces And move th' affections in their proper places He institutes his blessed Sacraments Whereby each party mutually indents He to his people to remember them They thankfully to love and honor him But now How many hath the Lord 's Anointed For that great end to 's holy Church appointed Answer Two only which we properly so call As they respect the common needs of all And as they 're useful sutable supplies To Christians general necessities That is to say first that which enters them And makes them freemen Christians Baptism And that which feeds them at his holy Board The food of Souls the Supper of the Lord. First he gives milk for Babes in Christ and then Corroborating meat for stronger men Those others which obtruders introduce Are not of gen'ral Sacramental use And either want the parts in Constitution Or good Authority for Institution If holy Orders rightfully they call A Sacrament why not dispenc'd to all Since all are Souldiers why are all not bound By like engagements to maintain their ground This therefore in its proper definition Is but the Leading-Officer's Commission If Marriage were
a Sacrament 't were much The Priest himself should be forbid to touch That holy Ord'nance which by Christ's intent Must be accounted for a Sacrament None gives the Sacred Military Oath Till first himself have pledg'd his Loyal Troth The next is Penance joyn'd with Absolution Divinely ancient in the Institution Yet not a Gospel-Sacrament because As well by Jewish as by Christian Laws Enjoyn'd and Sacraments we know succeed In place of something now abolished Nor do we here an outward El'ment find If any so much more than Christ enjoyn'd The solemn antient Rite of Confirmation Deserves its due and lawful Commendation But yet the Romish Doctors all this while Are at a loss to prove their foppish Oyl Or whatsoever with that Oyl they joyn To have the nature of an outward Sign The best of which on no pretence rely To primitive Divine Authority That which the Romans call Extreme anointing Was one of Apostolical appointing But to another vastly diff'rent end From that which they that use it now intend 'T was then for health of body to be used Now as a Sign of Spirit'al Grace abused Question What do you take to be the true extent And meaning of this word A SACRAMENT Answer The word was first a Pagan Martial term The name of that inviolably firm And Sacred Oath when going out to War Each private Souldier to his General sware That he the Common Enemy would defie And in his Gen'rals Cause would live or die Since now the Christians life a Warfare is And as the Soldier swears true faith to his So does the Christian to his Gen'ral Christ In the Baptismal Vow and Eucharist And since those Vows so nearly represent That other Military Sacrament The Antient holy Fathers deem'd it fit Into the Church t' adopt and Christen it Now by this word an Infidel by Nation In the adopted Christian acceptation I mean a visible and outward Sign Of grace internal Spiritual Divine Giv'n us by Christ himself who order'd it In his great wisdom as the only fit And proper means whereby we must receive it And pledg t' assure us that we may believe it Question But if those Sacraments the Romans own Because deficient in the parts are none How many parts must go to make up one Answer These two the sign by outward sence perceiv'd And th' inward grace not seen but yet believ'd Question What is in Baptism the outward Rite The sign or form objected to the Sight Answer Water a proper Element whereby The cleansing of our Souls to signifie With which the person is Baptized either Immerg'd or Sprinkled with 't no matter whether Each are Symbolical and to Baptize No more to plunge than Sprinkle signifies And this perform'd in a name that Charms ' Gainst the Worlds witchcrafts and the Devils harms The pow'rful name o' th' mighty Lord of Hosts Ev'n God the Father Son and Holy Ghost Question What inward spiritual grace doth thence accrew Answer A being dead to Sin and born anew To Righteousness That old Usurping Slave First mortifi'd and buried in the Grave With Christ himself and so brought in Subjection The new man 's rais'd with him in 's Resurrection For being by nature which on Childrens lives The Parents vicious appetites derives And all the inbred seeds of stubborn frail And sinful inclinations does entail As do the Branches borrow from the Root The Sap that makes them fit for bearing Fruit They are by nature born and foster'd in The most corrupt depraved lusts of sin And so as Crabtree-Stocks are doom'd to burn Unless the Grafters hand their nature turn Become the Sons of wrath and vengeful ire Cut out for Brands of Everlasting fire Have by this gracious means our minds renew'd The raigning Pow'r of Sin and Lust subdu'd From Hell adopted into heavenly race And are of Sons of wrath made Sons of grace Ev'n grace that is with gracious freedom given And makes our Souls acceptable to Heaven Whose riches can alone supply our needs Gives us to will accepts that will for deeds Crowns our endeavours when we strive to run As if our strength and speed the race had won That grace which where it lights both is and shall Always and Every where be all in all Question What does the Lord that doth this grace inspire Of persons thus to be Baptiz'd require Answer Two graces which must correspond and joyn Concurrent service with the grace Divine Repentance such as may sence express Of Sins deform'd and loathsom sinfulness May second that with hearty true contrition And back that sorrow with a due Confession To God in chief as first and most offended Then to those men whose hurt the Sin intended And then to crown this happy undertaking A total final absolute forsaking A Resolution wholly to abstain To part with Sin and never meet again This is however Cast-aways may scoff Repentance ne'r to be repented of This will destroy the old man Sin and make The most united pow'rs of Hell to shake Then he must add to this a vig'rous true And active faith for building up the new Not only faith Historical that seals To all the Truths that Holy Writ reveals Nor faith of Miracles that takes a Bribe Of Wonders to enduce it to subscribe But such a faith as shall depend upon And trust in God's veracity alone And with assur'd yet humble Confidence Rely on 's will benign and strength immense For bringing of the Promises to pass Made to him in this Sacrament of grace Question Why Infants then baptiz'd whose tender age Cannot perform what here they must engage Answer Because they firmly by their Sureties mouth Who undertake for them do promise both Which promise when of understanding found Themselves to kéep and satisfie are bound So Guardians bonds must by their words be paid Though in the non-age of their Pupils made Question Why was that heavenly Sacramental feast Where sinful wretches are the blessed Guests That Feast at which Eternal life is gain'd The Supper of our dying Lord ordain'd Answer For the perpetual Commemoration Of that most perfect full and free Oblation Of Christ in 's meritorious Death and Passion That grateful Sacrifice that does alone Propitiate God to Man for Sin atone And for remembrance of each benefit And gracious gift that we receive by it Question What is in this the outward part or Sign Answer Untransubstantiated Bread and Wine Not chang'd when Consecrate as some maintain The natures still of Bread and Wine remain That late device of Transubstantiation Is but a vain and humane innovation Directly contradicts the Sacred Word And draws in Consequences most absurd Saint Paul and he knew surely what he said Call'd th' Element when blest and broken Bread And if our eyes if Sense we may believe 'T is none but Bread and Wine that we receive He that asserts or fancies otherwise The constant suffrage of his Sense denies And proves which in Religion looks but odd Himself a Cannibal that
up gold a God to vie For Soveraign honour with the Deity 'T was this gave pleasure an envenom'd sting Made honor death in glorious titles bring This licens'd fraud for wise and force for just And tipt loves-shafts with poison'd heads of lust So that her blessings now infected thus Good in themselves but deadly ill to us Are all but baits to catch the soul in sin Sugar without but poyson 's hid within There yet remains another dang'rous elf Which I must quit I mean my treacherous self With all my Carnal lusts though they as dear And useful as right hands or eyes appear Not one though ne're so small but out it must God never yet kept house with any lust They 'r bred of flesh corrupt that sink of evil That pimp to sin and strumpet to the Devil Like Vermin gendred in the filth and mire Of her corruption by that hellish fire Sinfully sinful in themselves as they Prompt all the powers o' th soul to disobey Make war against the soul and in her manners Advance against the Lord Rebellious banners From these the homebred foes with friendly faces Which kill with kindness murder with embraces From these and their allurements under pain Of death and hell I must resolve t' abstain That all these enemies should be forsook My sureties vow'd then further undertook I should what-ever purblind reason saith Believe all th' Articles o' th' Christian Faith Her scanty line in things divine will fail To fathom truth here she and wit must vail Thus far she may and will if manag'd duely To all faiths mysteries subscribe and truely Assent instructed thus to exercise In way of argument her faculties This Sacred Doctrine is attested by The God of truth who will not cannot lie His word 's the word of truth which does aver it Dictated by the Holy Ghost the Spirit Of saving truth my own dim sight adieu God says it and it is it must be true What though I cannot apprehend it well Though not with me with God 't is possible And where my unfledg'd wings can soar no higher I must not stand disputing but admire Lastly They vow'd I should with watchful care With awful reverence and holy fear Ev'n to the utmost of my pow'r and skill Inviolably kéep Gods holy will Compleat unsinning righteousness 't is true Though to the purity of God 't is due Yet by the frailties of our sinful nature Is ne're arriv'd at in its perfect stature But though no foot uprightly walk no hand Uprightly do the heart may upright stand And if obedience be well practic'd there It will be thought imperfect yet sincere And this sincerity will so supply All the defects of legal purity That God whose eyes could never once endure To see pollution shall account me pure Sincerely I must aim at what is best Do what I can and will to do the rest Where flesh and blood shall slip or stumble grace Must take advantage by 't and mend her pace Thus did my sureties vow I should fulfill And keep my holy Gods most holy will And that his just commands should be the ways My soul should chuse to walk in all my days Question Are you perswaded you are bound to do And to believe as they engag'd for you Answer Yes truely when they promis'd in my name I by their act oblig'd and bound became The Cov'nant betwixt God and me was made And what I could not say my self they said But I the party was i' th Covenant To whom since th' other party God did grant That grace on his part which my soul did want 'T is just I should perform with thankful heart What he requireth in the Counterpart And by Gods help I will for that must be The strengthning ayd that must enable me Without him of my self I can do nought Not think so much at best as one good thought 'T is his good Spirit and he only who Works in me both the pow'r and will to do And all unfeigned hearty thanks I give To God who thus hath given me pow'r to live My heav'nly father who vouchsafed t' enroll Into heav'ns liberty my Hell-bound soul That he hath call'd me to it doth afford Me power to be sav'd through Christ our Lord. And him I pray his pow'rful grace to send To keep me in it to my lives last end Question Faith and obedience then to Christ's commands Are the two props on which Religion stands Faith goes before as that that does beget Obedience in the heart and nourish it Perfumes and seasons it and makes it pass Accepted at the glorious throne of grace Faithless obedience is but fruitless fruit Sprung from a tree that wants both sap and root And he that works it does but build on sand An unfoundation'd house that cannot stand Let your first care be then to see the ground Whereon you build your hopes be firm and sound And this to shew be 't now your Christian lesson Of th' Articles of faith to make confession First Article S. Peter I Not another for me no mans Creed Besides my own stands me in steed Nor boots it any man that he receives And holds the faith the Church believes Unless his reason giving her assent He chose it as most excellent Believe confess rely upon and trust As holy gracious true and just In God the best the greatest first and last That being infinitely vast That great I AM first cause first mover he That was and is and is to be That God that from Eternal ages stood The highest greatest chiefest good The Fath'r of all things living by creation And by continual preservation And by Adoption father of his Sons The new-born Holy chosen ones Almighty whose unbounded pow'rful hand Did all create does all command Maker who all created beings brought Out of a Chaos out of nought Of Heaven his starrie seat that upper story Where earthly grace turns heavenly glory And Earth his footstool yet mans Royalty Mans head at Gods foot plac't stands high Second Article S. Andrew And in not any other God than he No more there are no more can be But in the second of the Vni-trine Persons transcendently divine The true God-man in whom both natures joyn'd Union but not confusion find Iesus the Saviour of the souls of men Ransom'd by him but lost till then Which name in heav'n above and earth below Calls upon every knee to bow Christ the Anointed with that oyl of gladness Which chears his fellows press'ed with sadness As King to rule us Priest in priestly guise T' attone for sin by sacrifice And Prophet to instruct and teach us how To chuse the good and evil eschew His onely Son begot by him and yet Equal to him that did beget Our Lord who bought us and the purchase stood The Purchaser his dearest blood Who are not being bought with such a price Our own by property but his Third Article S. John Who was conceiv'd not in a sinful state But
like himself Immaculate By th' Holy Ghost whose over-shadow'd power Being graciously vouchsaf't unto her Impregnated Oh Heavenly bridal-groom A chast unspotted Virgins womb Born of the Virgin Mary mother she To him that gave her first to be Happy to be his Mother happier far That he his Daughter counted her Whose sinless chast conception did bring forth A Sin-Curse-Free a painless birth Fourth Article S. James the Great Suffer'd not for his own but for the Sin Of hopeless helpless wretchless men Vnder a Governor a Zealous pleaser Of the Ambitious jealous Caesar Pentius Pilate who his death Commands And washes then his guilty hands Was Crucified Condemned and forc't to be Hang'd on the Cross the Cursed tree Where while nails pierc'd his sacred plants and palms his wounded side dropt healing balms Blood that might pay the score to justice then Water to wash and make us clean To evidence redemption finished Water from 's heart to prove him dead Dead truly dead the Lord of life and breath Fast-fetter'd in the Chains of death And buried buried in a Tomb obscure And guarded too to make him sure Yet was the Guest not common and the grave No common entertainment gave A Rock receiv'd him and the Scriptures say A Rock where never man yet lay Fifth Article S. Thomas He whom the heav'n and heav'n of heav'ns in vain Might have endeavour'd to contain Descended into Hell Content to have His lodgings in a six-foot grave Thence to th' infernal pit where Satan lurks To triumph over him and 's works The third day ere his sacred body saw Or yielded to corruptions law He the first fruits of life which he in spight Of Death and Hell would bring to light Rose again from the dead and shew'd it plain That man being dead can live again Sixth Article S. James the Less He then his work being done redemption wrought Hells works destroy'd and man rebought Ascended into Heaven his first abode The only proper place for God And sitteth not till now his labour ceas't And not till now he sits to rest At the right hand of God to signifiâ— As well his pow'r as dignity Where now in our behalf he dayly pleads And with the Father intercedes For such continual and benign supplies As suits our wants and miseries The Fath'r Almighty who can all things do But to his dearest Son say no Who as Almighty can his sute fulfill And as a gracious Father will Seventh Article S. Philip. From thence when judgments Trump shall sound a Call And to the Barr shall summon all And not before to raign as some mean dream A thousand years on earth with them He but not such as formerly was he Cloath'd with disgrace and poverty But he such as he is eye-dazling bright With Majesty and heav'nly light Shall come attended as he truly merits With Legions of Scraphick Spirits To Iudge impartially according to The works that in this life they do The quick who though in death they sleep not shall Be changed in a moment all And the dead too whose perish'd bodies then Shall by his pow'r be rais'd again And re-united with the soul together With that shall live and live for ever Eighth Article S. Bartholomew I Believe in him who proceeds as third Both from the Father and the Word Proceeding as the Godheads Emanation Yet coeternal in duration The third yet equal person in the One Both with the Father and the Son The Holy Ghost the blessed Lord and giver Of life whose lease bear's date for ever Who by his various gifts dispenc'd abroad So edifies the Church of God And by his works upon the hearts of men So lively influences them That they who thus the seeds of grace inherit Brings forth the gracious fruits o' th' Spirit This is the sum of what my faith doth gather Of God my gracious heav'nly Father Ninth Article S. Matthew Another part of my belief remains And that the Church my Mother Claims And here I do believe not in nor on Such faith respecteth God alone But with a faith Historically meant Which does to truth reveal'd assent The holy Cath'lick Church that lovely spouse For which her Lord his life did lose Holy as builded up and founded on Christ the most holy corner stone Whose Constitutions Principles Profession Teach us her Sons this holy Lesson That holy as he is holy we must be Or never hope his face to see Catholick as all those it comprehends Whom our dear Lord accounts his friends Whether they Militate for him below Or having conquer'd triumph now A Church truth's rocky pillar and firm ground ' Gainst which Hell-gates no force have found Tenth Article S. Simon The sweet communion of the Saints that high And most Angelick harmony Which they have first with God Christs father and theirs As his beloved sons and heirs With God the Son as branches with the vine As members with the head combine With God the Spirit who in them as God Within his Temple keeps abode This bond of Charity does kindly move Their hearts and souls in mutual love And keeps the Church of God by this Communion A City in it self at Vnion Not tainting her nor truth perverting by Blind and erroneous heresie Nor yet with Schisms Rents dividing one And making many so make none The full and abs'lute free and gracious No way deserv'd or earn'd by us Forgiveness Pardon plenary remission Indempnity and abolition Of Sins of whatsoever kind degree Whether in thought word deed they be Granted to such as having faith that 's true Are by repentance born a-new Eleventh Article S. Judas Thaddeus The Resurrection of the fleshly part To share the spirits joy or smart The body to corruption now inclin'd But then more purer and more refin'd Whose scatter'd ashes erst base earth and clay And bones with drought consum'd away New-fram'd and reunited shall restore The self-same man that was before So though those crawling Cannibals the worn Destroy these bodies in their urns Yet in the flesh with these not other eyes We shall to see the Lord arise Twelfth Article S. Matthias And as the end the Crown and recompence Of this my faith and patience The Life not frail as this whose every breath Brings the man one step nearer death But everlasting such a life as when Thousands of years and after them Miriads are spent by millions multiply'd Though each brought forth an Age beside Shall have when this is spent and ten times morâ— As long to last as 't had before And so shall still roll on without conclusion In an Eternal revolution In which all Souls Eternally shall dwell As Kings in Heav'n or Fiends in Hell Ravish'd with Musick in the Angels Quire Or Brands of Everlasting Fire Amen this was is will be true till when My Faith and Expectation say Amen Question I 've gladly heard you word by word explain This sacred Symbol great might be the pain To learn this young but greater sure the
eats his God Not thinking how by such Religious fictions He vents these inconsistent contradictions First that our Lord behold a fatal shelf That splits their Doctrine once did eat himself That accidents taste colour outward show Should be in things and yet not subject know That the same Body is at once existent In many places from it self is distant Does at the same time rest yet truly move Is here and there below and yet above Can meet it self and then with wondrous Art Retire again and from it self depart Nor are the Lutherans indeed less out Who seek t' unty the Knot and salve the Doubt By Consubstantiation For that they With little Reason less Religion say The words This is my Body this my Blood Must in the lit'ral sense be understood Yet not the Elements chang'd They only deem The Blood and Body in or under them Nor do they this a Local Union call But Personal and Hypostatical As Christ his humane nature cannot be At all divided from the Deity And in this sense indeed the Papists may Be counted more allowable than they Whose Doctrine Christs two natures quite confounds His omnipresence and his Local bounds And by this argument as well we may Of common Bread as Sacramental say This is Christs Body since themselves declare That his divine and humane Nature are Inseparable whence where one is we Must think the other nature still will be And if his Deity all places fill His manhood not divided from it will That other practise of the Church of Rome Which will allow the Wine to only some And those the Priests is a bold Sacriledg That does the lay-communicant abridg Of half his right But Rome hath power of late What God himself hath joyn'd to separate Christ's blood to Laymen says the Priest 't is vain The body does the blood of Christ contain So Grass hath moisture in 't and therefore may The Shepheard to the Sheep when thirsty say Eat Sheep to quench your thirst if that won't do I will by Drinking do the rest for you Authentick Constance-counsel whose decree Can thus for Orthodox speak Blasphemy Be 't thus by us establisht Notwithstanding Primitive practice and Gods mouth commanding But no Non-obstance Act can supersede What in his institution Christ decreed Which was if Scriptures are be believ'd Both Bread and Wine by all to be receiv'd Question Now what 's the inward part that 's signifi'd Answer Though in the former notion I deny'd The real presence of Christ's flesh and blood As those at Capernaum understood Yet in a mystick sense both are I grant Partaken by the true Communicant And he that truly does in Christ believe Does both indéed and verily receive Question What are the benefits and graces that Receivers do hereby participate Answer Confirming grace which vig'rous strength imparts And grace of comfort to our feeble hearts For as our outward bodies by the Bread And wine which they receive are nourished So by the Body and the Blood of Christ Our inward-man is strengthned and refresht And as to temp'ral life those feed the carnal These nourish up the Soul to life Eternal Question What is required and expected front Such as to this great Wedding-Supper come Answer To come with Wedding garments trim'd and drest As suits the quality of such a feast First to examine the most inward parts And close recesses of their treach'rous hearts To try if there they find repentance true With stedfast purpose to be born anew Whether forsaking all their former Sin They do a Course of Righteousness begin The Room must first of filthy lust be clear'd And then with holy purposes prepar'd Before we must expect the Lord our guest Or dare approach his Soul-refreshing feast To this must come a lively faith and firm Such as may give the Man-of-no-man worm A confidence that God will mercy have On such as in his merits Mercy crave And to these graces next there must be joyn'd A pious thankful and Remembring mind Of Christ his death that Cursed death which he Dy'd freely from a worse to set us free In which his precious Sacred blood was shed To wash our Souls with those dear drops he bled He Gall and Vinegar drank that we might drink Rivers of pleasure that o'r-flow the brink And in a word to shame from glory fell To lift up sinful Man to Heaven from Hell And to compleat the man of God that he Furnish'd to all good works may perfect be It is requir'd that in his Soul there move An universal Charity and Love Not such a charity as does extend Only to benefactor lover friend Not such a narrow strait-lac'd love as will Requite a good turn and revenge an ill Not such half-love as can forgive and yet Will never be persuaded to forget Not such a squeamish love or rather passion As reaches not beyond its own persuasion Not that self-ended love whose only drifts In giving are to purchase greater gifts But such impartial love as deals abroad Its alms to all the images of God True objects of its Charity does chuse Gives freely looks for no return or use Such as does envy scorn revenge despise From heart forgives and prays for enemies As God himself who bids us pardon thus Both hath and will for Christ's sake pardon us This is the Card'nal grace the Axel-Pole The hinge of vertue in a Christian Soul This grace like Jacob's Scale by steps shall rise Mount up from earth and mounting reach the skies And when our faith shall be compleat in vision When hope shall be consummate in fruition Love an inhabitant in Heav'n shall prove As lasting as the God himself of Love 'T is this we stand or fall by this that brings Our Souls to Abra'ms bosome makes us Kings 'T is this that gives us Crowns which never fade Among the Spirits of Just men perfect made Who swallow'd up in joys in Heav'n above God and each other shall for ever love FINIS