take him by the beard but mean the throat The first book of KINGS 100. SOLOMONS choice ch 3. v. 9. RIches and honour Power and Majesty Were offer'd Heav'n-blest Solomon to thee Wisdome was offer'd too amongst the rest Which thou prefer'dst as of all gifts the best That thou wert wise before this wise choice shows Else thou hadst never known so to have chose 101. The two harlots ch 3. v. 16. Wisest of Kings who hear'st two harlots plead Both challenging the live child not the dead How wilt thou find its mother wilt thou go To part the living babe and kill that too The true one sooner with her own will part Then have it parted which would kill her heart By the remorslesse answer of the other Thou cam'st to know which is which not the Mother 'T was wisdome that but 't had beeen greater rather Couldst thou have then found out the childs true Father 102. SOLOMON ch 3. What doth thy wisdome boot thee Solomon Thou 'lt find it but an earths vexation Except thou know'st thy self naked and poor Thou 'lt know th' art not so wise who know'st no more 103. The Queen of SHEBA ch 10. Fair Queen thy coming is an honest stealth Thou tak'st more wisdome then thou leavest wealth 104. REHOBOAM ch 12. v. 8. Unlike his father Rehoboam makes Youths of his counsell and old age forsakes He goes about with sharp replies not mild Perswasions to qualifie the wild Uproars how he could think to guide his Realme That drove his boat against the common stream 105. Aliud ch 12. Fond Rehoboam hadst thou serv'd one day The people they had served thee for aye They now crown Jeroboam with applause Yet serve thee how truly in thine own sauce 106. JEROBOAM ch 12. v. the last By goodly words and sly insinuation He reined in and reigned o're a nation Whom God had promis'd if he would persevere In righteousnesse his seed should rule for ever But having Golden calves for true Gods plac'd His race extirp'd he prov'd the calf at last 107. The Prophet slain ch 13. Hadst thou but list'ned to Gods word aright Thou need'dst not fearing him fear lions might Thy beast did scape but thou wert slain alas Perchance the lion took thee for the asse 108. JEROBOAMS wife ch 14. Why didst thou come disguis'd dissembledst too Thy voyce and thought to gull the prophet so His mind is clear though blind his eye-sight be Could he thy childs fate know and not know thee 109. ELISHA ch 17. Ravens preserv'd thy life with food I reade Who others with the bread of life didst feed 110. BAALS priests and ELISHA ch 18. Baul louder Baal doth his friends forget He 's thick of hearing sure baul louder yet Perchance his Godhead now a nap doth take And being drowsie 's somewhat loth to wake He 's gone a journey pray him take the pain To spur his steed and ride home post again Or ' midst the groans of dying enemies Perchance he cannot hear your feeble cries All done yet nothing done their flesh they tear And cut yet sullen Baal will not hear But at Elisha's pray'r is forthwith given Fire to consume his sacrifice from heaven Then for these Priests who spilt some bloud in jest The prophet in good earnest spilt the rest 111. AHAB ch 22. Thou art forbid expressely art thou mad Yet to go up to Ramoth-Gilead Dismount quick from thy chariot again Perchance thou mai'st perchance thou shalt be slain Why sold to wickednesse dost thou go forth The devil 's a chapman for that pennyworth Thou goest disguiz'd for fear of being known But to thy cost thou 'lt know he knows his own The second book of KINGS 112. ELIIAH translated ch 2. VVHen thou in fiery carr wert drawn to th'sky Thy mantle dropt from thee immediately To shew that when we seek heav'n in our mind We ought to leave all earthly things behind 113. Aliud ch 2. Good Prophet almost with thy latest breath Thy soul thou to Elisha didst bequeath Thy body wond'rously to heaven doth go More wondrously thy soul did stay below 114. ELISHA increaseth the widows oyl ch 4. The oyl pour'd out caus'd this poor widows sadnesse But thus pour'd out it prov'd the oyl of gladnesse Bring me she said another bottle boy There 's none she next will fill her heart with joy 115. Aliud ch 4. The widow put small trust in God ere while But as her faith increas'd so did her oyl 116. Death in the pot ch 4. They say life's sweet nor do they say amisse Hence comes to passe that death so bitter is Elisha flung in meal for had he not They all were likely to have gone to pot 117. NAAMANS leprosie ch 5. v. 10. Wash in no other but in Iordans floud 'T is holy water that must do thee good 118. GEHAZI ch 5. v. 26. Went not my heart with thee Elisha said When Naaman with presents did thee lade Ono thou righteous prophet say not so Thy heart did not along with that deed go White innocence is gone but in its room A direfull white of leprosie is come 119. The Syrians struck with blindnesse ch 6. In vain O Syrian dost thou counsel take Elisha frustrate thy device doth make If thou thy secrets shouldst to none impart He 'd fetch them from thy secretst chest thy heart Nor fears he whom thou sendest him to kill Horsemen and fiery chariots guard him still And now their eyes he doth not onely blind But ev'n infatuates their very mind Strikes them with blindnesse doubly leads them on To death yet saves them from destruction Ioram would smite them he bids smite no more With blindnesse they were smote enough before A banquet lastly he prepares for them Who had prepar'd a bloudy one for him 120. IEZABEL ch 9. Proud painted creatures see and wonder at This Queen this Quean by dogs dogg'd to her fate She who but late in rich attire was found Now lies a prey for mastives on the ground Although she went most richly cloth'd in all Her jewells pride at last would have a fall Her carrion stinks now unperfum'd by art Now Iezabel thou in thy colours art 121. AHABS seventy sonnes ch 10. v. 7. Ahab thou hast a numerous seed But all before their time must bleed How in a moment all are gone Their bloud cementing Iehu's throne 122. BAALS priests slain ch 10.25 So near-spent candles give a blaze before Their snuff's extinguish'd and they shine no more When Iehu dignifies the priests of Baal I fear this pomp is for their funerall The offering to make ready each one hies Poor fools your selves must be the sacrifice 123. JOASH hid in the house of GOD. ch 11. O happy receptacle happy he Who hid secure i th' house of God could be But O more happy Ioash had the God Of that house in thy hearts house made abode 124. HEZEKIAH ch 20. Good Hezekiah sick almost to death His life for fifteen years prolonged hath The signe
thou hast a wound and he Who gave that wound can give thee remedy Then bear 't with resolution let no grief Exceed thy patience though 't exceeds relief 192. For mine eyes are upon all ch 16. v. 17. Go seek blind wretches some blind hole wherein You think you may with safety act your sinne Grope ' midst Cymmerian darknesse and commit Such crimes as adde another night to it Light if you can on such a dusky place Where light ne're came where Sol ne're shew'd his face Wear hills upon your backs bid mountains fall On you yet God from his high mount sees all O then repent in time who e're thou art Lest that thou feel God sees unto thy smart 193. So they drew up JEREMIAH ch 38. v. 13. Telling what hap unto his king should be Himself first tastes of his own prophecy He 's cast into a dungeon and therein As much bemir'd with filth as Jews with sinne But this black Eunuchs help 's more candid farre To him then those of his own countrey are Where for not letting his life be as they Would hav 't he has his own life for a prey 194. And it was so that when c. ch 41. v. 7. Judah laid waste and Gedaliah slain Lest any of the people should remain Ismael contrives and doth his worst and best In a dire pit-fall to entrap the rest His plot 's effected O the rufull sight He proves himself here a true I shmaelite LAMENTATIONS 195. See O Lord and consider for I am become vile ch 1. v. 11. SEE Lord how vile we are our sinnes do lie Before our God's before the nations eye For our desert the land lies desart beasts Here couch birds from our ruines build their nests Vile as we are 't would be some comfort though Could we blind we but our own vilenesse know 196. All thine enemies have c. ch 2. v. 16. Behold thine enemies on every side With bloudy jaws like serpents yawning wide Yet ere they swallow down their morsell hisse To see how contemptible prey it is No snake ere harm'd with his three-forked tongue Like those bisulced which do doubly wrong They shew their teeth grin snarl and gnash supposing They shall not snap short and catch naught i th' closing But God who their outrageous madnesse seeth Provides a place where they shall gnash their teeth 197. Thou hast covered thy self c. ch 3. v. 44. What cloud 's so thick or what condensed air 'S not broke with the Artillery of pray'r Pray'r hath omnipotence 't will rend asunder Those lets and parl with Heav'n in Heav'ns thunder Then let him muffle up his face no doubt Well break those clouds untill his face break out Not breaking off our suit nor till then part While we through clouds force passage to his heart 198. They shall be slain with the sword ch 4. v. 9. To die by sword or famine I confesse The choice is somewhat hard yet ne'rethelesse Give me a souldiers death for who would lie Protracting with his life his miserie Yet I 'd chuse hunger were 't my maker's will I after righteousnesse might hunger still Grant me that thirst which brings not death but life Or with the Gospells sword decide this strife 199. The Crown is fallen from our head c. ch 5. v. 16. Our gracefull crown from off our head is thrust And gone to lay its splendour in the dust That crown is faln and wo to us more wo Our crown of grace is fallen from us too EZEKIEL 200. Take this stony heart out c. ch 11. v. 19. MY stony heart O take away Give me heart of flesh I pray But when thou this hast giv'n this suit I 'd move My heart of flesh a fleshly heart ne're prove 201. Therefore ye shall no more seek vanity c. ch 13. v. 23. No no 'ts not fit Gods servants should rely On each vain presage and forg'd prophecy Should they Sibylls dark leaves consult no rather Leave Satan sire of lies fly to the Father Of everlasting truth so not incline To divinations but what 's more divine 202. AHAHOLAH and AHOLIBAH ch 23. v. 1. Two wretched Sisters who in wedlock-state Participated and in wofull fate The one on captains altogether plac'd Her love and she came poorly off at last The other on Chaldeans dotes and shall By means of those her greatest lovers fall She who took others captive with her love Her self a worse way now must captive prove 203. The dry bones revived c. ch 37. v. 2 See here dry bones cements Gods word alone The skin with the now long estranged bone Life is infus'd and they who lately lay Dispersed skeletons set in array Now make a numerous army Isra'ls state God by his vision here doth intimate Their ruines he together joyns nay more Joyns them to him which ne're so near before Gods arm this army form'd his name be prais'd Which hath such companies so strangely rais'd Raise we his glory then and pray he grant We prove like those troops his Church militant 204. GOOS buriall ch 39. v. 15.16 c. Gog slain lies yet unburied bloudy feast To which each vultur's an invited ghest Suck in the clotted gore of these accurst Who would have quench'd their own unsatiate thirst In such another flood they laid a ginne And thought to catch the harmlesse dove therein But were escap'd revenge us though that they That would have birds may be to fowls a prey 205. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. ult v. ult Thrice happy city which includ'st what e're Heav'n makes its boast of that the Lord is there How can thy greatnesse well be measur'd since Thy blessings are unmeasur'd as thy prince Were I a Citizen of thee I 'd near Th' assaults of the infernall legions fear Yet then too had I but my choice 't should be Not to live there so God might live in me DANIEL 206. SHADRACH MESHACH and ABEDNEGO ch 3. IT pleas'd our God his mighty power to shew By Shadrah Meshach and Abednego These three just persons stoutly did desie The Kings commands though death 't was to deny So hot their site of zeal was that those three To th' golden image would not bow the knee Wherefore it was the heathen Kings desire They should be cast i th' scortching flames of fire Which forth with then was done yet to forbear The fire was forc't and durst not sindge a hair 'T was strange yet not so strange for without doubt Their fire within o'recame the fire without 207. Aliud ch 3. The fiery fornace seven fold hotter now Then ever 's made for those who would not bow Unto the golden Idoll but in vain Untouched they in midst o th' flames remain I wonder not that they were hurt no more Since they were throughly purifi'd before 208. NEBUCHADNEZAR metamorphosed ch 4. By pride I fear O great Chaldean King A sev'n years penance on thy self thou'lt bring And come at last to eat grasse
both their eyes and mind JUDAS selling his LORD ch 26. v. 15. Judas whilst thou thy master thus dost sell Traitour thou mak'st thy self a price for hell JUDAS his kisse ch 26. v. 49. Thy falshood Judas thou wouldst hide in this By candying thy poison in a kisse That kisse thou everlastingly shalt wail Thy heart meant hale 't was but thy lips said Hail Peter denying Christ ch 26. v. 74. Why Peter dost thou thus deny Thy Lord so oft so bitterly How dost thou think that he will own Thee when thou plead'st before his throne O let the cock whose voice sounds thy offence Lend the a spur to tears and penitence PILATH judgeing our Saviour ch 27. Whom dost thou judge fond man what pow'r is given To thee O wretch to judge the judge of heaven When he shall come with troops of Angels hem'd For that condemning thou shalt be condemn'd Onely this different sentence he shall give Thou him condemn'st to die he thee to live The Gospel of our Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST according to S. MARK I will make you fishers of men ch 1. T Will be an happy occupation then To fish for the immortall souls of men Their hook's the word by which our souls are saught And wo betide that fish which is not caught And all the devils besought him saying if thou cast us out c. ch 5. v. 12. Inveterate malice though they cannot do Mischief to man they 'll work the creatures wo. A legion of spight t' whom ere they come â—… marvell not they drive him to his tombe But from this one expuls'd I fear they mean To quench their hate though that can't make them clean In a whole sea one eas'ly might divine That filthy company they chose were swine Or swinish men when once they 'd drove them in To th' mire I fear they 'll ne're return agin The daughter of Herodias ch 6. Damsell thy feet a fatall measure tread That thus do spurn against the Baptists head Which in a charger plac'd thou mak'st thy play With that be sure he 'll charge thee at last day And he looked up and said I see men as trees walking c. ch 8. v. 24. The man late blind gins re-salute the light And now is a probationer for sight And yet how perfectly at first he sees That saw the senselesse Jews to walk like trees The penitent chief ch 23. v. 40. He stole and with his life did pay the price Yet dying stole both life and paradise The Gospel of our Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST according to S. LUKE When Jesus heard these things he marvelled at him and turned about and said c. ch 7. v. 9. NOt so great faith was found in Israel None found so faithfull as an Infidell He that believ'd Christ could his servant cure Might have believ'd and so himself assure That whilst pray'rs for his servant he did make Christ would himself into his service take If a sonne shall ask bread of any of you that is a father will he give him a stone ch 11. v. 11. Ask'st thou for bread a stone God will not give But bread of life whereby thy soul shall live Or if heav'n gives a stone'ts a precious one 'T is Christ the rock of hope the corner stone Ye hypocrites ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth but how is it that ye discern not this time ch 12. v. 56. What foolish star gazer is there but knows We shall have heat when sulph'rous Auster blows When muddy Zephyre calls up from the sea A spungy cloud we trow there rain will be Heav'ns face 't is easie to discern but pry Not into Heav'ns invisibility ZACCHAEUS ch 19. What need Zaccheus climb upon a tree Who with faiths eyes his Saviour could see The Gospel of our Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST according to S. JOHN And when the ruler of the feast had tasted c. ch 2. v. 9. CHrist was invited to a nuptiall feast Not so much made by th' dishes as the ghest But lo in midst of all this jollity The wine'gins fail which or he must supply Or they must want he straight doth give command And wine is made of water out of hand The bridegroom could not chuse but like such wine That had a relish of that heavenly Vine Except a man be born again c. ch 3. v. 3. Again must I be born again must I Shrunk up within my mothers bowels lie Again receive my birth O strange must heav'n A price to things impossible be given 'T is true O Nicodemus for again Thou must be born through faith pray'r fasting pain Christ is thy father must beget thee here The Church that mother is that thee must bear JESUS wept ch 11. v. 35. Moses whilst with his wand the rock he smites Gives water to the thirsty Isra'lites Laz'rus like him had travell'd long to find Another promis'd land which was assign'd For blessed souls above but here by th' way Like his forefathers drops being forc'd to lay His weary limbs under a rock and wait For such a remedy in such a strait When lo a rock a mov'ng rock comes near This weary tir'd-out traveller to chear Out of his eyes a double spring doth flow Not to refresh his thirst alone but lo It brings the dead to life fear not to die Laz'rus since thou hast life's well-spring so nigh I am the true vine ch 15. v. 1. Art thou the vine dear Saviour happy 's he Who shall a branch in that stock grafted be Thou art a vine as sadly shews the losse Of thy dear bloud at the wine-presse the crosse This is my commandment that ye love one another c. ch 15. v. 12. On peace since that is the delight of God Fix to continue soul thy sole abode That so a chain of concord there may be Betwixt thy conscience thy God and thee Incredulous Thomas ch 20. v. 27. Incredulous who thy belief dost tie Unto no other witnesse then thine eye But if thou dost desire a surer band Unto thy faith here Thomas feel mine hand The Acts of the APOSTLES ANANIAS and SAPPHIRA ch 5. v. 5. and v. 10. VVHy when you 'd sold all your possession Kept you a part o th' price give all or none When you to Peter came and gave him that You parted with your lives at a dear rate Aliud At the Apostles feet thou laidst a part Lay not thy treasure down lay ope thy heart Saint STEPHEN stoned ch 7. v. 59. Cares he for tortures or for death think you Who hath his haven heaven in full view These stones which would have clogg'd another quite Adde wings O Stephen to thy spirits flight In vain you think this martyr'd saint to stay His eyes already have prepar'd his way SIMON MAGUS ch 8. v. 18. Simon in bitternesse is thy abode Who thinkst with coyn to buy the gift of God Thy money-good bad Simon keep to thee For thou
strange So choosing thou wert proud of such a change Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season esteeming the reproch of Christ c. ch 11. v. 25 26. Cheap pennieworth affliction when such gain It brings and quits with so much joy our pain Cheap bought yet dearly too since 't doth conferre On us what is both precious and dear Who then can Moses discommend that he Suffer'd reproches so contentedly In case he had deny'd to bear them then He had deserv'd reproch from all good men The Epistle of the Apostle S. JAMES For as the body without the spirit is dead even so c. ch 2. v. 26. YOu boast of faith you say too you have set It safe like jewels in a cabinet Why say you not and I should credit give Almost as soon a carrion corps doth live That doth not breathe nor 's thy faith joyn'd with works I 'd sooner take a charitable Turks And for your cabinet you keep it there So safe that we shall never see 't I fear Therefore to him that knoweth how to do well and doth is not to him it is sinne ch 4. v. 17. Oft with my self as I have musing sate Weighing the foolish and the wise man's state I 've doubtfull been which I might judge the best The wise man knows much good but doeth least The senselesse doltish Idiot without wit Knows nought and naught is able to commit The first Epistle of the Apostle S. PETER For it is better if the will of God be so that ye suffer for well doing then for evil ch 3. v. 17. AFflictions are like med'cines if they be Giv'n to sound bodies go down currently And trouble not but if distempers grow And make the stomach queazy 't is not so They purge and scoure and search till nought remain That 's an ill humour then comes out again So 't is with us If we our selves prepare And with no great offence corrupted are Afflictions seem more sweet but if there lie Upon the soul some foul enormity The burden weighs more heavy and our God Seems angry strikes hard with his iron rod. If I must of that bitter purge partake May 't be for triall not for my sins sake But it is unto them according to the proverb The dog is returned to his own vomit and the some that was washed to her wallowing in the mire ch 2. v. 22. ep 2. When thou art purg'd and cleans'd hast bin Be carefull lest again thou sin Behold the sheep that once being wash't Is wary lest she should be dash't For otherwise 't would labour be in vain To wash to filth to filth to wash again The first Epistle of JOHN He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love ch 4. v. 8. OUr God is love then why should we Live thus in wrath and enmity The blessed Trinity teach us love That we the liker them may prove To tie true-love's-knots now begin But yet at variance be with sin The second Epistle of JOHN For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil works v. 11. TO bid an evil man God speed 'S to be partaker of his deed But if unwittingly I spake My self I conscious did not make But must I first his businesse know Whether it lawfull be or no What need of that leave him to God And unto his revengefull rod Pray then that such who unto sins are bent God would with speed bring them to punishment The third epistle of JOHN But I trust I shall shortly see thee and we shall speak face to face v. 14. A Greater blisse then peace no man can have He that gave peace no doubt all things else gave Peace is the chief of graces for those were Indeed no graces which at discord are They as the Poets fain are link'd in one And virtue makes the full conjunction Behold how this one peace doth prosp'ring blesse All temporall affairs with wish'd successe The earth yields her increase each under 's vine Sits down in peace and drinks of his own wine More joy I cannot wish you then farwell The peace of God be with you where you dwell The epistle generall of JUDE Yet Michael the Archangel when contending with the devil and disputing about the body of MOSES durst not blame him with cursed speaking but said The Lord rebuke thee ver 9. WHat argument of pro and con there was With them I mean not to dispute the case This onely I am certain of the one Would bring no railing accusation For 't was as farre below him to contend In bitter words as was that ugly feind A body mov'd this strife at first 'twixt those Who had no bodies incorporeall foes Michael in his mild words without dispute His words did to mild Moses nature suit The Revelations of JOHN The Revelation of Jesus Christ. ch 1. v. 1. THis revelation in your minds up hoord See Christ the word revealed in his word Behold he cometh with clouds c. ch 1. v. 7. With clouds he comes a cloudy day 't will be With those Lord Jesus who despised thee But to the Saints happy thrice happy houre Those clouds shall melt in a sweet honey showre I am he that liveth and was dead ch 1. v. 18. No death could have the power over thee Thou freely did'st submit thy self to die Thou now dost live in sinnes Lord I am dead Joyn me a member to thy self the head Be thou faithfull unto the death c. ch 2. v. 10. Hast thou begun well so persever Runne on thy race and alter never Hell is their portion who begin In piety and end in sinne And this will be another hell To think that they began so well And I will give thee a crown of life ch 2. v. 10. In the bright throne thou shalt be set About thy head a coronet Thy faithfulnesse and constancy Shall be resounded in the skie And to have got this fame with such renown Shall adde a greater lustre to thy crown I am Alpha and Omega ch 22. v. 13. God's the worlds Alpha its creatour He formed all the works of nature He 'll be the worlds Omega to Bring to wicked men great WO. Here 's first and last for th' middle man who is' t Who can that be but Mediatour Christ Aliud ch 22. v. 13. God doth himself Alph ' and Omega call Yet no beginning hath no end at all Blessed are they that do his commandments ch 22. v. 14. O shut not up the book Ere you a little further look A sweet encouragement Read it i th' close is sent The tree of life is yours Who do endeavour to your pow'rs Gods precepts to fulfill i th' best abode The tree shall yield more fruit to you then you to God Even so Lord Jesus come quickly ch 22. v. 20. Make haste Lord Jesus quickly come And take my wandring spirit home Too long it hath been pleas'd
build This not enought these Theo-cides begin To smite him on the cheeks O horrid sinne Whilst they disfigure thus with blows his face Gods image clean from out themselves they race Whilst on the face they smite him happy wert Their consciences could smite them on the heart Buffets are added too and they shall hear If I may say 't on both sides of their ear Those buffetings I may with holy Paul Satans at least or Satans servants call How think ye he your prayers will hear who thus Have strove to deaf him both to you and us Those hands which formed them they impiously With blows would bring unto deformity Those hands they strike to heav'n he upward throws They strike upon a palm that upward grows His eyes too in derision they blind They'd have his eyes it seems like to their mind How could those wretches think to kood-wink him Who both lights organ gave and medium They mock him the eternall God and he Will mock their hopes unto eternitie They brag they 'r Isaac's seed but who can know Now whether they are Ishmaelites or no First scoffing and then down-right murd'ring sure They thought it difficult hell to procure Else certainly they never so would wrest It doubly both by earnest and in jest But this is nothing yet disloyally Peter whoerst forsook doth now deny His Master and doth curse himself but he Whom he denies denies his curse shall be Fulfild on him but gives him penitence Eyes first to see then weep for his offence He had decreed to die before and hence It was he spoke not in his own defence Had he for his just cause but pleaded so Injustice would be forc'd justice to do He could have utter'd one such sentence then Which should have forc'd his judge change his agen Who yet unwilling was that one so Just Should die to satlsfie the peoples lust Fain would he have condemned one who was An homicide seditious Barabbas An homicide must be releas'd that they The homicides might with their Saviour play Play said I I recant it was not true Or if they play'd at least they play'd the Jew What madnesse seis'd you that you should release The peace's troubler bind the Prince of peace Much troubled in her dream was Pilates wife And did her best to save our Saviours life He hears her not O wretch how could it be Unlesse all goodnesse were a dream to thee Like dreams thy joyes shall vanish pleasures too And but hells pains thou shalt have nothing true Scribes people Pharisees together cry Out with him crucifie him crucifie Their noise resounds and rends the air again Ascending high'r then they shall ere attain That clamour which cri'd crucifie him here Thund'ring at heaven demands for vengeance there The voice ascended upwards but alas That they the lower might descend it was Why washest thou thy hands employ that art Yet that were bootlesse too to cleanse thine heart Or in that bloud from which thou sain wouldst free Thy self but wash and thou shalt cleansed be But O their cry prevails who cursing stood On them and on their children be his bloud God who ne're heard their pray'rs in ought but this Fulfill'd the tenour of their direfull wish Yet had they laid his bloud to heart in stead Of that God had not laid it on their head Pilate begins himself now to bestirre Not like a judge but Executioner The scourge foreshows what tortures are to come Of which that is but the Proaemium Deep print these lashes left but we unkind Forget to have them printed in our mind We may keep Gods commands and yet keep these No sinne to have such graven images Stript naked from his clothes if ever now Truth naked is we boldly may avow Who of eternall rayes himself before Had stript clogg'd with humanity once more Is stript of earthly garments that so he Might clothe us with his immortalitie But this was not enough with more disdain Then ere they strip'd they clothe him now again Little those miscreants thought when thus they plaid That they in searlet had their judge araid This colour with his office well agrees That bloudy fact and our iniquities Thus by anticipation be begins To be apparrell'd in his peoples sinnes A wreath of thorns ingirts his temples and A reed stead of a sceptre in his hand Those thorns which crown his brows may seem to say Who goes to heaven must go a thorny way How can the members better think to speed When he their head doth wear them on his head Never were thorns so rightly said t' inclose As now they are a full-blown purple rose He 'll near prove steady Christian who sticks Loth to embrace kicking against these pricks His sceptre weak although it be they need Not fear that he will break the bruised reed And now they make obeysance to him how Their outward not their inward knee they bow Prophetick 't is though little they intend It so to him of right all knees must bend Hail hail long reigne the king methinks I hear Their clam'rous mock-shouts rend the troubled air As on those goodly cities of the Plain He did so wretches he on you will rain Snares sulphur fire your courages shall quail And dreadfull stones of what you wisht him hail Our Lord was spit upon and we must too Expect through spittle unto heaven to go But O they go about farre worse then it I fear they have not all their venome spit The reed which stood before in 's sceptres stead Has left his hand and 's flown unto his head Which grieving their spites instrument to be Hath from that time to this sigh'd vocally Through strokes howe're the way may seem uneven He goes a beaten path that goes to heaven Jesting is past and now their play must be Clos'd in a Tragicall Catastrophe His own clothes are put on he in short space Is led to 's death Mount Calvarie's the place Simon takes up his crosse his others were Crosses sufficient for himself to bear On whose back laid besides his grief we find The sinnes and punishment of all mankind And now I come where I methinks could stay Ravish'd in contemplation for aye What a sad-joyfull object greets mine eye Seeing his sorrows can I chuse but cry Both grief and gladnesse here at once there lies And ev'n my very tears are tears of joyes Can I refrain to pour a briny floud Which yet is drown'd in th' Ocean of his bloud Can I refrain to joy those drops I see Are made the oyl of gladnesse Soul to thee Yet can I chuse but grieve since paradice Is purchas'd for me at so dear a price Yet can I chuse but joy in contemplation That these his sorrows work my souls salvation Then share me joyntly joy and sadnesse part Stakes in my leaping yet dissolving heart Or since the world 's a vale of tears on earth I 'll weep in heav'n will make eternall mirth The sonne of man is lifted up